They say the quickest way from point A to point B is a straight line. However, the PhD is far from quick, and the journey from the Bachelors (point A) to the Doctorate (point B) was anything but a straight line. This talk follows her winding journey towards her PhD in history, including the academic and personal ups and downs that somehow propelled her towards the finish line. Courtney is a new assistant professor in African American Studies and History at Lake Forest College. She teaches courses on African American history, the history of hip hop, and black diaspora freedom struggles. She recently completed a PhD in History at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign which focused on the Haitian diaspora in Chicago, with a particular focus on the 20th century. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx