Today we’d like to introduce you to Markita Scott.
Hi Markita, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born in Nashville, Tennessee but moved a lot as a child. We moved around the country until we ended up in Nashville when I was 12 years old. I grew up in a poor, single-parent household. My sisters and I fell into a cycle of being in and out of foster care as a result of my mother’s drug addiction. When I was 14 years old, she voluntary relinquished her rights. I remained in foster care until I was 18 years old, at which point, I decided to go through the Department of Children’s Services Independent Living Program that helped me transition from foster care into adulthood. I attended undergraduate at Middle Tennessee State University and went on to attend programs with Belmont University and Lipscomb University. After getting my Master’s degree from Lipscomb University, I set my focus on furthering my career and starting a blog that allowed me to share my story while shining light for other women who have been where I have been or seen the things that I’ve seen.
As a child, I encountered neglect, sexual abuse, physical abuse, and abandonment. I became a young, single mother and I was determined to break the cycle. I have four children now and I’ve always held dear to me that I am giving them a life that I never had. I have a strong focus on my family and providing for them because I know what it feels like to have nothing. I know what it feels like to question, as a child, if you are enough or what you may have done wrong to cause certain situations to take place. I never want my children to experience those feelings. This determination has fueled my drive and forward-thinking. Additionally, for many years, I was a panel speaker and vital part of Davidson County’s Department of Children’s Services conferences for foster parents. My role was to share my story and highlight what can help them as foster parents while working with foster children. During these years, I was blessed to meet many great people, help highlight that the negative spotlight that foster children have shouldn’t be there, and encourage individuals to take a much more involved approach with helping these children have an opportunity for a better life.
As a parent, I strive to show my children that they can. No matter what, they can. I try my best to set the example of what a loving relationship looks like and how it feels to have understanding + present parents. One thing to add is that my biological mother and I were able to mend a very broken relationship once I was an adult. She became my best friend and while I may never understand some of her choices, I was able to find forgiveness in my heart and learn her side of the story. It meant the world and beyond to be able to have that relationship back and have her presence in my life as well as be a wonderful grandmother to my oldest two children. She passed in November 2017 but many of the lessons she taught me, both good and bad, are with me every single day.
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?
I wouldn’t say that the road has been smooth. There were a lot of cards stacked against me. One of the major ones was myself. Sharing my journey in the way that I have and continue to do took a lot of heart work. It meant going to therapy and confronting emotions that had been intentionally tucked away from my memory for years. It also meant owning my truths and learning to not be ashamed of who I am, where I come from, or what I have went through. Additionally, I had to be honest with myself about my why. What started out as a mission to prove that I could break generational curses and cycles turned into a journey to just truly accept myself and love me for me. It took a very long time to get to that point.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I work in Corporate and Multicultural Communications for Nissan Americas. I am most proud of the way that I have been able to continue moving forward in my career and show up as myself while doing so. I’ve been blessed to have leaders who believed in me and supported me with the moves that I wanted to make in my career. I talk a lot about how I have promoted up within two years of every role that I have had. I’ve been very intentional about my career path and when I knew I wanted to get to the Communications Department in my company, I went for it. Two of the things that I truly believe sets me apart from others is my drive and my level of confidence. I am always willing to learn more and do more. I truly believe that even as an expert in your field, there is room for growth. Confidence is what I approach every task, interaction, or role with. Belief in you starts with you. If you aren’t confident in who you are and what you bring to the table, it will show.
What does success mean to you?
I define success as being genuinely happy with what you do, how you are doing it, and the lives you are impacting while you are doing what you do.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/kita.laqua
Image Credits
Elle Danielle – photographer
