Vision & Purpose LifeStyle Magazine November/December 2021

SIB Expo Page 37

Everyday Struggles

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021

How Toxic Workspaces Impact Black Women

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enise mith Democrat for District 6

Don't Let PERFECT Become

Prince George's County, MD Page 29

The Enemy of PROGRESS

The IMPORTANCE of Finding Your Tribe

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CHIEF ESTELLA D. PATTERSON

2nd African American Woman Police Chief , Raleigh Police Department (NC)

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VISION & PURPOSE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

CONTENTS 8 Don't Let Perfect Become the Enemy of Progress

10 Tech World

11 The Importance of Finding Your Tribe

37 SIB Expo DMV

2 Editor's Note 13 Business Spotlight NASHONA--Lilian K'Danieli Who Will Know LLC, --Charise Dorsey 17 Mind, Body, & Soul Zion Family Practice- Jarita Hagans, M.D. 24 NC Dr. Dr.

Feature Theresa A. Moseley Denise Moore-Revell

26 EducationFIRST What Happened to the Village?

Dr. Shirley P. Auguste 29 Let's Talk Politics Meet Denise Smith 34 BookTalk Everyday Struggle--Dr. Pia L. Scott 39 Your Finance The Agency at National Harbor--Brandi Bridgett

20 Chief Estella D. Patterson, RPD The First 90 Days

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 V&P MAGAZINE | 1

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021

Editor-In-Chief

Dr. Sharon H. Porter Greetings V&P LifeStyle Magazine readers.

Welcome to the November/December issue. I am excited to bring you stories that are innovative and transformational.

In this issue we speak with Chief Estella Patterson of the Raleigh Police Department about her focus and goals as the newly sworn in Chief of Police.

We appreciate your readership and continued support.

PUBLISHER Perfect Time SHP Publishing EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Dr. Sharon H. Porter Layout & Graphic Design SHP Media & Graphics Director of Sales Michelle B. Hauser Photographer James Adéll Photography

The purpose and mission of V&P LifeStyle Magazine is to promote excellence in all aspects of leadership.

Innovation. Transformation. Collaboration.

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 V&P MAGAZINE | 2

VISION & PURPOSE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

CONTRIBUTORS Sharon H. Porter, Ed.D. President of SHP Enterprise, CEO of Perfect Time SHP, LLC, Owner and Editor-In-Chief of Vision & Purpose LifeStyle Magazine, LLC

Pia L. Scott, Ed.D. CEO , P L. Scott Group, LLC Licensed Professional Counselor, Speaker, Author, and Consultant.

David Franklin, Ed.D.

Latinia M. Shell, Ed.D. CEO, Diversity Works, LLC Licensed Professional Counselor, Counselor Educator, and Author.

Zuri Hunter

Founder, The Principal's Desk, Award winning School Administrator, Professor, and Presenter

Alexis Nicole White Certified Senior Project Manager (PMP) and Scrum Master (SMC)

Software Engineer

Tammy Taylor Co-Founder, Create and Educate, LLC Elementary School Principal, Author, and Speaker.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 V&P MAGAZINE | 3

VISION & PURPOSE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

CONTRIBUTORS

Eric M. Twiggs

Maisha B. Hoye

President and CEO of WNM Ventures, LLC Podcast Host, Author, and Speaker.

Shirley P. Auguste, Ed.D. CEO of Jasaron Learning Institute.

Educator, Author, and Speaker.

Sheka Houston, Ed.D. Co-founder Create and Educate, LLC. Educator, Author, and Speaker.

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CEO, BSHG, LLC Marketing Guru, Entrepreneur, Blogger, and Speaker.

Tywauna Wilson CEO, Trendy Elite Coaching and Consulting.

Speaker, Author, Podcast Host, and Mentor.

Tara Grieb Educator, Speaker, Podcaster, Mentor, and Consultant.

VISION & PURPOSE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

CONTRIBUTORS

Essie Mckoy, Ed.D. CEO and Founder o f Dr. Essie Speaks, LLC. Award winning educator and Six times best-selling author.

Theresa A. Moseley, Ph.D. CEO and owner, TAM Creating Ambassadors of Peace, LLC. Educator, Speaker, and Author.

Pamela Sams President, Jackson Sams Wealth Strategies Financial Advisor

Jocelyn McDonald, Ed.D. Educator Technologist, Podcaster, Blogger and Technology Consultant

Jarita Hagans, M.D. Board Certified Family Physician and owner of Zion Family Practice

Chanay Robinson CEO, The Professional Credit Diva, LLC Financial Literacy Coach

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 V&P MAGAZINE | 5

V&P LifeStyle Magazine Special dedication to Donna Harris and Krystal Glenn

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L. E. A. D.

Learn. Excel. Achieve. Develop.

Don't Let PERFECT Become the Enemy of Progress

By Eric M. Twiggs Eric M. Twiggs is a founding partner and president of The What Now Movement. His mission is to build high-performing entrepreneurs, authors, and career professionals, who are prepared for life’s unexpected curveballs. He is the author of The Discipline of Now: 12 Practical Principles to Overcome Procrastination.

Nobody can do it like Eric!

This was my motto early in my career as a district manager in the automotive industry. I was responsible for five hundred employees and had seventeen managers that reported to me.

My desire to delegate was low because I believed that I had to do it if I wanted it done right! My days started early in the morning and ended late at night. I had limited free time and large amounts of stress!

