Huami Magazine Detroit Nov./Dec. 2021 by Terry Watson

Nov./Dec. 2021

Volume 1 Issue 5

Provision And My Purpose

A Letter From The Editor

On any particular day, I can open the doors to my refrigerator and see a familiar sight. Nothing. I mean, there may be some of the usual players there, such as eggs, condiments, protiens, veggies, along with a few leftovers. Though it’s never full, and it makes sense not to be. I am a single man, and I only require the bare food essentials to survive, and if I overfill my icebox, a lot will go to waste.

There Are No If, Ands, Or Buts About It!

A Letter from the Editor

What if tomorrow didn’t arrive? All of your plans, hopes and dreams wouldn’t have a street to park on. What if everything that you decided to put off until tomorrow never happened? There would be no reason to save for a rainy day, and you could spare someone the trouble of making promises. What if your last opportunity seemingly expired today? What would you do?

Again, that doesn’t make any sense. But what does is how God has still made provisions for me by supplying my needs with a resource to store and maintain food items. He knows I must eat to survive, but He leaves it up to me to select what to eat and how much. Gratefully, I often eat as I go and don’t allow much room for waste. By acknowledging the hands of God working for me in this matter, I can comprehend His works in every area of my life.

I have experienced my share of hard times. Often I have felt as if mine were more challenging than anything in the world. Though I have once complained during my moments of lack, somehow I adjusted, and life continued. When there seemed as if there was no hope for tomorrow, and tomorrow still came, life continued. I realize that I didn’t succumb during all of this, even during the most sorrowful situations. As my faith has increased with my walk with God, I am learning the reasons why.

I’ve been told that I often seem like I do too much. Honestly, I feel like I am not doing enough and I’m a firm believer in knowing that God wouldn’t put anything on me that I couldn’t handle. I sometimes wonder how life would be if I chose to sit idle and accept what it presented to me. I have found that to be very boring. In my opinion, opportunity is a blessing that isn’t afforded to everyone. A challenge to me is an adventure. What is the worst that can happen? If I do nothing, I fail, and if I try I don’t, but instead learn something new about myself. Relinquish your pride and in return acquire life.

www.huamimagazine.com

Terry L. Watson Publisher

Arielle Kilgore Writer

Terry L. Watson Writer

Ellen Richardson Writer

Dorjae’ McClammey Writer

Todd Youngblood Photographer

Still Shots Photography Photographer

Tamara Smith

Santana B Photography Photographer

Todd Youngblood Photography

God has a plan for my life. That is called purpose. To fulfill my purpose, He has gone before me to ensure that everything I need is in order and available. That is called provision. I have learned that God allowed me to experience heartache and suffering as a child just so that I would be equipped to handle and thrive through anguish and suffering as an adult. He has allowed me to fall, get back up and fall down again so that I don’t become too comfortable with success and forget what it feels like to struggle and work my way up from wretchedness. God allowed me to lose; even when it appeared, I didn’t have anything left in my stable. I know He allowed it to make room for something greater. That’s provision.

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The best advice ever given to me happened when someone told me to make my tomorrow happen today. In doing so I have pressed my way through doors with a key that only hope provided. I have also learned the difference between what God blesses me with and what life can burden me with as well. I compare it to knowing when to be confident and when to be quiet, because someone may get it confused with being arrogant.

I am truly grateful that God doesn’t give me everything He has prepared for me all at once. I am blessed because I can’t see what is going to happen, and because I have faith in knowing that God will make it happen according to His will and purpose for my life. God has made provisions for each of us.

