Local StoriesFebruary 5, 2026

Nautica Mason MPH of Shelby, NC on Life, Lessons & Legacy

Local Stories

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Nautica Mason MPH. Check out our conversation below.

Nautica, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
This may sound cliche but my I would say I am proud of building my future. I’m building it in classrooms and late-night study sessions as I work toward my doctorate and nursing degree at the same time. I’m building it through discipline and commitment as I step into military service with the national guard, learning how to lead, serve, and push past limits I didn’t know I had. And I’m building it every day as a mother, balancing multiple jobs while making sure my children feel supported, loved, and secure. None of this is glamorous. There are no spotlights on exhaustion, sacrifice, or the moments when quitting would be easier. What people don’t see are the early mornings, the long nights of studying, the constant recalculating and asking myself “can I really do this?” They don’t see the resilience it takes to keep showing up when life demands everything at once. BUT, that unseen work is what I’m most proud of. I’m building stability, opportunity, and generational change—not just for myself, but for my family. I’m creating a future rooted in perseverance, service, and purpose, even when the progress is quiet. And one day, the life I’ve been constructing behind the scenes will speak for itself.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Yes! Hi again everyone! My name is Nautica Mason and I am hailing from Shelby, North Carolina as a dedicated public health professional, award-winning author, and proud mother of 2 with an unwavering commitment to community impact and personal excellence. I hold both a Bachelors and a Master’s degree in Public Health from East Carolina University and am currently pursuing my Doctorate in Health Science as well as my nursing degree (yes I know insanity). I am a proud
member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., a Firebird Book Award winner for my celebrated children’s book Gabriel’s Glow and recently was awarded the 2025 Distinguished Woman of the year for my hometown; Shelby NC.

I also wanted to take the time and show my appreciation for my community partner, Marcus Cyprian. For the past 3 years we have been working together along with other volunteers in the community of Gaston county and surrounding areas to feed the homeless. Recent organizations include the salvation army, domestic violence shelters and churches. I have a few pictures from this year below. I am hoping that we continue to grow abundantly in order to continue blessing our community.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
I think I was in 4th grade at the time but I was trying to learn how to ride a bike with no training wheels. Everyone else had already gone inside, and I was still outside, alone, refusing to give up. I kept trying, falling, getting back up, crying of frustration but determined to figure it out on my own. I remember a man who fixed washing machines in the neighborhood noticing me from across the street. He stopped and said something simple but unforgettable: “Hey you got this, next time you let go, don’t put your foot down. Just keep going.” I listened,I kept going, and suddenly, I was finally riding. I did It. In that moment, I felt powerful—not because someone rescued me, but because someone believed in me more than I believed in myself. I had to trust myself that I wouldn’t let me fall. That experience taught me that momentum matters, that balance comes from trusting yourself, and that progress doesn’t always look graceful while it’s happening. I still carry that lesson with me. Whenever life gets hard, I think about that day—about not putting my foot down, about staying in motion, about trusting that if I keep going, I’ll find my balance.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Success feels like arrival. Suffering is what teaches you how to survive the journey. Through hardship, I learned discipline when motivation disappeared, patience when results were slow, and resilience when quitting felt justified. Suffering forced me to build endurance, not just ambition. Suffering taught me how to learn things on my own like cooking, cleaning a certain way etc. Suffering also taught me money management. If you grow up in low income housing, you want better for yourself and your kids so you work and save your money. Suffering also taught me how to function under pressure—how to keep showing up for my child, my work, my education, and my commitments even when I was exhausted or afraid. It taught me humility, empathy, and the ability to sit with discomfort without letting it define me. Success celebrates outcomes. Suffering taught me process. It showed me who I am when no one is applauding, when the work is invisible, and when progress is measured in persistence rather than praise. Most importantly, it taught me that I am capable of carrying more than I ever thought I could—and still moving forward.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Is the public version of you the real you?
I actually get this question a lot. For the most part, yes. What people see is the composed, capable version of me: the student, the service member, the professional, the mother who gets things done. That version is authentic—it reflects my discipline, my work ethic, and my sense of responsibility. But what the public doesn’t always see is the exhaustion, the doubt, the moments of vulnerability that happen behind closed doors. Those parts are just as real, but they live in quieter spaces. I’ve learned that strength doesn’t require constant visibility, and not every battle needs an audience. Both versions coexist. The public me shows what I’m capable of. The private me carries the weight, does the healing, and keeps going anyway. Together, they make up who I am—not a contradiction, but a balance just like that bike in 4th grade.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I want to be remember for having qualities of the proverbs 31 woman; “her children arise and call her blessed… Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” I hope people say that I was someone who kept going and made space for others to do the same. I want to be remembered as a woman who showed up, even when life was heavy, and who built a life rooted in purpose, service, and perseverance. Someone who didn’t wait for perfect conditions to grow, but created opportunity through discipline and determination. I hope they say I loved deeply, especially as a mother, and that my presence made people feel supported, seen, and capable especially to other mothers. I hope they say that I led with integrity, worked with intention, and never forgot where I came from. I hope they say that I am more than accomplishments or titles, I hope my story is one of resilience—that I proved it’s possible to carry responsibility with grace, to turn struggle into strength, and to leave the world better than I found it.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
My sorors for Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. My business partner Marcus Cyprian, my classmates from CELA cohort 6

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