She ROCKS It Magazine Anniversary Edition

WINTER 2021

ROCKSIt

She

Magazine

Women You Should Know

The Anniversary

EDITION

Bosses & Brands

Wrote That

She

J.Dawkins EntrepreneuHER

FASHION

HER STORY

Editor's Notes If someone would've told me a year ago that I would have a successful magazine with readers from across the world, I would have probably said something like, "what, I don't have room for anything else on my plate."

Well, here I am a year later, and I have published my first magazine, and it has exceeded all of my expectations. This digital and print magazine has had over 19,000 readers and impressions combined! I am in awe. I have only shared this magazine on social media platforms, which has been my only line of marketing. I am beyond blessed that God has given me another platform where I can share with the world who SHE is. This publication, along with She ROCKS It Celebrating Women Who ROCK, That's My Soul Point of View

Joyce Dawkins

MANY WOMEN DO NOBLE THINGS BUT SHE SURPASS THEM ALL PPROVERBS 31:29

The Magazine Where She Belongs

SRI

Magazine Anniversary edition. Issue 4 November 2021

Cover Image Alexis Beauford -A.Beauford photography Editorial Joyce Dawkins Editor Shenitha Burton Co-Editor Contributors Tawana Trammell, Lakeisha Walker, Inita n. Callaway, Lisa Jenkins, Crystal D. Mayo SRI Magazine Team Ylandus Roundy Shenitha Burton Staci Holt Marketing Team SRI Magazine connectwithsherocksit@outlook.com Advertising Team SRI Magazine connectwithsherocksit@outlook.com Subscriptions Visit https://www.sherocksit.com Write to: P.O. Box 1004 Lockport, Il 60441 Phone: 312-885-4160 social media @sherocksit

Published quarterly by she rocks it printed with wdb marketing/south holland, il.

Edition

43

Inside This

8

NEXT GENHERATION

Meet Ava the Founder of Ava's Pet Palace.

THE COVER GIRLS Phenomenal Women you should know.

20 SHE WROTE THAT Writers, Authors and Poets you should know.

HAIR STYLES

45

All things hair styles, meet Agnes the stylist behind the braid phenom in the Western Suburbs of Chicago.

HOUSE OF DIVAHS

38

Tis the Season for great Stylish Fall and Winter Fashion!

BOSSES, BRANDS & BUSINESSES Meet the EntrepreneuHERs behind some of the Hottest brands, products and services hitting the market this year.

46

HAPPY

Year

Anniversary Cheers to One Year!

She ROCKS It Magazine The Magazine Where She Belongs Celebrates One Year of sharing with the world who SHE is!

IT'S TIME TO Celebrate Written by: Tawana Trammell Founder and CEO of TLK Empowerment Services, LLC Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Author, Speaker, and Contributing Writer for She ROCKS It Magazine Anniversaries are times of reflection, celebration, and preparation. Some anniversaries are viewed as positive while others are not. We celebrate the positives, like healthy marriages, healings, births and successes. On the other hand, we reflect on the negatives, like divorces, losses, and failures (which I call lessons). In all situations, preparation and/ or planning is necessary to ensure that you are prepared to continue your specific journey. These components can also assist you with deciding if it’s time to change or end some situations.

As survivors of the COVID-19 pandemic, we will live to see and hear a lot of information related to the anniversary of this pandemic. This pandemic had the power to shut our country down for over a year and claim the lives of many. During this season, some of us thrived while others struggled mentally, emotionally, physically, financially, and spiritually.

During speaking engagements, I often say “There is something in LIFE that can bring all of us to our knees”. For many, this pandemic was one of those life events, and just when we could see the light at the end of the tunnel the DELTA variant emerged.

With the new variant came the return of restrictions and guidelines. We once again found ourselves questioning when will we be able to return to “normal”.

As I reflect on what life looked like pre-COVID-19, I realize how much I took for granted. I planned each day, week, month, and year as if time was promised.

I know life is short but I never imagined that I would live through a pandemic that would govern my time, freedom, and relationships.

We were locked down! There were no church services, in-person employment or schooling, visits with family members, social activities, or vacationing. This was the first time some of us had to just sit with ourselves and those living in our households. Situations and feelings that had been pushed under the rug were now staring us in the face. There was nowhere to go and no reason to ignore what was in front of our eyes. We were forced to deal with ourselves.

As a result, hopefully we all came out of the pandemic as a better version of ourselves while recognizing the strength that lies within us.

As we move forward, let’s decide to celebrate and reflect on the positive awareness and growth we made during this time on the anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic. Let’s celebrate life, and honor those lives that were loss. Let’s commit to continual preparation for the future that is before us and value the time we have been given, as we adjust to the “new normal”. Let’s agree to live in victory and not defeat. It’s time to celebrate the strength that lies within us in the” She Rocks It” anniversary edition!

JOYCE DAWKINS FOUNDER

SHE KNOWS THE FIRST STEPS TO GETTING TO WHERE SHE BELONGS IS DECIDING SHE'S NOT STAYING WHERE SHE CURRENTLY IS

A f f ir m I AM SHE

She's

THE BOSS

Meet the Women who Grace the Cover of our Anniversary Edition

For our Anniversary Edition we gathered together a few Phenomenal Bosses from around the Chicagoland Area and met with the talented Alexis Beauford of A. Beauford Photography in Chicago for this BOSS photo experience.

See why we say these are some women you should know. Get to know each of these amazing women in the following pages.

Alexis Beauford

Michelle Thames WHO IS SHE Social Media Strategist, Content Creator and Entreprenuer

MICHELLE THAMES Michelle Thames is a top-rated Social Media expert, strategist, speaker, content creator, and entrepreneur. She founded Thames Media Solutions because of her passion for helping brands build their businesses on social media.

Today TMS is a boutique social media agency helping influencers, creatives, and small business owners build social media strategies that turn their followers into community. She has been a content creator for 11 years working with brands like, Toyota, Olay, Subway, True Value, McDonalds, Grove Collaborative and many more.

