Growing up, Verhonda only wanted be two things: An attorney or Oprah Winfrey. However, as she grew, both of those choices appeared less and less likely to occur. As a child she spent a few years in the Florida foster care system until eventually she went to live with her maternal grandmother. In the ninth grade, at the age of fourteen Verhonda was pregnant with her first child, Taless. At the age of sixteen she was pregnant again with her second daughter, Armani. As a result of becoming a teenage mother while in high school she was reassigned from her home school to a school designated for teen parents in her County, Seagull School. Verhonda was determined to avoid becoming a high school dropout, so she chose to take extra classes at a rapid pace and graduated high school one year early with a high grade point average and test scores.
Upon graduating from high school she was awarded a full scholarship to attend any community college or university in the State of Florida. Unfortunately, during her first year at Broward Community College she faced many challenges including being homeless. When she became pregnant with my second daughter my grandmother told her that when she turned 18 she had to move out. Her grandmother had been her only financial support and her primary babysitter so she really did not believe her. True to her word, on her 18th birthday Verhonda’s grandmother kicked her out and changed the locks.
Verhonda’s motto for life is to never let fear steal your opportunity for greatness... pursue happiness, overtake it, and enjoy it... Excuses kill dreams... Your dream is someone's reality which means it could be your reality too... If you don't know where you want to be in five years you are already there... and finally, life is like a camera, just focus on what's important, capture the good times, develop from the negatives, and if things don't turn out just right, take another shot. Live. Learn. Grow.
You can find Verhonda’s book online at LeadershipBooks.com
Popular Podcasts
Cold Case Files: Miami
Joyce Sapp, 76; Bryan Herrera, 16; and Laurance Webb, 32—three Miami residents whose lives were stolen in brutal, unsolved homicides. Cold Case Files: Miami follows award‑winning radio host and City of Miami Police reserve officer Enrique Santos as he partners with the department’s Cold Case Homicide Unit, determined family members, and the advocates who spend their lives fighting for justice for the victims who can no longer fight for themselves.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.