Pursuit of Nappiness: Porsha O’Neal

Porsha Jamie O’Neal

in Pursuit of…

 justice, peace and genuine respect for everyone. The little girl inside me lacked justice. She lacked someone to fight for her, to save her, to be her voice. So I live my life in pursuit of  helping those little people in situations similar or worse than my own. Whether through fighting for their rights legally and/ or morally, saving them from their circumstances, or just being that positive voice and influence they need to get them through.  

Occupation

J.D. awaiting admission to Illinois Bar

&

CEO/Founder of Helping East Saint Louis (HESL)

 Age

26

 Hometown

East Saint Louis, Illinois 

Achievements

Received Presidential Award for Community Service

 Thomas M. Cooley Law School

Juris Doctorate

Concentration Self Directed Studies and Litigation 

This year Porsha made history as the first student to graduate from Tampa Bay Campus of Thomas M. Cooley Law School.

“I myself was just blessed and grateful to have made it [graduate]. I was told  it was not going to be physically possible for me given my condition with brain tumors, head pains, seizures etc.  After the ceremony, other parents brought up that not only was I the first graduate, but I also was a woman and black (African American).  So if you look at it as my foster father keeps saying, I made history.” 

(Letter from President Barack Obama congratulating Porsha on her graduation)

HerStory

I was abused, physically, mentally, and sexually as a child. My beatings use to be so severe that I was left for dead on three occasions before the age of 10. I have been placed in temporary foster care situations numerous of times. I have ran away to try to save myself. I have been homeless. Dropped out of school once before the ninth grade. Then three times after, because school was not feeding me and my brothers it was not taking care of us. Not to mention we had a crazy & abusive dad who left suicide notes that scared us from leaving the house. I worked three jobs to finish high school. Never received any type of support from anyone. My brothers ended up in Prison. So although I already felt alone I was really alone when that happened.  

At 23, I was forced to put my military career on hold,  withdraw from Law School and write my will. I was diagnosed instantly with two tumors on my brain stem that instantly hospitalized me. Later the doctors stated in my medical records that they ” disappeared.” 

Read the details of Porsha’s amazing story in her book coming this Fall.

Paying it forward

 HESL is a non-profit community service organization for mentoring, rebuilding and encouraging our future generation at risk to drug, physical, mental and sexual abuse. 

Please support her organization by donating, as they work to fund the grand opening of their building.

More info: http://www.helpingeastsaintlouis.org/home.html

Donate here: http://www.gofundme.com/adzw8w

Through her passion, perseverance, and giving heart Porsha encompasses what it really means to be in

Pursuit of Nappiness.

Get in Pursuit and order your shirt today: http://www.pursuitofnappiness.org/trade/