For most of my life I was really shy. I didn’t talk to people unless I knew them, hell I hardly talked to people I did know.
I didn’t like taking pictures, I didn’t like to smile, and I was just a very mean little girl.
As I got older I began to come out of my shell, I’d say I was about 15-years-old when I finally blossomed. By 18 I got into local modeling, for me it was just for fun, but it boost my confidence a whole lot. I remember my first show at The World Congress Center, I modeled three outfits (formal, casual and African). My dad was unable to attend because he’d just had hip replacement surgery, but he watched the VHS. You would think I was walking a runway during New York Fashion Week.
He was so excited, “Look at my baby, go Shaka.” He kept rewinding and watching my part over again.
In 2005 I got the opportunity to represent my college newspaper during Clark Atlanta University’s Coronation. It was first time being in the spotlight in college, I was kind of nervous, but excited at the same time.
Nerveless, I invited everybody and their mama. It was a Thursday night and I knew it would be hard for most since it was a work week.
I’m sure I invited at least ten people including my aunt, cousin and his wife, stepmom, and a few more people.
Right as I was walking into the building to head backstage I saw my daddy. He was running unusually late. I stopped and one of my friends and a photographer for the newspaper Jerusalem Barnett (now Farmer) snapped a picture of us.
I had no idea who else was at the show. Even when I was on stage the lights were so bright I couldn’t see into the crowd.
After the program was over I went into the crowd and my dad was the only one there, everyone else had something to come up and didn’t make it.
What I remember about that night is that my dad got there right as the show was about to start, but he was the only one that showed up beaming from ear to ear.

Daddy and I at CAU’s Coronation. Me as 2005 Miss Panther Newspaper