Awards, Accolades, and Alignment
A Letter From The Editor
Sometimes I reflect on where I have come from in life. With each reflection, the feelings are always different from one another, and it makes good sense for them to be. There are peaks and valleys; good moments during the valleys, and even bad ones when I thought things should have been great. I guess you can describe it as a roller coaster ride that never ends.
There Are No If, Ands, Or Buts About It!
A Letter from the Editor
I am the second youngest child in a family of six, with two additional big sisters. With this arrangement, the number of stories to share is plentiful. Even more, the steps that I’ve taken have painted their own picture, validating my individuality and uniqueness, and eventually revealing what I am purposed for. There is a saying “what you don’t know, can’t hurt you”. For me, learning what God has destined for my life and not responding according to His desire is sort of an opposite parallel to that adage, meaning once I learned who I was supposed to be, every act of disobedience that followed has been painful.
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?
www.huamimagazine.com
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.
I have taken part in a lot of things in life. I have been acknowledged for some, and for some, I have not, and in my dusty collection, one might find a few plaques, trophies, certificates, and awards. Though I haven’t received many accolades, yet I know they’re coming. I confess that I once believed they would, I am now at a place where those items just don’t do it for me. I realized such symbols of merit have only provided short moments of enthusiasm, and any mental record of them is fleeting. If I have no memory, then it’s like it never happened.
But when I slowed down and allowed my life to get into alignment with what God has purposed for me, everything that I gave value to before, I used as a foundation to stand on to obtain that which will never lose its value; and that is God’s favor. I realized that when God blesses me, the sensations are unending, and the benefits will open doors I can have open on my own. When I walk with God, and that means allowing God to lead me, every desire, want, and need appears to just fall in place.
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 have learned that awards and accolades are good but being in alignment with God has way more value. What God gives us will last, a whole lot longer than anything the world gives us. He promises not to keep any good thing from us, and all we have to do is trust in Him. For me, being loved by God is the purest form of an award and accolade, and one the world will never be able to duplicate or measure up to.
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
Terry L. Watson Editor/Founder
huami.milwaukee@gmail.com
Shanna Jennette
Want to take a trip. She can book you. Need swimwear for the trip? She can help also.
Atlanta, GA
The serial entrepreneur is always up to something. Learn more about her. Chicago, IL
She is the cutest, and has been selected as Huami Magazine’s Cutest Baby.
Patience Always Wins Monica Hawthorne
Love For God, Love For Music Semaje
Granny’s Gleam Teri Palmer
Community & Basketball
Corey Williams
Hannah Grace Thomas
Crystal Eatman
Suesy Coils Care
By Terry L. Watson
by Suesy Coils Care
It’s all about the hair; healthy and beautiful hair.
Secquoyah Lacy, also known as SuesyCoils, is a 24-year-old Micro-Influencer and entrepreneur that resides in Milwaukee, WI. Secquoyah was born and raised on the south side of Chicago, IL, and is the middle child of four. Being a business owner, it is hard to believe that she was once a shy, reserved, independent, and protective young person. She shares, as a young girl growing up, I was known for my hair. However, I didn’t realize the true beauty and confidence that accompanied it.”
Even with compliments and admiration for her hair, Secquoyah experienced doubt and even hatred at times. She describes it as a love-hate relationship. “I would never wear it in its natural state, though my father encouraged me to and embrace the kinks and coils. Still, I never would. I honestly thought he was crazy. I always feared that it would appear short or ugly, or nappy,” she says. Secquoyah’s viewpoint completely changed as a college student at Illinois State University. There she studied Sociology and due to the lack of attention, care, and resources, the way she saw and handled her hair changed.
At Illinois State University she didn’t have her mom to take her to hair appointments every two weeks. She didn’t have a proper diet, nor was she educated on how to keep her hair healthy. She experienced severe hair breakage and allergic reactions to mainstream products. Once she realized the source of the issues she had with her hair, she took matters into her own hands and became a self-described “research queen”. “This is where I fell in love with all things natural. The overload of information about essential oils, herbs, meditation, reflection, and how they can help heal the body sparked a sense of intrigue within me. I found myself constantly sharing tips, remedies, and products I made with things around me. My initial thought was why not get on YouTube and help to inform and inspire others. I knew I wasn’t the only one who lacked the proper information about hair care. I wanted to help everyone I possibly could, and so this is how SuesyCoils was born, with the intention to share my knowledge about hair, and share natural ways to take care of your body,” she says.