Make you tomorrow happen today, but most importantly make it count. Life is but a whisper and we must put ourselves in a position to hear what it is telling us. Howard

Terry L. Watson Editor/Founder

Terry L. Watson

Learn more about the founder Neema Dance Collective. She is surely walking in her purpose. Baltimore, MD

Do you have a sweet tooth? Do you want to have a candy party? She can help. Greensboro, NC

Genesis 1:3 Candles Valerie Dickson

The Paperwork Guru Dr. Marrissa R. Dick

Victoria McCurtis

Grace Johnson

Lori Poag

Charisse Montgomery Meet the face and founder of Black Butterfly Doula. St. Louis, MO

Huami Magazine Cutest Baby Madison Naomi Jeffers

The Treasure Within Lakina Fulks

Victoria McCurtis

By Terry L. Watson

by Double Clique LLC

It has once been said that a picture is worth a thousand words. Looking at a photograph captured by Victoria McCurtis may be an infinite experience.

The talented and breathtaking photographer is quickly making her way around the greater Detroit metro area. Born Victoria Marie Belcher, she wears many hats, none more important than being a single mother to three beautiful children, Ryann, Madison, and Dylan. She is also a worship Pastor (she loves God), book author, and entrepreneur. Victoria describes herself as a creative who is innovative and addicted to beauty and art. She is also a high school graduate and licensed life insurance producer.

She is the owner of Double Clique LLC. Victoria shares she started her company in 2014 by taking photos with her first iPhone. “I was snapping pictures of everything because the quality was so great.” Today, her camera and tools of choice are a bit more sophisticated, as well asntele list. She specializes in Inside and Outside portraits/photography. Her work is tastefully presented, validating her ability to not only capture art through her lens but having a gift to edit and enhance her images with a ‘Double Clique” signature. Additionally, Victoria offers graphic design services, including flyers and personalized T-shirt designs.

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“Being a photographer is something that I truly enjoy doing. I love seeing my clients’ responses. I actually cried at one of my latest shoots because the client was so happy with the results,” says Victoria. “Those moments are what inspires me. I’m also inspired by my mentor Stephanie J Pride. She is not a photographer but an entrepreneur and is not afraid to learn business. My best friend Christina Williams is also one who inspires me. She taught me to be focused and financially literate. I’m also inspired by Myles Munroe and the photographer, Derrick Blank.”

Victoria shares that her late father has greatly impacted her life, someone she says taught her how to remain determined no matter what. That kind of determination is needed to grow in the very challenging photography industry. “I have challenges, but I don’t view any of them negatively, but I view them as opportunities. Things like inconsistencies in finances and clientele, they both tend to fluctuate. I have dealt with disappointed customers (after having done the best I can); that can be frustrating. And not always having adequate equipment. Though these things pose a threat, they also create opportunities to become better,” Victoria shares.

Her advice to others who may follow in her footsteps would be always to have faith in God. “Have faith in yourself, and have faith in your product. Do not be afraid to be different, and don’t be ashamed to stick out like a thumb. Be determined, dedicated, committed, consistent, and most importantly, be you!”

Moving forward, Victoria has excellent plans for Double Clique LLC. She is expanding her products and servicing the public with all things branding. She states that Double Clique LLC is not just for photography alone. In addition to the graphic design services, they plan to add more resources to better meet their customer’s needs.

To learn more about Double Clique LLC, please contact them directly.

By DorJea’ McClammey

by Valerie Dickson

A remarkable woman filled with faith and love, and has a knack for creating wonderfully scented candles. That is an accurate way to describe Valarie Dickson. The Atlanta, GA resident is the owner of Genesis 1:3 Candles, an in-home-faith-based candle company.

Valerie is the oldest of nine children and was raised by her parents in the church. Yet, around her early 20’s she walked away from this foundation and learned it would be one of the biggest mistakes she would make. For many years Valerie says she dealt with rebellion, stubbornness, anger, and most of all, hurt. After many trials and tribulations, She decided to open up and be honest with herself and also God. “I was faced with a situation that brought me to my knees. I was in tears, asking God to please help me,” Valerie says. While the answer didn’t come right away, God spoke to her over time, and Valerie knew that it was time for her to make a change.

From there on, Valerie shares, the thought of candles kept popping up in her mind, as if it was a sign from God himself. She began to research, prepare supplies, and write down anything and everything about candles. “I’ve never taken an interest in candle-making before, so I knew God was helping me,” she said.

