Foster Nest Change Agent Spotlight: Tamika Vantifflin
Posted 2/20/2020 by Foster Nest in Our Stories
Tamika Vantifflin is 26. She was born in San Antonio Texas, placed in foster care, adopted and moved to Michigan. Despite her challenges of being adopted at a young age, she maintains an obvious love for children and passion for empowerment of all people. Recently, taking on the role of Executive Director for The Black Ecosystem. It’s a nonprofit organization in Chicago that focuses on revitalizing struggling communities, and empowers families and individuals directly affected by the struggle. Tamika desires to be a woman of inspiration to encourage children to pursue success no matter their past or present situation. She obtained her first degree in Merchandise and Marketing and hopes to continue her education at UIC to receive a second degree in Communications with thoughts of going into law school.
Tamika has been competing in pageants since 2013. In 2014 she won her first title as Miss Michigan Amazing, a local pageant. From there she went onto win a few more titles but most recently she won the title of Miss Illinois United States and placed top 15 on the national competition. Tamika is inspired by the beauty in others and helping those around her. This has helped her to find herself and make a change for the better with the passing of each day. She is dedicated to fitness and maintaining a healthy lifestyle year round. She values time spent with friends and family and will stop at nothing to reach her dreams and becoming the woman she wants to be.
Foster Nest recently spoke to Tamika on being a change agent and to share her story about navigating life to not let growing up In foster care define her "Who I Am” to inspire others. See what this inspiring woman had to say below.
Tell me about yourself, personally and professionally?
My name is Tamika Vantifflin. I am 26, and I currently reside in Chicago, IL. I am the Executive Director of a non-profit organization called The Black Ecosystem. Three Fun facts about myself are; (1) I have 20 brothers and sisters, one being my twin sister (2) I survived open-heart surgery (3) My favorite food is Bacon.
What do you want to share about your story to inspire others?
I was adopted into a family that adopted me for the financial and economical gain. I grew up with a lot of abuse, which included; psychological, emotional, and sometimes physical abuse. My childhood was not the best environment for me and my siblings. Growing up with all that pain and anger destroyed my mental health. It wasn’t until I found God and started to believe that I am so much more than what my adoptive mother embedded in my head. I took a chance on myself. It left me homeless and alone without a family. Looking back on it now, being kicked out of my house at the age of 17 was a blessing. I was still able to graduate high school! I know that may sound like a weird thing to be proud of but if it was up to my adoptive mother, I wouldn’t have had any educational knowledge and I would have been placed in a home that catered to adults with disabilities. My struggles have taught me to work hard, push myself past my limits, and never give up hope. I worked 3 jobs and I can PROUDLY say I earned my first college degree! I am currently working on my second degree in communications. I won the title of Miss IL United States 2018, went on to compete nationally and placed top 15 overall. In my current position, I am the Executive Director of the non-profit organization called The Black Ecosystem. What I am trying to say in this glimpse of my life story I shared is never let anyone or your past define YOU or YOUR future. If I didn’t believe that I was someone, I wouldn’t be in the position to talk about what I have overcome and accomplished thus far.
What advice would you give your younger self or an adolescent in the childcare system?
To LOVE yourself with everything you have. Loving yourself means loving every aspect of who you are – even the not so good parts. It’s letting go of your past in hope of your future. It’s trusting that everything happens for a reason and your mistakes are merely lessons learned. Loving yourself means that you are at peace. It means being conscious of all your worst qualities and mistakes, but knowing you're awesome anyway. You know the truth and more importantly, you know your mistakes don’t define you.
At Foster Nest, we believe change agents are individuals who have been able to define who they are despite the obstacles they might have faced being raised in foster care to make a better life for themselves. They are an example for others to promote change and realize it's possible. As someone who has been through foster care, why do you believe you're a change agent?
I was in foster care at the beginning stages of my life and was adopted at a young age, something I don’t quite remember. The reasons why I believe I am a change agent is because, I’m on the other side of the childcare spectrum. What I mean by that is, all children who have been adopted or are in foster care want a loving home. They want to love unconditionally and receive the same unconditional love back. Foster kids already have the belief they are unwanted because of the situation that placed them there. Whether it is their biological parents labeled “unfit” or you were just simply given away. Whatever the child's reasoning was to be placed in the system, they have this silent wall of pain being built. Even though I had the opportunity to be adopted my adoption wasn’t as loving as it should have been. Being on the other side of the spectrum, like I stated earlier, I understand the kind of mental strain that the system takes on a child or teen.
How do you believe we can help foster youth and individuals to be on a better path to define their own “Who I Am” to avoid systematic predetermined paths
The first step is letting them know that I am here for them. I understand the struggle and pain that they may be going through. The system does NOT define you. You define who you are. I’m here to show them living proof that your life can be what you make it, even if you were dealt a bad hand.
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FosterNestInc Is Spotlighting Authentic Individuals Who Represent Great Examples Of Change Agents Who Have Not Let Growing Up In Foster Care Define Their "Who I AM"
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