Radical Self Care, Radical Acceptance
For 17 years, I concealed the fact that I was a survivor of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide. I buried that trauma deep, but not deep enough. When I finally spoke my truth, it freed me a bit, and I yearned to do something that would continue to give me that sense of freedom to claim my own story. So, like any compassionate young adult, I started a nonprofit.
My journey into social impact began with a heartfelt mission. The nonprofit I founded focused on providing educational opportunities for young learners in Rwanda, a tribute to those I loved and lost. I believed that building something at home would reconnect me to my roots while helping others.
Yet, this path led me down an unexpected route, or as I humorously call it, an 'identity crisis.' I decided to pack my life into two suitcases and move from Chicago to Kigali, where, with a dedicated team, we built classrooms, organized eye-opening cultural exchange trips, and led self-development workshops for young minds in Rwanda. Yet, one of my most significant accomplishments was realizing that, although I was doing good work, it wasn't my work to do. This epiphany led me to a journey of radical self-care and radical acceptance (more on that later).
I'm not an expert, but I've been learning a lot about community building, reshaping our perspective on charity work, and grasping the transformative power it provides in enabling us to live authentically.
Now that you've learned a bit more about me, why not stay for the ride? Join me on this journey of growth, let’s engage in meaningful dialogue, and together, let's build a dope ass community.
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