Today we’d like to introduce you to Antwanette Weaver.
Hi Antwanette, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
While working as a teacher, I quickly became aware of both the behavioral and developmental challenges of many of my students. Overtime, I realized these challenges were often related to trauma and other mental health related concerns. In an attempt to learn how to better address the needs of my students, I decided to pursue a master’s degree in counseling and to transition into the role of a school counselor. Subsequently, I decided to complete the additional courses needed to become a licensed professional counselor providing me with the option to pursue becoming a therapist as well.
After completing my degree in 2010, I became a school counselor and later transitioned in the role of a mental health therapist in the same school district in September 2019. I believed I’d finally stepped into a role where I could really have a positive impact on the lives and mental health of the students I supported; however, on July 13, 2020, I lost my only son, Kameron, to suicide. Over the next year, I worked to process my grief while finding meaning and purpose. This journey resulted in the formation of A Bold Story Never Ends, a non-profit developed to bring awareness to suicide and other mental health related issues, while also working to be a valuable resources to those facing those challenges. We chose this name for the organization because we believed Kameron’s story shouldn’t end with his death, and that his life would be extended through the work of the organization.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road has been anything but smooth. During the course of my life, I’ve experienced every form of abuse; yet, I always found a way to manage. I became an expert at masking the pain, putting on a smile and showing up in whatever capacity I needed to survive.
As I look back, becoming a teen mom was the pinnacle of the turning point of my life. Entering parenthood at the age of 16 presented its own challenges, but there were also many other obstacles that surfaced thereafter. While working to achieve my career goals, I balanced being in an unhealthy marriage (I married my son’s father at the age of 18), working a full-time job, pursuing my education, striving to properly care for two children (I gave birth to my daughter when I was 20 years old), and managing my own mental health concerns. Shortly after completing my master’s degree, my marriage ended, and I had to completely rebuild while supporting my children as they worked to heal from the hurt of being raised in a dysfunctional household. Of course, I didn’t realize the impact it was having on them at the time, but as they say, “hindsight is 20/20”. My ex-husband and I were the prime example of two halves coming together trying to form a whole and failing miserably. We were too young and too impacted by our own individual pain to provide the proper foundation for our children. This was a hard reality for me to face and I struggled significantly and my mental health suffered as a result of it. I experienced both depression and anxiety while working to accept the facts of this reality.
Although, I knew the marriage needed to end, letting go of a 20-year marriage and starting a new life was truly devastating, but again I “managed” and moved forward. Then, just when I thought I’d found my footing, losing my son to suicide snatched the rug from under me and my world imploded. I’ve struggled with anxiety and depression throughout my life, but grief, shame and the deep feelings of guilt greatly intensified both to the point of being nearly debilitating. Each day was a struggle to simply get out of the bed and face another day without my child. I blamed myself for his death and I was immobilized by the fear that I would also lose my daughter because I had not protected her from the pain of her childhood. Ironically, she was also my motivation to continue to moving forward. Thankfully, years of working with a therapist to heal from the trauma of my past, as well as the loss of my son, in addition to prioritizing my self-care, and surrounding myself with an amazing support system has greatly improved the quality of my life.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about A Bold Story Never Ends?
I’m currently in the process of retiring after a 29 year career and working to grow my 501 (c)(3) charitable non-profit organization, A Bold Story Never Ends (ABSNE). A Bold Story Never Ends was created to honor the memory of my son, Kameron. We are working to save lives through education and awareness while providing support, hope, and opportunities to those impacted by mental health related issues. Every initiative, event, workshop and presentation we host is specifically designed to restore hope. The work we do is focused on three pillars: support, scholarships, and service.
Support- we are committed to providing support to individuals in our community in the form of resources, as well as, workshops and presentations focused on mental health and wellness. Additonally, we are in the process of preparing to offer therapy services directly through the organization instead of connecting with outside providers.
Scholarship- the ability to provide financial assistance to students who have overcome challenges and obstacles to pursue their education, as well as to individuals experiencing difficulty with mental health services are two of the initiatives we are most proud of. It is truly a gift to be a blessing to others.
Service- our number one goal is to provide resources and services that improve the overall well-being of those we serve; however, we are true believers in “teamwork makes the dream work”. The work we are doing in the world of mental health is too important to do it alone. Therefore, we always seek to work with other individuals, businesses and organizations sharing similar visions and missions.
Suicide stole the life of my son, and I will work endlessly to break the stigma around mental health to protect others from this type of loss.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Connecting to other professionals who have walked the path you are trying to take is imperative. Especially, when you don’t possess the necessary knowledge base for what you are trying to accomplish. Although I’m a trained therapist, I don’t have a non-profit or business background, so I have to lean on others who have that expertise.
We had a vision of what we wanted for A Bold Story Never Ends, but I worked with a good friend, Jennifer Counter, who is also a business consultant and the owner of Jennifer Counter Consulting, to complete the necessary steps to form our 501 (c)(3) charitable organization. Additionally, Rashan Carter-Davison of Passion & Purpose Filled, PLLC services as our Director of Operations and Strategy, and provides her expertise on both mental health initiatives and strategic planning as it relates to her non-profit experience and background.
Furthermore, through collaborations and the sponsorship of business owners such as, Ms. Brittany Woodard of Elevate Creative Studios; Mrs. Kynia Hill of Holiday Hill Couture Events & Decor; Mr. Tony Levine of Chick-Fil-A Sienna; and Nuksy’s Catering we have been able to provide free and low-cost events for the community.
Thankfully, we have several individuals, businesses and organizations who have stepped up and provided the necessary support and expertise to help the organization to grow and flourish. We definitely wouldn’t be where we are today without the support of such a strong network. We feel truly blessed!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.aboldstoryneverends.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aboldstoryneverends/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aboldstoryneverend
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antwanette-weaver-64b84a285
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@aboldstoryneverends
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@aboldstoryneverends
Image Credits
Romans IX Media
Angelique Ibe
WeSeeTheVision
