SYNERGY - Juneteenth 2022

Anthony J. Pierce

Story By: Erin Butts

Anthony J. Pierce is one of those people who has responded to suffering, trauma, and difficulties in a remarkable way.

From early childhood, Pierce was a problem-solver and an entrepreneur. When he sensed that his family did not have a lot of money, he found a way to fund his own interests.

In elementary school, Pierce sold paintings. As a child he wanted to be a Disney artist. Pierce’s art teacher noticed his skill, and Pierce became student artist of the month at a local museum. His family members were the first to buy his paintings, and his grandmother purchased his first two pieces of artwork, a toucan resting on a branch in the forest, and a painting of three colorful angel fish.

In middle school Pierce continued to sell artwork and with the help of his father, bred rabbits and sold them to pet store suppliers and individuals. He also participated in poetry and speech competitions, community theater, played saxophone and cello.

Because Pierce’s father is a pastor, Pierce wanted to be involved in activities that would not pull his parents away from their work in the church. He constantly looked for jobs and activities that factored in the needs and lifestyle of his family.

Early on in life Pierce decided to be someone who would make the most of any situation. A Georgia native, he moved to a small town in Florida at the age of six where he had to step out of his comfort zone to build friendships. With no family in the area, he did not experience the benefit of growing up with grandparents, aunts/uncles or cousins and the age differences between him and his siblings meant he never went to the same school as his older brother or younger sister.

In high-school, when Pierce’s mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, he stepped into a more protective role. At this time his older brother was in college, his father had to be away from home more for work, and he had his younger sister to look after.

Pierce shared that many people do not realize that cancer is a very lonely disease. You feel horrible and you do not look like yourself. Knowing that people do not want to see the person in that condition, and that you have to be very careful about germs, Pierce was very protective over his mother.

In the midst of this, Pierce still managed to keep his grades up and go to work. He was ranked number 11 in his graduating class, had a 4.3 GPA, and a number of colleges reached out to him - including Harvard. He ultimately chose the University of Florida, where he received his Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy with a Concentration in African- American Studies.

Pierce experienced many trials throughout his high-school, college, and post-college experience. From more deaths of people he loved, to battling a health issue, to racism, to hiding the fact that he was all but homeless from his family and friends (a situation that would have been all but impossible had it not been for Shay Brown, Aminah Harris, and Natalya Bannister), Pierce endured all of this with a positive attitude and a smile. He kept up with his schooling, put others first, and emotionally supported those around him.

After college Pierce eventually started working for Pace Center for Girls. Pace offers services to middle-school and highschool girls who have dealt with some type of trauma. “Pace is that place that gives a second chance to students who’ve been dealt a bad hand, and family, society, has given up on them,” Pierce said.

As the Community Engagement Manager, Pierce recruits students by speaking at schools, afterschool programs, and churches, and encouraging them to join Pace, in addition to media relations, marketing, and event planning.

Pierce’s advice to those who have experienced trauma is this, “Adversity is like a receipt that proves that God has faith in us. Trust me - you’re more resilient than you think, you’ve already survived 100% every time you thought it was the worst day of your life. Allow your trauma to fuel your testimony and choose the joy found in the silver lining.”

Pierce is an example of someone who keeps fighting when life is tough.