Passionately Managing Life

I serve as a College Advisor and Seminar teacher within a comprehensive charter high school. I have 15+ years of experience in college access and youth development. Though the titles are nice there is much deeper meaning in what I do on a daily basis. Why I do the work I do: I want to change mindsets I want to help reverse generational poverty I want to prevent senseless violence I want to overcome despair I want to help a parent realize a dream for their child that they don't know how to attain I want to end the school to prison pipeline I want to show my Black and Brown kids endless possibilities I want college to save their lives I want a career to save their lives I want a goal to save their lives I want a sport to soothe their minds I want a career to sustain their lifestyle and provide for themselves and their families I want the military to provide discipline to move in various surroundings Exposure Opportunity Enlightenment Giving a damn about our kids My...

This summer was... Last school year was particularly difficult on many levels so I decided that I would take the time needed to replenish myself personally, mentally, physically, spiritually. At the same time I wanted to take time to get my family/house in order. Not in the proverbial sense, but actually quite literally. I tasked myself with doing as much work on my home at home this summer while I had the time. I planned my entire summer out. Vacations, celebrations, rest periods, kids needs and wants. Planned time with my hubby and everything. I relaxed. Took a week long vacation in the very beginning of the summer. I needed that. The beach is my place to cleanse and restart anew. My mind needed the time to be still. My lungs needed the sea air. My feet needed the sand. My soul needed the ocean breeze. I allowed myself to be still. To be at peace. Apart of my peace is my family's mental well being. When things are in particular order they thrive. When they thrive I am well. I...

I don't brag. A personal flaw I guess. I just do the work. Every single day, but in thinking on the past 36 years on my 36th birthday I have accomplished some things. WIFE - Married 9 years to a Black man that fulfills me. MOM - Mother/Caretaker to strong and fierce Black girls who are passionate and wonderfully made. DAUGHTER - Daughter to two AMAZING role models SISTER - Sister to a creative, supportive marvelously wonderful sister FRIEND - I'm a friend. Listener, lover, fighter, confidant, lover, healer, fighter when necessary Professionally tho... AUTHOR of Creatively Closing the Gap - Unconventional Ways to Find Money for College. The book explores "out-of-the-box" approaches to closing the financial aid gap for families with a college wish, but little savings plan. Local and National SPEAKER and PRESENTER on topics of college access, parenting, being black in America, teens, school choice and building community, PROFILED in Billy Penn's Who's Wh...

It's taken some time to write this. Mainly because you'll critique it for grammatical errors, but I don't care. This is hard. I've purposely tried to distance myself from you over the last month because you were leaving me. Selfish I know. You were not happy but I still wanted you to be there. This was a very hard decision for you and you are so use to making hard decisions so I get it. It's about peace of mind and quality of life and internal happiness. I want all of those things for you BUT I'll miss seeing you every day. There is no superhero Mrs. Martin without Ms. Di. Your legacy at our school is going to go down on history. NO ONE WILL EVER BE LIKE YOU. No English teacher, AP, leader anyone. Your heart is unlike anything I have ever seen in a school. In life period. Above and beyond always. Without question. I brought my child to Lenfest because you would be her teacher and turned into her mentor on so many levels. Meditation, mindfulness, prison reform, a...

Today was amazing. My daughter graduated. My daughter. Not step daughter. Not bonus daughter but my daughter. Our daughter 💖 (Eema and Tyrec thank you both so much for allowing me to join this team). This journey has been one that I could never have even imagined and I am still having trouble getting the words together without shedding tears. This journey has been full of love from all parties. Jaleya is apart of my entire heart and I love her with everything in me. And she is now a high school graduate. From my beloved Mastery Lenfest. Graduation is my job. A job that I always take incredibly seriously. But my baby broke me. She broke the serious, straight to the point, graduation time keeping, straight faced, celebrating to a minimum, no tears at graduation Mrs. Martin. If you know me you know how truly passionate I am about college and career training for young adults and finding money for college. You know that I dive into my work head first and am considered a school ...

"A truly free soul speaks to your heart in a way that makes you feel invincible... makes you feel heard.. those souls can't be captured or tamed... They exist outside of our reality only visible when we need them most.." me   I love an honest soul. Someone who is just true to themselves and in turn to you as well. Not in the sense of loving someone or being romantic, but more being in touch on an energy level. Someone with whom you can be free without fear of judgment. A person who's light speaks to you on a plane beyond this physical world. When you are in the presence of someone who encompasses passions with a sense of purpose, who dreams of bigger and turns pain into lessons of resilience for you and those around. A soul so dope that they give you perspective that makes you appreciate this life. Someone who is genuinely realer than real. Even when they are hurt they still emanate a sense of control through inner peace and consciousness. A soul like this can set...

