Everyone has an important story that deserves to be heard – but as someone who grew up in extreme poverty, I know what it’s like to feel overlooked, cast aside, and deprived of a voice. 

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Now, as a journalist and author, I consider it both an obligation and a privilege to share the stories of people who often don’t get a voice. 

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I strive to educate and inform others about socioeconomic experiences they may not understand and help dispel common myths and misconceptions about poverty and the people whose lives are impacted by it. 

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Often drawing on my own personal experiences to help illustrate the reality of living in poverty, I’ve explained the lifelong impact of moving 70 times during my childhood, explored my love/hate relationship with government cheese, and described the constant pain and embarrassment I endure as a result of lack of access to dental care for much of my life. 

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I’ve also shared the stories of people who wait in line in frigid weather overnight for a chance at getting an infected tooth pulled and others with serious health issues who hope they don’t die before they can get approved for disability benefits. 

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I’m honored to serve as a reporting fellow at the Economic Hardship Reporting Project and an editorial fellow at Community Change. 

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While I specialize in issues involving poverty and economic inequality, I also write about a wide range of other topics, including travel, entertainment, gaming/technology, and health & fitness.