Loving Life Summer Edition 2014 Volume 8.7 | Page 11

Sure, I didn’t grow up in a nuclear family, with two parents in a single home, but both of mine have always
been there and on any recount I make on my childhood I can say that they’ve loved me assiduously! My dad
taught me to love who I am and where I came from. I remember during my awkward pre-teen years questioning my blackness and my skin tone. Someone had hurt my feelings. Someone teased me saying that I was as
“black as blue.” When I went to my dad’s house that weekend I didn’t want to go outside. He didn’t understand why, as I was his “chocolate princess.” He’s called me that for as long as I can remember, but that day I
felt that I didn’t want to hear him say those words ever again! It wasn’t his fault, but some rude knucklehead
boy at school. It may seem silly now, but a child’s words will STICK and truly bruise the soul. I told my dad
what happened. Aside from him threatening to kick the little boy’s tail (LOL) he told me that I was royalty and
that I’d always be his “chocolate princess!” He taught me to love my deep dark chocolate skin. In fact, every
time I’d go to his house, my Uncle Kirk and I would line our arms up against each other’s to see who had the
best tan. I’d sit in the sun for hours to make sure that I’d be as chocolate as ever for the next time I saw him.
That is something that I’ll never forget. They taught me to be bold and to be whatever I wanted – even as chocolate as I wanted to be! For that I am eternally grateful! That was pretty darn clever and it’s a story that I tell
often, encouraging other young women of darker hues to love and empower themselves.
Q) What were some of your major accomplishments during your high school years?
A) My major accomplishment during high school was simply having completed it! I graduated among the top
20 of my class with honors, membership in the National Honors Society, and a scholarship from the Charles T.
Bauer Foundation to attend Bucknell University. I was a member of the volleyball team during my first and
second year, served as the President of my class during my junior year, and was a member of the renowned
Western High School dance team during my senior year.
Q) Tell me a little about your experiences at Bucknell University?
a) What did you major in?
A) I double majored in Women’s and Gender Studies and Sociology and minored in dance. My areas of interest were concentrated in criminal justice and public health.
b) What were some of your major accomplishments?
A) Founding the Bisonettes Dance Team; revamping the Black Student Union; helping to orchestrate and carry out the mission of Bucknell University’s Affordable Care Act Project; having completed a semester long
study abroad program in London my junior year of college; having completed Columbia University’s Summer
Public Health Scholars Program in NYC the summer of my junior year of college; having completed the international Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program during my senior year of college.
Q) What are your plans following graduation from Bucknell?
A) I’ve applied for a few jobs and a graduate fellowship but didn’t get it. After asking for feedback, I’ve been
consistently told that I am “qualified” but that others have more “experience.” That was definitely enough to
frazzle me. Suddenly, I lost confidence in my majors! In fact, it sent me running to apply for grad school two
weeks ago. I ran myself in a tizzy. I really didn’t know what to do. Now I had already made the decision to hold
off on grad school for a year so that I can go out into the work force and get some get some relative experience
– but the jobs haven’t come so easily! I had an instant reality check. After seeing a few job rejections, I thought
to myself okay –I’ll take a leap of faith and apply for grad school. I kept praying for a sign but after a while I
realized that I was just running to what I thought was convenient and comfortable. It is hard to see what will
happen over this next year, but I’m just going to trust God and myself to just go after what I really want.
I plan to get my certification in yoga instruction this summer to become a certified teacher. It’s a tad pricy and
I’d have to take out another loan but to me it will be a well worthy investment! Most people don’t understand.
They’re like,“whaaaat? Yoga? Lia, what are you going to do with that?” But it’s catering to a bigger picture –
a part of my dream – (by the way, I have a gazillion “dreams” I’d like to pursue! And they’ll come true. I have
that much faith!)
I want to create my own genre of dance therapy. Yoga practice is a small component of what that will entail. I
want it to be a form of therapy for disabled, but I also want to offer it (my genre) as a casual form of artistic
expression. Hopefully one day it will be mainstreamed. I’ll start with the youth of inner city Baltimore.