When the World Called Me a Statistic

Teen mom. Dropout. Poor. Black. Those labels came first—before anyone asked about my dreams, my pain, or my story. I remember sitting in school, pregnant and invisible. No one expected much. But something in me refused to shrink. I kept writing. I kept reading. I kept pushing. We talk about resilience like it's a buzzword. But to me, it’s the quiet fire that burns when the lights go out and no one is clapping.