“One of the ways I learned to deal with my anger is through music. When I rap, I put everything into it. Whatever I’m going through, whatever I’m feeling, I try to express it in my lyrics. “For the longest time, my mom didn’t like … Continue readingHe expresses himself through his music
“When I was 11, my aunt told me that the man I always thought was my dad was not my real dad. I was devastated. I couldn’t believe that a family could hold secrets like that from me. “I went crazy. I remember screaming and … Continue readingNot knowing his dad leads to anger issues
When I met Joshua Johnson six years ago, it was outside a Baytown motel. He was staying there temporarily. He said at the time, “I was living at an RV park. Me and my friend were staying there. He lit a cigarette and threw it … Continue readingIt feels ‘great’ to be off the streets
“I’m 83. Been married four times. Divorced twice. The other two passed with cancer. “I lost my wife, Jewell, on Jan. 19 last year. She was 69. She dealt with that cancer for many years. It spread all over. But if you had seen her … Continue readingCancer takes wife, who ‘never did complain’
“My first experiences with sexism were within my own family. “I’m the only girl. I have five brothers. I had a Christian upbringing. I’m still a Christian. But my father would use the Bible to kind of diminish my voice. He would say, ‘In the … Continue readingSituation at home spurs her to excel
“I was born and raised in the Netherlands. When I was 20 years old, I wanted to go away for a year. But I also wanted to have some financial stability. So I decided to be a nanny for a Dutch family that lived in … Continue readingShe misses protective aspect of Netherlands
“I’m an introvert. I like my alone space. But you don’t have alone space anymore when you’re a mom. With two kids, that’s something I had to navigate. Especially with my first child. Two months after he was born, I developed postpartum depression. I got … Continue readingNew moms need to take care of themselves first
“I played volleyball in middle school and high school. Then I got a full ride to play at Lee College. It was my first year there, and we were at a tournament in the El Paso area when I landed wrong from blocking. I tore … Continue readingInjury leads her from volleyball to nursing
“The death of my mother is definitely something that I had to deal with because I was not prepared. I mean, nobody’s really prepared for death. I was an only child. Being as close as I was to her, it catches you off guard. You’re … Continue readingMother’s advice: always respect yourself
“Her name is Tutti. Like Tutti Frutti. She’s a Chinese Crested/Jack-A-Poo mix. When she was very young, the people who had her stepped on her. They said the kids were real mean to her. So we ended up taking her. “She has luxating patellas. Her … Continue readingDaughter, rescue dog overcome challenges