Background
I grew up in the Bronx as a first generation American, born to a Jamaican immigrant family; we, like many families, migrated to America for a better life and more opportunities. I learned the value of hard work from my family. I was able to see the upward progression of our lives through the hard work of my grandmother and great-grandmother. They provided an excellent example by showing us that we could have anything we wanted if we were willing to work for it. I’ve kept those principles with me, and they continue to motivate me in everything I do. I’m currently in the process of finishing up my undergraduate degree at Trinity College in Sociology, while working part-time as an EMT and working full-time at the Connecticut Fair Housing Center. A lot of the spare time I have is spent resting (or learning to), finding new meals to cook with my family and exploring different hiking trails when the weather permits.
Professional Journey
I started off as many people did, working in retail. Thankfully, I transitioned from that and I’ve been working in the housing sector for close to a decade now, and it’s been a pleasure to empower people. I started my housing journey at NEST CT (formerly Neighborhood Housing Services of Waterbury) as a Housing Counselor. In that position, I was able to educate people about the homebuying process and help them to prepare their finances to attain homeownership. I also worked with individuals and families going through the foreclosure process in communicating with their lenders. It was a really fulfilling job, but I really felt like something was missing. That something was advocacy, and I was able to find that in the work I do at the Connecticut Fair Housing Center. As their Education and Outreach Coordinator, I am responsible for ensuring that we inform our constituents of the services we provide and their protections under the Fair Housing Act. I develop new training and marketing materials to ensure that we are fulfilling our mission: ensuring that all Connecticut residents have equal access to housing opportunities, free from housing discrimination. My hope is to find ways to delve deeper into the work we do, by learning to write policy that will continue to affirmatively further fair housing.
What has been one of your most memorable and/or biggest learning lesson in your position?
One of the biggest lessons that I’ve learned is that the work we do, oftentimes, will not yield immediate results. Decades of discriminatory policy have led us to the housing landscape we’re dealing with today, and that can’t be remedied overnight. I’ve had conversations with advocates that have been doing this work long before I came into it, and one of the main things I’ve heard is that you may not make the changes you’re fighting to make while you’re fighting. But you can inspire the hearts of future advocates, and even if the changes don’t happen in your lifetime, you would have equipped someone with the tools they need to carry the baton. So essentially, don’t get frustrated when things aren’t happening immediately. Remember that sometimes change is slow, and keep working despite that.
What is one advice you’d share with individuals transitioning or entering the affordable housing and community development sector?
Never stop trying to learn. A lot of the times when people refer to me as the ‘expert’ on anything fair housing related, I humbly decline. I know what I know, but I am always looking for ways to learn and lean on the people who know more than I do. It’s perfectly okay to say, ‘I don’t know, let me find that answer for you’. I also encourage people to find things that bring them joy, and to take care of themselves. The work we do can take a mental toll on you. It’s hard knowing that people are unhoused and unsheltered and as I mentioned earlier, the remedy to that may take longer than is expected. We want to save the world! But you also must take care of yourself. Don’t be so consumed that you neglect your mental and physical health. Take the time to move your body and to replenish your mind so that you can be in the best shape possible to continue the work.
