Who is Latoya De'Shaun?
Here’s what I know for sure…
You can look like you’ve got it all together—and still feel like you’re falling apart.
I know, because that was me.
For years, I was the strong one. The reliable one. The one who got things done.
On paper? I had the degrees, the faith, the beauty career, and the ambition.
Behind the scenes? I was burnt out. Spiritually disconnected. Starving for peace.
I called it love, but it was self-abandonment—
and one day, my body finally said, “no more.”
The Wake-Up Call
In 2018, I passed out unexpectedly.
After four surgeries in five years, I was diagnosed with endometriosis.
That moment wasn’t just a health crisis—it was a sacred interruption.
My body was carrying the weight of years of performing, peacekeeping, and pushing through.
I had abandoned myself to be the good daughter, the overachiever, the perfect partner.
And even after that diagnosis?
I kept going. Kept performing peace.
Smiling on the outside. Shrinking on the inside.
The Mirror Moment
In April 2019, I flew to Kenya to nurture a relationship that was already unraveling.
But what I found wasn’t restoration—it was revelation.
That trip became a mirror.
I saw how deeply my patterns of neglect and self-sacrifice were rooted in childhood.
I had been chasing love, acceptance, and validation from people who could never meet me where I was.
So I stopped waiting. I chose me. And everything changed.
The Healing That Followed
I got still.
For 30 days, I isolated myself in my apartment and started typing my pain into YouTube:
“low self-esteem,” “no one will love me,” “I feel broken.”
What I found was a lifeline—
messages from Oprah, Wayne Dyer, Brené Brown, Iyanla Vanzant, Paulo Coelho, Rick Warren, and C.S. Lewis.
I started listening. Praying. Writing.
Then one day, I heard a voice ask:
“What are you afraid to lose that I’m not going to give you on the other side of your obedience?”
I answered honestly: my family—especially my nieces and nephews.
And God whispered: “I got you.”
That moment changed everything.
In December 2019, I wrote a new vision—one that honored purpose over performance.
I was done living a life that looked good but didn’t feel good.
I was ready to live in alignment with God’s calling.
I was being redefined and refined.
Letting It All Go
By the time I reached the height of my beauty career—earning four figures a day as a personal makeup artist to high-profile clients—I had already begun a deeper journey: reclaiming my life.
Between 2019 and 2021, while building a name in the beauty industry, I was quietly rebuilding myself.
I immersed myself in spiritual growth:
- Listening to sermons
- Reading my Bible with intention
- Studying Wayne Dyer, Brené Brown, Rick Warren, John Maxwell, Brian Tracy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Somatic Therapy
- Deep mentorship with my spiritual advisor, an evangelist from my home church in Chicago
The deeper I went, the more I realized:
Success didn’t mean wholeness.
Through that work, I learned to:
- Speak up for myself
- Hold boundaries
- Choose myself—even when it cost me relationships
I lost friendships.
I made the hard choice to go no-contact with my mother, sister, and most of my family.
Painful as it was, I always say:
I’ve never lost a person that didn't need to go.
And I would do it all over again to choose alignment over attachment.
By 2021, I looked around at the career I had built—
A 17-year journey that put me in rooms with celebrities—
And I knew: it was time.
I was performing for validation, not walking on purpose.
And God was calling me higher.
So I let it all go.
- Three major clients
- My car
- My apartment
- Half my belongings
By December 20, 2021, I left Los Angeles with no full plan—just full trust in God.
The Journey Since Then
From Chicago to Los Angeles to Botswana, I started living the life I wrote down.
In 2022, I launched my first international empowerment workshop in Botswana: Gain Confidence, Transform Your Life. That workshop became the foundation for Get Clear or Stay Stuck—a transformational space where I now guide women through deep personal inquiry, identity clarity, and courageous action.
I returned to Botswana in 2025 and co-founded a nonprofit, The Beauty Standard, with my Motswana sister Refilwe Dibeela—a nonprofit dedicated to professionalizing and uplifting Botswana's beauty and wellness industry through education, regulation, advocacy, and empowerment.
Between Patent Leather Project and The Beauty Standard, I now live between Ghana, Botswana, and Los Angeles—leading a global, spirit-led life that once lived only in my journal.
This was the vision I wrote down in 2019. It’s unfolding. And it’s just the beginning.
Even now, while navigating health challenges, I advocate for myself daily—with boundaries, with clarity, and with self-honor.
Who I Am Now?
I’m Latoya De’Shaun—
Liberation Coach, speaker, and founder of The Patent Leather Project.
I help high-achieving Black women break free from:
- Emotional burnout
- Self-abandonment
- The need to perform for love
So they can walk boldly in their God-given purpose.
Credentials:
- Master’s in Higher Education
- 6+ years of coaching experience
- 18+ years in the beauty and entertainment industry
- A lived transformation from self-abandonment to self-reclamation
But more than that?
I hold space—for radical clarity, deep emotional truth, and healing that actually lasts.
Why I Do This Work
Because we were taught how to survive—
But not how to be whole.
We know how to show up for others—
But not always for ourselves.
Real freedom looks like:
✔️Setting boundaries that protect your peace
✔️ Walking away from what doesn’t align—even when it’s family
✔️ Honoring your needs without guilt
✔️ Letting discomfort lead you to destiny
When I went no-contact with my mother and sister—
It wasn’t to punish.
It was to protect.
Because peace requires boundaries.
And boundaries build self-trust.
The Methodology That Guides It All
This work is grounded in my proprietary framework:
The Blueprint to Personal Freedom
Built from lived experience, spiritual wisdom, and strategic action.
Born from one powerful question:
“What’s the first thing I can do to show up for my life?”
Inside the Blueprint, we walk through:
- Self-awareness and identity reframing
- Compassionate vision casting
- Strategic goal setting
- Boundaries and relationship alignment
- Action, accountability, and spiritual clarity
This is how we move from self-abandonment to self-reclamation.
Walking In My Freedom
I'm in a season of restoration and reclamation.
After two years, I reconnected with my mom. And this past July 2025, I saw my sister for the first time in five years.
This isn't about perfection, it's about showing up fully, trusting God, and creating space for love on new terms.
I want you to know this is possible for you too.
I'm living it. And now, I'm even more fired up to serve women, walk boldly in my purpose, and live life unapologetically on my terms—fully aligned, fully free, fully me.
You Don’t Have to Wait to Be Chosen
You don’t have to pretend it doesn’t hurt.
You don’t need another certification or permission slip.
You don’t need to be stronger—you just need to be real.
This is your sacred interruption.
Let’s walk this freedom journey together.
You’re in good hands.
This message isn’t just meant to be read—it’s meant to be felt in the room.
Connect With Latoya De'Shaun
I'd would love to stay in touch along the way.
The information provided by Patent Leather Project, Inc. (“we,” “our,” or “us”) on this website, through coaching programs, downloadable resources, emails, blog posts, podcast episodes, social media, workshops, events, or any other content is intended solely for educational and informational purposes. It is not intended as professional advice. While we offer spiritual and strategic guidance, we are not licensed therapists, medical professionals, attorneys, or financial advisors. For specific concerns, always seek professional advice that fits your needs.