Dear Diary: My Life Raising Brown Girls

A few years ago, I created  Facebook group for mothers or mother figures raising brown daughters! The purpose of this group is to provide a safe space for fathers to connect, share experiences, and discover effective strategies for navigating fatherhood — however that looks for you. This is a  positive, uplifting,  supportive community . There is  no bashing is allowed. Here, we lift each other up, share our journeys, and celebrate the joys and challenges of motherhood together. You will find  understanding, encouragement, and connection  as you navigate the journey of raising brown daughters. Topics for Discuss Include: How to be a great mother Raising daughters and navigating challenges Child behavioral issues and discipline strategies Managing stress and practicing self-care Education and academic support Encouraging confidence and self-esteem Celebrating culture, identity, and heritage Health, nutrition, and wel...

A few years ago, I created  Facebook group for fathers or father figures raising brown daughters! The purpose of this group is to provide a safe space for fathers to connect, share experiences, and discover effective strategies for navigating fatherhood — however that looks for you. This group is a positive, supportive community . There is no dad-bashing allowed. Here, we lift each other up, learn from one another, and grow together as fathers. Topics for Discuss Include: Effective Co-Parenting Strategies How to Be a Great Father Raising Daughters: Challenges and Insights Managing Child Behavior and Discipline Handling Stress, Overwhelm, and Practicing Self-Care Whether you’re seeking advice, sharing successes, or simply connecting with other fathers who understand your journey, this is a space for encouragement, growth, and support. Join us and be part of a community that celebrates fatherhood while honoring the unique experience of raising brown daughters. The ...

Some days, life presses hard against me. The mistakes I’ve made, the people I’ve lost, the moments I wish I could take back… they leave marks I didn’t expect, lessons I didn’t ask for. I feel bruised by disappointment, by loss, by choices that hurt more than I can admit. I’ve stumbled, questioning my strength, my purpose, even my place in the world. But even in the heaviness, something inside me refuses to give up. I am still here. Every bruise I carry tells a story not of defeat, but of endurance. Of the times I got back up when it would have been easier to stay down. Of the resilience I didn’t know I had until life demanded it. I’m learning that being strong doesn’t mean being untouched. It means choosing to heal, to grow, to move forward, even when the path feels impossible. I am not the same person I once was, and maybe that’s the point. I am becoming someone who understands that pain is not the end it’s a beginning. A teacher. A doorway to deeper strength. So yes, I am bruised. Li...

Some stories begin with love. Mine began with absence, resilience, and a young mother who was still learning how to live while trying to raise me. This is my journey through pain, purpose, and the kind of love that grows from survival the story of what it means to be the daughter of a teen mother and an absent father. No one could have prepared me for being the daughter of a teen mother and an absent father. No one could have prepared me for the obstacles, the journey, or the emotional and mental effects it would have on me both as a child and even now, as an adult. I wasn’t ready for the heartache, the breakdowns, the letdowns, or the tears. I wasn’t ready for how deeply it would shape me. There were days it felt like I was walking through fire barefoot, with no one to carry me, no one to shield me from the burn. I know God has a plan and a purpose for my life. I’ve always believed that. But for years, it seemed as though my life was destined for destruction. Every path I took seeme...

Have you ever wondered why certain things happen?  Why no matter how hard you try to live right,  to do good by others, to love, to forgive, life still throws storms your way? Have you ever felt like everything keeps happening to you, but nothing seems to happen for you? Have you ever looked around and whispered,  How did I get here?  Not out of curiosity, but out of exhaustion. How did I get here? To this place where my heart feels heavy and my hope feels thin. Where I’ve done everything I thought was right and still feel like I’m standing in the wrong place. I’ve asked that question more times than I can count. I’ve asked it in the dark, with tears soaking my pillow. I’ve asked it in prayer, hands raised but my spirit sinking. I’ve asked it in silence, when words couldn’t carry the weight of what I felt. And the truth is, I don’t always get an answer. But sometimes, in the quiet after the crying, I feel something stir, a whisper that says,  You’re still her...

I am the mountain  sounds powerful. To some, it sounds like a symbol of strength, stillness, and endurance. But when I say I am the mountain , I do not think of those things. I think of struggling, sacrifice and more. I think of being and feeling stuck. I think of standing in my own way. I have endured and overcome a lot on this journey of life, and yet I am still the mountain. Mistrust, worthlessness, anxiety, and hopelessness are the rocks that build me. They make me feel like I am my own barrier. They are the walls I cannot seem to climb. I am the mountain that prevents me from living the life I want. I am the mountain that stands between me and love. I am the mountain that stands between me and God. When mistrust and hopelessness mix, the weight of it is hard to describe. It’s like standing at the base of myself, unable to see a way up. The fog of my fears, being anxious, feeling stagnant, feeling hopeless, unlovable and unworthy makes it hard to find the path. I have prayed, ...