Failing Forward: My Story of Rising Through the Rubble
I know what it feels like to give your all to something that was born out of compassion—only to see it misunderstood, mislabeled, and shut down. Years ago, I founded a school for adults who had never completed high school. It was more than a school—it was a second chance. A place where people who had been counted out could rise, reclaim their future, and walk across a stage with dignity. We were doing meaningful work. Lives were being changed. Families were being restored. But then everything shifted. Our accreditation was no longer honored by the Department of Education. The local newspaper ran a story that labeled us a "diploma mill." That headline stung—not just because of how it looked, but because of how it felt. It misrepresented the heart of the mission and the hope we were building. Eventually, I made the painful decision to close the school. And in that moment, I had a choice: let the failure define me—or let it refine me. I chose to fail forward . ...