Valerie’s initial batch of candles was presented to the seasoned saints at her church. She wanted them to test them and learn what they liked and disliked about them. “I wanted to make sure my candles burned correctly and know if the scents were pleasing. After many failed attempts, it was the saints who ultimately gave the final approval. From that moment on, I began selling candles just about everywhere, from my neighborhood, at local gas stations, and at pop-up events. Genesis 1:3 Candles was officially in business and has been for over six years.

At first, she thought about naming her candle company after her three children, making it D.T.A Candle Company, but God had other plans. Valerie described how Genesis1:3 Candles stayed at the forefront of her mind while she searched for a name. “I’ll be honest, I didn’t know from the top of my head right away what Genesis 1:3 meant. So I read the passage a few times. Then reread it, and again, until it was buried deep within my spirit. That’s how the name came about,” she confesses.

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Valerie uses soy wax instead of paraffin to make her candles, mainly because of its earth-friendly properties and ingredients. It’s a natural, renewable resource and biodegradable that burns slower and is easier to clean up. She enjoys educating customers on the difference between the two different waxes, and the importance of using a non-toxic, eco-friendly candle.

Every entrepreneur faces challenges, and Valarie is no different. There were times where she would lose sleep and cry about the uncertainty of entrepreneurship. Things became so difficult that Valerie even thought about giving up, yet she thanks God fo adversity. “Through adversity, my faith grew stronger, my relationship with the saints grew, and my vision became a little clearer. Everything I’ve endured hasn’t felt good, but it’s working for my good.”

Just as she faced challenes, Valerie has tasted the rewards of success. Genesis 1:3 Candles sales have been continuously growing both online and in-store. What she loves most about her company are the customers and the relationships it brings. Their motto is ‘Keep Showing Love’ and Valerie remains encouraging others to spread love because she understands that love is the key. “I want each one of my customers to know and be reminded of this when they see Genesis 1:3 Candles,” she says.

Valarie credits God, her customers, and her church family for her success, saying she wouldn’t be where she is now if it wasn’t for them. As for her current goals, Valerie plans to expand her team by hiring more employees, including an accountant and bookkeeper, to help keep her mindset and expenses at ease. “I want to be very wise spiritually, naturally, and financially,” says Valerie. She also plans on expanding her brand by placing Genesis 1:3 Candles in more stores outside the Metro Atlanta Area.

In the future, expect to see a stand-alone candle shop filled with Valerie’s products. “I have a much bigger vision concerning Genesis 1:3 Candles, a vision that will benefit others in a major way. It’s a vision that’s needed in our communities, from the deepest dark corners of the streets to the upper high-class communities and beyond,” she says.

To learn more about Genesis1:3 Candles, please visit their website.

www.genesis1and3candles.com h

Black Butterfly Doula LLC

Supporting Bounds And Transforming

Lives One Birth At A Time

By Terry L. Watson

by Charisse Montgomery

For the most part, a Doula is typically a woman employed to provide guidance and support to the mother of a newborn baby. For doula Charisse Montgomery, her goal is to do much more with her company, Black Butterfly Doula LLC.

Charisse shares she is supporting bounds and transforming lives with her services, one birth at a time. “My passion is supporting individuals from underserved and unheard populations who face barriers accessing doula services. In doing so, I hope to lessen the morbidity and mortality rates of birthing people who identify as people of color. As a doula, my main focus is on physical, emotional, and educational support during pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, labor, delivery, and the early postpartum period. I’m an advocate of the birth justice movement, which seeks to recognize inequalities and empower people of color in communities in the pregnancy and birthing process. I also have expanded my services to include family engagement, social service support, and patient advocacy. I also educate my clients on the difference between informed choice versus informed consent,” she says.

So who is Charisse Montgomery? First, she is a woman of God who is learning every day how to manifest the gifts He has given her. “I am grateful for the opportunity to create a legacy to honor God,” she says. Second, she is a wife of 28 years to her husband Kenneth and mother to three adult children, Fanshon, Meagon, and Kendall. She is also a “Gi Gi” to her granddaughter, Olivia.