The SuesyCoilsCare is a truly diverse line of hair care products and includes the basic essentials for taking care of your hair. There is the Coil Crack™️ Hair System, the Coil King Collection, the SuesyCoilsCare Bonnet, SuesyCoilsCare Skin, and various Coil accessories. The Coil Crack™️ System consists of Shampoo bars, Conditioner, Hair Growth Oil, Edge Control, and Twisting Cream. The products
in the Coil Crack™️ Hair System are infused with fenugreek, rosemary and other natural ingredients that are designed to relieve dry/ itchy scalp, promote hair growth, stimulate, and repair damaged hair follicles, and rebuild and strengthen hair shafts, thus making detangling easier all while leaving your hair strands moisturized. Secquoyah says “after just one wash, you’ll be addicted. My two best-sellers are the Coil Crack™️ Hair Growth Oil- RollerBall and the SuesyCoilsCare bonnet.”
She shares The Coil Crack™️ Hair Growth Oil- RollerBall stimulates hair growth, moisturizes hair and scalp, may prevent hair loss and breakage, treats dandruff, treats premature graying, kills bacteria on the scalp, and improves scalp health. It is infused with fenugreek, rosemary, lemon, peppermint, tea tree, and lavender. The RollerBall bottle is good for braids (of any kind), short beards, edges, bald spots, and traveling. The massaging from the roller ball helps stimulate growth as well. This application will not leave your fingers oily.
The SuesyCoilsCare Bonnet has a satin thick wide stretchy band, good for laying edges. It is big enough to secure braids and will stay on your head all night. So, no more waking up with your hair all over your head. It’s soft, breathable, and hypoallergenic. The SuesyCoilsCare Bonnet has even been worn by celebrity influencer, Dream Doll.
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Photos
www.suesycoilscare.com
So how did Secquoyah get started. She shares she launched SuesyCoilsCare in May 2019, right after graduating from Illinois State University. “SuesyCoilsCare literally fell into my lap. It was not my intention to start a business or sell products at all. I solely made products for myself and planned to create tutorials to share with the world on YouTube. Yet, friends and family would request products and encourage me to sell them,” she says. But she hadn’t made the connection yet. Graduation came and she had no idea of what she could do that would bring in reasonable finances. However, something was happening in her dreams while she was sleeping. She shares, “I saw my logo, product labels, recipe ideas and so much more all in my sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I had dreams and had to wake up and write down the ideas that naturally flowed to me. Soon I started to breathe, live, and dream all things SuesyCoilsCare I knew it was what I was supposed to do. It was my purpose.”
Being an entrepreneur, Secquoyah has faced some challenges. One has been scammers who are not playing fair in the world of business. She counters their efforts by carefully researching potential business-related transactions prior to sending any money out. She is also challenged running a business in itself and understands that it takes a lot of courage and confidence to keep pushing forward. And she is doing that very well.
She says what she loves most about her business is the chance to help other people fall in love with their hair and gain self-confidence. She also loves the opportunity she has to inspire and encourage others who look like her. “The fact that I can inspire others, truly inspires me because I know I have so many people watching and rooting for me. I can’t wait until I am in position to help other young women pursue their dreams as well. I am also inspired by my father who passed away in January 2019. From day one, he encouraged me to embrace my naturalness and look how far it has gotten me. I am very appreciative of the way my life panned out, but I wish I could have him here on this journey with me. He is my inspiration, and I keep going with that hope that I am making him proud,” she shares.
Her advice to anyone who is thinking about starting a business such as hers is to try every single idea. “Make sure you test and trust your products before putting them out. You should always be 100% confident in whatever product or service you offer. Know what you’re talking about and be confident. Always be willing to learn and share what you know. When you put good in the world, good returns back to you,” she says.
Moving forward, Secquoyah plans to launch SuesyCoilsCare Skin, which will be a product line of various skin care products, face bars, sugar scrubs, face masks, and more. She will also launch the Kiddie Coils Collection, a product line for children. She is also coming out with a specialty hair oil line that targets a specific problem. These oils will be released accompanied with educational information to further her initiative to be transparent about what’s in her products.
To learn more about SuesyCoilsCare, please visit her website.