I then made the following discovery that helped me move from burnout to breakthrough: My desire for perfection was the root cause of my failure to delegate. I had allowed perfect to become the enemy of progress.

So how can you avoid making the same mistake that I did?

Below are two steps that will help you to become a better delegator and break the perfectionist habit.

Calculate Your Time Value The first step is to calculate the value of your time. Start by taking your desired annual income and dividing by fifty-two weeks. For example, let’s assume that your annual goal is to make at least one hundred ten thousand dollars. One hundred and ten thousand divided by fifty-two is two thousand one hundred fifteen dollars.

Next, you take the weekly dollars and divide by the average hours you work in a week. If you work a fifty-hour work week your time is worth $42/hour. Now that you know how much your time is worth, you can use this to determine if the task is worthy of your time. If the task is not a $42/hour task, then it can be delegated.

For example, I'm often asked by business owners who work alone if they should hire a virtual assistant. We have done the math and determined that their time is worth more than $100/hour in several cases. Paying someone $12/hour an hour to do the bookkeeping, make follow-up calls, and schedule appointments have created more time for them to tackle their $100/hour priorities.

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Create a Follow-Up System The lack of a consistent follow-up system is a major reason for the failure to delegate. Many an entrepreneur has been burned by a task that was delegated but not done.

The key to successful delegation is to establish how you plan to follow up BEFORE you assign the task. For example, most email providers allow you to schedule reminders on emails that you have sent that have not been responded to. You can schedule an email to arrive to your inbox in twenty-four hours that reminds you of the need to follow up.

When I was a district manager, I used my “How will I know?” follow-up system whenever I delegated an important task. I would ask the manager “How will I know when this is done?” They would respond: "Eric, I will call you!". “When can I expect your call?” was my next question. I would then put the day and time on my phone calendar and set an alert that reminded me to follow up.

Conclusion So, there you have it. Calculating your time value and creating a follow-up system will help you to become a better delegator.

Committing to these steps does not guarantee perfection, but it will ensure progress!

The extra time you create by effectively delegating will allow you to focus on your Vision and Purpose!

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My Top 10 Best Learned Practices in Technology

By Alexis Nicole White Alexis Nicole White is a senior project manager and scrum master with over ten years of experience supporting enterprise Information Technology and Telecommunications Services Senior Project Manager specializing in the digital supply chain, mobile workforce, wireless, VoIP, audiovisual, and infrastructure augmentations. Find her on LinkedIn.com at https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/alexisnicolewhite.

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Never be afraid to ask questions, even the stupid ones– no question is ever dumb too.

Often, you raise awareness to mission-critical issues that could be deemed a ‘show-stopper’ or inquire about a topic that no one else considered.

Don’t make assumptions about anything – nothing is as straightforward as it seems.

Document every conversation utilizing OneNote (meeting notes, project notes, team notes, etc.) – retaining information (documentation) can help revitalize one’s memory and cover you from missteps, especially if you’re taking action on an item from a senior leader in your organization.

Learn as much as you can when it comes to relevant technologies – never become complacent with what you know; things are always changing...

Conduct independent research on related topics – Expand your knowledge base continuously.

Read and understand the scope of work inside and out (and make notes) – the statement of work tells you what’s included, what’s not included, the assumptions, constraints, and the high-level risk.

Ask more questions and document the outcome of those conversations – cover yourself from anything backfiring on you.

Surround yourself with the subject matter experts (SMEs) and learn all you can from the– professional development, and ongoing growth is best for elevation in your career.

Participate in every conversation and be comfortable with the unknown – By surrounding yourself with people who can have formal and informal discussions that will help your understanding. Speak up, ask questions, and forge relationships with people to feel comfortable with sharing information with you that you will need to know to optimize your success.

Understand how to read the drawings (wire drawings, schematics, rack elevations, and the room/site architecture drawings) – understanding the drawings will enable you to have technical conversations with the team. It guides your understanding, understand what technologies are plugged in where, and identify where data drops are going, cables are run, electrical outlets are, arrangements of the furniture, and other critical information for deployments.

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The Importance of Finding

It's All

Your Tribe

By Maisha B. Hoye

Maisha Hoye is the CEO of BSHG, LLC which manages and markets Customer 1st Marketing, Maisha’s Lemonade Stand and other entrepreneurial brands. She believes in the entrepreneurial spirit and all her companies are created with the philosophy of Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics.) .

“Facebook says there are more than 400 million people in groups that they find meaningful as of April 2019, up from 100 million in February 2017.” (CNBC)

Groups aka tribes, regardless of whether you are a member of one or create one are key to this part of your customer connections.

Importance of finding your tribe

When I read that stat, the word “meaningful” resonated. I realize when it comes to marketing your brand “meaningful” is key.

...any competent businessperson understands that brand royalty is what keep a firm alive over time.

My marketing philosophy is based on understanding your customers first.

You need to understand their pain points, their drivers and become the solution to their problems. To me that is where all meaningful marketing interactions begin and, if you’re doing a great job with customer service, never ends.

With over 1.8 billion people using groups every month, as a growing business, we need to leverage this stat as a tactic to social sell and create brand awareness. But, we need to be strategic with this as with everything else we do.

We frequently have a mindset in the business of reaching out to as many individuals as possible. Isn't it true that the more people notice our items and brand, the more sales we'll get? Unfortunately, this isn't entirely accurate. Not only is there a case to be made for quality above quantity, but any competent businessperson understands that brand loyalty is what keeps a firm alive over time.

