This question of who I am has always been difficult for me to answer because what few words can embody my existence? I don’t want to constrain my existence to a few simple words because then I feel as if those words will hold so much weight. So to answer the question, who I am cannot be simplified into the words that the English dictionary supplies, but who I am can be defined through my goal to inspire. Not only others but myself. I could sit here and say that I am a model, creative, scholar, and much more, but that does not define me. The power of inspiration can drive you to your passions, your true definition, and your purpose. It is what keeps me going, being constantly inspired and being able to constantly inspire.

Whether seemingly small-scale or large-scale, every act of inspiration has an impact. One that can change the direction of a life. I aim to inspire.

I am unassociated with doubt. I refuse to be defined by the words that have me doubting my purpose. It gets difficult to live as a Black woman in a society that was not built to love you. It’s not easy to really have faith in yourself and believe in your potential. It seems any space I enter, my doubts try to overtake me. In every aspect – from going to a prestigious university, and feeling the imposter syndrome try to overtake you. To even enter a creative space and see all of the talent around you and question what you bring to the table. I found myself constantly doubting my dreams, goals, and aspirations, but I refuse to let my doubts define me. Don’t get me wrong though, these doubts have not just disappeared. It seems as if it is inevitable, but I refuse to embody my worst thoughts. I have to believe in myself because the rest of the world already doesn’t. Why would I be the one to add to that doubt?

I think most of us can say that this pandemic was something that was a dreadful experience. Going through almost every possible crisis in less than a year was nonetheless heavy.

Honestly though, this pandemic was personally something that I did not know I needed to grow mentally. Before I came to this realization, I was definitely in a deep slump, I felt as if everything I was aiming for was out of reach. Yet, after really being isolated from the rest of the physical world, it left me no choice but to connect me deeper to my purpose and my faith.

I would ground myself with affirmations that brought me peace. Everything happens for a reason. God would not have put us in this situation if it was something that we could not handle. I realized that I would not be this connected to my goals and passions if it were not for this pandemic. It truly slowed down my perspective on what it means to live your life and why you are living, through the good and the bad I am forever thankful.

It’s difficult to grasp my greatest trial because every trial I’ve overcome has impacted me to the same degree to ensure that I am in this specific place in my life. Yet, if I had to pick I would say defying the expectations that were pushed upon me and choosing myself. For the majority of my life, I was told that being a STEM major would bring me the most success and utterly the best life. I conformed to these pressures and chose to be a Science and Medicine major and dreaded it daily, but continued because it was the “best option.” I finally decided to believe in my own goals and pursued a liberal degree to follow my passions into the Entertainment Industry. Once I overcame that trial, I felt a deeper connection to my purpose and why I am doing what I am doing. I can’t sit here and say that my life is now figured out but choosing myself has impacted the way my life is headed and I can’t be happier about it.

If there is one message I could choose to leave for the youth, it would be something my brother, Awet Russom, once told me, and it is a gem that has stuck with me forever and inspired me to truly be myself.

Be true to the person you know you are, it will bring you more success.

Ever since, I became more passionate about my true desires, not the desires that society expects me to have. I am chasing the dreams and goals that I want for myself, and no one else. Do what makes you happy, don’t worry about anything else.