Bend in the Road

From the projects to progress, from welfare to wealth, from homelessness to happiness, from sexual abuse to success, from drug abuse to the boardroom, from domestic violence to victory, from rape to recovery, from discrimination to discovery, from racism to realizing her dream, this author has seen it all. It took eighteen years to complete her undergraduate degree. Barbara continued on earning several graduate degrees. Her husband and her were together for forty-seven years until his death in August 2004. Together, they parented four children, including a set of triplets, born in the same year as their oldest daughter. Barbara always thought of herself as a strong woman capable of handling any situation. She was the first woman and the first African American to hold positions of deputy administrator of the District Court, the Supreme Bench, and the Circuit Court of Baltimore. She integrated the restrooms in the Baltimore City court system. In 1985 with an unemployment check, a dream, perseverance, and prayer, Barbara started her first company, in the basement of her home. Five years later she started another company to help people with developmental disabilities, homeless people, seniors, and people on welfare.Barbara was inducted into Maryland's Women Hall of Fame, elected 1999 Welfare-to-Work Entrepreneur of the Year, Avon's 1995 Women of Enterprise Award winner, presented the Key to the City in three states, honored at the White House by President Clinton, was a radio talk show host, an international motivational speaker, a community activist, an educator, the author of five published books, winner of more than fifty awards. Because her mother was an alcoholic, her stepfather abused and molested her, it was automatically assumed that Barbara would be a failure. She did not allow her condition to be her conclusion.