Nationwide — What happens when a child becomes the caregiver? For Omarion Calloway, it meant a childhood redefined by sacrifice and strength. It meant carrying burdens heavy enough to break adults, yet still daring to dream beyond survival. His story is not just one of endurance—it is a symphony of love, resilience, and a voice that refuses to be silenced.
At just 10 years old, Omarion became his uncle’s primary caregiver after an accident left him paralyzed from the neck down. His small hands learned to feed, bathe, and comfort—to catch his uncle when seizures threatened to steal him away. As his grandmother quietly battled cancer, Omarion stood by her too, lifting her frail body, ensuring her dignity remained intact. Alongside these responsibilities, Omarion also cared for his younger brother, often stepping into the role of protector and guide while their mother worked tirelessly to support the family.
“Caregiving wasn’t a burden—it was an act of love,” Omarion reflects. “A fight to give my family the care they deserved in a world that often made us feel invisible.”
Love alone, however, could not erase the challenges. While his mother, Tiffany, worked multiple jobs to keep the family afloat, they moved between temporary homes, unsure where they would sleep next. In the darkness of those uncertain nights, Omarion found home in his grandmother’s whispered prayers, in his uncle’s gratitude, and in his mother’s weary but unbreakable laughter.
Yet the emotional toll was immense. Omarion faced trauma that shaped him in ways he couldn’t yet articulate. He also encountered societal judgment—seen not as a boy doing his best to survive but as a figure constantly measured and misunderstood by a world too quick to label and too slow to listen.
“I was taught that crying was weakness,” he admits. “As a Black boy, I learned to hold it all in. But the silence weighed on me.”
The dam finally broke when his uncle passed away. “I cried for the first time in years,” he says. “Not just for him, but for everything I had kept inside—the pain, the losses, the moments I wanted to collapse but couldn’t.”
From that moment, writing became his salvation. “It was where I dared to dream of something more,” Omarion explains. “My notebook became a space where I could scream without fear and hope without limits.”
By the time his story gained national attention in 2022, Omarion had already endured unimaginable losses. Both his uncle and grandmother were gone, leaving a void that deepened his determination to honor their legacy by lifting others. Today, as a junior at New York University studying film, Omarion’s journey continues. He interns at The Sherri Show, where an unexpected encounter with Yara Shahidi became a pivotal moment of affirmation.
“I was questioning if I belonged in these spaces,” he confesses. “But Yara’s presence reminded me to trust in myself. She saw me in a way I hadn’t seen myself.”
That reminder of self-worth inspired Omarion to bring a long-held dream to life. In 2025, he will launch WeRiseLoud, a platform dedicated to amplifying the voices of caregivers, survivors, and marginalized communities. Rooted in his own experiences, WeRiseLoud is a testament to his mission of making the invisible seen and the unheard heard.
“This platform is for the child caring for others while no one asks how they’re doing,” Omarion shares. “For families living in borrowed spaces. For people wondering if their stories matter. I’m here to tell them: You matter. You always have.”
Omarion Calloway’s story is not one of perfection. It is one of persistence—of transforming pain into purpose and using his voice to inspire others to rise.
About
Omarion Calloway is a junior at New York University studying film and an intern at The Sherri Show. In 2022, he was accepted into 21 colleges and awarded over $1.3 million in scholarships. His experiences as a caregiver and advocate for marginalized voices inspired him to create WeRiseLoud, a platform launching in 2025 to support caregivers, amplify underrepresented stories, and foster hope in those who need it most.
Omarion’s journey is a reflection of countless young Black caregivers whose sacrifices go unseen. These stories, buried beneath societal judgments and stereotypes, rarely make headlines. But Omarion’s voice is part of a rising chorus — a defiant call to honor the unseen, to lift up those carrying silent burdens, and to proclaim: we have always been here, and we will no longer be ignored.
For press inquiries, contact Jasmine Carter at jasminejeancarter@gmail.com