Today we’d like to introduce you to DaKoyoia Billie.
DaKoyoia, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My passion of serving others developed after caring for an ailing uncle who succumbed to stage 4 lung cancer when I was only 15 years old. I went on to study nursing at USC Aiken in Aiken, SC. After several years of exploring various areas of nursing to include oncology, management, ICU, and rehabilitation, I later obtained my Masters in Nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner in 2018 from the University of South Alabama in Mobile, AL. I didn’t want to become stagnant in the field. Stagnation is a pet peeve of mine.
I accepted the challenge of fighting COVID-19 shortly after our 29-week old premature twins came home from the hospital. A call for healthcare workers (primarily RNs, NPs, PAs, Respiratory Therapists, EMTs) was made through one of the many disaster relief agencies around mid-late March. I arrived three weeks later in early April. Many reasons for traveling to NY bounced around in my head as the pandemic was developing. I had a family at home to include my husband, a 15 yr old, a three-year-old, and two new, fragile babies who were three months old birth age, however, only several weeks old (adjusted age). I knew that the safest, yet most impactful place for me to be was away from my family to keep them as safe as possible while continuing to help save lives.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
My journey has been FAR from smooth. I became a teenage mother to my oldest son, Jaylen, at the age of 15. I had to give up high school cheer and many other “fun” extracurriculars. I had another human that I was responsible for assisting through life. By the grace of God and the support of my “village,” I graduated from high school in the top 10% of my class with honors and academic scholarships. It was no walk in the park for sure. That summer, I chose to attend USC Aiken (USCA) due to its small class size, close proximity to home, and affordable tuition. There at math placement testing, I met my husband, Marcus. We began dating in October of 2006 (our Freshman year of college).
Fast-forward to today. We have been together for 14 years, married for seven years and have four outstanding kids, Jaylen (16), Elijah (4), and the twins, Karrington (six months), and Kinsley (six months). All boys except for the youngest, Kinsley, who is my one and only girl!
Along this journey, I’ve struggled with a sense of belonging, guilt, shame, hate, lack, low-self esteem, fear, feelings of depression, and many others that I’ve dealt with silently. Nonetheless, I’ve persevered. I’ve learned that my opinion and the opinion of those that will be directly affected by every decision I make are the ONLY opinions that matter. I’ve learned to dismiss the limitations that others will try to place on me as a result of their own issues. I don’t stay down. I can’t stay down. I won’t stay down because there are too many people depending on me to get back up time after time.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I am a Registered Nurse of nearly eight years. I’ve been a Family Nurse Practitioner for nearly two years. However, I’ve had little success securing an FNP position that best suited the needs of my family amongst an oversaturated market in the Atlanta area. This also was a factor in deciding to go to NY early in the pandemic. I wanted to be on the right side of history in helping the many patients and families survive and thrive during this pandemic.
My passion for serving others as a nurse keeps me grounded and I’m reminded with each patient and family interaction that what I do is much bigger than me. The extraordinary care that I provide reaches farther than I can imagine. I give tirelessly of myself because I understand the magnitude of this field of work and the impact I have on the lives I touch.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
While I am proud of my Alma Mater, USCA, I would have chosen an HBCU if I could do it over again. I am often saddened that I didn’t get a chance to experience the ideals, morals, and values that HBCUs instill in their students. I admire that HBCU graduates hold their heads up higher and their shoulders back, and never allow their crowns to fall.
Contact Info:
- Email: ddbailey.kb@gmail.com
- Instagram: DaKoyoia.billie
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dakoyoia
Image Credit:
Yasmin Watts Photography for the professional photos in red
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