"I am a visual artist born and raised in Chicago. I attended Columbia College Chicago completing courses in their Fashion Business & Marketing/PR program. During my junior year of college, I studied abroad at the University of Art London and fell in love with contemporary art. Outside of art, I am an advocate for mental health. I relate to mental health firsthand. I’ve learned skills through an intensive therapy program to help me navigate my early 20s journey. I often noticed I was the only black woman in group therapy sessions. Though very helpful, the therapists & group members at this program didn’t understand my daily anxiety about being a black woman in today’s society. If it weren’t for my mother’s insurance, being in an intensive program like that would have been impossible for me. Once I completed the program, I was determined to share the skills I learned with my peers who did not have insurance or funds to support their therapy.

In 2015, I created a bi-weekly workshop called Mindful Mondays at The Dojo, a media space I co-operated with five other talented artists located in Chicago. In 2016, I hosted the first documented aura circle in my Logan Square apartment. We shared our mental health experiences and the lack of resources in our black & brown communities. This was a great way to gain knowledge of our needs in an intimate setting while getting to know each other. Those gatherings were the impetus for Aura House. With the help of beautiful allies, it continues to be a place to bring women in the community together to lift one another as we navigate through life. ”