From Homeless to Promotion

I subconsciously nibble on my lip as I hit the send button on my resignation letter and my "I do not accept this promotion" emails. My heart is pounding so loud my fingers vibrate slightly. This is different, I remind myself. This is not a bad thing. We are simply leaving one job and going into a new one. When you've faced housing insecurity before, stepping out of a job or a city is nerve racking.

However, the truth is I've put in the hard work to make sure I'm okay when transitions happen. One day this will mean an emergency fund that covers me and any unforeseen expenses, but until then I just know I have it all handled. One of my favorite movies is "Homeless to Harvard". I used to dream of making my way to Harvard, being a lawyer, being a civic member, being president, and changing the world. Let's just say I did none of these things quite in this way. But one thing I really took from the movie was if I put my all into it and work extremely hard I can radically change my life. I don't have to be where I come from, I can instead be someone new. I can be me and not just circumstances.

I am first generation to get my undergrad degree & Masters. I was raised in the hood, in poverty, my mom was incarnated, I was brought up in a single parent home, and I spent time in a group home and foster care. I also have a amazing family in TN who became my hero's, a aunt who became a second mom, a love for education, a love for books, and a love for adventure. Where ever I have gone I have been able to find a village of people who love and support me.

I've been homeless thrice. It was not fun. I've also had to couch surf and be in some not so great places just for a nights rest. On top of that I've had five jobs at one time, no benefits, and debt debt. I'm not complaining by any means. I've learned a lot from these experiences. I am super excited to finally feel like I'm in a place where I can move out of St. Louis. More on that later.

​Being overworked and underpaid is the song and dance of many people of color. Especially when we are just grateful to have a job. Negotiating salaries, getting paid what you are worth, and how to recognize a toxic work culture are not classes that we get in college that I think really should be there. College doesn't teach you how to adult. It teaches you theories and how to hold discussions and how to articulate your thoughts. Classes we are severely missing in college are fundamental life things. They usually put pamphlets in the student union or something similar where students are meant to get the real life information.

As you can see below I thought I would post the year I received my original promotion, but I've been workin', I've been workin'. So now this is really about me rejecting a promotion. Never in a million years did I think I would say that. But now that I'm here. I am so ready for this! 

Laters!

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Originally 11/19/2019.