Born and raised in Winston-Salem, NC, Dakota is a passionate advocate for youth! Having navigated the foster care system as a teenager, Dakota is committed to igniting change in her community. Through her full-time work with The Children’s Society under the SaySo program, Dakota uses her voice to empower and encourage youth to advocate for systemic change, ensuring young people are heard and given the tools needed to thrive. Dakota’s vision of being a part of The NCLCVF’s Boards and Commissions Program is to gain the knowledge needed to educate the community and be the voice for those underrepresented families. She hopes to raise more awareness and inspire others to get involved to create a positive impact. Beyond her advocacy, Dakota is a dynamic speaker and creative. She’s known for her motivational speaking engagements, inspiring people to be resilient and "grow through what you go through". Her creativity shines through in her music and poetry, which she uses as outlets for self-expression and tools for healing. Other than that, she enjoys spending time with her amazing son Ahdi! Whether through her advocacy work, creative expressions, or motivational speaking, Dakota is driven by her motto of the year, do what you said you would do… If you’re scared, “Do it Scared!”