What if the very struggles meant to break you were actually preparing you for something greater?
For Dr. Carly Dee — nurse leader, educator, mother, and advocate — life has never followed an easy path. But through every setback, she has learned to transform pain into purpose, and survival into something far more powerful: impact. “I had a great determination to succeed,” she says. “Hunger can do that to you.”
Raised in Manhattan, New York, as the eighth of nine children, Dr. Carly Dee grew up in a faith-centered household led by her father, a preacher. Her early life was grounded in family, church, and structure—until everything shifted. At 17, she lost her father, the anchor who held their family together, and suddenly found herself stepping into responsibility at a young age. What followed was a period marked by extreme poverty, hunger, and uncertainty.
“We didn’t have a lot of money, we didn’t have a lot of anything,” she recalls. Yet even in those moments, she made a quiet but powerful decision: she would not let her circumstances define her future.
She worked relentlessly to put herself through college, sometimes holding multiple jobs just to get by. That experience shaped her discipline and her mindset. Hunger, she explains, does more than create need — it creates drive. After earning her degree in nursing, she began building a career that finally brought a sense of stability. For the first time, there were steady paychecks and glimpses of comfort. But even then, something inside her pushed for more.
“I still knew that I was destined for more,” she says.
Redefining Success and Self-Worth
Her path forward was not without setbacks. A marriage that ended led her back to her mother’s home, forcing her to start again. Looking back, she recognizes how much of her early adulthood had been shaped by external expectations. “I spent a lot of my life chasing the ring… seeking validation from outside,” she reflects. It was in her 30s, as she became a mother, that her perspective shifted. She returned to school, pursued her master’s degree, and eventually her doctorate in nursing leadership –determined to build a life rooted in purpose rather than approval.
During this time, she gave birth to her two daughters, Carah and Corah, who would become her greatest source of strength. But even as she pursued her education, life presented another challenge. She found herself in an abusive relationship that she ultimately chose to leave. What followed was one of the most difficult chapters of her life — raising two young children while continuing her studies, working, and at one point, living on the couch in her mother’s home.
“I was working late nights on my papers, going to work during the day, and taking care of my babies in the middle of the night,” she recalls. The exhaustion was constant, and the pressure was overwhelming. A treacherous legal battle with the father of her children stretched on for years, draining her emotionally and mentally. Yet through it all, she held on to one thing: determination. “I didn’t want to fail because I knew I had two little ones relying on me.”
Turning Pain Into Purpose
She finished what she started. She earned her doctorate. And soon after, a new opportunity opened in Houston — one she describes as nothing short of divine provision. “I said, ‘God, if you want me to move, you have to provide the way,’ and He did,” she shares. That move marked the beginning of a new chapter not just for her, but for her entire family.
Today, Dr. Carly Dee serves as an advocate, educator, speaker, and host of Pink Table Talk, a platform she created to foster honest, meaningful conversations. Through it, she brings together stories of resilience, healing, and growth—creating space for voices that are often unheard. For her, these conversations matter now more than ever. They remind people that they are not alone, and that their struggles can become sources of strength.
Her advocacy work, particularly in Black maternal healthcare, is deeply personal. Having nearly lost her life during both pregnancies due to complications, she understands firsthand the gaps that exist, even for those with medical knowledge. “I almost died… and I had knowledge. Imagine those who don’t,” she says. That realization drives her to speak, educate, and push for change, ensuring that more women are heard, supported, and protected.
A Legacy of Advocacy and Impact
Advocacy, she says, is not just important — it is part of who she is. Coming from a lineage of pastors and community leaders, she sees her work as a continuation of that legacy. “My role in advocacy is for healthcare for women. That is my mantle to hold.”
Despite the weight of her responsibilities, Dr. Carly Dee has learned the importance of balance. She starts her days early, using quiet moments to write, reflect, and prepare. Prayer grounds her. Pausing before reacting keeps her centered. And even in the midst of a full schedule, she makes space to live: to connect with others, to grow, and to appreciate how far she has come. “You have to utilize your time well,” she says, emphasizing that discipline creates the space for purpose to thrive.
Her definition of success has also evolved. It is no longer about titles or achievements, but about stability, impact, and gratitude. “Having a roof over my head, food in my refrigerator—that’s success,” she says. It is a perspective shaped by experience, one that keeps her grounded even as her platform continues to grow.
From Survival to Strength
Later this year, she will share her story more deeply through her upcoming book, From Shadows to Strength: My Journey of Resilience, Faith, and Healing. Writing it has been a transformative process — one that forced her to revisit painful moments, but also allowed her to heal from them. “It was very cathartic,” she says. “It felt like a burden was lifted.” Her hope is that readers will not only see her story, but also recognize their own strength within it.
When asked what keeps her going, her answer is simple: purpose. Every message from someone she has inspired, every person who shares how her story helped them keep going, those moments remind her why she continues. Because for Dr. Carly Dee, this journey was never just about making it through. It was about reaching back and helping others do the same.
Her message to those still finding their way is both honest and empowering. “Do not be afraid. Use what you have gone through.” What you struggle through, she says, can become your testimony.
In the end, Dr. Carly Dee’s story is not just about overcoming adversity — it is about redefining it. It is about understanding that pain can produce purpose, that setbacks can shape strength, and that even in the darkest moments, there is still a path forward.
And sometimes, the most powerful thing you can do is keep going, and trust that your story is still unfolding.