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Charisse says she always felt the need to stand up for what other people may consider as the ‘underdogs. She shares, “I have been in the position of mentor/mama for as long as I can remember, helping to right the wrongs of those who were in need. I have lost and left a few jobs because I disagreed with the direction of those who sat in positions of power. Each experience has made me more inclined to help. My family motto is “Do what you have to do until you can do what you want to do”.

Charisse has worked in the health care field for over 25 years and holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Care Administration. She is licensed in Illinois and Missouri as a Pharmacy Technician and is currently working on becoming a certified lactation counselor. She is also a licensed real estate salesperson, and a former Realtor.

The idea of Black Butterfly Doula had been stirring within Charisse for years. She had unofficially performed some of the services as a doula with her family and friends for years. When her daughter announced the pregnancy of Charisse’s first grandchild three years ago, she says something inside of her lit up, and she knew she had to help guide her through every step of the birth experience.

Shortly after that experience, Charisse says her good friend, Sissy, told her that she would be great as a doula and consider it a profession. After that conversation, she says she did the research and signed up for a certification course to become a fullspectrum doula. After completing the course in November 2020, she filed an application for her LLC with the state of Illinois in January of the following year.

Charisse says she loves sharing information with her birthing persons and their families and watching them become empowered to create a birthing plan. She finds inspiration in three women; her maternal grandmother, Christine, her mother Bernadine, and her mother’s paternal cousin Patti. “The thought of making them proud inspires me the most. Each of them taught me the importance of leaving a good legacy for my family. I have also learned that walking in integrity, being a woman of good character, and having compassion with faith in God will supply what is needed to do the work handed to you,” she says.

There are different kinds of doulas. Pregnancy and birth doulas are just one of them. There are also postpartum doulas, abortion doulas, miscarriage doulas, and full-spectrum doulas. With each classification, challenges often present themselves. Charisse’s obstacles in business include waiting on legislation to be passed in Illinois to allow Medicaid funds to be used to pay for doula services. Most of her clients in the area she serves can’t afford to pay full price for her services. Charisse started a donation fund to supplement a portion of completed packages of her services based on an individual specific needs to address that matter. Another barrier she faces is getting the information out on what a doula is and how they support families in multiple ways. “Some people only think of doulas as a support system during active childbirth. We also offer pre-pregnancy support in the form of childbirth education,” she shares.

Moving forward, Charisse plans to build upon her business and become a doula instructor and trainer. She hopes to have Black Butterfly Doula LLC listed as a 501(c)3 and support her community from a holistic perspective. To learn more about Charisse and The Black Butterfly Doula, please visit her website.

The Treasure Within

By Terry L. Watson

She is regarded as one of Detroit’s most successful women. Lakina Fulks believes in empowering people to reach their highest self.

The Detroit, MI native is a wife and mother of six children. She is also a serial entrepreneur, business and life coach, motivational speaker, and the owner and founder of The Treasure Within.

The Treasure Within is a non-profit organization dedicated to uplifting and empowering women to be leaders and innovators for their community. It includes a mentor program for young girls ages 8-19 and a transitional home for women aging out of the foster care system.

Lakina graduated with a Bachelor in Business and Masters in Social Justice. As if her plate wasn’t already full, she has found time to serve as a Realtor, Author, Motivational Speaker, and talk show host.

As an author, Lakina published works include “Why...a Young Girl’s Search for the Truth”, her very first book. She has co-authored “Dreamer on the Rise”, with a foreword by Les Brown, and “Gathering the Fragments, So Nothing will be Lost”, an anthology and Amazon bestseller. “ It took me some time to write my first book because it was about my personal life and the abuse I suffered as a child and young adult. Although the names in the book were changed to protect family members, it was rejected by some familiar and personally attached to them. I wrote the book to release myself from the secrets and trauma of my past, but I also wanted to help women who may have suffered sexual and domestic abuse like me,” she says. “It helped me to be a truthful, unapologetic author. Subject matters such as abuse and loss of life are not easy to read, but if I can help another person heal from trauma or hurt, I believe it is necessary for me to write honestly. My goal is to empower others to find their highest self.”.