Teri Palmer Granny’s Gleam
By Teyah Glenn
Teri Palmer-Stanback is the proud owner of Granny’s Gleam. The driving force behind this business venture was after her late grandmother, Mrs. Addie Palmer. Teri’s business began after one of her friends said that they needed to have one stream of income and become the bosses that they know they can be. Teri ordered a candle-making kit and started playing with names as well as different ideas to show how her grandmother impacted her everyday life, even in her death. Granny’s Gleam was founded on July 6, 2020, which is coincidentally the date of her late Grandmother’s birthday.
Teri was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and is the middle daughter, something she and her grandmother shared. Teri is the mother of two wonderful children, 24 and 16, and has been blessed with two granddaughters, four and one. Teri lives her life like an open book, hoping that someone can learn something from the many mistakes that she has made. She also prides herself on treating people how she wants to be treated and never intentionally hurts anyone’s feelings.
Being an entrepreneur allows Teri the opportunity to express herself in a way that she wants to represent. From creating what she wants people to see, she narrates her own story and business how she wants the story to be told. She also knows that she can refuse to do something that she doesn’t believe in. Her business has also brought forth that inner drive to push herself and not quit. Teri says that the fear of failure is there every day and that also pushes her to create more awesome products for everyone that she has been fortunate enough to serve.
“I don’t look at this as a job, I get to have fun every day, creating things I truly enjoy and have a sincere connection to my grandmother,” Teri shares.
“I don’t look at this as a job, I get to have fun every day, creating things I truly enjoy and have a sincere connection to my grandmother.”
Photos by Emmanuel Brown and Teri Palmer
Teri’s goals for the future are to be able to show people that there are positive ways to grieve the loss of loved ones. She wants to teach her babies that it is okay to do things outside of the box, especially if it is something that they’re passionate about because there will always be a way to make it work. She also wants the business to grow and morph into whatever it is destined to be while keeping the same purpose of spreading her granny’s light (gleam) around the world. Eventually, she wants people to be able to come to her store and pick their desired candle scent and design that is created for them.
Teri is also currently working towards earning her master’s degree in Counseling and hopes to finish soon.
Teri says that she is inspired by seeing people happy as well as learning along the way. She is always fascinated by new things and learning how things work. “I am the simplest person and genuinely enjoy the “common sense” type of things.”
Some advice that Teri would give other entrepreneurs would be to remember that you are your biggest critic. When things get rough, step back and think about why you started the business, to begin with. It is okay to start over and recreate your business and your brand. Teri also adds that what is meant for you, will be for you. Do not worry about other similar businesses your business will grow when it is supposed to.
Granny’s Gleam handcrafts soy candles and wax melts with the scents that are ordered by you! You get to tell me what you want to bless your sense of smell with and allow me to create that experience for you. You can always expect professional service, communication, and beautiful presentation. h
Committed to Quality
Shanna
By Ayana Bryant
Photos by Seawards Dawson
Greensboro, North Carolina native Shanna Jennette is becoming the ultimate one-stop-shop for all your traveling needs. After five years in business, she is expanding her traveling agency, My Legendary Travel LLC to now include a fashion sector. Her creativity and desire to help others have served as a foundation to bring her business and ideas to life.
A graduate of the University of North Carolina Greensboro, Shanna began her career as a special education teacher with the organization Teach for America. After accepting the position in 2011, she was relocated to New York City to teach in the public school system for the next two and a half years. Moving to New York was Shanna’s very first major traveling experience and the first time she had ever traveled by plane. This was the furthest she had ever been from North Carolina and as most could imagine this experience introduced her to a lot of new things.
Living in New York City exposed Shanna to so much diversity, she became intrigued with all the new people she met and cultures that she was now exposed to. An interest in learning more about the cultures of her students and friends began to grow and she decided that she would travel to these places and see them for herself. When she began planning her first international trip, she learned a lot of new information and thought about how she could share this knowledge with others.
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Shanna then reconnected with an old college friend via social media who happened to be a part-time travel agent. After many conversations, Shanna eventually learned of all the required classes and certifications that she would need to begin this new venture. “So that’s what I did, after completing my travel agent certification, I filed an LLC to begin my business and in 2016, My Legendary Travel was born,” she shares.
“So that’s what I did, after completing my travel agent certification, I filed an LLC to begin my business and in 2016, My Legendary Travel was born.”
My Legendary Travel provides quality care and service for every one of its clients and their vacation plans big or small. International or domestic travel, cruise, or land adventure this agency does it all! Now with their newly added fashion sector, they hope to help women find functional and affordable swimwear for their vacations.
