Aliyah and I met through a mutual friend in my early twenties, when I was traveling back and forth to New York for work. She was my friend’s roommate, and we naturally hit it off. As life moved forward and our paths changed, social media gave me a window into the woman she was becoming.

I watched her grow in her yoga practice, eventually becoming a yoga instructor, and when I began exploring that journey for myself, she was someone I trusted enough to ask for guidance. Then I watched her become a firefighter, something I found incredibly powerful, especially seeing a woman of culture step confidently into a field where we are not often represented.

Over the years, I’ve simply had the privilege of watching Aliyah bloom. From the stillness of her yoga mat to serving one of the busiest cities in the world, and now becoming the cover woman of the 2026 FDNY Calendar of Heroes, her journey has become a beautiful reflection of strength, discipline, vulnerability, and perseverance.

I’m truly honored that Aliyah took the time to share what strength has taught her, and what it means to become the kind of woman whose courage can help another woman recognize her own. 

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1. Your life calls on you to remain calm in moments when others may be experiencing the worst day of theirs. How has that responsibility shaped the woman you’ve become away from the firehouse?

I suppose becoming a firefighter has changed my perspective on life in ways I never expected. The little nuances and inconveniences that may have once seemed important to me have become a lot less significant. I’ve become much more grateful for the things I do have, especially my family, my friends, and the people I love.

When you see the terrible tragedies that some people endure, it puts your own life into perspective. You think about situations that may have once felt like a big deal, and in those moments, they suddenly seem so minute. This career has shown me just how quickly life can change. One moment, everything can be completely fine, and the next, someone can lose a friend, a family member, or something they deeply value.

This career has definitely hardened me in certain ways and, at times, desensitized me to things that may have once affected me differently. But I also think it has made me stronger and more emotionally controlled. I’ve learned to pause before I react, take a deep breath, and think things through rather than immediately responding emotionally.

I’ve become much more poised, rational, and intentional in the way I handle difficult situations. Firefighting has taught me that not everything deserves a reaction, and sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is simply take a breath, assess the situation, and move forward.

2. People often think strength means never breaking. What has your own life taught you about the difference between being strong and allowing yourself to be vulnerable? And if you don’t mind sharing, what experience helped you discover that?

Being strong is one thing, but being strong enough to be vulnerable is a whole other thing. I’ve learned that there is a tremendous amount of strength in vulnerability. Strength isn’t about being tough all the time or pretending that nothing affects you. It’s about being comfortable enough within yourself to acknowledge your emotions and express how you truly feel.

True strength is trusting yourself—and trusting others—enough to let your guard down. It takes courage to be vulnerable, especially when you’ve been taught that expressing emotions can be a sign of weakness.

I don’t have one specific event that taught me this lesson. Instead, it’s been a collection of experiences throughout my lifetime that have continuously reinforced the idea that sometimes it takes the most strength to express emotions that others may perceive as weakness.

I’ve learned that allowing yourself to feel, to be honest, and to let people see the more vulnerable parts of you doesn’t make you weak. If anything, it takes incredible courage to show up as your authentic self, emotions and all.

 3. You once shared that it took years before you felt called to become a yoga teacher. What did your personal practice teach you during that time, and how did you know you were finally ready to guide others?

When it comes to me and yoga, I absolutely love the practice—mind, body, and soul alike. I began my yoga journey about 14 years ago, at the age of 20, at Sacred Yoga in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. I’m actually still very good friends with the very first yoga teacher whose class I attended, Adrianna Bateh. 

Over the years, I’ve practiced at many yoga studios throughout the New York City area and have become well-versed in a variety of yoga practices. My favorites are Ashtanga, Bikram, and Vinyasa. In 2024, I finally decided to take the next step in my journey and completed my 200-hour yoga teacher training at Daya Yoga Studio in Bushwick with the lovely Anna. I spent time searching for a studio that felt right—somewhere that truly felt like home—and I found that at Daya.

After completing my 200-hour training, I immediately began teaching at Daya and held permanent Monday and Wednesday classes throughout the entirety of 2025. Due to my work schedule, I decided to only substitute classes in 2026.

Like many yoga teachers beginning their teaching journey, I wanted to make sure that while I

was still growing and learning as a student, I had also gained enough knowledge, experience, and confidence to teach others to the best of my abilities. In all honesty, as much as I love being a yoga teacher, I love being a yoga student even more.

My yoga class is the one place where I can truly disconnect from work and from the outside world for an hour or so. I know that, for that moment, I’m unreachable. I can turn off my mind, let go of everything happening around me, and simply allow myself to be guided by the teacher in front of me.

