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JESSICA HARRIS Weaving a Community One Tress at a Time

EBONY DONLEY

Founder & CEO, Literacy Innovations

Dr. SADIE M. WINLOCK Chief Equity, Education & Engagement Officer

CLEVELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY

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Beletu (Bele') Wondwossen Founder / Publisher Shelley M. Shockley Managing Editor Writers Shelley M. Shockley Marsha Walker Eastwood Brittany Garrett Kimberly Smith-Woodford

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From the Editor: Shelley M. Shockley

How Inclusive Are You? Summer is winding down.

Soon the children will be off to school, the days are already getting shorter and the fall and winter routines will begin to set in, but before they do, let's talk about diversity and inclusion.

Annually we produce an edition focusing on these subjects in an effort to have each of us look at our own lives and work to do better, but do we change our ways?

Previously in this space I have talked about what is diversity? What does it look like to you? I've attempted to give examples and through our cover stories we have illustrated what local businesses and organizations are doing to change the mindset of their workforce. At the core of all of this is you and me.

Every change in behavior begins with a person. It's a singular effort that when replicated becomes a family, a neighborhood, a community and then a city. So, as I prepared to pen this column I thought about my own actions. Do I sit at the table with everyone I know when I go to an event, or do I seek to make a new acquaintance?

Unfortunately, I do the former and join the group I'm familiar with. If you've read my columns in the past, you know what's next – a challenge.

I am challenging each and every one of you reading this column to begin to sit at the table with someone you don't know. To introduce yourself to the new person mingling about before your regularly scheduled meeting. Greet a stranger as you walk down the street. In short, take every opportunity available to familiarize yourself with someone you don't know.

I'm going to challenge myself and report back to you in this space what I have experienced. I can't wait to see what comes of this, because I truly believe that we can't get better as a nation until we break it down to the smallest denominator and that is you and I. In this edition we introduce you to Sadie Winlock, Chief Equity, Education & Engagement Officer for the Cleveland Public Library System. Sadie is spearheading the efforts of CPL to be more inclusive and to make that a way of life in the many branches of the library. A native of Durham, North Carolina Winlock has transplanted herself into the fabric of Cleveland and the only thing truly giving her away is that hint of a southern drawl she carried with her. I hope you enjoy the article as much as I enjoyed meeting and interviewing Sadie.

When speaking of diversity and inclusion, I often wonder if some are not as willing to engage with people unfamiliar to 4 ▒ JULY - AUGUST 2019

them because of a lack of confidence in themselves or know what to say. Low confidence and self-esteem often are a result of deficiencies one has in reading and writing.

If you aren't confident in reading or writing, often you don't feel you can speak intelligently or hold conversations with strangers. The Cleveland area is lucky to have many individuals and groups working to combat illiteracy and ensure that not only children, but adults also receive the guidance they need to become more competent readers and writers.

One such program is Literacy Innovations, LLC founded by a seasoned educator, Ebony Donley. Donley's mission is to nurture students to greater heights and help children develop a love of reading while improving reading skills and literacy levels. She is also working with Collinwood Reads and other organizations to promote the importance of literacy and combatting the negative numbers we are currently finding in the greater Cleveland community.

Take a moment to read about the great work she is doing, and if you have it on your heart, join the movement.

I'm often baffled by those that make short-sighted assumptions about the work being done in Cleveland to improve our communities, because I see and hear about people working hard to improve not only their corner of the world, but the entire community.

Jessica Harris is one of those individuals. Raised in Cleveland's Fairfax community, this United States Navy veteran is preparing to shake things up in the hair industry, and she wants to stay planted in her home community while building a foundation for generational wealth. Harris has patented three hair styling inventions that she plans to manufacture in Fairfax with the overall goal of creating a community similar to the one she grew up in. Check inside for her story, hopefully it will ignite a spirit of community in you as well.

On the other side of growth is loss, and unfortunately jobs come and go but the real test comes when the job has left – what is your backup plan? Do you have a backup plan?

Plan B is the focus of Marsha Eastwood's column. With that motherly wisdom that we have all come to love from reading her columns, Eastwood breaks down why you need to have a plan of action when disasters of all kinds surface. If you are like me, you will remember your mother telling you to take your jacket as you left the house proclaiming, “It's better to be safe than sorry.”

As I close I pray something has been said that will inspire you to action. The world we live in is full of challenges, but if you and I keep moving toward finding solutions, things will improve.

Until we meet again, I wish health and prosperity for you and yours,

phenomenal

CONTENTS

PLAN B: SURVIVING THE LOSS OF A JOB

By Marsha Walker Eastwood

EBONY DONLEY

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Founder & CEO, Literacy Innovations

TIARRA SMALLWOOD Fit/Active and Contemporary Handbag Designer

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JESSICA HARRIS Weaving a Community One Tress at a Time

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Dr. SADIE M. WINLOCK Chief Equity, Education & Engagement Officer, CPL

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My Journey in Makeup DELICIOUS RECIPES

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Plan B: Surviving the Loss of A Job “You've always got to have a plan B. You've got to be able to shift gears and find a new course of action.” ~Joe Teti

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here is no shortage of opinions on the By: Marsha Walker Eastwood, efficacy of creating a B.S.Ed, MSHSVC Plan B strategy for any PWM Contributing Writer reason. Many experts and regular Joes and Janes think that the backup plan idea is a distracting nuisance as it interferes with the A game. But let's put this notion into perspective. A Plan B is just that, a backup plan to deal with the failure of any A game. Let's use the analogy of a power failure. For people who know the wisdom of having a Plan B, they have working flashlights, candles, lighters or matches, and perhaps sleeping bags and a kerosene heater if they live in a cold weather area.

The Plan B people have blankets, water and a box candle in their car, just in case.