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While planning her own vacations Shanna seemed to always find trouble picking swimsuits that complimented her shape. Swimsuits that provided the coverage she needed were never quite that stylish and the more fashionable swimwear that she would find would be too revealing. She figured that other women were probably experiencing the same issues, so she decided to begin creating her own pieces. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020 traveling came to a complete standstill all around the world. As you can imagine this would be a travel agents’ worst nightmare but not for Shanna, this situation shifted her attention and revealed an opportunity for her to expand the business.
During the lockdown, she was able to forge new business relationships with a swimsuit vendor and a fashion designer that had made personal swimsuits for her in the past. Through collaboration with the vendor and the designer, Shanna was able to produce multiple designs for monokinis, one-pieces, and two-pieces. Each swimsuit has a price point that ranges from about $25-$45 depending on the style.
As of now, Shanna is finding success with promoting her line via social media and by hosting pop-up shops as she prepares for her big re-launch later this year.
Shanna finds motivation from the community of women entrepreneurs that she is now surrounded by. She stated that attending business workshops and seminars where other black women are sharing their success stories inspires her to keep going. “Going to those kinds of events allows me to network and build new friendships and business relationships, we are all able to help each other and keep each other motivated,” says Shanna.
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The one thing that seems to make her the proudest regarding her business would be the rapport she has built with her clientele. “I get so many returning customers, and for me that’s big, I love that they always come back because it is a testament to the service I provided,” says Shanna. She also gets a lot of business from the referrals made by her previous clients which is something she is very grateful for.
In the future, Shanna plans to continue expanding the fashion sector of My Legendary Travel. The line will include swimsuit coverups, airport and lounge attire, as well as travel accessories such as passport booklets. Avoid the headache of planning your next vacation by utilizing a travel agent, My Legendary Travel might be the fit for you!
“I get so many returning customers, and for me that’s big, I love that they always come back because it is a testament to the service I provided.” h
Connect with Shanna Jennette at www.mylegendarytravel.com or via Instagram @legendarytravel1
By Terry L. Watson
Most people don’t have the courage or strength to walk by faith and leave the security of a good-paying job to follow their dreams. Crystal Eatman isn’t one of those people, a native of Chicago, Illinois, and an all-around #GirlBoss she is solidifying her path to success.
After working in Corporate America for the last 16 years and serving in multiple roles around the healthcare industry including Assistant Director of a pediatric clinic as well as running the ER (Emergency Room) for one of Chicago’s top hospitals, Eatman decided to step away and retire. At the start of the pandemic like many others, Eatman contracted COVID-19. She suffered for a while going in and out of the hospital trying to regain her health. During this terrifying time while battling a deadly virus Eatman says that she realized something.
“When I became extremely sick, never once did anyone from my job ever call to check on me or my children, not so much as a get well soon card. I realized that I was just a number to that company. If I would have lost my life to COVID, my position would have been posted to the bulletin to be filled the next day,” says Eatman. She knew that if anything were to happen to her that her children would have been the ones to suffer most, receiving only a cap of the pension that she had been paying for years. That experience was an awakening for her and helped her to realize that she wanted to be in control of how much money she made and handle her business on her own.
Eatman is a self-made businesswoman owning not one but two businesses in the Chicago area. She holds a general contracting license and has since started her own construction company CCE Enterprises LLC. Majestic Transportation Corporation, her second business, is a non-emergency fleet of vehicles that transports patients to and from their doctors and dialysis appointments. The construction company specializes in painting and installing drywall for commercial properties and is a signatory to the union. The transportation company initially started with only one vehicle and in a year her fleet has grown to 15 vehicles and an ambulance.
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“When I became extremely sick, never once did anyone from my job ever call to check on me or my children, not so much as a get well soon card. I realized that I was just a number to that company.”
Photos by Crystal Eatman
The construction company was initially started to employ Eatman’s oldest son who had been previously incarcerated. As a mother, it was difficult for her to allow her son to have doors closed in his face for the rest of his life due to one mistake. She made it her mission to create a table of her own for her family so that they would never be denied opportunities to provide for themselves. “That was really big for me, like I said I am a mother of four boys. So, this was something I knew I had to do to make a way and to create a legacy for them,” she says.
