The Tended Ground

Author’s Journey

I was born and raised in Salisbury, Maryland, a small town on the Eastern Shore where life moved slower and the land and water shaped daily living. Growing up in the 80s and 90s, I was raised by hardworking blue-collar parents who instilled in me both discipline and deep cultural pride. My mother was intentional about teaching me the richness of Black history and heritage, making sure I understood who I was even when I was often the only Black student in gifted programs. My father taught me something equally foundational—how to tend the ground. Weekends weren’t for cartoons; they were for snapping string beans, picking tomatoes, and learning that what you plant with care will eventually feed you. That early connection to the soil never left me.

My faith has grown in layers. I always believed in God, but it wasn’t until adulthood that faith became central rather than peripheral. After moving to Baltimore, I became more active in church life and ministry, but it was the tragic loss of my best friend that truly deepened my dependence on God. That loss humbled me and clarified something I could no longer ignore: I am not in control. Faith became my compass, shaping how I make decisions, how I serve, and how I define success. I stopped measuring life by titles and began measuring it by purpose.

Professionally, my path has been anything but linear. I once dreamed of becoming a doctor, inspired by Ben Carson, but college revealed that my true interest was not medicine—it was people. I pursued sociology and later earned a master’s degree in public administration with a concentration in nonprofit leadership. After navigating my own cancer diagnosis in young adulthood, my career gradually shifted from direct service to operations, leadership, and organizational development. I eventually became a chief operating officer and later launched my own consulting practice focused on leadership and professional growth. Throughout every role, the common thread has remained the same: I am called to serve.

Outside of work, I am someone who loves deeply—especially my family. I cherish time with my sisters and niece, traveling the world, tasting local foods, and creating simple but delicious meals from ingredients I can grow myself. Cooking, gardening, and blending loose-leaf teas have become expressions of both creativity and stewardship. There is something powerful about starting with a seed and ending with nourishment on a plate or in a cup.The Tended Ground was born from that intersection—faith, land, healing, and service. What began as growing herbs in raised beds became a spiritual practice. Tending the garden began to mirror tending my life: patience, discipline, gratitude, surrender. Through this work, I hope to invite others into a simpler understanding of growth—that healing does not require perfection or complexity, only participation. My life journey has taught me that purpose is not about achieving more; it is about tending well what God has already placed in your hands.🌿