For those who believe that having a Plan B takes away from stepping up their A game, the great majority of them do not have a back-up gasoline powered generator available to provide some source of power for their homes, working flashlight, just enough candle power to provide ambiance for a dining event, nor are they prepared for a road emergency. Losses sustained from a power failure are usually food related or pet related such as the loss of fish in a fish tank. In most cases the financial hit, if any, will be minimal and usually nothing like a full-blown disaster.

For our purposes the word “disaster” is associated with some destructive act of nature resulting in a loss of tangible assets such as home, personal belongings, a car, as well as access to food and other necessary items of survival. Much of the carnage from such events is often covered by insurance, however, for most working people the loss of a job can be the most devastating blow of all.

Unlike tornadoes and hurricanes where there is advance warning, there is usually little to no advance warning for a sudden job loss. That type of loss can be likened to an earthquake with aftershocks causing ripples that are farreaching and can constitute not only the loss of tangible assets, but the loss of self-esteem, social withdrawal, and in some cases family disruption. While there is no insurance plan to deal with a sudden job loss disaster, there are ways to mitigate the damage by being proactive and creating a “what if” scenario Plan B. The first step would be to find a safe place to vent, pound fists and cry if need be. This is the time where you would begin to deal with that bruised ego and you take note of the fact that like a young tree in a windstorm, your spirit is bent but not broken. You prepare yourself to face the music of how to survive.

By taking a proactive stance and pre-planning, all emotionalism is removed from the scenario thereby 6 ▒ JULY - AUGUST 2019

providing you with a better vision of what you need to do, and this begins with creating a “What if” emergency preparedness file with the first entry being an updated resume, one that you can create one or two revised editions of. The next task is to read and get a clear understanding of the qualifications to receive unemployment compensation. You will discover that the rules include an extensive job search, as well as reporting and attending mandatory sessions with job coaches. You can copy and paste all relevant information into your emergency file.

At this point you should be actively engaged in a job search. Take an inventory of your skill sets, your experience and yes, what you bring to a workplace. Keep up on current trends that detail how your skill set is currently being used and better yet what additional skills you may need, including continuing education courses.

Research job search engines online. All are not created equal and some of them list jobs in odd categories. Also consider work-from-home employers. Many of the jobs listed will allow you to earn income and still have time to work a dedicated full-time job search and interviews.

Shelter, food, and utility issues are competing for the top spot in a sudden job loss situation. Depending on your circumstances you may be eligible for benefits through TANF (Temporary Assistance For Needy Families) which is a government funded program which provides cash benefits each month as well as assistance with utilities, healthcare and high rent payments. TANF also helps with childcare assistance, job preparation, and a prevention, retention and contingency program that helps with everything from rent assistance, clothing assistance, and utility assistance all stemming from unexpected emergencies.

The national SNAP (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program) also known as the Food Stamp Program allows low income and no-income individuals and families to purchase food including fresh fruits and vegetables. These programs serve low and noincome individuals and families who meet the income requirements. According to government sources, “You may have $2,250 in countable resources, such as a bank account. If at least one person is 60 years old or older or disabled, the household may have $3,500 in countable resources. Resources do not include SSI, TANF and in most states does not include vehicles. Gross income is the total, non-excluded income, before any deductions have been made. Net income is the gross income minus your allowable deductions. If your household only consists of one person, then the gross monthly income to be eligible for SNAP is $1,287 (net $990). For two people, gross is $1,726 (net $1,335). The numbers increase from there.

Once again, this information can be copied and pasted into your file. Now it is time to deal with budgets and bills.

The best way to manage a budget when you are working is to continually monitor how money is being spent. A simple spreadsheet divided into a few categories can provide a daily, weekly or monthly listing of expenditures.

It also provides an opportunity to see where cuts can be made as well as outstanding balances on credit cards and other monthly accounts. Once a bill is paid off, give yourself a cooling off period before incurring new debt.

This will allow your emergency fund to build.

A good Plan B needs to address not only financial survival but physical and psychological survival as well. This means you need to be of sound mind and body to engage in any meaningful job search. Sudden job loss impacts not only the way you see yourself but how you perceive others see you. Once you break the news to your family, you need create a balanced and productive daily routine for yourself. Just as your workday was structured, so should your downtime day. There should be a start time and a stopping point. In between there should be three meals, two snacks, designated job search time, designated networking time, designated exercise/meditation time and designated family time.

Feeling sorry for yourself is a luxury you can never afford, and much less at this point. Focus instead on things you can control. After you apply for a position, don't just sit waiting for the phone to ring or an instant acknowledgement from a potential employer. Modern technology makes it possible to return missed calls and

respond to emails. Dress for an interview, stand in front of a mirror and sell yourself. Practice makes perfect and you have more than enough time to do mock interviews. It also gives you an opportunity to see what interviewers would see. Whenever you see your concentration waning, take a break and step away from the job search andplay a few games of solitaire. Starting at the expert level will force you to focus and concentrate. It is a healthy distractionif it serves a purpose and doesn't become a time-filler.

Taking care of your physical self is every bit as important as the job search. If you are snacker, avoid high carb “downer” foods that sap your energy and can cause an otherwise good mood to suddenly crash. Instead opt for higher energy seeds, almonds, walnuts, and fish snack packs. Alcohol is a depressant so if you must, less is best.

A good night's sleep is paramount. In addition to reducing stress, it allows you to start each day energized and focused.

Unemployment - as bad as it is in the moment - provides an opportunity to focus and be fully prepared to rejoin the A game with a better perspective of who you are, and renewed appreciation for your ability to survive temporary adversity. Make it a priority to have your Plan B strategy to move quickly if the need should arise, and the good days, your Plan A days, can be lived to the fullest.

Preparation reduces anxiety, so give yourself every opportunity to prepare. www.PHENOMENALWOMAN.me ▒ 7

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© Mladen Zivkovic | Dreamstime.com

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Jessica Harris Weaving a Community One Tress at a Time

By Nirvana St. Cyr PWM Contributing Writer

During the 1970s, Cleveland's Fairfax community was the typical working class, family-oriented neighborhood, dotted with well-kempt houses and lawns, and was considered home to numerous families and businesses.