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Photos by Lakina Fulks

“I believe that I wouldn’t be the person I am today without my faith. It is what pushes me to explore every talent and gift inside me. My faith will not allow for me to give up.”

Being a business requires for optimum time management. Like most entrepreneurs, Lakina has faced such challenges. “Making sure you set aside time for your family and yourself is important. When your stress is not handled correctly, you can become sick or overwhelmed. Therefore, I need to monitor my own stress to ensure I do not have a meltdown,” she shares.

Family is essential for Lakina. They inspire her to be the best version of herself, and she wants the be the best for them. “I want my daughters to know a woman can do anything she puts her mind to. Success is not age-specific. I want to empower my children to follow their own creativity and unique abilities and know they don’t have to wait to start a business and create wealth for themselves. They can do it now,” she says.

For the most part, Lakina credits her success to those who have positively impacted her life. “My grandmother was one of my greatest influences. Although she has passed away, she will always remain the voice that tells me to be strong. I have learned through the years that even the strongest women need to rest sometimes. My grandmother was the seed of resilience that was planted into my life early, and having that helps me in business and my personal life,” she says.

Lakina is also inspired by her faith in God. She shares how she desires to empower others as God has empowered her. “I believe that I wouldn’t be the person I am today without my faith. It is what pushes me to explore every talent and gift inside me. My faith will not allow for me to give up!”

While everything has been perfect for Lakina, there isn’t much that she would change about her journey. “Both the good or bad experiences have helped me. If I could change something in the world, I would change how we perceive each other’s differences. Learning to accept each other’s differences would bring more harmony to our communities and allow us to see the uniqueness of the human race. Our unique differences bring broader perspectives, open minds, and peaceful spaces to communicate,” she says.

In the future, Lakina plans to continue to create more housing for young women who have aged out of the foster system through her non-profit organization, The Treasure Within. She has a new book project underway called “Believe”. In her personal life, Lakina hopes to continue to create space for her husband and children, as she keeps the needs of her family at the top of her list of priorities. “Keeping harmony in my home helps me to stay structured and creative,” she shares.

Lori & Hezekiah Something BARowed Candy Bar Stations

By Ellen Richardson -

Now that events are back in full swing, are you and your family planning some of those occasions that were canceled last year? If you answered yes to this question, you have found the article to make these events memorable. Thanks to a dream born to inspiring area business owners Hezekiah and Lori Poag, any event that you hold this holiday season can be made a lot sweeter.

The owners of Something BARowed Candy Bar Stations Sweet Shop and Party Venue in Greensboro, NC began their family business in 2013 after searching for a fun addition to their wedding.

“When we got married, my husband and I wanted a candy bar station for the guests at our wedding,” said Lori. “Back then, this kind of thing was just coming onto the wedding scene, and it was something that we were both drawn to. Unfortunately, no one in the area offered this type of service in the wedding industry, so we had to go out and find candies that matched our wedding colors, jars to hold these candies, and seek the assistance of our friends to serve guest at our reception. It became a thorn in our side and the most stressful part of our wedding day.”

While most who undertake a taxing task on the happiest day of their lives would look back and think, ‘I never want to deal with something like that again’, this was not the case for the sweetest couple in Guilford County. “After our wedding day, we had a bunch of equipment and supplies at our disposal. Instead of getting rid of them, we decided to keep everything to someday start a business. Not long after starting our lives together, my husband and I started a side hustle for other couples like us who wanted something unique at their events,” said Lori. “It was cool because our career backgrounds, mine in PR, Marketing and Advertising and Hezekiah’s in Retail Management and Merchandising, gave aid to both the creative and sales side of this business.”

