From Struggles to Strength: Embracing Identity and Empowering Others Through Storytelling

Diagnosed with vitiligo at 18, a young Black woman reflects on a life shaped by adversity, identity struggles, and ultimately, empowerment. Her journey, marked by both external prejudice and internal battles, became the foundation for her purpose: to help others rise above their own pain through storytelling and self-acceptance. This is her story—one of transformation, resilience, and inspiration.

Growing up, she was the only Black child in her grade and one of just three in her entire elementary school. Isolated and different, she struggled with self-acceptance from a young age. “To me, being white meant being privileged. It meant not getting bullied or standing out,” she recalls. The teasing and ridicule she faced for her skin color led her to yearn for belonging, even if it meant losing herself in the process.

When she entered high school, the environment was more diverse, and she found herself surrounded by students who looked like her. Yet, fitting in remained elusive. "I was called an Oreo—Black on the outside, white on the inside,” she shares, describing how she was now judged for not being "Black enough." Identity continued to be a moving target, a painful balancing act between two worlds she felt she never truly belonged to.

At 18, she was diagnosed with vitiligo—a condition that causes loss of skin pigmentation. This new challenge made it impossible to hide. “People would stop me on the street and suggest I go to Cuba for a cure,” she remembers. Others called her names or told her she was cursed. With no option to blend in, she was forced to embrace her uniqueness. “It starts from within,” she says. “Once I accepted myself, I no longer cared what others thought.”

Out of her personal transformation came a mission to help others. She founded Born to Rise, a nonprofit that gives people a platform to share their stories of overcoming adversity. “There’s so much power in storytelling,” she emphasizes. The organization offers both public and anonymous sharing spaces, aiming to create safe and inclusive environments where healing and connection are possible. Listening—truly and intentionally—is central to her approach.

Despite lingering feelings of imposter syndrome due to not completing her degree, she continues to push forward, encouraging others to find strength in their pain. “Whatever your current adversity is—it’s your biggest power,” she says. Through her work and her words, she reminds us that self-acceptance is not just a personal journey but a communal call to uplift one another through empathy, honesty, and shared experience.