Rashawn and Yamiesha met during the summer of 2015 at the ACLU Newark. Rashawn was working full time as Policy Organizer; while Yamiesha worked as the Interim Intake Manager, before her transition to graduate school at UCONN. Over the summer they built a friendship full of much debate and laughter. While, Yamiesha was away at UCONN they continued to foster their friendship with quarterly drop-ins to converse and check-in on each other.

During the height of COVID-19, Rashawn and Yamiesha found safety and peace within each other. In the midst of much uncertainty, together, they created a space of security through literature. Bonded by their love of books, Rashawn and Yamiesha spent countless hours reading books together; both independently and collaboratively. It was during these moments of intellectual intimacy they began to fall for one another.

A few minutes after the ball dropped on New Years, Yamiesha climbed into bed ready to go to sleep. Within seconds she felt "something" hard under her back. As she reached to move the "something" and inspect it more closely-- she immediately registered the "something" as an engagement ring box. Unable to gather her thoughts and find her voice; she turned to Rashawn who was already on one knee preparing his proposal speech.