The story on how Pops Culture came to be:
I would love to take all the credit for the idea of Pops Culture Inc., but it’s important to acknowledge the person who helped me come up with the name whenever we can – God. Not everyone will believe what I’m about to share, but that doesn’t matter to me as long as I believe it myself.
During my second liver transplant, I had several out-of-body experiences and incredibly vivid visions and dreams. But there is one particular experience that stands out the most to me.
I was at John Hopkins, going through the challenging process of recovering from my second liver transplant. I was alone, cut in half, and unable to see my family due to COVID-19 restrictions. I was more afraid of death than ever before, even though I didn’t think I would die. I wanted to die. The pain was overwhelming, and I felt completely broken from missing my family. I was in and out of surgery due to complications, and during a stretch of time, I refused to sleep for nine days. Things were starting to get strange.
Occasionally, I would doze off for short periods, but never for long. Eventually, the medical team decided it would be safer if they induced sleep, so I was put under medically. What felt like a mere blink turned out to be days. During this “blink,” I had a lunch date with two individuals: my niece, Jazmine, who passed away at 16 in 2012, and God Himself. Jazmine looked different from the last time I saw her alive, and it didn’t click for me until her birthday the following summer. She had aged appropriately in my experience – no longer the 16-year-old kid, but a 22-year-old young woman. She expressed her happiness, and the only thing that upset her was how sad my sister still was about her passing. When I spoke to God, He told me how proud He was of me. He offered me the opportunity to stay with Him and Jazmine in perfect health, free from pain. However, He also mentioned that He wasn’t finished with me on Earth and had significant plans for me, if I chose to pursue them. We had a conversation, and I ultimately decided to go back. I wanted to share the news about Jazmine with my sister, and I wanted to fulfill whatever plan God had in store for me. He didn’t reveal the specifics, but when I woke up, I started writing and outlining the vision for Pops Culture.
Everything started falling into place. My anxiety and depression disappeared. I eagerly engaged in physical and occupational therapy every day. If they asked for 5 reps, I would do 10. If they wondered if I could handle 3 stairs, I would conquer 3 flights of stairs. The hospital initially intended to send me to a rehab facility to relearn everything, but that was not part of God’s plan for me. I needed to get home, reunite with my family, and begin pursuing my purpose: POPS CULTURE.
I am not here to force faith and religion upon anyone. I share my story with everyone, and some find inspiration and belief, while others try to discredit it and remove God from the equation. However, I firmly believe in my heart that God has a plan for me, and a significant part of that plan involves helping young people and anyone else struggling to find themselves. Many people often ask me what exactly Pop Culture is, and I sometimes struggle to provide a clear-cut answer. Pops is here to assist everyone in gaining confidence in themselves and shifting their mindset from “why me?” to “try me.” We all possess incredible abilities, but our insecurities, resources, and circumstances often hinder us from reaching our true potential. At Pops Culture, we do everything within our power to help everyone become the best version of themselves – mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally – growing stronger every day.
