My transition from Jamaica to America wasn’t the smoothest, but I believe it was meant to be that way.

I was born and raised in “Southside”, a small community in Kingston, Jamaica. While it wasn’t the greatest area to grow up in, the experience is one of the best teachers I’ve had to date.

I would describe Southside as a very fruitful community, filled with potential, creativity, joy and happiness. Nevertheless, it can be unwelcoming at times, due to significant crime and violence. Growing up there taught me that you’re responsible for the decisions you make and the circumstances to follow.

The road leading to crime and violence was an easily accessible thing.

However, if you wanted a different outcome for your life, you had to climb a couple of walls and jump over numerous obstacles. The decision is up to you. You need to choose if you wanted to take the easy road and become another statistic of the ‘ghetto,’ or make sacrifices to overcome and achieve success.