My mom was a saint. She taught me to be terminally nice.

But my mom was a pianist and she taught piano out of her house. I was just so excited being a little kid and having all these other kids come to my house twice a week. I thought it was a big party.

I care so passionately about improving the quality of life for women and girls not just here in the United States but internationally as well. I am a single mom and I raised a daughter who is now a young adult.

Over the years my mom has become a self-taught Biblical scholar.

My mom calls me an older soul because growing up she taught me stuff real early. Now I spend most of my time chasing wisdom chasing understanding.

I want my daughter to be proud of me and look up to me. I think early on in my pregnancy I realized that to be the mom I want to be I had to change my life and that's what I'm doing.

My mom taught me not to talk about money.

My daughter's name is Neesyn Dacey but everyone calls her Dacey. Her mom chose Neesyn and I chose Dacey after she was born. The mother is a good friend of mine who I was seeing a while ago. We are no longer together.

AIDS can destroy a family if you let it but luckily for my sister and me Mom taught us to keep going. Don't give up be proud of who you are and never feel sorry for yourself.

I like to write and draw and paint and my mom's an artist so I think I get caught up in thinking 'I'm afraid it's gonna be bad ' and it's hard for me to start sometimes.