Cheryl Magazine | Winter 2022

One of RHONY’s First Black Cast Members

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After the holidays comes tax season!

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Quintessential: /kwin(t)əˈsen(t)SHəl/ adjective Representing the most perfect and typical example of quality and class.

Prototypical Archetypal Exemplary Ideal Essential Absolute Empowering Authentically Her Inarguably Distinct Warrior Woman.

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Photo Cred: Crystal Chatmon

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FROM THE DESK OF CHERYL POLOTE WILLIAMSON

Stepping Into the AFFIRMED LIFE! You can decide today that greater is in store for you. Right now, at this moment, as you read these words, you can receive the powerful shift that is coming your way.

I chose to close 2021 EMPOWERED and step boldly into the newness of my next level in the affirmed life. In my new season, I vow daily to cast vision, pray, speak affirmations, project outcomes, give generously, and WIN! Period!

I will stay ready for and only engage doors designed specifically for me and align wholly with my purpose. I will not veer to the left or the right or give any attention to anyone else’s portion but will remain steadfast, unmovable, and unshakeable in the lane designated for me. I will walk through those doors unafraid and without hesitation. I will not waste time by getting ready once opportunity knocks, but I will be ready at all times. I will pursue nothing and no one. Goodness and increase come to me. I declare that my season of planting is over. Every good seed I planted over my lifetime will yield a thousand-fold harvest while creating opportunities for other likeminded, ready individuals, and then together, we will expand our territories, increase, and create more opportunities. In this season, I will not beg for anything, nor will anyone connected to me. Blessings and success will overtake us.

I choose to believe in something greater.

I choose to believe in the future I have envisioned for myself. I choose to believe in ME! In this season, I AM. The GREATER ONE dwells

inside of me, and therefore, I have access.

To what? EVERYTHING! I speak fulfillment of all my heart’s desires. I am a force, and I am enough. I am capable, and I am undeniable. I will not wait for anyone to affirm me. I affirm myself. I AM affirmed.

Just like it is a choice to sit back and take life as it comes, it is a choice to stand up and declare better days. No matter your storm, setback, or trial, DECLARE and take part in the AFFIRMED LIFE! There is a power shift in wealth, opportunities, and access that includes you. Clam it! You have what it takes. Forget your past—take from it the lessons that made you stronger and helped you grow. Use to your advantage the lessons that weakened you and set you back. Good or bad, each lesson is a chance to live life anew. Seize this moment to begin again.

I am committed to seizing my new season and my new level and am dedicated to bringing other phenomenally made, like-minded women along with me. Will you join me? Step out of the old and close that chapter EMPOWERED and step with me into the AFFIRMED LIFE! Blessings to you and yours throughout the holidays and coming year,

Cheryl EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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CONTACT US CHERYL MAGAZINE

Williamson Media Group, LLC 6101 Long Prairie Road Box 744 #269 Flower Mound, TX 75028 info@cherylmagazine.com Please include your name, mailing and email addresses, and telephone number with any correspondence. Cheryl Magazine is not responsible for returning unsolicited manuscripts.

CHERYL MAGAZINE

A lifestyle and women’s empowerment publication Editor-in-Chief | Dr. Cheryl Polote Williamson Cover Director & Managing Editor | Traci Henderson Smith Contributing Features Editor | Siobhan Davenport Contributing Editor | Charmaine Roots Castillo Contributing Editor | Tess Alexandria Financial Editor | Roni M. Benjamin Style Editor | Keri Henderson

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Patricia Bailey Reuben Chandler Keaira English Maria D. Flowers

D. Camille Floyd Tyreese McAllister Courtney Williamson

OPERATIONS

Editorial Email

editorials@cherylmagazine.com TO SELL CHERYL MAGAZINE IN YOUR STORE info@cherylmagazine.com ISSN: 2766-6352 (Print) Cheryl Magazine a lifestyle and women’s empowerment publication, is a Cheryl Polote Williamson, LLC (CPW) quarterly produced by Williamson Media Group, LLC (WMG) 6101 Long Prairie Road, Box 744 #269, Flower Mound, TX 75028. Periodicals postage paid at Flower Mound, TX and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Please send changes of address to Cheryl Magazine 6101 Long Prairie Road, Box 744 #269, Flower Mound, TX 75028. Subscribers, allow 4-6 weeks for change of address to become effective.

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SUBSCRIPTIONS www.cherylmagazine.com 1 Year (4 Quarterly Issues) US $80 Canada $101.58 CAD | International (Digital only) 1 Year (4 Digital Downloads) US $20

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Cheryl

Family, Community, Human Interest: Help, Hope, and Legacy

REDIRECTION AND HEALTHY ACCEPTANCE Courtney Williamson

WINTER 2022 | ISSUE #9

CONTENTS

32

34

THE SIX-GIFT RULE Create a Legacy That Forever Changes the Way Your Child Sees Christmas

44

VITILIGO: Up Close and Personal Tonja L. Johnson

COVER STORY: KIM FIELDS

Actor, Director, Producer, Author, Entrepreneur A Rare and Quintessential Quintuple Threat

56

LIFESTYLE

Celebrate LIFE With Family, Good Food, and Fun!

70

OUR FAVORITE GIFTS TO GIVE & RECEIVE with Bonus Kids' Edition

74

THE ART OF GIFT WRAPPING Adding a Customed Touch

76

LET'S GATHER Super Easy & Fun-to-Make Holiday Recipes to LIVE for!

12 Terri J. Vaughn God, Tenacity, and Trusting the Journey

26

18 Kita Williams Authentically HER Focused and Intentional

BUSINESS & FINANCE Get insight that will help strengthen and empower your life and business!

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48 86 88 92

104

PARENTING TIPS for Great Family Fun During the Holidays

Bershan Shaw I AM A WARRIOR! And You’re a Warrior Too ENTREPRENEUR SPOTLIGHT: Rosemary Oglesby-Henry From Turmoil to Triumph: Breaking Cycles and Changing Destinies BUSINESS SENSE & SENSIBILITY: The Power of Project Management THE LIST: Cheryl's Favorite Business Resources BENEFITS OF HIRING A PUBLICIST

IN EVERY ISSUE We THRIVE! Motivation, Inspiration, Action Plans, and POWER

66

6

A Letter From the Editor-in-Chief

24

Daddy Issues

38

with Tess Alexandria Dr. Cheryl Polote Williamson Get Self-Aware, Focused and Vocal

Foxxy Wizdom

with Charmaine Roots Castillo Idiosyncratic Oath

40

90

What Women Should Know with Reuben Chandler Space...Not Distance

94

with Roni M. Benjamin Help Protect Your Standard of Living

with Keri Henderson Wardrobe Tips for Your Next Brand Photoshoot

The Gentleman's Voice:

Money Talk

Style Matters

AFFIRMED 100

FOCUS ON MENTAL HEALTH

with Tyreese McAlister Gratitude: An Ingredient of Happiness

102

106

with Patricia Bailey Being Fully Present for Joy

with Traci Henderson Smith Black, Brown, & Beautiful Lauryn Jones, creator, author, and illustrator

AGING WELL

#GIRLPOWER

N

EVER LIVE SO DEEPLY INSIDE SOMEONE'S DREAM THAT YOU NEVER FULFILL YOUR OWN.

48

- CHERYL

Rosemary's Babies

HEALTH & WELLNESS Look Well. Heal Well. Feel Well. Live Well!

47

84

TEN TIPS to Avoid Weight Gain During the Holidays SISTERS AND SELF-CARE Maria D. Flowers, MHA P. 1 1 | Cheryl MAGAZINE

FEATURE STORY

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GOD, TENACITY, AND TRUSTING THE JOURNEY A candid and inspiring conversation about the illuminating path of

Terri j. Vaughn

by D. Camille Floyd

Terri J. Vaughn made a bold declaration early on in her life. It was a good thing because, by all accounts, it has propelled her rewarding and impactful acting career. Even more, it motivated her to be of service to newcomers to the entertainment industry.

Vaughn hit me with it soon after we began our conversation. I asked her to summarize her journey as an accomplished and award-winning actor, director, and producer.

“The funny thing is, I cannot say I planned most of this. What I did plan was to be successful,” Vaughn chuckled, vividly recalling how she made the promise to herself as a young girl.

Vaughn’s pleasant summation made me smile, listen intently, and caused me to realize, this tenacity she was describing was no doubt that thing about her that has allowed Vaughn to thrive and shine in show business for decades. If you watched the 2021 national CBS

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broadcast of the Emmy Awards, you were privileged to have a glimpse of Vaughn’s brilliance and staying power. In a brief comedic skit with Ced the Entertainer, the event’s host, she teamed with industry peers and fellow “Ced’s former television wives” Tichina Arnold and Niecy Nash for a funny and nostalgic revitalization of the character that first put her on our radar. Vaughn first began to appear in films in 1993.

She landed roles in movies including Friday, Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood, and Black Scorpion. In 1997, her natural mastery of comedic acting got Vaughn cast as the high school secretary who would become Ced’s wife, Lovita Alizé Jenkins-Robinson, on The Steve Harvey Show’s second season. By the time the series ended in 2002, Vaughn had racked up three NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.

From there, a turning point.

“Once I started to learn more about the business, being in it as an actor, I knew I wanted to create more content because I felt like there weren’t a lot of opportunities for me or my peers,” Vaughn explained.

Vaughn became a sought-after acting and audition coach for new actors. Her involvement in that realm prompted her interest in directing. She also started a production company, Nina Holiday Entertainment, and began creating projects. Along the way, Vaughn has maintained a presence through the years in front of the camera with numerous appearances in roles on the UPN/The CW sitcom All of Us, Tyler Perry’s comedy-drama film Daddy’s Little Girls, the series Meet the Browns, and as a known cast member of the Showtime drama series, Soul Food and the Oprah Winfrey Network drama series, Greenleaf.

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If you imagine Vaughn with a busy lifestyle, that would be correct. Not only is she an in-demand career woman, but also she is a devoted wife and mother.

Vaughn is married to Karon Riley. Their family includes 20-year-old Daylen Ali, Vaughn’s son from her previous marriage, 13-year-old son Kal’ El, and her 6-year-old daughter, Lola.

Vaughn says the experience of guiding each of her children through life has been uniquely joyful. She is especially aware of what it means to raise her daughter during a time of heightened women’s rights issues.

“I don’t hush her opinion of things. We may talk about something and how she chooses to express it, but I never tell her she shouldn’t say something. I want her to be able to express herself.”

When we connected for our scheduled phone call, Vaughn was at home in Atlanta, albeit pretty unexpectedly. In mid-August, she, like many others fleeing Hurricane Ida, evacuated from the Gulf Coast region.

Vaughn worked there on the New Orleans-based Oprah Winfrey Network romantic anthology drama, Cherish the Day. Vaughn, cast for season 2 in the recurring role of Anastasia, flew home to Atlanta when days ahead of the storm making landfall, the show halted production temporarily.

The break offered Vaughn an opportunity to get in some recording work in a different studio on yet another project—Insecure, an award-winning podcast spawned from a character Vaughn portrayed in the original HBO comedy-drama series with the same name. Vaughn plays Rose Cranberry, an investigative reporter who makes it her mission to unravel mysteries

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Photo Cred: Blair Devereaux

surrounding missing women of color whose stories lack news coverage.

she has blossomed right before us in so many ways. To that, she responded matter-of-factly.

“It’s a fun character, and I certainly wanted to do it, knowing how successful the first run went for all of us. It was very important for me to do it, but we just had to find the timing. “It’s a unique spin on an issue that is a reality.”

“It’s just trusting—trusting the journey. I’d think to myself, ‘This opportunity is open? Let me go for it. I don’t know where it’s going to lead, but I’m going to trust it.’ That’s even how I got into acting. I was like, oh, this is something being presented to me, let me check this out. Come to find out, it was something I was great at. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have known that because it was not anything I was pursuing.”

On the mention of timing, my conversation with Vaughn ventured into an overview of the expanse of her career.

She has always trusted the timing of events and pathways that have opened new doors and enabled her to flourish.

“It really is God, to be honest, and not anything that was planned. I have always been that kind of person. I consider myself like a butterfly. I like to flutter,” Vaughn chuckled and continued.

“If something scares me or if a new opportunity comes up, I love challenges. I’ve always been that way,” she said.

I gave Vaughn my perspective. I mentioned that it appears

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In the final stretch of our discussion, we touched on two additional topics. I asked Vaughn for her thoughts on the dominance of social media and how she decides what to share versus what to keep private.

“I’m a huge advocate that laughter is healing. So, if I can bring laughter to somebody by sharing something silly, I’ll do that. Also, I like to share my daughter and her iceskating to inspire others. I want to see more little black

“I’m a huge advocate that laughter is healing. So, if I can bring laughter to somebody by sharing something silly, I’ll do that...I share things that I think are helpful, inspirational, or healing.” - Terri

girls on the ice. Because growing up, I never even thought about that. So, I share things that I think are helpful, inspirational, or healing.”

Vaughn added, “Sometimes I feel like it’s healthy for me, and I can only speak for myself, but if I’m dealing with something, I find it’s helpful to share flaws because that’s letting people know they can relate because none of us are perfect.”

Lastly, Vaughn opened up about the importance of her relationships with the women in her life.

“I was raised by a single mom. I’ve always had my grandmother and my aunts to support me. My baby sister is a phenomenal woman as well, so I’ve always leaned in on my female relationships.”

“I think it’s because of the examples of love that was set for me at a young age as I watched these women maneuver through life, taking care of all of us. I’ve just always honored the spirit of women, and I look for that in my friendships. I also like to pour into women who don’t have examples of that.”

To that, I say what a joy and ray of light there is within Terri J. Vaughn. In this day and age, when so many topics and debates are murky and unclear, Vaughn’s flourishing career is inarguably distinct. She continues making her mark on the world of acting while illuminating the path for those following in her footsteps.

Bravo to you Terri! We are here for it all.

Photo Cred: Blair Devereaux

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FEATURE STORY

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Kita Williams

Authentically HER Focused and Intentional

by D. Camille Floyd

Every woman deserves a girlfriend like Kita Williams. It’s that simple. And trust me, if you already have someone like her in your circle, you are fortunate. She is known to many as a celebrity publicist and brand architect with an arsenal of world-famous clients, but these things have nothing to do with my assertion. It’s about her radiant personality and spirit.

Williams is resolute about the different roles she fulfills, but she’s quick to explain how important it is that she’s intentional about each one. She has embraced becoming a wife and mom in a way that complements and strengthens her as a daughter, sister, career

woman, entrepreneur, and of course, valued friend to many. What sets Williams apart is her no-holds-barred, often times humorous frankness about her journey.

We talked about what she gleaned from the pandemic and how, in many ways, it forced her to reevaluate maneuvering through her dayto-day routine. Williams told me she gained a healthier lifestyle and a better outlook regarding her priorities. It started with an awakening.

When some of Williams’ clients, due to pandemic-related challenges, put her services on hold, she says she found herself facing a new degree of self-reflection.

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“I had a career that showed I was doing amazing things. I had worked hard at becoming a mommy-overcoming fertility issues, and I was intentional about my relationship. But what I came to realize was I was constantly pouring from my own pitcher and not being replenished, which resulted in a burnout. I wasn’t pouring back into me.”

She focused on personal growth and decided it was no longer okay juggling to keep all the balls in the air. Williams says she had to reverse course and put herself first. Now she prioritizes selfcare, self-acknowledgment, and creativity. What’s dynamic is, she did more than make changes and count it all joy; that wasn’t enough. Williams honed in on her desire to help others realize their new healthy perspectives.

“I look at it this way. It’s hard to find your balance when you’re trying to wear many hats at the same time. I always say I have many amazing hats in my closet, for instance, a fedora, a cowboy hat, a baseball cap, and more. The only problem is, I really can’t wear them all at the same time well. I can only wear one at a time. I’ve learned to wear one at a time, and in fact, I’m still learning!”

Newly rejuvenated, Williams turned to something familiar--building a brand. This time, rather than crafting a project to market one of her celebrity clients, it would be something to call her own.

Williams and her business partner, Jeanette Polynice, a fellow new mom, birthed Authentically HER. The moniker promotes female empowerment and underscores balance, clarity, a renewed spirit, and a woman’s worth in being her authentic self. Their website features clothing and merchandise with inspiring captions. Williams says upcoming components of Authentically HER will include self-improvement courses for women and events that focus on networking and confidence building. Williams describes the vision using poignant play on words.

“Authentically HER is a brand that represents the true queen that lives in every woman, whether you’re a produce-her, a teacher, a mother, a gamechange-her, a direct-her. Whatever your ‘her,’ own that, build that, and embrace your HER.” My call with Williams lasted for about an hour.

During our conversation, I started to feel like I’d

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known her for years. It is, undoubtedly, a quality about her that has contributed to Williams’ successful relationships both personally and in business.

During one sweet moment, Greysun, Williams’ 6-year-old son, interrupted to ask his mom a question. It was a matter that involved a playmate’s birthday party. Williams paused and then asked me, “Can you hold on just a moment?

I’ve got to briefly grab my mommy hat.” After handling the issue, I heard Williams gently explain to Greysun that she was on a phone call she needed to finish, affirming the need for his patience.

For me, it was Williams’ understanding that Greysun, at that moment, needed her attention and how she was able to show him he mattered.

The moment triggered a laugh we shared about how real-life “mommy moments” are always on the other side of the door. Williams then seamlessly shifted back to her previous point.

“You’ve heard the phrase, ‘you can have it all?’

Yes, you can have it all. However, I believe you can’t have it all at the same time. You can have everything on your plate--the steak, the baked potato, the sweet potato, the greens and cornbread and have wine to drink, but you can’t have it all in one bite. That’s how I look at it,” she summarized.

These days, Williams drops pearls of wisdom more than ever. It’s part of her goal to build Authentically HER as a motivational movement with a message.

“I’ve worked with some amazing celebrities in my life. I’ve worked with the best, from Beyonce and Destiny’s Child to JayZ and DMX. I’ve worked with Mariah Carey and Bon Jovi. I’ve worked with L.L. Cool J and Brandy. The list goes on. I’m saying this to say, with being a celebrity publicist and brand architect, I had to reverse the roles and be my own brand architect.”

Perhaps most notably, Williams’ roster of clients, at one time, included NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver Terrell Owens. Williams and her friend and fellow publicist Monique Jackson came up with the idea for a reality television show offering a glimpse into Owens’ off-the-field personal life.

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“We took a leap of faith as his publicists and said to ourselves, ‘if we can pitch him for all of these other things, why not pitch a TV show?’ People thought we were crazy, and the NFL tried to block us. They told us he couldn’t do it, but there was nothing contractually preventing it because nothing like that had been done before. We ended up creating the T.O. Show and sold it to VH1. We premiered with the highest ratings ever for the network.”

Williams expressed gratitude for the trailblazing credit she and Jackson receive in reality television.

“I didn’t realize we were making history at the time. We are actually the first ‘triple threat,’ as some call us. We were the first women of color to create, produce, and star in a reality TV docuseries.”

Williams and Jackson starred with Owens on the T.O. Show for three seasons and at one time were considered his closest confidants.

That time was also a turning point in Williams’ personal life. Her husband, Joe Hardy, CEO of Grey Love Luxury Transportation, proposed to her on an episode of the T.O. Show, and they have been married for more than ten years.

Before Williams became pregnant with Greysun through IVF, the couple openly shared intimate details of their fertility challenges.

Williams and Hardy were featured on the docuseries Black Love and received an enormous amount of compassionate feedback about their experiences with trying to conceive.

“This is how you know you are impactful. My DM’s were off the chain with so many questions and so many people saying thank you all for sharing and being brave enough to tell your story. I had all these people with questions about treatments and my experiences. It made it clear to me that fertility is such uncharted territory for women of color.”

The responses and feedback moved Williams so much that she now devotes time as an advocate to several causes that promote infertility awareness.

Kita Williams, to this day, lives to encourage, empower and educate others in areas where she has been tried and tested.

She is a highly sought-after celebrity publicist and continues to build powerhouse brands, including her own. And when it comes to doing the work to maintain a solid foundation for her marriage, family, and strong sisterly bonds, Kita is unstoppable. Like I mentioned earlier, she’s the kind of friend we all deserve.

“You’ve heard the phrase, ‘you can have it all?’ Yes, you can have it all. However, I believe you can’t have it all at the same time. You can have everything on your plate--the steak, the baked potato, the sweet potato, the greens and cornbread and have wine to drink, but you can’t have it all in one bite.

That’s how I look at it.”

- Kita

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DADDY ISSUES with Tess Alexandria

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efore Daddy Issues was an article, it was a vision. I wanted to help women who’d experienced some level of pain or brokenness that stemmed from their (lack of) relationship with their fathers that simultaneously trickled into other areas of their lives. I wanted to speak to the women who weren’t yet aware of the damage caused by said relationship and to the women who were just now discovering how deeply they were affected. I also wanted to share my story and journey of healing, hoping to bring healing and inspiration to those women.

As I’ve continued on this journey, I’ve been able to share my experiences and offer advice to those in similar situations. In doing so, I took notice of the fact that healing is not one-dimensional. Sometimes healing can seem solely about overcoming the hurt you once physically and emotionally felt. Don’t get me wrong. It’s vitally important to properly assess and work through past trauma. However, during this process, you also have to remain cognizant of how you presently feel. Meaning, you can’t spend so much time on the past that you lose sight of your current reality. This type of self-awareness is necessary because it can help prevent you from tolerating and repeating toxic or unhealthy behaviors.

In short, it should help keep you from backtracking because of the constant introspection. In theory, this can sound slightly complex and maybe even mentally exhausting, but I can attest to it being very possible.

In the last couple of months, I’ve been paying close attention to how I feel when I’m around others. I started taking note of people’s energies and focusing on what their true intentions were. Since part of my daddy issues includes staying too long in unhealthy spaces and giving away too much of myself, I could no longer afford to passively exist in these kinds of relationships.

Giving these relationships a much more critical eye is forcing me to be in control. It also provides me with opportunities to speak up for myself and practice vocalizing my likes and dislikes. In some instances, it allows me to practice silent observation. Instead of stating what I want or need, I choose to watch how the person will naturally treat me. From there, I waste no

time deciding if the relationship is worth continuing.

Yes, this is all as uncomfortable as it sounds, especially for someone like me who has spent most of my life allowing others to dictate our relationship, thereby accepting far less than I deserved.

Despite my discomfort, I am fully aware that growth is taking place. Surprisingly, doing the uncomfortable has resulted in my stepping fully into myself and becoming comfortable doing so. It has also resulted in stronger, more valuable and viable relationships. My point is, in shifting my focus from “getting over the hurt” or questioning how long it will take to what’s happening presently and how I feel now, I am slowly but surely getting free from some of the things that have been so hard to heal from and let go. You almost have to laugh at the irony there.

While I don’t have an exact formula, as people heal and come into the knowledge of themselves in different ways, here are a few steps on how to train your subconscious to no longer passively exist in unhealthy relationships: 1. Shift your focus from past hurts to being more present and aware in current environments. Be careful not to assign past pain to present relationships.

2. Tune into and fairly assess how a person naturally treats you without any prompting.

3. Without a filter, honestly determine for yourself if you’re in a relationship with someone with damaging toxic traits or with someone unaware of behaviors worth mentioning, who would likely make adjustments. Side note: Be aware that telling someone how you feel should not result in an argument.

4. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable as you break into becoming a stronger you who takes control of your surroundings by only allowing those who deserve your energy to share your space.

Thank you for joining me again for Daddy Issues. Why the name? I aim to reverse the feeling women get every time we hear that phrase. There is a stigma attached to it.

It’s often used as a weapon, with the intent to make us feel like we are the problem.

Dispelling the misnomer includes providing new information on something that was named before its true nature was known. I’ll attempt to do that in each Cheryl Magazine issue as I address behaviors and characteristics that developed from our father’s lack of skill and ability to bond with, encourage, teach, or support us. To all the young girls and grown women, it was never your fault. The issue was his, and because of your daddy’s issue, you found yourself improperly navigating relationships. Let’s talk about it. For the record, Daddy Issues is an opinion column. I’m not a clinical professional or expert on the subject, I’m just a girl who needed her daddy. If you’d like to connect, follow me on Instagram: @tessalexandria_ or Facebook: Tess Alexandria. If you have questions or a topic you’d like to discuss, email me at tess@cherylmagazine.com.

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FEATURE STORY

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I Am a Warrior !

And you’re a warrior too.

Motivation from

Bershan Shaw

by Traci Henderson Smith

She says she’s just a girl from the suburbs of Washington, D.C., who had a dream and went for it.

Who Bershan Shaw is, though, is far more than she imagined. An international motivational speaker, famed business and life coach, the Buckle Up With Bershan podcast host, and CEO of three thriving companies, the Unstoppable Woman Warrior author has now made history and buzz as one of Real Housewives of New York’s first Black cast members.

“I must say, I do a lot,” she laughs and says in a motivating conversation with Cheryl Magazine.

“Uhhh, you think?” was my reply as I too laughed at the comment.

Shaw, dubbed as the “multi-preneur,” is a trendsetter, trailblazer, and warrior woman in various ways. She says, however, she wasn’t born a warrior; she became one through the many trials of life. In 2007, Shaw received a stage I breast cancer diagnosis. She had a lumpectomy and standard radiation, which worked well, and she thought she

was out of the woods. Two years later, the cancer came back with a vengeance. Misdiagnosed with a slipped disc, Shaw eventually sat down to the words, “You have terminal breast cancer.” Diagnosed stage IV, doctors gave her only three months to live.

Hearing those words became her driving force.

Shaw believes you are what you think, and you are what you believe. She says cancer was her diagnosis, not her prognosis. The work she’s done and the difference she’s made following the horrifying doctor’s report is proof positive of the warrior’s strength within her. Twelve years after the medical death sentence, Shaw is alive, well, and a powerhouse with multiple businesses, multiple streams of income, and a promising television career while still dedicating time, energy, and resources to uplift others.

“I have Warrior Training International where I perform leadership coaching, diversity & inclusion training, media coaching, emotional intelligence,

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and more. I’m an international motivational speaker and the CEO tech founder of URAWARRIOR.COM. I own Shaw and Shaw design, a full-service interior design and renovation company in New York, and I own a holistic wellness company for CBD Roundtable Wellness. I have a book coming out, Unstoppable Woman Warriors Part 2, and a podcast, Buckle Up With Bershan. I didn’t at all see any of this for myself.

Just like I didn’t see stage IV breast cancer in my cards. But I take life by storm and deal with the cards I’m always dealt. I’m thankful, humbled, and blessed to be doing all that I am, and I’m self-made. I get it from my daddy. He was self-made. I think that encouraged me at a young age to just go for it, and I did.”

It’s that inner strength that was always there.

The warrior within...

As a young entrepreneur, at age 29, Shaw reportedly owned a restaurant in New York City called Haven.

Inspired by her love for Greece and her mother Bernice’s love for international travel and sharing the world with her daughter, the restaurant served Mediterranean tapas. Five years after the opening of the restaurant, Shaw’s mother died from breast cancer in 1997.

Now, I would be careless if I did not pause here and go back to make further mention of Shaw’s true love, her daddy! Shaw talks of getting her self-made mantle from him. At 86 years young, he’s as mobile, fun-loving, and vibrant as any twenty-something.

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Shaw, widely known as a daddy’s girl, calls him her hero and the love of her life. She credits her father, the go-getter, a military vet who survived prostate and lung cancer, and one of the first Black millionaires in Washington, D.C., for making her who she is today.

It’s that inner strength that was always there. The warrior within, cultivated by her parents and the determination to live, propelled Shaw into traveling the world, speaking and motivating women and men for more than ten years, launching lucrative concept after money-making concept, and now starring as a barrier-breaking cast member of Bravo’s RHONY. As one of the first full-time Black sensations on the hit show, Shaw realizes the example she is to other women of color and the responsibility that comes with the role.

“It feels amazing to take on this history-making role,” Shaw says. “And kudos to Bravo for stepping up to the plate to bring diversity and inclusion to the show. It’s good to see that the entertainment industry is starting to be more inclusive with the representation of all races, and it feels so good.”

Shaw speaks of obstacles on her journey, and discrimination is one of them. Notwithstanding the challenges faced, just navigating and maneuvering in certain realms as a person of color, being a woman and then a Black woman conquering in maledominated arenas can’t always be easy.

“I have overcome a lot,” Shaw shares. “I have had to deal with discrimination as a motivational speaker because it’s a man’s world. The same is true with coaching in Fortune 100 companies. I have had barriers, but I don’t know any other way but to push through to the other side and get the job done.”

Just like Shaw’s proven ability in business to overcome hurdles, she believes her life and role on RHONY is an example to Black women that anything is possible.

“It is possible. This role means to set the example that it is possible. That, never give up. The world is your oyster. It’s possible.”

The Bravo platform is also an opportunity for Shaw to spread her message of helping, supporting, uplifting, and making room for other women, something in which Shaw is notoriously passionate.

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“This is my core foundation,” she exclaims. “This is the architecture of my life—women supporting women. I don’t want to be the only one in the room.

I want to make a path for another and another and another. That’s how women break barriers and get a seat at the table. It’s our time to stop saying ‘me, me, me,’ and start saying ‘we, we, we.’”

Shaw’s zeal for taking others from where they are to where they want to be is her signature claim.

Elevating others, making them feel secure within themselves and not alone, is one of her reasons for founding and launching URAWARRIOR.COM, an emotional and mental wellness app and online social networking platform for support.

“The launching of my mental health app URAWARRIOR.COM is my baby. It’s my pride and joy. I put my money where my mouth is. It’s a social networking community to help people who deal with depression, anxiety, loneliness, and more. It’s about, ‘you are not alone.’ You can do this. We will have expert coaches and celebs come and encourage and empower the audience, and it will be a place to express yourself and connect or share your stories, or just listen. We will give community members all the support they need to get through what they’re going through.”

Shaw asserts that owning her story and allowing it to fuel her drive is what got her through. It’s this same energy she pumps into others. Once a person who hid her illness, trouble, and pain, she now speaks boldly as a warrior and conqueror, urging others to do the same. Shaw is all about life and LIVING. She seeks to push people through whatever anguish they experience from a physical diagnosis or emotional or mental trauma, stop hiding in their life, speak out, and LIVE! Credit for this fiery spirit and take-charge attitude doesn’t go to her father alone. Shaw notes modeling her mother’s behavior.

“My mom was a fighter. She was a go-getter. She took action,” Shaw is quoted as saying. “She was about living, and that’s what I’m about.”

According to Shaw, wanting to live is half the battle and begins with the right state of mind. The main ingredient to her wellness and success was her belief that she would and could live. Her spoken

advice to others battling cancer or any other physical or mental distress is first, to change your mindset.

'

"I told myself, get busy dying, or 'get busy living.'"

“If you think you’re going to die, you’re going to die,” she says. "Stop with that thinking and start living right.”

And part of “living right” for Shaw included: taking control of her physical and mental health—changing her diet, exercising, changing her thoughts, speaking daily affirmations and happy things, writing in her journal, and manifesting the life she desired to live.

“I always say you are what you think. So change your thoughts.” Shaw has shared this belief on many platforms. It’s her mantra. She can force-feed it to others because she knows what it’s like tasting this same mental medicine. After staring down the barrel of only three months to live, Shaw had a little talk with herself.

“I told myself, ‘get busy dying, or get busy living.’”

The results of that self-reflective introspection revealed the warrior’s life of Bershan Shaw—bursting and beautiful, and we love to see it!

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Photo Cred: Presley Simmons

Redirection and Healthy Acceptance

by Courtney N. Williamson

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The holidays are notorious for festive family gatherings. The kids are out of school; your emerging adults are

home on a break from college. Here’s an idea: at some point, between the barrage of food and fun, talk. Use the opportunity during their downtime from papers, exams, and grades to connect and check in with your kids.

Sometimes, just as we do with adults, we view children as smart or strong-- exceptional. Also, as with adults, we forget to check in on the ones we think are okay because these characteristics adorn them. Check in. At every level, humans have individual human experiences, and sometimes humans, even our smart, strong, exceptional little humans, need those experiences checked on and supported. Cheryl Magazine contributor and resident Gen Zer Courtney Williamson shares a meaningful testament to learning to accept redirection in sustainable ways and offers the perfect example of the types of discussions to have with your teens and college-aged kids.

I

have always been a planner. I love lists. I love having a calendar and a schedule. I love these things so much that there was a point in my life where if I could have seen my entire future, every day of it, I would have wanted to. I found comfort in routine and safety in knowing what was next. No one knows when an event will take their life off the track from which they had hoped. I used to be terrified of that. If something unexpected happened in my life, I did not adapt. I panicked.

Since the age of seven, I’ve known what I wanted in life. I set my mind on becoming a pediatrician by my twenties. I then expected everything on the path of that decision to simply fall in line until the day I was to become a practicing physician. To my surprise, my life events did not fall in line, and they certainly have not made it easy to reach my goal of becoming a physician. Looking back, I realize that thinking was naive. On the other hand, setting the goal pushed me to work my hardest and do my best in all I did.

One of the first events that swayed my plan was not getting into the university I desired. I shed more tears than I thought imaginable, and I thought my life plan was ruined. After attending a different school for a year, I applied to my dream university again to get into the biology program. I did not get in, and it started to feel like I was meeting resistance at every turn. I enrolled under a different

major, health and society, and I embarked upon my transfer experience. The experience was a hard one. Thankfully, I had supportive roommates and began making connections, though it was easy to feel lost and misplaced at a school of 40,000 when my graduating class in high school was less than 100 people.

I viewed every issue I faced during the first year at my new university as a setback and took it to heart.

The way I viewed disturbances in my life was not sustainable or healthy, and I soon realized I needed to change my college experience. As time went on, I joined groups and took part in experiences that not only empowered me but also made me feel incredibly supported.

The more time I spent getting to know myself and what I valued in life, the more I realized that what I had once seen as resistance was actually redirection. I needed to stop trying to depend on my plans and force outcomes, and let what happens, happen. Don’t get me wrong, I still love my calendar and structure, but I have finally come to terms that I am not the one ordering my steps—the Lord is. I encourage everyone to realize that we can only control how we react and how we handle life. All we can do is hold true to our values and live every day like it is our last.

Courtney N. Williamson, B. A. Health and Society, The University of Texas at Austin College of Liberal Arts, Honors is coauthor of the Amazon bestselling books, The Success Factor and Soulful Prayers. Studious, adventurous, and fun-loving, Courtney says she’s just trying to have a good time on the planet. Connect with her on IG @courtneywillliamson, or email cwilliamson1360@gmail.com.

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The

Six-Gift Rule

Create a Legacy That Forever Changes the Way Your Child Sees Christmas

GIFT

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by Traci Henderson Smith

D

o you remember making a Christmas list as a child? Whether for Santa or straightshooting parents, that list always gave us hope. It was part of the joy of Christmas.

What items would make this list? Would they all, or would we be lucky enough to get just one? And which one? The mystery and intrigue of what lay behind all the colorful paper and perfectly wrapped boxes catered to our excitement. And then, lo and behold, it never failed, the one present containing the department store sweater that we didn’t ask for—where is the Barbie Dream House with furniture, toys, and accessories with six funfilled rooms where Barbie entertains that I wanted? Do you know what else never failed? Getting the coveted 100-piece toy assortment that had our attention for less than 24 hours before we returned to our favored, trusted stuffy, and that frowned-upon sweater coming through for the winter.

Not much has changed throughout the years. We’ve all seen this scenario play out time after time with children of all ages. What if you could stop this cycle, save money during what has become the most commercialized event of the year, redefine Christmas for your children, and begin your child’s journey to generational wealth by building a legacy brand?

You may be way ahead of me here and are one of the households that already live by the four-gift rule: something they want, something they need, something to wear, something to read. It’s a popular trend among large families and works wonders for many Christmas budgets. It’s also a way to bring clarity and stabilize expectations around the event. Your child’s list is concise, all the bases are covered, and disappointments reduced.

Something they want

Something they need

fulfills a heart’s desire and makes them happy.

Gifting children with something they want fills them with that long-awaited rewarding feeling that everyone deserves.

instills in them (perhaps over time) your desire as a parent to always make sure they are taken care of no matter the season. The ‘something they need’ gift can relate to any area of their life—academia, sports, hobbies, or personal.

Something to wear

Something to read

is pretty self-explanatory. But instead of the department store winter sweater no one cares about, this is your chance to be “super dope” in your child’s eyes with an age-appropriate, to-live-for item or ensemble that’s trendy and bound to be a hit in their social circles.

is where the magic happens. As a writer and long-time lover of expanding imaginations, I’m biased on this one. The ‘something to read’ gift is an opportunity to broaden your child’s horizons, introduce new information or concepts, nourish interests, and make ideas possible.

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But I said the six-gift rule, correct? So here’s the pièce de résistance—something they want, something they need, something to wear, something to read, something to fuel their passion, and an LLC.

Something to fuel their passion says you see them and noticed what they are deeply

interested in beyond the superficial things they think they want. The gift that fuels their passion speaks, investment in your child's wiring, and acknowledgment of the fine details of their creation and direction in which your child leans. This gift will warm their soul and come as the biggest surprise while simultaneously helping them discover their purpose.

And an LLC is where you change the game. Assist your child with starting a business motivated by their passion. Show your child that their purpose can turn a profit. Create an LLC, a business account, and establish business history. Create a separate personal account and set a determined allowance amount (loosely “salary,” more accurately, owner’s draw) for deposit. After a few years of business history, get them a business credit card to establish business credit. Allow both bank accounts to accumulate over time. Each year for the sixth gift, expand upon the business with new developments—products, services, or investments.

By the time your child graduates high school, they will graduate a boss with a thriving business, established business and personal credit, ready to enter the world without having to figure out their next move. The world will be their oyster, and eventually, they will be able to carry on this principle and create a legacy that teaches their children to do the same.

A lesson in legacy mindedness can break cycles, which is the greatest gift of all.

If you're going to live, leave a Make a mark on the world that can't be erased.

legacy.

- MAYA ANGELOU

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LOS ANGELES

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FOXXY WIZDOM

with Charmaine Roots Castillo

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Idiosyncratic Oath

If I had a penny for my thoughts, I would be rich beyond measure, in a monetary sense. However, the weight and value I often appropriate to the usefulness of those thoughts all too often draw me into a desolate place of impoverished solitude, alone and afraid of being misunderstood.

For most of my life, I have lived in that isolated place of thought. Quite comfortable in my introverted world, but as the seasons have changed, so has my desire to allow a more intrinsic flow of creativity.

My mother’s sage wisdom still speaks to me from beyond the grave – “The best help you will ever find will always be at the end of your own two arms,” she would often say to me, encouraging me to be more independent. Leaning into her advice, I made an idiosyncratic oath to make peace with myself and enjoy a greater level of comfort without the fear of judgment. It takes tenacity to push past the intimidation of self-judgment. But the more you peel back the layers revealing your unique way of being and doing and embrace every part of you being you, the more courage becomes available to you to keep moving in the right direction.

The morning after I took the oath, I woke up early, set an intention of normalizing my thoughts, vowed to journal what was noteworthy, and deflect all other unnecessary and unfruitful thoughts. As I sat on the patio enjoying an early morning breeze and gazing into the beauty of the sunrise, I rejected the intrusive thought that the sky was not necessarily blue and refused to entertain any self-inflicted argument about who ascribed to blue what blue would look like. I wiped my mental slate clean and quickly focused my unlabored attention on seeing how many times my name appeared in the bowl of Alpha-Bits I had just poured for breakfast. Charmaine LaFondé Roots Robinson Roots Valentine Roots Anthony Roots Castillo. There weren’t nearly enough Os in the bowl. I thought about starting over, using only Charmaine LaFondé Roots Robinson Valentine Anthony Castillo. In less than ten minutes into my morning, I was already about to board the roller coaster ride of fruitless self-judgment over a string of last names. Not to mention figuring out which protocol to use to eat the remainder of the cereal, alphabetically would have been the most logical choice, but does everything have to be logical? I caught myself slipping away in thought and quickly grabbed my journal. “Normalize eating Froot Loops color by color and normalize being you—quirks and all.”

Now that’s some Foxxy Wizdom!

Contributing Editor Charmaine Roots Castillo is a model, freelance editor, bestselling author, and creative writer who promotes hope, encouragement, and brighter perspectives. Connect with her on IG: @56silverfoxx or connect at CharmaineCastillo.com.

Photo Cred: YRS Photog raphy

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THE GENTLEMAN’S

WHAT WOMEN VOICE SHOULD KNOW

Reuben Chandler, owner of Reuben Chandler Photography is a former US NAVY Operations Specialist and current celebrity photographer. He is the husband of his friend and muse, gospel artist Damita Chandler. He and Damita are the creators of LUV (Loving Unconditionally for Victory), and LUVWORKS: M.E.D.S. - Marriage, Engaged, Divorced, & Single, a virtual marriage and relationship talk and touring multi-date seminar.

Connect on social media, IG: @ReubenChandlerPhotography, FB: Reuben Chandler.

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“SPACE”…Not “DISTANCE”

by Reuben Chandler

I

n an entrepreneurial relationship where a partner or both partners create their schedule(s), work a lot from home, or have the ability to spend extended amounts of time around each other, things can get a bit crowded.

By nature, women are nurturers. It’s normal for a woman to desire to be close to her man, take care of him, be there for him in the physical realm, and take advantage of every moment not being tied to a nine-to-five or other demands that pull them outside of the home. Men are a bit different. Men are hunters. We enjoy the pursuit and going after what we want, even within a committed relationship. We also, sometimes, go through spoutsand-bouts of wanting to be left alone. At times, men need space.

When a man tells a woman that he needs space, the woman sometimes hears it as he needs distance. That, however, is not at all what he said or meant. I want to clarify the difference between space and distance.

One definition of space is a continuous area or expanse that is free, available, or unoccupied. Sometimes men need a moment of continuous silence--a moment occupied only by them. This unoccupied moment may only be a matter of fifteen to thirty minutes. It could be a few hours or a day--some time to regroup, decompress, or even miss you.

Men are nowhere near better at multitasking than women. So when we feel the pressure of too many demands like the world is on our shoulders, what we need, is a little space. Sometimes, there’s just too much happening at once, and we need a timeout. We do not, nor do we desire to have the mental capability of knowing what to say at the drop of a dime. So, when we get confronted with 10,000 words an hour, we may just need space to figure out what exactly we need to say and how to say it. What happens in these moments is that some women get offended or afraid. DON’T. We’re not asking for distance.

Distance, defined as spatially remote or emotionally separate, is the amount of space between two things (or people). It means to make someone or something far off or remote in position or nature having very little connection with or relationship to. When a man says he needs some space, often the woman thinks he needs to be emotionally, spiritually, or physically separate.

Though, a desire for separation is not the case at all.

If we keep it real, men in relationships, most times, are lost without the woman of their life. We pretend to be hard, and we can play tough, but at the end of the day, we are softies that need and welcome the comfort of our mate. Let’s be clear. We need our women in our lives. We need emotional stability, and we need a woman’s ability to manage, especially when it comes to entrepreneurship. Speaking from experience, where would I be without Damita Chandler’s management of my life and career? Some of the best managers of any man’s career are women.

Here are a few tips on how not to get offended when your man says he needs space.

ONE

Give your man space without him asking.

Know when or practice discerning when a man feels crowded or suffocated. It’s not that he doesn’t want you around or that he doesn’t need you. It’s just that we men need more mental space to figure out our next move.

TWO

Go on a girls' trip.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with a woman wanting to spend more time with someone other than her man.

Men would implore you to have someone else that you can hang with other than them.

THREE

Give your man a reason to miss you.

Men are big babies. But at the end of the day, we want to have a reason to surprise you, to “wow” you, and give you a reason to love us more. Unfortunately, it is virtually impossible to do that if we are with each other twentyfour hours a day, seven days a week.

Yes, we need you, but we want to miss you as well.

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Affirmed /əˈfərmd/ verb

To state and accept publicly, assertively, and strongly as a fact.

Validated Authenticated Substantiated Upheld Supported Defended Confirmed Declared Empowered Authorized Woman.

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“My spots don’t define me because I am altogether beautiful, my love, and there is no flaw in me.”

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Vitiligo

Up Close and Personal

by Tonja L. Johnson I am a former Dental Program Manager of twenty-three years who oversaw four Dental Clinics and a staff of twenty-five. Currently, I work as a Kindergarten Teacher.

Not my final destination, but one stop along the way to the destination God has for me. I am married and a mother of one young adult daughter. I enjoy singing praise and worship music, traveling, and interior decorating. I have vitiligo.

I was forty-one years old when I noticed a small white spot on my leg. Not long after, more spots appeared on my arms and legs. As they grew in number, I decided to see a dermatologist who specialized and focused on skin conditions. Hearing the words, “You have vitiligo,” was devastating, and I wondered, “Why me? Why this disease?” Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease that causes the skin to lose its pigment, characterized by white patches. It is a chronic condition resulting in spreading whitened areas. Vitiligo affects one to two out of every one hundred people, equally affecting men, women, all ages, and races. Although it may occasionally progress rapidly, many people do not develop new or worsening areas for many years or even decades.

The cause of vitiligo is unknown at this time, but it is believed that those who have it have an autoimmune reaction that causes our bodies to destroy the cells in our skin that make pigment. Stressful events, illness, or injury to the skin, can trigger vitiligo. It can also run in the family. There is an association with other known autoimmune diseases such as diabetes, thyroid disease, alopecia areata (hair loss), and anemia (low red blood cells). Most importantly, vitiligo is not a contagious disease.

It has taken a few years to accept my vitiligo and embrace it. Learning to accept that I had vitiligo, but vitiligo did not have me, was the best thing I could have ever done for myself. After an unsuccessful search to find a support group to help with the mental and emotional roller coaster, I founded my own. The very thing that once brought so much pain now gives me a passion to inspire and empower others living with this disease. I no longer feel sorry for myself, but I can put all the negative energy into powerful energy to help individuals build self-esteem, focus on positive body image, and love the skin they are in.

I remember for about three years covering up by wearing makeup and long-sleeved shirts. I felt ashamed and did not want anyone to see my skin, but soon my hands started turning white along with my face. Being a darkskinned African American woman and being teased as a kid for such dark skin, I lacked confidence; my self-esteem slowly slipped away. Now, as an adult, to start losing the very color I worked so hard to love sent me into a deep depression. I remember how difficult it was to walk in the mall or go out to public places and see individuals stare and whisper. I have experienced cashiers not wanting to hand me my change or hesitating to give me my bag as if I were contagious or had leprosy.

I tried topical cream treatments, but it was expensive and not covered by insurance. After three years of battling creams, covering up, and living in the Florida sun every day, I stopped. I no longer wore makeup, and I quit applying the creams that were not effective. At this point, my vitiligo was aggressive, and I had lost over 85% of my color in a short time.

Tonja L. Johnson is the founder of Beautifully Unblemished, a vitiligo support group. For more, or to connect, visit beautifullyunblemished.com or follow Tonja @beautifullyunblemished on FB and IG.

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Repair. Rejuvenate. Soften. Tone.

Handmade from 100% all-natural products, using the freshest ingredients and the finest essential oils for smooth soft skin and a silky glow.

Bee Good to Yourself kweenbeesugarscrub.com

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Sisters and Self-Care

by Maria D. Flowers, MHA Systemic racism and implicit bias are hot topics as of late due to the heightened awareness of social injustices last summer. Government agencies have long recognized the impact of racism and discrimination on health and health disparities.

As black women, we are more likely to have health issues such as high blood pressure, obesity, or dying in childbirth than white women. While it is true that some conditions pass through genes, genetic diseases are often recessive (unlikely to pass down) and are very rare in their occurrence. So why are black women experiencing poorer health than white women? The reason: We are STRESSED OUT. Allostatic load is the clinical term used to describe the overall weight of life and constant stress. Black women have the highest amount of allostatic load among any race or gender class. The allostatic load considers all we go through in response to daily life events, our coping mechanisms, and the wear and tear on our physical and mental states. Poor eating habits, lack of sleep and exercise, drinking, and smoking lead to a high allostatic load. This dangerous state makes our bodies more susceptible to all types of ailments like depression, anxiety, high blood pressure, cancers, diabetes, and more. Racism and discrimination are common contributors to stress and all the poor health outcomes that come from it.

In October, Cheryl Magazine CEO, Cheryl Polote Williamson, sponsored and co-hosted with Malinda Williams and Kita Williams the RISE and SHINE Ladies Who Brunch event in Hollywood, California.

Celebrities and business leaders from across the nation gathered in the name of sisterhood. I had the fortunate opportunity to attend and found the time shared there a place of solace. I was born and raised in Inglewood, CA, near the event. I had traveled to the Los Angeles area to help care for a family member and just so happened to be in town to attend this event. For the few hours I was at the brunch, I had the opportunity to connect with brilliant women leaders. We prayed, laughed, cried, and empowered one another to be our best selves. I had plenty to attend to while in town, but for me, the event was a great act of self-care—one where we all poured into one another and left full of melanated womanly joy.

As you think about 2022 goals, think of all the things that may have you stressed out, and remember what you learned today about how stress impacts your body and mind. Take off that cape, put on your crown, and take some time out for yourself. Get some rest, take a walk, step away from the work, find some healthy ways to release the stress, and decrease that load. Take note of how you feel when your load is becoming too much to bear, and step away. Our Queens Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles are wise women. The stuff will be there when you get back.

Stop seeking validation from things outside of yourself and your Lord. Like Cheryl says, validation is for parking. You have nothing to prove to anyone.

Practice some self-care and lighten your load. And don’t forget to check on and in with your sisters.

Our ability to be vulnerable with one another is an empowering strength.

Maria has worked in the healthcare industry for more than twenty years in varying roles across the care continuum. She owns a boutique consulting firm where she speaks and trains national and international healthcare organizations on the impact of racism on disparate healthcare outcomes. Maria is the CEO of a nonprofit organization, Safer Healthcare for All, dedicated to advocating for patients and healthcare workers who experience discrimination in healthcare settings. She is currently completing her Doctorate in Education at the University of Southern California.

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ENTREPRENEUR SPOTLIGHT

Rosemary Oglesby-Henry From Turmoil to Triumph Breaking Cycles and Changing Destinies

by Traci Henderson Smith

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“I never wanted to be a mother because I felt I lacked a role model and personally could not identify with a person who I believed represented a great mother in my community.”

Award-winning leadership educator and speaker Rosemary Oglesby-Henry opens up to Cheryl Magazine in a tell-all emotional look into her life and journey. The teen mom turned founder and CEO of Rosemary’s Babies Co., a teen parent impact and advocacy organization with national and international recognition, went from a tumultuous childhood and life slated for hardship and struggle to own the number one teen parent support and resource institute in the Midwest.

“A fourth-generation teen mom, my mother, brother, sister, grandmother, and great-grandmother were all teen parents. I never wanted to be a mother because I felt I lacked a role model and personally could not identify with a person who I believed represented a great mother in my community. By the time I turned sixteen and became pregnant, I had been a victim of sexual, mental, physical, and emotional abuse brought on from family and myself. My father was addicted to drugs and periodically incarcerated throughout my teen years. My mother worked part-time. Forced to deal with her trauma, she often did not understand her role as a nurturer for her children. I lived in a hood that suffered from violence, drugs, lack of resources, and a community that in 1997 had a surge of teens who had become pregnant. There is an assessment, the ACES (Adverse Childhood Experiences Survey), which can determine the impact of negative childhood experiences. Later in my life, it was determined I scored a ten. A score of ten meant I was destined to live an adult life of struggle.

At seventeen, I gave birth to my daughter, Jaliah (her name meaning God lives within you). I had prayed for a daughter because I knew her father would not be in her life. I wanted to raise her with opportunities and privileges that I was not born into. I graduated high school at seventeen, living with a boyfriend and his family until I could get an apartment in income-based housing. Not wanting to sign over my parental rights,

all my options for my planned future were no longer valid. I lost my two scholarships to college and was no longer qualified to enter the military. I attempted to attend a community college, but the struggle to work full-time, find quality childcare, and the stress of being a single mother was a load too heavy to carry, so I dropped out. It was two years before I would get a job at the United States Postal Service.

At that time, it was hard. Being a teen single mother forced me to set aside my morals and pride to feed my daughter. Many nights my daughter would eat, and I wouldn’t because I did not want social services involved. We made it through. I would always tell her, ‘It’s just us two—me and you.’ My daughter, I called my blessing. I remember writing my goals in my senior yearbook to find her a father, buy a house that has love, and one day, have a son.

I also promised to finish school by any means necessary. [I wanted] to show my daughter that despite the obstacles, you never give up.

In 1998, I got that job at the United States Postal Service, and life changed for my daughter and me. We had become the upper-middle class. It was there that I would meet my then-husband (divorced 2021) and give birth to my son Qua’ron, my heart. I’d also become a homeowner at twenty-six, struggle with a debilitating illness, overcome a sexual assault, and work for almost seventeen years. I would complete my degree over eight years including two associates, a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies with a minor in Business Administration, and a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership degree.”

Now on the other side of the struggle and standing, for the first time, on stable ground— ground that through perseverant strength of mind she established for herself, OglesbyHenry made the life-choice to reach back. The generational impair of teen parenthood in her family needed addressing. More significantly, it needed to end. And it wasn’t enough to conquer the truth of her past and pave a way to better.

The mission would not be complete without also becoming a resource and aid to breaking the same cycles in the lives of others.

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“People praise my strength, not knowing that my resilience came from not having a choice.

Resilience was the difference between life and death. It was at the moments in my life when my struggles were so overwhelming, and I felt like taking my life, that I would focus on one day, supporting teen parents. I believe life should not be that hard, and it wouldn’t if there was support for these young moms and dads.

In the years leading to opening Rosemary’s Babies Co., there were times I worked two jobs and went to school. I missed so many activities, but the goal was to get my education. In a coordinated effort, my sister and brother, and I decided none of our six children would be teen parents, and they were not. We broke generational cycles of marriage, homeownership, and education. All our children have certificates or tech degrees; my daughter holds four degrees from Muskingum University.

Rosemary’s Babies Co. opened its doors in November 2016, but I conceived the organization before enrolling in the master’s program at Mount St. Joseph University. I spent two years researching change management, generational pregnancy, leadership, poverty alleviation, pregnancy prevention, and historical contexts related to teenage pregnancy and parenting. I found that there were no programs that directly supported the teen mom or dad post-delivery, and in Greater Cincinnati, there were no direct support resources for the teen parent. In fact, if a teen parent in Greater Cincinnati is homeless with their baby and under eighteen years of age, there is no place for them to go.

The government and organizations focused their efforts on pregnancy prevention and parenting skills. These parenting programs failed to teach the teen mom or dad life skills needed to become successful adults or support healthy transitions from child to parent and child to adult. The lack of coordinated services and support added to the associated risk of teen mothers sentenced to a life of poverty.

My goal was to create a program that would provide direct support for teen parents, moms, and dads and create policies locally and nationally to help remove barriers to their success or seeking help. Rosemary’s Babies Co. provides the necessary support for teen moms and dads ages nine to nineteen. Since 2016, we have served 1,243 families. The needs of these teen parents vary from crisis care, trauma-informed counseling, parenting classes, mentorship, food and clothing insecurities, transportation to medical appointments, and the greatest of these needs is housing.”

"We made it through. I would always tell her, 'It’s just us two— me and you.'

My daughter, I called my blessing."

Rosemary’s Babies Co. provides support teen parents would not otherwise receive from government organizations, communities, or families. Their mission is to help young parents master the concept of self-leadership by overcoming barriers and addressing their trauma. They aim to help each family, three generations: parent, child, grandparent, create a plan for their future. Oglesby-Henry further emphasizes her passion for this cause.

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family. I knew the path would not be laid in gold, I had walked through it myself at sixteen, but the barrier breakthroughs to expand our operation have been enormous. The first teen parent I served was pregnant and living with her boyfriend’s aunt. She was a foster-home runaway. Her father was abusive, and her mother was incarcerated. The aunt opened her home until the baby was born. The second mother I worked with lived with her grandmother. She was sixteen, the mother of a six-month-old, and pregnant with her second child. She was sexually and physically abused from age six. She had a childlike personality and saw things with rose-colored glasses, unaware of the difficult road ahead, perhaps because she only had a sixth-grade education. Over four years, I heard the stories of thousands, and our organization has tried to help each family that walks through our doors.”

Today, Rosemary’s Babies Co. is in partnership with Proctor & Gamble, Evenflo®, United Way of Greater Cincinnati, and more than 100 other agencies.

Awarded locally and nationally for BestIn-Class Programming, their impact caused decreased secondary pregnancies and infant mortalities and increased graduations. Providing a safe space, education, and financial support for teen parents and families in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana; the organization has been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, Ohio Business, and Cincinnati Magazine and is the Greater Cincinnati 2021 Nonprofit of the Year. Oglesby-Henry is currently seeking supporters and donors for the next leg of the vision. Yearly, homelessness among teen parents is at 35%, a third of the homeless teen population. In Cincinnati, for teen parents under the age of eighteen who become homeless, there is no place for them. Oglesby-Henry wants to change that with her next venture, Holloway House & Resource Center.

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“In 2020, the pandemic shook our organization and demanded we recognize the one support area our organization failed to focus on, homelessness.

A national lockdown left teen parents seventeen and under homeless and without supportive resources. Weekly, families, agencies, and young moms contact our organization seeking refuge and a safe place to call home, but there is none.

Their faces, voices, and stories sleep next to me at night. I carry them with me as I battle a community and work to overcome political barriers to acquire and renovate a facility where teen parents can seek education, resources, and supportive housing. Holloway House & Resource Center would be life-changing for the City of Cincinnati and the community. When I first entered the property known as The Rubel House, it felt like home. The high ceilings, the relaxing porch, and the quiet of the neighborhood are just what these girls and families need. The space would provide an outlook they would not otherwise have in the communities and unstable environments in which they dwell.

The one thing I want to do for teen mothers that I wish someone had done for me is, give them a sense of belonging—of family. I work to provide a safe space where there is trust, honesty, love, and dignity, and a place where they are not judged but provided an opportunity to grow and glow.

I want to build networks of support around each parent based on their needs. My long-term goal is to become an ambassador for teen parent initiatives working with organizations across the US to change the outlook for pregnant and parenting teens. My short-term goal is to expand our current operations in a new facility that would offer a state-of-the-art technology lab, a learning area for the children of teen parents that supports their preparation for head start and kindergarten.

These families give me a sense of hope, and while I am helping them, I am healing from my trauma.”

For more on Rosemary’s Babies Co. or to donate, go to www.rosemarysbabies.co.

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DALLAS | HOUSTON

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Empowered /əmˈpou(ə)rd/ verb

Given the authority or power. Made stronger and more confident, especially in controlling one’s life and claiming their rights.

Unleashed Unshackled Unchained Emancipated Enabled Equipped Certified Qualified Loosed Set free Woman.

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COVER STORY COVER STORY

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Kim Fields: Actor, Director, Producer, Author, Entrepreneur

A Rare and Quintessential Quintuple Threat

by Siobhan Davenport Kimberly Victoria Fields is a rarity in the entertainment industry and always searching for a new entity. Fields, an industry lifer with a celebrated forty-year career as an actor, director, and producer, expanded her range, adding author and entrepreneurship. Even so, the roles that make her most proud are wife, mother, daughter, sister, and woman of deep faith. Fields has been happily married for fourteen years to Christopher Morgan and is the mother of two sons, Sebastian and Quincy.

“My faith keeps me grounded and humbled in all things—my husband, kids, and my long career in entertainment. Believing in something bigger than my own existence has also given me [the] strength to keep pushing for more through curiosity, compassion, connection, and love. In those moments when I feel overrun by things in life, God is always on time to guide the way.”

Fields comes from an amazingly talented family, sharing the spotlight with her mother, acclaimed actress and director Chip Fields-Hurd, and sister, actress Alexis Fields. Fields’ breakthrough role at the age of ten was the iconic Tootie on the hit show Facts of Life, which aired from 1979 to 1988, making it one of the longest-running sitcoms of the 80s. The show quickly rose to NBC’s fourth highest-rated scripted series. Soon after, it became the highestrated comedy series and number two overall. Tootie was, and still is, not only a meaningful character to legions of her fans but also has special meaning to Fields.

“Tootie is an image of the wit, sass, and curiosity that many young ladies have. I love that she is a character [in which] girls from the time [the show] aired to girls today can relate. There are just certain things that transcend time, and the experience of growing up female and coming of age is one of them.”

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refre

Since starring on the Facts of Life, Fields has worked consistently in front of and behind the camera, only taking a break to attend Pepperdine University. There, she graduated in 1990 with a degree in Communications and Film. Following Pepperdine, Fields landed another iconic role, Regine Hunter, on the highly-popular Living Single, Fox's fourth highest-rated and ranked among the top five African-American sitcoms in all five seasons.

Although Fields loves the creative process of acting, she also loves the challenge of directing and producing. She has directing credits spanning fifteen years: episodes of Living Single, Nickelodeon’s Kenan & Kel and Taina, Disney’s The Jersey, Tyler Perry’s House of Payne and Meet the Brown’s, The Rickey Smiley Show, and the miniseries A Royal Birthday, among other acclaimed shows. In addition, Fields has produced several series for television: Vicious, All The Queen’s Men, and Lens On Talent, and the television movies: You Light Up My Christmas and A Royal Birthday.

“Directing and producing are so much fun because it gives me an opportunity to be creative in another way, especially directing.

Kim, the actress, gets to be in control of how someone delivers a line or [from] which angle we’re capturing the performance. Now, I’m Kim, the director!”

Recently Fields made history as co-writer, star, and executive producer of VH1's first-ever holiday movie, Adventures in Christmasing.

“YOU ARE SEEN. YOU ARE IMPORTANT. YOU ARE LOVED. YOU MATTER.”

"Adventures in Christmasing" has lots of rom-com type elements, but there also is a lot of danger, a lot of romance, and chemistry.

It's very VH1 style. VH1 has not gone into this original movie holiday space, and to be selected as the kick-off, is very exciting," Fields said in an interview with News5 Nashville, in the city where the musical score for the film was created.

The movie also stars Adrian Holmes, Kel Mitchell, Eva Marcille, and Jonathan Silverman. “I’m thrilled to bring all my naughty and nice to lead the charge for this epic creative moment for the iconic VH1,” says Fields. “Adventures in Christmasing is as fantastically unexpected and unique as this fire VH1 and MTV Entertainment Group is making for a wickedly cozy holiday season.”

resh

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“PRECIOUS. STRONG. NOT FRAGILE. NOT WEAK, BUT HANDLED WITH THE UTTERMOST CARE. PHENOMENAL GEM."

Photo Cred: Matt Sayles

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Over the decades of her entertainment career, Fields has lessons to share that can help empower other women.

“There are always naysayers and doubts of your own talent. So, of course, I’ve had moments wondering if this path would be a long one or always be the one for me. I can’t think of a singular moment that threatened my path. However, a little bit of fear is good because it keeps you motivated to stay fresh and to challenge yourself to new heights.”

Today, Fields stars on Netflix’s original, The Upshaws, along with Mike Epps, who plays her television spouse. It has been a rare breakout for Netflix, which has struggled to get traction with multi-camera sitcoms. The show, a comedy about a working-class family striving for a better life and happy home while juggling the everyday challenges blended families face, is in its second season and is attracting award attention.

Photo Cred: Blair Devereaux

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“AN EMPTY CUP CANNOT FILL OTHERS. TAKE CARE OF YOU.”

Fields has won numerous entertainment awards, including the prestigious NAACP Image Award.

However, she is excited about her breakout roles as an entrepreneur and author.

“For me, my passion doesn’t rely solely on entertainment. Some years ago, it was important to me to stretch my passion into other industries that I love, like my lifestyle brand, Refresh by KF, and the creation of my coffee brand business, Signature Blends by KF. These endeavors fulfill a part of me that’s always wanted a seat at those tables.”

Fields’ lifestyle brand inspires women and men to choose a journey of health & wellness for themselves, interior design, travel, music, style, and more, and honor the authentic them. Fields is on a mission to fuel personal growth in others by practicing gratitude and the privilege to learn and carry on healthy conversations, even in disagreement.

In 2017, Fields launched Signature Blends by KF in Atlanta, GA. Today, it’s a full-service wholesaler and distributor of gourmet coffee, teas, and coffee dryrubs. However, Fields cautions that there is no such thing as an overnight sensation and that it takes time to build, to impact others. She enjoys the challenge of running a business and views each challenge as an opportunity to “do something different, level up, or pivot.” Fields continues to innovate while listening to her customers, who she refers to as “Blended Family.” Next up for Fields is to expand the variety and format of Signature Blends, partner with corporations, and become the “official coffee drink.”

Fields shares with Cheryl Magazine readers the best advice that came from her mother.

“Don’t trust everybody with your dream and vision.

[Because] when keeping it “real,” people may diminish the fire in your belly for what God is calling you to do.”

Over the years, Fields received inquiries to write her story. However, it wasn’t until 2017 that she thought she knew herself well enough to write something meaningful and rooted in her faith. The book Blessed Life: My Surprising Journey of Joy, Tears, and Tales from Harlem to Hollywood, chronicles forty successful years in front of and behind the camera, as well as living, learning, and keen moments of selfdiscovery. Fields found faith at age fourteen and has found God to be right there every step of the way.

She hopes that her book inspires and empowers women to learn that no matter what their life looks like, with faith in themselves, they will foster the right support system, resources, and skills to live their own blessed lives. Fields commends Cheryl Magazine for doing the same--adding to women's empowerment, encouraging women to live fruitful lives, especially Black women, and at a time when it is most needed.

“Cheryl Magazine is setting a precedent for other magazines, black-owned and others, to always positively contribute to the Black woman who is not always seen or heard. It’s important to make space for the undervalued people of this beautiful country because our differences and experiences are what makes it beautiful.”

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"ALL IN MY THANKFUL FEELINGS"

-Kim

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I AM....

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Step Into the

AFFIRMED LIFE!

Y

our mindset can create in you the will and ability to do the impossible. It’s a skill set you must master. A positive thought can change your moment, your day, a situation, or your life. You just have to believe you deserve it. Positive thinking, self-empowerment, and daily affirmations help create and foster a positive mental attitude.

Affirming yourself is cleansing and brings clarity. You deserve to have the truth spoken over you continuously. Why not be the one responsible for what’s spoken over your life? Affirm yourself daily and see the difference it makes.

Join us and walk AFFIRMED in 2022.

Cheryl Magazine challenges you to speak these 12 Empowering Affirmations for 12 months starting January 1.

1.

2.

3.

4.

I am fearless.

I am successful, and my possibilities are endless.

Everything I set my hands to prospers and succeeds.

I am convinced of my vision, purpose, and mission, and I will not veer from it.

5. I am committed to pursue and achieve my dreams and goals.

6. I invest and manage my money wisely.

7. I am known for giving.

8. I am an asset to my family and a devoted spouse and parent.

9. My home is blessed and favored by God. 10. I live a life of peace, walk in love, and avoid strife at all costs.

11. I am fit, firm, and fabulous, and I’m in love with my body and myself.

12. I am beautiful inside and out, and I’m worthy.

Start a gratitude journal to capture each time you see fruit as a result of these twelve affirmations. We’d love to hear from you, so send us your testimonies at info@cherylmagazine.com.

All the best

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journal Gratitude

"I am being transformed by the renewing of my mind."

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Soulful Affirmations: 365 Days of Positive Thoughts and Lessons to Start Your Day The power of words can totally shift and reshape your life! Get your copy TODAY and join Cheryl Magazine as we close out the year empowered and step into the AFFIRMED LIFE! cherylpwilliamson.com $21.65

Welcome to our top finds for the year. Cheryl Magazine has collected a few of our favorite gifts to give and receive for the holiday. From positivity and inspiration, to relaxation, style, and beauty we have something you are sure to love.

