I kind of keep this aspect of my life to myself, but did you know I’m a social worker? This May I graduated with my MSW (Master’s of Social Work) from UIC! University of Illinois at Chicago’s Jane Addams College of Social Work. It was a trip! I studied there 2023-2025 doing a three year part-time program. Thankful for my scholarship as well which made the whole thing free!
I was hesitant to go to grad school, but having a psychology undergrad degree from USC really kind of prompted me. I wasn’t doing much at the time; you know “rapping” (aka sitting around my apartment, making a song every 3 days), working at various restaurants, and feelings a general anxiety and existentialism about myself as the days continued to dwindle away. I discovered this opportunity for graduate school through my therapist at the time actually (!) and I guess the goal of the scholarship was to get more black men into social work.
So it kind of took my life in a new direction. I got back on a schedule, entered into a whole community of a college campus, and made some great friends with similar passions and pursuits. Shout out Mary, shout out Spencer, shout out Marvin, shout out Chris. These people helped me through these times while I was (albeit even say) “looking the other way”. I had such a wanderlust to drop it all and go to cali and just try to rap… but that just sounds like I’d freaken burn through my savings!
It’s good to have a job, and even better to have one you’re proud of. Now I’m a therapist and enjoying my day to day, while working on music when I want!
