NGS
June 2019
Next Generation Speakers
Karina Brown INSIDE:
Getting To Know Yourself Also:
I Had To Face Reality
Dr. Kathy Barton-Brown
Building a Legacy, Turning Pain into Passion
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Contents Table of
Editor’s Note... In this issue of Next Generation Speakers Magazine, Dr. Kathy Barton-Brown opens up about what’s needed to turn Pain into Passion. We also take a journey into getting to know yourself. There is a personal lesson that I share when I was facing my Total Hip Replacement Surgery and so much more. It has also been incredible to see the response to NGS Magazine and the impact that it’s making around the country and around the world. With engaging articles, powerful features, and interactive content, NGS Magazine helps propel Speakers to their Next Level of Greatness. Your feedback is critical to the development of this dynamic magazine. If you have any concerns or suggestions about the magazine please don’t hesitate to contact me: Email: Cicone@ciconeprince.com
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............................................Editor’s Note & Table of Contents ........................Getting To KNow Yourself
............................................Build a Legacy, Turning Pain into Passion ................. Are You Climbing The Wrong Mountain Summit 2019
................................I Had To Face Reality
.................. The Anatomy of a Movement
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Cicone C. A. Prince NGS Magazine Editor
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Getting To Know Yourself Who are you? Often times when we hear this question our mind goes on either a long journey or maybe a relatively short one. Some people define themselves in a few words while others break out the PowerPoint or point to their facebook page. Whatever definition you use, we are going to take a closer look at it. Do you define yourself by the things you have? By the people you know? By the amount of money tied to your name? Or is you self-definition more internal? Do you define yourself as a caring person? An anger person? A selfless or selfish person? Are you define by one moment in your past or is you definition being updated every day? We soon discover that our definition is a mixture of both past encounters and present affairs. When Jacob wrestled with the angel in Genesis 32 There an interesting question posed by The Lord in the 27 verse. Genesis 32:27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. For those who don’t know, the name Jacob means Con-man, trickster, and swindler. He had defined himself by what other people had called him. He was living up to the name giving Him. I heard in a Tyler Perry play the quote, “It’s not what they call you, but what you answer to”. God then proceeds to change his name: Genesis 32:28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. God changed his name from “Cheat” to “Chief ”, from “Fraud” to “Faithful”, from “Jacob” to “Israel”. I know you have your own definition of who you claim to be, but does it line up with what God’s says about you? Homework: On a piece of a paper, write down everything about yourself, the good and the bad. Have someone that you know and trust evaluate your list and have then edit it as needed. Be honest. You can’t get the help you need by lying, especially to yourself. Next we are going to look at what God says about you in general and then more specifically.
~Cicone Prince 4
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Building a Legacy, Turn
Legacy is defined as anything handed down from the past as from an ancestor or predecessor; a gift, a tradition or birthright. This trilogy of passion started on June 10, 1941, in Idlewild, MI when a beautiful baby girl was born. Her name was Carole Ann. She was the 2nd child of Lee and Katherine Brown and the oldest girl of 4. She was a brilliant girl with a gentle sweet spirit. Her parents divorced when she was in elementary and her mother left to open her hair salon in the big city, Flint, MI. Carole and her siblings were left with their grandmother affectionately known as “Mother Vinie�. As the oldest girl, Carole became the secondary caretaker of her siblings. She had a knack for cooking and entertaining the children. Despite the heavy responsibilities, she maintained excellent grades. Eventually, they were reunited with her mom in Flint. Carole was gifted with great musical ability to play the double bass and she thoroughly enjoyed playing in the band at Northern High School. Her mother, Katherine, had built a successful and thriving hair salon that required her to work nearly 24 hours a day. Carole became the full-time caretaker after her maternal grandmother and maternal aunt both passed away. She now had responsibility of her siblings and oversight of 6 of her cousins. Despite the added responsibility, she continued to thrive in school and musically. While in her first year of college, at the tender age of 19, she met her husband to be, Henry. He was 13 years her senior and quite charming. He coaxed her into a relationship that resulted in her being pregnant. Afraid, she agreed to marry him with the thought that at least she would have financial security for her son, because Henry was employed by General Motors. Eleven months after giving birth to her son, she delivered a little dimpled face girl, Kathy, whom she named after her mother.
