Welcome

Koyia Yvonne Osby is a native of New Jersey, having grown up just outside of the Philadelphia metropolitan area. She grew up in a very loving and structured household with her parents and twin brother. As a young child, Ms. Osby experienced health issues, as she was born with a heart defect. Accordingly, at the age of 5, she had to undergo open heart surgery. This kind of procedure was extremely uncommon for a child her age; however, she defied the odds and became an efficacious and beloved local athlete. Although she was an upbeat and popular child, Ms. Osby struggled in one area: school. Fortunately, her parents discovered early on that she agonized with a learning disability; so, their primary focus was ensuring that she had all of the support she needed to become a successful adult in the future. Also as a child, she grew up attending church with a close family friend; and, it is there where she discovered her love of singing. 

Ms. Osby attended New Jersey City University in the fall of 1994 and graduated with a degree in English/Journalism. Over the years, she relocated to various cities throughout New Jersey. Ultimately, she spent just under 10 years living in Philadelphia’s East Oak Lane section of the city (Pennsylvania). It was there that she began a career working in Employment Services. Ms. Osby held many different positions, like Case Manager and Career Coach; however, she discovered that she had a true talent in Corporate Training/Recruiting and Facilitating Life Skills Workshops. Despite never desiring to be the center of attention, she gleefully relished in her innate ability to connect with her clients. Her specialty is supporting individuals that society has discarded and overlooked, helping them to identify their excellence and talents.

While residing in Philadelphia, Ms. Osby experienced a few amazing highs and endured some impetuous lows. In 2007, she was involved in a horrific car accident that left her in a wheel chair for over a month. She credits her physical recovery to her parents, family members, and close friends. However, years later, the mental effects of the accident surfaced; and, she discovered that she suffered from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome) and anxiety/depression. She had to “do her work” in order to gain her life back; and, she ascribes her life being saved to her move back to New Jersey.  Yet, not all of Ms. Osby’s experiences living in Philadelphia were tough; she decided to go back to school to obtain her Legal Studies Certificate from Peirce College (Philadelphia, PA). Gratefully, she also developed some amazing friendships with women she regards as “family” to this day. 

Life has been amazing for the last 5 years, because Ms. Osby believes her lifes's purpose is to share her story of perseverance with individuals who suffer from mental health issues. She birthed an organization called #ASweetConversation that illuminates the stigma surrounding mental health, and offers information for the STEPS one can take to retrieve the life s(he) had or the life s(he) want. 

These days, Ms. Osby enjoys an incredibly happy life with her fiance' Timothy Bell & the continued support of her parents, who have been married for 43 years! She also enjoys writing music, reading positive affirmations, spending time with GOD, attending music concerts, working out, cooking, connecting with amazing people, life coaching, and creating new and positive relationships. 

“When you stand and share your story in an empowering way, your story will heal you and your story will heal somebody else.” ― Iyanla Vanzant