Ask yourself? Would you rather have five individuals visit once or one person visits once a month for the next decade if you started a hair salon? Even if they are only one customer on paper, they will generate a higher return in the long run, which is why it is so vital to finding your tribe.

Be Strategic With over 70 Million groups and more opening everyday, do you really have the time to waste on a tribe or network that doesn’t yield results. Take the time to see if a group is really worth it. A key metric to look for is the number of posts. If they are at 100 a day, who’s really taking the time to read.

Find and have fun with a group that is open to your messages. It is one where you or your brand can be an active contributor to the vision of the group. It is one where you can start to socially sell your services or products to its members.

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For instance, if you are the owner of the pet product that sells doggie diapers, you should join a group of pet lovers and become a valuable contributor to the group. Don’t just post promotions in your new community. Aim to become a trusted resource that helps others solve their travel with pets issues. If they believe in you, they will buy from you. No matter how we interact in this digital age, building relationships is still key.

The Importance of Creating Your Tribe Finding and developing one's tribe is a common goal for entrepreneurs. Hence the 70 million admins. Think about one of the biggest users of this tactic, the Clubhouse app. It uses the tribe mentality to perfection. You start speaking in your room and people choose to join in. You can also invite your guest to speak, making your room more interactive and engaging.

You can think of your tribe as your target market but it's deeper than that. Creating your tribe is part of making a deeper connection with potential customers and evangelists.

Creating your tribe means finding the people that are more likely to support your brand. Treating the people in your tribe with care, consideration and more importantly addressing their challenges will create brand loyalty and ultimately sales. Brand loyalty creates: Regular Income – As we saw in the hair salon example, having one regular customer is preferable to having multiple people who only buy once. We aim to keep producing new items while keeping a grin on their faces because we have a community of dedicated fans. The smaller the group necessary, the higher the profit margin on your product/service.

Research - It is invaluable to hear from your customers what works and what doesn’t. As a company, don’t be afraid to hear what your customers are saying, good or bad. If this feedback allows you to create a better doggie diaper and you can relate it back to your tribe, the goodwill you gain is so important.

Recommendations — It's challenging to overlook Apple when looking for a firm with a devoted following. What do their devoted clients do? They tell others about the products while disputing with Android lovers about how much better Apple is. In the end, it's just free advertising.

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Consumers, nowadays, despise companies that brag about themselves. The result will not disappoint if you assemble a group of devoted consumers to shout on your behalf.

Key Takeaways So, how do you increase brand awareness, loyalty, and overall brand and tribe growth?

Find your people. Use hashtags and searches to find out where they are.

Join them and share great content, become a valued contributor, and never forget your call to action ( where allowed) Discover or Rediscover Your Passions. First and foremost, why should any customer be thrilled about something if you aren't? Building a tribe is impossible without a passion for what you're doing, regardless of your business or specialization. Returning to our Apple example, the company is successful not only because of its ardent supporters but also its products.

Be true to your brand. If you haven’t done so, write your mission and or vision statement. Think about it when you're sharing. Knowing who you are and being authentic will create the relationship between you and your customers. This relationship will build sales.

Send Maisha an email and she will add you to her, Customer 1st Marketing 30 Days of Growth group where she has helped startups with their marketing questions and created her own tribe!

LILIAN K. DANIELI, DESIGNER & OWNER

18

Business Spotlight

By Dr. Sharon H. Porter

NASHONA, ("I sew" in Swahili), was created by Lilian K Danieli, a Tanzanian native who resides in North Carolina. Lilian established the line in 2013.

What was the motivation behind starting NASHONA, I asked.

Lilian was glad to share, "NASHONA was started in 2013 as a way to bridge my love of fashion with my desire to make a difference in my home country, Tanzania. A few times a year I travel to Tanzania where I personally handpick and design every fabric and piece of clothing that we have. A portion of our proceeds go to supporting children at the Shalom Orphanage in Karatu, Tanzania."

Lilian has pulled together a talented team of tailors in Tanzania who makes every piece of clothing by hand. Her first boutique was opened in 2017, in Goldsboro, NC at 102 E Walnut St. When asked about future endeavors, we were excited hear about a new location opening in Raleigh, NC. "We're excited and blessed to be opening a second location in Raleigh, at 21 W. Hargett St." The grand opening is Saturday, November 6, 2021.

They are excited to bring NASHONA to the triangle.

N A T I O N A L

C E R T I F I E D

V E N D O R

WHO WILL KNOW LLC

Business Spotlight

By Dr. Sharon H. Porter

OWNER, CHARISE DORSEY

FEATURED IN ESSENCE 2 YEARS IN A ROW Featured as #8 and as the #1 recommended vendor in the country for Homecoming merchandise in the lifestyles section

Serving clients such as...

ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY, INC DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY, INC KAPPA ALPHA PSI FRATERNITY, INC OMEGA PSI PHIFRATERNITY, INC JACK & JILL OF AMERICA, INC LINKS INC

https://www.whowillknow.net/

Who Will Know LLC was founded in 2003 in Tampa, Florida. Brides, charitable donations and organization pieces were their specialty in the beginning. Owner, Cherise Dorsey, sells jewelry at commercial businesses and takes a portion of the proceeds, and donates it to organizations such as The Cancer Center, The Ronald Mc Donald House, The Mustard Seed, St. Judes Foundation, and many more. Their clientele grew in the Southern Region of the country for many years. In 2007 Who Will Know LLC opened in Orlando Fashion Square Mall where they received so much support and praise from the community.

