#RallyUp2SaveLives
Mental Health
Magazine
GUN VIOLENCE
& PTSD By: Patrick Bailey
Warrior Zone IX:
I AM
“Kelly Jé” Kelly
Jessica
WORTH
By: Talona Smith
Toy
Features:
JAMES HARRIS
Founder of Men to Heal
PATRICE N. DOUGLAS, LMFT TAMARA DOPWELL, LMSW
CEO of Designs by Tee
LIVING BEYOND THE PAIN! Summer 2020
$9.99
VANITY DAWSON, Founder of Take My Hand
Special Feature: QUEENAFI
Founder of (DVWMT)
SUMMER 2020
OUR FIGHT Taking it Back to the Beginning
Mental Health Still Matters When Two or More Are Gathered in His Name
2yrs & Counting!
RALLYUP & See What's INSIDE 06 Founder’s Letter 07 Meet the Contributers 09 Behind the Scenes 10 Fashion Section What's Beautiful to You? 14 Poetry Corner Torre White Denise A. Kelley Kena'i 16 YOUTH ZONE My Club Experience | By: Jada Sherffield Poetry Corner | Nina Hollingsworth RUM Mental Health Comics | Illustrated By: RJ Sterling Scripted By: Nina Hollingsworth You're Not Alone! | Overseer: Lex Morgan Destiny Mosely YOUTH ZONE FASHIONS 23 Cover Story Toy James | Living Beyond the Pain 27 Faith & Mental Health Strength When You Feel Alone | By: Andrae Hayden GOD WILL GIVE YOU THE CONFIDENCE | By: Denise M. Walker
23 37 I AM WORTH By: Talona Y. Smith 38 SPECIAL FEATURE QueenAfi 41 Focused Journaling for EMOTIONAL SUPPORT By: Marisa Jones 43 The Truth About Gun Violence and PTSD By: Patrick Bailey 44 LOVE AND MENTAL HEALTH Too Soon To Share? | By: TJ Woodard 46 Thoughtful Thougts By: Lex Morgan
29 Therapy Is Dope: Build Confidence and Put An End to Self-Sabotage |Amanda Fludd, LCSW-R
47 MHCA Mental Health Change Agents James Harris, LMHP Patrice Nicole Douglas MS, LMFT
30 THERAPIST HIGHLIGHT: Words Have Power |Interviewed By: Amanda Fludd, LCSW-R
50 MAKING A DIFFERENCE Vanity Dawson
32 WARRIOR ZONE IX Jessica "Kelly Je'" Kelly
52 HEALTH & WELLNESS Reflect & Reset |By: Tyi Flood Romain Lettuce & Depression Recipe By: Dani The Nutritionist
35 Life After the Coronavirus Pandemic Kendra Hathaway 36 BEAUTY
What's Beautiful to You? .... Photo by Cash Captures
I SET TRENDZ
RALLYUP FAVORITE LOOKS Don’t be the girl who fell. Be the girl who got back up. ~Jenette Stanley
Plus Size WAX Frayed Denim Shortalls $19.79 Plus Size Lace Up Ribbed Bodysuit $8.09 Sporty Lace Up Platform Sandals $17.99 Square Face LED Watch $8.99 Mesh Fanny Pack $7.19 Love Layered Necklace with Flower Stud Earrings Set $4.72
Found at: rainbowshops.com Summer 2020| rallyupmagazine.com | 11
OUR VOICES MATTER Platform for 18 and under
THINGS PARENTS SAY THAT CAN BE
EMOTIONALLY ABUSIVE
You’ve always been so difficult You’re just going through a phase ‘Are you sure you’d be qualified for that job That’s silly, you shouldn’t feel that way You need to act your age It’s like you don’t want to be happy Sometimes I wish I never had kids Don’t be so dramatic Children are meant to be seen, not heard If you don’t behave, no one will love you Check All That Apply... Continuous feelings of sadness; hopelessness Irritable or Anger Vocal outbursts or crying Social withdrawal Difficulty concentrating; grades dropped Increased sensitivity to rejection Low Energy and do not want to participate in extra curriculum activities at school or home. Change in appetite (increased or decreased) Feelings of worthlessness or guilt Thoughts of harming themselves Anxious Change in sleeping in patterns (insomnia or excessive sleeping) Thoughts of death or suicide.
If your child is experiencing these symptoms, please seek help. Depression is Real! and It's Treatable! Make an appointment to rule out any underlying medical issues.(Resources & Numbers pg.50) If there are suicidal thoughts, seek medical attention immediately!
