Check Out Alicia Curtis’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alicia Curtis

Hi Alicia , so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Hi my name is Alicia Curtis, 28 year old native from the east side of Detroit. I attended central state university where I received my bachelors of science in business administration with a minor in hospitality management. I am currently a newly author on the scene, here to share my story and be a guide for others. Throughout my years growing up in Detroit was a mixture of joy and life. Some of it was challenging just based off things I experienced. I feel as if those who grew up in my cultural faced many adversities, but I knew I wanted to see new things that I didn’t see growing up. I experienced a lot of trauma growing up, but I never let it stop me from moving forward and wanting better. In all actuality I struggled with a lot of self doubt, and expressing myself. I definitely acted out. As a kid I used letters or notes to express myself. So when I would feel unheard I would write a letter and oh were those letters blunt and from the heart. As I grew older and my words really started to form and I felt as if I always needed to over explain myself so that my point was made. As I was finding my voice I started searching for my own identity and college helped me with that. During college I had the chance to do a lot of exploring and discovering of myself. Learning new things and trying new things. I struggled with my sexuality and fighting certain vices. I had a ball don’t get me wrong, I have always been a free spirited person but free spirit was giving doing whatever I want without thinking about the consequences. It was protect my feelings first and ask questions later, by any means necessary! I knew some things were not right and I needed another outlet that was unfamiliar, so I started going to therapy as well as starting my own business. Therapy was quite interesting, i was able to freely say everything I felt and it be confident and private which was the best part, knowing I can freely express myself without judgement or personal opinions. I was giving homework assignments and many things to work on. I was nineteen at the time but what I didn’t know was that I would have to still do the work to make changes to the things that I didn’t personally accept in my life and what I wanted for my future. During my entrepreneurial run I was succeeding I was able to open up a home bakery where I serviced the students and employees at my alumni Central state University as well as surrounding areas. I was able to also rent a a kiosk inside a local mall. I went o school full time and ran a full time business while working as a caregiver full time. Life began to life I was in so much of a rush to be better and change my life that I was not taking the proper time and making sound choices that followed my words. I wanted to be an adult but it came with a lot, it’s like taking one training wheel off at a time and you start to balance all these different aspects of life by yourself. I did find that I like my personal space, I would disappear in a heartbeat. Just drop off the face of the earth recoup and come back, that was fine but the communication didn’t come with it, so my balance was off. I later created a cycle for myself with the same experiences and I eventually really got tired and started to planning for a different life, not new life but different, trying different things for different results. The one thing that I did stop that I shouldn’t have was building my relationship with God. I hit a rock bottom in college and didn’t know how I was going to move forward but I turned to God. However when he saw me through my struggles I stopped reaching out to him. It was so many little things that he was helping me through that I did not give him his credit for. Big mistake because I I turned back into super sonic and was moving to my next state. I was heading to Houston Texas, I had a job offer that I accepted, that wasn’t my main reason but I needed a back up plan. I dream was to open a front store bakery, so my goal was to connect with as many people as I could and pitch my brand. Shortly life lifed and I was in the fast lane just trying to survive. Mistakes pasted and I needed God again but I can assure you that he made me really work for new. He put me back on track every time but it got harder every time and this last time I felt like I wasn’t gonna be able to make it. I ran and ultimately was running from myself. Before moving back home in 2022 I was a rock bottom and tried everything that I could possibly do myself. Needed help but the help of physical beings was not enough. I started seeking didn’t know what I was seeking but it was something, something was calling me. I needed to go home I didn’t know if that was church home or home home but when I went home i felt disconnected from my life. Detroit is always home but I started creating my own, it wasn’t perfect and it was challenging but it was mine. Later to find out home was wherever I was. And life would be challenging anywhere. I felt alone even with so many people around me. But succeeding and moving forward was always the goal!! I needed and wanted to be so much better than what I came from. I want to give my family something to look forward too. Everyone who supported me and understood me, give back to everyone who was sent to play their role in my life. After sharing things with mt mom that I never expressed I knew it was time to do something different fr, she suggested