Ra l e i g h , N o r t h C ar o lin a ( 919 ) 4 1 0 - 6 8 1 2 www . di a mo n d d iv am ag .c o m Happy New Year Ladies and welcome to 2016! I am so excited about what this year has planned for all of us Diamond Diva Women. Just like in years pass Diamond Diva Magazine is all about shinning a light on women doing great things in busine ss, their communities and in ministry. Throughout this last year many changes have taken place and the magazine has began to evolve into something that is amazining and ever changing for the good of all women pressing their way in business and in life. As always these women are business women, mothers, women of God and tru ly Diamond Diva’s to the fullest defintion of the word. Thank you for coming back with us for another year and for your continued support, it really means alot to us both. Renee Dawkins
Disclaimer: Diamond Diva Magazine is published monthly. Any reproduction of any part of this publication without written permission from the publisher prior to doing so. Diamond Diva Magazine does not accept responsibility for st atements made by individuals featured or advertisers. Comments concerning this publication should be submitted to the editor by email at info@ diamonddivamag.com Diamond Diva Magazine’s publisher, staff and other persons involved in the creation, production or delivery of the magazine (in whatever format) or it’s content, do not assume any liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any information provided in the magazine, nor shall they be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or punitive damages arising out of the magazine.
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Fash i o n Gu i d e f o r Y ou r B ody Type Opal : A s wi m me r’s bo dy ; broad s houlde rs an d n arrow hips. Ny g a r d ’ s a d v i c e is to wear c l o t h e s t h a t de-emphas i ze y o u r sh o u l ders and add c o n to u r to your bottom h al f to balance your fi g u r e . J a c k e t s that ci nch at th e w ai st, and then flare o u t, c re ate the illu s i o n o f c u r v y hi ps . Choose dark e r c o lors on top to n a r r o w y o u r silhouette, p a i r e d w i t h l ow-ri s e pants w i th si de pocket deta i l i n g o r f u l l , pri nted s ki rts.
T han ks t o t h e fa sh io n in d ust r y ’ s o b s e s s i o n with young, wai f - t h in m o de ls, r ea l w o men al l o ve r t h e c o un t r y a r e sa dd l e d w it h g u ilt a s t h ey st r ug gl e t o sq u e e z e in t o t h a t elus i v e s i z e 0 . B u t when it comes t o w o m e n ’s c lo th in g , t h e key t o f e e lin g b e a u t iful is ch o o s i ng pie c e s t h a t a r e n o t o n ly f as hio n a b le b u t co mfo r t a ble, too. K n o w i n g y o u r b ody type and c h o o s i n g t h e r i g ht clothes that c o m p l e m e n t y our body are t h e n e x t s t e p s t o this process. I ns te a d o f c la s s ifyin g w o men a s “ a p p l e s ” o r “curvy,” the C a n a d i a n w o men’s clothing l i ne – N y g a r d – lo o ks beyo n d t he s e r u d im e n t a r y la bels a n d s t r i v e s t o t r e a t women like u ni q u e j e w e ls. Pet er Nyg a r d , t h e c o m p a n y ’ s founder and chai r m a n , st r ive s t o d esig n a f f o r d a b l e , h i g h - q uality fashions f o r t o d a y ’ s r e a l women: the e m e r a l d s , d i a monds, opals and p e a r s. F o llo w t h ese fa sh i o n ti p s b a s e d o n your unique b o d y j e w e l:
Emeral d: A boyi s h s hape wi th shoulders the same width as the hips and an undefined waist, Nygard recommends that emerald’s get curvy — w ea r cl othi ng that s i mul ates a n hourgl as s s hape by em ph a sizi ng your s houl ders and hips. Look for jackets that have strong or wide shoulders that make your waist appear sma ller, or a peas ant bl ous e t h a t c reates s hape and i nterest o n top. Rel y on bel ts to pul l the eye inward — wide, skinny o r a nywhere i n between. Dia m ond: N atural l y wel l proportioned shoulders and hips with a small and defined waist. Diamonds should seek o ut cl othes that fol l ow that basic frame and keep the sh o ulders and hi ps bal anced. F o r ins tance, V -necks , s weetheart and scoop necklines that square off the shoulders w ill fl atter a di amond’s col l ar bone and neck. Opt for fitted blazers instead of boxy, as well as full, pleated, A-line or pen c i l s ki rts wi th a wi de wai s t ba n d.
Pear: Like i t ’ s n a m e , a pear-shaped b o d y w i t h narrow shoulder s , a d e f i n e d waist and a fulle r b o t t o m a n d hi ps . A dd bal anc e by c re ati ng wi der s houl de rs, h i gh l i gh ting your waist a n d p l a y i n g down your botto m h a l f . W e a r texture on top to c re ate vo lume and i nterest, al o n g w i th dark col ors bel o w th e w ai stline. Boot-cut p a n t s m a k e hi ps l ook s l ende r by bal an cing hip width to h e m w i d t h . Mos t i mportantl y, th i n k ve rti cal: Knee-length p e n c i l s k i r t s wi l l hol d curv es i n . For more s tyl es an d ti ps f o r your body jewel , vi si t w w w . nygard.com. Be c o m e a f a n onFacebook.
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www.diamonddivamag.com What the devil meant for evil God turned around for our good. I had the distinct honor of meeting this wonderful woman over 5 years ago at an event that she hosted. Our paths would cross again but in a way that people thought would destroy what God had planned for our lives. Since that time our relationship has grown immensely into a sisterhood with a bond that is unbreakable, so it is with great honor that my diva spotlight for this month is none other than Laticia Nicole Beatty, the woman who speaks life into the lives of every person she comes in contact with. Laticia is a native of Detroit Michigan who has established roots here in North Carolina. She is an award winning author, motivational and inspirational speaker, the Executive Director at a long term care facility and faith coach. She is the CEO of Speak Life Enterprise LLC which she has had the pleasure of running for 5 years now. When asked what her greatest accomplishment about her business was she stated with gr eat pride, it was that she was able to help 5000 families have food for Thanksgiving consistently for the past 3 years, “I was once without food and to be able to bless other families in their time of need is priceless, Just like God blessed me and my family.” Laticia Nicole Beatty is a highly sought-after motivational speaker philanthropist mentor and always a work in progress. Her public speaking platform Speak life has allowed her to motivate o thers by simply speaking life into dead areas that cause people to feel broken and angry. Her strong desire to empower promote self-awareness and self-esteem throughout the communities at large has allowed her to create the nonprofit organization professional Divas Incorporated, “The term entrepreneur does not describe who I am, I am a giver and an inspiration leader too many, what motivates me is helping women and men develop consistent devotional habits and transforming their daily affirmations into the life they deserve”. She is a wife, a mother, a daughter, a friend, a sister. She is a thre e-time award-winning author and she states very humbly that she is always a work in progress . Laticia states that her inspiration and driving force is to complete her assignment, “The word of God says, I am to run my race in such a way that I will win so I plan to complete my assignment o n “purpose”. Her other driving force is her children, “I never want them to feel rejected or go thru any of