Photos by Still Shots Photography - Styled

Diedra Pettiford - Hair and Makeup by Bella Bee Beauty Bar

After their new business and “fun date night activity” continued to take off, these sweethearts would decide to turn what was once a thorn into a beautiful rose. “It is funny because we started this business setting up candy stations at events and celebrations for family and friends,” said Lori. “Our first event was a baby shower for a friend, and this led to more referrals, which made us have to learn the whole logisitics and business side of sweets.” Thanks to an overarching goal to break into the same event scene that gave birth to their entrepreneurial spirits, it would not take long before Hezekiah and Lori became one of the hottest vendors in the Triad. “We started attending Triad Wedding Shows and before long found ourselves booking weddings as much as our other events,” said Lori. “I can remember going into labor on a weekend that we had a large out-of-town wedding, and despite laying in a hospital bed and giving birth, I was on the phone with my staff trying to ensure everything was covered.” Riding high from their newfound passion and miraculously completing 82 events, the Poag family, culminated the year of 2015 with a booming new business and the birth of a little boy.

While the Poag’s were riding high from success on the wedding scene, they began to get lots of inquiries from parents on doing childrens events. That activity sparked Lori and Hezekiah’s interest in offering their candy bar stations at children’s parties. “We found that kids love our candy bar stations, but trying to transport the candies and glass candy jars while keeping things from getting broken or going missing wasn’t easy. So our new goal was to find a storefront where we could store our materials and host children’s parties,” said Lori.

“We found that kids love our candy bar stations, but trying to transport the candies and glass candy jars while keeping things from getting broken or going missing wasn’t easy. So our new goal was to find a storefront where we could store our materials and host children’s parties.”

In 2017, this sweet dream came true as the Poag family moved their operation from a guest bedroom in their home into their new storefront in Downtown Greensboro. “The best part about moving into our new location on East Market Street is that we now have a party room where customers can come to us for all types of fun events like birthday parties, baby showers, girls’ night out, etc.,” said Lori. “This space became popular for lots of families in this area, that is until the pandemic hit and shut everything down,” said Hezekiah.

Despite coming close to having to see their new family dream come crashing down, the couple who follows where their passion leads found a new way to keep things popping –Popcorn. “Once events were taken away, in March of 2020, we knew that we might have to close our doors,” said Lori. “Fortunately, we started noticing what the restaurants were doing to survive. We recognized the success that restaurants were having with their take-out service during the pandemic, so we searched for a sutiable take-out item within our existing products. Believe it or not the answer was on our shelf, staring at us in our face the whole time. Gourmet popcorn!”

Beginning with six flavors and eventually increasing to more than thirty flavors of popcorn not only saved the Poag family business but made the king and queen of sweets the newest royalty in the popcorn kingdom. “It was funny because our popcorn sales started bypassing our prepandemic space rental numbers. We were even featured on Beyoncé’s website and received a $10,000 grant along with other black-owned businesses,” said Lori. “After this, orders started pouring in and we were fortunate to be asked to travel to Atlanta and create a custom popcorn bar for hip hop celebrities T.I. and Tiny Harris.”

Popcorn also opened a new side of sweet events. “We started created mini bags with customizable stickers that said things like ‘thanks for popping by,’ which allowed families to hand out favors during drive-thru celebrations and even to send to friends and families to let them know that they are thinking about them,” said Lori. “These became very popular and even helped us increase party bookings in our event space this year.”

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Today, the Poag family continues to have one of the most popular sweet shops and event addition companies in the Triad and has seen their relationship flourish alongside their family business. “We have learned each other’s strengths and weaknesses. This has helped us work well together,” said Lori. “Of course we have our arguments on the business side, and I am grateful that my husband has helped keep me grounded and tell me when to turn it off.”

“We have also had to stop and refocus on our relationship outside of this business to be sure that both can coexist,” said Hezekiah. “We have continued to remind each other that no matter what happens, our relationship and this family is most important and will always come first. Making this our firm foundation has made everything, including our business, thrive.

