A Giving Tuesday Story: Faces OF Abundant Life, Tarra Taylor

It’s a blessing to have you all and I appreciate you all a lot because it does take a village to raise kids.

How long have you been here in the Prospect Community?

I have been in the Prospect Community for 6 years. I am a Charlottesville Native; I grew up here and I’ve seen a lot. When I was kid, I can remember things like Jump Rope for Heart, and going door to door to sell candy for Jump Rope for Heart. I can remember a free Summer Camp for every community. My mom had a house on Esther Street, which is up the street from the Ronald McDonald House, so I was assigned to go to camp at Forest Hill Park. I would get dropped off at 8 o’clock in the morning and she would pick me up at 4 o’clock in the evening. You’d be at the park all day and you had somewhere safe to go outside of your neighborhood. The only thing that I can remember my mother paying for was the trip to King’s Dominion. There was always something for kids to do.

Tarra’s Testimony

I’ve come a long way. I ended up dropping out of High School. In 2010 my Uncle passed away from Cancer. I was able to take care of him up until he passed. When he did, I got custody of his son and I raised him from the 7th grade up until High School Graduation, I was in my 30s at the time. In his last year of school, I went back to school myself to get my GED. We ended up graduating at the same time. From then, I decided to go to college to get my Bachelor’s degree. I received my Certified Medical Assistant Bachelor’s Degree from American National University.

I’m more of a person who raises other people’s children. I tried to have my own, but I couldn’t. God had other plans for me- He knew that there were people out there who needed me and I needed them. I was blessed to be able to raise the boys. I tell them all the time, you have to have some type of goal to be able to survive in this world. I’m not pushing anyone to go to college but at least take up some training to be able to get something under your belt. I’m going to keep on showing them the positive.

What are some of your concerns about living in the Community?

I’m trying to work with JD to help put things back in order for the community because we have nowhere. We need safe spaces for the boys to get them out of the streets and get them away from the violence. We need a space for the girls to get them away from thinking that boys are everything and get them away from being pregnant at an early age or doing drugs at an early age. We need a space where youth know that somebody is out there for them, won’t judge them, and will try to guide them in the right direction. We are missing a lot of that now. 

In the Prospect Community, there are no parks. There is Forest Hill’s park, but I don’t let my sons walk to the park by themselves. A few of their friends come up to play with them and all they have to do is throw the football around. I can look outside and I can tell that they’re bored. They need to build a place where the kids have somewhere to go, because if they don’t, and the kids have too much time on their hands, they will start to think negatively. If they have spaces that are positive to keep them engaged, then you won’t have to worry about them doing other things. My biggest concern is the guns in the community. There are times when there are young kids outside with guns, and when that happens, I make my kids come in the house until they leave. It’s hard to feel safe in your own home- people could come and shoot anywhere, and that doesn’t mean that your house won’t be hit in the process. Because of that, I’ve been working hard on two jobs, I cut off my credit cards, and I started saving money, so that hopefully by next year, I can buy a home. 

Being an Abundant Life Parent

I always talk about Abundant Life- I give you all so much praise and credit at my job. My kids have been in it for six years, and they have gotten a lot out of it, and have accomplished a lot. At first, Shadonta (the oldest) was my quiet, and shy one, and somehow he and Mr. JD connected and I saw the difference in him. My youngest, Tae’jon, keeps me on my toes- he’s more outgoing and funny, while Shadonta is shy and to himself. Tae’jon has also improved a whole lot being in Abundant Life. You all have been my only resource to come to and I feel safe with the kids being with you all.

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