Mother, grandma, student, advocate, survivor and aspiring entrepreneur. One of my best days was receiving my associates degree in Psychology in 2019. It was a huge accomplishment for me as I set out to reach this goal after one of the most devastating periods of my life. 2013 was dark - it was the year I went through my unexpected divorce. I felt like someone had knocked the life out of me. I felt like I was grieving the death of someone I loved every single day. It was embarrassing. It made me question my beauty and my worth. Depression and anxiety set in and thoughts of suicide became my constant companion. Shortly after, I tried to take me life. This should have been the end of my story but by God's grace it became my moment of awakening. If I'm honest with myself depression and anxiety have been around most of my life. But in the African American community there are a lot of stigmas attached to mental illness so it hasn't been easy to come to grips with over the years. Since then, I've became a champion for mental illness in children and others like me. I joined the Psychiatry Advisory board at my local children's hospital so I could be a voice for kids who suffer as I did. I also committed to go back to college and get my degree so that I can be someone my children and grandson will be proud of. I also started my dessert business in 2019. I'd tell a 12 year old me to stay focused and surround herself with people who pull the best out of her. I'd tell her to ask for help and to truly love who she is, flaws and all. I'm not sorry I went through divorce, through that journey I learned what it is to fall in love with me again. I learned the importance and power of forgiveness. Forgiveness is not for the other person, it allows for the healing process to begin and everyone deserves that. I'm proud that even in the hardest of times I can muster up the strength to overcome. I believe in giving back and loving deeply. I am Ykyttra. I am nurturing, loving and strong. I am a warrior. I am fierce. I am tearing down the stereotypes of mental illness.