I will be one of the presenters for the Benchmark Education Conference being held on October 20, 2022, in Cairo, Egypt. I am honored to share time and space with some amazing women and men who are committed to sharing their expertise in education and technology. To learn more about the conference, mission, vision, speakers, agenda, registration and so much more, visit their website at https://www.conference.bmedu.com/
Be prepared to be inspired and engaged with a day filled with lectures, panel discussions, and workshops!
It was indeed my privilege to return to Houston High School. This time, it was all about the young ladies. They have started a Beautifully Unique Girls Club. It gives them the opportunity to talk about important issues in a safe space for full transparency and self expression. February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness month. I had the opportunity to share statistics, knowing the signs of abuses, self worth, and my lived and professional experiences in this space. I appreciated their openness and desire to ensure that this topic was included in their monthly meetings.
What a great way to end 2021! I gave the Commencement Address for The Health Institute’s Fall Graduation for their Nursing and Phlebotomy graduates. It was indeed an honor to share my experiences, provide hope, encouragement and a call to action for not only the graduates, but those who attended in support of these amazing students. I am thankful to every single person who felt I was the best fit, and the energy and love I received are feelings I will forever treasure.
Someone told me in my teens that I would make a great nurse because I enjoyed working with people, community service, and they are paid well. I always knew that was something I’d never explore. I went through a period of constant illness in my teens and early adulthood. The sight of needles often made me feel physically ill and I was often nervous at the thought of yet another doctor’s appointment. While I experienced a few doctors and nurses who were not so kind and professional, most of them were great, knew what they were doing, and put my mind and body at ease. Nursing takes a combination of knowledge. professionalism, and compassion. I love people, but I am too nervous and terrified of needles for me AND the patient to be terrified when it comes to treatment!lol
Over the Labor Day weekend, I had the opportunity to encourage and educate the Whitehaven community about domestic violence at their Annual Community Festival. I am especially pleased to see a festival that is specific to not only having a good time for families, but also making sure it includes a social component. Unfortunately, domestic violence plagues communities around the world. In Memphis specifically, Whitehaven is among those ranked relatively high with regard to domestic violence incidents.
I wanted to make sure the attendees understood that Memphis reached a record number of homicides in 2016, with the two biggest reasons being cited as gang related activity and domestic violence. I also wanted them to be aware of the many services available, including the one I founded, Walking Into A New Life, Inc. Lastly, I wanted them to know they were hearing from someone who could understand what they may be dealing with as I am celebrating another year as a survivor myself.
Always know that you’re not alone. Help and resources are available. If you or someone you know is going through abuse, please contact your local police precinct or domestic violence agency. Learn more about our nonprofit, Walking Into A New Life, Inc. by visiting the website, www.wianl.org. And, if you’re in immediate danger, PLEASE CALL 911 ASAP.
February is National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention month. It is the time that we, as a society, should be making a conscience effort to educate and inform our teens about the importance of establishing healthy relationships, setting boundaries, knowing the signs of abuse and what to do if you find yourself in an abusive situation.
The problem is, in my opinion, we still have too many adults who are not aware that this month has been set aside for such a purpose. We still have too many adults who don’t quite understand abuse themselves, and therefore, simply cannot educate young people about it. There are too many adults that are still living in their own fear of their abuser, what people will think of them if they tell anyone about being abused (past or present) or struggling with their own lack of self esteem and self worth. I was one of those adults. I always knew that I didn’t want my children to be in unhealthy relationships, but I wasn’t providing them with a positive role models. Nor did I spend as much time as I should have in seeking them out. Although we’ve worked through a lot of our individual and collective hurts regarding the aftermath of abuse, it is still something that I regret.
Thankfully, I am a different person, and I have been able to speak to teens and tweens about abuse and reassure them that it’s not their fault, talk to someone they trust and that help/resources are available. What I enjoy most is talking with the parents and the children at the same time. It gives me the opportunity to in turn, tell the parents to BE the person that their child CAN talk to and trust, face their own fears, leave the unhealthy relationship and know that help and resources are available for them as well as their children. I also like to remind people that they are talking to young people, so if it’s difficult for you to know what direction to take, consider that it’s that much more difficult for a child.
Be sure to search for programs that mentor teens and find out if domestic violence/teen dating violence is covered in their programs. If not, then make the suggestion to have it included. I welcome the opportunity to provide insights that will assist in making our young people feel safe and educated.
I will be one of the presenters for the Benchmark Education Conference being held on October 20, 2022, in Cairo, Egypt. I am honored to share time and space with some amazing women and men who are committed to sharing their expertise in education and technology. To learn more about the conference, mission, vision, speakers, agenda, registration and so much more, visit their website at https://www.conference.bmedu.com/
