After my parents’ divorce, everything changed. I moved to a new city, started a new school, and carried the weight of rejection, abandonment, and loneliness. At just 10 years old, I stopped eating—not just to be thin, but to feel in control… to feel seen.

In this episode, I open up about my early struggle with body image, depression, and the moment I began to reinvent myself.

At just seven years old, I was called “African booty scratcher” in a classroom full of kids, and the laughter that followed changed how I saw myself forever. In this deeply personal first episode, I take you back to the moment I realized I was a dark-skinned Black girl… and how that one experience shaped my confidence, my self-image, and the inner voice I’d carry for years. From the absence of affirmations at home to comparing myself to other girls, this is the story of how I began to believe I wasn’t enough—and the long road to unlearning that lie.

If you’ve ever questioned your beauty, struggled with identity, or are still healing from childhood wounds... this episode is for you.

Welcome to What I Wish I Knew Then: Lessons from My Journey.

I’m your host, Ebony James, and in this short trailer, I’m sharing the heart behind this podcast.

This show is for anyone who’s ever looked back and thought, “If I only knew then what I know now.” Each week, I’ll share raw, personal stories from my life—especially my childhood—and the lessons I’ve learned as a woman still healing, still growing, and still learning to love herself.

If you're ready for honest reflection, truth-telling, and soul-deep growth, you’re in the right place. Subscribe now and join me each week as we go back not to stay there, but to heal and move forward together.