‘Rather than being bitter about all the ways I’ve felt I was wronged throughout the years, I choose to be grateful.’

Long Island

“I was born in the Republic of Georgia and shuffled between orphanages until I was 4 and was adopted with my sister by our new family in Baltimore. I spent a long time feeling unable to fit in with my environment.

“When I was 12, my adoptive parents got divorced, and my great grandma, with whom I felt a strong spiritual connection, passed.

“I didn’t make the greatest choices. When I was 19, conflicted on the inside and out, I moved in with a boyfriend on Long Island, which didn’t turn out to be the best choice. If I could go back in time, I might tell myself this is not a way to go. But that step was a catalyst for developing into who I am today.

“I didn’t realize that it wasn’t people I was searching to belong with, but a purpose to pursue. Since my son was born 5 years ago, I earned three graduate degrees and teach in a local middle school. He has been my drive and been by my side for every graduation.

I formed a new organization because I’ve always wanted to make sure that people feel a sense of belonging.

“When I got my first teaching job, I said there has to be a way students can be set up so adults can give them people in their corner so they’re not falling to the wayside — that they feel like people care about them and they have avenues for success.

“So I founded Fiercely Leading Youth Inc. It’s meant to be a system of social-emotional interventions for students. I was lucky to find a really good team. Due to many challenges I began experiencing in my home life, the team took over and the organization is growing. They bring my dreams to life. I’ve learned the most important thing is the work getting done, not who is doing it.

“Recently I formed a new organization because I’ve always wanted to make sure that people feel a sense of belonging. As someone who didn’t feel that in many ways and in many places, I think it’s important to take those feelings and address the need that you can identify in people.

“I want an organization whose only goal is to give people that sense of belonging during the holidays. So Meals of Meaning Inc. is what I’m working on now.

“Rather than being bitter about all the ways I’ve felt I was wronged throughout the years, I choose to be grateful for the experiences I’ve been able to turn into wisdom and carry with me in my understanding of others.”

Interviewed by Liza Burby

‘We try to keep a positive attitude about things even in the darkest times.’

Long Island

“My daughter Cadence is 15 and suffers from a rare condition, FoxG1 syndrome, a neurological disorder that makes her non-verbal and non-ambulatory, we do all the lifting, all the transferring. Cadence is one of 900 in the world to have FoxG1, she’s a rare gem. It’s amazing how much the gene controls everything in your body. It’s a doorway to so many other genetic disorders. How you retain things, how your body moves, how you eat, how you communicate. Not being able to say I’m in pain, I have a stomachache, it’s a huge issue. She has three types of seizures that are controlled with medication, she has 15 specialists. My house is full of equipment and we learn to work around it and be grateful that we have it.

Cadence is my whole world and I’m very involved in the special needs community, helping new parents entering this new scary world.

“Now that she’s a teenager, we’re dealing with that whole other issue of changing into an adult. I volunteer at Good Samaritan Hospital talking about feeding tubes, letting parents know that it’s not a bad thing, it’s actually a good thing and it can save your child’s life. It took my husband and I three years to come to the conclusion that Cadence needs a feeding tube. Cadence is my whole world and I’m very involved in the special needs community, helping new parents entering this new scary world.

“I’m a volunteer parent advocate in our school district, letting parents know what your child is entitled to with an IEP. That label entitles your child to getting more services. I’m involved in Angela’s House, which gives support to families with medically frail children. At age 3, Cadence joined, they were a huge shoulder to lean on. They helped us get a fully handicap accessible bathroom, we have a lift in front of our house. They found a family who was donating a huge conversion van and they donated that to us. We’re now involved with Breakthrough Intensive Physical Therapy in Islandia, using bungie cords so these children can weight bare.

“Cadence is taking independent steps, she is weight baring, shifting her weight. We still live our lives, we go swimming, we go to the beach. We try to keep a positive attitude about things even in the darkest times. It’s ok to feel alone, these feelings are normal and it’s ok to reach out and get that support.”