July/August 2021
Volume 1 Issue 5
Eyewear is the number one accessory that people buy to coordinate with their dress attire, both casual and formal.
Our Custom Wooden Eyewear can be engraved with your personal touch. We also have acetate specs.
We also accept Flex-Spending (FSA & HSA)
Lady E Specs are designed with (you) the customer in mind.
You can look fashionable in the Zoom Room and the Board Room
Dr. Erika Hendrix Owner/Founder
A Letter From The Editor
Now that I am many years settled into fatherhood, I sometimes reminisce on those precious moments when my son was only a baby. Though small and quite fragile, I wanted to make him tough and brawn, selfishly hoping that he would live out the hopes and dreams that I had for my life. That is what dads do, or at least I think they do. My son would eventually grow up right before my eyes to be a very grown man, which I am quite proud of. Still, I reminded of his dependence on me and his mother for everything while he was a child and our responsibility to understand and provide for his needs.
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?
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?
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.
As a baby and not yet able to form words, my son cried and made other baby sounds when he wanted to let us know he was hungry. When his diaper was wet, he didn’t say [dad, I am wet]; instead, he cried. It was my duty to determine his need and translate the information he was trying to share. Thank God I was able to, and my son was fed and cared for. Though I can only imagine how difficult it would have been for him had I ignored his cries or was unable to understand them.
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.
As adults and not babies, our methods of communicating our pains, wants, and needs aren’t generally boggled into a baby’s cry. However, it doesn’t mean that we are not crying. When we become prideful and shamed, it can be difficult to express what is truly hurting us, which causes us to internalize these issues and not let them out.
When God blesses His children to be a well or source for others, it often comes with some form of influence. With influence, there is power and the ability to impact someone’s life. Not understanding the power of your influence is just as careless as someone who is driving a car at 100 miles per hour with their eyes closed.
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.
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.
Influence attracts the interest of others. Because influence is often associated with power, it oftentimes attracts weakness. What I am trying to share; If someone is treating you wrong you feel like you are being “hated on”, it might mean that person is actually crying out and cannot convey what’s hurting them. As Christians, we can’t ignore these cries. We should listen with our hearts and seek God’s instruction on how to respond.
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.
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.
Terry L. Watson Editor/Founder
If you are in a position of influence, fill yourself with the love of God on a daily basis. I was able to determine what my son’s needs were only because I loved him. God’s love gives us power and the ability to understand the cries and pains of others.
Terry L. Watson Editor/Founder
Terry L. Watson
Layout Mykel Media Company
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Charleston, SC
By Dorjae McClammey
Let me tell you about Toi Cage. She is the owner of Sunflower Queen, a Natural Yoni care line located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. With the help of her amazing daughters, she produces terrific Yoni products for women. Toni describes Yoni care as a dedication to women’s health and womb care, and the process of detoxing ones’ womb and vaginal area, ridding it of toxins that might cause odors and infections.
Growing up, Toi tended to overhear conversations about how women and men felt about their private areas. So while studying at the University of Notre Dame, she and a friend worked to find the perfect combination of herbs and plants to make them feel healthy and beautiful. Once she saw the results it gave her, Toi was inspired to turn it into a business and help other women feel beautiful inside and out, just like it did for her.
Sunflower Queen offers many products such as plant-based yoni detox pearls, vegan rose oil, steaming seats and stools, detox herbs, womb detox tea, yoni soaps, yoni gowns, and yoni pops. She also produces vegan yoni tightening gel, a yoni refresher spray, and a foaming wash is in the works. She also provides one-on-one yoni steaming sessions that can be performed in the privacy of her client’s home or in her office.
Toi says what she loves most about her company is providing products for women who embrace their sexual health and wellness. She also enjoys having open conversations that educate women and men about vaginal health. She shares, “Yoni care is not an offensive thing, it’s self-care.”
