We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Marie Ezell. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Marie below.
Marie, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
I don’t believe I found my purpose. I believe my purpose found me. I grew up in a system that teaches children like me to aim low and never expect much. For most of my childhood, I was told regularly that the most I could hope for was to not turn into my mother or father. By age 15, I found myself pregnant, scared, and hopeless. I had no way of understanding, when I was pregnant, how blessed I was going to be with a son who filled my heart. I had my son by 16 and my purpose was born. I was determined to love my son and be all the things to him that for so long no one was to me. I knew that when I got older I would do everything in my power to help every other Marie that was out there.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am Marie Ezell, an un-fostered youth who transitioned into an unbreakable adult. I had 4 siblings (2 of whom I didn’t know until I was about 6 or 7 years old). I grew up with my 2 sisters, my mother who was sometimes physically there but mentally I don’t know if she was ever fully present due to her drug use. I grew up with an aunt who taught me to love and a father who we would see a couple of times a year if we were lucky. By age 7 I was taken from my mother and put into a kinship placement with my aunt. By the age of 11, my younger sister and I were placed into our first foster home. That foster placement was the place that introduced me and my sister to abuse. Reunification with my parents did not happen until we were young adults. By the time I graduated from high school, I was pregnant with my second child. Nothing came easy to me but I don’t tell my story for pity. I tell my story because I want every other child who is going through to know that it can and will be okay. I tell my story because I now know that I am not alone. I tell my story so that when I tell these kids “I understand”, they will be able to see that I really do. I have 4 children,,, that son that was born when I was 16, he is a diplomat in the US Marines. My other 3 children are all in college and not one of them has become a teen pregnancy statistic. They all have the same father who I have been married to for over 21 years (together 24). I have dedicated my life to helping every child I can. Every child who cries and longs for the familiarity of family but is taught that the longing is in vain. I know why I went through what I did and will fight with everything I have in me to reach as many children as possible because they are worth it and deserve it. I have started a nonprofit foundation that will be able to provide family transportation, visitation services, emergency placement services, and independent living for kiddos who are aging out of the foster care system.
I obtained licenses in Property and Casualty Insurance in more than 50 states and walked away from it all so that I could pursue the mission God has placed on my heart. My foundation AIM (Angel In Me Incorporated) is hosting a fundraising gala so that we can get things off the ground. It is a Mad Hatter Tea Party. We will have guest speakers, food, entertainment and most importantly we will raise the money so that we can start helping these families! The gala is to help us launch our first initiative, which is “Needa Lift” our transportation services.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The 3 skills that are most impactful during my journey are: 1. Determination – I am determined to help as many children as I can because I see how the trajectory of my life could have been changed if someone had been there for me.
2. Realization – I realized that if I were not intentional about changing things, then I had no right to complain about them.
3. Heart – My whole heart goes out to these children and families. The times when I want to give up, I think about a child who is going through and my heart won’t allow me to quit.
The advice I would give anyone would be to make sure that these 3 characteristics are present before starting on their journey. If whatever they are doing is inclusive of these things, then they will be able to persevere.
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
The most impactful thing my parents have ever done for me was to forgive themselves and make room for me to forgive. They both have beautiful relationships with my children and I am blessed to see the exchange of love between them. Both my mother and father tell me how proud they are of the person that I have become, so I make it a point to express how proud of both of them I am.
Contact Info:
- Website: AIMIncorporated.org
- Facebook: Angel In Me Incorporated
