Erica Graham of Brooklyn on Life, Lessons & Legacy

Erica Graham shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Erica, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What’s more important to you—intelligence, energy, or integrity?
I would say integrity is the most important to me. Having integrity tells me everything you are as a person. Maintaing my integrity to me shows that I have discipline, can stand on my morals and and how genuine I am as a person especially when things get difficult.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Erica Graham. I am a business owner of Bbecactive, which is a modern fitness wear line for the people who care about taking control of their health from the inside and out and want to change the narrative behind what health looks like. Bbecactive blends health and wellness through fitness + nutrition+ appareal. I started Bbecactive, formally known as bbecfitness, during the pandemic when my training as an elite long jumper was put on pause. I created it as an outlet to encourage people who wanted to take care of their health and wellness dispite the major health crisis the world was facing. My love for fitness and health comes from my background as an elite long jumper, competing with aspirations of making the olmpyics, and being an multi-sport athlete since the age of 3. I started out specifically with women but looking forward to expanding soon to men as well.

My admoration for fitness and health and my background as a current elite long jumper has expaned into multimedia as I have been working as a freelance track and field announcer taking a role behind the scenes to help push more women in sports media, espcially as a black women. It feels good to put my communications degree to work and do something I’m passionate about, taking up space as a black woman in which once seemed to be a male dominated field.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
My mom saw me clearly before I could see my self. She has always been my biggest supporter in everything that I do still to this day. Whenever I take on something new, shes there backing me 100%.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering taught me how to really advoacte for myself and taught me just how huge my faith is. In 2023, I was diagnosed with Endometriosis whch is an iflammatory disease rooted in immune system function. I was gaslight and mislead by doctors for years before oficially being diagnosed with Endometriosis in 2024. During that process, I was suffering with so much pain and symptoms from this disease that I had to temporaily stop everything and quit my traning as an elite long jumper in October 2024. It wasn’t until I was finally heard and seen by an edometriomal specialist, Paul Mackoul, who conducted a successful surgergy on Nov. 5th, 2024 just 5 days after my 28th birthday in which they took out a 10 cm cysts and a small fibriod. That time was truly very dark and depressive for me. From being in sever pain everday, to not knowing what was going on with my body, to being in hospitals and doctor appointments almost every day. After my surgery, instead of staying in that negative state, I used my experinece to dive a little more into my disease on which my doctors had misinformed me about to help other women and young girls wo may be experiencing the same thing through using my voice and my education on my socials.

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
I would say yes and no. Everything you see on my socials is truly who I am but there are sides and parts of my personal life I like to keep and cherish just for myself. I feel as though everything nowadays is so displayed, nothing is private anymore. It’s those sacred moments with friends , family and myslef that I like to keep and enjoy in real time.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What will you regret not doing? 
I think I will reget not doing everything I want. Whether that’s traveling, taking up a new hobby or trying something I’ve never done before. I think if you don’t take a chance on yourself and the things you want in this life, you’ll never know what could’ve been. Life is meant to enjoy and explore, so why not take a chance?

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.bbecactive.com/
• Instagram: theericachanel_
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-graham-/