I used to chase jackpots like they were my worth—until I realized the game wasn’t about winning. It was about showing up, even when the numbers didn’t match. Growing up in Chicago’s West Loop, surrounded by jazz and neon lights, I learned that true luck isn’t in the reels—it’s in the pause between spins. This is how I found myself.

I used to chase jackpots like I was chasing validation—until I realized the real win wasn’t in the numbers, but in the quiet between spins. As a Black Chicagoan raised on jazz and street art, I learned luck isn’t rigged—it’s rhythmic. This is how I stopped playing to start living.

I used to chase jackpots like they were life rafts—until I realized the game wasn’t about winning. As a Black Chicagoan raised on jazz, street art, and existential doubt, I learned that true freedom isn’t in the spin of the reels—it’s in the silence between losses. This is my story: how losing money taught me more than any win ever could.