“If You get me out of this, I will serve You.”
That was the simple vow Alicia made to God at one of the darkest points in her life. And God answered.
Before she was five years old, Alicia experienced unimaginable trauma—finding her mother’s lifeless body, entering foster care, and enduring years of physical and sexual abuse. By 15, she was homeless. By 16, she had become everything the statistics predicted: a high school dropout, teen mother, and gang-affiliated drug dealer. By 19, she was raising three children in the middle of violence, and a life that felt inescapable.
But Alicia’s story didn’t end there.
It transformed.
After surviving another abusive relationship—one that left her with a broken jaw and even deeper emotional scars—Alicia cried out to God for a way out. That prayer marked the beginning of her metamorphosis.
With six children in tow, Alicia returned to school at age 28 to complete her high school diploma. She didn’t stop there. She went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a Master of Social Work (MSW) from the University of Southern California (USC)—becoming a Norman Topping Scholar and recipient of numerous awards for her academic excellence, leadership, and service to the community.
Today, Alicia is a member of the Advisory Board for USC’s School of Social Work, an ordained clergy, a certified trauma support specialist, and a nationally sought-after speaker and advocate. But above all, she is a voice for survivors and proof that healing is possible—even from the most devastating places.
Through The Metamorphosis Experience (ME), Alicia now walks with others on their journey from surviving to thriving. Her story has impacted thousands through keynote addresses, documentaries, churches, juvenile halls, universities, and nonprofit organizations including Stanford, UCLA, USC, Project Kinship, The Esther Project, Visionary Youth Center, and more.
Alicia’s life is living evidence that the cocoon is not the end—it’s the beginning of becoming.
And she’s fiercely committed to helping others emerge with wings of their own.
