Changing the Narrative

I know I’m not the most articulate person. I know I come from the ghettos of America. My jargon isn’t perfect, and my physical appearance might scream “around the way.” You wouldn’t know just by looking at me that I’m actually pretty educated. It’s wild to me that, despite all of that, I’ve been getting so many opportunities within the breast cancer community.

I’ve been consistent, and people want to hear my horrifying story of being a Black woman from the ghetto who was misdiagnosed for two years. Boo hoo, right? But seriously, my story is doing something I’ve always dreamed of—it’s changing the narrative of what people think breast cancer looks like. That has always been one of my goals because, let’s be real, breast cancer doesn’t care if you’re young or old, Black or white, rich or poor. It doesn’t discriminate.

When I first started sharing my story, I didn’t think it would resonate with so many people. I thought, “Who’s going to listen to me?” But the more I spoke, the more I realized how much my voice mattered. I’m not the polished, picture-perfect image of what people think a breast cancer survivor or advocate looks like. And that’s exactly why my story is so important.

As a Black woman, I’ve faced challenges that many others in my community can relate to—being dismissed by doctors, being misdiagnosed, and feeling like my voice didn’t matter in a system that wasn’t built for me. For two years, I was misdiagnosed. Two years. That’s time I’ll never get back, and it’s a reality that so many women like me face. But I’m here now, and I’m using my voice to make sure that others don’t have to go through what I did.

I want people to know that breast cancer doesn’t have a “look.” It doesn’t care where you’re from, what you look like, or how much money you have. It can happen to anyone. And that’s why representation matters. When people see me—a young Black woman from the ghetto—standing up and sharing my story, it challenges their assumptions. It forces them to rethink what they thought they knew about breast cancer.

I’m proud to be part of this community, and I’m grateful for the opportunities I’ve had to share my story. But more than anything, I’m proud to be changing the narrative. I want every woman, no matter where she’s from or what she looks like, to know that her voice matters. Her story matters. And together, we can make sure that no one is left behind in the fight against breast cancer.