Born and raised in Philadelphia, PA, I always saw myself bigger than my surroundings. Endowed with a sense of self-confidence and desire to set fire to the world, I wasn't going to allow anything to stop me from turning my dreams into shiny things. Although I do have a big family, for some reason growing up seemed detached and more nomadic than it should have been. By the age of nine, my mother died from breast cancer and my father and I were estranged due to his lack of ability to stay out of trouble with the law. I entered the Department of Human Services by the age of thirteen and as I always tell anyone who will listen...The system changed my life...PERIOD! In a community full of youth, I finally felt like I belonged somewhere and didn't feel so afraid and judged. Everyday I am grateful for programs that rear abandoned or misguided individuals by providing refuge and a place for proper integration into this world of endless possibility. I am a writer first. A story-teller and the way I share my messages are through music, painting and books. I am forever "born to be free".