LINĒIJ™ Discovery Accesory Case Make a purchase and give back. 100% of the net profits benefit The Huntington's Disease Society of America. lineij-atelier.com $ 150.00

Buy the book, get a journal FREE!

FRESH LIME MARGARITA MIX Are you looking for an organic cocktail mix? Look no further!

Lisa's Lemonade now offers assorted natural drink mixes. lisaslemonade.com 2 PACK - $30.00 $28.00

Kween Bee's Hello Sunshine Sugar Scrub Hello Sunshine Sugar Scrub is an all-natural, handcrafted scrub that exfoliates, hydrates, and radiates naturally beautiful skin. kweenbeesugarscrub.com $15.00 Cheryl Magazine subscribers get 20% off. Use code: BeeCheryl P. 7 0 | Cheryl MAGAZINE P. 7 0 | Cheryl MAGAZINE

PVO Positive Vibes Only Collection Surround yourself with positivity. danettebrown.com 15% Discount code: Journal15%

Queen Lavender and Rose Bath Soak Refresh, Relax, and Detox A loving smell of soothing aromas linger from the lavender essential oil infused bath salts. Blended with vitamin E, aloe leaf juice, crushed organic rose buds. tanyaandco.com and shesgotahabit.net $ 38.00 *Free gift with every order while supplies last.

Signature Blends by KF Cozy Clutch Sampler From Coffee to Cocoa this pouch offers a little cup of comfort for everyone. signatureblendsbykf.com $19.9 7

The Woman God Created You to Be: Finding Success Through Faith— Spiritually, Personally, and Professionally from New York Times Bestselling Author Kimberla Lawson Roby. Kimberla reminds us that when we trust and depend on God—heart, mind, and soul—He will empower us to do more than we ever thought imaginable. kimroby.com $17.99

Kimmy Kimono

by Diella Designs Someone say hot!

This kimono is a real statement piece. You’ll love its beautiful flow and elegance. Wear it as a dress or a jacket. Your style. Your way. shesgotahabit.com $135.00

dream well A drug-free, natural sleep aid designed to ease your mind so you can fall asleep within 30 minutes and get better rest. morelabs.com 12 bot tles - $ 35.99

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Kids Edition

Looking for fun, motivating gifts for your little ones this season? Choose the gift of positivity and creativity by selecting from our favorite gifts kids edition!

Goddess Food Factory Monthly Subscription Box Stimulate the love of baking and foster education through science, making edible goodies, and more!

This purchase is for a single ExS.T.R.E.A.M. Baking Kit Perfect for ages 4-14+. goddessfoodfactory.com $29.95

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KIDZMIC ACT 1 CD Want better for your kid and music that truly reinforces what you are trying to teach them? Music that makes them feel + believe greatness for their life? That says they matter? Do you want easier morning commutes and to send your kids off believing great things? Well, this CD can get you want you want.

It gets even better, every CD sale benefits scholarships for kids and schools! kidzmic.com $11.99

Every Girl is a CEO Inspiring new book, Every Girl Is A CEO! is an essential career and success guide by award-winning social entrepreneur, girls advocate, and mentor, Kelly Fair, founder and Executive Director of Polished Pebbles. Fair states, “My passion is helping girls dream and prepare for their future careers. I believe every girl can be anything she can dream of!" polishedpebbles.com $17.99

Give the gift of entrepreneurship to your budding mogul.

Book Gabrielle White, The A.R.C.H.Y. Creator, ARCHITECTURE REACHING COMMUNITIES HELPING YOUTH Most requested speaking topics: •Becoming a Kid Entrepreneur on a Shoestring Budget •ARCHY and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) •Using Social Media to Build Your Brand archycreator.wordpress.com

Ladybugz Cookie Co. 12 Pack Cookie Bundles Get the best in bake and ship! Twin girl dynamic duo, known to their parents as the ladybug good-luck charms, made the best of the 2020 pandemic and brought us Ladybugz Cookie Co. Purchase their 12-Pack cookie bundle. Choose one flavor or select any combination you like. ladybugzcookieco.com $ 48.00

Limited Edition Autographed Copy: Black, Brown & Beautiful Coloring Book with POSITIVE Affirmations and Stickers Girls confidence plummets starting at age eight!

Protect a young girls' self-esteem by introducing positive and self-affirming written affirmations from our bestselling Coloring Book. A portion of all proceeds go to charity partner who uplifts black and brown girl's self-esteem. sumerstrawbree.com $19.99

Ivy "Fairytale" Denim Jacket Medium/dark denim jacket with puff sleeve shoulder details. This jacket features an embroidered Ivy patch and "The STEAM Queens" logo across the back. $ 36.50 "Starlight" Glitter Tutu Vibrant layered tutu with LED lights, glitter, and stars.

The ON/OFF switch for the LED lights fit comfortably in a small plastic box and satin pouch found at the waistband. thesteamqueens.com $11.99 Play Pits Suga Natural Deodorant Inspired by kids, perfect for all ages.

This hand crafted natural deodorant was formulated with sensitive skin in mind and will keep your PITS funk-free ALLLLLL day! playpits.com $11.00

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TheArt of Gift Wrapping Adding a Customed Touch by: Erika Jones Purvis

Photo Cred: Heidi Pearson

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M

y mother always took such care in wrapping gifts. I would watch as she spent hours picking out the perfect paper and ribbons and then handwriting a special note. This memory has stuck with me over the years. As an event planner and designer, I know that presentation is everything, especially concerning the gifts you give. I try to get my clients to understand that wrapping your gifts shows the value and importance of the person who receives the gift.

After almost two years in a global pandemic, we are used to buying most of our food, household supplies, and personal items online. We've replaced hours in malls and department stores with hours scrolling online. We online shop for gifts for loved ones and then ship (futuristic Jetsons-style) to their homes. Though the “click and ship” style of gifting is convenient, it comes with the price of not putting the care and attention into your gift-giving presentation.

Here are a few tips on how you can create a memorable gift that your giftee can’t wait to open: Ship the gift to yourself first Yes, it may take a little preplanning, but ship the gift directly to you first. Then, wrap it and mail it from your home.

Look around You Wrapping doesn’t have to be limited to the store's selection of gift wrapping paper. Fresh pinecones, herbs, or even printed photos on paper, can be used to bring a creative element to your design.

Pay a little extra Some merchants do offer additional gift-wrapping services. Use them. It's better than just shipping it in a plain box.

Shop Small, Shop Local Shopping local helps small businesses grow. Small shop owners are also often willing to go the extra mile with wrapping your purchase if you let them know it is a gift for someone special.

Love Language Add a little handwritten message. Add the message before you wrap your gift, or you can find a creative way to write it on the back of the gift.

So, in this holiday season, try to make a special effort to kick your gift-giving up a notch by wrapping your gifts or having them wrapped professionally. The recipient will remember the extra step, particularly during these most trying times. It will let the giftee know how important they are to you.

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CUISINE

Let's Gather

Super Easy & Fun-to-Make Holiday Recipes to LIVE for!

What are the holidays without family, food, and fun, right? Okay, let’s be honest.

We say family because gathering around with the ones we love is a must. We say fun because, well, who doesn’t love a good party and some side-cracking laughter over a few crazy games. But if we tell the truth and shame the devil, we all know that if you want your shindig to go from good to great, then it’s all about the food and drinks. Nothing sends a party downhill fast like the food not being on point. At least if the DJ bombs, you can whip out your Smartphone playlist, but nothing can fix unappealing food for the holidays. It’s the kind of hurt that lingers. Here are a few can’t-miss recipes your family and friends will love.

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Deep Fried Turkey 6 quarts hot water 1 pound kosher salt 1 pound dark brown sugar 5 pounds ice 1 (13 to 14-pound) turkey, with giblets removed Approximately 4 to 4 1/2 gallons peanut oil* Instructions 1. Place the hot water, kosher salt and brown sugar into a 5-gallon upright drink cooler and stir until the salt and sugar dissolve completely. Add the ice and stir until the mixture is cool. Gently lower the turkey into the container. If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure that it is fully immersed in the brine. Cover and set in a cool dry place for 8 to 16 hours.

2. Remove the turkey from the brine, rinse and pat dry. Allow to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes prior to cooking.

3. Fill and warm oil according to your outdoor deep fryer directions. Once the temperature has reached 250°F, carefully lower the bird into the oil and bring the temperature to 350°F. Keep temperature at 350 °F. After 35 minutes, check the temperature of the turkey using a probe thermometer. Once the breast reaches 151°F, gently remove from the oil. The turkey will continue to cook and reach an internal temperature of 165 °F. Let rest for at least of 30 minutes prior to carving. *It is important to follow your fryer manufactures' recommendations. peanut oil has a higher burn temp so it is perfect for deep frying at high temperatures for long periods of time

Apple Cranberry Salad 2 cups of spring mix 1 cup fresh spinach 1 cup arugula 2 green apples thinly sliced ½ cup dried cranberries ½ cup sliced almonds 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds ½ cup gorgonzola cheese (optional) 2 lemons Avocado ranch dressing Instructions 1. Prepare a bowl with 2 cups cold water and 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice.

2. Wash apples and wipe dry. Slice the apples and put into the water and lemon mixture. Set bowl in refrigerator.

3. Wash and drain lettuce and spinach and put into a large serving bowl. Place into refrigerator until ready to serve.

4. 10 minutes prior to serving, remove from refrigerator and garnish with apples, nuts, seeds, and gorgonzola cheese.

5. Serve with Avocodo Dressing on the side.

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Avocodo Dressing

Instructions

1 large avocado, seed and skin removed 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, or sour cream 2 tbsp mayonnaise 1/2 lemon juiced 1 small garlic clove, finely grated 1 tsp fresh parsley 1 tsp fresh dill 1 tsp fresh chives 1 small shallot chopped Kosher salt and black pepper to taste ½ milk

1. Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium heat.

2. Using kitchen shears, cut top of lobster shell from meaty portion of tail. Using a knife, cut the lobster tail in half lengthwise through meat down the center.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together ingredients and set aside.

4. Brush lobster meat all over with oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

5. Grill flesh side down until lightly charred, about 5-6 minutes. Flip lobster, brush meat with melted butter.

6. Cover with lid and grill until just cooked through, about 3-4 minutes more.

7. Remove lobster brush with lemon herb sauce.

Instructions 1. In a food processor or blender, combine all ingredients except milk. Blend until wellcombined. Continue blending and add milk in small amounts to reach desired consistency.

2. Refrigerate dressing in an airtight container up to three days.

Grilled Lobster with Lemon Herb Sauce 1/2 cup melted butter 1 cup of Essie Marie's Lemonette Dressing ½ cup of heavy whipping cream 2 teaspoons of paprika to taste ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper ¼ teaspoon parsley ½ teaspoon garlic 4 medium to large lobster tails

Essie Marie's Lemonette Dressing essiemaries.com P. 7 9 | Cheryl MAGAZINE

COCKTAILS

Kicking off your holiday beverage menu, a must-have from the boss lady, “Cheryl’s Deluxe Frozen Margarita,” as published in The Get’em Girls’ Guide to the Perfect Get-Together.

Cheryl’s Deluxe Frozen Margarita Ice Cubes 1 10-oz can frozen Margarita drink mix (recommended: Bacardi) ½ cup + 2 tablespoons tequila (recommended: Petrón Silver) ½ cup + 2 tablespoons Triple Sec 6 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons orange liqueur (recommended: Grand Marnier)

Instructions 1. Fill a blender with ice and add the drink mix, tequila, triple sec, and four tablespoons of sugar. Blend until smooth and frothy.

Place in the freezer until ready to serve.

2. When ready to serve, dip the rim of each glass into the orange liqueur and then into the remaining sugar.

3. Pour the Margarita evenly into standard-size Margarita glasses.

Serve immediately. Sip slowly and enjoy!

Makes 4 servings. Feel free to use any of your favorite non-alcoholic substitutes.

Who doesn’t love a great Mint Julep? Here’s a quick and easy holiday spin on a traditional minty favorite.

Holiday Julep 2 oz. pomegranate juice 2 oz. cranberry juice 4 oz. bourbon 3 oz. mint simple syrup Mint leaves for garnish Frozen pomegranate seeds for garnish Mint Simple Syrup 2 cups water 2 cups organic cane sugar 2 handfuls fresh mint leaves 1 slice fresh orange rind Instructions

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Mint Simple Syrup 1. Heat water to a simmer and add sugar. Water does not have to boil. Stir the sugar until dissolved, and then add mint leaves.

2. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes or until the syrup is clear with a pale green tint. The syrup should not be cloudy.

3. Strain mint leaves and pour syrup into an airtight glass jar.

4. Add a piece of orange rind and seal jar closed. For a warm cocktail, let steep at room temperature until served. For cool drinks, place in the fridge until use. Syrup can be made a few days in advance and refrigerated. Remove rind

before refrigeration. Flavored simple syrup can keep for up to two weeks.

Holiday Julep 1. Warm or room temperature – combine all cocktail ingredients in a mixing glass and stir. Pour evenly into four glasses.

2. Cool - combine all cocktail ingredients over ice in a cocktail shaker and shake well. Pour evenly over ice into four glasses.

3. Add mint sprig and frozen pomegranate seeds as garnish and serve. With the warm version, cozy up near the fireplace or with your significant other and enjoy. The cool version is perfect for holidays in warm climates. Let the fun begin!

Makes 4 servings. Enjoy an alcohol-free version by skipping the bourbon or adding your favorite non-alcoholic substitute.

Need a fun and festive non-alcoholic holiday drink? This Candy Cane Holiday Mocktail is sure to become a family favorite.

Creamy Peppermint Martini Mocktail 2 cups half and half 2 12-oz. cans cream soda 3 tbsp. simple syrup 4-6 drops peppermint oil Candy canes Brown Sugar Simple Syrup 1 cup water 1 cup brown sugar Instructions Brown Sugar Simple Syrup 1. Heat water to a simmer and add sugar. Water does not have to boil. Whisk until sugar dissolves.

2. Whisk often and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes or until the syrup is smooth.

3. Pour syrup into an airtight glass jar and cool at room temperature.

Creamy Peppermint Martini Mocktail 1. Crush candy canes on a plate 2. Pour a little brown sugar simple syrup onto a separate plate. Remember to leave enough for your mocktail.

3. Lightly coat the rims of martini glasses by dipping them in the brown sugar simple syrup. Then, dip coated rims in the crushed candy cane.

4. Combine all mocktail ingredients in a mixing glass and stir.

5. Pour mixed drink evenly into candy-coated rim martini glasses and enjoy.

Makes 4 servings. Adults can add a little flare with their favorite non-alcoholic gin or vodka. This mocktail is also a beverage the kids can enjoy. Let them help make the drink, pour into a fun glass for children, garnish with a peppermint stick, and let the good times roll!

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DESSERT

Photo Cred: Heidi Pearson

Do you know how pound cake got its name? Pound cake is named for the weight of each ingredient needed to make the cake. Traditional pound cake requires exactly one pound each of flour, sugar, butter, and eggs.

Anything else is a variation, but this Ritz Carlton Lemon Pound Cake, variation or not, is a must try this holiday season!

The Ritz Carlton Lemon Pound Cake 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 Tbsp baking powder ¾ tsp salt 3 cups sugar 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature ½ cup shortening, room temperature 5 large eggs 1 cup whole milk 6 Tbsp lemon juice 1 lemon, zested

Instructions 1.

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray or butter and flour 2 loaf pans or one large Bundt pan.

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2. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into medium bowl. Set aside.

3. Using an electric mixer, cream together butter, shortening and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating Add dry ingredients in three additions to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition.

Mix in lemon juice and zest.

4. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Cool cakes in pans for 15 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely.

Make it festive and garnish with cranberries and fresh herbs

Queen Lavender & Rose Bath Soak The Luxe Queen Collection $38

Classic & Timeless Queen Crown Studs $25

Reign Candle $45 Luxe Gold Trimmer $21 Luxe Gold Snuffer $24

Gold Metal Candle Lacquer Vase $43

Luxe Comfort Slippers The Luxe Queen Collection $39

Choose you. Luxuriate for the holidays.

tanyaandco.shop

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TEN TIPS TO AVOID WEIGHT GAIN DURING THE HOLIDAYS There’s no need to suggest pushing back from the table this holiday season, especially when you’ve likely been saving your appetite precisely for this occasion. The holidays are when the bets and gloves are off, and we indulge.

Setting diets and meal plans to the side, nearly every day is a cheat day when the holidays are involved. However, this is what also makes holiday weight gain a common occurrence in many adults.

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Here are ten tips to help you manage your weight or perhaps avoid weight gain during this season altogether.

Water, water, water. Let’s just type water ten times and be done. Water is your friend during the holidays and beyond. In addition to the many health benefits, it helps you feel full faster and longer, and it flushes. Drink lots of water. Get as close as you can to a gallon a day.

