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Meet The Founder
“Through the support I received, my burden was lightened. I became stronger because of the people who cleaned my mirror and showed me my true reflection. They showed me my survival story, my future, and now I want to do the same for others, I want to show youth their survival stories”. -Dr. Alice Leonce-Stevens,
Holistic Elevation reflects the hope and opportunity granted to me along the way, it represents CULTURE, FAMILY, EQUITY and HOPE.
My job as a Prevention Scientist is to develop programs, strategies and interventions that helps prevent cycles of trauma, violence, mental health and behavioral health challenges; inequity, social determinants and unhealthy organizational culture and policy.
I love the ability to motivate, empower and see progressive change. MY desire for opening my own business was a result of the gaps and inconsistency in services provided through funding opportunities. I created Holistic Elevation as an LLC with the hope to provide sustainability in programs servicing low income communities and families. I wanted to bridge gaps and provide innovative intervention & prevention services.
Many of the programs within the organizations were developed as a teen living on my own. My home was a heaven for many students and children going through challenges.
Above all, my success, even having a doctorate comes with the application of education equity. I am a high school dropout due to my family’s financial difficulties. I was withdrawn from Form 3 (middle school) by my parents; neither of whom could afford the $80 monthly bus fare. Subsequent to my withdrawal from school, I began working at a factory supporting my family.
The hardship I faced while supporting my family; became my pride and my pleasure. I choose to contribute; but I wanted more to break the cycle of financial hardship.
After withdrawing from school, the rumors in the community grew. As a teenager, one of the major downfall of society was the damage the tongue of teens and adults alike could do. Their tongue can strip a person of their confidence and kill a person spirit; it causes havoc. Thankfully, I was one of the teens that was overly assertive and would redirect conversation. Yes it still hurt.
My family and I were private, therefore, not many people knew the circumstance of my withdrawal. Assumptions were developed that included (1) being rebellious, (2) teen pregnancy (3)the funniest of them all was being expelled from school, because of my sexual exploration ability "sex in the school's sick room.” Because of all those rumors, I was seen as prey for many men and women who thought that I would satisfy their sexual pleasure as an under-aged child. Individuals started offering me money and providing "grooming" words of affirmation for sexual favors, which I continuously refused.
As I continue to flourish, my goal remain to create sustainability through the integration of equity, prevention and intervention for challenging communities. As the founder and CEO of Holistic Elevation, it is my focus to create a legend that embraces change and is intentional about that change.
It is the chance that are given to the communities, the willingness for people to step outside their comfort zone; and the realization and acceptance that history has major negative and positive impact on those facing hardship. Through these support burdens are lightened and individuals become stronger. People are given opportunities through equity to clean their mirror and show their true reflection. They are given opportunities to see their survival story, their future.