Audio File
Transcript
My name is Shauntae Denise Myrick. I was born in Pittsburgh, PA, and my connection to the Hill District…I moved on the Hill, actually, when I was in 7th grade. So I lived on the Hill all the way until I became an adult. So I do still have a lot of connections with the Hill District. I currently work a lot of jobs. One of them is REACH that is based out of this building, which is the Center That Cares. I grew up in Manchester, and while I was very gifted, I was always very bright as far as education goes, that in 9th grade, I became super rebellious. My mom struggled a lot, you know, she was a single mom, I am an only child, and she just didn’t have much, and I kind of create this perception that I didn’t want to date the guy that was getting money. I decided that I just wanted to do it myself, so I had. I start hustling in 9th grade, different things like that. It was all just strictly on survival. I went through my mom’s drawer one day looking for some bobby pins so I could put my hair up in a bun and I seen that we had an eviction notice. So I figured I had to figure out how to help my mom. And then I started losing a lot of friends, a lot of people started dying, so I was super bad, so I didn’t finish school on time. So I had to go back. Finish school, get my credits, and then I went to apply for college. Then I got pregnant with my son. And I think honestly, having my son is really what changed my outlook on life. Having someone to live for, he has definitely been my biggest blessing. One thing I believe about kids is sometimes kids may forget things that you say, but they never forget how you made them feel. And I know that there were certain places in my life where I felt a sense of security and I felt safe. I have a very great family, very loving family. I’ve always had people pouring into me, so me going out to do things that I did was because I wanted to do it and a lot of it was just like, you know, want to help my mom, just want to, you know, have things. Losing my dad to a federal indictment in 6th grade… It was like a lot of different things. But I definitely had good people, and still to this day, when I see those people, they see something in me that I didn’t see. And I’m just glad that now when they see me, I know that, you know, I’m doing God’s work. I feel like I’m truly living in my purpose. You gotta have good people. So like programs like this, a summer program, when you got people pouring into you at the school, we all got that favorite person that we go to that school. I hope y’all do. Those type of people really know who you become. I mean, I’ll say this: I love being a black woman. It’s a phenomenal thing. A woman in general just holds so much power that we don’t know. And when you’re coming up, sometimes we give all the credit to the guys, like when y’all really, we really, we hold the power for real, for real. We got to just tap into it. Once I tap into my power, there is nothing that I don’t set for myself that I don’t accomplish. I’m a grinder, like, I literally- I work 3 jobs. I’m a single mom, you know, my other businesses and programs and do the community work. So, when we set those goals and there’s nothing women can’t do. And I honestly, I ain’t taking away from men. I just don’t think they can do what we do, cause they can’t carry a baby for nine months, so that alone lets us know that they just ain’t built the way that we are. The best advice that I got was in an agenda book. It said, “Excuses are symbols of nothingness. They build bridges to nowhere. Those who use these tools will always be masters of nothingness.” Coming up, my grandad always told us, like, “Be a man or a woman of your word, because one day that’s all you’re going to have.” So with those two things, I don’t tell people I’mma do something I’m not going to do. If I say I’m going to do it, I’m going to do it. If I’m not sure I’m going to do it, I’ll say “we’ll see.” I never make promises or commitments that I cannot upkeep. I mean, I told y’all when y’all get in position, just always make sure y’all staying in motion. If you staying in motion, whatever you want out there in the world could be yours. Don’t let people set limits. Don’t let people talk you out of your dreams or make you feel like it’s impossible, because they will, because they can’t see it, and they ain’t gonna never do it, so just staying in motion.