This neighborhood holds fond memories of a young girl whose mother instilled within her a sense of hubris and an ambition to self-actualize, with the premise that it was okay for a young Black girl, Jessica Harris, to go out into the world and explore the opportunities that await, because, as her mother told her, “Jessica you could always come back home,” if things did not work out.

As a member of Olivet Institutional Baptist Church, Jessica realized that it truly takes a village, a collective effort of love and support, to be successful. Armed with this foundation, she set out on her life journey. Harris attempted to attend Case Western Reserve University after graduating from East Technical High School, but was informed by an admissions counselor that she was not yet academically equipped to attend. After the cold and brutal realization that her school system did not prepare her to become a successful alumna at a higher education institute, and after managing a restaurant for several years, she joined the Navy at the age of 24.

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While enlisted in the Navy, Harris was trained into her Naval rate as a corpsman (medical field), which resulted in her acquiring the skills needed to become a surgical technician. After six years, Jessica left the Navy to raise her family while pursuing a nursing degree at Cuyahoga Community College.

While becoming a top surgical nurse, she observed the techniques used in the operating room. “Taking notes while in surgery,” these precision instruments were used to “appropriate the skin after an incision,” to ensure the least amount of damage to surrounding organs, tissues and nerves.

Over time, Harris would creatively brainstorm about a system of attaching wigs and weaves. With the determination, leadership and assertiveness of a Navy veteran, Harris embarked upon her revolutionary idea that will transform the ethnic hair and beauty industry. An industry that according to a 2018 Nielsen study rakes in $63.5 million.

Harris knew it was time to listen to her still, small, inner voice, telling her to pursue her dream to create hair appliances that will revolutionize the hair industry. With her own money, one investor, and the ideas she had accumulated over the years, Harris began work on her inventions for her company Fast Track Hair Appliances: the WigTac, the TacRemover, and the Neumafuse.

Harris recalls the birth of her Hairweaver/Wig Tac idea, “In 2011, I had taken out my extensions to wash my natural hair, which was still braided underneath. Shortly thereafter, I received a last-minute call to attend an event, so I had to do something quick to fix my hair, and I had no glue or needle and thread to re-affix my weave, so I found a stapling instrument and proceeded to re-attach my weave with staples.” At the event, to her surprise, she received many compliments on her 15 minute style, something which usually takes hours, she did in only 15 minutes. The Hairweaver/WigTac idea was born.

The attachment process of the Hairweaver/WigTac prevents wigs and weaves from falling off or sliding around, by attaching them with fasteners to the natural hair. Weaves and wigs stay secure when engaging in different activities, even while swimming. It lifts the natural braided hair, grabs the wig's netting, and shields the scalp while protecting the hair follicles without pulling too tightly on the scalp. Unlike using bobby-pins as our grandmothers did. The Hairweaver/Wig Tac is a remarkable appliance that it is fast, convenient, userfriendly, and effective. According to Harris, “You can go to the gym, dive in the pool, even sleep in your wig/weave, and it will stay in-place.”

“In the African-American community, our hair makes a statement, gives us confidence and makes us look and feel beautiful,” said Harris. She went on to recount a young lady who has alopecia and mentioned that she wished she could one day wake up in the morning and have hair on her head.

Harris applied the wig to her hair the night before with the Hairweaver/Wig Tac. The next morning, Harris spoke with Fredia on the phone and asked, “How'd it go?” Freida replied, I have hair!” Fredia's wish was granted.

Following the Hairweaver/WigTac, Harris is also introducing The Neumafuse, a concave, scissor-like device that uses keratin to affix 11 tresses at a single time. It has five interchangeable blades and various heat settings for working with different hair textures and styles. The Neumafuse provides the fusion process of hair with keratin. Designed for simple use at home and in professional salons, it “reduces the application process time by more than 50 percent and provides more versatility and flexibility” said Harris. This appliance eliminates long-term hairstyle commitments and excuses for Black women to not go swimming or workout for the sake of their nice hairstyles.

The engineer for the Hairweaver/Wig Tac and Neumafuse, John Kasha, of KAI Engineering, says he works “to fulfill dreams and turn patented ideas into reality. ”He maintains that there are no other similar products on the market as innovative as these. The Neumafuse is an aluminum, Teflon coated device which heats and cools in seconds. These appliances are also multi-voltage, so you can take them with you when traveling.

Being a product of her community and still a current resident, Harris plans to establish her manufacturing and operations facilities within Fairfax. Her vision is to recreate that 1970s sense of a thriving, walkable community, with the anticipation that other businesses will “come back home,” re-invest, provide jobs, develop mixed-use housing, and re-establish community recreation. Harris' advice to aspiring inventors and entrepreneurs, “Just do it, do it your way, but do it!” www.PHENOMENALWOMAN.me ▒ 11

Vanessa L. Whiting elected Chair of MetroHealth Board of Trustees Whiting will succeed Thomas McDonald, who served as board chair since 2013 Vanessa L. Whiting has been elected Chair of the MetroHealth Board of Trustees. She is the first African American to lead the board, which is comprised of 10 voluntary members appointed by Cuyahoga County Council. She succeeds Thomas McDonald, who has served as Board Chair since 2013. Whiting chairs the Board's Diversity and Inclusion Committee, which she established to emphasize and support the System's commitment to diversity and inclusion. Under her leadership, MetroHealth has increased its spend with diverse vendors and contractors, and has enacted policies resulting in an increase in diversity in management.

Whiting, who was appointed to the board in 2011, is president of A.E.S Management Corp, the Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen franchisee in Northeast Ohio. She is an attorney who has been recognized as one of this area's top 100 lawyers by Northern Ohio Live, and whose work in economic and community development has helped many.“Vanessa Whiting has provided invaluable service to our health system for eight years and her endless commitment to inclusion and diversity has impacted every employee and every patient,” said President and CEO Dr.

Akram Boutros. “Her continued leadership will spur us to achieve more for our patients and the community during this time of Transformation.”

