Crystal: A Ripple Making Waves
Hi, I’m Crystal, a Ripple of One Graduate. I want to share with you how I ended up applying to Ripple of One, an organization that helped me get where I am today.
Growing up, I had a good relationship with both of my parents. My Dad had a completely different belief system than my Mom which put a strain on our family. Some of my dad’s beliefs were for me and my sister to only wear skirts, no TV in the house, no jewelry and no makeup. But my Dad always spent time with us, taking us fishing and hunting--he was/is a good dad. But him being a good dad didn't prevent the tension that was building because of his strict beliefs. Eventually, things became so tense my Mom couldn’t take it anymore so we moved out. I was 9 years old and my sister was 8.
We moved into my Aunts' double-wide where my Mom, my sister and I all shared a bedroom. By the time I was a senior I had gotten a full-time job and worked 6 to 7 days a week. I always loved working and making my own money. During this time is when I met a boy named Ray, whom I fell madly in love with. We eventually married then saved up for a year to buy a double-wide... our first home together.
Then I got pregnant with our first child. Things started getting tight and I became pregnant with my 2nd child. We had to move out of our home and things started getting worse. We moved into Ray’s parents' home which was stressful. We finally had enough money to move out into an apartment. Things were good for a while until I found out I was pregnant again and I started seeing signs of infidelity from Ray. He was hiding the phone all the time and I had this sinking feeling that he was cheating. I knew it in my gut but I was determined to keep our family together. One day I saw a text to a girl on his phone and knew without a doubt that he was cheating. It was then that I made a decision to no longer depend on Ray. I owed it to myself and my kids. I marched over to the drawer where our marriage license was kept. I ripped it up into pieces and threw it on top of Ray’s chest while he was sleeping. I’ll never forget that day. I was a new woman because I was going to stand on my own. I asked him point-blank “Are you cheating on me?” Even though I already knew he had been for years. He finally confessed and I chased him out of the house. Then I proceeded to take all of his belongings and started throwing them out on the lawn. Shoes, shirts and pants littered our lawn. It was a sight but boy, my closet never looked so clean. It might not have been the most mature thing to do but it felt amazing. I finally felt free. Over the years I forgave Ray. He still sees the kids and we co-parent. He’s not a good husband but he’s a good Dad.
From Left to Right- Nehmiah, Crystal, Daizha, Daijawn (Lower R) Janylah, &(Lower L) Jadiyah
A few years later, I met Steve and we started dating and I became pregnant 2 more times. This time was much harder because they were both premature. My babies were in the NICU for 95 days and I was heartbroken. This is where I was really tested. Thank God, my babies survived but eventually I found myself with no job, and 5 children. I had really hit bottom. Now what? That's when a Ripple participant told me about Ripple. This is when my life started to change.
In Ripple of One, the camaraderie was my favorite part. It’s like a sisterhood. My mentor, Robin, was the bomb! My team was always pushing me and helping me stay on track with my budget. I saved and Ripple matched my savings. I think the biggest impact was the paid Ripple internship at Keller Williams which has now turned into a full-time marketing job which I LOVE. I just want to concentrate on my kids and our future. I learned a lot about myself in those few years in Ripple. Now I’m able to keep saving and I’m using the skills I learned. My oldest son is planning on going to college next fall to be an engineer. My daughter wants to go to college to be an architect. When my son graduates he will be the first person in my family to graduate from college. This is why I persevered through the hard times and stuck to my budget in Ripple. Because I now have created a NEW pathway for my children.
“I may be a Ripple but my children... they will be the waves.”