The owner, originally from New Jersey, but raised in the Washington, DC area, maintained strong relationships and supported many events in the Northern region as well. Currently, they custom design their merchandise to maintain a unique and demanding audience. They service many clients such as Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc, Jack & Jill Clubs of America Inc, and more.

Their appearances are in high demand., as they are currently booking three to four months in advance. They love to support the youth for employment and on hands training in customer service and business.

A scholarship fund has been created to donate to a graduating high school senior who will attend a four-year college of their choice.

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Jarita Hagans, M.D., the owner of Zion Family Practice, is a board-certified family physician. She attended Howard University in Washington, D.C. for undergraduate and medical school. Afterwards, she completed a surgery internship at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital in Roanoke, Virginia. Eastern Virginia Medical School at Portsmouth Family Medicine is where she received her Family Medicine training.

After residency, she practiced medicine at a community clinic in post hurricane Katrina New Orleans and developed a love for cooking, gardening and natural remedies. Now she is bringing all those experiences back home to the place that raised her.

She was born in Greater Southeast Community Hospital (now United Medical Center) and raised in Maryland.

Zion Family Practice Opens in Southeast, Washington, DC.

By Dr. Jarita Hagans

All throughout her childhood and teenage years, she attended Matthews Memorial Baptist Church in the Southeast DC neighborhood of Anacostia.

Now she is working with Matthews Memorial to open her clinic in the same community that prayed for her to become a doctor.

Zion Family Practice is a patient-centered medical home providing family practice services with a focus on knowledge, prevention, and wellness. The mission of the practice is to revolutionize the way healthcare is delivered in a community. Our vision is to be the premier healthcare hub East of the River, providing quality medical care, access to healthy food, and job/volunteer opportunities for the surrounding community. It will be a model for innovative community healthcare delivery. To that end, traditional medicine will be blended with nutrition education, healthy cooking classes, exercise classes, a community garden, and community health workers.

Zion Family Practice is excited to announce that we are currently accepting new patients for telemedicine (video visits).

The physical office is being renovated and in-person appointments are coming soon.

Potential patients can get more information by going to zionfamilypractice.com or by contacting the office at (443)513-2757 or info@zionfamilypractice.com.

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For assistant principals, vice principals, and school counselors aspiring to take the helm as principal.

Applications available for the 2022-2023 Cohort beginning January 31, 2022

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E

stella

D.

P

atterson

THE FIRST 90 DAYS AS RALEIGH CHIEF OF POLICE Chief Patterson congratulated after being sworn in as Chief of Police.

By Sharon H. Porter, Ed.D. When I first met Chief Estella D. Patterson she was a deputy chief of the CharlotteMecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) and was overseeing the Patrol Services Group. She was only weeks away from being sworn in as the second Black woman police chief in Raleigh, NC. She spent 25 years with CMPD. Chief Patterson has been married to husband Lance Patterson for 24 years.

Lance is a Battalion Chief of the Charlotte Fire Department.

Chief Patterson sharing remarks.

When asked what her thoughts and overall feelings were as she prepared to take the helm as Chief in Raleigh, she replied, "It is truly an exciting opportunity for me. I never thought that I would be the Chief over a major city like Raleigh." She continued, "They are a premier police agency. I have had the opportunity to meet the past chief, Chief Deck- Brown, and a lot of the command staff."

Left to Right: Former RPD Chief Deck-Brown, Sherry Hunter (Director of Police Training, RPD), Chief EStella Patterson, Marchell Adams-David ( Raleigh City Manager)

Kym Craven, Executive Director of the National Association of Women in Law Enforcement Executives (NAWLEE), expressed her excitement for the selection of Patterson as Chief at RPD. Craven shared that only 12.7 percent of sworn police officers were women and only three percent were women in command. This underrepresentation of women in law enforcement has led to the '30 x 30 Initiative', which is a coalition of police leaders, researchers and professional organizations that have joined together to increase the representation of women in law enforcement agencies across the nation. The goal is to increase the representation of women in police recruit classes to 30 percent by 2030.NAWLEE is one of the founding partners of this Initiative. The '30 x 30 Initiative' officially launched on Thursday, March 25, 2021.

Chief Patterson is the 30th Police Chief of the Raleigh Police Department (RPD).

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Chief Estella D. Patterson

Pictured above with Chief Patterson (L) José Cabanas (Wake County EMS Director and (R) Herbert Griffin, Raleigh Fire Chief

"I am committed to them. I am your chief and I am going to work my fingers to the bone to make sure we make Raleigh the safest city in the U. S. " - Chief Estella Patterson I asked what is the first thing that came to mind when reflecting on becoming Chief. "It is an opportunity to take the foundation that has been set and begin to build upon that and take Raleigh into its next best years, " said Patterson.

She feels that it is critical that a police department is embedded in the community, especially the underserved community. Her goal is to make changes to best support the community and to make Raleigh a safer city. I asked her what does making a city safe look like? She stated, "the quality of life in the community is one where people feel very safe. They can go places and not be concerned with getting shot, not be concerned with getting robbed. When they leave their homes, they can feel that it is a safe place where nobody is going to break into it. It's a feeling of family and enjoyment and being able to do the things that we should be able to enjoy in life. One of the wonderful things about Raleigh, it is a relatively safe city, so we don't have a long way to go to make it the safest city."

