An Oklahoma native, I moved to Los Angeles as a teenager, escaping a troubled childhood that included surviving severe neglect and sexual abuse. I was first published in a poetry anthology in the 7th grade. After spending almost half of high school homeless I attended The University of Southern California. While there I was the first black person in the Asian Greek Council. I enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, post 9-11, at age 28 and weighing almost 300 pounds. I was inspired by a middle school classmate that died in the attack on the Pentagon, Chin-Sun Wells. I had to lose 100 pounds in a month to just to qualify for boot camp over the Christmas holiday. Despite this I completed the vaunted Marine Corps boot camp and combat training eventually rising to the rank of Sergeant, while completing combat tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan. I have also studied at The Los Angeles Film School, Pierce College, and Park University.