Nicole Vaden or Nicky, as some family and friends call her, was born and spent much of her life in Indianapolis, IN. A mother of three, professionally Nicole specializes in medical coding billing, processing medical claims, and a range of other administrative activities that support health care administration. Nicole has a degree in Health Information Technology and a certificate as a registered administrative healthcare technician. She is also presently working towards a certification as a coding specialist. Nicole also recently began studying real estate investing. Additionally, she is studying the stock market and how to build wealth from investing in stocks. Nicole also has previous experience as a wedding and event planner.
In addition to her professional credentials and personal investment activities, Nicole would like to learn about traditional Balanta ceremonies and celebrations. She one day hopes to incorporate some of those cultural practices when coordinating and planning her events. Nicole's other hobbies include supporting her children's actives, including her daughters' dance, recitals, and performances. She also enjoys reading and traveling. Nicole plans to travel to her ancestral homeland of Guinea Bissau this year which will be the first of hopefully many trips outside of the country, exploring and learning about other cultures and people.
While Nicole's profession and hobbies are of great importance, she has been most intently focused for the better part of a decade on her spiritual journey. Around the year 2008, Nicole began to feel compelled to go deeper into her spiritual practices and understanding. She felt somewhat incomplete and that something was missing. Also that there was something more that she needed to understand and more that she needed to be doing with her life. She was convinced that her spiritual path is what needed to be addressed and where these answers would come from. After watching a documentary in 2010 with historian Skip Gates, it seemed for her as though a pathway to begin answering some of those questions had been revealed. This pathway would begin with her learning her ancestry. It was at that moment that she decided to take the African Ancestry test. After taking the test and before receiving the results, Nicole began receiving an inclination that her ancestry was somewhere in the country of Guinea Bissau. When the results were returned, her intuition was confirmed.
While living in Atlanta some years ago, Nicole received a reading. From that initial reading, she learned that a man would come along and teach her many things and guide her on her spiritual journey. In another reading shortly after her first one, she was instructed to set up an ancestral altar and that doing this would help her along her path. Soon after this reading and subsequently setting up her altar, she met a man who would eventually become her teacher and spiritual mentor.
Since becoming a student of her new teacher, she has learned much; she also hopes to combine what she has learned thus far with what she is learning about her Balanta Ancestry, customs, and practices. Nicole is eager to learn as much as she can about Balanta women and their role in Balanta culture, raising families, rearing children, and women's spiritual role within Balanta society.
When Nicole began learning about her ancestry, she most strongly resonated with the idea of resisting or being under the governance or control of others. While she does not have a problem with respecting authority, the concept of being controlled or forced into a way of thinking or being is not acceptable for Nicole. Another Balanta custom and practice that strongly resonates with Nicole is the Balanta custom of ensuring that a visitor informs their host well in advance of their arrival. Nicole has learned that in Balanta culture and from her own experiences, it is essential and proper to allow your host plenty of notice before arriving and having an expectation of receiving hospitality. The fact that this practice is shared across cultures is proof that we have retained many aspects of our culture.
Nicole understands the importance of every one of us in the African diaspora learning about our ancestry; she also understands how important this is for our families to repair completely. She recommends setting up an ancestral altar to help bring families together. She also feels this is a method to help families heal. Nicole has helped many of her family members set up altars in their homes.
Nicole believes that those who have been made fortunate enough to know where we come from have a certain responsibility. She believes that it is our responsibility to properly shepherd that information and make others in our families understand its importance. Nicole firmly believes that this knowledge will benefit individuals and unlock who you indeed are and your true purpose; this is the most authentic way for an individual to know thyself.
Finally, Nicole feels that regardless of one's spiritual or religious beliefs, everyone should honor and include their ancestor in whatever endeavors they undertake.