“Mavity. What an interesting name, I’ve never heard that before. What does it mean?”

If I had a dollar for every time someone told me that, I would be writing this from my private jet on my way to vacation in Bali.

“It’s a family name” is my go-to short answer.

Truthfully though, I love getting the opportunity to share my story the long answer way. What is Mavity? Who is Mavity? A family name, yes. I was named after my great-grandmother, Mary Sue Mavity, my guardian angel. A spunky red-headed woman with lots of sass and lots of love. Some might argue she was the world’s biggest Georgia Bulldog Football fan. The woman who moved in with my family during my sophomore year of high school, who passed a few short years later - years of my life that I will never forget.

Hearing my name is a constant reminder of the woman I strive to be, a reminder of the people who loved me even before I was born, and the ones I want to make proud as a Georgia Bulldog constantly.

Having a unique name can get frustrating, from the mispronunciation to the bullying, but without a doubt, it is the thing I love about myself the most. Hearing it being yelled from the bleachers when I walk onto the soccer field, signing it in the corner of a piece of art I just finished, seeing it printed on the order ticket I am about to hand my dad to make it our family-run restaurant.

“Mavity” is a legacy that I thank my mother for making me represent. “Mavity” is who I am and it is an honor to represent my story in every piece of art I make, every goal I score, and introduce it to every person I meet.