Several years ago, I attended a concert at Syracuse University featuring The Get Fresh Crew, Big Daddy Kane, and Vicious. While there, I got a chance to meet the performers backstage, thanks to a kind staff member. I remember Chill Will, relaxed in a cushioned chair that looked like a perfect remedy for my aching feet. I asked if I could sit down, and he kindly said yes. As we sat, I asked him what he loved most about his work. His response was simple yet profound: “The journey. I enjoyed the journey.” His words would later become a source of strength during some of the darkest periods of my life.

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My own journey began at 15, walking the streets of Syracuse, New York. These streets became my refuge, a space to escape the pain I didn’t yet know how to process—sexual abuse, assaults, abandonment, and low self-esteem. The streets, in all their complexity, provided a place where I could be my authentic self.

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That authenticity drew people to me. Some of the most genuine conversations I’ve ever had were with the men and women I met there. We laughed, cried, and shared our pain. They confided in me about their own struggles and poor choices, while I opened up about my own dreams and hardships. Many saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself. They’d say, “These streets gon’ be here, finish school,” or “Shorty, you’ont belong out here.” In a way, I was pushed out of the streets by their encouragement to do better. You can hear more of my story in my video, *Surviving the Streets: Allow Me to Introduce Myself*.

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Victory, however, is often bittersweet. The moment I realized no one was coming to save me, I made the choice to walk my path alone. I graduated high school and went to college, but it wasn’t easy leaving my friends behind. I experienced what I now call “identity fatigue,” constantly shifting between the academic world and the streets. The behaviors that helped me survive in one environment didn’t translate well to the other. Over time, I grew weary and knew I had to focus on school. I was ready to live, and I understood that meant embracing change.

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The most significant change came when I rededicated my life to Christ and reconnected with my inner self. From that point, everything flowed. I began winning awards and even received Human Rights Recognition. It felt like I was living a life I’d never imagined. But instead of staying aligned with the path God had laid out for me, I strayed, and it cost me dearly.

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