By Lia Tapia ‘26
At just 13 years old, Priscilla Moliere learned that survival sometimes means making impossible choices. Growing up surrounded by violence, instability, and trauma, she discovered early on that while she could not control what happened to her, she could control how she responded. That realization would shape the rest of her life.
Moliere’s childhood began in the Bronx, New York, in an environment she describes without hesitation. “Very ghetto in the Bronx, New York, where I grew up,” she said. “I was surrounded by gangs, Bloods, Crips, project buildings, handball courts, boys smoking weed in the lobby. My elevator smelled like pee.” The constant exposure to danger and disorder became a backdrop to her early years, forcing her to mature quickly.
At 13, Moliere moved to Staten Island to live with her father, transitioning from the Bronx projects to a more suburban environment. While the setting changed, the lessons from her upbringing stayed with her. “I wouldn’t say it affected me negatively,” she explained. “But it made me more direct. I’m sharp. I’m not naive because I wasn’t sheltered. I’m more aware of the real world and the dangers of it.”
That awareness came at a cost. As a teenager, Moliere experienced violence firsthand. She was jumped multiple times, often by older girls. “Girls were jealous because I had long hair, was attractive, a minority,” she said. “Some even pressured me to try to be gay.” These encounters reinforced her need to be guarded while still learning how to remain true to herself.
Some of the most defining moments of her childhood involved trauma no child should have to endure. She said she was molested, and that this experience changed her.Moliere spoke honestly: “It taught me that you can’t control other people, but you can control how you respond to trauma,” she said. “You set your own tone for your life. You could blame other people for your shortcomings, but ultimately, you decide what you want.”
Faith was another complicated part of her upbringing. Although she grew up in church, she often felt disconnected. “When I was younger, I felt unloved. I felt abandoned by my mom. I questioned my faith,” she said. “I didn’t feel like God reciprocated what I was putting into Him.” That struggle added another layer to her emotional journey, forcing her to wrestle with belief, disappointment, and identity.
Moliere does not shy away from regret. One of the moments she wishes she could change happened when she was 17. “I regret having an abortion at 17,” she said. “That was my biggest regret in life.” Instead of allowing that regret to define her, she uses it as a reminder of her growth and resilience.
Despite the trauma, Moliere credits her difficult childhood with shaping her outlook on life. “I was surrounded by so much negativity that I tried to find a way to always remain optimistic,” she said. “Money doesn’t make you happy. Happiness comes from yourself.” That belief continues to guide her as she navigates adulthood.
Some of her most harrowing experiences required quick thinking and courage. At 13, Moliere was kidnapped with her best friend. “I felt like I had to be brave,” she said. “I was scared, but I knew if I wanted to live, I had to do what I had to do.” Years later, at a house party, she witnessed a friend being stabbed and pushed down 7 flights of stairs. “I had to play nice with the man who assaulted him just to get to safety,” she explained. “Sometimes it’s fight or flight.”
Through all of this, Moliere learned one of her most important lessons: authenticity. “You’re not going to make everybody happy,” she said. “It’s okay to fall short. It’s okay to not be perfect. It’s how you move forward with trauma that makes you who you are.”
She believes holding onto anger only closes doors. “If you put everybody in the same box, you’ll miss blessings, friendships, and relationships.”
Today, Moliere acknowledges moments of disappointment, but refuses to let them define her. “I always remind myself that someone has it worse,” she said. “I have my lungs, my limbs, my mind. Life gave me a lot to handle, but I didn’t lose my sanity. I didn’t give up on myself.”
Her story is not one of victimhood, but of survival, self-awareness, and strength. In choosing resilience over resentment, Priscilla Moliere continues to prove that trauma does not have to determine the outcome of a life—it can instead become the foundation for growth.