Her Story
About Shequan
I've been in my field for about 4 years and opened Forward Together Colorado myself about 6 months ago. My path here was not what I planned. I graduated high school early to go into law school, but I got pregnant when I was told I couldn't have kids, and everything changed. In 2021, I went through the darkest period of my life. Our house was crashed into by a drunk driver and we lost everything, including where we lived. My best friend completed suicide, and then I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Because of that cancer diagnosis, I had to switch fields from healthcare, not by choice. I was battling and fighting for my life when I didn't know if I really wanted to. I had 5 kids depending on me, so I needed to find something that brought purpose to me, something to help me survive. One of my favorite quotes is 'I'll find strength in my pain,' and that's exactly what I did. I started this business out of some of my toughest times. I worked for an organization that created a job for me doing inReach, going into prisons to help people prepare for life after incarceration. I loved learning people's stories, not just what they were convicted of or what other people say about them, but really learning them and preparing them for life after. After my diagnosis, I turned to alcohol. It never affected anything outwardly, but after I put my kids to sleep, I would drink until I passed out because I couldn't do anything else. I'm doing much better with that now. I decided to mix my own mental health struggles, my substance use struggles, and my passion for helping incarcerated people, and that's how Forward Together Colorado was born. I work with youth ages 12 to 17 with substance use disorders or mental health disorders, and also with people who have been previously incarcerated, ages 12 and up. I'm from Colorado Springs and have lived here almost my whole life, which helps with credibility because I've always been very honest about who I am. I don't mind talking about my shortcomings or the negative. My biggest achievement is that I finally created a job that I absolutely love and look forward to, and it's something I'm proud that my kids can watch me do.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Shequan
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to not giving up. When I went through the darkest times of my life in 2021, losing our home to a drunk driver, losing my best friend to suicide, and being diagnosed with ovarian cancer, I had 5 kids depending on me. There were days I didn't know if I wanted to still be here, but I kept fighting. Maybe it was those 5 kids that got me through it, because I knew I had to be there for them. I found strength in my pain and refused to give up, and that's what brought me to where I am today.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've ever received is to always have someone that you speak to for advice that is not a family member or friend. Having that outside perspective from someone who isn't personally connected to you makes all the difference. They can give you the kind of objective guidance and perspective that family and friends sometimes can't provide.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering this industry is to stay true to who you are, and remember that you don't have to do it alone. Being authentic and being yourself is so important. You don't have to pretend to be something else or change who you are. It's okay to be you and still be successful. And don't try to carry everything by yourself. Reach out, get support, and build your network.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Right now, I would say the biggest challenge is the trust of the community. We bill Medicaid, and there's been a lot of news articles and things going around about organizations and businesses billing Medicaid for fraud. I think that's a huge challenge, because as soon as someone hears that, it's like an instant red flag. It really puts a shade on the value that institutions like mine provide and the services we offer. It's unfortunate because what people hear about is the big time fraud, where organizations have milked the system for millions and millions, not the legitimate services we're providing. I'm fortunate that I'm from here and I've lived in Colorado Springs almost my whole life. Because I've always been very honest about who I am and I don't mind talking about my shortcomings or the negative, that has definitely helped with the credibility piece. It makes it a lot easier for people to trust me.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me in my work and personal life are integrity, honesty, authenticity, and reliability. I believe in being true to who you are and not pretending to be something else. I've gone through what I've gone through, and I'm not quiet about it. I'm honest about it, and I'm okay with that. Being authentically yourself and helping other people know that's possible for themselves is what matters most to me. You don't have to change who you are. It's okay to be you and still be successful.
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