Published in ZORA·PinnedMember-onlyHow I Was Guided to the First EVER Triple Jump Medal for an American WomanA few weeks ago I accomplished a feat no other American woman has ever achieved. I am the first and ONLY American woman to medal in the triple jump in a World Championship competition. Six months ago if anyone told me I was going to do this, I’d look at…Sports9 min readSports9 min read
Published in ZORA·PinnedMember-onlyFailing on the Biggest Stage: My Olympic StoryI left the track in shock, asking myself, “What did I do wrong? Is this really how the story ends?” — I had just competed in the qualifying rounds of the women's triple jump at the Tokyo Olympics. The auto-qualifying mark wasn’t one that I couldn’t have easily done any other year, yet on this day, I was far from it. No one pursues a dream for a decade and expects…Tokyo4 min readTokyo4 min read
Published in Modern Women·Feb 14Member-onlyA Not-So-Tragic Love StoryReframing what ‘realistic’ love means to me — I’ve loved love for as long as I can remember. When we passed out store-bought valentines to our elementary school classmates, I always made sure to give the largest one to the boy I liked. In sixth grade, the boy was Sam. I anonymously wrote him handmade letters for two…Memoir4 min readMemoir4 min read
Feb 6Member-onlyFinding the Light During Winters SADnessExploring ways to brighten your mind, body, and spirit A grey looming abyss lurks outside my bedroom window. Is it dusk or dawn? It’s hard to tell just from looking outside. I haven’t seen the sun in days, maybe even weeks. Time does weird things when there is no light…Seasonal Depression4 min readSeasonal Depression4 min read
Published in Modern Women·Jan 23Member-onlyFinding the Black Community in Athens Greece Through Hair CareHow a night at the beauty shop fueled my sense of belonging — I am an African American woman living in Athens, Greece. I’m used to going to the grocery store and seeing people that look like me. I am accustomed to attending events or bars and seeing other black people dancing and having fun. I grew up in a black Methodist church…Modern Women5 min readModern Women5 min read
Published in ZORA·Dec 7, 2022Member-onlyThree Lessons From My One-Year Loc JourneyA journey of growing trust, seeing beauty, and deepening connection — 365 days ago I embarked on a journey that I knew would elevate my life if I allowed it to, the journey of locking my hair. They say hair is the antenna to the universe, and when you lock it up, you’re allowing yourself to connect more deeply to your…Trust5 min readTrust5 min read
Oct 29, 2022Member-onlyThe “Ugly” Pigeons’ DanceWhat The Flight of Pigeons Can Teach Us About Flowing With Life — I saw something beautiful the other day. A pigeon. I know that may seem weird. Very rarely do people take a look at a pigeon and think, wow, what a beautiful majestic creature. In fact, it's likely the opposite. Pigeons are often referred to as “sky rats.” They lurk on…Life3 min readLife3 min read
Oct 7, 2022Member-onlyThirty Lessons From My 30th BirthdayThings I wish little me knew, words I hope I never forget — A decade ago I turned 20. The last 10 years have been full of ups and downs, depression, joy, love, tears, new connections, and some I’ll never talk to again. I traveled the world, from the horn of South Africa to the corners of West Canada. I competed on the…Life Lessons2 min readLife Lessons2 min read
May 13, 2022Member-onlyInternational Travel Opened My Eyes to The Human In Us AllI always felt like the (literal) black sheep growing up. I lived in a predominately white neighborhood, and I was the only black kid in my entire school (at least until my younger siblings aged in). I always felt different and not completely included. On top of being black, I…Travel3 min readTravel3 min read
Published in ZORA·Apr 19, 2022Member-onlyHow Locs Challenge My Everyday LifeLocs can teach you if you’re open to receive it — For many people, a loc journey is about more than just the style. Some people go into their loc-ing process with specific intentions. Whether that be to finally commit to something in their life, to improve upon their spiritual journey, or challenge beauty standards and show the world an alternative…Hair5 min readHair5 min read
