WOW, If I am honest, knowing that this is my last semester of undergraduate is hard to wrap my mind around fully as so much has changed, and almost nothing seems the same as when I started this journey.
At 27 years old, having faced adversaries at nearly every turn, I must say that it feels good to be where I am at today in my journey. I started my academic life being told at a young age that I had learning disabilities, dyslexia, and a slight speech impediment when it comes to R and L sounds. I was told that going to a university might not be right for me because of my learning disabilities and that I might fail if I did. I was lead to believe that I might never graduate high school, let alone hold an associate's degree in media production, and be seven class off from having a bachelor's in Religious Studies, minor in sociology with plans to get my Masters's Degree in Divinity. If you had told me ten years ago that I would be where I am today or would be the person I am today, I would have most likely laughed in your face because I had given up. I believed the lies that I had been told all my life and thought that I was too stupid for college. I was worn down from bullying, mental, and physical abuse and had reached a point where I did not even know who I was anymore and honestly didn’t care to know. Yes, I knew that I was queer. I knew that I was an activist, a model, and an actor. An actor that is what I was best at. Every day I acted as if I knew what I was doing in life, in school, in advocacy work. I acted like I even knew who I was honestly, and I was damn good at it if I do so say, so myself for the truth of the matter was that most of the time, I had a minimal idea what I was doing, at least in the beginning.
Over time my “acting” paid off as I started actually to become good at what I was doing. I began to understand the world around me, and I began to learn about who I was as a person and how I fit into the world. Over the years, mostly since 2017 and having found a faith that loves, nurturers, and supports me in a free and responsible search for truth, meaning I have learned of and found my worth and dignity. I have grounded myself in a foundation and a faith that I can be proud of; I have found a place I belong and a calling for my life. I now know who I am, and it is that I meant to do with my life; I am into us my voice, my experiences, and my privilege to speak the truth of love from the pulpit. I am to be a minster who is not afraid to say what needs to be said and who is not afraid to welcome the stranger. I am to bear profound and prophetic witness to all who exist on the margins and am to serve the divine with love, grace, and humility.
So here I go, the next chapter of my life is here and I can not wait to see where this journey leads me next.