i WEAR MY RED HEELS BECAUSE i AM HEALED!

Originally from Moss Point, Mississippi, Latrina R. Graves McCarty, the daughter of Pearline E. Ward and the late John D. Graves, Sr., and the granddaughter of Laura and Jessie Whigham, had a clear vision for her future. Inspired by television's impact on children, she set her sights on becoming the next Oprah Winfrey. This led her to pursue a degree in broadcast journalism and speech communication at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, MS, a decision that would shape her career and life. 

While attending USM, McCarty met and later married LaRue F. McCarty. They claimed Hattiesburg as their home. Together, the couple became the parents of Joshua Christian and Ana Gabrielle. 

In late 1998, McCarty was a Service-Learning Coordinator for The University of Southern Mississippi. She coordinated academic service learning and volunteerism with over 82 Hattiesburg Pine Belt Area nonprofit agencies. She was also a student advisor to VISION (Volunteers Impacting Service through Individual Outreach Now). The organization's mission was to link both the school and the community to serve. During her tenure, McCarty received her credentials to teach and excitedly entered the classroom where she taught several subject areas, including photography (yearbook advisor), communication studies, middle school English, speech and debate, drama, Advisor to yearbook and newspaper, English I, III, and IV. 

McCarty received her master's degree in education with a concentration in English from William Cary University in Hattiesburg. She and her husband were educators in the public school setting in Hattiesburg Public School District, Forrest County, and Lamar County Schools until he died in 2010. In 2011, she and her two children relocated to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, where she taught middle and high school English along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. 

Life took a tragic turn for McCarty when she lost her husband, her best friend. Amid this devastating loss, she found solace in her writing. In 2014, she was inspired to create her one-act stage play, 'Just a Little Sunshine.' This fictional piece was deeply rooted in her experiences as a widow and single mother. Undeterred by her circumstances, she continued to write, penning 'Only a Shadow' and 'After the Rain' as part of a three-part sequel, 'The Light Series.' 

Later, McCarty was inspired to compose a six-act play, "Off the Court." McCarty brought the entire cast to the Mary C. O'Keefe stage in downtown Ocean Springs during the summer of 2019. All stage plays are available on Amazon. 

McCarty began to explore the idea of writing her first novel. She compiled a few of her journals and finished her first novel of a sequel, "Olivia's Journey." Her writings reflect the renewal of a journey that creates a new destiny for one's path and life. McCarty entitled her book series "My Journey" because she believes everyone has their own journey and should enjoy it. After publishing "Olivia's Journey," McCarty completed a book tour where she sold her books in Barnes & Noble and libraries from Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and the Louisiana coastlines. 

McCarty is pursuing a Ph.D. in Communication Studies from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. She is the founder and CEO of LGM Productions, LLC (Destiny’s Elite Girls, Inc. and MJ Ladies, Org.), MJ Destiny Travels, and Mississippi Speaker Connection, LLC.