Like most small business owners, some challenges presented themselves while she was getting her business started. Toi decided to start selling her products during the Corona Virus pandemic; she was prepared to jumpstart her business a couple of months before it hit and then had to stop everything. From having grand openings in stores to over 20 events over four months to push her product out, she had her hands full. All of the contracts she had obtained were now null and void, and the money she spent had to be returned. She was just about ready to give up when the opportunity arose to partner with Black Business Enterprises, which was able to help her receive great exposure for her business. From there, she turned things up a notch and changed her approach to doing business. She began providing informational sessions at vendor events, promoting her products and natural yoni care in general. To her astonishment, Toi was even invited to showcase her products at company events. Things were starting to look a lot better for this aspiring entrepreneur.
Sunflower Queen has become very accomplished and has been nominated for a few awards, such as the New Black Business of the Year award and Customer Service of the Year award. By her third month in business, she had already hit 13,000 dollars in sales and celebrated by partnering with a Doula, delivering prenatal yoni care packages to women in her community. Toi has even had the mayor of Minneapolis inquire about products for his wife.
Her testimony proves that Toi Cage is a true hardworking hero.
“I started as a 15-year-old mother, and it wasn’t until my daughter entered college and started her own business that I decided to move forward and stop being scared. I think that’s what pushed me. I am happy to have a friend that was already dabbling in chemistry. Once my daughter told me ‘mom you’ve taken care of everybody for so long, why don’t you have your own business?’ I thought about it. I’ve taken care of my family, survived divorce, and felt like I couldn’t let her down. When I finally started selling my products, she was my biggest cheerleader,” she says.
The future for Sunflower Queen is filled with amazing opportunities. Toi has received an offer to open up space in the Mall of America in Minneapolis, but she is going a step further by finding her own storefront location. So keep an eye out for all of the new products and services she has planned. The partnership with a full-time Doula should produce even more exciting products that will roll out to hospitals, ob-gyn, and wherever prenatal care is sold.
Until then, all Sunflower Queen’s products are available online, in-store at Storehouse Grocer in St. Paul Minnesota, and the Wellness Lounge in Uptown Minneapolis. To learn more about Toi and Sunflower Queen, please visit their website.
“Black is not the absence of color, it’s a particular color…there are seven (colors of black). They all may look the same, but when you stack them on top of each other, the variations are more pronounced. That means I have a palette that is just as complex as any other color on the spectrum.”
-Kerry James Marshall
Artist,
from the film Black Art: In the Absence of Light
By Gamal Williams
by Ukwensi Jones
Black artists and their work have long been marginalized as untrained, uneducated, and lesser than their White counterparts. The terms “Black art” and “Black artists” by definition prove this marginalization. The artist is seen as Black first, and then through a less than approving lens, their work is viewed in its own little box, unworthy of comparison to the likes of a Rembrandt, a Van Gogh, a Picasso, or a Warhol. The aren’t seen as impressionists, abstractists, sculptors, cubists, expressionists, or realists. They are merely Black artists that make Black art that only Black people could understand and appreciate. Ukwensi Chappel sees art as art.
In 2018, Ukwensi Chappell opened Gallerie Ukwensi, located in the Ghent District of Norfolk. Ukwensi (he explains it’s pronunciation in his energetic tones as “Oooo, Quincy”), opened Gallerie Ukwensi to do what other gallery’s wouldn’t: expose and educate people to the beauty of art crafted by Black artists. A tour through his gallery reveals something deeper, something powerful and beautiful, rooted in centuries of exclusion. Ukwensi takes the time to greet every customer, young or old, Black, White or purple, rich or poor. He doesn’t just greet people; he engages with them.
Ukwensi, or “Uki” as his friends call him, watched as I marveled at the beauty held on his walls. As I leaned in to admire a piece, Uki would offer the story behind the art, revealing something special and personal about the artist that inspired the work. When asked why he knew so much about not only a particular piece, but the artists themselves, he said “Most gallery’s in the area didn’t greet me when I came in, and if they did, they didn’t tell me about the art. But every piece has a story, and every story was an experience by the artist.”
Ukwensi’s art, rich abstracts made of layers of crushed glass and pigments suspended in clear enamel that form 3-dimensional kaleidoscopes, line the main wall. Uki calls his work “My windows to your imagination.” No matter what you think you see in his work, its correct. I told him I saw a deep sea scape in one piece; an alien world in another. Uki smiled and tilted his head. “If that is what you see, then that’s what it is. It’s your imagination.”