She noted that across the country, as we are coming out of the Pandemic, "We are seeing a lot more things occur than we saw pre-COVID, pre-Pandemic. We are going to have to be very laser-focused on making sure that the crime does not get out of hand. The quality of life continues to be optimal." The Chief's focus is on violent crimes, strengthening the relationship with the community, and addressing internal morale.

I shared with Chief Patterson that my mission and passion is elevating the voices of women in all industries. I wanted to know what message she had for women aspiring to lead in law enforcement or who may just be getting started in policing. She stated, "I was 5'8 and 116 lbs. when I went into the Academy. I knew nothing about policing, I had never shot a gun, never driven a car like for a pursuit, didn't know anything about policing at all.

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I never thought that would be a profession that I would get into. It wasn't until my senior year in college that I needed some credits and I took some CJ (Criminal Justice) classes and became very interested in being a police officer. So, I will tell women if I am able, from the kind of background I came from; very conservative, didn't know anything about policing...If I can do this job, certainly any other woman can as well. I would also say, it's not easy. It is a struggle because it is a male-dominated field.

But the voice of a woman is so powerful. We need to be there, we need to be in the roles, and not just as administrators. Too many times that's where they place women." She further stated, "I said no... I told my boss I wanted to be a patrol. I want to be boots on the ground, in the streets, fighting crime, to show I can do that and I want other women to see that as well. I don't want them to feel limited."

Chief Patterson expressed her excitement in seeing so many women rising to the top, former RDP Chief, Cassandra DeckBrown, Renee Hall, former Dallas Police Chief, Danielle Outlaw, Police Commissioner of Philadelphia, and Cerelyn "C. J. " Davis, the first woman to lead the Memphis Police Department (MPD). "All of these women were pathfinders for me and now I see them doing great things and I will follow in their footsteps to do greater things."

In the Chief's first 90 days she has formed eight different action committees that are formulating change within the organization. The committees are made up of RPD personnel and have reported out to Chief Patterson. Substantive changes have already been made. Changes in policy, looking at uniform changes, and morale are just a few changes that have been addressed as a result of the action committees.

“

”

If I can do this job, certainly any other woman can as well.

INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS Three Focus Areas Violent Crimes Strengthening Community Relationships Addressing Internal Morale ADVOCATE OF DEPARTMENT DIVERSITY

Race Age Gender Sexual Orientation GOALS

Make Raleigh the safest city in the U.S. Fully embed the police department in the community Make changes to best support the community Hire 50 recruits in a year

Vision & Purpose LifeStyle Magazine congratulates Chief Estella Patterson, a woman who leads in law enforcement. We look forward to following her journey and tenure as Chief of Police in the Raleigh Police Department.

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NCFeature Fayetteville, NC

Dr. Theresa A. Moseley Dr. Theresa A. Moseley is originally from Fayetteville, North Carolina. She is a United States Army Veteran, inspirational and motivational speaker, 4x-Best Selling Author, and a 3x-Award Winning Educator. She attended Georgia State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree, Bowie State University where she earned a Master of Education Degree in Guidance and Counseling, and The American University where she graduated with a PhD in Education Administration. Dr. Moseley is a world traveler. She’s lived in Augsburg, Germany and Sinop, Turkey. Her international travels include Great Britain, Italy, France, Spain, Australia Africa, New Zealand, Brazil, Morocco, Mexico, and Canada.

Dr. Moseley is the owner and Chief Executive Officer of TAM Creating Ambassadors of Peace LLC. Her company provides inspirational and motivational speeches to groups looking for ways to resolve conflicts in the community, in schools, and other organizations wanting to create a peaceful climate and culture. As a published author, she writes positive messages in her books about peace, love, hope, and purpose. She uses her life experiences to address thought provoking questions around finding one’s purpose in life, finding your authentic self, and is very overt regarding everyone taking responsibility for creating a peaceful world.

Her signature book, Creating Ambassador of Peace: 16 Steps to Become and Ambassador of Peace is an Amazon Best Seller.

“My favorite trips in North Carolina were to the beautiful beaches and the picturesque mountains.” - Dr. Theresa A. Moseley

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NCFeature Selma, NC

Dr. Denise Moore Revell Dr. Denise grew up in the small town of Selma, North Carolina, within a tight-knit family and community. At an early age, Dr. Denise had to learn to be resourceful and not allow circumstances to be an excuse for not excelling.

Professionally, Dr. Denise Moore Revel is a CEO, founder, and awardnominated-best-selling author, speaker, tv show host, and personal development coach. For over 25 years, she has literally helped people find their voices. As a speech-language pathologist (speech therapist), her job has been to help her clients discover their voices. Dr. Denise has operated a private speech therapy practice for over 15 years, serving the Washington, DC-Baltimore, Maryland areas.

Dr. Denise founded The Own Your Amazing Movement, a personal development company, as an extension of the message of finding your voice and living your worth out loud. Through coaching, mentoring, and workshops, Dr. Denise supports women in finding the power in their unique voice to live their worth out loud and create amazing lives they love. Dr. Denise’s latest project is producing and hosting her tv show, “The Amazing Life Project.” On the show, Dr. Denise interviews experts on various topics, such as personal development, leadership, business, relationships, health, and wellbeing, to inspire and motivate her audience to create the amazing lives they desire.

