When Your World is Turned Upside Down - Part One

I am elated to have my latest guest on the Beyond Blending In Podcast, Shakur Collins, who was also one of the powerful women of color leaders in my Diverse Leadership Cohort with Realitychangers.  As a young African-American woman, Shakur Collins grew up feeling like she had to work extra hard, overachieve and people-please to be accepted in society. Upon graduating from high school, Shakur had a 4.67 GPA and was admitted into 14 universities. Within a matter of weeks, Shakur had lost most of her eyesight and was legally blind. In this podcast, Shakur opens up about her journey, the challenges, how she's overcome and dealt/dealing with the tribulations she faced and the healing process. Now, Shakur is an inspiring young professional, who uses her story and experience to make a difference in the community with her advocacy for people with disabilities, people of color and other people from marginalized groups. 

Shakur Collins is a young professional who is devoted to creating spaces of inclusion and belonging for individuals from marginalized backgrounds. Shakur received two Associate's degrees from Grossmont College. One degree being in Psychology and the other in Social and Behavioral Sciences. Most recently, she graduated from UC San Diego with a Bachelor's of Science in Psychology with a specialization in social psychology. Outside of her academic achievements, Shakur currently has three jobs in which all the roles are centered around facilitating the success of underserved and underrepresented individuals. She is a psychology tutor at Grossmont College, a trainer for the National Conflict Resolution Center, and a Career Navigator for Access Inc. Outside of academia and work, Shakur is also a competitive a cappella singer in the San Diego Chorus as well as a martial artist with a first degree green belt in Tekio Jutsu. Recently, Shakur has been admitted into the San Diego State University Master's in Education with a concentration in counseling program with certifications in trauma informed care and restorative justice. Shakur plans on continuing to support the San Diego community by furthering her education and eventually receiving her doctorate degree in education.

Shakur is an emerging young professional who is equity-minded, organized, and team-oriented looking for opportunities to support individuals and communities from underserved backgrounds. She hopes to do this by building a career in higher education. Shakur is passionate about working with students of color, but this passion translates to her devotion to advocate on behalf of all students who possess various marginalized identities. Ultimately, Shakur is a person dedicated to working in initiatives which support diversity, inclusion, and belonging for all.