“I am grateful for the trust the board has placed in me to lead during this exciting time of transformation.

MetroHealth has a dedicated, hardworking board, an inspiring and dedicated staff, and an exemplary and visionary management team led by Dr. Akram Boutros.

Together, we will meet the ever-changing challenges in health care and continue to live out the mission and values of MetroHealth.”

She serves on the boards of the Tri-C Foundation, the Fairmount Presbyterian Church and the Greater Cleveland Partnership. Whiting co-chairs the Karamu House Capital and Sustaining Campaign, is a Life Member of the NAACP, and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She was named the Black Professional of the Year for 2019 by the Black Professional Association Charitable Foundation.Whiting's term as Chair runs through 2023.

Source: www.metrohealth.org

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Ebony Donley Founder & CEO, Literacy Innovations As a compassionate educator, Ebony Donley's objectives are two-fold, to nurture students to reach greater heights and help children develop a love of reading and improve their reading skills. “People must have at least basic reading and math skills in order to advance academically, as well as in life. Having significant skills in reading and math grossly improves one's earning potential.” She noted.

Ebony Donley, born and raised in Cleveland, comes from a very loving and supportive family. Her parents were instrumental in shaping her into who she is today and she widely credits them for instilling in her the values of education. Reflecting back, she said, “We read daily and went to the library to check out books weekly. I've had a library card since elementary school. My mom stressed the importance of reading, education and striving to do your best, and she led by example.”

Donley was raised to believe that 'education is the key to a better future and I continue to believe this.' She noted that “Books are essential in changing people's lives. There is a wealth of information to be found in books. Exposure to books helps strengthen vocabulary development, critical thinking, comprehension skills and promotes creativity.”

While attending Collinwood High School, she participated in The Teaching Professions Thematic Program all four years. She continued her education at Baldwin Wallace College, and earned a Bachelor's degree majoring in Special Education and Elementary Education, making her the first in her family to graduate from college. Following 14 ▒ JULY - AUGUST 2019

her graduation, she started teaching at the Cleveland Metropolitan School District and decided to pursue a Master's Degree. She put in the hard work and obtained a Master of Education in Curriculum Instruction from Cleveland State University.

While working with the middle grades, Donley realized that many learners required explicit, direct instruction in basic literacy and math skills. She also witnessed that many children in urban communities rated well below the desired reading levels. The can do-it, Donley knew that her rich experience coupled with her confidence in her abilities to making an impact, could help alleviate this problem. She said “I've had extensive reading training and I was confident that I could use my expertise, and at that time, 14 years experience teaching reading to help children become successful readers.”

Donley quickly went to work and with a mission to “improve the reading level in Cleveland, one learner at a time, “established “Literacy Innovations LLC.” Excited with her decision to establishing the company, she said “I started Literacy Innovations because I saw a need for more intensive, direct instruction in a one-on-one setting in order to improve the reading skills of struggling readers.”

Literacy Innovations LLC. is already accredited through the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and focuses on one-onone tutoring. As a tutoring company, the number of students varies based on the needs of learners and parents interest for a private tutor. Each learner is

assessed and a program is developed to meet the needs of that individual. She does not believe in the one size fits all approach and the sessions are interactive and use a multimodality approach. The interests of the learner are the top priority when designing a program to meet their needs, with the goal being to capitalize on their strengths while improving their weaknesses.

In a nutshell, Donley's goal is to create a community of readers and feedback obtained from Literacy Innovations indicates that she has been able to show families that reading and learning can be fun, which has resulted in entire families reading daily and improving their literacy skills.

While it will take time to fully translate her vision into reality, her results so far bring her excitement, saying, “I've been able to assist countless third graders in passing The Third Grade Reading Guarantee. In most cases, I was able to bring the students within the proficient range according to the Ohio State Standards.”

Donley's contributions to creating better citizens have not been left unnoticed. In this regard, she was glad to share with us that she was awarded a $5,000 Neighborhood Connections grant in 2017. She also appreciated the opportunity she got from the executive producer of We the People on WKYC, Channel 3, Margaret Bernstein, which

led to her being a guest on the show. Bernstein, herself an avid advocate for literacy continues to support numerous initiatives geared towards reading enhancement skills.

Donley stresses promoting childhood literacy, as it forms an important foundation for success. Studies indicate that while some progress has been achieved, most inner-city kids disproportionately fall behind in access to education.

To improve the situation, Donley said, “We must expose kids to reading earlier. We have to read to kids when they are babies, so they understand how to interact with text.

This will help develop fundamental pre-reading skills and give them a start on achieving a higher vocabulary. The efforts will also help decrease the 30-million word gap, which suggests that kids from lower income families are exposed to thirty million fewer words by the time they are four years old. We must also start to take advantage of the quality preschool programs that are available to better prepare kids for kindergarten.”

Operating Literacy Innovations has not been without its challenges. On this, Donley said “some of the challenges that I face are parents stopping the tutoring too early for the learner to be successful independently. When some parents start to see progress, they feel that tutoring is no longer necessary. This can lead to the learner becoming frustrated.

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Another challenge I face is learners missing tutoring sessions. Inconsistency causes the learners to regress, which leads to the skill needing to be retaught.”

Donley never had an official mentor, but her family is full of role models, and the support and encouragement she receives from friends has been amazing. “My mom, who is deceased, taught me to follow my dreams and be the best version of myself. She knew that I wanted to be a teacher and encouraged me along my journey.”

She continued, “the rest of my family continues to encourage me daily and assist in any way that they can. I also have great friends that support my mission, which is to improve the reading level in Cleveland, one learner at a time.”

Donley utilizes different ways to enhance her community's reading and math skills. She serves as the program manager of Collinwood Reads; a community-based reading initiative that sponsors one free family literacy event each month. Donley sponsors monthly family game nights at the Collinwood Recreation Center. In these family game nights, various games are played to enhance reading, math and problemsolving skills. She was paying for the attendees' food herself until Mike Simens, owner of Mr. Chicken restaurants agreed to donate food for her family games nights for the duration of 2019.

