Insecurities, Adaptability, & Stereotypes

I’ve now got two seniors in my family: one senior in high school and one senior in college. As they both start preparing for big transitions to the world, I wonder what advice I would have welcomed at that age (though would I have listened?)

☑️ 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬: I grew up poor and noticed it. Living in substandard housing exposed me to the realities of economic inequality. Lesson:⭐️This helps me foster a deep sense of empathy, as I understand firsthand the impact of living with less.

☑️ 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐀𝐝𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲: As a kid, my mother moved us from one crappy rental to another. Frequent moves created instability, but this also required me to quickly adapt to new situations and people. Lesson:⭐️ Today, that is a gift I use for problem solving.

☑️ 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐨𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐞𝐬: Along the way, there were words spoken to me that I wasn’t going to make it – and college was not an option. Ironically, I would later be an Adjunct Professor at a Big Ten university for eight years. Lesson:⭐️Their limited view of my path was more about who they were and not me.

Growing up in a poor neighborhood would become a blessing.

That experience gave me a deeper appreciation for stability and now a stronger commitment to advocate for affordable housing.