Carlotta Gee,
Founder, and CEO
Welcome! My name is Carlotta.
I'm grateful that you've taken the time to visit. Allow me to take you on a brief journey through my life, where I discovered my passion for serving youth, and the reasons behind it.
Growing up in Bridgeport, CT, my family and I faced numerous challenges. We experienced three devastating fires in our neighborhood, which left us displaced multiple times. During this period, we lived in Father Panik Village (FPV), a housing project notorious for crime and drug activity.
Amidst the chaos, I found solace and motivation in the "Knickerbockers Drill-team" of FPV. This passion for drill/step teams stayed with me throughout my life, leading me to create and coach several teams in the Bridgeport community. As I coached these teams, I realized that the youth I worked with were facing their own struggles. Many came from single-parent homes. Many of their parents were addicts, many had already experienced loss through violence, and incarceration. They were being raised by grandparents or even each other. In this moment Coaching became more than just teaching steps; I became their voice, their mentor, their advocate, and a source of support. My home became a safe haven for many of them.
While actively coaching and working full-time, I faced a devastating blow when my fiancé and the father of my children was tragically killed by a drunk driver. Overnight, I became a single parent, trying to navigate my own grief while supporting my young children through theirs. I witnessed signs of anxiety and post-traumatic stress in my son, and my daughter battled with depression and longing for her father. Although their involvement in basketball and dance provided some distraction, I realized that something was missing. I regretfully admit that I didn't seek therapy for them during that time, but I now understand the importance of addressing grief and mental health.
Growing up in Bridgeport during the 80s and 90s, I witnessed the loss of family members, close friends, and peers on a regular basis. The grief and pain were overwhelming. The blood of young minorities filled the streets of Bridgeport. It was loss after loss until I became numb to it, It seemed that unattended grief and hurting children were all too common. We, as a community, dropped the ball.
Photo by Mateus Souza
In 2017 I organized a prayer vigil, and a Community meeting in the city of Bridgeport CT...
This brought together Pastors, and leaders to pray for the youth in our city, and to bridge the gap between the local church and the community. The hope was for them to work together collectively and began the process of fighting crime, and heal the community. While this was a step in the right direction, my spirit was restless. I knew there was more I needed to do. That's when God revealed Help2Heal Avenue to me, showing me the necessity of this initiative through my own family's experiences. Help2Heal Avenue will serve as a vital resource and turning point for our community and families. These avenues will play a pivotal role in the health and success of our youth.
Thank you for joining me on this journey. Together, we can make a difference and provide the support and healing that our community needs.