Donley is also collaborating with the Literacy Cooperative to promote the Adult Literacy XPRIZE Communities Competition in an attempt to win $100,000 toward adult literacy.

Moving forward, Donley plans to expand Literacy Innovations by hiring additional tutors and expanding the scope of services offered to include enrichment programs. She would also like to create a community wide book club.

Rounding up the interview and extending messages to the community, she said, “I would like to encourage the community to get more involved in reading and literacy-based activities.

We can increase literacy skills by making literacy a priority inside and outside of school. This will help decrease the number of people who are functionally illiterate.”

Ebony Donley does what she loves to do!

Teaching reading to help children become successful readers. And when your work entails what you're passionate about, great results follow!

To learn more about Ebony Donley's efforts in enhancing education skills, join the movement and support her 'Literacy Innovations' programs, visit: www.literacyinnovations.net 16 ▒ JULY - AUGUST 2019

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COVER STORY: Dr. SADIE M. WINLOCK

Dr. Sadie M. Winlock,

Ensuring Diversity And Inclusion Is The Norm At The Cleveland Public Library

ARTICLE BY: SHELLEY M. SHOCKLEY PHOTOS: JASON GARRETT

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Today, Sadie Winlock is the Chief Equity, Education & Engagement Officer at Cleveland Public Library, and she has not been hampered by the lack of inclusion during her youth or in her career as a whole. She has pushed forward during good and bad times while utilizing her experiences to propel her further.

She recently took time out of her busy day to speak with Phenomenal Woman, about her life, career and the Cleveland Public Library. Being led to her current office was a treat as it is tucked away behind the checkout counter. As a regular visitor to local libraries this is a treat.

Her office is small, but quaint and the perfect setting for a library – quiet and relaxing.

Winlock started the conversation recalling her childhood in Durham, North Carolina. She grew up at a time when segregation was the norm. She remembers busing.

Vividly, but without angst she says, “I remember having to give up my seat for people who didn't look like me.” Despite the inequities, she speaks fondly of her early years. The family lived in what they considered a middleclass community, a place where two-parent households and two working parents afforded them the opportunity to live well for the times. Her mother was a practical nurse and her father worked in the local tobacco factory. The job that afforded his family a pretty good standard of living would soon become his death sentence. At the age of nine, young Sadie's world was upended when her forty-nine-year-old father succumbed to lung cancer, due in large part to the free Camel cigarettes given to him by the tobacco factory.

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“mecca of dance.” Winlock recalls, “I went to New York for a week and stayed six years.”

Her stay in New York was enlightening. She learned she was not as good of a dancer as she thought. “There were dancers more accomplished than I was, but I discovered I was a great choreographer.” This aha moment she says was the start of her career in strategic planning because she could, “see the end picture of a performance and then walk back and create it. Well, that's exactly what strategic planning is.” She didn't have the foresight at that time, but over time this is where her career would take her.

While still living in New York, her high school sweetheart came, proposed and they were married. She was twenty, a student at the City College of New York, (now City University), and, two years later, a young mother of a baby girl. Experiencing all of the challenges that come with motherhood, Winlock insisted on going home. “I need to go home to my mama. When my daughter turned about six months old, we went back to North Carolina and that's when I enrolled at North Carolina Central University to complete my undergraduate degree.”

Finishing her degree was going to be a little harder than she expected because only half of her credits were accepted. Undaunted, she went to summer school, night school and was able to graduate in a year and a half.

Reflecting on that time she says, “I'm just amazed. It's got to be God as the reason I'm here.”

While in school, she worked part-time at Durham Technical Institute and developed a lasting friendship with the college president. That friendship would lead to a recommendation for a job after graduation. Her first job was as the Communication Liaison for Lieutenant Governor Jimmy Green. This job introduced her to the importance of relationships, despite not loving the position, she found a lesson. She explained, “One of the things I continue to learn, especially in the Cleveland market, is it doesn't matter what your talents are, you have to have relationships with people. People make decisions based on their relationships, and that was a hard lesson for me to learn and every day I have to practice it and learn it over and over again.”

“

D

r. Sadie M. Winlock is a woman of determination. As a young girl growing up in Durham, North Carolina, inclusion [did not exist/was not a term people used.] Not in reference to a girl. Definitely not in reference to a black girl. During this time, women had not received equal rights as men, something that is still up for much debate and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 had not been adopted. Yet, the lack of opportunities as a youngster did not diminish the vision of Winlock.

Cleveland Public Library is here for the community to dream, discover and deliver on anything you want to do in life.

Five years after her father's death, her seventh-grade teacher, Mrs. Boston, started a modern dance class after school, and Winlock's dream of becoming a Prima Ballerina was forged. Dance she said, “became my escape.

It was a way to express my feelings and a way to process the loss of my father.”

As her classmates were preparing to go to college, Sadie was still focused on dance. She explained, “I was just an average student in high school because I was so focused on dance. My Mom didn't emphasize education because she didn't have it [an education]. You know, we're all products of our environment.” Recognizing how much dance meant to her young daughter, her mother saved up and sent her future ballerina to New York City as a graduation gift to stay with friends and experience the

Her next position would also be the result of a relationship.

While she was grateful for the job in the Lieutenant Governor's office, she sought more action. She was accustomed to moving, and making things happen and her position responding to constituent complaints was not the answer. A high school friend, suggested she apply for a job with Allstate Insurance and she laughed at him saying, “You've got to be kidding me. I remember growing up and the insurance man would come to my mother's door and collect 50 cents for that burial insurance. I'm not going door-to-door.” Her friend assured her it was different and that she would enjoy the experience.

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COVER STORY: Dr. SADIE M. WINLOCK

After some thoughts, Winlock joined Allstate in 1977, starting in Claims and, every two years, she switched positions recalling, “I was being developed.” More importantly, early in her career she learned that with Allstate, she could help her community build wealth.

