I had no sense of mind for my first 3 years of living except when my mother fell down the stairs at church with me in her arms. It’s ok we made it, though.

When I was 4, I started going to daycare. I made my first friend there. I remember there was an embarrassing moment where I pooped my pants and it was dripping down my leg and the daycare worker said, “What’s that smell?” So she had to check every kid and I was the last one to be checked. It’s ok I was only 4, though. I only remember my moments of embarrassment; that’s all I could think of growing up.

When I was 5, I started Kindergarten. When I was 6, I was in first grade. I was learning how to read and write. When I was 7, I was partying with my family and met a lot of my family members. I met my favorite cousin Ryann but she was mean and when I say mean I mean she had attitude in every sentence.

When I turned 8, I got braces and I went to Florida to visit my aunt and uncle when school ended. When I turned 9, I was excited to turn 10. When I turned 10, I finally had the double digits and was the oldest in my class.

When I turned 11, I started going to the Mattapan Teen Center and started working making a stipend of $100 a week in the summer. When I turned 12, I started middle school and I got my braces taken off.

When I was 13, I was finally considered a teenager walking around my house thinking I’m grown. Ryann introduced my family and me to the teen center and it’s been an amazing place since.

When I turned 14 in 2024, I got a job in the school year working at the teen center. I also got a debit card and became treasurer for the Keystone group at the teen center.