Almost forty years ago, I read a book that had such a deep impact on me that I still remember it today … the way you remember life changing events like births, deaths, and first loves.  “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” inspired and grounded me, and laid the path for a life journey I could never anticipate.  I couldn’t tell you why now, or even articulate how, but discovering the world of Maya Angelou created a deep well that I could return to time and again throughout the next forty years for wisdom, direction, and rehydration; bread for the next leg of the journey.

Ms. Tiffany Gatling is a graduate of the first class of DCPCA’s Adolescent Wellness Institute (AWI).  The Institute is an adolescent empowerment project, encouraging young people to make the link between health-seeking behaviors, their future choices, and the well-being of their communities.  Trained adolescent ambassadors make presentations to their peers, educate their families and friends about health care options, and learn to advocate for their rights.  Tiffany is an 18-year-old high school graduate who plans to become a Registered Nurse.  This fall, she will begin courses at the University of the District of Columbia to become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA); afterward she will work as a CNA to finance her actual nursing degree.