Follow Michelle and Thames Media Solutions on all social media platforms and check out her amazing podcast on Apple Podcast "Social Media Decoded" https://www.thamesmediasoultions.com

Afenya Montgomery WHO IS SHE Entrepreneur Founder of The iCAN Collective.

Afenya Montgomery

Afenya Montgomery is the founder of The iCAN Collective. The iCAN Collective is a creative studio, coworking and event space, located in Chicago's South Loop neighborhood providing resources for women in business featuring conferences, workshops and seminars focused on entrepreneurship. The iCAN Collective's mission is to give Black women entrepreneurs the tools to create, launch and scale viable, profitable businesses.

Afenya also has a background in healthcare. She began her nursing career as a nurse extern and climbed the nursing ladder to Master of Science in Nursing and MBA with a focus on executive leadership. Prior to becoming a nurse, Afenya obtained a marketing degree from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. She is a fierce advocate for the advancement of Black women in leadership and entrepreneurship. https://www.theicancollective.com

Keeana Barber

https://www.lovecorkscrew.com

CHRISHON LAMPLEY

Bold, Resilient, Tenacious, and Innovative are a few words to describe highly accomplished entrepreneur Chrishon Lampley. Her road to success has not been an easy one, but to Lampley, success is inspiring at least one person to follow and reach their dreams. She learned early on that in order for her to achieve her dreams, she would have to overcome limitations and challenges.

Since then, she has built a successful career and shattered every glass ceiling imaginable.

Did you know that less than 1% of wine industry negociants are black women?

Lampley is not only an experienced negociant, but she is also a wine enthusiast and founder of LCS Entertainment, LLC. LCS Entertainment, LLC is a licensed wholesaler, importer, and a certified Minority Business Enterprise that features Love Cork Screw wines. Love Cork Screw is a lifestyle brand that launched six varietals December 2013 in Chicago.

Lampley expanded the brand by touching all senses and adding five wine-scented candles to the portfolio in 2014.

After spending nearly 15 years pursuing her passion, Chrishon Lampley developed a keen awareness of what the traditional wine novice and enthusiast enjoys

She has traveled all around the world to produce quality wine and this year she has made it a priority to make sure that the LCS brand adds nutritional value to each and every label. Transforming the industry as the first black woman-owned wine to launch whimsical labels, Lampley has grown to become a force whose ambition will leave a lasting imprint for years to come.

Lampley, a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., has a well-known commitment to giving back to youth in Chicago. Her passion for philanthropy and youth development led her to mentoring young women and budding entrepreneurs. She gives her time and resources greatly to nonprofit organizations through sponsorship and speaking engagements. Lampley has mentored youth through Urban Broadcast Media, Chicago Sky and Polished Pebbles, to name a few.

Chrishon Lampley has laid an unbreakable foundation and remained optimistic about her purpose. She looks forward to what the future brings and is encouraged by the opportunity to continue to build LCS, Entertainment, LLC. LCS Entertainment, LLC is a licensed wholesaler and importer, and a certified Minority Business Enterprise.

Kia Pinkney WHO IS SHE

A Rising Star in the Real Estate Industry Entrepreneur Girl Boss

K

EYS WITH KIA

Get to know KIA

SRI Magazine: Who is Kia? Kia: I am She, a force to be reckoned with! I am powerful, kind and determined!

SRI Magazine: Why did you decide to go into real estate?

Kia: I didn’t choose real estate. Real estate chose me. My mother is a successful realtor with her own brokerage, I was in college bored and confused. After getting my feet wet shadowing her, a natural and passionate relationship budded between me and real estate.

SRI Magazine: What has been your biggest accomplishment in life?

Kia: I purchased my first home at 23. At one point it seemed like everything was going left but I stayed right. I didn’t let my obstacles stop me and for that I am so proud!

SRI Magazine: What is your favorite quote, saying, or scripture?

Kia: It’s between “If you stay ready you don’t have to get ready” and Luke12:48 “to much is given, much is required” SRI Magazine: What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

Kia: I like to call it “me time” because my time is never free lol but when I do take the time to take a breath and slow things down, I like to put on a good documentary or movie and relax

SRI Magazine: What motivates you?

Kia: The need to succeed motivates me! I am in competition with myself. I have to do better than I did the day before. I must grow, and learn, and conquer! Being my best self-motivates me.

SRI Magazine: Who inspires you?

Kia: My mother, Daphne Pinkney, motivates me!

She is a phenomenal realtor, mother, daughter, wife, and leader. Everything she sets her mind to she does, and I aspire to be like her in every aspect! My father, Paris Pinkney, also motivates me because he lives by his own rules. He is Paris all the time and that’s a trade I think we all need to adopt. Honorary mention of course, Queen B! SRI Magazine: What would you tell the young ladies coming up after you?

Kia: First off ALWAYS listen to your mother because she’s almost always right. Secondly don’t worry about who or what the market is over saturated with because it can always use you! You are what your market needs right now so follow through, follow through, FOLLOW THROUGH! And back to my favorite scripture “to much is given, much is required” you have to want it bad enough to do what’s needed to succeed.

SRI Magazine: Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?

Kia: I have big plans for the next 5yrs. I plan on expanding my career into commercial real estate as well, start up my business who’s name I can’t mention yet because I’m working on trademarking it, but here’s a hint; I will be selling comfort. And lastly, I plan to open up a brick-and-mortar Pinkney Team in Chicago!

If you are looking to purchase a new home, consider getting your Keys from Kia! https://kia@ThePinkneyTeam.com

EXTRA, EXTRA, READ ALL ABOUT IT! She ROCKS It Magazine loves to showcase women who put their thoughts on paper and create amazing pieces of work for the world to read.

In this edition, we shine the light on authors, poets, and women who share their stories through words.