the hurt that I’ve experienced as a child”. Talk about the love of a mother. Her love for her boys and her over all family is priceless and one any woman should be honored to follow. K nowing that in anything you do, you ha ve inspirational people that are always there to cover and push you but also give you great advice. I asked Laticia what was the best advice she had ever been given and by whom and this is what she had to say, “The best advice that I have been given was from Pastor Rose Thomas, my Spiritual Mother. She tells me to rest in God. I am always on the go and as I read the word of God I’ve learned that even God rested on the seventh day. I appreciate her for her sound advice”. Anyone that knows Laticia knows that she spends a lot of time at the beach. She says that she finds refuge there. That is the only time she says she seems to stop thinking so much and appreciate what the Lord has made versus, what he wants her to do. During the time that I have known her, I’ve come to know her as a very strong woman, fearless and wonderfully made, so when I asked her to share with me something about herself that people would be surprised to know, she had this to say, “I used to be afraid to speak in front of people, I remember when I ran
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for Miss Freshman at Livingston College, when It was time to speak I hid off campus. I was so afraid to speak in front of a crowd. I didn’t believe in me. But God had his own plan”. Learning this about my sister was tru ly a surprise. When I see her I see a woman with such confidence that she makes me believe that I too can do whatever it is I seek to do. We are always looking for those young women looking to sore and take on the world. Laticia was asked, if approached what advice would she share with a young woman just starting out or have a desire to go into business but has no idea what to do with her hopes and dreams? Her answer was very simple, “I would first tell them to write the vision and make it plan enough for someone to pick it up and run with it. I would also tell them to block the nois e of negativity. The closest you get to your destination the louder the noise of negativity gets. Keep moving towards your dreams”. In closing I know oh too well that yes we have learned so much about Laticia Nicole but I know there is so much more to her. Here is just a little more to the Diva who speaks life to us all; La’Ticia Beatty, RN, BSN, MBA, NHA is a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator with more than 10 years of long-term care experience. In her current role as Executive Direc tor with Pruitt health¬ Carolina Point, La’Ticia provides oversight for financial operations, clinical operations, human resources, customer service, and marketing. La’Ticia obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Winston ¬Salem State University. She received her Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Phoenix. In addition to her role as Executive Director, La’Ticia is a motivational speaker, author, independent business owner, and founder of a non¬profit organization, Professional Divas Inc. La’Ticia resides in Durham, NC with her husband and two sons. Awards and Recognition: ● Executive Director of the Year Award ● Leadership of the Year Award ● Best Management Team by Ownership ● Most Customer Focused Team by Ownership ● Most Improved Operations by Ownership ● Silver and Bronze Award * Humanitarian Award , Two time Best Sel ling Author, Three time Award Winning Author. www.LaticiaSpeaklife.com Face Book: Laticia Nicole Instagram: LaticiaNicoleSpeaklife Twitter: Laticiaspeaks So if you did not know her before now, you can now say you do… Her name is Laticia Nicole and she Speaks Life!
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A s hl ey N . Keyes i s a Georgi a grown c h e f w i th a pas s i on for feedi ng fami l i es ! Si nce 2 0 1 0 C h e f Ke y e s h as been as s i s ti ng the Center Hel pi ng Obe si ty In C h i ldren End Successfully (C.H.O.I.C.E.S . ) w i t h c o o k i n g demons trati ons and s ummer camps. A t th e sam e time, she completed her studies a n d g r a d u a t e d from the Le Cordon Bleu College o f C u l i n a r y A r t s in Atlanta, Georgia. In year 2013 sh e w a s s e l e c t e d to parti ci pate i n a 4 month hos pi tal ity an d c u l i n ary i nterns hi p at Di s ney Corporati on i n F l o ri da. S h o rtl y thereafter, Chef Keyes became th e O pe rati o n s Manager for The A tl anta B read Com pan y k i o sk o perated by CA MM Conces s i ons at the A tl an ta Harts field Airport. Never slowing down, s h e i s a l s o t h e owner of Keyes in the Kitchen, a bou t i q u e c a t e r i n g company that s peci al i zes i n creati ng h e al th y re c i p e s f o r c o r p o r a t e a n d fa mily even t s. T o l earn more about Chef A s hl ey N . Keyes go to: w w w . Ke y e sInT he K i t c h e n . c o m S h a n e a ’ J a n t e l l Ramsey launched Jantell’s Events a n d C o n s u l t i n g i n August of 2012. Growing up in t h e sm a l l t o w n of Deland, Florida she acquired he r p a ssio n a n d skills fo r w ed d in g co o rdi nati on and f lo r a l d e s ig ns fr o m h er g r a n d mo t h er, mother and a u n t . S h a n ea ’ co upled w h a t sh e l earned w i t h h e r a b i l i t y to plan, coordinate, problem s o l v e a n d d e s i g n in order to birth a business that w o u l d t a ke t h e st r ess o ut o f even t pla n n i ng l eavi ng o n ly h a p p y , h ea lt h y a n d lo n g - la st in g memor i e s f o r h e r c lie n t s. T o e n s u r e h e r b u s in ess flo ur ish ed S h a n ea has col l a b o r a t e d w i t h many companies in the Southeast U n i t e d S t a t e s . S hanea’ is dedicated to making e a c h e v e n t a s u ccess. Her work is backed by many outstanding reviews and awards. S h e h a s w o r k e d a l o n g s i d e m a j o r networks and companies such as TLC and 365Black.com. Shanea’ is co n s t a n t l y s e t t i n g ne w s t a n d a r d s f o r h er busin ess a n d sh e i s not afrai d to rai s e the bar on hers el f. S h a n e a ’ i s a f i r m believer in giving back as well as paying it forward. In the last year, sh e h a s l a u n c h e d “ T he P la n n e r P r o ject . ” T h is is a men t o rs hi p program i n the areas of weddi ng and eve n t pl an n i n g to h e l p o t h e r a s p i r i ng event planners get their start in the industry. Shanea’ is walking in h e r G o d - g i v e n p u r p o s e o f r e s t o ring hope through women empowerment. Her newest venture, “She’s a B e a u t y a n d a B e a s t , ” i s d e s i g n ed to advance women in business, ministry, family, education, health a n d c o m m u n i t y . Shane a ’ r e s ide s in t h e Met r o At la n t a a r ea and l ooks forward to the bri ght future ahead o f h e r. Bonita Parker, Chief Executive Of f i c e r o f B o n i t a Parker Enterpri s es i s a Maryl and nati ve an d mo th er of two. She holds a Bachelor of A r t s d e g r e e i n B us i nes s A dmi ni s trati on and encompasse s e x te n s i v e bus i nes s management and ma rk e ti n g i n si gh t, as well as over 15 years of experien c e i n t h e e v e n t pl anni ng i ndus try. Her pers onal i ty i s harmoni ous wi th th e o rgan i zati o n al demands of an entrepreneur. Meldi n g h e r c o rporate background wi th her entreprene u ri al m i n dse t, B oni ta s ucces s ful l y manages the day - to - day o pe ra ti ons of B oni ta Parker Enterpri s es , as w e l l as o ve rse e the development of her mentoring a n d c o a c h i n g entity for women, Life is Business.
