JcBrown | The Canva Queen

“Hi Tina, I’m a fan.” “Tina, I came here because I wanted to meet you”. “Please can I get a picture?” You have no idea how much joy I feel whenever someone walks up to me at an event to say these words. I wish you could see my reaction every single time. It genuinely makes my heart happy. I attended Think UX 2026, themed UX in the Era of AI, but not just as an attendee. I also had the privilege of serving as a judge for the live design competition alongside other amazing industry experts, where the winners went home with ₦500,000. The conversations were amazing, the energy was inspiring, and I left with so much to reflect on. But beyond the event, I couldn't help thinking about how far I've come. Five years ago, I was navigating pregnancy as a young girl who got pregnant out of wedlock, and it felt like everyone around me had already written the story of how that would ruin or delay my life. Four years ago, I was battling depression because, honestly, nothing seemed to be working. I couldn't see how things would get better. Fast forward to today. We're celebrating four years in the design industry. I'm in rooms where people walk up to me because they admire my work. People want to meet me, listen to me, learn from me. I'm being invited to share my knowledge, judge competitions, and I'm even winning awards. Sometimes, I pause and think about it all. The same person people probably thought would struggle to find her way is now becoming someone others look up to. And no, I'm not saying life is perfect or that I've figured everything out. I'm simply grateful that my story didn't end where people thought it would. If there's one thing my journey has taught me, it's that your current season is not the final version of your story and you can always rewrite your story. God has been so intentional with my life. This can only be God. 🤎