Take a few minutes and read the snippets about each author's book, take a moment and read Her Story, from women who shared their most inner truths with us, and read some poetic pieces of art from women you should know.

she wrote that

Meet Denise Dawidowski A Boss, Her Books and Her Brand

Photo by Jason McCoy

Born in Chicago, Illinois, Denise Dawidowski was single-handedly raised by her mother. Denise is a wife, mother, and above all a believer in God. The concept of “love” is what influenced her writing the most. At the young age of fourteen she experienced her first love, the artistry of hair. She later found her second love at the age of fifteen when she began to express herself through writing poetry. Her joy for writing greatly affected her decision to obtain a bachelor’s degree in communication with a minor in journalism at Governor State University. Denise’s love for writing soon blossomed into a love for reading books by authors such as, Toni Morrison, Zora Neale Hurston, and Maya Angelou. The work of these authors molded the writing of her first book, Blessings Will Not Come To Me

Korzen is committed to promoting healthy hair regardless of texture or length.

To achieve our mission, we create hair care products to inspire women of all races because all hair is good hair. We are passionate about our brand just as our customers are about their hair, that's why we strive to formulate our products with natural ingredients. Korzen is "The Root to Healthy Hair". http://krozenhair.com

Tori takes us through the many struggles in her life, which leaves her feeling hopeless. As Tori battles with her sexuality, parents, and the loss of her baby’s father, she stops doing the one thing she was taught as a young child, to pray. Tori believes she has been cursed by God and chooses to live life as she sees fit. Her drastic decision to cut off all ties with God quickly came to an end when she had no one else to turn to.

Available on amazon in kindle version for $6.99

After the loss of his wife, Tay Morrison deals with being a single father to his new born son and his step daughter Arielle. Not only is Tay struggling to overcome the death of his wife but he has just discovered he has another child.

Just when Tay thought he had found his true purpose in life, he embarks on a journey to uncover the missing pieces.

Due to launch 2022 "Pieces of life" its a part of a series and readers will definitely want to read the first book to understand the second one.

Shenitha Burton Owner, S.H.E Publishing

S.H.E. PUBLISHING LLC is a unique publishing and retail company that is ready to collaborate with you in sharing your story with the world through book literature, poems, letters, magazines, business articles, interviews, memoirs, and blogs.

Look forward to the ultimate experience of life long service, creative innovations, author development, positive support, and guidance.

This company has become aware that there is a profound purpose for you to start sharing your story with the world! Sharing your story may serve as a form of healing, counsel, inspiration, growth, and leaving a legacy/inheritance. Maybe it's time for you to move forward on the idea of you writing your story and sharing the original ideas that have been planted within your soul. For more information about publishing, selling and shopping with S.H.E. PUBLISHING LLC, please visit www.shepublishingllc.com, or call 219.515.8032 .

S.H.E. PUBLISHING LLC has expanded and had three sister publishing companies: SHE|R.I.F.F. Publishing LLC based in Illinois; SHE|SASSY PUBLISHING LLC located in Texas; and SHE|GOLDEN PUBLISHING LLC located in Florida.

Message from the CEO of S.H.E. PUBLISHING LLC Shenitha Burton, CEO & Founder of SHE Publishing, LLC, launched her global publishing and retail company amid the COVID-19 pandemic on April 27, 2020. Her life experiences and innate ability to develop and learn lead her to begin writing her story, which manifested a platform for women and men across the world to share their authentic stories. During her journey to success in producing quality manuscripts from collaborating with aspiring authors, the divine connection would be made between SHE Publishing, LLC and SheRocksIt. Burton is honored and humbled to be a part of the SheRocksIt evolution.

A message from this Entrepreneur would be: Invest in yourself now and visualize success - You can do it, I promise.Become a life-long learner, resource, and inspiration to your specific audience.Surround yourself with diverse, knowledgeable, and positive influences, people you can learn and grow from because they will be your support system as the road to success is a challenging yet rewarding journey.Remain humble and be your authentic self – you are a star so shine bright like a diamond.

MONA WILLIAMS

Wrote That Work the Vision! Would you enjoy a life where you are living what you have envisioned? Let award-winning Author and life Coach Mona Williams lead you in that direction with this strategic visionary planner designed to help you: set quarterly goals recollect your vision remain clear and focused on your vision manage your weekly schedule Also, the interior design is a non-dated 12month format, which allows you to start and stop at your discretion. So, what vision awaits you? Let this planner help steer you in that direction for all that is ahead of you. https://bit.ly/theultimatevp

SHE WROTE THAT

TIYA SUMTER Hello Bold

A Conversation Piece

BYE, BYE SHY! Hello BOLD is a celebration for women who are ready to conquer shyness and overcome fear.

Tiya Cunningham-Sumter, transformative life and love coach, teaches women how to transform from shy to fly with the wisdom she’s received over the years from her own personal journey as well as advice from other successful Bolder Sisters on careers, networking, public speaking, dating, entrepreneurship, happiness and spiritual boldness, to name a few.

Being shy has its limitations, but being BOLD is a choice. Hello BOLD was created to encourage women to make that choice. This confidence guide teaches shy women how to...

•Own any room you enter •Speak up with confidence •Stop giving energy to what everyone else thinks about you •Step out on faith, completely •Love and embrace your body, your hair and everything else about you •Live fearlessly in every area of your life Living a life in fear is not living. It’s time to replace fear with confidence and choose dreams over doubt.

Listening. Understanding.

Acknowledging Clarity. Validation.

Forgiveness. Affirmation. Couples today struggle unnecessarily with finger-pointing, nagging, and poor communication. Unfortunately, being heard and understood is a constant battle in most relationships. In order to take a relationship from this to bliss committed partners must be willing to make sacrifices and do something different to get the results they desire. A Conversation Piece helps women break the communication curse in their relationships by providing the greatest love lessons on verbal and nonverbal communication. Love communication can be a tricky skill to master. Just because you love someone doesn’t mean you know how to talk to them. But you can learn. Whether he doesn’t talk enough or thinks you talk entirely too much, A Conversation Piece offers an honest and realistic approach to overcoming your toughest communication dilemmas. It guides you comfortably into discussing marriage, sex, and conflict with ease.

