TATIANA COOPER

This week’s feature is originally from Chicago, but her work is everywhere! As a young girl being raised by a single mother along with her two sisters, Tatiana learned early the importance of focus and determination. Her mother was one of the most influential people in her life. “She embodies strength, love, and perseverance.” And while her mom laid the foundation of sacrifice and faith, Tatiana took to sports and was able to be motivated and guided by her coaches, who also showed her that hard work does pay off. She was inspired by their athletic ability and always wanted to compete at their level.

As an adult, one of her biggest hurdles was overcoming the abusive relationship she was in. She had hit one of the lowest points in her life by being in a relationship that had torn her down to the bare minimum, or so she thought. She was able to think back on the courage and boldness of her mother and the motivation and focus of her coaches. These would be her key ingredients for surviving that relationship and getting herself up out of that hole. Having to start completely over from the ground up provided the opportunity to reflect and dig deeper within herself. And even though domestic violence is never the answer, she had found a sense of strength by fighting back.

Leaving an abusive relationship can be an incredibly difficult and daunting task. However, it is important to remember that it is never too late to start anew and become a better version of yourself The road to recovery may be long and challenging, but it is worth the hard work and sacrifice

Tatiana always knew that she was called to do God’s work and serve those around her, but being out of work made it difficult to see the bigger picture “The defining moment that has an impact on who I am today was the moment I took a leap of faith after not being employed, and I walked into Patterson High School in Baltimore and asked to volunteer my time to start my nonprofit to mentor the girls there“ What a bold move! And it paid off!

By the time the school year began, she was offered a teaching and coaching position at the school Tatiana had turned her volunteer work into two job opportunities, which also laid the groundwork to start her non-profit, SAGE (Saving Adolescent Girls Everywhere), where she’s able to mentor and impact the lives of teen girls

She remembered the tools her mother and her coaches instilled in her and this caused a ripple effect for the girls she mentored. And the three main ingredients have been self-reflection, patience, and perseverance When faced with difficult moments, taking the time to reflect on the situation and one's own emotions can help to gain clarity and perspective Patience is also crucial, as many problems cannot be solved overnight. It is important to stay committed to the process and have faith that progress will be made over time.

Finally, perseverance is necessary to overcome obstacles and achieve success It requires a willingness to keep pushing forward, even when faced with setbacks and obstacles This is what Tatiana teaches her girls and it shines through the work they do for others It’s all an amazing reflection of her.

Recognizing that young women don’t always have the support they need, she’s made it her work to make sure they’re not left behind. Tatiana also teaching her girls that the possibilities are endless when you’re able to be healed from things that have weighed you down in the past. “The same way I fought to redeem happiness and stability in my life is the same way I fight to make sure our young girls have all of the resources that they deserve” Talk about paying it forward!

Through SAGE, Tatiana has provided mentorship through impactful programming in Baltimore, DC, Raleigh, and Chicago! She’s everywhere and still growing! She also advocated for the homeless and serves alongside a local initiative called Martha’s Meals to help feed the homeless population

Being raised by a strong woman was probably one of the greatest resources Tatiana had growing up and she made it her mission to make sure all girls have access to the love and support she was shown WE LOVE YOU TATIANA!!!!

You can check out Tatiana on IG: @taticoop

Or see what’s going on with SAGE on IG: @sage.inc

If you’d like to check out SAGE and check out their upcoming events, CLICK HERE!

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