1. WATER!

2. Snack wisely. If you know you plan to dig into all your comfort and

calorie-rich foods at mealtime, then don’t waste calories snacking on junk.

Snack healthy. Your better options are fruits, veggies, seeds, nuts, snacks with no added sugar or unhealthy fats, and snacks that are 0-100 calories.

3. Eat lots of fiber and fiber-rich foods such as vegetables, fruits,

legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. Fiber is nutritious, induces fullness, and is believed to reduce total calorie intake, which may help prevent weight gain. Fiber also normalizes bowel movements, maintains bowel health, lowers cholesterol levels, and helps control blood sugar levels.

4. Be active. EXERCISE. Some people believe working out or getting

cardio in before meals help with weight loss. Others believe exercising after a meal gives you more energy. Either way, be sure to EXERCISE. Burn those calories!

5. Sleep—A LOT! Telling you to sleep may sound counter-productive but get your sleep. While you sleep, your body heals, replenishes, and restores. Lack of sleep is linked to lower metabolism, which may cause weight gain. Plus, if you’re asleep, you’re not up eating.

6. Stress less. Stress tends to cause cravings. Stress also causes

increased levels of cortisol, a hormone that may lead to weight gain.

7. Use a smaller plate. The smaller plate trick works to help decrease portion sizes.

8. Avoid processed foods—boxed, canned, and foods containing

excess sugar, chemicals, dyes, and unhealthy fats. Processed foods tank any weight loss or maintenance goals and are overall bad for your health.

Try to eat clean, opt for whole foods, and cook from scratch.

9. Be mindful of liquid calories. Alcohol, soda, punch, and juice

with added sugar all contribute a significant amount of sugar and empty calories to your diet, which can cause weight gain.

Continuously weighing yourself during the holidays reminds you of your weight goals and helps you take action before crossing over into significant weight gain.

10. Step on the scale often.

Have fun this holiday season, eat well, live healthily, and laugh out loud.

LAUGHTER BURNS CALORIES!

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BUSINESS SENSE & SENSIBILITY

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The Power of Project Management Understanding what business consulting is and knowing the benefits it offers your organization helps you better understand process and product management. For the success of any operation, employing a business consultant is wise. General consulting assists with direction, critical decision-making, and strategizing to enhance the overall progress of an establishment.

A business consultant is an asset that helps a company or corporation earn success by providing professional insights, resources, and skills that serve the organization's objective. A consultant's skills and industry knowledge are valuable when a business owner or team looks to reap rewarding outcomes.

There are numerous ways a business consultant helps steer the success of your company. Skilled project management is one. With proper project management, businesses benefit from practical tools and techniques to help deliver a company’s desired value to their customer or client. Whether directly leading the work of your team to achieve an overall objective or suggesting and overseeing the progress of a selected project manager, a great business consultant guides this process from concept to fruition.

Project Conception Before an organization pursues a collective idea or course of action, it should first appoint a project manager as the direct point of contact. The project manager reviews the proposition and is solely responsible for considering its benefits, complications, costs, and achievement rate. A project manager will assess the proposal assuring alignment with the organization’s goals, budget, and timeline. As sole leaders in charge of project operations for any size business or corporation, project managers decide the likelihood of project plans succeeding. Their task is to determine if you should go through with the project by evaluating various factors influencing development, progress, and outcomes.

and deadlines. Strategic organization of the project’s components is necessary before execution. A skilled project manager will effectively guide the plan to successful completion.

Project Execution The project manager oversees the execution of the welllaid plan, taking command of the project’s operations from data analysis, documentation recording, scheduled team meetings, and member supervising to directing the workflow and managing connections with all involved, including investors and clients. The project manager will control the ins and outs of the operation, from problem-solving and people management to communication and collaboration. At every step, from every angle, the project manager is accountable for all project requirements and roles necessary for its completion. All projects, large or small, require a project manager’s proficiency for efficient execution and finalization.

Project Results With the assistance of a project manager, an organization in any industry or niche will benefit from employing a professional to manage and run its project.

Whether through in-house services or outsourcing, business consultants offer a worry-free approach to operational oversight, including project management of all conceptualizing, planning, executing, and effectively completing a project. A project manager is an essential element and plays a vital role in confirming requirements are met, expectations are fulfilled, and results are both positive and worthwhile. Assigning an expert project manager to a project is a practical strategy for any team that wants to assure success.

Content courtesy of Beech Hill Consulting Global IT, a professional business consulting services firm specializing in exceptional and creative care to help businesses prosper. www.beechhillconsulting.com.

Project Planning All project types require a solid plan. Regardless of the size of the business, organization, or project, a project manager will cover the necessary steps to plan and conduct the project, from establishment expectations to required resources, materials, contributors, funding, P. 8 7 | Cheryl MAGAZINE

THE LIST CHERYL'S FAVORITE RESOURCES

Knowing you ’re not alone in your business and that helpful resources to take your business to the nex t level surround you can be a relief. Here are a few of my favorites, from networking to funding.

Goldman Sachs 10k Small Business Program www.goldmansachs.com/citizenship/10000-smallbusinesses/US/#

Women’s Business Enterprise National Council www.wbenc.org/certification

If you apply, use Cheryl P Williamson LLC as a referral.

WBENC is also an approved third-party certifier for the SBA’s Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contracting Program.

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Lift Fund www.liftfund.com

Small Business Administration www.sba.gov

Assistance with loans, tools and resources to help entrepreneurs grow their business

The SBA has worked to ignite change and spark action so small businesses can confidently start, grow, expand, or recover.

The Walker’s Legacy walkerslegacy.com Walker's Legacy is a growing global women in business collective founded to establish networks of empowerment and access for women of color in business.

Minority Business Development Agency www.mbda.gov/who-we-are/overview The U.S. Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) is the only federal agency solely dedicated to the growth and global competitiveness of minority business enterprises.

Dallas Entrepreneurs Center thedec.co

Black Alzheimer’s Brain Study blackalzbrainstudy.com

The DEC Network is a 501c3 nonprofit organization driving innovation and economic impact by helping entrepreneurs start, build and grow their businesses.

Our mission is to create solutions for a healthier community.

DFW Airport Capacity Building Program Series www.dfwairport.com/business/opportunities/bdd/capacitybuilding/ As part of our commitment to serve as a catalyst for the growth of small, minority and women-owned businesses, DFW is excited to once again offer the Capacity Building Program series designed to provide business skills training and guidance on doing business with DFW.

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MONEY TALK with Roni M. Benjamin

I am a financial services professional committed to helping individuals and businesses build a solid financial house and leave a legacy for their children’s children. We would love to talk to you about your specific goals, help you construct your unique economy, and protect or improve your standard of living.

Roni M. Benjamin

Call or text (770) 685-5532

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Help Protect Your Standard of Living What can you personally do about the nation’s debt, higher interest rates, outsourced overseas jobs, corporate greed, and political scandal? When you pay too much attention to national or international economic news, you can find yourself making decisions that don’t make sense for your particular economy. What matters is managing your economy and stabilizing your financial well-being for you and your family.

Economists typically measure a person’s standard of living in the following degrees: luxury, comfort, getting by, bare necessities, and charity. Regardless of your level of wealth, comfort, needs, or material goods, two things affect your current standard of living: Income and Assets. If you were to lose your income, will your assets sustain your lifestyle, or will your quality of living roll downhill from comfort to bare necessity? It’s not always easy to ask yourself these questions. Sometimes it means admitting that you made a mistake or that you’re failing at handling your affairs now.

Nevertheless, taking personal inventory of your relationship with your money and the obligations of your household is a great place to start. Let’s explore some other factors that could put pressure on your standard of living: Disability rates increase due to population aging and increases in chronic health conditions, among other causes. Almost everyone is likely to experience some form of disability, temporary or permanent, at some point in life. A disability can affect how much income your household receives.

Income Taxes certainly impact economic growth in your home. When your income level changes, so do the amount of taxes you pay to the government.

Retirement is the point at which a person chooses permanently to leave the workforce. Most Americans retire between ages 67 and 75 and live off 60 percent of the income earned during their working years.

Death in a family can profoundly affect a person or family members for an extended period. The emotional stress caused can impact one’s ability to work or focus at school. In addition, there are financial burdens the family may face because of loss of income.

Inflation means your savings and fixed income lose purchasing power as time passes and the cost of goods and services goes up. For example, if the average annual inflation rate is three percent over the next twenty years, it will cost you $181 to buy the same items you can buy today with $100. As it pertains to purchasing power, this means that $100 today will be worth only $55.37 in twenty years.

Consider the following to provide a “wedge” that will help allow your family’s standard of living to stay in place no matter what happens: 1. Ensure you have disability insurance that you own independently from your employer to help supplement your income during your disability period.

2. Include tax diversification ideas into your investment strategies. The strategy of tax diversification can be used to help build wealth now and in the future. It’s a strategy that considers a variety of investment accounts you will eventually use for income after you stop working. A tax-efficient withdrawal strategy coupled with tax diversification could help your assets last longer in retirement and help you build wealth.

3. Your retirement plan should consider the following risk: unexpected personal events, long-term medical needs, financial needs to cover expenses, travel and outstanding liabilities, changes to Medicare and Social Security. Giving thought to such factors will allow you to create a lifetime of income with your retirement plan.

4. Death is never a comfortable conversation to have.

However, if the worst should happen and you don’t have your financial affairs in order, you’ll leave your loved ones with an emotional and financial burden.

Consider life insurance to cover lost income after you die. A good rule of thumb is to have enough life insurance to equal ten times your annual salary.

Speak with your financial professional to find the right coverage.

5. The most powerful way to protect from inflation is to increase your earning ability and income. A five percent annual raise, or a promotion that nets you a twenty percent gain, will combat inflation. Consider certifications and higher education to help increase your earning potential and consider investing in the stock market—specifically, investments that hedge against inflation.

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BenefitS of Hiring A Publicist

by Keaira English So you have a new and growing business, you built a following, and now you wonder how you can increase your visibility and connect with a larger target audience. If this is the space you are in, now would be time to consider hiring a publicist. Before investing, you should know what a publicist does and how hiring a publicist is beneficial to your business.

A publicist crafts and tells your story in a way that is compelling, relatable, and unique. They are responsible for getting your message out to the masses, which opens doors of opportunity and helps you gain more exposure for your brand or business. A publicist’s main job is to generate press coverage on behalf of clients and serve as the bridge between clients, their public, and media outlets. Creating interest is done by pitching your story to journalists, arranging interviews, developing media lists, and tracking media coverage.

Hiring a great publicist is an asset to your brand or business. Here are a few suggestions on how you can benefit from hiring a publicist.

Benefit #1: Brand Reputation: The reputation of your business is significant. A publicist adds polish to your brand to attract opportunities and new clients aligned with your values and objectives, ready to do business with you.

Benefit #2: TV Spot: Have you ever seen your business or brand name on television?

A publicist can help you secure a spot on television. Whether it's local or national exposure, this placement will introduce you to a new audience who may have never heard of you or your business.

Benefit #3: Staying Relevant: A publicist can help you or your business stay relevant by strategically implementing a 6-12 month public relations campaign. This campaign process consistently finds newsworthy stories to help keep you or your business relevant.

Benefit #4: Time is Money: Doing PR yourself can be very time-consuming. Taking on the task of building media relationships and connecting with your consumers takes an ample amount of time. Hiring a publicist frees up your time to focus on improving your image, business, product, or service, and allows more time for increased productivity.

If PR is not a part of your business strategy, it may be time to consider implementing a PR plan to complement your business. For more information on how your business can benefit from hiring a publicist, please reach out today at www.keconnectionspr.com. We look forward to helping you gain visibility and connect with your target audience.

Keaira English is CEO and founder of KeConnections PR Agency. Connect with her on Facebook: KeConnections PR Agency, Instagram: @keconnections_pr, LinkedIN: Keaira English, or go to www.keconnectionspr.com.

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STYLE MATTERS with Keri Henderson

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Wardrobe Tips for Your Next Brand Photoshoot One of the many things this pandemic has forced us to do is re-evaluate our lives and think about who we are and what we want to do.

Many have pivoted over the last year, and with a pivot comes an opportunity to shift and elevate your personal brand.

One way to do that is to take new brand photos used online (including your website and social media platform) to promote you and your business.

A lot of time and effort goes into choosing a photographer, where to hold the shoot, and the type of photos needed. Wardrobe is one part of the process that gets neglected until the last minute.

If you are planning a brand photoshoot, the same time and effort you put into finding a photographer and shoot location should go into selecting your outfits. If you’re feeling stuck, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

Fit is Key! Fit is the key to creating great personal style, and it helps you feel confident in an outfit. When you look good, you feel good, and that kind of confidence will shine through. Make sure you try on all of your photoshoot outfits before the day of your shoot.

Give yourself a few weeks to finalize outfits and try everything on. If you need to see a tailor, you’ll have enough time to have the alterations completed.

Realistic Outfits The outfits you wear for a brand photoshoot should represent you! If you don’t like wearing suits, you don’t have to wear one for your shoot. The outfits you choose should reflect your persona and showcase who potential clients can expect to meet if they work with you. Remember, this is your brand photoshoot, so never feel compelled to show up looking like anyone other than yourself.

Minimum of Three Outfits Your shoot images will be seen in several places: your website, your social media platform, press features, etc. Having multiple outfits will give you the flexibility to use the photos across several platforms, showcasing your personality.

Cher yl Magazine always enjoys providing amazing tips, hacks, essentials, and more from the amazing Keri Henderson, former L. A .-based celebrit y and personal fashion st ylist.

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Give the gift of a future to women who need it most.

SOUL REBORN, a Cheryl Polote Williamson 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that focuses on transforming the lives of disadvantaged, disenfranchised, and previously incarcerated women.

EDUCATION. DEVELOPMENT. TOOLS FOR LIFE AND BUSINESS. Helping women who struggle due to hurt, unforgiveness, grief, loss, or low self-esteem.

To Donate Visit Soulreborn.org

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“Every time I think of the relationship between my sisters and me, I thank my Mom and Dad for gifting me some of my best friends. Our shared experiences enhance the beauty of being Black women bonded in a way that is too big to be explained. You must have lived it to understand it.”

-Janice Bryant Howroyd, founder and CEO, ActOne Group

Collaboration, Not Competition Positive Black-Women Relationships

by Darraugh Butler & De Asa Nichols Like Ruth and Naomi in the Bible, De Asa Nichols and Darraugh Butler have vowed not to leave each other behind. Ruth tells Naomi, her Israelite mother-in-law, “Where you go, I will go, and where you stay, I will stay.

Your people will be my people and your God my God.” The story of Ruth and Naomi is special because it highlights the importance of loyalty and devotion. It also shows how being kind-hearted to others can bring you blessings in abundance.

When you watch through an altered lens of news and social media in recent times, you can find many positive

Black female relationships that are an exception. We are grateful for strong and determined Black women who have deep-rooted issues and come from unique platforms but epitomize what healthy and wholesome relationships should look like. Women like Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King, Jada Pinkett Smith and Queen Latifah, and Taraji P. Henson and Mary J. Blige have been great examples. The foundation of these wonderful Black women and their relationships with each other is like Ruth and Naomi--based on loyalty and devotion. Today, as friends and business partners, we want to share our own Ruth and Naomi story.

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Darraugh Butler I met De Asa Nichols in 1995 after assuming a role as the president of the Cincinnati Minority Supplier Development Council, an organization that fosters the economic inclusion of minority businesses. During my tenure, De Asa came aboard as the executive director of the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce Minority Business Mentor/Protege Program. De Asa and I hit it off immediately, and because of our passion and realism, became well-known as Black women business leaders in the region.

At the time, you could say, like Naomi, I was a matriarch and a forerunner in the diversity and inclusion arena. I had built a reputation for being an outspoken and formidable advocate for minority firms. In a male-dominated field, it was important to find Black women that shared and supported my vision.

De Asa is a driven professional with extraordinary poise and presence. She brought years of expertise in public relations and minority business affairs. Like Ruth, I found her to be determined, hardworking, and kind, and she became a trusted ally and business colleague. De Asa not only shared my vision but had an unsurpassed desire for helping Black businesses succeed, equivalent to my own!

We have supported each other throughout the years and became change agents to uplift an economically faltering community. De Asa had a saying I love that epitomized our objective for creating opportunities: “Business is about contacts that lead to contracts and checks that clear!”

It’s time for a shift in your life.

Life has it’s challenges we know, but navigating the journey is always better with a plan. Melanie D. Phillips, The Life Shift Coach, is here to help you start your new year designing a new you!

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The Life Shift Coach melaniedphillips.com | 262-302-0848

De Asa and I have worked together for 20+ years dealing with problems of diversity and inclusion. However, through many struggles, challenges, and tears, we broke down those barriers together. We have developed a strong connection and a lifelong friendship.

De Asa Nichols I have known, admired, and respected Darraugh for nearly three decades. Upon meeting her in the workplace, I felt an instant connection to a “sista-sista,” an “everyday woman” of God with whom I knew I could trust and be my authentic self. [As it] turns out, my discernment was right.

violence. I remember going to Darraugh’s home to support her with my presence, praying with her, and offering words of hope during that painful time.

