Surviving to Thriving: Santoria’s Story

In the spring of 2013, I found myself in Charlotte, North Carolina, attending a network marketing and business conference that had drawn hundreds of ambitious dreamers and entrepreneurs from all over the country. As I stepped into the buzzing conference hall, alive with energy and voices, my attention was immediately captured by a young woman across the room. She was in her early twenties, vibrant and magnetic—an unmistakable presence. With a dazzling smile and an infectious spirit, she moved through the crowd like a burst of light, greeting nearly everyone as if they were old friends.

There was something about her—something radiant and familiar—that pulled me in. I found myself wondering who she was and what role she played in this fast-paced, high-energy environment. It was clear she wasn’t just another attendee. Just before the meeting began, a mutual friend introduced us briefly. And then, to my surprise, that same young woman took the stage. She was one of the keynote speakers. With confidence and charisma, she welcomed the crowd and began to share her story. That’s when it happened—one of those rare, serendipitous moments. She revealed that she was from Toledo, Ohio. Not just Toledo, but the very same street where I grew up. Her name was Santoria Sawyer, and in that moment, I realized she wasn’t just a leader. She was my homegirl. But behind Santoria’s shining smile and commanding stage presence was a story of survival and strength.

Santoria’s story is one of courage, resilience, and the power of education to transform lives. Raised in a low-income household shadowed by hardship, she faced more than her fair share of pain early on. As a young girl, she endured unspeakable abuse—emotional, physical, and sexual—at the hands of her stepfather, who resented her simply because she was not his biological child. His cruelty left her feeling unwanted and unsafe in her own home.

One day, when her stepfather drifted to sleep on the couch, Santoria made a life-changing decision. Gathering her two younger siblings, she quietly left the house and made her way to the nearest police station. There, with remarkable bravery for someone her age, she reported the abuse. Her actions led to her stepfather’s incarceration and marked the beginning of a new chapter—one defined not by fear, but by determination.

Though the torment had ended, the emotional scars remained. Santoria struggled with depression and uncertainty about her future. That began to change when one compassionate teacher reminded her that she didn’t have to be a product of her environment—that education could be her path to freedom. From that moment on, Santoria devoted herself to learning. She often says,

“Education saved my life.”

Through dedication and perseverance, Santoria rose above every obstacle. She credits programs like TRIO and Upward Bound of Toledo for opening her eyes to possibilities she once thought were out of reach. A proud graduate of Waite High School, she finished with a stellar 4.4 GPA and earned the distinction of valedictorian of her class. Her academic excellence caught national attention. Out of more than 100,000 applicants, Santoria was one of only 150 students selected for the highly competitive and prestigious Coca-Cola Scholars Program—an honor that earned her recognition in The Toledo Blade. Alongside the accolades, she secured more than $250,000 in scholarships, allowing her to attend her dream school, The Ohio State University, where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in education. She later pursued a master’s degree in public administration from Grand Canyon University.

Santoria continues to thrive in every area of her life. Given her first opportunity after graduating from OSU, she worked at AlerStallings Law Firm, where the firm literally created a role for her and mentored her, helping cultivate her leadership skills as a professional in corporate business. She’s taken her beginning experience, her knowledge and what was once her dream of attending OSU to build her career step by step. Although her undergraduate degree is in education, Santoria was fascinated by skyscrapers and big buildings from the tender age of seven. She was inspired while driving past OSU on her way to a family reunion. She was previously employed as a Senior Marketing Strategist by Moody Nolan, the largest African American-owned design firm in the country. There she was introduced to and fell in love with the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry. Currently she’s employed with Smoot Construction, located in Columbus, Ohio, and known as one of the largest minority-owned construction management firms in the Midwest. As the very first Director of Business Development with the family-owned company founded in the 1940s, Santoria plays a vital role in helping establish the Business Development department, events, training and sales. She was proud to say Smoot has a long-standing relationship with the City of Toledo with ongoing projects in waste water, Toledo PCM water treatment plant improvements, as well as others.   

From survival to success, at the age of 33, Santoria is a dynamic and humble force to be reckoned with. She was recently assigned to serve on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) Columbus Chapter 86 and selected for the Corporate Brass section of the 19th Edition of Who’s Who in Black Columbus. She is a mother of two children: her greatest joy. She owns a lucrative Airbnb property. She is a real estate investor and author of a self-help book titled “ The Broken Crayon That Colored Still”. It is a memoir of her journey from child molestation to college graduation. The book begins with a story and ends with a lesson. The book is currently available on Amazon.

Santoria often says, “Education saved my life,” but she also says she used education to cope and escape the hardships in her life. She learned through therapy that she had been coping for years instead of healing. Her therapist told her to find a promise from God and remember that promise in the hard times. She found a verse, Romans 8:28: All things work together for the good of those that love the Lord and are called according to HIS purpose.

Santoria’s journey is not just one of survival, but of triumph—a testament to how faith, perseverance, and education can rewrite even the most painful beginnings into a story of purpose and hope.