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A hu g e a d v o c a t e f o r individuals turning their passions and favorite pastimes into a successf u l c a r e e r , Bon i t a c u r r e n t l y s i t s on the Board of Directors for the Women Walking in their Own Shoes F o u n d a t i o n (WW I T O S ) – a f o u n d a tion on a mission to assist women with maximizing their personal and pr o f e s s i o n a l grow t h t h r o u g h e d u cational training programs designed to strengthen the skills and abilitie s i n w h i c h they a l r e a d y e n c o m pass and enabling them to become leaders within the community. Sh e h a s a l s o in co r p o r a t e d h e r o w n ed uca t io n w it h h er years of experi ence, and dev i s ed a 6 -week ac c e l e rate d c oac hi ng p r o g r a m w h er e sh e men t o r s in d ividual s on the i ns and outs of s tarti ng your own eve n t pl anni ng b us i n e s s a n d in co r po r a t in g pr o ven busi nes s -bui l di ng s trategi es that wi l l generate busi n e ss su c c es s . After s u cc e ssf u lly p lan n in g a n d execut in g a mul ti tude of ev ents for l ocal entrepreneurs and c e l e bri ties, B o n i t a r e a l i z e d that within her lied a deeper passion. She used her expertise in even t p l a n n i n g to cr e at e h e r o w n p la t fo r m t o a d vo ca t e fo r the ov eral l s ucces s of women. In 2 0 1 5 , B oni t a maste rmin d e d T h e B e a u t e ’ Bar, a movement designed to encourage women to live in their authe n t i c t r u t h s to a c h i e v e a h i g h l e vel of life balance and success by honing in on their inner beauty attri b u t e s a n d usin g t h e m a s t h e i r g ateway to living a successful life. In 2016, she founded her non-profit e n t i t y , T h e WJP F o u n d a t i o n , i n h onor of her son who was assessed with autism spectrum disorder. Her f o u n d a t i o n serv e s a s a c o m m u n ity advocate and provides resources and support for children with a u t i s m a n d deve l op m e n t a l diso r d er s. Coa c h i n g P r o g r a m s : - Li f e i s Bu s i n e s s - T h e 3 Pillars to Living a Successful Life Prod u cts & B o o ks - Bu s i ne s s B e y o n d t h e Ba sics: H o w t o G r o w , Mai ntai n, and Sus tai n i n your Indus try (Sept 2 0 1 6) - Ar t i f i c i a l B e a u t e ` : Th e T r ue Bea ut e` Ben ea th the Surface (June 2 0 1 6 ) - Your E ve n t P la n n e r in a Bo x: 6- S t ep G uid e to Pl anni ng a Fai l -proof Ev ent (June 2 0 1 4 ) - Su cc e s s in S p o n s o r s h ip: 10- S t ep G uid e t o Achi ev i ng Corporate Spons ors (A ugus t 2 0 1 3 ).
Tiea W h i t a k e r i s a Native Washingtonian. From the c o r p o r a t e a r e na to the fashion industry, she s t r i v e s t o m a k e a mark that is undeniable, brid g i n g t o g e t h e r entrepreneurs, communities, and s p r e a d i n g c h a r ity awareness in varies cities acr os s t h e U . S . T ie a is a w ife, mo m a n d Owner/ CEO of Sh o p a h o lic Cit y, LLC. , a n o n lin e w o men’s bou t i q u e f o r m e d i n March of 2015, that offers tren d y co u t u r e f a s h i o n s a t a n a ffo r d a ble pri ce. Her mo t t o is “y o u c an lo o k fier ce o n a budget”. Sh e i s a m e m b e r o f s ever a l lo ca l a n d n a t io nal assoc i at i on s , in c lu din g H er Co r n er , a n d t h e Nati on al S o c i e t y o f L e a d e r ship and Success. Shopaholic City h a s b e e n f e a t u red on various social media p l at f or ms a n d p r in t publica t io n s; so me in c l ude th e W as h in g t o n P o s t ’s F a sh io n Wa sh in g t o n Magazine , N u r a M a g a z i n e , Inform Magazine ATL, Hers Magazine, Women and Shoes Magazine, Go o d D a y Char l ott e a n d in t h e F a sh io n S ect io n o f t h e Was hi ngtoni an Magazi ne i n the s ame news s pre ad as W or l d R e n o w n e d F a s hio n P h o t o g r a ph er Nig el B arker. T i ea’ s p assio n f o r e n t r epr en eur sh ip is d er ived from wanti ng to gi v e back to the communi ty an d i nspi re other w o m e n e n t r epr en eur s. H er missio n i s to create a network i n whi ch l i ke-mi nded en tre pre neu r s can c o m e t o g et h er t o co lla bo r a t e, support and i ns pi re others . Shop aho lic C it y h a s w o r ked w it h o ver t w o dozen entrepreneurs promoti ng thei r brands u si n g th e Sho p a h o li c C i t y p l a t form to include events and blog features. With more events on the hori z o n a n d pa rt ne r s h ip s f o r m in g , Tiea is a w o ma n o n t h e ri s e maki ng mov es and gi v i ng back al ong the w ay .
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N atal i e Dawn, i s the 2 0 1 6 Face of Qu e e n S i ze M ag azine, a Plus Model, and Assistant Ed i t o r f o r Q u e e n Si ze Magazi ne, Moni B Cos meti cs B ra n d A m bassador and Former Di rector of Comi ng 2 A me ri c a F ashion Shows. A jack of all trades and m o g u l i n t h e making she is empowering teens and y o u n g w o m e n across the nation, making a differen c e i n t h e l i v e s of our next generation. Ms. Dawn’s w r i t i n g s c a n b e found monthl y i n Queen Si ze Magazi ne s “ h o t to pi c / B us i nes s s ecti on.” She has al s o been se e n ri ppi n g the runway i n N Y, PA , V A , N J, and N C to i n c l u de Karen Clark Sheards Women’s Empow e r m e n t 2 0 1 4 , and as a model and host of Philly S m a l l B u s i n e s s Fas hi on Week Ful l Fi gured Show. Natal i e c an be found i n s ev eral publ i cati ons dati ng bac k to 2010 a n d s t i l l w o r k i n g on new goals. She is also the 2016 Ms. Full Figured USA Plus first runn e r u p a n d M s . S o c i a l M e d i a . A DMV native, Natalie moved to NC to make a change and overcome he r o w n b a t t l e s . S h e i s i n s p i r i n g n ationwide with her weight loss journey and dedication to making her d r e a m a r e a l i t y w i t h o u t a d o u b t Natalie is living proof that with faith all things are possible. This bold, c o n f i d e n t a n d cour a g e o u s y o u n g w o men is a per fect exampl e of why # bl ackgi rl s rock. C i c e l y D i x o n - A b ron is a native of Phen ix City, A l a b a m a , w h e r e she is a district instructional coac h f o r t h e P hen ix Cit y S ch o o l S yst em. She i s d e d ic a t e d , devo t ed a n d co mmit t ed to the v i s i o n o f s u p p o r ting all students. In the spring o f 2 0 14, Mr s . A b ro n st a r t ed a fr ee ma t h tutor i ng p r o g r a m f o r t h e co mmun it y. Th is math enr i c h m e n t p r o g r a m, E3 Tutoring, has served over 1 2 5 p e o p le t o e leva t e, ed uca t e a n d em power t h e m t o t h e n e x t level of learning. The p rogram has n o w a dd e d a n a d d it io n a l co mpo nent to t he p r o g r a m , E 3 Men t o r in g , w h ich is g eared to f os t e r a t r isk st u d en t s in h a vin g a men t o r to emp o w e r t h e m t o s ucceed in this global so ciety. She i s a 1999 g r a d ua t e fr o m Ala ba ma A&M Univ e r s i ty w i t h a B a chelor of Science degree in Mathematics and Computer Science and a M a s t e r ’ s o f S c i e n c e i n C o m puter Science. After completing this degree, she was employed with Lo c k h e e d M a r t i n i n O w e g o , N e w Y o r k a s a so ft w a r e en g ineer. Due to the 9 1 1 attacks s he was forced to m o ve c l o se r to h o m e a n d w o r k as a mathematics teacher in Orlando, Florida. Although her desire was t o b e c o m e a n e ngi n e e r b u t h e r pa ssio n o f ed uca t in g and empoweri ng became her “fi rs t l ov e”. She c u r r e n t ly e duca t es a n d ed uca t es and empowers the mi s s i on of “purs ui ng excel le n c e i n e ve ry s t u d e n t e v e r y d a y” at Westview Elementary School. Before becoming an instructional c o a c h , s h e w a s a n a n o i n t e d m a thematics teacher at South Girard where she held several leadershi p p o s i t i o n s : 1 ) M a t he m a t i c s D e partment Chairperson 2) Building Leadership Team, 3) Problem Solving T e a m , 4 ) S R E B C o m m i t t e e , 5 ) P henix City School District Secondary Math Committee, 6) Phenix City S c h o o l D i s t r i c t S T E M C o m m i t t e e , and 7)Region 9 CCRS Team Member and Presenter for the state of A l a b a m a . S h e al s o b e lie ve d in empo w er in g st ud en t s by hav i ng an al l -mal e cl as s “Moti v ati ng Mal es thro u gh M e n to r i n g ” . T h e s e y o u n g males were required to dress professionally every Monday by wearin g a t i e , s l a c k s a n d d r e s s s h i r t . S he also made history at South Girard by starting an all-girls group SGS PE A R L S w h o w a s nomi n a t e d b y D a vis Br o a d ca st in g a s “Women of the Future” at the 1 3 th A nnual Woman E mpo w e rm e n t L u n c h e o n . S h e i s an advocate for the community by spearheading an annual “Unity Pro g r a m ” t o h e l p s to p t h e vio le n c e a n d t o pr o mo t e un it y. She c o n t in u e d h er ed uca t io n w it h a sec ond Mas ter’s of Sci ence i n Mathemati cs Educa ti o n f ro m A l a b a m a S t a t e U n i v ersity. In July 2015, she completed a Masters of Education in Instruction a l L e a d e r s h i p a n d E d u c a t i o n a l Administration at Troy University. Among her other honors and affilia t i o n s a r e : 2 0 1 1
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and 2 0 1 4 S o u t h G i r a r d Teacher of the Year, 2014 MEA Gold Apple Award, 2014 Troy University A c a d e m i c Mer i t Aw a r d S c h o la r sh ip Recipien t , 2014 LaGayl e/B etty Educati onal Foundati on Teacher A dvo c ate Awa r d , 2 0 1 5 E d u c a t i onal Achievement for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority (Rho Rho Omega Cha p t e r ) , 2 0 1 5 Eco L a t i n o M a g a z i n e Community Service Award Honoree, 2015 Gaines Chapel A.M.E. Churc h W o m e n o f t he Ye ar A w a r d , 2016 En t r epr en eur Aw a r d for Di amond Di v a Magazi ne, 2 0 1 6 Col umbus Georgi a M agazine T o p 4 0 u n d e r 4 0, 2016 Mary Jane Riley Educator Award and is a member of Delta S i g m a T h e t a Soro r i ty , In c . She g i v e s G o d t h e p raises and honor for the things he has done in her life. God is the prim a r y s o u r c e of h e r s t r e n g t h . “ F o r she walks by faith and not by sight” She is a dedicated member at Gai n e s C h a p e l A. M.E . Ch u r c h w h e r e sh e ser ves a s t r ea sur er of the Trus tee B oard, Cl as s # 1 4 Fi nanci al Leade r, E du c ation a l A d v i s o r / T u t o r , Sanctuary Choir and Praise Team member, President of the Pastor’s A i d e B o a r d , Fina n c i a l T e a m M e m ber, GC Ambassadors Committee and Marketing Communication mem b e r . S h e i s t he p r oud m o t h e r o f t h r ee kid s: M’ kiya h , Cini yah and Trent. TaCreacia Blunt is an accomplished l i f e c o a c h , s peaker, l eaders hi p cons ul tant and bu si n e ss s trategi s t. A s the founder of My B l ue pri n t Pro ject, TaCreacia works with individ u a l s a n d businesses to transform themselves i n o r d e r t o reach new l ev el s of s ucces s . Her coaching programs help indivi d u a l s a n d groups get clarity about what the y w a n t i n each aspect of their lives. TaCreacia w o r k s w i t h cl i ents to get to the core bel i efs , thou gh ts, an d habits that are keeping them from t h e r e s u l t s they want. By addressing the core iss u e , c l i e n t s see immediate and significant results a n d t h e y are propel l ed forward towards the i r dre am s. Clients accomplish their goals, have m o r e j o y , reach ne w h e ig h t s a n d feel suppo r t ed w h en worki ng wi th TaCreaci a. TaC r e a c i a i s a c e r t i fied professional coach through the Spencer Institute and Relationship C o a c h i n g I ns t i tu t e . T a C r e a c ia is a lso a member o f F orbes Coachi ng Counci l where s he contri butes to arti c l e s an d s u p p o r t o f F o r b es clients. Prio r t o h e r c o a c h i ng career, TaCreacia was a successful executive in the Administrativ e i n d u s t r y ha v i n g h e l d l e a d e r s hip positions in Sales, Marketing, Strategy, Finance, and Operations. Am o n g o t h e r ac comp lish m e n t s , s he h a s lea d la r g e sen ior teams , managed hundred-mi l l i on dol l ar bud ge ts, an d tra v e l e d o ve r t h e U S. She l i v e s i n C e n t r a l FL with her four children. She enjoys purposeful living, reading, learning , s p e n d i n g tim e w i t h h e r f a m i l y , swimming and traveling. She walks her talk by living a life of balanc e , p a s s i o n , fait h, and j o y . H e r p a ssio n is t o h elp peo ple trans form ev ery as pect of thei r l i v es from good to gre at, fro m s ca r c it y t o a b un d a n ce, a n d fr o m succes s to s i gni fi cance.
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Divas on Fire 2 0 1 6 R a l e i g h E d i t i o n w a s A w e s o m e . H a v i n g t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o honor 17 very deservin g w o m e n A p r i l 2 3 , 2 0 1 6 w i l l g o d o w n a s o n e o f t h e b e s t s h o ws ever by D iamond Di v a M ag azi n e . F ro m th e e n t e r t a in m e n t t o t h e a w e s o m e h o s t L a m on t “ LP” Pettiway this s h o w w a s j u s t a m a z i n g . T hi s ev ent i s fo r wo m e n th at ve ry f e w p e o p le n o t ic e b u t t h e y a r e m a k in g c h an ges an d lea v i ng a mark o n th e wo rl d . D iva s on Fi re c e l e b rate s th e F ab u lo u s Y O U , in e v e r y w o m a n w h o is p r o u d t o b e a Bus ine ss Owner! W e C E L E B R A T E t h e i r s t r e n g t h , p e r s e v e r a n c e a n d t e n a c i t y . T h i s show is for women who h ave a p art ti m e o r f u ll t im e b u s in e s s a n d h u s t lin g t o b u ild t h e ir Emp ir e. T hi s show i s al l ab o u t c e l e b rati n g t h e s u c c e s s e s a n d t h e r o a d t h e s e gr e a t w omen ar e on. Divas on F i r e i s n o t j u s t a n e v e n t , i t ’ s a M o v e m e n t o f I n s p i r a t i o n t h a t t r u ly touches lives in more w a y s t h e n a n y o n e c o u l d i m a g i n e . T hi s ev ent i s N OT ab o u t m e i t’ s ab ou t W E !
