I am a retired school teacher, still an educator, a non-fiction author, an advocate for peace and resilience, an inspirational speaker, survivor of gun violence and the founder of project R.A.R.E. ( Raising Awareness on the Ripple Effect of gun violence, promoting peace and building resilience skills). In my spare time, I love to run; I completed my first half marathon in 2015, two years after being seriously wounded in an attempted robbery at gun point.