a journal and at first I had no clue what to write because for forever I’ve been writing like what else could I say I was tired of pouring myself empty but instead I started writing in future tense, giving myself things to look forward to, putting my dreams on paper. Rereading it and memorizing it and putting the action behind it. I had quite of bit of work to do. I was learning and unlearning myself. Correcting an checking myself. Being my first friend being honest with myself and most importantly talking to God more. My original first love, the one I know I could count on and save me. While being back home he called me to get saved and I knew that wasn’t just gonna make every self doubt, insecurity and depression thought go away. It was a step closer to what I wanted and needed and only God himself knew what I needed. I was just a very hardheaded human being lol. After giving myself back to God he didn’t just 180 or 360 he showed me first the things that needed to be corrected in myself so this time I had to fix myself. Face myself. I started writing so much in my journal dreaming of everything even the things my younger self may have wanted I was going for it! I decided to turn my journal into a personal book. And quickly changed my mind, I was rushing my life I was so much in the future that I was losing sight of present moments. I eventually hit another rollercoaster drop and I was stagnant again. I get very antsy when I’m not busy I always feel like it’s more to be done, in so little time. I was not taking care of myself, and it showed. I experienced a sit down of my life, I make a decision to wanna keep taking matters into my own hands and made a a silly mistake rushing the process. I spent 30 days in jail between Florida and Texas. When fall from the matters of your own hands have you flabbergasted like did I really put myself in this situation and how many more situations have I probably put myself in, that I was saved from. In jail I had nothing but time to take for myself. I started back writing looking for things to look forward too again. Kept moving towards hope. After my time spent in true isolation I knew exactly what I wanted to to with my story and my book and that’s help others understand the decisions that we make from following our own lead and how God will give you the opportunity to do so until he show you exactly who has the say and how your life is supposed to be curated. I have now created REELWOMAN it’s not just a cute slogan it is a mission it’s a testimony for all women with pasts. Women whose made mistakes and learned from them or even want to learn. It is for mothers sisters teachers, grandmothers, women in business, women at home, women from all walks of life who are on earth to find their purpose and help others. The biggest is to learn how to build a relationship with GoD and yourself. I created a tool to help with identify crisis, or finding another expressive outlet, a safe space for your thoughts and dreams. A guide for hope and knowing that even in your darkest times there’s a way and will. And to seek help, and build confidence. REELWOMAN workbook and journal is a token of my love to others, it includes many therapeutic outlets and below the surface questions to navigate through emotions and thoughts. I am so so grateful for this opportunity to share my story, and be an example of Gods grace and love. To be courageous, to fight and advocate for those who still need some time. To be the bridge into a rebirthing world.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The obstacles I faced were not being confident in the things that I knew also trying to hold the weight of others for the support that was given to be. Having to be the oldest of many children and being the only chiils in my household who experienced having an outside father. So I struggled a lot with my appearance. I felt like I had big shoes to fill with knowing I’m the first to do a lot, first in my family to not get pregnant at 16, first to graduate high school, first to go to college and graduate. I had to make a lot of mistake while trying not the become my environment. I was a very curious child so I made some things challenging

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I think I answered alit of these questions in my overall piece. Creative wise I have held the entrepreneurial title down since I was baking in culinary school in high school. I love hospitality and catering to others. So I would said I am know for being the caretaker, the homemaker. I love people and I specialize in getting to know everyone on a personal level so that I can better understand them. I am a family oriented person and I fight for what I love and know.

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
Best about Detroit is the creativity. Everyone literally develops a hustles. Almost everyone from Detroit is creative in their own way and mostly everyone has the same drive behind them which makes everyone want to do better. Oh and the good Detroit has some of everything, whatever you have a taste for it’s there. But Detroit also reminds me of myself. It gets rough sometimes and you may not walways get the help you need or want right away but as long as you stand strong and not give up there will be a way made. And the the come up that’s on our city is for the best. It’s been a long time coming but Detroit is finally getting the recognition that love and support that it’s been needed but was judged from every angle.

Pricing:

• Reelwoman workbook & journals $30
• Reelwoman tshirts $20