Dr. Kathy Barton-Brown 6
ning Pain into Passion
Carole was quite surprised to discover that her life had become a literal nightmare. Her husband had become an angry, violent alcoholic, who would go into fits of rage seemingly for no reason. Daily, he would come home from work, drink beer and fight. He became increasingly more violent, often throwing beer bottles at the wall causing glass fragments to fall into Kathy’s crib. Carole would silently pray as she picked the glass out her baby’s face. Ofttimes, he would return and “rough” Carole up as well. One dreadful day, he came home extremely irritated. He beat Carole and became so irate he went one step further. He pulled a sawed-off shotgun on her nose and cocked it! He sat there tormenting her for 8 hours before we were rescued by the police! She left with 2 babies, 2 bottles and 2 diapers... literally possessing only the clothes on her back. Traumatized, she had a mental breakdown and could not function for 6 months! Eleanor Roosevelt said, “Women are like tea bags, you never know how strong they are until you put them in hot water!” Carole slowly began to recover. She returned to college and started working at the local bus station as a bus driver. She worked hard and was very determined. Her passion and driving spirit were noticed by her superiors and she was the first woman to work in the garage, repairing the buses. She worked long hours but made the most of her time with her 2 children. Over the next 8 years, she would work as a paraprofessional in the school system, an inspiring Girl Scout Leader and a mentor for single mothers that lived in the public housing apartments that she settled in. She never disclosed that we lived in the projects, just that we lived in new apartments. Despite our financial challenges, she refused to allow us to see ourselves as “Project Kids” or to have “Project Mentality”! She bought a little red VW Bug, that she would load up with as many kids as could fit. Continued on page 12
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Karina Brown
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Continued from page 7 Every weekend she would take us on adventures and journeys. She became an Advocate for women who were in abusive relationships. Our home became known as a “Safe House” for women and their children. She took her pain and turned it into a passion to help others. Essentially, she allowed herself to forgive and heal. Once she experienced healing and self-growth, she made herself available to empower other women. She spent countless hours teaching women to cook, can, drive, shop, sew and budget. After 8 years of pursuing her 2-year degree, she finally graduated! She had made such an impact in the community that she was offered a job as a Caseworker for the local welfare office prior to graduating! She made history by being the first person in the history of our County to go from being on welfare to becoming a Welfare Worker! She turned to me that day and said to me “You must do at least one degree higher than mine” At the age of 10 years old, the challenge was given, and the Legacy of Education was initiated. She was the first to graduate with a college degree, so Education Baton was extended to me... I excelled in school and was considered “bright”, however I lived in the shadow of my older brother who was labeled as a genius. This was particularly miraculous as he was born in the 6 months of my mother’s pregnancy. He weighed 2 pounds and the medical staff was certain that he would not live. So certain, in fact that they wrote orders to stop feeding him. One nurse felt compelled to sneak and feed him. He began to thrive to the point that the doctors were astonished, and one declared that” he will be a fighter or a preacher because of his determination”. As I grew, I had a desire to work. At the age of 10, I started selling Avon in the projects. Deep within me, there was entrepreneur spirit that gave me visions of the nearly impossible. I was a dreamer and desired a canopy bedroom set so that I could lay back on my pretty bed and daydream about writing books and helping people. My mother was an incredible positive person. She supported every dream, desire and vision that my little soul could dream of. She provided cultural experiences and lessons of wisdom, joy and compassion. 12
I earned enough money in one summer to purchase myself a 10-speed bike as well as purchase a mini bike for my brother, Hank. Every summer, I worked to earn money to purchase my school clothes and anything else that I needed or desired. My jobs included sales, housekeeping, babysitting, bookkeeping at a local restaurant all before the age 14! I started my first “official” job as a Library Page at the age of 15 and bought my first car at 16. I volunteered to work extra shifts, which meant traveling to the out-county District Libraries. Despite my achievements, I held a dark secret close to my heart. I was molested at 3 years old, again at 8 years old and raped at 15! My pain was overshadowed by my desire to work. Truly, my tests became TESTimonies!!Years later, I would use my testimony to encourage so many men and women who have mishandled and wounded sexually. My drive to grind and make things happened was passed from Katherine, to Carole and then to me. LEGACY. I discovered that hard work was not a dirty word and there is no better feeling than seeing your labor result in fruit! I graduated with my Bachelor’s in Social Work degree on May 4, 1985 from University of Michigan. I was the first person in my family to graduate with a bachelor’s degree. My precious mother, Carole lived just long enough to see her dream and challenge come to fruition. She passed away on July 22, 1985. Knowing that her passion for education, empowering the next generation and helping others, had become an established legacy! I pursued a career as Mental Health professional, working with adults who had been diagnosed with a variety of personality and mental disorders. My approach of humility, compassion and genuine love was a recipe for success in the field. Much like my mother, I empowered the clients to be self-sufficient, to conquer their challenges and to be the best person they could be. I applied for graduate school and was rejected. I refuse to ignore the inner drive that was pulling me to return to school. I went straight to the top and met with the Dean of Social Continued on page 14 Work. 13
Continued from page 13 He inquired “why should I let you in this program?” I responded “Because God has shown me that this is my season to get this degree. If I don’t take advantage of this window of opportunity, I may never have another chance!” In the meeting he did not say whether he would let me in or not, but several days later I received my acceptance letter! I graduated May 4, 1993 with a Master’s in Social Work. I married a few years later and was blessed with 2 daughters, Kayla and Karina. Both girls were an answer to my prayer to be a mother. Kayla, who is now 20, is a beautiful psalmist, compassionate, and spunky Certified Nurse Aide. Karina is an artist who in her own rite has established herself as a self-taught visionary artist. She began drawing at 3 years old. It was obvious very early that she had an uncanny eye. She could literally duplicate anything that she saw. By the time she was 5 years old, we had to face a serious challenge. After 10 hearing tests, it was revealed that she had significant hearing loss. Although it was a devasting challenge, the one thing I knew was there was a purpose bigger than the challenge! I taught her to be resilient, to be educated and courageous. Daily, I remind her of how special, unique and gifted she is. She began to use her hearing aids to her advantage. If she didn’t want to argue with her sister, she would simply turn her hearing aids off! By the time she was 6, she was duplicating drawings of famous cartons like Mickey Mouse, The Flintstones and Bugs Bunny. She would challenge herself to make a better nose or to improve the eyes, lips and skin tones of her paintings. Because of her own experience of feeling “different” at times, she became passionate about individuals that were unique, like those diagnosed with Albinism or Vitiligo.