She recalled, “I realized that this was a way to give back to my community through helping people understand the role of insurance and how it could impact our future.” This knowledge came during her tenure with the sales division, but she also worked in marketing. When she told Allstate she was mobile, she found herself relocating and eventually ending up in Ohio.

Recalling that first trip to Ohio, she laughs about her naiveté to relocating to the Midwest. She said, “When I came here, I owned an all-weather coat with no lining. I didn't even have a wool coat at the time. I can remember getting off the plane and it was snowing. I put up my umbrella. The man I was working for at the time told the president of the region “she's not going to make it, she pulled out an umbrella with snow.”

During her time with Allstate, this child of segregation was a minority, but she was not limited by her race. She said, “During my career at Allstate I mostly managed white men and most of them were old enough to be my father. It wasn't until I came to Ohio that I managed people of color.

So, that in itself was a transition and learning experience for me. What I learned was that although we have a lot of issues and there is a lack of diversity and equity and there is a lot of systemic racism, once you get to know people we have more in common than we don't and that was a building block for me at Allstate.”

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While at Allstate she received her master's degree and after retiring she decided to return to school and work on her doctorate. Explaining, “It was not because I wanted any additional employment. I didn't want to teach or anything like that. I felt I needed to do it for my kids and grandkids and anybody who I came into contact with to demonstrate that you can do anything at any time of your life once you decide you want to do it.”

The journey to becoming Dr. Winlock was not a piece of cake. At the time, Winlock said only fifty percent of those who started completed the program. According to a report in an online article on The Hill, only two percent of Americans have doctorate degrees. Winlock received her degree from The University of Phoenix and she credits her dance background for the self-discipline she had to endure during her online and in-person classes.

Armed with her doctorate degree, Winlock focused on running the consulting firm she started to assist small businesses. Many of her clients were local churches, which was also the focus of her dissertation, “Membership and Giving in the Catholic and Protestant Faith.” This experience helped her further navigate Cleveland communities and to determine she had a hole in her spiritual needs. She recalled her parents were both active in the church during her youth, but it had never truly “clicked” with her.

Her faith was reinforced many years before when her second daughter was diagnosed with spinal meningitis at the tender age of three months. That experience was taxing on her as a parent, but it propelled her into shifting her focus on family balance. Prior to this near-tragedy, she was a workaholic who had accumulated things. Now she would focus on creating a role model for her children.

Having worked for eight years as owner of a small consulting business, Winlock also sharpened her entrepreneurial skills through working as a contractor with some of the largest Federal agencies in the nation including; the Army National Guard, Department of defense and Veteran Affairs.

To pursue her core mission of supporting the community she loves, Winlock joined the YWCA of Greater Cleveland.

She worked as its' Chief Operating Officer significantly contributing to its program and fund development. Prior to joining the Cleveland Public Library, she served as the CEO and President of the Akron Urban League. Here also, Winlock was instrumental in expanding the organization's capacity in fund development, educational and professional skills training as well as effectively engaging the community-at-large in diversity and inclusion conversations. She led the larger mission of improving the quality of life of citizens' particularly underserved communities.

These experiences and positions, along with her Allstate experience, would make her a great fit at Cleveland Public Library (CPL). Currently celebrating its' 150 years, CPL has been providing unparalleled service to the city of Cleveland, through its well-crafted programs and strategically positioned branches. To commemorate this milestone, CPL is also implementing a year of free and amazing events for the Cleveland community.

When Winlock met with Felton Thomas, Jr., executive director and CEO of the library, he wasn't sure that all the programs and services, while equal, were also equitable at the storied institution. He tasked her with ensuring that they would be as they embarked on the next vision of improving the “People's University.” Over the next five years, the system will fulfill a promise to the community and invest $100 million on refurbishing all of its libraries.

An RFP was recently solicited for remodeling the first thirteen of the systems' twenty-seven branches to meet the needs of today – starting with the Martin Luther King, Jr. Branch located on the cusp of the Hough and Uptown communities.

To ensure success, Sadie Winlock first reached out to many local organizations to try and develop what she called, “a sense of how this community defines diversity and inclusion.” Armed with her research, she presented her plan to the Board of Trustees and the library leadership. The mission statement for this journey reinforces the existing belief that the Cleveland Public Library is the “People's University,” but takes it a step further ensuring that it is “the center of learning for a diverse and inclusive community.”

Winlock's level of excitement increases as she discusses the library as “fertile ground for growth to have a change and impact on this community.” In comparing it to a University, she says it is unique because it is the only University where there is no tuition, no GPA instead, “it's here for the community to dream, discover and deliver on anything you want to do in life.”

The vision statement for the library reads, “Cleveland Public Library will be the driving force behind a powerful culture of learning that will inspire Clevelanders from all

walks of life to continually learn, share and seek out new knowledge in ways that are beneficial to themselves, their community and the world.”

To bring this to fruition all segments of the library will be engaged. From the board, leadership and staff, all will receive ongoing inclusion training, education and professional development.

The library, much like other libraries has morphed over the years to include so much more than books and this will continue as they create a safe workplace in which employees' voices are included, heard and valued. This includes the development of programs and services that incorporate the many differences that make Cleveland a community and developing a supplier diversity program that mirrors the patrons they serve.

As she embarks on the redesign of the MLK Branch, Winlock is extremely excited about the Social Justice Center that will be housed there as well as the collaboration with other Cleveland stakeholders including the “Say Yes to Education” initiative.

When she's not strategizing about the future of CPL, Winlock enjoys writing, reading and most of all spending time with her children Tania Philpott and Tiowa Collier and her grandchildren Sarah, Adiah and Terry IV. Life may have started for Winlock in North Carolina, but she has made Cleveland home and she's excited about the future for the city and most especially the Cleveland Public Library system. Dr. Sadie Winlock's unique blend of experience in the corporate world, as consulting business owner and as a non-profit leader makes her truly extraordinary by all exacting standards!