Learn how to stay solution-focused as you share your truth, express your needs, and talk about what’s needed most to keep your relationship alive and well.

Both books can be purchased by clicking here, https://www.amazon.com/Tiya-Cunningham-Sumter/e/B06XY1X65R/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1

SHE SPOKE THAT Crystal D. Mayo is a Native New Yorker born and raised in the South Bronx.She is an actress and storyteller. Her repertoire of writing spans from memoirs and poetry to children’s literature. Her literary contributions have been published in the Bronx Memoir Project Volumes III, IV and V. She most recently performed one of her memoirs entitled, “ Teaching Me A Lesson” featured in Volume V at the Caveat theater with the Generation Women ensemble.The African Voices tribute to Ntozake Shange and Our Voices Our Stories, an anthology of Writings Advancing, Celebrating, Embracing and Empowering Girls and Women of Color through the National Girls and Women of Council Inc. Crystal’s memoir, Wicked Blues will be featured in the Connecticut Literary Anthology 2021 in October. When Crystal is not writing she serves as a mentor for the New York based organization, Girls Write Now, and can be seen performing her latest spoken word and writing prompts on the virtual mic stage of the NYC Coalition for Writers.

WE ARE SOBeautiful CRYSTAL D. MAYO

Running

INTO TIME

I ain’t running

I ain't running out of time

Around her arms and legs

out of time…..

I’m running into it

over time she breathed and

hung old swaddling clothes

I’m running into it

Head on

stretched grew as I grew

soiled like the bottom of my

Heart on the 12

Eye to eye

as a little girl I adored her

shoes I ran to embrace her rock

Ambitions on the second hand

Toe to toe

wrapped her in earth toned

my head against her chest Cried

My hustle

Streaming down my face

swaddling clothes rocked,

in her arms and she in mine Till

My drive

Are phonemes

kissed, cradled and counted

we intertwined and meshed

Controls the winding disposition

That blend themselves

My words

Into puddles of prose

I was born with her encased

her body black and blue

inside my womb

her tiny fingers and toes and I told her and she told me we

And over the years I’ve scraped

Sweet

are so beautiful

the rot from her walls

Dark

Hell,

stained with guilt and shame

Raw

I ain't running out of time

by womanhood I disowned

then hung them up like still

Gritty

Time runs through me

her tossed her downstream

portraits in my gallery of pain

Black girl narratives

Surging through

disregarded her cries and

restored these paintings into

Embedded in every second

my veins and capillaries

struggles played tone deaf to

artwork of my inner ancestry

It is my voice

Overflowing in cups of creativity

her screams on quiet days

The roots and limbs that

That splashes in the rhythm of each

Never empty

She’d sing to me but I turned

redefine who I am

tick tock

My Voice is the descendant of

outside life up to drown her

Into the woman I am destined

My vision

decades

music with words that

to be

That submerges in the rhyme of

My words are my

Of each synchronized beat

Legacy for centuries

gagged and silenced her overtime became abusive I

Now everyday I bathe her Wrap

Soaked

buried pain down deep

her in swaddling clothes

With pen and paper

smothering her nurturing

Grease her scalp Kiss her lips

I write myself…...

seeds polluted her lungs with

Count all her fingers and toes

Into …

Herstory!

anger strangled each breath she

Loving every inch of my inner

breathed

skin Loving my spirit and soul And I tell her And she tells me

Until one day I lost my first child a stillborn inside my womb The outside world grew silent As she walked into the room her face was red and swollen

We are so beautiful

HE S WROTE THAT

EMMA MIMMS THE FRAGRANCE JOURNEY

EXPERIENCE THE FRAGRANCE HOME | DIVINE TOUCH (ELMFRAGRANCE.COM)

Turning Interest Into Action Owner and CEO of Divine Touch Inc. A wife for 25 years, mother of three, Associate Pastor, blogger, author, public speaker, and spiritual adviser.

Divine Touch is designed to bring hope to women through encouragement and inspiration. Divine Touch has two major components, first, mentorship through The Fragrance Journey . The journey gives women the opportunity to experience a new path to freedom and self-renewal. Second, connections and support through, The Balance Workshops. Workshops are designed to help bring balance back by teaching women how to connect with one another. We use journaling and inspirational messages to inspire and engage women.

S H E

W R O T E

H E R

T H A T

S T O R Y

Relentless, Realizing Your Power in this 2021 Pandemic B Y

L A K E I S H A

W A L K E R

My name is LaKeisha Walker many folks call me Keisha. I am the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Honorable Women Inc. It’s an organization I started in the midst of this Pandemic even while being instructed not to. Before the start of Covid-19 I tried to blend into crowds of people because I felt alienated. I had a dark secret that I counseled for many years. My voice was snatched, people saw me as timid and reserved. Being a mother of three children didn’t make it any easier for me. At the peak of 2019 I finally received housing after living in shelters and laying my head wherever I could. Grateful to be alive, I wouldn’t dare consider airing my dirty laundry to the public. Then suddenly something changed. I started seeing so many people being kidnapped. Needless to say, there were many teenagers, and LGBTQ communities hurting as well. How could I tell it? How would people respond, when I pretended to be Ms. Perfect for so long. I couldn’t bare the pain any longer. In 2020 I jumped out on a limb and told all 1,945 Facebook friends that I am a human trafficking survivor. Not only that, I was captured, raped, sold, locked in rooms and tortured for six years in Chicago. This was twelve years ago but it was something that was meant for me to release in the midst of this pandemic. HWI has helped rescue human trafficking victims. We also specialize in teen prevention. Our programs keep human trafficking survivors encouraged. The best part is, being able to exude excellence through my purpose.

I actually thought I was doing a good thing by withholding my story. I wanted to spare the critics and judgmental people the time it takes to ridicule someone for being their authentic selves.

Starting a 501c3 nonprofit organization was the best decision I’ve ever made. My entire life changed. Suffering from depression, being victimized, being a domestic violence, and human trafficking survivor; was suddenly worth everything.

