From LIM Student to Published Book Author

Over the years, I have always followed my heart and intuition. This led me to leave my hometown of Kansas City, Missouri, and move to New York City to pursue my college education. I never knew after completing my tenure as a LIM College student that I’d be a published author.

As a former pageant girl born and raised in the midwest, I’ve had the heart to empower and advocate for women since a young age. I wanted to be a voice for girls who came from unstable households. While pursuing my Visual Studies degree at LIM, I never lost sight of my desire to inspire other women and continued my mission through volunteer work with female-focused businesses and organizations like Elle Magazine and Girl Boss.

During my sophomore year, my life took a turn for the worst: I lost my mother suddenly to stage IV pancreatic cancer, ten days after she was diagnosed. What started out as personal anecdotes written in my iPhone to lift my spirits as I grieved the loss of my beloved mother blossomed into a thought-provoking and enlightening body of work created to nurture the souls of others who have also experienced loss, trauma, and heartbreak. My book, Broken to Peace, was written to inspire and empower others to rise up from their pain and despair and step up into their light.  I want to impact others’ lives positively, to provide encouragement, share motivation, and be a guiding light—to remind others to never give up in the face of challenging circumstances and trying times. I believe in the process of wrapping ourselves in the healing energy of love, compassion, and acceptance to get through the pain that we all experience.

On December 14, 2019, I debuted Broken To Peace to a group of family, friends, influencers, and media. My official launch party was at the Williamsburg Loft in Brooklyn, New York, and the event was intimate and quaint. We had specialty cocktails, exclusive merchandise, and celebrity DJ’s Angel + Dren providing vibes throughout the night. Super Dope Q of VH1's Black ink Crew stopped in for a bit of a surprise, too. There was a Q&A and booking signing, and I was able to share my mini-documentary that premiered on YouTube.

Broken to Peace is about helping others find their personal peace and prioritize their mental, emotional, and spiritual well being. As an extension of the book’s brand, I’ve launched an online retail store, shopbrokentopeace.com.

Recently, I announced the Broken to Peace podcast, hosted by myself and co-hosted by life coach and retreat expert, Candice Davies. You’ll hear conversations with some of today’s most trailblazing women and influencers. These women go deep on topics pertaining to mental health, self-development, spirituality, relationships, pop culture, entrepreneurship, and more.



How LIM Helped Prepare Me for My Career

I am extremely grateful for the LIM family that I’ve amassed. This College has equipped me with the tools to succeed as a business owner. Through the internships, courses, and resources, I feel knowledgeable and well-equipped as a recent graduate. I’ve grown immensely, and I have LIM to thank for that.

I was an active student: a Student Mentor, a First Year Experience teacher, an Orientation Leader. I was also involved in several organizations on campus, including being the Production Director for our school's annual fashion show. LIM gave me a community and an opportunity to explore who I was, what my interests were, and allowed me to hone my skill set.

To all of the undergraduates, my advice to you is to stay focused! Never forget your purpose, and don’t compare your journey to others. Everyone’s journey is unique, and you should never forget that.

“Love can be healing. Loss of love can feel like it rips us open. But that is a gift that puts us in a position to look and heal even deeper. So I accept that heartbreak is inevitable.”



Broken to Peace is available online through Barnes and Noble and Amazon Kindle.

Photos courtesy of: Daniel Serrette.