Nationwide — What occurs when a toddler turns into the caregiver? For Omarion Calloway, it meant a childhood redefined by sacrifice and energy. It meant carrying burdens heavy sufficient to interrupt adults, but nonetheless daring to dream past survival. His story is not only considered one of endurance—it’s a symphony of affection, resilience, and a voice that refuses to be silenced.
In 2022, the nation noticed Omarion smiling in a photograph, surrounded by 21 school acceptance letters and over $1.3 million in scholarships. However behind that victorious second was a journey carved from hardship. Omarion had grown up navigating grief, instability, and duty, changing into the cornerstone for his household lengthy earlier than he was sufficiently old to know the load of all of it.
At simply 10 years outdated, Omarion turned his uncle’s major caregiver after an accident left him paralyzed from the neck down. His small fingers discovered to feed, bathe, and luxury—to catch his uncle when seizures threatened to steal him away. As his grandmother quietly battled most cancers, Omarion stood by her too, lifting her frail physique, guaranteeing her dignity remained intact. Alongside these tasks, Omarion additionally cared for his youthful brother, usually moving into the function of protector and information whereas their mom labored tirelessly to help the household.
“Caregiving wasn’t a burden—it was an act of affection,” Omarion displays. “A combat to provide my household the care they deserved in a world that usually made us really feel invisible.”
Love alone, nonetheless, couldn’t erase the challenges. Whereas his mom, Tiffany, labored a number of jobs to maintain the household afloat, they moved between momentary houses, not sure the place they’d sleep subsequent. Within the darkness of these unsure nights, Omarion discovered residence in his grandmother’s whispered prayers, in his uncle’s gratitude, and in his mom’s weary however unbreakable laughter.
But the emotional toll was immense. Omarion confronted trauma that formed him in methods he couldn’t but articulate. He additionally encountered societal judgment—seen not as a boy doing his finest to outlive however as a determine always measured and misunderstood by a world too fast to label and too sluggish to hear.
“I used to be taught that crying was weak point,” he admits. “As a Black boy, I discovered to carry all of it in. However the silence weighed on me.”
The dam lastly broke when his uncle handed away. “I cried for the primary time in years,” he says. “Not only for him, however for every thing I had saved inside—the ache, the losses, the moments I wished to break down however couldn’t.”
From that second, writing turned his salvation. “It was the place I dared to dream of one thing extra,” Omarion explains. “My pocket book turned an area the place I might scream with out concern and hope with out limits.”
By the point his story gained nationwide consideration in 2022, Omarion had already endured unimaginable losses. Each his uncle and grandmother had been gone, leaving a void that deepened his dedication to honor their legacy by lifting others. Right now, as a junior at New York College finding out movie, Omarion’s journey continues. He interns at The Sherri Present, the place an surprising encounter with Yara Shahidi turned a pivotal second of affirmation.
“I used to be questioning if I belonged in these areas,” he confesses. “However Yara’s presence jogged my memory to belief in myself. She noticed me in a means I hadn’t seen myself.”
That reminder of self-worth impressed Omarion to convey a long-held dream to life. In 2025, he’ll launch WeRiseLoud, a platform devoted to amplifying the voices of caregivers, survivors, and marginalized communities. Rooted in his personal experiences, WeRiseLoud is a testomony to his mission of creating the invisible seen and the unheard heard.
“This platform is for the kid caring for others whereas nobody asks how they’re doing,” Omarion shares. “For households residing in borrowed areas. For individuals questioning if their tales matter. I’m right here to inform them: You matter. You at all times have.”
Omarion Calloway’s story will not be considered one of perfection. It’s considered one of persistence—of reworking ache into function and utilizing his voice to encourage others to rise.
About
Omarion Calloway is a junior at New York College finding out movie and an intern at The Sherri Present. In 2022, he was accepted into 21 schools and awarded over $1.3 million in scholarships. His experiences as a caregiver and advocate for marginalized voices impressed him to create WeRiseLoud, a platform launching in 2025 to help caregivers, amplify underrepresented tales, and foster hope in those that want it most.
Omarion’s journey is a mirrored image of numerous younger Black caregivers whose sacrifices go unseen. These tales, buried beneath societal judgments and stereotypes, hardly ever make headlines. However Omarion’s voice is a part of a rising refrain — a defiant name to honor the unseen, to carry up these carrying silent burdens, and to proclaim: we have now at all times been right here, and we’ll not be ignored.
For press inquiries, contact Jasmine Carter at [email protected]