When your at your lowest point and you think there’s no other options; there absolutely is! There is always something you

Are you relentless? Do you have that fire that pushes past your fears to succeed? There is never a good enough excuse to deny the

can release into the earth to make a difference. You may think you are insignificant or even small, but your not.

Since then, I have been on 1390 AM radio several times. Motivational Speaking is my thing now. In fact, I am doing the unimaginable and traveling all over to speak to people who need hope. My message is a message of human trafficking awareness, hope, and empowerment. In this pandemic people are severely hurting. There’s so much pain being recycled, but not enough love. To think an entire organization was created out of the mud. I was writing in my journal for the past few years about what I was gonna accomplish. All this time; it was a road map, a door that would lead to the new me. Love saved my life. According to my faith Love is God. Who ever is reading this article. Please know I love you enough to let you know there’s still power in you. Your fight to never give up is the same energy that will drive you to success. So for the duration of this article, I want to ask you a question.

greatness passed down from generations.

This pandemic made me realize one thing, and one thing only. I will never be waisted potential. You always have a chance to change the dynamic of your life while your still breathing. The strength is already inside of you. Your battles, whether from abuse, cancer, mental illness, trauma, or financial; will be rectified. We are born to win! I know society norms make it seem the complete opposite. Changing your perception will eventually change your life. No longer will I be ashamed to speak my truth. Furthermore we have helped hundreds of people in one single year. “Stand for something or fall for anything” was my grandmothers favorite saying. Now it belongs to you. Use it for your empowerment. Let it guide you into pastures of opportunities that you didn’t think was humanly possible. Let’s move beyond this pandemic. Moving forward, we are undefeated! Today is your day of awakenings.

I actually thought I was doing a good thing by withholding my story. I wanted to spare the critics and judgmental people the time it takes to ridicule someone for being their authentic selves.

DIONNE D. HUNTER

She Wrote That As an African American, have you hungered for

The Dahomey Warriors, through their incredible power

information about your Ancestral home? Or

and prowess, were often compared to the mythical Greek

hungered for stories with historical significance that

Amazons by European scouts. These comparisons

show your ancestors as anything but slaves?

continue to this day.

In your youth, or even now as a parent, have you

Come, step into the mind of a warrior and be led through

searched for fiction that displays women and girls of

her adventures by the use of poetry as a means of

African heritage as Strong, Powerful, Complex,

powerful storytelling.

Beautiful beings, but found only one-dimensional caricatures?

Amazon “I AM A DAHOMEY WARRIOR” follows the gripping

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09GMLS3ZB

journey of a young girl coming of age prior to the colonization of Africa. This short story told with the

Here is a link that will let you purchase it thru Apple,

aid of poetry follows our heroine from the early

Kobo, Walmart etc

days of her childhood through the heart-stopping

https://books2read.com/u/3nEyqo

events that mold her into the warrior she is today.

Although fictional, this story is based on a real tribe

Barnes and Noble

of female African Warriors.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w? ean=2940162294986

S H E

W R O T E

Marquitta Dashae is a visionary, speaker and serial entrepreneur. She understands the day to day challenges one must face in order to become a successful entrepreneur.

Marquitta shares her deepest-darkest failures combined with her own life experiences, by teaching us how she restyled her challenges into learned lessons for her very own success! This first generation Mompreneur uses the vehicle of the fashion industry to teach others how she earned her first six figures using timeless-tactics that any entrepreneur in

Secrets From a House of Divahs: 10 Success Secrets That Never Go Out of Style

business can benefit from.

Marquitta’s Secrets From A House of Divahs book, not only provides you with her best secrets that has contributed to her own success, but also, additional interactive call to action coaching questions at the end of each chapter to help you engage your own growth and level up.

t a h T

Lifetime

Poetically Speaking

Didn't Prepare Me For This

I always thought I was safe. Like it could never happen to me.

Tuh, abuse, that’s for those women who were weak.

I’m strong. I’m impenetrable. I’m burley.

My momma prepared me for this. My daddy said, I wish a sucker would, he’d have to answer to this. The hundreds of Lifetime movies I watched on Saturday’s guided me through this.

I could not see myself becoming a woman who accepted this. I could spot these sorts of men anywhere. I was vetted for this. I was sure to dodge this bullet when it came to that abuse ish.

That young naive girl grew older, met a man, and he won me over.

Toxicity 101. He loved me unconditionally, so it seemed.

But the smoking screens were far more sizable than anything I had ever seen. Lifetime didn’t prepare me for this.

He made me feel good about myself early on.

My daddy didn’t even do this. He must be my knight and shining armor, I can roll with this. He accepted me just how he saw me.

Even when I didn’t accept me how I saw me.

No makeup, no spanks, no curves, no problem, I was beautiful to him, and that made me follow this.

We moved fast, but I thought he was really into this.

Within a year, he was living with me. He was lying to me.

Things never really added up to me, but I always divided then added three.

This man loved me. He accepted me.

Then he wedded me and put a baby in me.

I can get used to this. It felt right, but also felt wrong.

Those days when it felt wrong, I kept feeding on him to make it feel right. When you feed on something toxic for so long, it seems right. It was my norm. It was like drinking a glass of poison repeatedly, and not understanding why I didn’t feel so right. The warning signs were there.

The instructions were made clear, but the indescribable feeling I got when I sipped him, flooded me like a torrential downpour, and I held my head back to insinuate I wanted more. This taste of him, was like a fiend getting that unreachable high again. I eradicated what I knew of him and fed the broken little girl inside over and over again.

This is toxic. This is abuse. But the lifetime movie network didn’t show me this. He never struck me physically, but he raped me emotionally and mentally until I was numb and didn’t recognize me.

I finally left, but there was an invisible hold on me, and I wasn’t used to this. The further I walked, the more his grip engulfed me, begging me to stay entangled in this. My mind is cloudy.

My body is shutting down. My world is literally hanging upside down.

