07/07/2023
🚨7.5.2023:I changed the narrative🚨
13 years ago, I stepped foot in America for the first time ever. I was born and raised in Greece by my Nigerian Mother & siblings, and at the age of 17, I decided that it was best for me to pursue basketball in the United States.
Perfect story on the outside. Poor black girl earns a full ride to a Division I university.
It was really “poor black girl w trauma from parental negligence/abandonment, sexual harassment & the constant rejection of citizenship from the Greek government”, grabs the first opportunity to disappear.
September 2010, I came here wanting to escape and cope all through basketball, 100% committed to becoming the best baller I could be. I ended up in an extremely toxic women’s basketball program.
I fought for as much as I thought could and November 11 2012, I gave up. I overdosed on the narcotics I was prescribed at the time (story on this prescription at a different time).
I was in a coma and doctors had said that my vision and speech may be impaired upon waking up, and that I may experience forms of paralysis.
If you ve been following, you know I survived and that God saw me all the way through.
I decided to leave UCR and mentally erase everything related to my time there.
I never planned on coming back.
UCR reminded me of my lowest point in life; I felt helpless, powerless, useless, and invisible.
July 5 of 2023, I decided that UCR is now where I see what faith, perseverance, hard work, self-belief, and God can do.
Dear 18yr old Jess, I am so proud of you for not giving up on you. From UCR to SBU to VCU. You moved fearlessly, and made yourself a key player on every team you joined. You became more than a hooper. You used your voice and you use it with power and to empower.
Today, I am not lost, I know my worth, I know my purpose, I know my strength.
I spent majority of my college years there and even though I did not get a degree (10-weeks shy), I earned it. I lived it.
Dear reader, don’t give up on your dreams and don’t give up on you ❤️❤️