Of My Own Making: How We Choose Who We Become

We are not defined by our origin stories. We choose who we become.

Daria Burke’s childhood growing up under the shadow of an absent father and a mother debilitated by drug addiction was marked by neglect and poverty. Despite these fractured beginnings, she forges a triumphant path out of Detroit and into fashion’s C-Suite. After ten years of therapy, she believes her healing journey is complete.

When she discovers a photograph of the car accident that she believes altered the course of her early life, Burke is forced to confront the parts of her childhood she had avoided. This discovery sparks a four-year immersion into neuroplasticity, epigenetics, the impact of adverse childhood experiences on early brain development, and ultimately, why some of us remain stuck in past trauma while others experience post-traumatic growth. She dives headfirst into an exploration of her trauma, grappling with the enduring grip of the past on the present and the mind’s influence over the body.

More than a story of personal triumph, Of My Own Making is a soulful and scientific exploration of the power to shape one’s destiny. In facing the stark reality of her past, Burke reminds us that every moment demands a choice, and that we owe it to ourselves to reparent our inner child and reclaim the lives we deserve.

Burke’s lyrical account of a life lived with courage and intention offers an empathetic and hard-won perspective on the nature versus nurture debate and the power of acceptance. Part memoir, part methodology, it is a fearless rallying cry inspiring us to excavate and examine the stories that define our lives. Ultimately, the narratives that we craft with our own hands are the only ones that matter.

Daria Burke is a board director for Moon Juice, A Frame and Proudly. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan and a Master of Business Administration from the New York University Stern School of Business where she has been honored as a Distinguished Alumnus. She currently lives in New York and Los Angeles.