If I stay in this space, I’ll be a shell of a person and not reach my purpose. Lifetime didn’t prepare me for this.

Just until recently, I’ve learned that we bonded in a way that was delusory and this relationship was the epitome of toxicity.

Love was never a part of this.

I’m so ashamed, but I was wholeheartedly addicted to this.

I broke at the seams from this.

I tried to stich me up, but he came and unraveled this.

I realized that it would have taken a lifetime to break free of this, if I would have continued like this.

Hundreds of Saturdays created a blueprint of what toxicity looked like and I’m a product of this.

LIFETIME SURELY DID NOT PREPARE ME FOR THIS.

Inita N. Callaway Writer, Owner INC Writes, LLC M: 773.615.6887 W: www.incwrites.com E: incwrites@yahoo.com

Radiant Montgomery

SHE WROTE

t a h T

From a father’s seed to a mother’s womb is where “new” life is formed and nurtured until birth. It is also the place where many of the internal crises that affect us as adults have their beginning. Issues of the womb are the matters that affect us holistically, from the time of our conception throughout our lifetime. The choices our grandparents and parents made influence us before we even have the ability to make a decision on our own. Issues of the Womb address the effects of those who have come before us, the trauma we inherit in our bloodline. If we don’t deal with these issues they can cause us natural infertility and spiritual bareness. The fact is we all get these issues, but the truth is there is hope and redemption through healing and revelation.

HOME | passion4transfmation (passion4transformation.com)

Her Story

PAIN TURNED INTO PURPOSE

BY LISA JENKINS I spent 30+ years feeling worthless,

If something in my day happened that

Saturday, June 28, 2013. It was the day

The life I am currently living began on

misunderstood, ignored, hurt,

reminded me of a terrible experience in

– 39 years old – that I escaped 21 years

disappointed, mentally drained, scared,

my former life I, in turn, would have a

of domestic abuse. That was the day I

confused, and mad as hell. I was simply

nightmare that night. Those triggers, along

started saying yes to putting myself

existing one day at a time. I was working

with the accompanying nightmares, came

first and no to anything that no longer

in Public Relations and Journalism, through

and went over the next few weeks, until I

served me or meant me well. That was

my PR Firm KRA Communications, but my

had had enough. He did not get to invade

the day I stopped hiding and ignoring

purpose had not yet been revealed.

my future.

my feelings – something I became good at. Growing up, I had a mother in

About 10 months before my escape, I

I sought help from a mental health

title only, never a mom. There were no

woke up one morning and decided to

counselor because it was clear I could and

hugs, no mommy-daughter outings or

choose me. I still had a lot of life to live

would not win that battle alone. I was

any of those things a little girl secretly

and that I deserved better than what I was

diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress

yearns for.

accepting. Those months remains a blur to

Syndrome (PTSD) in April 2014. Over the

this day. The testimony from those

past seven years, several months would

extensive and exhausting tests is that God

pass without a nightmare. Then suddenly

never knew what love really felt like.

saved my life for a purpose. There is no

they would start up all over again. My ex

That lack turned me into a broken kid

other explanation.

was always in the nightmares but each

Sure, she said she loved me, but I

who grew into a broken adult. I had no dreams or focus for my future past the

time he was further away from me and One I was free, now what! After settling

losing his ability to hurt me.

day after the current day. That

into my new home, and life following my

brokenness created a broken and

escape, it was time to get to know who I

introverted adult who only ever

was. I knew who the mommy, daughter,

journey, I realized the story was not in

depended on myself to survive. It is

sister, and friend versions were, but not

what happened to me. My story of turning

how I also I landed in an abusive

Lisa, the woman. I did not know what I

my fear into strength could help someone

relationship that almost mirrored the

liked, what I wanted out of life, or even

else either avoid similar traumas or get out

dysfunctional relationship I grew up in

what I enjoyed doing. Saying that I did not

much sooner than I did. Talking about my

with my mother.

matter was a lifelong practice that took

most embarrassing and terrifying moments

years to reverse.

gave me strength and a sense of peace I

Once I became a parent, the fear of

As I grew stronger throughout my healing

never expected. I took that renewed focus

turning into her ordered each step I

I thought once I was safe in my new home

and confidence and turned myself into a

made while raising my daughter.

that I would be ok mentally and physically.

self-published author of seven books to

Motherhood was my most important

I was shocked and upset to learn that was

date, The Slipout Mobile App creator, and

job. It did not matter that I was being

the furthest thing from the truth. After

mental health counselor in training.

neglected, physically, emotionally, and

about six months I began having

mentally abused consistently. It did not

nightmares that my ex found me and broke

matter that I was miserable. It did not

into my new apartment. I would always

trying to rescue and heal the world. But my

matter that Endometriosis tried to

wake up from the nightmare just as he was

story does not end here. I can say that I

derail my life. What mattered was that

about to attack me. Along with the

am happy for the first time in my life. I love

I needed to end the generational curse

nightmares came triggers.

the person I have become. Healing is an

I had been plagued with from birth.

I am not sure how I got on the path to

ongoing process that has no time limit.

Remember, there is life after trauma. I AM LIFE AFTER TRAUMA.

SHE WROTE THAT NAJAMAH DAVIS

SHE WROTE THAT

Denise Williams Rev. Denise R Williams is a licensed and ordained minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ, currently serving at First Baptist Congregational Church in Chicago, IL where the pastor is the Rev. George W. Daniels.

Denise is single and satisfied in the Lord! While she has no children of her own, she truly is a mother to many children, selflessly sharing her time and resources with them. She is the second child of three born to Robert and Galbert Lavern Williams.

Rev. Williams is a graduate of Spelman College where she earned a B.A. Degree in Psychology and a graduate of Spertus College where she earned a Masters Degree in Human Services Administration. She is also a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. Denise says that life is a journey and she truly believe that whatever we may experience in life can be used as a life lesson or a teachable moment. Every situation we go through can strengthen and prepare us for our journey ahead. In her book "Learning How Not to Faint" she shares her experiences (both good and bad); that have caused her to grow and mature in her faith walk. It is Denise's prayer that what she has shared in her book will encourage you to not to lose your hope or joy. No matter what situation you find yourself in she prays that you hold on to your faith, believe God and don’t faint.

