DuceBrown

Tampa

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Duce.B immigrated to the United States at the age of 10. By then, he felt like he had already lived an adult’s life. Before leaving Jamaica, he witnessed more violence and trauma than most people experience in a lifetime. He saw people lose their lives to gun violence, including witnessing his aunt, Sharene, survive a drive-by shooting that unfolded right in front of him. At home, he grew up in a household marked by domestic violence, watching his father abuse both his mother and him. Those experiences shaped his view of the world long before he was old enough to understand them. Although moving to the United States offered a new beginning, the emotional scars had already taken root. In many ways, he felt he had become a product of his environment. Independent from an early age, he questioned authority, rarely listened to anyone, and struggled to connect with traditional paths. School wasn’t something he hated—it simply never felt like where he belonged.