“I am from Albany and my favorite place is Veteran’s Park. It is a memorial to the soldiers who died in war. It is peaceful and quiet there. I am a teacher for the hearing impaired. I have six deaf students. It was a blessing to get this job. I went to a bus monitor on the handicap bus and in my interview signing came up and that I can sign. My mom’s ex-boyfriend’s sister is deaf and she would teach us to sign every time she came over. The one that stuck with me is “Jesus loves me.” It started with that and my signing is more fluent because I learned from the students. I love it. Ten years in the game girl. I love to dance and roller skate and I skate in the park. I take care of everyone, my main thing is kids and old people. I just want to be happy. I have been married for 7 years, but we have been together 10. It is kind of rocky now. I came here today for peace of mind and to calm my spirit. There are no rules of how to fix this. We have a six year old daughter in the middle. I haven’t gone to God yet like I should. I have been stubborn but he is going to break me down to get down on my knees and give it to him. I am getting there. I recharge everyone else. Who is going to help me and have my back? My daughter is my oomph. You can call me the rechargeable lady in your story.”

“What scares you?”

“Being a baby mama. It’s no more of me by myself. There are two of us and I don’t want to have to keep going back to my mama. I get emotional thinking about it.”

“What is your favorite memory?”

“I once sang at Carnegie Hall. I was in tenth grade and sang alto in the chorus and picked to go to New York and sing there. It was my first time to get on a plane and I went without my mom. It was a blast. I felt like a star. I loved the ferry and climbed the staircase to the top of the Statue of Liberty’s crown. It was so cool. I still have my pictures. I will keep that forever. That was awesome and me being a black girl. Yes ma’am. I sing in the church and love all kinds of music. Every song is my song.”