"Mom, I'll make a deal with you," he told her. "If you don't talk about the things that you lost, then we won't talk about the things that we lost." His words of hope touched her heart. "When he said that, I turned and looked out the window toward the sun. A dark veil lifted right in front of my eyes, and I began to see Gary differently from that moment on," she said. "I eventually came to love this city. And, in a way, I became one of its defenders. Especially to outsiders who think they know Gary, or to those city residents who've been here for so long that they don't see its beauty anymore," she said. Cooks began discovering the city's hidden gems, its loyal residents, and its vast resources. She began posting photos of her discoveries on Google Maps, along with positive commentary about her new home. "I got tired of hearing all the negativity about Gary. I wanted to change it, even in the smallest of ways," Cooks said. "Gary has allowed me to grow as a person, and it has allowed me to expand my creativity." Cooks describes herself at an "artist of sorts." She's a poet, author, songwriter, recording artist, stage performer, and radio show personality on WGVE 88.7 FM. On Tuesday evening, I will be a guest on her show. Open mic nights at various venues are her specialty. Her stage name is Poetry 'N' Motion. "Ms. Cooks is an excellent example and representation of what our community needs: a trendsetter and go-getter with a vibrant personality and a giving heart," wrote Haneefah Khaaliq, executive director of the Gary Human Relations Commission. "She desires to give back to her community and has done so through her engaging events and broadcasts. She has been efficient, professional, organized and a fantastic leader." In 2016, Cooks started a literacy program and integrated it into the Gary Public Library's summer reading program. A fellow poet from Chicago, Pharaoh the Wordsmith, assisted her in implementing the program. On its last day, she gave away backpacks filled with school supplies to 52 students, including nine students who were not in the program. "Gary has welcomed me with open arms and I have since welcomed it," she told me. Cooks is a community activist extraordinaire, creating affiliations with several nonprofit organizations including the National Block Club University and Gary Historical and Cultural Society.