From Poverty to Purpose

I was born the daughter of a sharecropper in rural Mississippi. My early years were shaped by poverty, instability, and limited opportunity—realities that quietly influence a child long before they have language for them.

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My mother, raising seven children with determination and faith, believed deeply in education as the pathway out of poverty. That belief became the turning point in my life. Through education, hard work, and the support of people who believed in me, I was able to change the trajectory of my future.

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Education did more than provide knowledge—it restored dignity, confidence, and choice. It allowed me to move from survival to stability, and eventually into service.

As a nurse and community advocate, I have spent decades working alongside individuals navigating homelessness, unemployment, and systemic barriers—not because of a lack of effort, but because of a lack of opportunity and support at critical moments.

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The Up Project was born from this understanding. From lived experience came a conviction that people do not need handouts—they need pathways, structure, and opportunity. When education, accountability, and encouragement intersect, lives change.

This work is deeply personal. It is also deeply practical. And it is built on the belief that when people are supported with dignity and opportunity, entire communities are strengthened.