My personal motto:
Be the person you wish you had when you were struggling the most.
About me
In the last 15 years, I’ve had 21 roles and worked at 11 companies across 3 different industries. For the vast majority of that time, I felt overlooked and underpaid. Sure, I’d seen some success: I got published in print within my first year as a professional writer; I was promoted 3 times in 2 years at my first tech job; I co-created a DEI-focused advisory committee for a global organization, and; I had the privilege of speaking on many a stage, including Ontario’s inaugural Digital Inclusion Summit. But overall, I was deeply unhappy. Despite my years of experience, my unique set of transferrable skills, and the type of strong work ethic that only comes with consistently being the only Black person in the room, I constantly felt like I wasn’t enough. By the time I hit 30, I was burnt out, traumatized, and beginning to wonder, “are my horrible work experiences happening to me or because of me?”
It wasn’t until I read somewhere that, “Racism doesn’t happen because you’re Black. It happens because someone else is anti-Black,” that something finally clicked. I came to realize that, as a Black Queer Woman in the tech industry, I was trying to fit into a system that simply wasn’t made with me in mind. To say the weight of being underestimated, undermined, and underrepresented was bad for my mental and emotional health was an understatement. What’s more, I couldn’t keep ignoring the fact that working twice as hard just for a chance at upward mobility (and burning out twice a year as a result) was taking its toll on my physical well-being as well.
Eventually, I was fortunate enough to be able to take a mental health leave from work, so that’s exactly what I did. It ended up being a life-changing decision.
My mission
As someone who strives to see every experience (good or bad) as a teachable moment, I was determined to help others with similar stories dig themselves out of the same hole I’d found myself in. After taking time to heal, reflect, and reassess my life and values, I stumbled upon my true purpose: coaching.
I created I See You, Sis as a way to show my community that, even if they felt like no one else did, I saw them, I heard them, and I valued them.
Today, it’s my honour and mission to help that same community see their worth, build their confidence, and live their lives on their own terms. Through one-on-one Clarity Sessions, psychologist-approved and CBT-inspired frameworks, and a tangible action plan based on their individual needs and goals, I help Women, Femmes, and Non-Binary folks transition from simply surviving to fully thriving.
Long-term, my goal is to build a community of like-minded souls who are just as committed to uplifting historically marginalized people as I am. Eventually, I hope for my business to become financially secure enough to offer consistent, accessible help to as many people as possible in the form of pro-bono coaching, workshops, mentoring, and more (if you share the same goal and are in a position to help, feel free to get in touch).
In the meantime, I’ve created an 8-week coaching program (and other services) with the aim to help those in my community achieve the emotional clarity they need to live the life of their dreams.