Shaunte Thompson - The Fighter

Shaunte and I are like freshly brewed cups of tea, each embodying our preferred morning beverage. I'm the water, steaming with passion and excitement. She's the tea bag, steeping slowly to reveal the contents of her heart. When she visited me in July 2021, we assumed our roles. I was full of energy, fresh from receiving my 100 yellow and green suits. Meanwhile, Shaunte observed quietly, cautious about how to respond.

Later, she shared the weight she had been carrying. Facing setbacks and disappointment in her pursuit of a green card and a job reflecting her talents as a product designer, she had been struggling. I knew the agony but was unaware of the devastation a deferred dream could cause. This was a decades-long battle with DACA, immigration lawyers, and the threat of deportation. This time was different; I could hear the unsteadiness in her voice as fatigue gave way to despair. Hope, an unforgiving friend, seemed elusive.

I had nothing to offer—no sizzling pep talk, no warm hug. But I had 100 reasons to believe better was possible. I had named the green suit “Fresh Start” because that’s what it felt like to wear it, like more was possible. So I invited her to try one on, and the first real smile of the weekend emerged. A silent rebellion was brewing. We both knew it. Shaunte sealed it with her declaration of independence, writing her pursuit on the back of a thank you card, promising to keep going no matter what.

Years passed, and we exchanged sips from each other's lives. When I was featured on TV, I knew I had to tell Shaunte. This time, she wasn’t on the sidelines; she was all in, delivering the sweetest news. She obtained her green card and a job in her field, kept the thank you card, and wore the Fresh Start suit in her LinkedIn profile. Life for her was flavorful and rich. She traveled back to Jamaica and Canada and plans to visit Japan next year.

We formed a perfect union, surrendering to the parts of ourselves that ached for more. By always pursuing our dreams, we believed we'd get there.