"When I think of North Carolina, I think of warm hospitality. The word hospitality means the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers. Growing up in North Carolina, I was taught to be hospitable, even to strangers, and make people feel welcome. I saw neighbors being willing to lend a helping hand to others. " Dr. Denise M. Revell

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EducationFIRST

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE VILLAGE?

By Shirley P. Auguste, Ed.D. Dr. Shirley P. Auguste is the founder of Jasaron Learning Institute, LLC in Chesapeake, VA, an international motivational speaker, published author, educator/trainer, former PreK to 8th-grade administrator, and single mother of two amazing young adults.

A kid got in trouble at school and the family phone lines started ringing. On the way home, a couple of friends gave the kid somber condolences and exchanged no other words. As the kid approached closer to home, several neighbors were outside and gave a look of “shame,” while others started shaking their heads in disappointment. As the kid approached the front door of the home, the mother could be heard saying, “Can you believe that!!!?” Breathing and head hung low, the kid reluctantly pulled the front door open and went inside. Does this passage bring back any memories? Does the passage demonstrate something greater?

The passage brings back some memories for me. When I was growing up, I remember my parents telling me, “We better not get a call from the school!” If I did get in trouble, there were times I wished for physical punishment, just so I would not have to endure the misery of having to talk to numerous elders in my family. Unfortunately, I would not be so fortunate to get a physical punishment. Instead, I would have to endure several phone calls with numerous family members. It seemed like one incident could result in a week or two weeks of calls, chastisement, and privileges being taken away. As I grew up, I found that those tactics were very effective. As a result, I utilized the same tactics with my children. Was any of it truly effective? I would like to think so. I am not perfect, but I am doing my best to positively impact society. Both of my children are positive leaders, functioning adults, educated, responsible, and have not done any drugs or gotten into any trouble with the law. In my opinion, the village was effective.

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What or who was the village? There was a time when the school, neighbors, and families worked together to discipline and raise children to become positive leaders. “It takes a village to raise a child,” an old African proverb. I grew up in a village. I raised my children with a village of people (family, mentors, friends, churches, books, teachers, and whoever else was willing to help guide me). Unfortunately, times have changed, and the village is no longer effective or supported. How do I know? Look at what is happening in our society or school system.

Children are becoming more disrespectful; parents are attacking each other or the school personnel; families no longer help discipline each other’s children, and many children are telling parents what they will or will not do. When it comes to parents supporting the schools, this is becoming a rare occurrence. Instead, educators are ridiculed and constantly being told, “How dare you talk to my child in that tone?” “How dare you write my child up?” Or “You should have been doing your job, it is not my child’s fault!” This should not be the case. If we are not careful, things will get worse. It is time for us to go back to “raising children with the village.” It is time to support educators and stop ridiculing them.

Let’s get back to the village.

Educators (Central Office administrators, principals, and teachers) must attain a Bachelor’s degree, participate in a practicum, or internship. Then, they spend hours preparing lessons, sacrifice family/personal time, and play many roles (nurse, teacher’s assistant, janitor, mentor, counselor, etc.) while educating and taking care of the students they work with. As an educator, it is a blessing to see kids love their educators, advance, and be willing to work with the school.

Usually, kids are willing to work with teachers because they know they cannot turn their parents against those working in the school. The best experiences as a former teacher were when parents came to me and asked to support them with a child’s behavior that was horrible at home, but great in school. As an administrator, it was wonderful to see teachers and parents working to set a child on the right path and building the child up together. Children need to see their educators working with their families to help them to do better. Historically, it has been found that academically successful students are because the parents and educators work together. If it is not a parent, it was another member of the family. A family member that cares and supports, is a person that is priceless and impactful.

In conclusion, it is time to bring the village back to support our future leaders. Families need help and schools need support. The village gives the family the help they need while providing support to the educators. No one should be an island. No child or student should feel comfortable enough to disrespect any educator. No educator should become burned out from unsupportive families or attacked by anyone in or out of the school system. Let’s help our educators get back to loving being the educator of future leaders. It is time to bring the village back to bring our country to a point where people support, respect, and desire to help each other become great leaders. www.JasaronLearningInstitute.com

www.ShirleyPAuguste.org

www.Vollara.com/JasaronLearning

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Denise Smith

VOTE DENISE SMITH DEMOCRAT FOR DISTRICT 6 Prince George's County, MD

BY DR. SHARON H. PORTER

Denise G. Smith is running for the District 6 seat on the Prince George’s County Council, in Prince George's County, Maryland. She was born and raised in District Heights, Maryland, and is a product of Prince George's County Public Schools. She is a proud Prince Georgian!

With nearly 20 years of working and serving in Prince George’s County government, Smith says she is prepared to serve on day one. "I am so excited about the possibilities for our community and I look forward to engaging with this community throughout my campaign."

Key Issues

Denise strives to improve the quality of life in Prince George’s County by

Small and Minority Businesses

promoting safety, advocating for the

Supporting the work that small businesses

highest quality of emergency and

do for the betterment of our economy by

medical services, and community

expanding the "Jobs First Act", designed to

outreach programs.

create equitable opportunities for small minority and black-owned businesses to

Senior Services

secure resources.

