Rising Stars: Meet Reyshell Bates

Today we’d like to introduce you to Reyshell Bates.

Hi Reyshell, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Growing up in New Orleans, I had a bittersweet childhood. I moved to Houston, Tx in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina, I was only 12 years old. I grew up in the Southwest area of Houston making it my 2nd home. Transitioning from New Orleans to Houston wasn’t easy I always felt as if I stood out from the other kids and making friends wasn’t the easiest. Over time things became easier, and the people who were once strangers and mean to me became friends and I now consider them family. In 2010 I lost my mom to domestic violence and that’s something I will never forget. For years I carried the weight of her death on my shoulders asking myself what I could have done differently to protect her, but now that I look back, there’s nothing I could have done differently. I was 15 years old, witnessing my mom’s domestic dispute with her boyfriend, but I did not know it would lead to her death. When my mom passed, it was hard, I stayed from house to house with friends and other family members. In 2014 I got pregnant with my son old and I myself also underwent domestic violence with my son father and became a survivor of it. It took me until 2018 to realize what my purpose was in life. I decided I wanted to become a police officer and help other victims of domestic violence, but in order to do this, I knew I had to get my GED so I could get into college because my home school diploma was not accredited in the state of Texas. This wasn’t an easy task working full-time, being a single parent, and going to school all while struggling with my mental health. I underwent counseling for years because of the passing of my mom. I suffered heavily in silence with depression and anxiety but was too scared to speak out to friends and even family members. I lost tons of friends during my battle with my mental health some told me I was overreacting others couldn’t understand while I kept my distance from them. I did what I knew was best for myself and my mental health. With all of the odds against me I still considered to push forward to become greater because I knew my life still had a purpose to it. Getting up every day wasn’t Easy but looking at my son made life worth living and dreams worth accomplishing. I knew no matter what as a single mother with little to no help if I wanted better, I had to keep going and that’s exactly what I did. After I got my GED, I enrolled into school at American InterContinental University worked long days and spent late nights typing papers while still tending to my son. I missed out on a lot of parties, get together and fun with friends who thought I just didn’t want to hang out with them, but I was chasing my dream to become better. After completing my associate’s degree in January 2020, I enrolled back into school 3 months later to pursue my bachelor’s in criminal justice and started volunteering for Houston Police Department. While getting my bachelor’s degree, it was so many nights I wanted to give up, I wanted to drop out but my friends and family pushed me, uplifted and motivated me to finish. They told me “Rae you have come to far to quit and give up your halfway through just push through and finish you got this.” I used that as fluid to keep the flame burning under me, I knew I needed to finish but my mental health would sometimes get in the way of these accomplishments. August 21, 2022, I obtained my bachelor’s degree, and it was the greatest accomplishment I ever made. Right out of college, I became a investigator working homicide cases making a difference in the community by helping bring justice and a peace of mind to a lot of families. I am a first-generation graduate neither my mom nor dad finished high school. Part of me felt like it was unreal and the other part of me knew I had made them proud. The greatest part of all of this is my son was with me every step of the way and got to witness everything.

 Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I was homeless as a child , became a hurricane Katrina survivor,  lost my mom, suffered from the trauma for years, and survived domestic violence. I set out to accomplish my goals and I did by becoming a first gen graduate with two degrees. I volunteered for the Houston Police Department and gained so much knowledge in this field.

 I had woman who I didn’t know was paying attention to me messaged me asking me how was I still going. Where was I getting this strength from? How did I accomplish all of this on my own? And my answer was simple one word “GOD”.

I now motivate other women who are in a domestic violence situation or were in one to keep going and to know it is possible to make it out of a situation like this and accomplish every goal that I  have set out to accomplish.

Women who battle with mental health always tell me I’m stronger than them, it’s no way they would still be here or been able to accomplish everything I have in life with all that I have been through. I tell them if you want something in life bad enough, you’ll go after it. We all have our own story, and this is mine. I’m a strong believer in God, and I know he wasn’t and still is not done with me yet.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
After getting my bachelor’s degree August 2021, I gained my experience as a private investigator. I dedicated a lot of my time to my son to make up for the time I felt I couldn’t fully give him while I was getting my degrees. I reconnected with family and opened up to them as well as my friends about my mental health struggle that had been battled with and it brought them closer to me. I continued to motivate young women who are in the streets, going through domestic violence, battling their mental health, letting them know this isn’t their last stop. I share my story to motivate and uplift them and let them know just because your parents didn’t finish doesn’t mean you can’t or just because you had a baby at a young age doesn’t mean you can’t finish college and set out to become someone. I teach my son to give back to the less fortunate. We donate when we can clothes and toys to people who are in need.

 August 2022 made a year I’ve been out of school, and I have finally worked up enough courage to go back to school. Two weeks ago I applied to Texas A&M School of Law and the wait is now over with I received a letter from the admissions department informing me I’ve been accepted. I never in a million years thought I would be going to law school but here I am and I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world. I’m breaking generational curses and building a solid foundation for my son. It may take me longer then most because I’m doing it alone but  I know it will be so worth it once I graduate.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/curl3h/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnW2BMYLF9cirVKoYa_8alQ