Currently based: Spain (by way of Mississippi)
Education: San Diego State University, B.A. in Journalism (Media Studies emphasis)
Writing themes: self-growth, slow living, creativity, culture, identity
Influences: bell hooks, Zadie Smith, Roxane Gay, Deepak Chopra
Favorite creative fuel: coffee, playlists, and quiet corners
The Story So Far…
I’ve always been a little obsessed with the question of “how to live?” That curiosity began early, long before I had the words for it. I grew up in Brandon, Mississippi, and spent most of my time tucked away in libraries, reading Deepak Chopra before I fully understood what “self-actualization” even meant, filling journals with reflections, and searching for what it meant to be at peace in my own company.
That search eventually led me to San Diego State University, where I studied journalism and worked as an editor for The Daily Aztec. Writing, I learned, could be its own kind of self-discovery, a way of sorting through questions the world doesn’t always slow down long enough to ask.
Today, I’m a writer and storyteller exploring intentional living, identity, and creativity, and what it really means to build a life that’s authentic to you. My essays and reflections have appeared in The Everygirl, The Good Trade, and The Kitchen Conversation, among others.
I’m inspired by writers and thinkers like bell hooks, Zadie Smith, Roxane Gay, and Deepak Chopra, who taught me that self-exploration and social awareness can (and should) coexist. Their words remind me that gentleness can be revolutionary, curiosity is essential, and clarity often comes from stillness. I carry these lessons into my own work, guided by the ethos of Nipsey Hussle, who said, “The highest human act is to inspire.” For me, writing, storytelling, and reflection are ways to live that ethos—to create, share, and spark thought in ways that feel both intentional and authentic.
These days, you can usually find me in a café somewhere, coffee in hand (decaf now, for balance), or wandering through an indie bookstore, convinced that I’ll only buy one book this time. Music is my love language, playlists are my second form of writing, and travel is how I stay curious.
Aaliyah Inspired began as a personal blog but has since become something more: a space for reflection, storytelling, and community. It’s where I write about what it means to slow down, to stay curious, and to live a life shaped by intention rather than expectation.