YOU'RE NOT ALONE! Overseer By: Lex Morgan
This is a place for young people to connect with one another using authenticity and courage. In a world where its easy to feel like you must figure things out alone and no one understands, we’re here to remind you that you matter, and You Are Not Alone! #BeScaredDoItAnyway
WE WELCOME
All Races and Ethnicities All Religions All Countries of Origin All Gender Indentities All Sexual Orientations All Abilities and Disabilities All spoken languages All Ages Everyone.
WE STAND HERE WITH YOU YOU ARE SAFE HERE
20 | rallyupmagazine.com | Summer 2020
YOU ARE NOT ALONE! Destiny Mosley
In 18 years of living, I have faced adversities with mental health; largely caused by losing my mother. As a child, I would never have envisioned that I would have this much adversity in my life. I was 16 years old struggling with high school challenges of schoolwork and balancing the conflicts that were happening around me at home. My mother was an addict. Seeing her struggle with Opioid addiction affected my life. Many nights, I would have nightmares about arguments we had the week before about pills. One bad dream I will never forget was seeing her die and being the first person to find her. I asked her to help me emotionally overcome what was going on around me. Was the dream a sign from God to help me see what was going to happen? On September 21, 2017, my dream had come true. I lost my mother from an overdose. During that time, my mental health started to rattle me because my mother was best friend. I had to manage being without her and the memories surrounding her passing. During that time, I also had to balance my PTSD while going to school and preparing for college. I was overwhelmed trying to keep up my grades and trying to take care of myself at the same time. Every night I prayed to God asking Him to give me strength because during that time I was emotionally distraught feeling helpless. What motivated me to fight was feeling my mom's spirit by telling me to push forward. During my crisis I missed a week of school and I was failing all my classes. That moment I felt that things had to change. I did not want to let my adversity destroy who I was meant to become. College was important to me and I wanted my comeback to be a success. Every day I would attend SAT prep and go to the library to work hard to earn good grades. I wanted to become an actress after mom passed because I wanted something to help me cope with PTSD. There were many challenges factored around what was going on around me, but nothing is more powerful than God. I prayed and maintained faith in God. My faith and my determination is how I earned the honor roll all four semesters of high school and was accepted into all of the colleges I applied to. The experiences have helped shape me as a beautiful, proud young black lady who inspires others by sharing my story. I felt that sharing my story would be inspirational to youth and anyone with a similar story. I understand high school has challenges with grades, friends, etc., but it is always important to remember to love and value yourself. I write this to inspire the youth by saying that you have the power to overcome any obstacles and mistakes you have made in your past by working harder and smarter on your journey and staying committed to your success. Thank you for sharing my story. Destiny Mosley
Summer 2020| rallyupmagazine.com | 21
to acknowledge their pain, heal and move on. It’s imperative that we understand we are here for a reason! I want women to understand that there is more to life than where they are and what they see. Once they tap into their purpose, they can move boldly into whatever God has called them to do. This is basically what Inspirations for Women Network and our event, Pj’s & Purpose is about. In a creative way, we work on what’s holding us back and move conďŹ dently in our purpose with a network of like-minded women who are determined to win. RUM: There may be a reader who has thoughts of giving up or having thoughts of harming themselves; what encouraging words do you have for them? Toy: You're reading an article by someone who once did not want to live, but now looks back over her life and sees how unfortunate this world would have been without a LaToya “Toyâ€? James. I am in a season in my life where I realize how beneďŹ cial I am to my family, and to the community. I didn’t see that back then. For someone going through dark moments right now, the pain will not allow you to see how beautiful your life is and how beautiful it will become. Your pain is not allowing you to see that you have purpose. It is not allowing you to see that God loves you and that He purposefully created you because only you can do what He created you to do. Pain places a veil over our eyes. Pain is the darkness that hovers over you and blocks you from seeing the amazing human being that you are. It may not feel like it, but I assure you that healing is possible. I plea with you now, to hold on to life. Don’t give up. It sounds like a clichĂŠ but take it from someone who has been there. I didn’t see a way out, but God showed me a way out. Talk to Him. Spend time with Him. He created you and knows why you are here. I know you’re hurting. It’s okay to acknowledge the pain, but don’t lose hope. Please hold on. You will see how beautiful your life will turn out to be. The world needs you. There are many people who will need your gifts, talents, expertise, hugs, love, wisdom and more. We need you to leave a legacy that will bless many for years to come. You could be the next person that opens a coee shop, write a book, save a child that needs you, become a teacher or an inventor. Please do not rob this world of you. You are absolutely needed! We pray this interview blesses you the way it blessed us! That it will encourage you to Keep Fighting! Hold On! Don't Loose Hope! Don't Ever Give Up! We Need You in this World ♼
LIP GLOSSES, LIP SCRUBS & BODY SCRUBS
"Building the Beauty from within" www.kenedi-beauty.com : @kenedi_beauty
Natural Products made with Love by hand CEO "Teenprenuer " Nina Hollingsworth ***Proceeds goes towards building business & college funds.
