Surviving a tough childhood
My childhood was not easy, but it made me who I am today. I was born with a paralyzed left arm due to Erb’s palsy. My mother had immigrated here from Nigeria and was raising me on her own. As a young child, I was subjected to traumas, such as abuse, from people who were meant to care for me while my mother worked long hours to support us.
Growing up with no one to fight for me taught me to fight for myself.
Rising above to find myself
My teen years brought more trauma and difficulties. I went to work at age thirteen to support myself and help my mother with the bills. Some of my family members overseas were helpful and supportive, but others told me I wouldn’t amount to anything in life. At first, this destroyed my confidence. But deep down, I knew they were wrong.
Having no one to turn to taught me to rely on myself.
Meeting challenges
I didn’t have money for college, so I worked full-time in between classes to pay for my education. At Howard University, I participated in one of the largest technology implementations to date across the Health Division, to enable continued learning for students in the university's health schools. That’s when I learned how to combine the power of technology and sheer hard work to solve problems and enhance people’s lives.
Encountering challenges taught me continuous optimism.
Working hard to better myself and those around me
I’ve always been curious about the metrics of success: how companies survive and thrive, while doing good on a global level. This curiosity fed my interest in innovation and led me to pursue a certificate in Strategy & Performance Management after graduation. It also led me to Microsoft, Amazon, and Twitch. Most recently, I was Chief of Staff @ Twitch focusing on Online Harms. Having the opportunity to participate in company-supported programs that work with small businesses and large corporations in Latin America and Africa to provide advice on improving efficiency, enhancing consumer experiences, modernizing opportuinity, and cutting organizational costs is one of the reasons why I joined Big Tech.
Studying success and policy taught me how to help others be successful.
A modern leader, for a modern Bowie, ready to innovate
Today, I run a software and consulting company and I am a Leadership Fellow at Rodel Institute (Aspen Institute) and Vital Voices. As a member of the First Baptist Church of Glenarden, I’ve given my time, talent, and funds to support volunteer organizations and contribute give back to the community and the world. I currently serve on both, State and County Boards, impacting the areas of: Waterworks, Affordable Housing, Education, IT, and African Diaspora. In my free time, I’m an Angel Investor with Black Angel Group supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs.
My story has made me who I am today.
Making Changes
Much of my inspiration for the philanthropic work that I do stems from being a domestic abuse survivor. Surviving abuse inspired me to help fundraise for the Women's Center, an organization that provides abuse survivors and families with scaled counseling, education, support, and advocacy services along with leadership and career mentoring. My passion for world issues steered me to become co-chair of the Robert S. Brookings Society, Washington, D.C. chapter at the Brookings Institution, a think tank that engages thought leaders in conversation around policy and changemaking, where I recently helped lead discussions on technology access and the urban and rural divide. Serving as a mentor for Global Give Back Circle, a program that promotes technology careers, highlights rising stars, and emphasizes STEM education, showed me how we can use technology to open up possibilities and opportunities for the next generation.
Some people told me I was young to consider political office. But I’ve lived through plenty of tough experiences in my life, and they gave me the courage to survive, transcend, and grow. That’s what I bring to my hometown of Bowie, as the current elected Mayor Pro Tem & District 4 Councilmember.