About Me

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"Find your ALLY"

As a young Black male, I grew up in a single-parent household, raised by my mother in various low-income communities. Our address changed often as we looked for a better place to live, but what didn’t change was my mother’s dream that I would do better than she and her mother before her did. My mother explained to me at a young age the harsh reality that as a person of color, I would have to make major strides in order to succeed, and education was my ticket out of the impoverished neighborhoods where I resided.

 

I went to a local community college in the hopes of raising my grades and getting into my dream school, New York University (NYU). When I gained acceptance into the school two years later, I was again faced with being surrounded by people who were culturally different from me with very few individuals who shared my identities. I could only imagine that if I didn’t see people like me in the classrooms, that I would not see them in the positions and jobs that a degree would afford them either. I was motivated by this and channeled my passion for understanding the social justice plight of marginalized populations, within academia as well as other areas of life, into my research. In particular, I focused on the experiences of undocumented youth in their search for education and support, the experiences of Black men who dealt with racial/ethnic microaggressions, and the societal and institutional struggles that members of the LGBTQIA+ population faced. My research, clinical training, and personal experiences have provided me with insights and skills that I will use to help you cope with the difficulties you face in order for you to be more successful in your relationships, career, and other areas of your life.

 

My identity as a person of color and a member of the LGBTQIA+ community serves as a resource, often allowing me to connect to others in these communities in a way that may be difficult for those who do not have this shared identity. As a Black and LGBTQ+ therapist, I work to leverage my identities, research interests, clinical skills, and passion to work with and support those who feel marginalized. As a psychologist, I view and work with people from a strength-based perspective. I have high hopes for what other marginalized people can achieve when they have the appropriate tools and the knowledge of how to use them.  I strive to encourage and facilitate my clients’ self-awareness, self-acceptance, and growth as a way to improve their mental health, which allows them to thrive and reach their full potential so that they can be successful in their lives.