To find out more about Something BARowed and all this business’s sweet opportunities, please visit their website.

By Terry L. Watson -

The word Neema means God’s Grace in Swahili. An accomplished dancer herself, Grace A. Johnson realized her love for dance at a young age. Through gyrated expression, she has shared her passion with others and built one of the more reputable dance studios in the DMV area.

Life has presented Grace with a few challenges. She was headed down the wrong path as a young teen. Thanks to the interception of her village that included her parents, grandparents, dance teachers, school teachers, and mentors. They poured into her daily, and she was able to get back on track and fulfill her purpose in life, which is to dance and serve others.

Grace A. Johnson is the face and owner of Neema Dance Collective LLC. Additionally, she is a published choreographer, dance educator, movement and dance team coach, and artist developer. She also serves as the Artistic Director/Creative Director and choreographer for local DMV R&B sensations and church Dance Ministries. Grace holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and a Masters Degree in Public Health from George Washington University.

Grace’s training began at the tender age of four at RJV Dance Studio in Washington, DC. She has studied at The Suitland High School’s Visual Performing Arts Dance Program, The Christian Dance Academy, The Dance Theater of Harlem, The Ailey School Summer Intensive Program, The Debbie Allen Dance Academy (California), Maryland Youth Ballet, The Washington Ballet, and The Greensboro Ballet. Wherein she mastered various genres of dance from ballet, tap, jazz, folk, African, Hawaiian, modern, Horton, ballroom, and hip-hop.

Grace is a trailblazer, exhibiting tremendous leadership and determination for herself and her students and staff. With integrity, passion, leadership, diversity, sisterhood, teamwork, and technique as its core values, Neema prides itself on making a communal effort to uplift, inspire and mold the complete dancer into someone capable of mastering multiple styles of dance in the professional realm. Grace says Neema operates in excellence. “We are committed to being poised, focused, and trained,” she says.

Photos by Neema Dance Collective

Neema Dance Collective opened its doors on May 15th, 2016, exactly one month after she gave birth to her second daughter. Located in Temple Hills, MD, the modern studio is dedicated to providing students with professional-level dance techniques and quality performance skills. “We believe that dance is for everyone, all ages, stages, and sizes. That is why we offer classes and performance opportunities for dancers 18 months and up,” Grace says. Some of the products and services offered by Neema Dance Collective are technical and classical dance training, private dance lessons, performance opportunities, dance events, children’s activities, artist development, and dancewear.

Grace shares her children mostly inspire her to be the best she can possibly be, always in all ways. “The art of dance and the emotional experience of performing dance works inspires me as a creative and choreographer,” she says. The biggest impact on her business was made by her parents, whom she says were her first investors. “At a very young age, they noticed my passion for dance, music, and movement. They were singers and performers themselves and the ones who introduced me to the stage. They taught me to perform and speak boldly and confidently. Without my parents, there would be no Neema Dance Collective. I owe them everything. My mom is my biggest cheerleader and my business manager. My dad, who has passed, took me to all of my dance lessons. He was in the audience at plenty of my performances through adulthood. May he rest in peace,” she says.

Like most businesses, Neema Dance Collective has faced its share also. “People have no idea how lucrative the dance industry is. Often an assumption is made that dancers are broke and anything involving dance isn’t profitable. I have been judged prematurely by some without them grasping an understanding of the inner workings of my business. Most business ventures require proof of income for funding, and I’ve had to show more than the average business owner, especially in dealings with commercial real estate,” she says.

Grace offers some advice to others who may have dreams such as hers. “Have patience and give yourself some grace. You must pray often and be vigilant. Be sure that your work is purpose-driven and not profit-driven, and understand that God will supply the rest,” she says.

In the future, Neema Dance Collective expects to engage in franchising opportunities and open additional locations to support the needs of other communities. Grace also hopes to produce performances that will take place in larger arenas and provide more events to promote performing arts. To learn more about Neema Dance Collective, please visit their website.