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B orn and rai s ed i n Mi l waukee, Wisc o n si n . B e ing the 1st grandchild, in the hous e h o l d o f h e r ; grandmother and mother, along w i t h 1 0 a u n t s and uncles. The Hazelwood famil y w a s s m a r t , funny and entertaining. This was th e s t a r t o f h e r mus i c, s i ngi ng and s peaki ng. Jennifer graduated high school wit h h o n o r s a n d awards in academics, pom-pom and s c h o o l p l a y s which included The Wiz. As a single m o t h e r o f 4 and s urv i v or of domes ti c v i ol ence, s h e sti l l gradu ated col l ege wi th a major i n B us i ness an d m i n o r in Mortician. Growing up in church, Jennifer stud i e d t h e W o r d , at an earl y age. She s ang i n the c h o i r an d pe r formed in gospel plays. All in which i n s p i r e d h e r to get involved in acting. Acting is w h a t b r o u g h t h e r t o A t l a n t a , Georgia two years ago, where she has been an extra in several mo v i e s i n c l u d i n g S e l m a . W h i l e , w orking in the medical field at Georgia Cancer Specialist and Children ’ s H o s p i t a l o f Atl an t a . O f c o u rse, sh e’ s a peo ple per son. B e i n g t h e a d m i n i strator of Global Push Management and Secretary of Live on Stage, la n d e d J e n n i f e r t he o p p o r t u n it y t o co - h o st t h e T r u F a m R adi o Show for Independent A rti s t. N etwork One , an i n te rn e t Rad i o S h o w o u t of Oh io a n d live r a d io r emotes through A tl anta’s Incredi bl e Radi o 1 5 7 0 W IG O . Ho st i n g e v e n t s s u c h as Sweet Auburn Fest, Blues & Biker Show, God is in Everything, Women’s C o n f e r e n c e s and g r a n d o p e n i n g s o f n umer o us busin es s es . We s a lu t e J e n n if e r Ma r ie Dixo n fo r h er compas s i on and dedi cati on as a Woman of God i n th e B ro ad cas ti n g In du st r y of At la n t a .
M o t h e r , E n t r e p r e neur and Survivor describe the p he no m e n a l K a m ila h Th o mpso n , a lso kn own as K am i - T e e . H e r st o r y o f per sever a n ce is a n i ns pi r a t i o n a n d o n e w orthy of recognition. A survivor o f r a p e a n d d o m estic abuse, Kamilah didn’t let l i f e ’ s t o u g h b l o w s interfere with her growth and q u e s t f o r s u c c e s s . Despit e a ll o bst a cles, Kami l ah m a n a g e d t o pr ess fo r w a r d t o o bt a in the l i fe s he k n e w w a s d est in ed fo r h er . C u r r e n t ly , sh e is Reg io n a l Dir ect o r o f T he Coll e c t i v e A g e n c y in At la n t a a n d t h e h o st of Truth T h u r s d a y o n L i v eHipHopDaily.com. This show p r o v i de s a p la t fo r m fo r in d epen d en t arti s ts a n d e n t r e p r e n e urs to showcase their projects and br in g r e c o g nit io n t o t h eir br a n d . S h e i s al s o F o u n d e r / C E O o f Kamilicious LLC, a com pany that helps independent artists get their c a r e e r s t a r t e d f r om t h e g r o u n d up. Th is w a s a pr o ject t hat the l egendary Dj B i g Kap adv i s ed her to s ta rt af te r n o ti c i ng ho w m u c h w o r k sh e d id beh in d t h e scenes to hel p pus h others careers . T hi s ye a r K a m ila h w ill be h o n o r ed a s t h e 2 0 1 6 TV Pers onal i ty of the Year at the Di v as on F i re A l l W o me n’ s A w a r d s S h o w pr esen t ed by Dia mo n d Di v a Magazi ne, on Jul y 3 0 , i n A tl anta, GA . W h e n a s k e d w h a t motivates her and drives her success, Kamilah stated that “I pull inspir a t i o n f r o m m y 3 c hi ld r e n , st r ivin g t o sh o w t h em t h a t yo u can s ucceed des pi te any odds s tacked agai nst y o u . Po si ti vi t y , d e d i c a t i o n , and determination are my keys to success and I just hope I can continu e t o p a s s t h e s am e m e ssa g e o n t o o t h er s”. K e e p u p t o d a t e w it h K a mi- T ee ever y T h urs day on Li v e Hi p Hop Dai l y, and fol l ow her on In stagram @ K AMI _ T E E
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KR Y S T A L K . B R O W N is a native of Deland, Florida. Sh e r e c e ive d h e r A . S. d eg r ee in Occupa t io nal Therap y i n 1 9 9 8 a n d a Certificate in Practical Nursing i n 2 0 0 3 . S h e is t h e mo t h er o f t h r ee, DeAn dre, A rma ni an d Ma r lo n a n d t h e Wife o f t h e la t e Marl on Bro w n S r . O n M a y 8 , 2013 the life of her family was for e v e r c h a n g e d w hen Ma r lo n S r . w a s killed by De lan d r o o k i e p o l i c e officer, James Paul Ha rris. She b e l i e v e d in t h e J u d i cia l S yst em a n d w a s confi dent th at j u s t ic e w o u ld pr eva il sin ce t h er e w a s a das h cam v i d e o ( y o u t u be. co m “Execut io n in a V eg eta b l e Ga r d e n ” ) a nd mult iple eye w it n ess es . The cas e wa s p r e se n t e d t o a g r a n d jur y a n d t he res ul t wa s “ NO IN D IC T M E NT!” K r yst a l immed ia t ely formed a t e a m , # t e a m M a r lon, that began collecting and dis s e c t i n g t h e e v i d ence and it was clear that the justice system was unjust. Sh e has b e e n t r a ve l in g a n d meet in g fa milies that are fi ghti ng pol i ce brutal i ty, res earchi ng an d l e arn ing a b o u t p o l i c i e s and procedures that are in place and aid in the corruption of the system , s p e a k i n g ou t o n b e h a l f o f M arlon Brown Sr. and pursuing the opportunity for him to receive justice . S h e i s t h e fou n d e r o f , U n i t e d 4 Justice, an organization that serves to bring awareness to individuals a n d f a m i l i e s th r ougho u t t h e g lo be o n po lice br ut a lit y and pers onal ri ghts . She i s commi tted to hel pi n g h e r c o m mu n i t y o b t a i n e q u al and fair treatment by city administration and law enforcement. She r a n f o r C i t y Co m m i s s i o n e r i n D eland, Fl in 2014. Despite not being voted in she used her voice and p l a t f o r m t o co n v e y t h e c o n c e r ns of the community and its citizens. Her voice has definitely been amp l i f i e d b y h e r ab i l i t y t o s t a n d f i r m on the facts. I n Janu a r y 2016, K r yst a l spo ke befo r e t h e Expert Worki ng Group from the Uni ted N ati ons o n th e di sres p e c t f u l d e h u m a nization and criminalization of the victims of police brutality and their f a m i l i e s b y the U n i t e d S t a t e s a nd the lack of transparency and conviction of the crimes being commit t e d a g a i n s t p e o p l e o f A f r ic a n descen t . S h e w a s h ea r d and Marl on’s name appears i n the prel i mi nary re po rt w ri tten t o th e U n it e d S t a t es. Sh e i s al so s e r ve s a s a vo lun t eer o n t h e Cit i zens A dv i s ory Commi tte (CA C) for the Wes t V o l u si a Ho u s i ng Auth o r it y in D e lan d , F l. When you pi ck up a book by Mel i nd a M i c h e l l e you s houl d expect for your eyes to be o pe n e d, your heart to race, your emotions t o r i s e a n d your faith to be taken up a notch. P u r p o s e i s her passion and with that passion s h e w e a v e s a s tory about the matchl es s power o f th e A l mighty God through the written W o r d b y t h e guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is he r d e s i r e t o awaken the B ody of Chri s t to not onl y th e po wer that they have, but the knowledg e t h a t t h e y trul y wres tl e not agai ns t fl es h and bl o o d. Gwendolyn Melinda Michelle Evans ( G M M E ) i s a Florida native. She was born in J a c k s o n v i l l e and raised in Sanford. Reading has b e e n a p a r t of her l i fe from a v ery young age . G ro w i n g up i n a f a m i l y o f a vid readers exposed her to various genres of writing creating an eclec t i c t a s t e i n books. G r ad uat in g f r o m t he un iver sit y o n t h e h ighes t of s ev en hi l l s , Fl ori da A &M Uni v ers i ty, s he e arn e d a Bache l o r o f S c ie n c e in Acco un t in g . S h e a l s o hol ds an MB A wi th a concentrati on i n Fi nan c e an d A c co u n t i n g f r o m A m e rican Intercontinental University. For nine years she worked for financia l i n s t i t u t i o n s b e f or e d e c id in g t o st ep o ut o n fa it h a n d w ri te ful l ti me. She i s the owner and founder of Gl o bal M u l ti Me d i a E n t e r p r i s e s ( GMME), a freelance writing, publishing and media company. She curre n t l y r e s i d e s i n T al l ah a sse e , F lo r id a . Me l i n d a ’ s s t o r i e s a r e designed to connect with Christians, but it is her desire to connect t o a n y o n e wh o l i k e s t o r e a d . Her stories are designed to captivate the reader with powerful testimo n i e s a b o u t G od . Fo r m o r e in f o rma t io n visit w w w . melin dami chel l e2 1 .com. 19
