Interview with Dannece Shawnta Crocker

By Cheri’ Angelique’ Grant-July

Today, I had the pleasure of interviewing with a beautiful woman who had experienced various trials and obstacles before becoming the D.I.V.A. (Divine Inspired Valued Asset) she is today. There are moments in life that divide time into “before” and “after.”
For her, that moment came at thirteen.

Before that age, she was like many children — believing in safety, trusting the world around her, moving through life with innocence. But when she experienced sexual abuse, that innocence fractured. From that day forward, she no longer walked through life unaware. She learned how to read rooms, watch people closely, and protect herself emotionally and physically. It created a quiet strength within her, but it also left wounds she would spend years trying to understand.

As a young girl, her dreams were simple. She wanted peace. She wanted to feel safe in her own mind and body. More than anything, she wanted to grow into someone whole — someone not defined by what had happened to her.

But trauma that goes unprocessed rarely stays in the past. It lives inside the body and mind, shaping thoughts, emotions, and identity. As she entered adulthood, that experience followed her. It influenced how she saw herself, how she related to others, and how she navigated the world. For a season, she coped in ways that allowed her to disconnect from pain she didn’t yet know how to face.

There were people who cared about her, but internally she often felt alone. Trauma has a way of isolating the soul even when support exists. Quietly, she began to believe lies about herself — that she was damaged, that she was defined by what had happened, that she might never fully recover.

Outwardly, she functioned. She showed up. She kept moving.
But internally, she carried a weight that never truly left.

The hardest moments weren’t loud or dramatic. They were the quiet ones — when she had to sit with her thoughts and emotions without distraction. Those were the moments she felt most broken.

There were people who tried to help, but healing doesn’t begin until a person is ready to face it. Eventually, she reached that point. Awareness grew inside her, and with it came a realization: she didn’t want to live defined by pain forever.

The breaking point came when she understood she deserved peace. She deserved stability. She deserved a future not shaped by her past.

Reconnecting with her faith became the turning point. Through spirituality, she began to see herself differently — not as someone damaged, but as someone still capable of purpose. That realization marked the beginning of a new life.

The decision to change was both frightening and empowering. She faced fear of the unknown, but she also felt determination rise within her. For the first time, she understood that while she couldn’t change what had happened, she still had control over where her life could go.

The first thing she had to heal was her relationship with herself. She had to learn to see herself through a new lens — one not clouded by trauma, but guided by possibility.

Rebuilding didn’t happen overnight. She released habits, environments, and relationships that didn’t support her healing. She learned to forgive herself for the ways she had coped. She created structure in her life, set goals, and developed discipline. Each step forward proved something important: she was stronger than she once believed.

Her healing journey wasn’t fueled by perfection — it was fueled by persistence. Faith became her anchor, and the strength she discovered within herself became her compass.

Eventually, she realized something powerful: her resilience wasn’t just survival. It was a foundation for leadership.

That realization opened the door to entrepreneurship. She recognized that her creativity, endurance, and determination could be transformed into something meaningful. Starting from scratch wasn’t easy. She had to learn business skills, self-discipline, and confidence along the way. But what kept her going was the belief that her future could be different from her past.

Today, success looks different than she once imagined. It isn’t measured only in finances. It’s measured in peace. In stability. In freedom from the identity trauma once tried to impose on her.

Freedom now means living without being defined by what she endured. It means seeing herself through the lens of her future instead of her past.

Her story has given her direction and purpose. She knows that healing is possible — not just for her, but for other women walking similar paths. Her message to them is clear: your story does not end with trauma. There is life, growth, and restoration beyond it.

The legacy she is building now is one of resilience, transformation, and strength. If she could speak to her younger self, she would tell her this: You will grow beyond this moment. Your life will have meaning.

The day she knew she was truly free wasn’t marked by a dramatic event. It was the quiet realization that she no longer saw herself through the lens of her past. She saw herself through the lens of her future.

Spirituality restored her sense of identity and purpose. It helped her understand that healing doesn’t erase the past — it transforms its meaning.

One thing she wishes people understood about women who have experienced trauma is the strength it takes to rebuild. Healing is not passive. It is work. It is courage. It is choosing life again and again.

Today, she defines herself simply:
A woman who faced trauma.
A woman who rebuilt her identity.
A woman who created her own path forward.

And that path now leads not just to survival — but to purpose.

Today, she is a B.O.S.S.(Business Owner Serving Solutions). She wrote the vision down according to the scripture Habakkuk 2:3  “For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”

This scripture reminds us that what God promised you has a set time.
Even if it feels delayed… it is not denied.
The vision will come to pass at the right moment, and when it does, it will be undeniable.It’s a word for:
• Waiting seasons

• Business visions
• Promises over your life
• Family restoration
• Purpose unfolding

God is saying: Don’t abandon the vision — it’s on schedule.

Dannece did not let her past define who she is becoming. She started her own company TRASHEDSOX & PARTY TIME which she specializes in party favors, custom apparel socks, shirts, shoes, and jewelry. She also teaches classes on how others can create designs and start their own business.

Follow her on various platforms:

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TikTok:the.sock.lady1

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