PHENOMENAL FACTS §

Bachelor of Arts, English, North Carolina Central University

§

Master of Business Administration, Myers University

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Doctorate, Management, University of Phoenix

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Served as Director of Education, Allstate Insurance Company

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Developed a successful consulting business

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Served as Chief Operating Officer for the YWCA Greater Cleveland

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Served as President & CEO of the Akron Urban League

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MetroHealth enables college students to see doctors via phone or video with no co-pay Students in Ohio, Kentucky, Texas and Florida to have 24/7 access Thousands of college students in four states will soon have access to MetroHealth's Doc2Go telemedicine service, which connects patients with 24/7 urgent care via the convenience of phone or video visits.

Starting July 1, students at participating colleges in Ohio, Kentucky, Texas and Florida will be eligible to enroll in the new coverage program made available by MetroHealth and its partners Campus Unity Benefits and Hawaii Mainland Administrators. As part of a new medical offering, students can receive limitless access to Doc2Go with a $0 copay.

Students can download the mobile app or visit Doc2Go.com to register.

Doc2Go offers virtual visits with medical providers who can diagnose, treat and prescribe medication for non-emergency conditions such as the flu; sore throat; ear, eye and sinus infections; bronchitis; allergies; urinary tract infections; and more.

MetroHealth launched Doc2Go to employees, their spouses and children who are enrolled in MetroHealth's medical plans in January 2019.

Nearly 1,000 employees have registered for this $0 copay service.

“We're excited to expand our Doc2Go service to college students who are often far from home and need medical attention for common ailments that don't require an office visit,” says Nabil Chehade, MD, SVP, Chief Population Health Officer. “Doc2Go provides families with the security of knowing their loved one can quickly access medical attention from a trusted, board-certified medical professional any time of the day or night from anywhere in the United States.”

Introducing Doc2Go to college students in non-traditional markets of MetroHealth is one more way the health system is expanding high-quality care to people when and where they need it.

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THE NEW PHENOMENAL WOMAN SECTION HIGHLIGHTING NEW FASHION AND THE FACES CURATING STYLE

The brand is called “MAX+min”. It’s a play on words and my personal design style. I’m designing for the man/woman whose aesthetic is minimal but appreciates MAXIMUM eye to details that make the product stand out but isn’t over the top and in your face. At the moment the line is leather focused, however my background includes apparel design as well so as the brand grows and momentum gains, apparel will be introduced to the line!

I've designed for larger corporate brands since I graduated from college, starting off at Abercrombie & Fitch for 5+ years. In that time period at A&F I started to feel stagnant in my creativity and felt like I could be doing more to bring the designs in my head to life, so I began applying for and interviewing with many brands that I felt matched my design aesthetic. Because these were more "fashionable" brands most wanted me to have a background other than "All American" fashion that Abercrombie was known for and would pass on me. Even though A&F is a nationally recognized brand, I started to feel like my work history wasn't strong enough, I grew tired of hearing the countless "no's" and decided to start making my own yes's.

That's when MAX+min was born.

My name is Tiarra Smallwood, I'm a designer from Ohio, currently based out of Brooklyn, New York. I design Fit/Active Apparel for “The Gap” while also working on a start up of my own contemporary handbag line.

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W H AT ’ S N E X T ?

We Just launched our first line of handbags and are super excited to showcase our passion to the world. MAX + min has been a vison of mine for a long time and what’s next is an emerging brand focused around high quality handbags for both men + women.

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My Journey in Makeup

YouTube and even taking lessons from my husband's cousin who started to work at Sephora. She gifted me with my first makeup collection, a Sephora gift set which included tons of lipstick, eyeshadow, blush, lip pencils and much more. I cherished that case and used it on myself and whichever friend trusted me to do their makeup.

After college I went to work in corporate America at a car insurance company. Even there I would always wear makeup and any time I didn't, colleagues would ask if something was wrong. That is just who! I was they knew I loved makeup and as the industry evolved and grew so did my passion for not only wearing or doing makeup but the actual makeup products I began to discover. Once I was laid off from a job I had, I was bombarded with questions of why I wouldn't just start doing makeup as a job. After all it was quickly becoming a hot commodity; girls wanting makeup for not only special occasions like proms or weddings but even just a night out with

As a makeup artist often times I am perceived as not having a

the girls or a nice birthday dinner. I was hesitant and felt I

career but a hobby I get paid to do. Sometimes my profession is

would be a little fish in a big pond but after the encouragement

not given the acknowledgment it deserves and is not respected

of my best friend who was a makeup artist and my cousin who

as much as some other careers. The makeup industry is new to a

fed my makeup obsession I decided to at least start a YouTube

lot of people but not to those who love the art behind it. Dating

channel. That's when Blushing Brit was born.

back to plays and early movies, makeup has always been involved. Commercials, magazines with models, and musicians, makeup was used.

My husband loved that I was finally starting to do something I could enjoy and something I would have of my own to work on.

He helped me by making a logo so I could start creating videos

The makeup industry has evolved and has become a booming

and other content. He showed me how to edit my videos and

industry. I remember I was first introduced to makeup when I

how to formulate my page on social, as well as how to market

was 10 years old. Although I had seen my mom wear lipstick and

my brand. It didn't take too long before people around me

even occasionally wore some light pink lip color myself it wasn’t

started to refer to me as Blushing Brit. Then I got my first client!

until my sister gave me my first MAC cosmetics product that I

Although I did not get paid for it, it gave me a chance to see

really found my passion. My sister gave me some insight into the

what I could do and got some practice before putting a price on

products she was buying and how to use them and from then on

it. Within a couple of months I had gotten quite a few clients. I

I remember constantly playing makeup with my friends and

realized that I did actually enjoy doing makeup on not just

relatives, always being the one to do the makeup. Even with the

myself but other people.

cheapest of products, I was able to create something I loved with minimal training and skill. What I realize now is I was developing my passion.

