Life & Work with LaTrice D. Narcisse

Today we’d like to introduce you to LaTrice D. Narcisse.

Hi LaTrice, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
“When I was a child my mother said to me, ‘if you become a soldier, you’ll be a general. if you become a monk, you’ll be the pope. Instead I became a painter and wound up as Picasso.”

This life has been so beautifully painted by myself as second in command; God (always) first in command.

By way of Indianapolis, IN, by way of Lake Charles, LA and now a resident of Jacksonville, FL.; I look back and realize that many of my character traits derive from living in these different regions. I am a mother of one young adult son, budding entrepreneur, independent model, fitness trainer & enthusiast, youth girls volleyball coach; gracious I feel like I am leaving one of my hats off.

There are a few life events that I can give credit for my present-day accomplishments. Having to drop out of high school because I gave birth to my son a day before my 16th birthday was one of my hurtful, life hurdles. That was an extremely tough time, as I thoroughly enjoyed school and had high goals & big dreams. Real big dreams. By the age of 19, I was married with my second child, & relocating to Jacksonville, FL. There were many times that I thought about getting my H.S. diploma, but there was so much fear of being inadequate. I remember being extremely fearful of not passing, yet I hadn’t even tried to take it.

My life changed forever at age 23; there wasn’t one warning sign that could have prepared me for the change. I lost my 4-year-old daughter. Just when I was settling into adulthood, my entire world was rocked. Nearly 6 years went by before I decided to attempt the G.E.D. test.

I passed all subjects on my first attempt, at the age of 30. I was in geaux mode from there; the self-confidence that was birthing inside of me gave me the surge of life that had been lying dormant. For too long.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Smooth? Ha. *goes to Webster to learn the meaning*

My twenties were wrapped in struggles. It seemed that every time I turned around, I was facing a new challenge. Most people would give to relive their twenties, while I could skip right over mine had I known they’d be so challenging.

No parent ever expects to bury their child; that’s not how the circle of life is supposed to go. As I reflect back, I was on autopilot. I was in a new town with no family, a few friends that I had met, a mother of one, not 2 any longer, a HS drop-out, an entry-level employee, separated, and lost. I wish I had gone to therapy sooner than I did.

I had no idea who I was or what I wanted. The many regrets on waiting so long to move forward in every arena of my life is a major regret. It’s true that everything happens in its proper timing, but there is a part of me that is despondent with how much time I wasted.

My growth, or leveling up, as they say, occurred in my thirties. God’s grace. Now that I am in my 40s; it is smoothing out. I love it here and where I am headed!

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a Trainer Specialist for a health insurance company. Training is a role that requires certain skills and requires one to adapt and adjust the skills frequently. It is very taxing on the mental, but it is rewarding in the end.

What am I most proud of? I have 2 ‘most proud life events: 1. My son, Akeem. Having a child very early in life presented many, many challenges; I had zero clue about life, being a mom, woman & young girl all at the same time. He is a very well-rounded, intelligent young man; and that could be a very different sentence considering the circumstances. I AM SO, SO PROUD OF HIM!

My second proud thing is going back to school to finish what I had to walk away from. I remember the day I decided to get up and register for my G.E.D. I had been out of school at that time for nearly 10 years; I signed up, the date was set, & I took the exam. I didn’t even consider brushing up on some subjects that I hadn’t seen in all that time; I just jumped. I passed… on the first attempt.

I sat in my apartment and cried; tears of joy & tears of hurt. From there, I received my bachelor’s degree in B.A. and my master’s in H.R. There is no quit in me; that is what sets me apart. I have fumbled, redirected, assessed & reassessed, I have even stopped. But I don’t quit. God’s grace!!!

We love surprises, fun facts, and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
There are some who know my love of adventures and sports, specifically football; however, many don’t know that I attempted to try out for the Jacksonville Dixie Blues.

The coach at the time approached me at a restaurant and asked me to meet the team and consider trying out; I think it was my height and size that caught his attention. Tall and fine.

I had recently torn my left ACL, so I knew I couldn’t play. I attended the first try-outs and passed but had to drop out when the physical part of the try-outs began. It was probably for the best because I didn’t have the best knees and I am sure that type of physical contact would have done more harm than good.

If God gives me a good right knee, I’d tryout again. Right now! No questions asked! *laughs* Tell the NFL to call me.

Contact Info:

• Email: info@powearapparel.co
• Website: www.powearapparel.co
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Image Credits
Roderick Borisade @storyteller_oddrod and Mike Ivery @eg_mediaprofessionals