I am 42 years old. I have since a child come from poorer commuinitys in United States urban cities.Born in Jamacia Queens NY on July ,26,1970.My mom name was Minnie Butler. She was a single mom of 8 children me the youngest. We lived in Queens and Brooklyn until I was 8 years old .We moved to Bridgeport CT in 1978 .

We moved to a housing project named "Beardsly Terrace" .It was a violent nieghborhood ,but we survived .I went to "Wilbur Cross elementry ".

When then moved when I was 10 to Central Avenue in Bpt'S east end section of town.I went school at Mckinley Elementry.while living there I always went to the commuinity center .It was "The Randolph Taylor Commuinity Center".They had all sorts of things the kids could do there.They had drill and jumprope teams,art,homework help,parties, lots of things.

When I was 11 we moved to "Father Panik Village".I was 11 in a half.I spent most of my teenage years there and it is my most piviot memories of my child hood.

In "FPV" I went to Dunbar school I was one of the first students to go to the brand new school.I also was involed in a program where kids that are "at risk youth" get help and mentoring from leaders in the commuinity .Father Panik was one of the target sites.

I have been vitim to violence and have seen vast amount of violence .I try to stay positive . I went to Job Corps at sixteen I stayed until I was 18 I graduated . When I moved out of FPV.I was 19 we moved to east end again and worked .

I still did volunteered for local churches and I was an avid church goer.I stopped going to church in the 1990"s

I gave birth to my daughter in 1996.She was my first child .then I had my son in 2000.

I"m raising my two children for the past 16 years as a single mom.I write poetry small stories,I aspire to become an activist in my local commuinity in Bpt ,Ct