Today we’d like to introduce you to Nina Bailey.
Hi Nina, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have always been passionate about mental health, trauma healing, and personal growth since I was younger. The more I experienced my own challenges and traumas as a Black girl figuring out who she is, I realized that I wanted to pour into other young women that may have gone through, or will go through, similar situations. I worked for 20 years in children and family services, to where I was blessed to experience firsthand what was missing from these environments. In the sectors of education, mental health, criminal justice, and family services I have recognized that the goal was not recidivism, but continuity. I watched young BIPOC go through cycles that created a revolving door of financial security for these systems and the people that oversee them. There were no lessons or conversations about healthy relationships. self-awareness, or processing trauma – just consequences all the time. There was no protection for the young women I worked with within these systems, and while they had already experienced trauma in their own homes, they were brought into systems that only contributed to the continuation of it.
I recognized that my positions in these jobs, no matter how much I tried, would not allow me to make the change that I wanted; I needed to work more on prevention. In my personal life, I could have easily been a young woman in the criminal justice system, placed in residential treatment, or not here based on my own choices I made due to a lack of healing and nurturing my mental health. I have had a long journey of the back and forth in my own growth, self-awareness, and self-love. I am a firm believer that our trials are meant to be shared because we are all connected, not only energetically, but in our storytelling. That is what brought me to The R.O.S.E. Project (Recognizing Our Strength and Excellence), the fact that we are all worthy of safety, genuine love, and happiness regardless of our mishaps and/or troubled experiences.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The biggest obstacle honestly was trusting myself that I was capable. I lead with my trauma for a very long time. I worked in jobs that constantly sent me home with second-hand trauma from the clients I served. So I took in a lot which eventually exhausted me many times. I surrounded myself with unhealthy relationships because we attract the level of our self-worth. and mine was not that high. While I excelled in work ethic, I was hiding behind my productivity, and not healing anything. I recognized that although I had begun my non-profit, I felt like an imposter because I was still internally struggling. We are very programmed to keep functioning even in pain, especially as BIPOC.
This major struggle caused a streamline of mistrust and self-pity. I would not accept much help from others, I was procrastinating a lot because of issues with perfection and/or fears, and I was working in chaos with no serious plan. A lack of belief in ourselves creates the unhealthy habits we grow to deem as our daily norm as though that is just how we are supposed to be due to our experiences. Even during this long journey, I was blessed to be put in places with people that I created positive personal connections and were willing to share their lessons with me.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I work full-time at a non-profit as an HR Coordinator and DEIB/Anti-racism committee lead. In my position, I focus on employee engagement, wellness, and assisting in the progressing of systems and policies. I enjoy it because I am very passionate about equity and inclusion, and also the well-being of employees in the workplace. I am new in this career, and so far, I see myself really learning and progressing. As briefly mentioned, I am passionate about healing, but I am very much a believer in meditation as a healing tool, so I intentionally utilize the tools I learn in my daily work. I do see myself creating meditation facilitation services for others down the line. In regards to being known for anything, I guess mostly for The R.O.S.E. Project and providing community support. I laugh while typing that because I never really think about what I would be known considering the projects I work on are also a part of my daily living. I no longer pour out into others what I would not do for or tell myself. I am most proud of my growth and being able to speak to it. It took a long time for me to find peace with myself, and I love how it feels. I do not know if this sets me apart, but I do recognize that I always mean what I say and say what I mean. It took me a long time to set boundaries and speak up for myself without feelings of guilt, and now I cannot seem to stop; it feels amazing!
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters most to me is personal peace and happiness. These things matter the most to me because it took me so long to get them. I spent a lot of time trying to deflect from my personal struggles by working, obtaining higher levels of education, befriending, and taking on relationships that really only mirrored my insecurities. I am in a place where my peace and happiness matter over literally everything! I feel too good, I am getting too blessed, and I am now in a space where I know I deserve good things. We all deserve to be here, but we also have to get to a point where we treat ourselves in that way so that we can attract it. We have to be willing to cut all things and people off that are not in alignment with what best serves us.
Contact Info:
- Email: nrb9882@gmail.com
- Website: www.iamtheroseproject.org
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/theroseprojectatx
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/theroseprojectatx