S H E

W R O T E

Shirley Williams

That

The novel is a fun filled high adventure story of a misfit “questionably waivered” Young feminine angel who is fierce in her position as a warrior angel. She gets assigned the position of guardian angel to her human ward whose destiny is to lead the last True Christian Believers to safety during a time in the near future when the prophecy of the antiChrist and the mark of the beast has begun to take over the earth. The angel Zelina journey begins in Heaven, and as the story develops, she enters a forbidden love relationship with a strong masculine guardian angel who falls hopelessly in love with her and will do anything to protect her throughout their chaotic journey.

Their heroic adventures snowball into an all out war between angels and demons as the two angels battle together to save mankind from eternal damnation on Earth. It is a fast pace lighthearted mystical roller-coaster ride for the emotions, filled with twists and turns. Most of the essential characters in the book are described with African American features as I take great pride in promoting black culture at every turn in my life. Although the genre is Christian Fiction, the target audience is anyone who likes to laugh and believe in something outside of themselves.

Thee A. L. Lang

Novella's family problems are heightened when two scumbags attempt to kidnap her. The sixteen-year-old is saved by a stranger, twenty-three-year-old BETY |Betty| Junior, who in the aftermath is beaten by the cops.

BETY Junior's motives are also questioned by Novella's dysfunctional family, who accuse the two of an indecent relationship and prohibit them from seeing each other.

Several years later, Novella and BETY Junior meet again, quickly becoming friends and forming a lifelong bond. Their commitment to each other gives Novella all that she wanted from a family, and much more than she thought she could handle.

Wide in scope, ambitious, and populated by complex characters who come together and are torn apart by life and fate, In Search of a Tribe is a powerful novel about friendship and love. Most importantly, it is a novel about family--the family we are born with, and the family we create.

In Search Of A Tribe is available on Kindle and at major retailers. https://linktr.ee/theeallang

Pennie Crocket From Battered to Boss Lady, Pennie Crocket tells her story of surviving a life of Domestic Violence. Her story is one that no one should ever endure. In the book she tells of how she thought she found love but instead was led down the darkest path to pain, despair and unspeakable violence.

Pennie is also the owner of Pennie's Tea the Brand that made her the Boss she is today.

Order today https://www.mspennie.com/buy-book

SHE Marie Sunshine

Marie Sunshine books highlight famous men and women of color from around the world. They illustrate the great contribution people of color have had on the world, and give hope to children of color that they can and do make a difference. http://mariesunshine.com

WroteTHAT

She Wrote That

Synopsis: “The Rancher in Stilettos Part 2”

By Marcia Williams Cromer "The Rancher in Stilettos Part 2" is the second book in the series about the value of lifelong friendships and the gravity of following your heart when it comes to love. Part two finds Zaide and Corey still in love and enjoying their bicoastal romance. But Zaide has a secret that she's only shared with her closest friends, the Dreamers. Will her secret derail the couple's happily ever after?

The Dreamers are now successful entrepreneurs. Their upscale boutique, Big Dream Threads, has been rebuilt after the Paris riots destroyed the building. The store is now poised to take the fashion industry by storm.

However, unforeseen obstacles threaten to impede their success. info@marciawilliamscromer.com https://www.marciawilliamscromer.com/ http://tenaciousmblog.com

Entrepreneu

Her

BOSSES BRANDS BUSINESSES

SHE OWNS THAT

Bosses & Brands you should Know!

SHE EMBRACES EVERYDAY WITH AN OPEN MIND KNOWING EACH NEW DAY PRESENTS HER WITH NEW OPPORTUNITIES. JOYCE DAWKINS FOUNDER

m r i f f A

I AM SHE

Dr. Rashae Barnes

E

xpensive Taste Spice Blends is a Spice company that was curated and created by Dr. Rashae Barnes and her love and passion for cooking . For years in the kitchen like many people who enjoy cooking Dr. Barnes would find her self using multiple spices to get that perfect taste for her meals , but no longer will that be an issue .

Select your favorite Expensive Taste Spice Blend with your cooking oil or marinade of choice and you are all set . The brand has four signature spices which include the all purpose Expensive Taste , Cash Me Out Cajun , Lavish Lemon Pepper , and Gourmet Garlic . The brand is expanding this year by adding a wellness collection that will be available on November 26th which consist of Both Elderberry and Apple Cider Vinegar Gunmies , Weightloss drops and Detox Tea.

Products can be purchased at expensetastespices.com and Walmart.com

Your taste buds will thank you Social Media : @MzMedia_Queen @expensivetastespiceblends

How are you Manifesting your Dreams Along with Building the Legacy of Others?

What are some of your dreams? How are you manifesting your dreams? Do you know how powerful your voice truly is? What about knowing the power of using your creativity to birth your dream to build a legacy?

Meet Toccara Nicole. The Co-Founder of DreamScribers. Dream Scribers is a 12-week program that assists youth and the incarcerated with writing and publishing a book. The youth and those incarcerated are part of a group whose voices are sometimes unheard and underrepresented. Dream Scribers’ purpose is to change the narrative and give a voice to the voiceless. Our program is donation based as we believe in the power of paying it forward.

Speak of legacy building, in 2019, we knew we were building something beyond us yet it wasn’t until this year the birthing took place. We have five youth and five incarcerated women we are teaching the elements needed to become an author. We strongly believe in the power of activating the voice to these populations to their stories can be shared with the masses. We didn’t think that meeting back in 2018 would have led to us on such as mission.

How are you building your legacy? Be consistent with building relationships and activating dreams as we only have one life to live. There is power in your voice and choose to activate your power to build the life you desire to live.

How can you help? So glad you asked, we are looking for donations of any size to help build the lives of our populations the masses. Send us an email to dreamscribers@gmail.com.