Our senior citizens possess insurmountable wealth and experience

Education

and we strive to uplift them and serve

Education is the foundation from which you

as an ally for the issues that affect their

can create your own success and achieve

quality of life. We work to promote the

financial stability. Education gives us a

independence and enhance the dignity

refined knowledge of the world around us.

of Prince George’s County older adults,

Public Safety

persons with disabilities, and their families through a community-based system of services, opportunities,

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 V&P MAGAZINE | 30

benefits, and protections.

Health Services A healthy community is the key to a successful community. We support quality health care, healthy lifestyles, and holistic wellness and partner with healthfocused organizations to facilitate access to quality healthcare options.

Autism Working to improve the lives of autistic individuals and their families through community-building, advocacy, and education.

The state of Maryland's early voting for the primary election will take place June 16- June 22, 2022, with primary election day being June 28, 2022.

About

Denise

Denise received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Howard University and a Master of Arts degree in Public Relations from American University.

Denise Smith serves as a communication, media, and outreach professional with more than 24 years of local government and non-profit experience. Her work in these areas has focused on public service, business advocacy, and community service.

Currently, Denise is the communications director for the Honorable Aisha N. Braveboy, Prince George’s County State’s Attorney. She previously served in the Office of Central Services for the Prince George’s County Government as outreach and education/training manager for the county’s Supplier Diversity Office and press information officer in the Office of the County Executive.

Denise is a business consultant where she helps aspiring entrepreneurs launch and grows their businesses, and she is the CEO of D.Geneva Photography, LLC, a commercial photography company.

Denise is TV Host of “Level Up,” a business show dedicated to helping entrepreneurs start, manage and grow their businesses, and her Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube Live show, “All Things Small Business.” She brings together influential names in business, finance, and politics for discussions on key issues, specifically in tune with issues affecting minority and small businesses.

Denise has a strong record of support for the community: She serves as a mentor in the Prince George’s County Public Schools P-Tech Program and hosts Community Uplift, a community-based TV show, sponsored by the Gamma Pi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. She served as vice president for Villages of Marlborough Community Association; as parent involvement coordinator for the Prince George’s County PTA Council, and as founding past president for Concord Elementary School PTA. Denise serves on the Bi-County Business Roundtable and Women of Prince George’s advisory boards and the Economic Development and Women in Business Development committees for the Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce. She is a member of Leadership Prince George’s, and she is an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Denise, with her husband Chris, resides in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Together they have four amazing children, Khalil, Taylor, Chris Jr., and Taj. She and her family are members of Kingdom Fellowship AME Church (formerly Reid Temple North).

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 V&P MAGAZINE | 31

Visionary Author

www.womenwholeadanthology.com

BookTalk Everyday Struggle

How Toxic Workspaces Impact Black Women Visionary author, Dr. Carey Yazeed, has assembled black women from across the United States to share their everyday struggle of working in a toxic environment in the book collaboration, Everyday Struggle: How Toxic Workspaces Impact Black Women. A toxic environment... An environment that is dysfunctional, chaotic, and filled with drama.

I had the pleasure of speaking with contributing author, Dr. Pia L. Scott, whose chapter entitled is Checkmate From Trauma to Truth. Her chapter highlights her personal experiences with a toxic workplace culture. Since the beginning of her career at the age of twenty-two, she has experienced some form of racism, sexism, and discrimination. She was denied positions because she was a female, too young, too qualified, or too black.

Scott says "It has been a struggle maintaining my mental and physical health in toxic spaces. This story shares my trauma, truth, and how I moved into another space in my life where I knew it was time to step out on faith, define who I am, and build my own - Checkmate!"

She responds to a few questions regarding her contribution to this book anthology.

Q&A WITH DR. PIA L. SCOTT ON HER FOCUS OF BLACK WOMEN

The focus on Black women begins with acknowledging and addressing our unique challenges including shifting the narrative and negative stereotypes.

HER TOP TIP FOR BLACK WOMEN IN TOXIC WORKSPACES The most important tip I have for Black women working in toxic workspaces is to reevaluate their current situation and either address the challenges they have or move on if they are not getting the support they need from that workspace.

HER REASON FOR CONTRIBUTING TO THIS WORK I hope that sharing my story will encourage Black women as we are often overlooked, overworked, and underpaid in addition to working in a toxic culture with no care or concern.

WHAT'S NEXT FOR DR. PIA L. SCOTT

I am currently working on an independent book project adding to the literary contributions of many Black women before me to encourage and inspire women to keep moving forward.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 V&P MAGAZINE | 34

Trice Hickman - proclaimed Southern girl , and award - winning , bestselling author of 10 fiction books . Trice ’ s love of reading and T r i c e H i c k m a n is a self

the power that she recognized in the written word inspired her to become a writer

. After

receiving rejection letters from every agent and publisher she submitted her work to

,

Trice was determined to bring her stories to

. She self - published her first three novels to great success , and shortly thereafter , landed a multi - book deal with Kensington ( Dafina Books ) where she is currently published and is working on her next novel .

When she ’ s not busy writing and reading , Trice enjoys cooking , traveling , decorating , DIYing , and meeting good people . Learn more about Trice at www . tricehickman . com . life

Books by Trice Hickman

Unexpected Love Series

Unexpected Interruptions Keeping Secrets

& Telling Lies

Looking for Trouble Troublemaker

Dangerous Love Series

Secret Indiscretions Dangerous Liaisons

Complicated Love Series

The Other Side Blindsided

Stand Alone Books

’

Playing the Hand You re Dealt Breaking All My Rules

BOOKTALK The Strength of Our Anchors

It's OK to Not Be Ok

by Dawn Marie Bornheimer

by Kim LaMontagne It's Ok to Not Be Ok is a collection of personal stories told by individuals who are living successfully with mental illness. These brave authors share their stories with the hope that their message will allow the reader to know they are not alone and it's ok to not be ok.