We now work together as women business enterprise collaborators through our businesses, Darraugh Butler & Associates and Global Impact Group Solutions. As allies, we aim to redefine the model of what supplier diversity should be--authentic, valuable, diverse, equitable, inclusive, failproof, and profitable.

Our covenant to never leave each other behind makes our bond and friendship truly special.

Darraugh and I have continued our friendship, and it has evolved in different ways over the years. After leaving the nonprofit sector, Darraugh went out on her own as an entrepreneur while I continued as an employee within corporations.

De Asa Nichols is the founder and CEO for Global Impact Group Solutions, a consultancy specializing in supplier diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy, program infrastructure design, workforce education, and diverse supplier development.

However, our roles were still intertwined as I oversaw supplier diversity strategy and Darraugh was now consulting. Fortunately, I was able to refer her company for business opportunities, which she competitively won. I was living my motto: “Business is about contacts that lead to contracts and checks that clear!”

Darraugh Butler is the President of Darraugh Butler & Associates, LLC, a consultancy specializing in supplier diversity strategy, stakeholder engagement, education and training and process improvement.

Over time our friendship has endured life-altering encounters: tragedy, marriage, divorce, a recession, and career transitions. One of those changes came in 2003 when Darraugh lost her 18-year-old son Brandon to gun

Website: deasa.global LinkedIn: De Asa Nichols Phone: 513-476-3170

For more, or to connect: Website: dbutlerllc.com LinkedIn: Darraugh Butler Phone: 470-642-8888

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FOCUS ON MENTAL HEALTH with Tyreese McAllister

Tyresse R. McAllister, LCPC, CSOTP, CSOTP, CCTP is the owner of

Clinical & Forensic Associates, LLC located in Upper Marlboro, MD, serving the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area. She has nearly 30 years in emergency mental health. If you would like to connect, follow Tyreese on Instagram: @tyreesemcallister, or Facebook: Tyreese Mcallister.

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Gratitude

AN INGREDIENT OF HAPPINESS Most people strive to be happy, then happier, and then happiest. Many people believe they will achieve happiness when they have the things that demonstrate some form of success, such as a big house, an expensive car, or a stellar career. Most of us have grown up hearing, “money cannot buy you happiness.” My reply was, “they must not know where to shop.” I found, like many others, that despite achieving career success and accumulating many things, I was still unfulfilled, searching for the next big thing. I did not find my happy place until I became grateful for what I already had. Happiness cannot be found in the accumulation of things or the accolades from others, nor can it be achieved from extrinsic factors alone. This one key ingredient is already in you. It’s simple and yet profound at the same time—it’s GRATITUDE! [Self-help author] Melody Beattie said, “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.”

What is gratitude?

[German theologian and philosopher] Meister Eckhart said, “If the only prayer you say in your life is ‘thank you,’ that would suffice.”

Gratitude entails being appreciative, counting your blessings, appreciating small joys, and acknowledging all you get and, in some cases, what you do not get. It is learning to live life as if everything is a miracle; constantly conscious of being blessed. Gratitude redirects your emphasis from what is lacking in your life to the richness that is already available.

How does gratitude work?

Gratitude, in all its manifestations, is linked to pleasure.

Whether we express “thank you” to someone or receive it from someone else, the sensation is one of sheer happiness and encouragement. Expressions of gratitude aid in forming and maintaining long-term relationships, help us deal with adversity, and encourage us to rise above bad experiences with strength and determination.

How does gratitude benefit you?

1. Gratitude can help you feel better. People who express appreciation for the good things in their lives are happier overall, which leads to decreased rates of stress and sadness.

2. Practicing appreciation might help you become more hopeful. According to studies, those who express gratitude daily tend to have a more optimistic view of life.

strength by managing good feelings of contentment, happiness, and pleasure.

4. Professional dedication is strengthened by gratitude.

Grateful employers promote a more efficient, productive, and responsible workforce. Employers who practice expressing appreciation are more likely to get their staff to volunteer for more projects, be ready to go beyond to complete their responsibilities, and work joyfully as part of a team.

What are some ways to demonstrate gratitude?

A big step is to incorporate thankfulness into your daily routine, then practice it! Here are a few suggestions of ways to practice thankfulness to improve the well-being of you and your family.

1. Maintain a Journal. Begin and end each day by jotting down three things for which you are grateful. Writing things down is crucial because it gives you the time to be intentional with your gratitude.

2. Pray. When you feel overwhelmed with irritation or disappointment, pause and reset your mind with prayer.

Begin with being grateful for what you already have and what is going well, and then make your petition known to God. 3. Give back. Express your gratitude to individuals who do something for you. You can write a message, send flowers, or give a gift to show your appreciation.

What does the research say about gratitude?

Michael McCollough of Southern Methodist University and Robert Emmons of the University of California, [Davis] conducted a study on counting blessings versus burdens and gratitude’s impact on well-being. Findings revealed regular thankfulness exercises increased reported levels of alertness, excitement, resolve, optimism, and vitality.

Furthermore, study participants reported lower levels of sadness and stress, were more willing to help others, exercised more frequently, and made more remarkable progress toward personal objectives.

When you count your blessings, you will notice that you begin to enjoy simple pleasures and things you used to take for granted. Thankfulness is not only a response to receiving what you desire but rather ongoing gratitude recognizing the small things and searching for the positive, even in difficult situations. Begin bringing appreciation to your experiences now, rather than waiting for a joyous event to feel grateful. In this manner, you will be on your path to happiness and becoming a master of gratitude.

3. Gratitude helps to develop adaptive coping skills. In addition, it improves our emotional resilience and inner P. 1 0 1 | Cheryl MAGAZINE

AGING WELL

with Patricia Bailey, Caregiver Coach

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Being Fully Present for Aging well, gracefully, is a mindset that requires being fully present for the joy that helps make our life’s journey more memorable. Mastering this mindset is a process in which we can all partake and enjoy.

The word present is also a noun defined as something given—a gift. Our lives are incredibly busy, making it difficult to receive the gift of being present. We clock extensive hours on social media, at work, or while parenting and caregiving. Consider learning the art of and receiving the gift of being present by planning for joyful moments, lingering in the memory of those moments, and savoring and relishing joyfulness. To grasp, consider my ‘being present for joy’ story.

It was 1973, and I had given birth to my son, but I was in agonizing pain. The medications were not working, and the dosage that was to last for four hours was never enough. While staring at the clock and marking the time at 11:50, with ten minutes to go before my next shot, my mind wandered away from the pain, and I relished the earlier time I had spent holding my precious son.

I reflected on that sweet, adorable face, and his half-open hazel, golden-flecked eyes, and how he smelled so sweet and brand new. I chose to stay in that present moment reflecting on our time spent together – playing back our moments over and over again. I recalled and marveled at his caramel-colored skin, his cute little toes, holding his little hand, and his grasping onto my pinky finger as he nursed.

Taking a moment to glance back at the clock, it was now 11:57 and only three minutes till my next dosage of meds. For seven minutes, I had not realized any painful discomfort. I had traveled into the state I define as the gift of being present for joy. This process is God’s gift to each of us and so needed today.

Joy

Here are three tips for you to help master this process.

Plan for the gift of .

being present

Don't miss moments. Capture times that bring you joy and make you happy. Create a list of memories that promote euphoria—a state of happiness. Intentionally make time to enact a perfect recall.

Linger in the gift: Reflecting on and visualizing a fond memory is everything. Chronicle your visualization, noting delicate scents, the people, what was said, the laughter. Detail the surroundings.

Savor and relish

joyfulness:

Reimagine the details of your memory over and over, and if you like to journal, document being present there in the joy in vivid written detail. Use your curated thoughts to revisit these precious moments often.

Being present for joy is an ‘aging well’ mindset that will help all of us gracefully memorialize our precious life moments for years to come.

Pat Bailey’s ascension to caregiver coach, certified belief therapist, and certified dementia practitioner caps a 40+ year career in beauty care, having managed, marketed, and sold seventeen different brands to major retailers. A mother of one son, and grandparent to two, she is a weekend golfer, enjoys yoga, studies biblical history, and enjoys music.

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Parenting Tips for Great Family Fun During the Holidays

by Traci Henderson Smith The holidays are a joyous time for families to come together, reconnect, re-establish bonds, build upon traditions, and have FUN!

Holiday time is about more than just dinner on Thanksgiving, gifts on Christmas Day, New Year resolutions, or feeling special on Valentine’s Day. What better time to focus on shaping your child into part of the solution this world so desperately needs than the holiday season? And have a little fun to boot.

Thanksgiving

Start the Thanksgiving tradition, “my specialty.” Allow your child to choose a food dish they would like to see amongst the Thanksgiving spread. There are no real rules here. So, be open to something unorthodox. Just get creative. Guide your child in preparing the dish each Thanksgiving until it’s a perfected, expected, and welcomed mainstay. The lesson: while teaching your child to cook, you also teach the importance of family bonds, creating memories, and carrying traditions forward. More importantly, your child will feel like a valued contributor to one of the most joyous times of the year. Think of all the laughs and stories that will happen as a result!

Christmas

In the weeks leading to Christmas, engage your children with stories during family time. Share with them what Christmas means to you, and it is also a great time to teach philanthropy and the spirit of giving. Incorporate funny or heartfelt stories from your childhood. The lesson: while promoting family time and strengthening ties, children will learn that Christmas is about others and sacrificial giving. You will create moments that bring added warmth to the holiday.

New Year

Have your child set goals for the year, create a vision board, and start a journal. Yep, you guessed it. It’s affirmation time. You are never too young to speak positively over yourself and believe in the power of your words. Have your child write and speak daily P. 1 0 4 | Cheryl MAGAZINE

affirmations regarding life, health, access, and goals. The lesson: while crafting vision boards and decorating journals, you will also instill togetherness as a family, agreeing in faith, and the importance of igniting inner strength and power. Craft time is always a fun time. Here’s a chance to turn the simple activity into empowerment and awakening.

Valentine’s Day

This one is easy. Take your kids on a field trip. Allow them to hand out flowers to the underprivileged, shut-in, and underserved. This community of people could be homeless, in shelters, in nursing homes, or in hospitals. The lesson: out-and-about family time minus obligations and demands are always a refreshing plus. Add to it the message of compassion and grace, and your children will have a ball discovering the beauty of serving those who may feel unloved, lonely, abandoned, or forgotten.

The meaning of the holiday season just changed in the eyes of your children, and your little world-changers just leveled up with a message of gratitude embedded in their hearts. Seasons Greetings!

Here are some activities to do with your children that will help jumpstart your family’s holiday cheer and add joy and excitement to your season while becoming closer as a family.

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Create a handcrafted cornucopia for home décor.

Shop farmer’s markets for fresh items.

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Make a gingerbread house.

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Craft holiday ornaments.

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Make homemade gift-wrap.

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Make no-sew potpourri sachets.

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Make fresh herb candles.

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Challenge family members with a game of Word Find. See how many words you can find in I HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. The winner gets a prize!

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2022 New Years

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#GIRLPOWER

with Traci Henderson Smith

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BLACK, BROWN, &BEAUTIFUL So, let me tell you how affirmations work. It all started with a pack of Now & Laters...

excited to grant me the interview and had Lauryn’s information to me within the hour.

Well, wait. Let me back up to where this story began.

When sharing the theme for winter, “Closing Out the Year Empowered, Stepping Into the Affirmed Life,” it was then that I realized the magic of the connection and the beauty of what had taken place.

If you follow this column, you know that Cheryl Magazine takes great pleasure in highlighting and supporting girl bosses who are changing the world, starting with their own and that of those around them. Personally, it is my joy to promote these child-powerhouses alongside the sea of prominent women we introduce to our audience. That said, though I have several prospects in my mental Rolodex, I am always on the lookout for others.

So, there I was, scrolling through Facebook, and I saw my cousin in a picture with a young girl. He had just purchased coloring books from her and was giving her a shout-out on his page. I zoomed in to discover they were not just any coloring books.

They were coloring books for Black and Brown girls. The title: Black, Brown & Beautiful. The girl in the photo: Lauryn Jones, creator, author, and illustrator.

My cousin is a huge advocate of supporting Black-owned. He also has an eye for quality, and I trust his judgment. I immediately went to the website he posted, then took a quick look on her IG and reached out to my cousin to have him get her parents’ contact information for me. The next day as I was laying out the concept for this issue’s #GirlPower, I hit a snag and learned I would have to make an adjustment which momentarily left me without a candidate. Right away, I had the idea to reach out to Lauryn’s father. He was

“Aw, this is amazing. Lauryn says affirmations every morning,” her dad told me with enthusiasm. “And on her vision board, she has that she wants to be in a magazine.”

You can imagine the resulting warm-and-fuzzies.

“This is divine,” I replied.

“It is divine,” he said. “It’s definitely divine. The coloring book also includes inspirational quotes and affirmations,” he continued. An intriguing detail, I thought. One I had missed in my haste to locate this family and connect for a future issue, then on the pivot to plug them in for winter. My heart felt full. I was even more pleased to present Lauryn Jones, age twelve, a.k.a. SumerStrawbree, a professional digital artist, author, speaker, and business owner, to the Cheryl Magazine audience.

“I’m on a mission to inspire Black and Brown girls to improve their self-esteem with positive affirmations and positive self-imagery through my digital art,” Lauryn proclaims.

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and dedicated herself to her craft, spending hours online with tutorials and drawing nonstop.

“My first customer was a young Hispanic army sergeant who wanted a portrait in uniform. I showed her my Instagram and Facebook pages, she paid me, and the rest is history.”

Inspired by things she loves, summer and strawberries, SumerStrawbree is Lauryn’s chosen stage and brand name. She developed the brand after being harassed at school.

“SumerStrawbree, the brand, was developed out of the fact that I personally experienced being harassed at school. From about the 4th grade until the 6th grade, boys and girls would often say that my fingers were long. And they are. However, it still made me sad. My dad introduced me to affirmations, which rebuilt my selfesteem. We recite our affirmations every day at 7 P.M. after the evening news and [in the mornings] before I go to school. I believe it is important for kids to start early with written affirmations that can be read aloud daily.

The more they are read, the more a girl believes the affirmations to be true. Here are some examples: I love myself, I am loved, and I am beautiful! I want to always remind young girls that they are smart, sassy, talented, and magical. Being a princess and queen is something inside of them. It is not just based on a girl’s outward appearance.”

Lauryn takes a picture with each person who makes a purchase and posts them to her Instagram. The same kids that once picked on her now say she’s famous after seeing her work and popularity. “They no longer bother me about how long my fingers are,” she says.

With a Disney artist as one of the judges, at age ten and the only participant to use a digital medium, Lauryn won Master Artist for 9-12 year-olds in an art competition, among other contests and opportunities to showcase her work. The idea for Black, Brown & Beautiful came about after amassing a broad digital portfolio of Black and Brown girls. Lauryn became known for her coloring books after selling out and winning her first event and kid business expo in the summer of 2021. She did live drawings from her strategically acquired iPad Pro and wowed the crowd. Many people commented that it was a P. 1 P. 0 81 0| 8Cheryl MAGAZINE | Cheryl MAGAZINE

great idea to have a coloring book with positive images of Black and Brown girls and affirmations focused on uplifting young girls’ self-esteem. Following the event, a local farmers market extended her an opportunity to get in front of more families. Lauryn sells her products there. Since the expo, the Orlando Sentinel, Sanford Herald, Voyage Miami, and Central Florida’s Spectrum News 13 have featured her.

Lauryn’s 27-page coloring book of value for young girls also includes girls of different sizes and abilities.

“One girl has on glasses, one is in a wheelchair, and one has a prosthetic leg. I thought it was important to have inclusion for those that are often forgotten as well,” she says. [Because] we have a decent-sized base of white consumers, the coloring book has become a tool to teach diversity and inclusion. Some customers have mentioned that they have never seen a coloring book featuring black girls.”

The Black, Brown & Beautiful consumer base also includes Hispanic and those with ancestry from India.

Lauryn gives her father credit for the motivation behind her business.

“I started my business because my dad believed enough in me to invest in my present and future. He tells me that I am a boss and professional artist and that I don’t need to wait until I graduate then go to college for someone to validate me as a professional artist. He says from the time I began winning competitions, creating digital art, and accepting money for my work, I was a pro. We turned this into a business because he didn’t want me to work at a fast-food restaurant with this talent. What stood out to me was when he told me that kids are creative when they are young, but by the time they are eighteen, they are often overwhelmed at a job they don’t like. I found what I love at an early age. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I want to empower young girls like myself, help them feel accepted, and build their positive self-image.”

Lauryn also offers Black, Brown & Beautiful sticker packs and t-shirts in all sizes. Her new affirmations coloring book, Glow Up, can be purchased in English, Spanish, Creole, and Portuguese. Her digital art and coloring book course for ages seven to adult will also be available soon, and she’s looking to step into philanthropy.

“We are actively searching for nonprofits that uplift girls of color to donate to.”

