Jessenia’s Tribute

🌹 In Her Memory: The Story That Started It All

In 2021, while visiting Jackson, Mississippi, I met a young woman working at an IHOP. Her name was Jessenia. She had recently moved from Florida, and even in that brief moment, it was clear she was young, full of potential, and searching for her place in a new world. I didn’t know it at the time, but that one encounter would stay with me forever.

In February 2025, I learned that Jessenia had tragically lost her life in a senseless act of violence. The news broke something open in me. I couldn’t stop thinking:
What if someone had stepped in earlier? What if she’d had a mentor, a circle of support, or someone who saw her potential and helped her hold onto it?

That is when I knew—it was time to act.

✨ Why We Started: A Life That Mattered

Ask A Black Dad was born in honor of my own father, but Jessenia’s story was the spark that set everything into motion.

She is a reminder of why safe spaces, mentorship, and guidance are needed—urgently. Not just for young men, but for every young person navigating life without a steady support system.

This page isn’t about tragedy.
It’s about transformation. About legacy. About honoring a life that mattered.

🕊️ Our Commitment in Her Name

In Jessenia’s name, we pledge to reach out—to offer mentorship, kindness, and presence to those who may feel unseen. We believe every young person deserves:

• A voice that listens

• A hand that guides

• A circle that holds them up when the world lets them down

This is more than remembrance. It is a promise to act.