I created Dream Loud & Proud to encourage you to pursue your dreams and embrace the challenges. You've heard pieces of my life story and how I was called to create I Dream PCS. In this new Dreaming is Power series, you will hear the stories of other loud & proud dreamers who are answering the call to live their destinies. Our first loud & proud dreamer is Fly Zyah.
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Fly Zyah is a young emcee and songwriter whose star is clearly on the rise. She is an activist committed to using her gift of rap to change the world. A few days ago, I talked with Fly Zyah about her gifts and the power of her dreams. Listen as she kicks off our conversation with a few bars from her inspiring song, "Keep Your Head to the Sky", then proceeds to share her wisdom with all of you.

​Photo: Fly Zyah and her sister, Morghan. Morghan is an I Dream PCS learner. 

Black Violin's song, "Dreamer" sums up who Fly Zyah is, a grounded young woman and a true believer in her dreams. I dedicate this song to Fly Zyah, and to all of you. Keep dreaming!

I'm blessed to live this life. I've been hurt or betrayed by friends, loves, and family, but, for the most part, my life has been free from personal trauma. The impact of white supremacy and being African-American in this country has done the most damage to who I am. In this post, I share two racist events I internalized and what I did to heal from the trauma and clear the path to my full being. Many of you have or are enduring experiences I cannot imagine. May my story inspire you to take action to heal and clear your path to wellbeing. The path to your calling.

​Also, learn how I Dream PCS embeds trauma-sensitive practices into our school culture to create a safe space for learners, families and staff to thrive.

Trauma shapes who we are. I heard someone say on one of my binge-watching shows that our traumatic experiences are "the fence posts on which our lives our strung." Those experiences create limiting beliefs, as our brains makes sense of the pain.

I healed the limiting beliefs that block the path to my calling with the help of Erika Totten, Spiritual Life Coach. Erika taught me that pain lives in our bodies, feeding on the limiting beliefs about ourselves and our need to relive the trauma through other experiences. Once we identified the limiting beliefs and the trauma at the roots, she taught me spiritual tools to release the beliefs I was chained to and replace them with awareness of my strength and the ability to step into my power. When you're ready to do this transformative work, seek professional help. You don't need to do it alone.

Wellness is a value, not an afterthought, at I Dream PCS. The anecdote to the affects of trauma is relationships in a safe space. At I Dream PCS, a Zen Zone (see photo) provides a relaxing space for learners to start their day or reset during class time with a caring adult. Coaches and our Support Specialist speak regularly with families to build relationships and ensure basic needs are met. They connect families to resources when appropriate. Our partnership with Connected Psychology offers mental health support for learners and families. Our Wellness Consultant from 11:11 Wellness collaborates with school leaders to incorporate wellness practices into school meetings, professional learning plans, and social outings. At I Dream, well-being in community enables us all to heal, dream, learn and become.