Sometimes you need something to spark change. I often speak about self care and life balance, but have been slipping into a pattern of "Superwoman Dana saves the world" of late. Have not been being good to myself at all. Ignoring my body. Not eating right. Not drinking enough water. Not sleeping well. Running myself ragged behind the family. Stressing heavily at work. Driving all over the city all of the time and just plain worrying myself sick. It's the beginning of the school year and as a teacher/counselor I know how hard this time if year can be. Especially with balancing my own kids schedules with my new set of students. I have to take care of me or there will be no me to take care of them. Some people may be thinking that I've said this before and they'd be right. This is a forever battle. I'm a caretaker at heart and those who identify as such will always have problems putting themselves first. I am evolving though. I know I have to do better, so I'...

I had an epiphany today. I've been hiding myself for a while, but I shouldn't. Self care and preservation mean alot to me so I say different statements to myself to increase my positive vibrations in the universe. Sounds like alot but it's not. Just speaking the narrative I want to play out in my life. My way. My terms. I have a tendency to shrink myself behind the needs of others, but this helps me continue to realize that I am a person worthy of attention and praise aside from any outside title assigned to me. I am something special within 💖 My affirmations I love who I am becoming. I deserve happiness. I am worthy. I am grateful. I am deserving. I can. Anything is possible. I am thoughtful. I am a role model. I will be remembered well. I am a money magnet.  I am desirable. I love myself. This is about me and how great I am. Rarely ever do I brag on myself and I like to say these things to myself for myself. I am someone too. Even if I have to ...

The death of Kim Porter has wrecked me this weekend. I did not know her personally, but in learning of her death I feel so connected to her. I feel so lost about how she can be taken away from this Earth when she still has such young children. No day on this planet is promised and a celebrity life isn't more valuable than a regular person, but whenever I think of her I think of her as a mother first. She emanated care. Intentional care for her children. I think about the older boys and how the loss of a mother can devastate at any age and then the twin girls who are 11. 11 years old. I'm thinking about them having to navigate Hollywood life without their mother. A mother who had been through it and could guide them. I think about her friendships and kinships and those who knew and loved her. I have been so incredibly sad about this and took a while to place my own feelings surrounding her death. Then it hit me. I see parts of myself in her. My life as a mom, caretaker. Selfless...

I just took a bath for the first time in a very long time.   Bath salts Exfoliate 4 lit candles Glass of Sweet Rosé Meditation sounds And my thoughts   I felt a little guilt though. Like I should have been doing something else. I could have been writing out bills or getting the laundry together for wash day or checking on the kids. But I stayed. I stayed in there for an hour. My hour. Feeling good now. Taking my time back. Because you know moms are people too. 😊

I say words that motivate. Sometimes harsh. Other times kind but always truth. Most times people need courage. They know what they need to do. They know how to do it, but sometimes they need a push in that right direction. I like to be that push. I like to ignite that fire. Even if they think they don't want me to, I like to push until they take off on their own. Motivation can look like:   1. Giving words of encouragement to take action 2. Cheering on the sideline during a challenging feat 3. Sitting quietly next to someone as they complete a seemingly difficult task 4. Listening while someone tells their deepest dreams and passions 5. Helping people realize that they are not alone in their journey 6. Telling folks to "tighten up" and stop whining when they get in their own way   There are millions of ways to motivate. People need to hear how they can do it (whatever it is) so they can believe in themselves.   Go push someone to greatness. It will...

Ode to love on this December 2nd..   I love my hubbie because he puts up with me volunteering him to move furniture all over the city on a Sunday to make my home office beautiful.   I love my kids because they give my life purpose, joy and value. I'm a momager on so many levels.   I love my sister because she keeps me from having a big ego. No achievement too big for her to put me in check.   Love my Nicole because talking to her makes me feel sane when all I feel is insanity.   Love my parents because they are my safety net. If anything fails they are there. They give us Martins something to aspire to.   Loving Shelia Jasmine and Jennifer for helping make my space a little more livable.   Loving Miconda for baking this amazingly delectable cake that I am surprising my family with after dinner tonight.   And lastly I love the memories that I have of my grandmother on what would have been her 89th birthday. Miss you ...

I feel crazy today. Like none of my efforts are worth anything. Let me explain a little. Sometimes it seems like no matter what I do, how I feel or where I go I don't have an impact. I already know how this sounds. Whoa is me right? But over the past few weeks I have felt very ineffective. When I try to speak up about an issue it is quickly pushed aside, or someone tells me that I am wrong for feeling that way. It is frustrating. For a former spontaneity lover gone superwoman planner I am left feeling perplexed. I plan so much now and tend to know how things will play out and they go my way much of the time. Blame motherhood, marriage, teaching and managing 85+ student lives and decisions daily. But of late the fireside of me has been coming to the surface. Wanting more. More commitment from others. More fervor for work. More passion. More care. Hence the feeling of craze. The saga continued I guess...

I miss you. The way you walked. Your posture. Your facial features. The way you wore your clothes. Your demeanor. How tough you were. Your smart mouth and sly jokes. The excitement in your voice when speaking of your talents. Your love of your craft. Your eyes. The way your face lights up to music. Your love of Black people. Your growth. Your ambition. Your sense of humor. The fire that burned brightly inside. Your spontaneity. I miss you. Dearly. Because somehow you become a stranger. A person gone. And this stranger is someone I know. And it is me. I miss me.