Make the decision to turn your dreams into a long-lasting legacy.

BRAVE

New World

Sunday's 11am-1pm or 2pm-4pm

LUNCH BY FRED

BRUNCH RECIPES

UNIQUE TASTES

Black Owned Restaurant and Event Space in the South Suburbs of Chicago (Lynwood, Il)

Join us for Bottomless Mimosas, Networking and Brunch! Guest are also invited to BYOB

Connect with us for your next private event.

Text 773-706-9039 to be added to the reservation list.

MEET AVA

R E H u e n e r p e r t n E THE NEXT GENERATION Hey guys! I'm Ava, 14-year-old Founder and Chief Pet Officer of Ava's Pet Palace. I’ve always loved animals and had a passion for helping them. When I was just 6 years old I drew my first business plan.

Two years later, after asking and asking, my parents finally decided to help me make my dreams come true with Ava's Pet Palace!

I started my business because I wanted to create a healthier world for our pets, planet and people.

That's my purpose. I love pets, the same way they love us. That's why I make small batch pet treats with simple, organic and all-natural ingredients. To keep pets happy, healthy, and feeling great. My treats are nutritious and delicious. And pet-parent approved!

For me, healthy food has always been about organic and natural ingredients. I've been purposeful about this from the beginning. When I was baking treats in my kitchen, we only bought and used organic ingredients. Now that my business has grown, we work with bigger kitchens and they use only organic ingredients. And we've worked super hard to finally become USDA Certified Organic!

My business really took off last June thanks to a lot of kind people who shared it on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. I now have happy customers in all 50 states! With the help of my mom, who now works for Ava's Pet Palace full time, we ship hundreds of bags of treats each month.

As I continue to grow my business I realize my voice is more important and bigger than I once believed.

As a business owner in this industry, which doesn't include many people of color, I am honored to be one of the voices that can make a difference. I ultimately want to be an advocate and funnel for minority pet industry professionals.

Almost every time I’m interviewed I’m asked what advice would you give to other kids who have a business idea or dream and my answer is always the same: Choose something you love and GO FOR IT! Don’t let a bump in the road stop you. If it’s something you’re truly passionate it's worth moving past that bump! And hard work pays off!

I understand that as a young black woman, the odds may not always be in my favor. I find a great sense of joy and fulfillment in being a role model to young black girls, including my two little sisters. Maybe someone will see me and think, I can do that too.

Order Ava's Pet Palace online at http://www.avaspetpalace.com

Hair Style

Meet Agnes If you follow Joyce Dawkins on social media, you will notice that her signature go-to protective hairstyle is BRAIDS! Since December 2019, Joyce has ROCKED braids, all done by the hands of Agnes. Agnes, who comes from Berekum, a small town in Ghana, has been braiding hair since 1997. Her style, her quickness, and attention to detail keep her booked months in advance. She is known throughout the Chicagoland area specifically for the short amount of time it takes her to do styles. Joyce spends on average 3 1/2 hours for fully individualized small braids, whereas before, she spent nearly 10 hours for the same styles Agnes provides.

A & O Braiding Salon is located at 8276 Janes Ave. in Woodridge, IL. A & O specializes in all types of braids, including Senegalese Twist, Stitch Braids, Nubian Twist, Knotless Braids, Kinky Twist, Crochet Braids, and Sew-Ins.

PHOTOS BY JOYCE DAWKINS

Agnes is all about healthy hair care for her clients.

She says the best way to take care of your braids is to keep your scalp moisturized, use a braid sheen at least once a week. She recommends tying your hair up when sleeping and putting on a silk bonnet.

She says never tie ponytails too tight and always switch up your hairstyle, so your edges don't get weak on the sides. She recommends keeping your braids at a maximum of 2 months.

Laughing, she adds, "if your braids are hanging on for dear life, hunny, it's time to get an edge up or take it down."

Pictured Top Left: L-R OB, Sheila, Agnes and Brittany

14 PHOTOS BY JOYCE DAWKINS

FASHION HOUSE OF DIVAHS

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We simply strive for excellence with every order we pack and ship. We appreciate and value our customers and live them by applying the. D.I.V.A.H. values into our brand.

D - discipline I - Influential V - Virtuous A - Ambitious H - Hardworking https://houseofdivahs.com

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Incorporate them into your daily routine and be Inspired to Live your Best Life!

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THANK YOU FROM THE FOUNDER OF SHE ROCKS IT

Thank you for all of the support that you have given SRI Magazine over this past year. This journey has truly been phenomenal and rewarding. This is only the 4th edition. To date, we have exceeded over 20,000 readers and impressions combined on our digital download, and that doesn't include the hundreds of copies sent to major cities across the United States.

Many don't believe that 90% of this publication is created right from my smartphone in my spare time. I enjoy graphic art, creating visuals, and engaging content. I have no experience in this field, and it is truly one of my many God given gifts.

Each platform that I have, I use to share who SHE is. My brands include: She ROCKS It Celebrating Women Who ROCK, which is designed to honor and empower Women and host a yearly Gala to acknowledge them; SHE Inc. Sisters Helping Each Other is an organization whose mission is to partner with non-profits and other organizations whose mission aligns with ours, and that is to help women move beyond their past and focus on rebuilding their future; I AM SHE which is the social media group that was created as a safe, positive space for women to network, support each other, be inspired, empowered and encouraged to live their best life; The She Lounge Experience is my take on a talk show, and it's the space where the conversations take place (YouTube), and that latest to hit the She brands is my magazine, SRI Magazine, the publication that allows me to share with the world who SHE is.

SRI Magazine is my way of introducing the world to women I feel other women should know. These are women who are goal-getters and faith walkers. They are women whose stories need to be heard, whose books need to be read, and whose brands need to be bought. It's my life's purpose I am Thankful and Appreciative to everyone that to use my platform to raise as many women as I can onto supports all things SHE! the platform with me. She ROCKS It is all about Celebrating Women Who ROCK.

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