Approaching my second year in business, I feel it is my duty to stay up on the latest products and makeup trends. I am always reading articles, watching videos, and practicing new

Without social media so readily available when I was growing

techniques to get better at my craft. The makeup industry is

up, I didn't get to know some of the different avenues I could've

very competitive and with it not being as much as a necessity

explored so of course my family's expectation was for me to go

as maybe hair or nails, there are still times I may go a while with

to college and nothing else. Even through college I continued to

no clients. Even still I continue to promote and advertise, and

yearn to perfect my makeup skills. Going to cosmetic counters

at least try and post a picture of myself as often as possible.

and asking for advice, watching videos once I discovered

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Even though some adults may feel being a makeup artist is not a reputable career, it gives me joy when a little girl tells me that they would like to be a makeup artist when they grow up.

Hearing that makes me want to work harder to show them that despite people's opinions or ill feelings towards my occupation, I can be just as driven, motivating and successful as anyone in any other fields.

So why tell this story; because I know some of you have a passion and I hope that by hearing my story you can be encouraged to go after them. I get paid to do something I love and everyone should get the opportunity to experience that.

So take action! Chase down everything you want because nothing can stop a Phenomenal Woman!

“ “ I GET PAID TO DO

SOMETHING I LOVE AND

TEMPORARY SACRIFICE BUILDING A BUSINESS IS MORE THAN A NOTION AND SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO POUR YOUR LAST INTO IT. REALIZE IT’S JUST TEMPORARY AND POSITIONING YOU FOR GREATER.

NO ONE IS PERSONALLY ATTACKING YOU OR SABOTAGING YOU. IF YOUR FRIENDS OR FAMILY DON’T SUPPORT SO WHAT. DON’T HAVE HURT FEELINGS BASED ON YOUR OWN EXPECTATIONS.

EVERYONE SHOULD GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE THAT.

YOU ARE NOT EVERYONE’S CUP OF TEA. THERE ARE CUSTOMERS FOR EVERYONE SO PUT YOUR ENERGY INTO THE FOLKS YOU HAVE, NOT THE ONES YOU DON'T.

SOCIAL MEDIA IS GREAT AND IT WORKS BUT DON’T FORGET TO ENGAGE WITH EXISTING AND NEW CUSTOMERS IN PERSON MOST PEOPLE ARE NOT ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO SOLICIT BUSINESS.

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Simplify Back-to-School Dinners with Nutritious Meal Plans

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Photo courtesy of Getty Images

Make Sense of Your Travel Preferences Seasoned travelers know that no two trips are exactly the same, even when revisiting the same location. The weather changes, your personal life and perspective evolve and any combination of factors makes each experience unique. However, if you're like most travelers, your preferences guide your journeys no matter how far you venture from home.

According to a survey of American travelers from vacation rental app and website Vrbo, people are united by a common desire to travel with friends and family. In fact, 52% of respondents said a family vacation is their reason for travel in 2019, and more people said they will travel with a group of four or more this year than last year. That's where the generational similarities end, however.

Determining where to go and what you'll do depends quite a bit on your age. Your stage of life significantly impacts the places you dream about visiting, the reasons you travel and what you look for when you get there, according to the survey.

What to look for in a destination Your definition of a dream vacation is likely to shift along with variables like your life stage, income and available free time. Limitations in any of those areas may make a certain destination a far-off dream during one stage of life but an attainable retreat during another.

The disparity between dream and reality signals that barriers of time and money are the deciding factors for whether Americans will take that dream vacation. This holds true for every age group, although millennials (37%) are more likely to go into debt for travel than Generation Xers (27%) and baby boomers (15%).

Reasons for traveling Relaxation is a primary reason for traveling, which can help you disconnect from the stress of daily life and reconnect with family and friends. Whether it's curiosity or a much-anticipated trip to celebrate a special occasion 32 â–’ JULY - AUGUST 2019

with a family member, many trips have a specific purpose.

Understanding why you want to travel can make it much easier to plan.

Although younger travelers are most likely to make exploration a priority on their journeys, the Vrbo survey revealed that travel isn't always about adventure, as 20% of travelers ages 35-54 are likely to travel for a special occasion like a birthday or anniversary. In addition, only 6% of baby boomers said they would travel for a hobby or activity like skiing, surfing or hiking, compared with 23% of millennial respondents.

Amenities that matter The amenities you can access during your getaway may vary greatly depending on where you go and the type of trip you plan. From electronics and fully stocked kitchens to swimming pools and pet-friendly features, plenty of options are available to help ensure your perfect vacation lodging includes all the amenities you require.

If you're like most travelers, keeping connected is a major requirement. In fact, 75% of respondents listed access to the internet via WiFi as an important amenity when traveling, outranking traditional must-haves like TV and air-conditioning, according to the survey.

Amenities like WiFi aside, accommodation preferences reflect the starkest generational differences among American travelers. Millennials (71%) are most likely to consider unique lodging options such as boats or treehouses. They also represent the age group most likely to take into account design and architecture when choosing a place to stay. Generation Xers voiced the strongest preference for having ample space for everyone in the party. For baby boomers, more than other age groups, noise level is important when selecting lodging.

Find getaway accommodations perfect for every stage of life at vrbo.com.

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l menaN phenoM A ™

phenomenal

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A Magazine That Empowers and Inspires WOMEN!

ERRY LE Bne re ur RUTH /EL Entrep Realtor GHTS, HIGHLIal Financial ess sin nu 4th An rment & Bu rence Empoweunities Confe Opport

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TO ADVERTISE CALL 216.702.0845

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GOING THE DISTANCE

FOR OUR

COMMUNITIES. At Dominion East Ohio, going the distance for our customers means more than just delivering safe, affordable natural gas. It means being a positive force in the communities we serve. Our EnergyShareÂŽ program has raised $6.8 million and helped more than 70,000 people in Ohio alone. These resources, combined with more than 6,300 volunteer hours from our employees, have benefited organizations as diverse as the American Red Cross, the Boy Scouts of America and the Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition.