Today we’d like to introduce you to Keysha Darby
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
It has always been my dream to work with individuals who face challenges beyond the everyday cycle of life. This aspiration began in my childhood as I watched my grandmother open her home to young girls, whom I immediately embraced as cousins. We shared a room, meals, laughter, tears, and chores under the same roof. This compassionate spirit was instilled in me from a young age.
As I grew older, I found myself working in residential facilities and group homes, offering help and support to young girls and boys. I did not see them as less fortunate but as individuals who, with the right support, could overcome any challenge. This nurturing path led me to support young lives for over 28 years. I knew I wanted to open a group home, but God had other plans for me.
In my quest to find my true calling, I sought God’s guidance and direction, desiring to make a more significant impact. On October 8, 2022, I said a final goodbye to my grandmother, a woman I loved dearly. My world in human form. Her loss was a profound moment for me. A year later, God revealed a vision, and I felt compelled to follow it. Despite not knowing when or how to begin, I trusted in His plan. When God puts something on your heart you have to be obedient. I did not know when or how, but the instructions for me were clear, it was time. I had no idea of what I was preparing for. I was ready to trust HIM knowing that blessing would chase me down and overtake me if I just started. I trusted and trust God to send the right people in my life, and to cross my path.
By January 2024, God instructed me to leave my full-time job and pursue my calling. Although I was initially confused and unsure, “BUT GOD” I had no idea what was happening. I was there, present in the moment and trusting God to carry me, I decided to walk by faith, not by sight. With the support of my husband and family, I was ready to follow in my grandmother’s footsteps and bring hope to those who could not see the rainbow in the clouds.
Opening Mae’s Place was born from this vision. Inspired by my grandmothers—Victoria Mae (Maternal), the foster provider and neighborhood mom, and Rosie Mae (Paternal), the candy house lady and everyone’s safe house. Pillars of the community known to everyone, they have paved the way for me and for that I am so grateful —I honor their legacies. Mae’s Place is a place of hope which aims to support young girls and women aged 10 and up, offering individual programs and groups for empowerment, mental and behavioral health support, mentoring, and more. I bring my life experiences, wisdom, skills, and knowledge to help these young girls and women see themselves through God’s eyes.
To my late grandmothers, who selflessly gave so much, I dedicate this work in your honor. I hope you are proud of me as I continue your legacy. Blessings to all.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The journey has certainly been challenging. Walking away from a full-time job in an economy that relies on dual-income households has been tough. Navigating the acquisition of proper licenses, setting up business accounts, dealing with legal documentation—all of which were new to me—has been quite an ordeal. Building a website, networking, and figuring everything out on my own without a business partner to consult has added to the complexity. Meeting with clients requires a location, which has not been easy to solidify without steady income, understanding the process of writing and applying for grants and funding has been a steep learning curve. I sought advice and opinions from anyone willing to help, taking what was useful and disregarding the rest.
There were times I felt like giving up, but I reminded myself to stay driven by my passion and to “never look back.” I continue to encourage myself with the belief that “if God brought me to it, He will bring me through it.” There have been moments of feeling lost and unsure of my next steps, but divine interventions reassured me that I was not alone, and that God was working on my behalf.
While collaborating with organizations and securing contracts to allow Mae’s Place to support young individuals has been challenging, I trust in God’s perfect timing. With patience and ongoing personal, and professional development, I believe Mae’s Place will be recognized globally and become a well-known name across various platforms.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a Certified Community Health Worker. I look to bring my unique skills to the aid of supporting the youth within the behavioral health system and community. These unique skills are those related to psychoeducation, in order to support long-term outcomes for individuals to succeed. Goals that support healthy development and empower each client to create healthy behaviors within their environment, creating specific goals that are individualized and measurable to increase overall mental health stability and increase self-esteem, future-focused and strength-based psychoeducation interventions. Skills that support health, body image, communication skills, healthy vs unhealthy relationships, internet safety, hygiene, support of children to incarcerated parents, bullying, problem solving, parenting, critical thinking, and much more depending on the need of the group or individual.
I am most proud of trusting God to do the work he has instilled in me to do. I am most proud of taking a chance on myself. I am most proud when I am impacting lives and making a difference in a world where so many are overlooked. I am most proud when I have individuals thank me for not giving up on them.
What sets me aside is my ability to connect with clients, meeting them at their level of struggle, easy rapport building, allowing clients the opportunity to share thoughts and feelings while advocating their needs, in a judgment free space, helping to support future focused goals. Collaborating and supporting clients of complex traumas and trafficked survivors these skills have helped in building resilience and empowerment.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
My favorite childhood memory is with both my grandmothers. I remember a time when my (foster) cousins and I were so excited for my grandmother (Vicki) to take us to Bobo’ s a burger place not far from her home. In the course of the drive my cousins and I became loud in the car, my grandmother was a driver, foot to the metal driving her 64 Buick, which she called wildcat. We must have distracted her because before you knew it, she was heading straight across the light in the lane meant for turning left (the wildcat was on the go lol. We were all so confused as cars were honking but my grandmother did not skip a beat (thankfully no cars were approaching) she kept driving and told us those people were crazy and not paying attention, well we knew who was not paying attention. We laughed profusely because we knew my grandmother was wrong, but you could not tell her that, in her mind she was right, later that night she gave us ice cream, she laughed (her laugh was something) and told us she thought about it, she thinks she was the one in the wrong. It was funny because having my grandmother laugh and admit her wrong to us was priceless, as she is one to believe she is right about all things because she was the grandmother.
My other memory was that of my grandmother Rosie, it was such an awesome day. I hadn’t seen her in a while and when I got to her house it was like Christmas, she must have been happy to see me as well, (I was about 6) my grandmother gave me a bag and let me shop in her candy house as if I were on a real-life shopping spree. If that weren’t enough My grandmother was beautiful with long hair down her back, most times she wore a bun, but this day it was down, I asked her if I could brush it, and she said yes. Between lollipops and my real-life barbie doll my grandmother still to this day has no idea how much that day meant to me. A memory I will carry a lifetime.
Pricing:
- 30.00 1- hour virtual sessions
- 40.00 1-hour individual session
- 40.00 1.5 -hour group drop in session
Contact Info:
- Website: https://maesplace.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/2maesplace/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/
Image Credits
N/A
