The first picture I chose is a picture of my maternal great grandfather Reginald Waddell Jr. and his graduating class of June 1944 as Tuskegee Airmen. This picture really means the world to me because I really don't have knowledge of my ancestors or a personal story of my people's experience during the slave trade. The little facts I know about my culture excluding this picture comes from ancestory.com. I was born into a low income single mother household. I grew up on WIC, conventional housing, food stamps, and welfare checks. My mother and I weren't close growing up because she was busy entertaining her "friends", I was introduced to many temporary men in my life. My mother wasn't able to provide financially, so my beautiful grandparents Sharon and Reginald Waddell decided that they would send for me every month. I was able to have a phone on, clothes that fit and school supplies. The last picture is of me and my husband who I met when I was 16 years old. My hurdles have become motivations for me to become the best version of myself I can be. It has turned me into a selfless person, wanting to be there for children who felt neglected and or feel as though they have no one to confide in. I wouldn't change a thing about my upbringing because it made me into the independent woman I am today. I was blessed to have my grandparents. I plan to pass on the strength and encouragement to other children as they gave me. 

– Deja Miller

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