CONTACT INFO:
| : @ToyInspires | : @ToyJamesInspires : www.Shopigb.com | : Hello@Shopigb.com : Toy@ToyJamesInspires.com
26 | rallyupmagazine.com | Summer 2020
STRENGTH WHEN YOU FEEL ALONE Scripture:
We should not be afraid of anything. We must stand firm and put our trust in God. His word says, “he will strengthen us and help us.” Instead of being fearful, we must be confident and have faith, because his righteous right hand will never leave our side.
Daily Affirmation
Photo by Andrew Wolff on Unsplash
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 (ESV)
Lord, I will trust in you to strengthen me, even when I don’t feel your presence. I will not be stressed or depressed. I know that you are here with me. I will seek your face even more, for I know where my help comes from. I will be patient and keep my mind on you, as I await your voice. You have not forgotten me. You will strengthen me because you have promised it in your word. I praise you in advance.
Taken from “Devotionals for the Mind” by Andrae Hayden Available on Amazon.com Devotionals for a Queen is a devotional book that travels with you through many different stages in life. Life can bring about many changes as well as challenges. During their own journeys through young adulthood, authors Andrae Hayden and TJ Woodard experienced their share of hardships, as well as good times. Through the strength of Jesus Christ, the lessons they learned along the way led them on a path to spiritual maturity. They teamed up to create this powerful devotional unlike any other. Specifically crafting each devotional to encourage, and motivate its readers through various stages of Life. Devotionals for a Queen comes straight from their hearts to yours. It is transparent, heartfelt, and highlights some of the greatest scriptures and motivational quotes. Designed to empower you to be the royal Queen that God designed you to be. Andrae and Tamika pray that readers are inspired to go deeper into the person their savior desires them to be as believers. His love, strength, and peace will guide, and transform you into the Queen that he created you to be.
VANITY DAWSON
Wherever I go, my Father is right there with me holding my hand. This scripture is my constant reminder that we are never alone. As I close my eyes and envision a little girl holding her daddy's hand, that's how I see my Father and me. I'm not walking life alone. I have no reason to fear. I have someone to pour my heart out to and cherish the beautiful and intimate relationship that can never be broken. My heart smiles hard knowing God is leading my way. "For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, Fear not, I will help you' ~ Isaiah 41:13
Vanity Dawson is an Air Force Veteran on a lifelong mission to help clients heal from trauma and empower them to tap into their infinite God-given potential. As a D-SAACP level II Victim Advocate and Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, she has supported survivors of sexual trauma in the U.S. Air Force and on the civilian side with 5 years of experience. She is an active member of the Prince George’s County Sexual Assault Response Team (SART). She enjoys providing sexual assault/suicide prevention and bystander intervention training on throughout the community. "After enduring a treacherous cycle of sexual and physical abuse, I finally had enough! God had other plans for my life, and it was time to break free. Our traumatic experiences aren’t for us to harbor but to share hope and faith with the people around us that they too can make it through. With God, you will make it through any storm, trauma, or bad experience. Just hold onto faith in Him and trust His process". Through obedience and following God's process, Take My Hand LLC was established to help sexual abuse survivors work through traumatic experiences by proving trauma recovery coaching, conduct educational trainings on sexual assault prevention and bystander intervention/ speaking engagements, and provide resources. Sexual abuse untreated can take a toll on mental health and TMH is dedicated to
50 | rallyupmagazine.com | Summer 2020
assisting with the transition from mental pain to mental peace. Vanity truly understands what it’s like to feel helpless and even hopeless. However, through her faith in God and unwavering perseverance, she overcame the darkness and stepped into His light and has been empowered to share His light with you. She is a devout believer of Christ whose resilience, compassion, and dedication have all earned her the reputation as a service-centered leader. Through God's grace, Vanity is a step closer to completing her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. "It's a blessing to have vision for my life and part of that is helping the people around me live with healthy mental conditions and behaviors". Even after traumatic experiences, there is healing and hope waiting to embrace us” -Vanity
Contact: Visit and subscribe to our website at: : www.vanitydawson.com : Info@vanitydawson.com : 240-722-8816 Social Media : vanityd_tmh / Take My Hand LLC : Vanity Dawson/ Take My Hand
MENTAL HEALTH MAGAZINE
SUBSCRIBE TO
Black & Mental Wellness... 1 YEAR FOR $12.
https://issuu.com/store/publishers/rallyupmagazine/subscribe
YOU
ARE
ENOUGH. 2 CORINTHIANS 12:9
#faithandmentalhealth www.wefightfoundation.org