As we continued the tour, I was astonished to discover the backgrounds of some of the artists. High school teachers, college students, and working class people’s work hung amongst artists that made their living solely through their art. What was more surprising, was that they weren’t all Black. “Yes, my plan was to become the #1 gallery for Black artists because they don’t get a shot. But I wanted to highlight all artists,” Uki explains. “If their art spoke to me, I wanted them in here. We have Black, White, Asian, and Hispanic artists.”
At the conclusion of our tour, Uki offered me a glass of wine or water. He then sat in the soft, leather couch below one of his pieces in the lush seating area in the heart of Gallerie Ukwensi. We were soon joined by two other artists featured in the gallery. Artist Gia Labidi, a dynamic powerhouse of triumph and beauty, and self-taught painter Ralph Thomas, whose infectious energy and slight Southern twang lights up any conversation. Gia and Ralph had no business to conduct. They were merely stopping by, an action I soon found was welcomed in Gallerie Ukwensi. To Uki, Gia and Ralph weren’t just business partners, they were friends, each with a mutual respect and appreciation for the others.
“I was driving by on lunch one day and saw the gallery,” Gia Labidi, a sculptor and painter for more than 20 years recalls. “I gave him my card so I could be on the list to be notified of the opening. He called me not too long after and wanted my work.” Gia’s work has been displayed nationally and internationally. “Uki wants to give us a voice. He is endearing and whomever walks through that door, he engages with them.” There was pain in her voice when she spoke that last sentence. When asked why she felt Gallerie Ukwensi was important, the pain is put into words. “The only place we could be seen, was in Black gallery’s. Its irritating that White artists are just artists. They aren’t labeled,” Gia stated, “…and our art isn’t supported. It’s been 20 years since there was a black owned gallery in Ghent.”
Ralph Thomas, who taught himself using paint-by-numbers kits, echoes Gia’s sentiments. “Most times, art gallery’s don’t even want to
speak to you if you’re a Black artist. They look at you like ‘Oh, you doin’ Black art.’ I’m like ‘No, I’m doing art that’s just as good as anything you have up in here!’” Uki nods in agreement. Then, the gallery door swings open, and three ladies enter. They are young, Black, maybe in college or attend Maury High School up the road. Uki politely excused himself and his eyes squinted as his smile pushed his cheeks into them. They are a bit surprised that not only were the greeted so fast, but that the towering man that approached them smiled. They smiled back then walked with wide eyes and gaped mouths as Ukwensi highlighted every piece. They were learning, enjoying, experiencing, and it all started with two words from Uki:
“Hello. Welcome.” h
By Ayana Bryant
“Nothing beats a failure but a try,” and “Never start something that you are incapable of finishing.” Those are two quotes have shaped and stained the life of Bri’And Russell.
While there may be several players, what separates the elite from the rest of the pack are those who set the standard. For Bri’And, she has made a living by raising the bar and being the measure others strive for.
The New Orleans, LA native, finished cosmetology school as a senior in high school. She went on to win several hair, make-up, and fashion competitions before receiving her Bachelors in Business Marketing and Finance from Texas Southern University. She was also nominated as “Ms. Entrepreneur - Class of 2009” for Homecoming at TSU.
Professionally, she has worked as a cosmetologist for 21 years, and an instructor for 16 years.
Today, she is the owner of Elite X-Tensions. This luxury hair extension line carries exclusive Malaysian, Peruvian, Brazilian, and Indian hair. Her company specializes in maintaining the full cuticle of the hair strands. Elite X-tensions can withstand being colored, high lift bleached, permed, and pressed. They also offer Elite X-Tensions Mink Eyelash Strips that are designed with a silk glue band and guaranteed to last up to 20 wears with proper cleaning procedures and maintenance.
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Elite X-Tensions was born in October 2016 after Bri’And’s three-year-old daughter Za’ryha Joy was diagnosed with cancer. “I decided to use my passion and love for hair to create revenue for Za’ryha’s treatments,” she says. “Unfortunately, Za’ryha Joy lost her fight to cancer but, she continues to live on through me, Elite X-Tensions, and all those who loved her. Elite X-Tensions was made from love and creating this brand helped me prosper through the pain.”
“I decided to use my passion and love for hair to create revenue for Za’ryha’s treatments.... Elite X-Tensions was made from love and creating this brand helped me prosper through the pain.”
Losing a child impacted Bri’And, who is very family-oriented and pours everything into her career, with her family (two intelligent children) in mind. Now living in Houston, TX, the goal-driven entrepreneur has enjoyed success because of her dedication. She shares, “I love the beauty industry and everything it has awarded me the last 26 years.”
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Bri’And was raised by a single mother who constantly expressed the importance of education, diligence, and consistency to her and her brother. Bri’And’s mother also recognized her daughters’ talent and put things into action to help get her started. “Cosmetology has always been my passion. My mother purchased my first oven and curling iron set when I was nine years old, and soon I began styling hair. This was the beginning of understanding what being an entrepreneur truly meant. “Word of Mouth” advertising spread the word throughout my neighborhood. Before I knew it, I had gained clients from middle school and throughout college.
Being an entrepreneur has it challenges. For Bri’And, one was maintaining a steady supply of products during the Covid 19 pandemic. Yet, she has been able to sustain her clientele and even grow in business mainly due to her savviness and ability to identify opportunities.
Her advice to anyone who may follow in her footsteps or desire to launch a business of their own is never to stop trying and never give up on the goal. “I would encourage everyone to place one foot in front of the other, and soon you will find yourself running inside your reality that once was a dream. You must also be mentally and physically prepared for the ultimate groundbreaking opportunity,” she says.
She says her ultimate goal is to own a cosmetology school. Moving forward, she plans to launch a Elite X-Tensions Hair product line. To learn more about Elite X-Tensions, please visit their website.
A life of service is a life worth living.
Jermaine Johnson is the face and founder of Reality Check Mentoring, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to developing the minds of young black males, ages 10-17. It provides mentoring focused on character development and education geared toward life skills, social and cultural awareness, conflict resolution, and critical thinking. Additionally, it strives to help males realize they can become valuable assets to society while offering long-term relationships and exposure to professions, resources, organizations, educational support, life skills training, and community engagement.
Born Jermaine N. Johnson to Florence and Joseph N. Johnson, Sr., this young change-maker is a native of Prince George’s County, MD. He attended Prince George’s County Public Schools, graduating from Suitland Senior High school in 2008. He is a proud father to his daughter Akirreh and son August. Jermaine is an educator, business leader, writer, speaker, and certified personal trainer. Jermaine attended Frostburg State University, where he studied management and business, ultimately earning a Master of Science in Management with a focus in Project Management from Kaplan University. Currently, Jermaine works full time as a Business Analyst on the Grants Development team under the Systems Technology Division for the DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education. However, it’s his involvement and interest in his community that make Jermaine a well-rounded individual.
He shares his story of how it all began. “The first incident that sparked this journey occurred while I was working as an elementary school teacher for an after-school enrichment program. I had just arrived to work after buying my first (new) car. As I was walking into the building, I ran into one of my former students. He says, “Mr. Johnson is that your car?” I replied, “Yes.” He then proceeds to ask, “Did you sell drugs to get that car?” I was honestly stuck that he said that to me. It might sound cliche, but it hit me that some of our young males are not too far removed from that being their reality. That stuck with me. At the same time, while working at the elementary school, I was also working at a high school in Prince George’s County as a Special Education Assistant. A few days after the aforementioned incident, a second spark occurred. I was sitting in a classroom where students were asked to present a project on an occupation of their choice, and I watched young males choose jobs such as cashiers at fast-food restaurants and greeters at Walmart. It saddened me to hear them selling themselves short, and I was frustrated to learn teachers weren’t pushing them to strive for better. These young males needed guidance, confidence, and a reality check,” Jermaine shared. Reality Check Mentoring, Inc. began in February 2018 with just three mentees at the first session. In the fall of 2020, they had 19 mentees enrolled.
Jermaine shares that he is grateful for the opportunities Reality Check Mentoring Inc. has provided. “I love that I can share knowledge but also learn from our youth who will one day be our leaders. To know that I am having a positive impact on their future and my generation’s future is a true blessing and experience. It’s literally like planting seeds and watching the plants grow right before your eyes.
Jermaine understands that it takes a village to raise a child, as well as a community of committed change agents. For those who may be interested in starting a program that is similar to Reality Check Mentoring, Jermaine offers some advice. “First and foremost this work requires being selfless, genuine, and transparent. If you want to be a mentor only for the title or accolades, this isn’t for you. You must be willing to continuously learn and understand there is no one-size-fits-all approach when mentoring. If you’re going to go the nonprofit route, do it the right way. This means filing the proper legal paperwork, building a team, and having a strategic plan in place. It’s a lot of work but doesn’t be overwhelmed; the resources are out there, but you must ask for help. Don’t be discouraged and keep your vision and mission at the forefront of all that you do,” says Jermaine.
In the future, Jermaine says he hopes to partner with the Prince George’s County Public School system to implement Reality Check Mentoring program as a therapeutic practice. Recently they were awarded a grant from Adventist HealthCare through their Community Partnership Fund. Reality Check Run 21 is a program geared toward increasing physical activity among black and brown boys in the DMV area through running. The program entails young males completing 21 miles of running for the year 2021, incorporating health education components that will teach members the importance of injury prevention. This includes warming up, stretching, proper running techniques, cooling down, staying hydrated, healthy food choices, and healthy habits. Jermaine shares running is a great activity to help kids build endurance, which is developed when they regularly engage in aerobic exercise. Program participants will be provided with running shoes and athletic wear. The goal will be to complete at least (2-3) miles each month until they reach 21 miles for the year.
To learn more about Reality Check Mentoring Inc., please visit their website.
Reality Check Mentoring Inc.
www.realitycheckmentor.org
Instagram: Realitycheckmentoringinc
Facebook: Reality Check Mentoring, Inc.
By Teyah Glenn
Jackson
Entrprenuership, fashion, and perfection. Those are three words that pretty much shapes the life of Richmond, Va resident Telia Gerry.
In addition to having her own line of sunglasses, Lux Lenz, she coordinates fashion shows for the Werk It! RVA platform, another creation of hers. Amazingly, she still finds time to serve as an Active Duty Recruiter for the Virginia National Guard. With each endeavor, the one constant is Telia’s determination to be a better version of herself than the day before.
Originally from Augusta, GA, Telia set her sights on making a mark in the fashion world at a very young age. She launched Lux Lenz as a response to her love for accessories and their role in regard to fashion. It also made sense for Telia because she has often found comfort in wearing stylish specs. She shares, “I’ve always loved how sunglasses made me look. I’ve always been kind of shy and would put on sunglasses to calm my nerves while talking to people.” While there are styles for both men and women, her goal is to expand her brand to include purses, earrings, and more.
“
“ I never got a manual on how to run a business, so that means I’m always learning along the way. I had an idea, and I just did it. I stepped out on faith and just did it.
For now, much of the workload involved with producing her fashion shows fall on her. Due to COVIDn 19, strategizing how she wanted things to play out was a little difficult at times. “I never got a manual on how to run a business, so that means I’m always learning along the way. I had an idea, and I just did it. I stepped out on faith and just did it. I am doing most of the work all by myself, such as reaching out via email or direct messaging on social media to local designers and business owners. Once I get a solid team in place, I’m hoping to involve more people with Werk It RVA,” she says.
Telia is looking forward to holding another event in October 2021. She also hopes to collaborate with more college students and allow them to get their brands out in the community.
While entrepreneurship isn’t an ideal path to take for everyone, Telia shares that you can be successful with proper planning and having a sound vision. Some advice that she offers to people interested in running their own businesses and building their brands would be never to give up.
“Everybody will not believe in your vision. Some might even question you, but if it’s something that you want to do, then go for it, and remember to set your standards high,” she says. “I didn’t have any formal training on operating businesses, I just had an idea and ran with it because this was something that I’ve always wanted to do.”
As life moves forward for Telia, her focus is transitioning on her retirement from the military. She is more experienced with the [in’s and outs] of running a business and is happy to take on her dream full-time.
Check out her sunglasses business on IG @luxlenz and visit her website for more information.
By Arielle Kilgore
by Lorria Grant-Eubanks
Everyone has a passion, but a few people get to turn it into a career. For Little Rock, AR resident Lorria Grant-Eubanks, the magic happened for her.
She is the owner of A Different Stroke of Art located in JFK North Little Rock, AR. Her studio arranges different art sessions for people who are seeking to find a passion within themselves.
A Different Stroke of Art offers silk scarf painting, summer camps for children, sip-n-paints, and art kits on the go. Other classes include pottery, private lessons, and handmade decorated face masks. Their products and services are available throughout the United States and even internationally.
During Lorria’s summer camps, she would host art classes and allow students to explore on field trips. Her groups would take the city bus and travel to museums or other historical places, searching to find the meaning of art. When Covid-19 shut down some of the exhibits, she provided yoga or social circles to help young adults express and educate themselves.
How did it all begin for Lorria? “I remember drawing and sketching as early as age two. I was really blessed with the opportunity of having parents who allowed me to follow my passion for art,” she shares.
In college, she majored in Speech Pathology and Audiology with a minor in studio art. “The bug hit me and I thought, “Oh my God,” I can do poetry. I can do this, and I can do that,” Grant-Eubanks exclaimed as she relived her college epiphany. However, she chose only the journey of speech pathology and continued her work at the University of Arkansas for Medical Science. Ironically, art would resurface and play an exciting role in her field of study. “While working with patients with severe brain damage, the only way to get patients to remember certain things was to draw,” she says.
Lorria eventually went back to school to get her Master’s in Art and taught students for over a decade. Lorria has found a way to teach kids and adults to express themselves through art. Her reason for
“I remember drawing and sketching as early as age two. I was really blessed with the opportunity of having parents who allowed me to follow my passion for art.”
teaching, she shares its her natural love of people. “People inspire me. Just to be able to talk to an individual, find out who they are, and where they came from really motivates me. Seeing people enjoy art inspires me.” Her students and clients come back for her inviting presence as a free spirit and loving person, not just to draw.
Lorria passion goes beyond her business. She says that art is something that everyone can do, engaging the community to come together. It also provides a form of therapy. She desires to teach art to young adults or seniors with mental disabilities. In her previous line of work, art helped patients express or communicate.
All in all, A Different Stroke of Art serves as a safe space and open service for Lorria’s customers. Nevertheless, she wants everyone to know that her space is for those who need it. Her logo, an African American painter in overalls, and a paintbrush behind her back are just that. In light of this, she sees the challenge and misconception that it may bring to have a wider audience. The studios’ goal is for people to love and for every person to experience the joy of painting no matter who you are. “The paintbrush doesn’t decide who gets to create the picture. It just wants an artist to use them.”
As for her plans for the next year, Lorria hopes to expand her business. Expansion is not only her goal, but a dream she shared with a friend. “My friend suffered from mental illness, and was not able to carry out the dream with me. However, I’m going to do it for the both of us,” she says.
Once approved of a government grant, she would be able to place different services in bigger, better rooms. She could also move her program, “Artistically Speaking,” in a space by itself to cater to more kids.
Just like “Artistically Speaking,” there are other community services that Lorria participates in. Pulaski County youth services partake in an afterschool art program taught by her. She transferred to online classes during the pandemic and eventually made free kits to-go for the whole county. She also works with URL Children’s International afterschool art program. As a collaborative piece with her husband, they would have a night of music and painting. As her students served the guest, the public could listen to jazz and paint their art kit provided to them. The following year, she created Valentine’s Day baskets for couples in the pandemic.
“It just brings me joy to see how the Lord has opened up so many doors for me, allowing me to share what I love with the world.”
Deputy County Administrator of Public Safety
By Gamal Williams
by Calvin A. Brown
A young man is hanging out in his neighborhood with some friends. The group are approached by two officers, and what started as a calm conversation, quickly turned hostile. One of the officers told the group to leave the area and go home. The teenager informed the police that he and his friends were in their neighborhood already, then pointed to his home just a few houses away from where they stood. He told the officer that was where he lived. It was to no avail. The boy complied and began to leave, yet as he passed the officer, the officer began to harass him. The officer accosted and grabbed him, then slammed him to the ground despite protests from neighbors and his mother as she ran screaming towards the situation. The boy was arrested for disobeying an officer, fingerprinted, and pushed through the court system, before all charges were later dropped and his record expunged.
During his 27 years in law enforcement, Eric Watson, the former Charleston County South Carolina Deputy Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief of Operation, fought against occurrences like the one above. After college, Eric began his law enforcement career as a Detentions Deputy at the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center in North Charleston, SC. After three years in corrections, he received a lateral transfer to become a Deputy Sheriff for the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office. With tours as a patrol deputy, a detective in the Criminal Investigations Division, patrol supervisor, the Office of Professional Standards, and Sheriff’s Office spokesperson along the way, Eric rose to the rank of Chief Deputy of Operations, one of the highest command positions in the Sheriff’s Office.
Stories of unjust arrests are all too familiar within the African-American community. There are far too few stories like Eric Watson, a Black man holding one of the most powerful positions within law enforcement. Yet the first story is what motivates Eric Watson. Why?
Eric Watson was that boy.
“When I was arrested, they didn’t even tell me what I was arrested for. I didn’t find out the charge until we got to the station,” recalls Eric. “The worst part was, there were two Officers; one was White, the other was Black. The Black Officer started teasing me when I was in the back of the police cruiser crying, saying ‘look at the little baby cry.’ When we got to the station, I challenged the Black officer and protested that I was arrested on a bogus charge. When he asked where I actually lived, I showed him my I.D. I lived at 18A Washington Street, and they arrested me on Washington Street. He knew he was wrong, but they threw me in jail anyway.”
Eric defines the incident as pivotal, not just because he was arrested on a false charge, but because while he sat in the police cruiser, he heard the real reason why he was in handcuffs and on his way to the police station.
“While we were enroute to the station, the Black Officer asked his partner ‘what happened back there?’ The White Officer responded, ‘I don’t know, I just snapped.’ It was in that moment I decided that this (becoming a cop) was what I wanted to do. I needed to know what they knew and what gave them the right to just take someone’s freedom unjustly. I used that to motivate me.”
“Being a Black Officer anywhere in this country, we bring a unique approach. I grew up in the projects. I didn’t have access to quality education or real tangible jobs. I grew up in a drug infested, poverty stricken environment,” he explains. “But on the flipside, I am a first generation cop. My mother didn’t want me to join, my family and friends didn’t want me to join. Being a cop, my community looks at me as an outcast, as an individual that took part in an organization that for decades has oppressed our community. But my counterparts in law enforcement don’t see or understand the why: why people are committing these crimes, why they are doing what they are doing.”
Eric developed and implemented a mentorship program within the Sheriff’s Department, aimed at new recruits (mostly White), to teach them that it is important for law enforcement to relate to the community, to understand them, and treat them as human beings. New recruits joined Eric at food drives and other community outreach programs. “I told my new recruits that the people that trust us the least, need us the most. It is important that we develop that trust,” Eric proudly stated.
In 2020, Eric was offered a new opportunity: to leave the Sheriff’s Office and create a new directorate as the Charleston County Deputy County Administrator of Public Safety. From his new position, Eric continues his efforts to improve police relations and their attitudes towards the African-American community, and vice versa. He now manages Emergency Management, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Charleston County 9-1-1 Consolidated Dispatch, and the Awendaw Fire Department. He also serve as a law enforcement liaison for Charleston County Government. One of the innovative ways Eric has deployed his power and vast experience in the field, was to help identify new strategies to deescalate situations where the deployment of police may not be the best course of action. He has also served on multiple nonprofits boards and volunteers his time mentoring youths as a way to give back to the community.
This past August, in partnership with the South Carolina Department of Health, Consolidated Dispatch began utilizing mental health counselors in the 9-1-1 call center to identify situations where a mental health professional would be better suited to respond vice the police. Additionally, he procured a $4.4 million budget increase for EMS, allowing for raises, better resources and equipment, and the hiring of additional staff. It’s this type of insight and forward thinking that can give us hope a better relationship between the African-American community, and not only the police, but all state and local emergency services can and will be better.
“I didn’t enter this profession to become a millionaire; I entered it to make it (law enforcement) and my community better than when I got into it.” h