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For the past 2 years, she has perfected her gift of drawing paintings of those with Vitiligo and Albinism. Last September, she had her first Art Show. With over 100 people attending she sold 40 paintings. Her themes are Afro centric with a royalty flavor. She loves painting African Kings and Queens, African American families and African Angels. Her dream of being a vendor at the Vitiligo Conference will be actualized on June 21 when she will be a Vendor at the International Vitiligo Conference in Houston. She is carrying the 4th generation of the Legacy, taking pain and turning it into Passion. At the tender age of 14, she has established supporters from Africa, India, China, Russia and United Kingdom. As her mother, I am passionately pursuing my destiny to speak life to the masses, empower the down-hearted and inspire those who have lost their way. Like her mother, she is inspiring others through art, speaking to those who are discouraged and displaying an Overcomer Spirit. Our ancestor, Carole Ann, was our gift and inspiration. Our message: Your pain has purpose and when you use your pain to encourage others, you establish a legacy! Look at the big picture, learn the lesson then help others. That indeed is How to Build a Legacy by turning pain into PASSION!!! ~Dr. Kathy Barton-Brown
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I Had To Face Reality
Total Hip Replacement...
That’s not something that a 48-year-old man expects to hear from his doctor. But there I was sitting in my doctor’s office face with the reality of having a total hip replacement. Even as my doctor talked to me his voice faded into the background as I focused on the X-ray and saw that there was no cartilage between the ball and socket of my left hip. I could still hear him talking but his words didn’t have my full attention as I looked at the X-ray and noticed that on the ball there were tiny bone spurs. These spurs are what made it difficult for me both to sit down and to get up. Have you ever been faced with reality and didn’t like what you saw? Have you ever been faced with a situation that you couldn’t just wish away? Have you ever had to look life straight in the face and take it as it came? Well, this was the reality that I was faced with. I was going to have to make a decision. Either I was going to have the surgery or I was going to stick my head in the sand and hope things got better. Of course, I did my research on doctors and I talked to several people who had the exact same surgery. One of them was my father. He had both of his hips replaced and he was doing fine. Now before you try to figure out if bad hips are hereditary I really don’t know. The one thing I was sure of was that the activity limiting pain that I was facing has to come to an end. I did, however, find comfort in testimonies of past patients and their words reassured me that I had chose the right physician. But even with all of that I still had to make a decision. I had to DECIDE to have the surgery. My doctor wasn’t going to come to my house and arrest me and take me to the hospital and force the surgery on me. I was going to half to TAKE ACTION. 16
I don’t care how hard the choices that come your way you have to first face them. Downplaying a situation just to feel better about won’t work. The wishing thing isn’t the way that they are won’t cut it either. There are times in life when you have to go in “Eyes Wide Open” in order to properly prepare yourself for the possible outcomes. You can’t fix what you won’t face! So what about the things in your life, your business and yes even your health. In order for you to do anything with them, you have to acknowledge and address them. I know a lady that had knee problems and was in need of surgery. She had been given all of the data and had gotten several opinions about what the best course of action. She faced it, but she didn’t take action by having anything done and it lead to more health i ssues.
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Don’t allow your fear of the unknown to keep you from doing what is best in the long term. There is a quote that says, “Some people would rather live in a know Hell than explore an unknown Heaven.” ~ Unknown Some people are so comfortable with the status that anything that disrupts the status quo becomes the enemy. By the time some people are ready for surgery they have compounded more issues that require more decision and more money. Lesson: So the first Lesson is “You Have To Face Reality” ~Cicone Prince 17
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