Know Me. Develop Me. Progress Me.

I was born in 1985 at Whittington Hospital in Islington to a mother struggling with substance misuse. At just six weeks old, I was placed into the care of my grandparents and raised in Downham, Lewisham. When my grandfather passed away at five, I was raised by my white grandmother, who loved me deeply, but I often struggled with my identity as a Black girl without cultural guidance. School wasn’t a safe space either. I experienced bullying, SA, and was exposed to crime from a young age. As a teenager, I faced violence, exploitation, and was later arrested at 18. By my late teens and early twenties, I was dealing with trauma, low self-worth, and unhealthy coping mechanisms. At 17, I was diagnosed with vitiligo, which deeply affected my confidence. I experienced further SA and found myself trying to survive rather than truly live. In my twenties, I reconnected with my biological family, which brought both healing and new questions about who I was. At 28, while pregnant, I lost my grandmother, the woman who raised me, just days before giving birth to my daughter. I was in an emotionally abusive relationship and later realised I was experiencing postnatal depression, though I didn’t have the space to process it at the time. In my thirties, I began embracing my true self, including my identity and my voice. That journey of self-acceptance, healing, and reflection led me to a powerful realisation: I wanted to be the support I never had. Why I Founded Proud to Be Me CIC Proud to Be Me CIC was created from lived experience. It’s a space for young people, especially those who are marginalised, overlooked, or misunderstood, to feel seen, safe, and empowered. Everything I went through, trauma, identity struggles, exploitation, now fuels my purpose. I do this work so that no young person has to navigate those challenges alone. My story isn’t just about survival, it’s about transformation. And it’s proof that no matter where you start, healing and growth are possible.