Rhonda A . Thomps on, “A V oi ce for th e V o i c e l e ss” i s an as toni s hi ng empowerment s pe ak e r, advocate, and author, who informs, m o t i v a t e s a n d empowers women of al l wal ks of l i f e to l i ve pu rpos eful l y. She i s al s o a champi on of vi c ti ms an d struggling survivors of domestic v i o l e n c e a n d abuse, and is dedicated to helping o t h e r s t o s e e their options and their potential to , u l t i m a t e l y , fi nd thei r freedom. Wi th focus and determi nati on, goi ng f ro m S U R V IVOR to OVERCOMER, this Milwauke e , W i s c o n s i n nati v e, born Jul y 2 3 . 1 9 7 5 , earned h e r B ac h e l o r’s Degree i n B us i nes s Management an d, su bsequentl y, became the CEO & Found e r o f R o se o f Sharon Transitional Living for Women , I n c . A l s o a n o r d a i n e d m i n i s t er; Rhonda uses her “voi ce,” her experience, and her education to enl i g h t e n o t h e r s t o h el p r e l e a s e t hem from the pain of domestic violence. She is the epitome of “my sist e r ’ s k e e p e r , ” m a k i n g c e r t a i n t hat her empowerment brand is dedicated to helping all women to tran s f o r m , r e n e w , r e c o v e r a n d r e s t ore every aspect of their lives and she takes pleasure in empowering o t h e r s t o k n o w t he i r Go d- g ive n bir t h r ig h t a n d t o w a lk in thei r God-gi v en freedom. N o t o n l y d o e s R h onda speak to any subject matter from her personal experiences, but s h e a l s o b r i n g s a n i n c r e d i b l e l e vel of professionalism and expertise that will have the most seasoned l i s t e n e r s i t t i n g o n t h e e d g e o f t heir sea t ! S h e d o es much more than jus t tal k and quote s tats and perc e n tage s. He r e v e n t s b r i n g l a u ghter through tears, focus on healing and restoration, and her own pe r s o n a l s t o r i e s o f s ur viva l o f do mest ic vio len ce; beco mi ng an entrepreneur; runni ng mul ti pl e bus i nes s e s; marri age , m o t he r h o o d, a n d mo r e in spir e, en lig h t en, upl i ft and encourage. M r s . T h o m p s o n h ad the privilege of beginning her domestic violence work in 1988 while m a n n i n g t h e cr i s i s h o t lin e a t “ S o jo ur n er T r ut h H o use” i n Wi s cons i n. She al s o worked wi th “B rothers A g ai n st D o me s t i c V io le n c e ” a s a fema le bo d y g ua r d who es corted women to court for domes ti c v i o l e n c e c ase s. A w o m a n w h o h as survived multiple forms of abuse, including sexual abuse, she can u n d e r s t a n d a v i cti m’s p e r s p e c t ive. S h e beca me a n in tri cate part of the heal i ng proces s for many wome n an d u se s h e r s u r v i v o r p l a t f orm to reach back and help others. Her life’s mission is to eradicate t h e s e n s e l e s s p h y s i c a l , e m o t i o nal and mental damage, injuries, and deaths that occur as a result o f a b u s e a n d d ome s t ic vio le n c e. S h e is a lso d ed ica t ed to hel pi ng women to fi nd thei r own v oi ce, to l i ve au th e n ti cal l y , a n d t o de sig n a life t h a t t h ey lo ve. E v e n t h o u g h r e c ent domestic violence incidents among globally recognized celebrities h a s b e c o m e ne w s w o r t h y c o ver a g e a n d spiked so cial medi a outrage; Rhonda i s maki ng i t cl ear t h at do me sti c v i o l e n c e a n d a b use is not a new trend but has been an international epidemic for c e n t u r i e s . H e r comp r e h e n s ive kn o w led g e o f d o mest ic vi ol ence and how i t affects the v i cti m, bus i nes se s, th e h e al th i nd us t r y , a n d t h e cr imin a l just ice syst em conti nues to be an es s enti al res ource for pre ve n ti o n an d intervention. Rhond a ’s p a ssio n fo r even t pla n n in g h as been an extraordi nary mas terpi ece and op po rtu n i ty f o r h e r t o f o s t e r d o mestic violence awareness while enlightening and entertaining her g u e s t s . S h e i s t h e c r e a t o r a n d accomplished facilitator of several successful events such as the Livin g B e h i n d t h e M a s k M a s q u e r a de Ball, which honors overcomers of domestic violence and Tea Party S o c i a l s , w h i c h b r i n gs w o m e n t o gether to have those deep conversations with hopes of creating socia l c h a n g e . A l l o f t hese e ve n t s a r e fun d r a iser s d esig n ed to not onl y benefi t ROS but al s o to rai s e cons ci ou sn e ss, bri n g t h e co m m u n i t y t ogether in support of other survivors, and leave her guests with a sense o f a w a r e n e s s and a n e x p e r ie n ce t h a t w ill la st a lifet ime. Rhond a is t h e m o t h er o f t w o so n s a n d t he author of “Don’t Spi l l the Tea” s chedul ed to be re l e ase d, Su m m e r o f 2016. C o nta c t a n d B o okin g I n fo r ma t io n : Rhond a A T h o m p s on @r o sa t l. o r g Fol l ow h e r o n : F a cebo o k, I G , Tw it t er , a n d Peri s cope: Rhonda A Thomps on
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Ni-Shay, titled “The Voice of an Angel” begin her career in music in 2014 after releasing her first demo “Bread of Life”. Although she has been singing for years, she never imagined the opportunities awaiting for her once she released her music over to God . Ni-Shay is not only a singer but Mother of two beautiful young ladies, 3 Step Children and wife to Niheim Samuels. The name in fact, Ni-Shay originated from the combination of her Husband Niheim and herself Shay. The tag team duo has traveled as far as San Antonio TX to share the gift and can now be heard on various AM stations from State to State. Ni-Shay’s Worship is very Pure. She brings such an angelic sound to the any platform she touches. Her Worship brings you to a place of total surrender to Christ and her personality is one that allows you to make a real connection with her. Ni-Shay was born and raised in Wilmington, Delaware in 1979. She and her family relocated to Smyrna, Ga in 2008 when her daughters were only 8 and 9 years old. She and her husband would relocate and connect with a home church that begin rounding their walk with Christ. After joining her churches Praise and Worship Team you would think that Ni-Shay would have found her nitch in the Ministry, instead she found a hards hip in the search of figuring out where she actually be longed. Singing became an absolute struggle for her. After years of serving on Praise and Worship and struggling she begin to realize after God developed her Ministry, why she went through the battle. God was simply redefining her Worship. After being invited and booked for events that barely held a “Christ relevant” platform , In July 2015 Team Ni-Shay was released to start Women’s and Men’s Conferences across the States. The first Conference titled “God is in Everything” kicked off in Tucker, Ga at the Family of God Church. Team Ni -Shay now host these conferences frequently as well as Worship Concerts that has lead many of people to Christ, back to Christ, and total surrenderence to the calling on their lives. NiShay loves to team up with other Artist that has the same mission to build the Kingdom.