When I’m on my mat, my troubles seem to cease to exist. For that moment in time, I can simply breathe, move, and let go. That feeling is something I’ve always wanted to be able to give to others.

That’s why becoming a teacher was so important to me. I wanted to make sure that I was truly ready—not just to teach the physical practice, but to create a space where others could disconnect, feel safe, be present, and experience that same sense of peace that yoga has given me for the past 14 years.

 4. There are many ways to serve a community, yet you chose one of the most demanding paths. What was it about firefighting that called to you, and what continues to remind you that you’re exactly where you’re meant to be?

To be completely honest, as a young Black woman, I never imagined that I would become a firefighter. Growing up, and even to this day, firefighting is often viewed as a career geared toward white men. Because of that, firefighting was never something I saw myself doing, and honestly, it never really called to me.

My father encouraged me to take the exam, so I did. I scored well, and because I had always been involved in some form of fitness—whether playing sports or going to the gym—I decided to give it a try. I couldn’t be happier with that decision.

I currently work in Canarsie, Brooklyn, and one of the most rewarding parts of my career is being able to help men, women, girls, and boys who look like me on a daily basis. I’m proud to be an example and to show others that this career is possible for them, too.

Thankfully, very early in my career, I was blessed with opportunities to obtain a variety of specialized firefighting courses and certifications that I’ll be able to carry with me throughout my career and beyond. I’ve also been afforded opportunities within the department that have allowed me to continue learning while sharing the knowledge and experiences I’ve gained with others.

Everything I’ve learned has only motivated me to continue striving to be better every day. I try to take advantage of every opportunity that comes my way, whether it’s an opportunity to learn, grow, teach, or challenge myself.

I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have great coworkers, a schedule that provides flexibility, and opportunities for advancement and continued growth. I’m truly grateful for everything the department has given me and for the person it has helped me become.

Looking back, I never would have imagined that firefighting would become such an important part of my life. But today, I can honestly say there is no other career I would rather have chosen.

 5. This year, you became the cover woman of the 2026 FDNY Calendar of Heroes, and your story reached millions of people. What was it like to suddenly find yourself on such a public stage, and what did that season teach you about yourself?

Participating in the 2026 FDNY Calendar of Heroes was honestly such an incredible experience. Who would have ever thought little old me would end up on the cover? I had just seen the tryouts for the calendar and thought, “Hey, why not give it a shot?” I went for it, and somehow, I ended up getting the cover. That was such a surreal and exciting moment for me.

More than anything, the experience reminded me that God has a much bigger plan for me than I could have ever imagined for myself. It was another confirmation that I truly can accomplish anything I set my mind to.

Being on Good Day New York was definitely another highlight. Growing up, I watched Rosanna Scotto and Mike Woods every morning before school with my mom, so being on that same show years later was a full-circle moment that I’ll never forget.

Through this experience, I also had the opportunity to meet so many driven and inspiring members of the department—people I know I’ll continue to cross paths with throughout the rest of my career. It reminded me that being a firefighter is about so much more than the job itself.

Yes, I am a firefighter, but I’m also a role model. I hope that when young women see me, they see someone who looks like them, someone who stepped outside of what society may have expected of her and went after something she never imagined for herself. If I can inspire even one young woman to believe that she can do something she was told wasn’t for her, then everything I’ve accomplished means that much more.

6. Strength isn’t always something we’re born feeling. For the woman who is still learning to trust her own strength, what would you want to say to her?

The first thing I’ll say is: If you don’t believe in yourself, no one else will.

Now, that’s certainly easier said than done, but it’s the absolute truth. I’m not going to sugarcoat things or tell you that it’s going to be easy. If it were easy, everyone would do it.

I was fortunate enough to have strength instilled in me from a young age, and I’m incredibly grateful and appreciative of that. But I also understand that everyone doesn’t grow up with that same foundation. Sometimes, you have to become your own source of strength.

There comes a point when you simply have to believe in yourself. If you know you’re capable of something, then you have to do whatever it takes—within reason, of course—to work toward achieving your goals.

You can absolutely accomplish anything you set your mind to. Don’t let anyone talk you out of your dreams, make you doubt yourself, or tear you away from what you know you’re capable of achieving.

And remember, all good things take time. You may fail more than once before you finally prevail, but failure doesn’t mean you’re incapable. It means you’re learning, growing, and getting closer.

So keep going. Keep believing. Keep showing up.

Let’s go, Queen. Get it together. I know you can do it.