Nadine Roberts Cornish Caregiver Coach & Consultant
N adine Cornish is best known in Denver as a pioneer for caregiving related issues, a dedicated volunteer to the Alzheimer’s Association and the Colorado Black Health Collaborative (CBHC). She is the founder of The Caregivers’ Guardian, and coordinator of caregiving symposiums for area churches. During the past year she authored Tears In My Gumbo, The Caregiver’s Recipe for Resilience and launched a national campaign to raise awareness about the caregiving pandemic called, “Care-ocity” and co-founded with CBHC, the inaugural women’s health and empowerment event, Sistas Soaring. Over the past five years, Nadine has been providing education and consulting services to family caregivers; educating and raising awareness about dementia; and working with the CBHC on eliminating health disparities. Nadine says, “Being inactive is not an option. The path was laid for me by my ancestors and my amazing grandfather, Edmond St. Cyr. I have a responsibility to insure that I do my part and lead by example for those who will follow, for those who are watching.” “In the future, I’d like to educate and raise awareness around the world about the challenges faced by caregivers, the need for everyone to support the caregiver and for everyone to know the joy in the caregiving journey because sooner or later, we are all caregivers,” she says. She would like to be remembered as a woman who lived her life on purpose, with intention and passion. “I sought to identify a need and created avenues to meet those needs. And that I sparked a flame and illuminated light and love with every encounter.” Dr. Rhonda M. Coleman
Licensed Acupuncturist, WaterMama Acupuncture
Dr. Rhonda Coleman is a holistic health and well wellness education professional at the Healing Garden where she heal patients with acupuncture, herbs and massage. Her most notable contribution to the African American community over the last year has been the creation of a center for holistic health care and education, for us and by us, with a collective of professionals of color serving
people of color and the greater Denver community. During her five years of living in Denver, Rhonda’s practice is only two years old and her nonprofit has been active less than one year. She says, “I am a purpose-driven individual. I believe that I have been called to serve my community as a healer and educator, so my action is in obedience to that calling.” Rhonda says the biggest challenge facing the African American community is health – physical, emotional, mental and financial. “To resolve the issues related to our total health, we must change our lifestyles and our understanding of and around the topic. If we understand what it means to be healthy and what we need to do to be healthy, the improvements in ourselves will lead to family, community and social impacts on a grand scale.” In the future, Rhonda would like to see the model of The Healing Garden expand in other cities and communities across the U.S. She would like to change the statistics around the state of Blackness in this country. She would love to be remembered as a pioneer * in the return of our ancestral healing practices and someone who helped to uplift the Black community by promoting a culture of health. (271)
Shalonda Haggerty
Chief Executive Director, STAR Girlz Empowerment, Inc.
Shalonda Haggerty mentors, empowers and transforms the lives of female youth and over the last years has been providing a low cost after school empowerment program that supports the needs of young ladies emotionally, personally, mentally, physically and academically. Shalonda says “My passion is to see youth and families overcome obstacles that try to detour them from shining in their most vulnerable stage of development. By giving from the heart, I am able to be a positive role model, and assist in changing mindsets, revealing capabilities and stimulating visions and dreams.” She feels the biggest challenge for African Americans is we have moved away from the value of family. Our youth are growing up through the teachings of self, peers, and social media. They are crying out for stability and structure. They are seeking healing from trauma, abuse, and other issues that are causing a rise in mental health problems. Education is unimportant and they are in survival mode. We can fix these issues by supporting
one another through investing time, skills, and money into the present and future success of our youth, family, and community. In the not so distant future she says, “I would love to accomplish three things. 1) Being accepted and completing a doctorate program as a behavioral analysis 2) Open up a teen enrichment center that offers group and transitional housing to female youth who are victims of human trafficking, homelessness, or runaways 3) An opportunity to spend a day with Oprah Winfrey.” Shalonda says, “I would like to be remembered by the “family” legacy and the impact I leave my children and those who come after I am long gone.”
Tanya Diabagate
Founder and Managing Director, Femi Care Project
T anya Diabagate founded the Femi Care Project (FCP) in 2014. The Femi Care Project provides personal feminine care products and resources to women who are lowincome and living in transition. In September 2017, FCP hosted the Gathering of Her event and distributed new underwear and toiletries to more than 85 low-in-come and homeless women. In 2016, FCP held The Women of Valor fundraiser and provided personal care support for female homeless veterans. Tanya says, “I am a spiritual woman and I believe we all have a responsibility and purpose to aid those who are in need. I understand the feeling of exile of not having a voice and feeling invisible. I am in the business of restoring dignity by empowering women to be heard and seen.” “There are many factors impacting the Black community,” Tanya says. “We need to educate our people on what unity is and how we all can benefit from it today and tomorrow. We are living in the times of segregated nuances within the Black community. Self-preservation and insatiable consumerism is working to destroy our Black communities. It is time to build a unified culture by reaching across the generational and social economic.” Future plans include public speaking engagements, serving on, boards, panels and focus groups to educate and empower women. The Femi Care Project gives me a platform me to reach across color lines because being homeless or living in transition is not a Black thing but a human thing. “I want the Femi Care Project to be a house hold name.” Tanya says, “I
Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – February 2018
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would like to leave a legacy of servitude done right. Tanya completed her assignment…Well done…”
Tasha L. Jones
Director of Marketing, Forest City
T asha Jones is best known as being a consummate go-giver and connector. “I’m drawn to helping people, non-profits, and businesses build relationships within the Denver community,” she says. During the past year, she has placed increasing emphasis on introducing communities of color to housing opportunities in Denver’s 80238 zip code via community partnerships; providing MBEs with an overview of office space locations and redevelopment opportunities; and inviting high school students to participate in mock demonstrations. From 2009-2016, Tasha mentored a young, African-American girl named Shayna Tillmon through The Challenge Foundation program. During their seven-year journey, she helped Shayna navigate the dichotomy experiences of growing up in North Aurora and attending school at St. Mary’s Academy in Greenwood Village. The ultimate end goal was a path toward college, which she has achieved. Tasha says she takes an active role because, “I’m passionate about lifting people up along their journeys and I regard myself as a consummate connector. Always concerning myself with how I can help people get that much closer to their dream job, navigating their career path, continuing their education, or engaging in the community.” Opportunities for professional advancement and inclusion are the biggest challenges facing the African American communities. AfricanAmerican business leaders and community advocates should seize the opportunity to support each other in introducing opportunities for advancement, and not just keeping this exposure to growth opportunities to themselves. She believes in sharing these networking and professional development strategies. About her future she says, “After the Stapleton redevelopment is complete, and my role at Forest City expires, “I’d like to work for another local corporation that has a vested interest in community engagement and civic leadership.” About her legacy she says, “Tasha says, “I’d like to be remembered for how I listened and for my efforts to help people move in the direction of their dreams.” .