Lauryn Jones is the perfect example of why we do GIRL POWER. She’s everything we love! When asked how she felt about being featured and what else she has on the horizon, she had this to say: “It is really exciting to be selected as a feature for #GirlPower in Cheryl Magazine. It gives me a great opportunity to not only share my story but also let mothers with girls know that they can encourage their young daughters to be great! I will look back on this opportunity and can only be grateful for the support. I look forward to one day having my books in Barnes & Noble bookstores, having a book signing at Barnes & Noble, traveling to major cities across the United States, meeting and speaking with other girls about creating affirmations and vision boards, having my art in blackowned businesses, and receiving an art scholarship. I’d like to meet and be interviewed by television journalist Adrienne Bankert of News Nation Now, and maybe I can meet Mrs. Cheryl Williamson one day as well.”

Well, Lauryn, meeting Mrs. Cheryl might be closer than you think. Just keep those affirmations flowing and that vision board before your eyes!

Now, to our readers, you’re probably thinking, but Traci, what about the Now & Laters? Ah, I’m glad you asked. So, my cousin was helping his daughter prepare Halloween baskets to gift her college dorm. We’re old school, you know, Lemonheads, Boston Baked Beans, Red Hots, and you guessed it, Now & Laters. He thought to himself, what’s a Halloween candy basket without Now & Laters?

SuperDad, he drove quite a distance to the other side of town, to the only place he knew that sold them. Across the street from the store was a farmer’s market. Curious,

he ventured to check it out and saw only one vendor in which he found interest. There was a little girl selling coloring books for Black and Brown girls. He bought two, took a picture, and posted it to his social media.

I’m working in a different city and state, and at the last minute needed a story on a young girl doing big things that fit our winter/affirmations issue. We connect, and I discover this young mogul lives by affirmations, says them twice a day every day, has a product promoting affirmations and a healthy self-image in young girls, and has on her vision board that she wants to be in a magazine. And THAT is how affirmations work. State your needs and desires. Claim them. Repeat it. Believe it. God knows how to shift the pieces, connect the dots, and make the unrelated, related to get you where you want.

Now, if that doesn’t make you want to pick up a journal, start a vision board, and step into this affirmed life, I don’t know what will.

Catch Lauryn speaking to groups of young girls about life-changing affirmations and vision boards by following @sumerstrawbree on Facebook or Instagram. “I was once afraid to speak in front of groups,” she says, “but my affirmations helped me to overcome that!” To book Lauryn or purchase products, visit sumerstrawbree.com.

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AUTHOR'S CORNER

Embracing Marriage Workbook

by Pamela Kendrick

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen.

– Hebrews 11:1, KJV Don’t ever stop expecting what God has promised.

If God has promised it, why not leave it to him to manifest it? In the scope of all things, he is still God and faithful to perform anything he has promised. Just think, is there anything too hard for God? Sometimes faith is challenged in ways we can’t seem to understand why we are even going through it in the first place.

So we start to question every detail of every decision to only find that we cannot stop those things that come to test the surety of our faith, but we can trust the God who is the problem solver.

“It takes faith in God for a marriage to work.”

Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he is a rewarder of those who sincerely seek to please him.

Whenever Eugene and I do seminars or conferences, we often remind couples that marriage was God’s idea.

-Excerpt from the book Embracing Marriage Workbook pg. 1 Pamela Kendrick, author of Embracing Marriage Volume One and Workbook, is the director of Embracing Marriage and a certified life coach for marriage and family, licensed evangelist, and radio host. Book available at Amazon, barnesandnoble.com, or www. embracingmymarriage.org. Connect with Pamela on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @PamelaKendrick.

Baby J and the Bully Adventure

by Dr. Janice Yancy

Baby J was so happy to see her mother at the school she quickly jumped in the car.

“Well hello Baby J, and how was your day?” Mama J asked gently. Baby J replied, “It was not a good day for me. I was bullied by this really mean girl. Her name is Mona and she took my snack money!” "Do you know why people bully others?" Mama J asked.

“Because they are mean and big,” Baby J replied in pain.

“No, sweetheart, it’s because they are hurting and that is the only way they know how to express themselves. Bullies do not feel good about themselves and they hide their feelings by hurting others. Next time, she comes up to you, offer her friendship. “ Mama J said.

“Friendship?” asked Baby J. "Yes, let her know you will be her friend and you will not be giving her any more money. I want you to stand up to her and be kind to her and let her know, she is better than that and bullying people is unacceptable, Mama J said.

-Excerpt from the book Baby J and the Bully Adventure, pg. 14 P. 1 1 0 | Cheryl MAGAZINE P. 1 1 0 | Cheryl MAGAZINE

Baby J’s® Adventure Stories presents Baby J and the Bully Adventure by Dr. Janice Yancy, available on Amazon.

Dominate! 7 Steps to Success for Single Moms

by Anissa Green Dotson

Are your finances funny? The saying “I’m dancing as fast as I can” just doesn’t give enough credence when life is giving you uppercut after uppercut, blow after blow.

After working a long, hard eight hours with only a few bites for lunch, I longed to get home, take off my wig, unwind, and take a relaxing hot bath. One evening, as I pulled into the driveway, counting down the seconds until total freedom, I hit the garage door opener, and nothing happened. I hit it again and the same response. Maybe the battery is going out, so let me get closer to the garage door, I thought. Again, there was nothing. Had the electric company actually disconnected me, even after telling me earlier today that I could pay next week? Wow, what heartless people to disconnect service during the cold Christmas season. Realistically, they could have cared less that my sixteen-month unemployment had me juggling money so much that I could have been a pro in Vegas…I began to improvise.

-Excerpt from the book Dominate! 7 Steps to Success for Single Moms, pg. 45 Anissa Green Dotson, speaker, money motivator, bestselling author of DOMINATE! 7 Steps to Success for Single Moms, is also founder of Single Moms United Organization and owner of Dotson Development & Construction. Her motto, “Pursue your purpose with passion, because your current circumstance does not dictate your future.” Learn more about Anissa at www.dotsondominates.com.

Heated: An Urban Dramedy

Souled Out Vol 2.: Inspirational Stories on Beating the Odds With Radical Faith & Prayerr by: Shameka D. Johnson

That evening Mike Sr. scheduled a meeting with the minister who would be presiding over JR’s services. I attended reluctantly because it would just be another in my face confirmation that my baby was…gone. Oh But God! I had been wallowing so in my loss and dealing with so much pain that I NEEDED this meeting more than I EVER could have imagined. It’s amazing what simple words can resonate with your being and how they can totally change your outlook. The minister reminded us that we would see our son again and what a glorious day it would be. My head had been down in protest of this conversation, but when he said THAT???

It breathed new life in me. It breathed new purpose into me. It breathed hope. It breathed familiarity. It breathed TRUTH!!!! A truth that I KNEW!!! At that moment, I now processed that my baby was in the best Hands possible. I knew that I would need to step up as the matriarch for my immediate family to be the one to move them from pain to hope.

-Excerpt from the book Souled Out Vol. 2, Chapter Title: “Finding The Strength To Go On,” pp. 195-196 Shameka D. Johnson is co-author of the Amazon bestselling book Souled Out Vol. 2 and the co-founder of the 501(c)(3), Michael L. Johnson, Jr. Foundation in memory of her son, which assists families affected by autism and pediatric seizures.

All book proceeds go to the Michael L. Jr. Foundation. Order your signed copy at mljohnsonjr.org. Connect with Shameka @mljjrfoundation on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, or email: Shameka@mljohnsonjr.org.

by: JC Gardner

I didn’t think I looked all that remarkable, but I knew how to fix myself up for a date, or in this case, a job interview.

Lord, if I had only kept my legs closed instead of being wooed by Antoine’s big dreams and broken promises.

At the time, I was twenty-six and still into the club scene, and that’s where we met. I knew he was from the streets, but I didn’t know how deep the streets were in him. He had so much promise—he was gonna quit hustlin’ and get a real job; he was gonna get his G.E.D.; he was gonna be a businessman. It didn’t help that he was six-foot-two of toned muscles, had smooth skin the color of deep chestnut, with chocolate eyes and a goatee. He had swag and an easy way about him, and he’d make me laugh out loud with his sense of humor.

But when I realized I was the one doing all the giving, I ended up paying the price in more ways than one.

-Excerpt from the book Heated: An Urban Dramedy, pg. 6 JC Gardner is an award-winning, bestselling author, international speaker, writing coach, and ghostwriter. She is passionate about using her God-given gifts to help aspiring authors bring their projects to life through the power of the pen. Purchase Heated: An Urban Dramedy on Amazon, or for an autographed copy, visit the BOOKS tab at www.jc-gardner.com. Connect on Facebook at AuthorJCG.

“I love the sound of the pages flicking against my fingers.

Print against fingerprints.

Books make people quiet, yet they are so loud.”

-Nnedi Okorafor P. 1 1 1 | Cheryl MAGAZINE

Souled Out Vol 2.: Inspirational Stories on Beating the Odds With Radical Faith & Prayer by: Lady Madelyn Patterson

My room was filled with medical professionals performing their duties in response to the CODE BLUE alert. My surgeon was busy working on me to clear out the T-Tube that was in my throat so that I could breathe. I recall him saying at the time, “I need some light!” Before I knew it, light was coming from all directions in my room. The nurses had turned on the flashlights from their phones. Even amongst the chaos in the room, a calmness had come over my spirit as I quietly laid in my hospital bed.

I could see dark figures against the wall, but could not make out any faces, only silhouettes-- calming and comforting silhouettes.

As the figures moved closer to me, I felt strong hands on my shoulders as if they were holding me. I felt safe. I saw myself in the bed with a group of nurses around me. I saw my body flailing and moving in distress. With everything going on around me, I consciously knew I was going to be okay.

An Uncommon Love: Our Love Story

by Anthony Gibson & Dawn Baldwin Gibson The year before was anything but common. I had broken free from a verbally and emotionally abusive relationship that threatened to become physically abusive.

It had become my mission to get my life back on track. I was working one full-time teaching position at a local community college, two part-time teaching positions at local universities on military bases, and three online teaching jobs as I was trying to save for a new home. My son was almost thirteen years old and it was my desire for him to have a house for his high school years.

A place to call home was so important for me. So, I was working hard!

I also was believing God for a godly mate. I was praying and believing. I was so tired and done with going through relationships that were not God’s best for my life. I was getting off the merry-go-round that led nowhere. I made the commitment that I would wait on the Lord. So, I began making decrees and declarations for a spouse.

-Excerpt from the book Souled Out Vol. 2 Chapter Title: “The Hole That Made Me Whole,” pg.183

-Excerpt from the book An Uncommon Love, pp 25-26

From the anthology Souled Out Volume 2: Inspirational Stories on Beating the Odds With Radical Faith and Prayer, comes the riveting story, “The Hole That Made Me Whole,” by bestselling coauthor Lady Madelyn Patterson.

An Uncommon Love by Anthony and Dawn Baldwin Gibson. Inquire at adgibsonconsulting@aol.com.

Book available at bit.ly/LMPsquare.

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TOO HARD TO BITE, BUT NOT TOO HARD TO LICK A Caregiver’s Guide

is the companion caregiver’s guide to Is My Lollipop in Heaven?, the social story about children experiencing various types of violence: school shootings, neighborhood violence, suicide, police shootings, and domestic violence, yet getting the help and support they need from a caregiver.

The guide equips parents, guardians, pastors, therapists, counselors and teachers, with helping children come to terms with the death of a loved one at the hands of someone else.

Tyreese R. McAllister is a licensed professional counselor and the best-selling author of the children’s book, Is My Lollipop in Heaven? She authored the book after the homicide of her daughter, Ayana Jazmyn in 2017. McAllister collaborated with Dr. Jacquelin Maxwell to write, Too Hard To Bite, but Not Too Hard To Lick: A Caregiver’s Guide, to support adults who care for children who have experienced violence and homicide.

Dr. Jacquelin Maxwell, DSL, CSAC, CCS, AGRMS is an author, transformational coach, and advanced grief and recovery specialist.

Available on

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Michelle L. Franklin Founder and Visionary Author

CLS

Reflection Academy is an accredited training institute of higher learning that trains and certifies various coaches. Specializing in life coaching and Christian counseling, CLS offers courses to teach management and organizational skills to equip coaches to manage their personal and professional lives. Our curriculum reiterates the importance of being empowered to not advocate from a place of brokenness and provides tools to help our coaches develop a coaching style that fosters client relationships of mutual respect and trust. Life coaching is a support service that enables change, and we train our coaches to lead their clients through a thought-provoking process that allows them to see whether they are progressing or procrastinating.

CLS also recognizes the importance of quality customer service to a business and offers training to individuals and corporations who desire to invest in the growth and development of this area.

Businesses don’t fail because of a lack of capital; they fail because of poor customer service. Your employees are responsible for selling your products.

At CLS, we endeavor to influence businesses to invest in their employees and the people they serve.

We train individuals and companies to cast vision, analyze their current mission plan, and realign their systems to generate the best possible attitude, service, and income.

Because of the high demand for coaches, CLS has produced an instructional book collaboration designed to give tips and bring awareness and insight to coaches and clients. This masterfully executed collection shares why coaching is needed and how it has helped others accomplish their goals. It also explores the many challenges coaches face. The CLS Coaching Essentials book will be a great addition to your library.

Michelle L. Franklin is the visionary and founder who birthed CLS in 2016 while recovering in a nursing home from open-heart surgery. There, she began to reexamine her life’s purpose and desire to make a difference in the world. CLS offers a variety of coaching products and consulting services created to help fulfill the mission of building a legacy based on morals, values and cultivating people skills.

CLS Reflection Academy, Incorporated Founder Michelle L. Franklin, Visionary Author of CLS Coaching Essentials

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www.theclsacademy.com cls@theclsacademy.com

Aleshia L .M. Brown

F rances Bailey

Marika Jankita (Hunt)

C hanise Gilliam

The Purpose Coach Empowermeministry16@gmail.com

The Powershift Coach Info@francesannbailey.com

The Recovery Leadership Coach info@marquitadaniel.com

The Fantabulous Pearls Coach Coachchanise@teamgilliam.com

Marquita Daniel

C havon Annette Thomas

C arolyn Green

Brianna Boomer

The Empowerment Coach Marquitadaniel@gmail.com

The Fire Leadership Coach Chavon.a.thomas@gmail.com

Life Coach collinsgreenc@gmail.com

Life Coach briannablive@gmail.com

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INTRODUCING...CHERYL MAGAZINE

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS

LOS ANGELES PAGE 33

COREY GUEVARRA (Los Angeles), Trinidadian American creative-hybrid and photographer extraordinaire, is owner, publisher, and editor-in-chief of 26 Men’s Luxury Magazine. The celebrity covered print and digital publication highlights the inspiring human magic and ability to turn thoughts into things via form (wellness), fashion, travel, art, and entertainment. As a visual artist he’s captured and worked with Kelly Rowland, Brandy, Monica, Mario Lopez, Malinda Williams, Terri Vaughn, Wendy Williams, Sherri Sheperd, Jeremy Meeks, Marcus Scribner, Jacob Latimore, Jay Ellis, Rutina Wesley, and countless others. cyoerphoto.com | IG: @cyoerphoto

NEW YORK | ATLANTA PAGE 38

REUBEN CHANDLER (New York, Atlanta), lover of natural light, is a published celebrity photographer from Amityville, New York. He has been featured in Ebony, Jet, and numerous hair, as well as lifestyle magazines.

You’ve seen his work on the album covers of some of your favorite artists.

He has also photographed Kevin Hart, Bill Bellamy, Comedian A-Train, Bishop TD Jakes, Bishop Noel Jones, Tasha Cobbs, Chrisette Michelle, Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, and a host of other celebrities, public figures, and notable pastors.

IG: @ReubenChandlerPhotography | FB: Reuben Chandler

DALLAS | HOUSTON PAGE 51

ERYK GROSS (Dallas, Houston), visual artist, is a content creator and a published freelance photographer. “At my core, I am an artist. Photography is my calling and the one thing that will undoubtedly drive me insane one day. I wrestle with every image I capture, until picture-perfect.”

Eryk specializes in headshots, portraits, boudoir, fashion, and event photography.

Erykgphotography.com | IG: @erykgross

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CHICAGO PAGE 69

HEIDI PEARSON (Midwest), is a leader in developing winning PR strategies, marketing campaigns and producing creative social media content, and as an avid photographer, Heidi is an expert at working closely with her clients to visually articulate powerful, and effective ways of sharing information across a diverse range of audiences. She co-founded Turquoise Media Group to pivot her longtime company- Pearson PR’s capabilities and transform the way people think of and approach pr strategy. Her aim is to grow an agency that creates value for brands in the real world. turquoise-m.com | IG: @heidipprc | @tmgmediagroup

ORLANDO PAGE 85

DAMON BARNES (Central and Northeast FL), a capturer of moments and documenter of life, is a freelance lifestyle photographer whose style is relaxed and whose specialty is natural expressions and raw emotions.

When he’s not taking pictures in his leisure time, you can find him grilling, making sure he has the best lawn in the neighborhood, or hanging out with his wife and two girls. Avid travelers, he and his family are just shy of all 50 states. Damon is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated and he resides in Orlando, FL. dlbphotographyfl.com | IG: @dlbphotographyfl

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