Today we’d like to introduce you to Yoneisha Maple.
Hi Yoneisha, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My name is Yoneisha but I go by YOYO THE VOICE. I was born and raised in Ujima Village of Compton, CA. I started writing poetry and novels at a very young age. Writing was always my passion but I never saw a means to be compensated from it, so I focused on working. I was the sister to three small children. Working with children, nourishing them and teaching them came easy to me. Though I’ve worked many jobs and wear many hats, teaching children came effortlessly for me. I spent over ten years working for Los Angeles Unified School District. In 2016, I started my own tutoring company called Royalty Tutoring Services. It did very well. I made more money tutoring than I did on my job. I also helped over 100 children learn to read and be confident in learning. In 2020, the pandemic stopped me from being able to allow children in my home and the kids had a very hard time adjusting virtually, so I had to close my business. Which was a gift in disguise because I was able to focus on writing. My grandmother passed away April 2020 and I knew that was my sign to start a new journey. I had no more excuses on why I couldn’t publish my book, buy a house and stop working and become who I was truly meant to be. I wrote everything down, made a vision board and manifested everything that I wanted. Now I am a self-published author. I published my first book May 2021, Growing Through The Pain: Breaking Generational Curses. My book is available on my website (yoyothevoice.com) and on Amazon and Kindle. I have other books in the works too, so be on the lookout for them.
YoYo The Voice is Yoneisha Maple all grown up. YoYo The Voice is the healed version of my inner child. I was lost, broken and I didn’t know who I was. I was what everybody else wanted me to be. I was a sister, A Mother, a teacher, the strong one, a tutor, a friend, a worker, an assistant…I was all of those things and at one point, I didn’t want to be anyone or do anything. So, I became what some would call selfish, but what I identity as “self full”. I stopped being everything for everyone and decided to become who I wanted to be and who God called me to be. I took a moment and I stopped pouring into everyone else around me. I was tired of being depleted. I began to fill myself back up like I filled up others. So I had to take time for myself and pour into me. And that’s how YOYO THE VOICE was born. I’ve always been YOYO and I’ve always had THE VOICE but Yoneisha and her sh*t was holding me back. Yoneisha was scared of hurting people’s feelings, she cared what other people thought, she was fearful. She got stressed out and had anxiety and would spiral into depression. She let everyone around her dictate her life. She had to go! YOYO THE VOICE is fearless, she’s confident and she walks to the beat of her own damn drum. She doesn’t give a flying f*ck what people think about her. She accepts and embraces whatever life throws at her. She knows who she is and she is ready to take the world by storm. She curse, she dance, she twerks, she laughs, she loves, she flirts. She’s smart, she’s funny and she’s unapologetic and she loves herself. She is the voice for the voiceless. The mother for the motherless. She is whoever she wants to be. She speaks her mind and she doesn’t hold back. She is YOYO THE VOICE!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I’ve endured lots of struggles along the way. Lack of parental love. Having a child young. Being in an abusive relationship. Suffering from Anxiety and Depression. And having to go from being a religious church goer to a spiritual woman with a relationship with God that didn’t involve a pastor. I had to go from being fearful to fearless, I had to truly grow through my pain.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’ve always known I was a Writer or an Author but I never felt right using that title until now. Now that my book is published, I can embrace who I am. For the last few years, I’ve been known as “The Tutor”. Now I can be “The Writer” or “The Author”. I’ve written thousands of poems and books ranging from children’s books, self-help books to urban books and I’m ready to share them with the world. I am most proud that I finally began to walk in my power, despite all the obstacles I had to face. I’m proud that I can be an example for young children, including my daughter and my sister and show them that you can do anything you put your mind to. You have the power to Manifest your own Miracles. What sets me apart from others is that I was uniquely and wonderfully made to inspire others to use their voice and do great things despite what they’ve been through.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
My advice would be to never stop growing. Grow in love, life and lessons. Allow the things you go through to mold you into who you were destined to be. You have the power inside of you to do and be whoever you want. Focus on what you love and what’s important to you. If it’s meant for you, God will make a way, no matter what.
Pricing:
- $25 for book
Contact Info:
- Email: Info@yoyothevoice.com
- Website: www.yoyothevoice.com
- Instagram: @YOYOTHEVOICE
- Twitter: @YOYOTHEVOICE
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCeRwCyb38tZbxdGGLdj9JWw