The Strength of Our Anchors is a collection of personal stories of ten authors. Their stories are woven with the challenges they've overcome, lessons learned, tools acquired, and the perspective that comes as a result of their willingness to reflect.

Publishing

How I Got Over: The Educational Pursuit of Black Female Scholars

by Dr. Pia L. Scott How I Got Over The Educational Pursuit of Black Female Scholars details the educational journey of 12 amazing female scholars.

Challenges, obstacles, nor life itself could stop their pursuit.

You Don't Know Our Stories From Trials to Triumph

by Michelle B. Hauser You Don't Know Our Stories From Trials to Triumph is a collection of real stories as told by six authors. They share their life's journey with truth and humility.

Perfect Time SHP Publishing | www.perfecttimeshppublishing.com

By Dr. Sharon H. Porter Photographs by SHP Media

The Sistahs in Business Expo (SIB Expo) is the country's only multi-city small business expo created specifically to celebrate and empower entrepreneurial women of color, the largest and fastest growing demographic of entrepreneurs in the nation. SIB Expo provides an accessible platform where women of color can significantly expand their reach and grow their businesses. The SIB Expo offers a cost-effective, yet high quality option for small businesses, thereby guaranteeing their ability to earn more on their investment.

As a multi-city venture, the SIB Expo attracts crowds in cities across the U.S. who support and celebrate entrepreneurial women of color. Since their inaugural tour in 2018, SIB Expo has been held in Newark, NJ; Philadelphia, PA; Columbia, SC; and Atlanta, GA. For the first time, SIB Expo came to the Washington, DC area (DMV) and I had the honor and pleasure to cover this event, which was held on the

Founder & CEO Aisha Taylor Issah

campus of the University of Maryland, College Park.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 V&P MAGAZINE | 37

SIB Expo has featured a variety of powerhouse 18

speakers including, Vivica Fox, Cathy Hughes, Kim Fields, Gizelle Bryant, Nicole Walters, and Cynthia Bailey, of The Real Housewives of Atlanta, the Bailey Agency School of Fashion, and the Bailey Wine Cellar. Bailey was the keynote speaker for the DMV Event that took place on August 7, 2021.

The SIB brand is now offering Sistahs in Business University, which provides an in-depth training for entrepreneurs on how to start or scale their businesses. The university has featured courses such as Grow Your Brand, with Cheyenne Lespinas, Turn Conversations into Cash with Quinn Conyers, Combating the Impacts of COVID, with Pam Balentine, and so many more.

If you ever have an opportunity to attend a SIB Expo, I highly recommend you do so.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 V&P MAGAZINE | 38

randi

B

ridgett

B

THE AGENCY

AT NATIONAL HARBOR

By Dr. Sharon H. Porter

The Agency at National Harbor is a national financial firm assisting the community in obtaining financial freedom and peace of mind.

Our goal is to help people understand the true essence of finances, what it means to have money now and what it means to live successfully in retirement, how to create generational wealth and more!

The Agency helps individuals and entrepreneurs understand the five year retirement plan, how to successfully build their business financially, and how to create successful supplemental benefits packages for their employees and more all while understanding how to leverage potentially taxfree opportunities!

CEO and owner, Brandi Bridgett , is a Washington DC native, mom of three, successful multi-business owner and takes pride in giving back to the community.

Brandi was in the medical field for 10 years. She started in the field of cosmetic surgery here in Washington, D.C. Brandi then started growing her own family, which directed her into looking for a new career choice.

Brandi and her family were relocated to San Diego, California, where she developed a love for health and wellness. Brandi began coaching in the field of health and wellness in 2011, where she partnered, developed, and opened a health and wellness nutrition club. With this practice, she has helped hundreds of people internationally obtain their health goals through education and training, fun and engaging activities, and nutritional solutions.

In 2012, Brandi and her family returned to the Washington, DC area, where she again partnered and developed a health and wellness office at the National Harbor. She and her partner have been able to touch the lives of those who are looking to lose, gain, or maintain weight, or increase their energy simply by living a healthier lifestyle.

In 2013, she and her sister decided to come together and take their strengths to form a company. In April of 2013, Platinum Health and Wellness was born. The vision is to teach those within the community about proper health and wellness to obtain optimum health by making health fun, simple, and magical!

In 2014, she partnered with eFocus Media Group to expand their business model and development. eFocus Media Group, is an agency that caters to small to-medium sized businesses to help digitally expand the reach of their brand. As of 2018, the company has grown to be certified as a Women owned, Minority owned, SBA agency, here to help the needs of the small business community.

In 2017, Brandi launched her second business, The Agency at National Harbor to help the needs of the community understand the new-age difficulties that we face in family finance, business finance, and securing a legacy for the future generations. She saw the need of financial education within the entrepreneurship community and it has grown by leaps and bounds.

Brandi and her team have been featured in Oprah magazine, Entrepreneur magazine and she has been a guest speaker on several shows within the Washington, D. C. metropolitan area.

Mobile Business Card: myexit.co/m/E178580

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