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LaTonya MeChel l e i s the Owner of B l ac qu e L a’ Red, a mi nori ty, women-owned, di s abl e d ve te ran company. She has over 26 year s o f c u s t o m e r service, project management and t e a m b u i l d i n g experi ence acqui red from worki ng i n th e mi l i tary , government and private sector e n v i r o n m e n t s . While working and living all over th e w o r l d a s a Military Brat and servicing in the U n i t e d S t a t e s Air Force, as well, she discovered t h a t h e r t r u e l ov e and pas s i ons were upl i fti ng peo pl e , ge are d mainly towards kids and black men. S h e c r e a t e d her company as an av enue to bri ng a po si ti ve as pect to the crazy, negati v e worl d that w e l i ve i n today. Her team creates s ol uti ons to gi ve pe o pl e opportuni ti es to i ncreas e change a n d e mpo w e r self, whether it’s on a professiona l o r p e r s o n a l l e v e l . H e r t e a m is dedicated to making a difference. Her company houses several e n t i t i e s w h i c h i n c l u d e s h e r P u b lic & Media Relations Services, Administrative Support Services, her onl i n e m a g a z i n e t i t l e d “ T h e M i r r o r Online Magazine”, he r radio show - LaTonya MeChelle Live, her blo g , L a T o n y a ’ s Wor l d, h e r u p a n d co min g TV sh o w a n d s i ngl e’s network Si ty Si ngl es and her network cate ri n g to u pl i f t i n g b l a c k m e n - Dear Black Men Network. Along with her entities, LaTonya is often r e q u e s t e d t o s p e ak a t , h o s t a nd /o r jud g e even t s. S h e al s o wri tes for s ev eral bl ogs and magazi ne s uch as U rban Image M a g a z in e o u t o f I n d ia n a . Bla cque L a’Red’s mai n hub i s l ocated i n the Was hi ngton M e tro po l i tan a r e a a n d a s o f A ugust 15, 2016, she will also have a satellite operating out of Atlanta G e o r g i a I n 2 0 1 2 , s h e w a s approached by Jeff Hodges of Jeff Hodges Media out of Georgia to h o s t h e r o w n r a d i o s h o w . A l t hough she had been a Sports Analyst on a local TV Show in Texarkana A r k a n s a s , s h e h a d n e v e r b e f o r e did radio. She fell in love with it!!! She is currently a Radio Personal i t y o n R i p p e d R a d i o N e t w o r k o ut of Laurel, MD where she has her own radio show LATONYA MECHE L L E L I V E . H e r r ad i o sh o w a n d on lin e ma g a z in e fo cuse s on s howcas i ng peopl e who are maki ng a di ff e re n c e i n tod a y ’ s s o c i e t y , l i v ing their dreams out loud and finding solutions on topics that most avo i d . L a T o n y a a l s o h a s a k n a c k for captivating audiences of all ages by being transparent with her life a n d s h a r i n g h e r W H Y S w i t h t he world. She has been requested to speak and/or host numerous e v e n t s a l l o v e r t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s. Her love for children and desire to make a difference in as many o f t h e i r l i v e s a s p o s s i b l e h a s made her favorite engagements involving the youth. When she hoste d t h e P r i n c e G e or g e ’s C o u n t y Ma r yla n d ’ s S ch o o l Distri ct Di gi tal Fi l m Fes ti v al and a Judge at the G S B M In ve n to rs E xp o a t M o r g a n St a t e U n iver sit y sh e w a s el ated and proud to be a v oi ce for the youth. S h e h as be e n a s p e a k e r o n n u merous occasions speaking on topics such as Being the Best You Possib l e , D o m e s t i c V i o l e n c e a n d O v ercoming Your Past. L a T o n y a ’ s v i b e , energy, dedication and desire to bring a positive image to our society m a k e s L a T o n y a o ne o f t h o s e p e o ple t h a t yo u w ill n ever f orget once you get the opportuni ty to meet her. S h e i s se l fl e s s a n d h a s l o v e for all and constantly shows it both in her professional and personal l i f e . S h e h a s d e d i c a t e d s o m e of her personal time to giving back to uplifting less fortunate kids in t h e B a l t i m o r e Mar y la n d s c h o o l d ist r ict a n d cr ea t ed a cl os et where rarel y us ed cl othi ng and acces so ri e s are do n a t e d t o u n d e r p rivileged kids with low self-esteem where she also provides free life coa c h i n g t o t h e r e ci p ie n t s o f t h e clo t h in g . www. b la c q u e la r e d . co m l at o n y a @b la c q u ela r ed . co m
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D r . T an e s h ia K n ig ht S h elt o n is a n Aut h o r , Publ i s he r , a n d E n t r e p r e n eur. She started writin g back in 2 0 1 2 , b u t s h e d i dn’t decide to release her first c h i l d r e n ’ s b o o k u ntil 2015 while working on her v e r y f i r st In s p ir a t io n a l Memo ir t it led , “Lif e Happ e ns : L e a r n t h e L e s so n s a n d K eep it Mo vin g,” that wi l l b e r e le a se d in t h e F a ll o f 2016. As menti oned, T a n e s h i a p u b l i s h e d “Oh Me, Oh My, Who Am I?”, a b o o k t o h e l p l i t tle girls build their self- esteem i n the su m m e r o f 2 015 a n d “Oh , Th e T h in gs I Can B e ! ” , t h e c o u n t e r - part children’s book dedicated t o l i t t l e b o y s h e lp ing t h em d isco ver t h e kin g i ns i de o f t h e m w a s r e l e ase in the spring of 2016. She al s o r e le a se d a s elf- h elp jo ur n a l t it led , “ # IA m,” t o he l p w o m e n a n d men a like w r it e, jo ur nal , and s p e a k p o s i t i v i t y o ver their life on a daily basis. A l l l i t e r a r y w o r k s have been published under her own independent boutique publishing h o u s e T K S P r o d u c t i o n s , L L C . Taneshia also owns and operates an online women’s clothing boutiqu e B o u t i q u e Ten Twenty. T a n e s h i a i s t h e m other of 2 little boys, Bryce and Noah, and wife to United States Navy S a i l o r P e t t y O f f i c e r F i r s t C l a s s Niko M. Shelton. She h as been a military spouse for 4 years, but has k n o w n N i k o all of her life. D r . T an e s h ia K n ig ht S h elt o n w a s bo r n a n d rai s ed i n Cami l l a, Georgi a. She i s daughter o f F re de ri c k and K e va Qu im b le y o f Ca milla , G A a n d Al l eri ck and Mi chel l e Kni ght of Suwanee, GA . She h as 5 si st e r s a n d 3 b r o t h e r s. Taneshia attended Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University in T a l l a h a s s e e , F l o r i d a w h e r e s h e received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and a Master of Pu b l i c H e a l t h d e g r e e . S h e c o m pleted her PhD in Public Health from Walden University. Dr. Shelton is a C e r t i f i e d He al t h E du c a t io n S pecia list . T ane s h ia h a s st a r t ed a F o un d a t io n in h o nor of her two grandmothers names The GranM u h F o u n dat i o n , I n c . t h a t s h e and her family will offer health education bring awareness to breast c a n c e r a n d d i ab e t e s . T h e f o u n d a t io n w ill a lso o ffer s upport s erv i ces to fami l i es and care gi v ers af f e c te d by b r e as t c a n c e r o r dia bet es a n d co n d uct r es earch on how unders erv ed mi nori ty communiti e s are bein g a f fe c t e d b y t he two issues. T ane s h ia is a lso w o r kin g t o h elp h er siblin gs and hus band s tart thei r entrepreneuri al journ e y . I n al l o f t h is , sh e gives a ll o f t h e g lo r y a n d honor to God becaus e her s tory coul d hav e be e n w h at s o ci e t y sa id s h e w a s d est in ed t o be! BU T GOD!!
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When you hear the word “persevera n c e ” y o u c a n think of Marquita Cook as a living d e f i n i t i o n . B o r n and rai s ed i n the i nner ci ty of A tl a n ta, G A , M arquita has always had a passion f o r l i f e , f a m i l y , and education. Becoming a mothe r a t t h e t e n d e r age of 14 did not stand in her way o f b e i n g s t e l l a r s tudent, athl ete and ul ti matel y a c o l l e ge gradu ate. A s Marqui ta trans i ti oned i nto a du l th o o d, sh e dev el oped a pas s i on for beauty an d de ve l o p ing a brand in which the world w o u l d c o m e t o know as “The Beauti-Bandit”. Marq u i t a a t t e n d e d The Elaine Sterling Institute where s h e r e c e i v e d her l i cens e i n es theti cs . She conti n u e d h e r e ducation receiving certifications from T h e i n s t i t u t e DerMed and several other advanc e d e d u c a t i o n trainings. Her resume includes prov i d i n g m a k e - u p a n d s k i n c a r e s e r vices for professional athletes, celebrity clients and many more in sev e r a l c o u n t r i e s a l l o v e r t h e w o r l d. However, her most pri zed accomplishment is being a mother to her th r e e b e a u t i f u l , t al e n t e d , a n d o h so fun n y d a ug h t er s. Marqui ta’s mi s s i on i n l i fe i s to bui l d a l egacy that h e r dau gh te rs c a n c o n t i n u e t o build upon for generations to come. As a licensed medi-clinical estheti c i a n , m a k e - u p a r t i s t , l a s h t e c h and laser practitioner, s he decided to pursue her dream of owning he r o w n s p a . H e r g o a l w a s t o o p e n a place where her clients could enjoy the luxury of a day spa in the i n n e r c i t y t h a t al s o pr o vide d h e a lt h y skin ca r e pr a ct ice , make-up, and hai r care s erv i ces under one ro o f . In J an uar y 2 0 15, s h e o p en ed P ur e Bella S pa & B eauti B ar l ocated i n Decatur GA . A fter a s uc c e ssf u l y e ar i n b u s i n e s s s h e w e nt on to open her second location in Tucker, Ga as well as launch he r v e r y i n h a n d m a d e , a l l n a t u r al skincare and body butter line. She continues to advance in her ende a v o r s a s m o m f i r s t , b u s i n e s s o w ner second, and being of service in her community. She believes in th e s i m p l i c i t y o f b e au t y , p r o m o t ing a n d ed uca t in g o n h eal th s ki n, and s tarti ng wi th B eauty from the i n si de o u t. M arq u i t a C o o k p u t s the “P” in Perseverance and Passion. She is a woman on a mission a n d h e r b e a u t y come s f r o m w it h i n . Wr i t e r , D ir e c t o r , Pr o d ucer , Act r ess, Aut h or & Mot i v ati o n a l S p e a ker Sche lle P u r c e ll, mo t h er o f t w o , is a n a t ive of Gul f p o r t , M S . S c h e lle is t h e CEO o f H WF P r o ducti ons , L L C h e r o w n f i l m production company started i n 2 0 0 7 . S c h e l l e is also founder of a non-profit o r g a n i z a t i o n M . Y.T.E.A.M., Inc (motivating youth t hr ou g h e du c a t ion , t h e a r t s a n d men t o ri ng) des i g n e d t o s e r v i c e the total child with academic e n r i c h m e n t t h r o ugh mentoring and tutoring as w e l l a s o p e n i n g windows of therapy with the p e r f o r m in g a r t s. I n 2 0 1 1 M s . P u r c ell released her first book titled “ O p e n Y o u r E y e s”; an adult fiction no vel that g a i n e d a f i v e - s t ar rating from Black Literature M a g a z i n e . I n M arch 2013, Schelle Purcell was cr ow n e d Ms. B la ck No r t h Ca r o lin a a n d e njoyed an acti v e rei gn as queen; touri ng, mento ri n g an d mot i v ati n g a ll a g e s w it h h er h umo r a n d t r ue l ov e for peopl e. I n J u n e 2 0 1 4 , S c helle wrote, produced and released a drama trilogy of short films tha t a r e c u r r e n t l y b e i n g s h o p p e d at a number of film festivals nationwide. She has written and produc e d a n u m b e r o f s t a g e p l a y p r oductions and short films. In April 2016, Schelle released her 1st fea t u r e f i l m “ T w o W r o n g s ” . S c h e l l e is currently working on a collaboration with a team of writers and p r o d u c e r s f r o m Nor th C a r o lin a , pr o d ucin g t w o a d d it io n al back to back feature fi l m producti ons to be re l e ase d th i s f a l l 2 0 1 6 a n d s p r ing 2017. Filling her joy of working with youth, she is also currently an a c t i n g c o a c h at T he A c t o r ’s S cen e in Bufo r d , G A a n d and acti ng i ns tructor at the School of the HeAR TS i n Po w de r S p r i n g s , G A . H e r resume is constantly growing and she is working diligently; writing and p r o d u c i n g t o l e av e h e r p e r so na l ma r k in t h e en t er t a inment i ndus try. S c h e l l e ’ s 1 s t l o v e; her girls (Bria & Chanel) keep her focused. “They love me for me, f l a w s a n d a l l . ” S h e l o o k s f o r w a r d to writing, directing, producing, acting, mentoring and motivating a s l o n g a s s h e can. “It j u s t f e e ls so g o o d , d o in g so met hi ng I l ov e. A nd I bel i ev e my gi fts wi l l conti nue to m ak e ro o m f or m e . ”
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