Something that she values and stresses to people is the importance and significance of pursuing trades. As we know college isn’t for everyone and Eatman believes that schools should encourage more students to pursue the trade industry. There are other lucrative ways for individuals to support themselves rather than working for fast food chains and miscellaneous jobs. “You can climb the ladder at Mcdonald’s but how much does a manager make annually? Working in these trades and being a signatory to the union, you’re making $46 an hour with benefits and that’s something that I’ve always had my eye on,” says Eatman.
Pouring into others is where Eatman finds inspiration to continue moving forward. She enjoys helping others create opportunities for themselves as she has done for herself. She describes herself as being a people pusher, “I’ve helped so many of my friends start businesses. No one can tell me what they can’t do because I’m going to find a way to make it happen by any means necessary,” she shares. Understanding that she has the potential to do those things and seeing the impacts of helping others is where she finds her motivation.
Majestic Transportation Corporation is on its way to becoming the first Black woman-owned ambulance company in the state of Illinois. Eatman is also working to make sure that CCE Enterprises becomes the top contracting business in the state. Her plans for the future also include expanding both businesses beyond the Chicago area and into different regions. She is also currently looking into starting an apprenticeship program to create jobs and opportunities for communities of color within the trade industry. Make no mistake about it, Eatman is a woman full of finesse! Building black-owned businesses to support her family as well as the community she lives in.
Corey Williams Space Coast Stars Basketball
Basketball- a round, rubber sphere, encased in leather. For some people, a basketball engenders visions of athletes running up and down the court, their artistry on full display, maneuvering with precision to complete their objective. Others see a basketball as a way out of poor neighborhoods or violent environments. A basketball may be the best (or only) chance to make their life, and the lives of those they love, better. For Corey Williams, it holds the same meaning, but for different reasons. Corey sees a basketball as a way to help the people of Brevard County, FL realize there are multiple avenues available to them to achieve their goals. For Corey, a basketball isn’t a way out; it’s a way in.
Corey Williams, the 2021 LEAD Brevard “4 Under 40” Leadership Award recipient, started his basketball journey following in the footsteps of his older brother, Chris. “As a younger brother, you look up to your older brother. Everything he did, I wanted to do. He started baseball, I started baseball. He started basketball, I started basketball. I just fell in love with it. It became my calm and grace.” His journey wasn’t without trials. Corey laughs when he recalls his “Michael Jordan” moment. “I didn’t make my middle school team! I was told I was too short and dribbled too much.” The next year, he made his high school team, then experienced a major growth spurt in between his sophomore and junior year, growing from 5’8” to 6’4”.
Corey’s growth on the court matched his physical growth, and the opportunities to play college basketball began coming in. Corey chose State College of Florida (formerly Manatee Community College) and eventually had a Division I school with their eye on him. Then, a poor decision changed everything. “I got kicked out for petty theft. People don’t understand the life of a college athlete. I had a meal plan at IMG Academy, but trying to leave practice and rush over to another school to eat was impossible,” Corey recounts, “My parents were trying to take care of my three younger siblings, two of which were in college. They were paying for everything. I didn’t want to go to my parents for money. So, I took food out of Walmart one night, got caught, went to jail, and they ended up kicking me out of school.”
“Initially, I was upset about it, but it drove me to do what I am doing now. I felt betrayed because as a coach, especially a Black coach, you should want to look after your players. You don’t just push them to the side like ‘There’s no hope for this kid. I’m gonna leave him.’” Getting expelled from school wasn’t the worst part; a scholarship to Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut was withdrawn. “My coach was like ‘You’re on your own.’ He just threw me away and you don’t do that to kids.”
At his lowest moment, a friend reached out to support him. “Mr. (Stanley) Cromartie (father of former NFL cornerback Dominic Rodgers-Cromartie) looked out for me. He told me he heard what happened and he didn’t want me to give up.” Mr. Cromartie contacted Tim Gates, the Head Basketball Coach at Allen University, an HBCU, in Colombia, SC, who offered Corey a scholarship. Corey graduated from Allen University with honors, earning his Bachelor of Science in Human Services, then returned home to Brevard. He started playing basketball for a Semi-Pro team in Orlando but left the team for personal reasons. A year later, he received a phone call that would change his life. “The owner of the league called me. He told me that they missed having me on the team, then he said that if I couldn’t come back to Orlando, why don’t I start my own team down here.” Thus birthed the Space Coast Stars.
The Space Coast Stars is more than just a Semi-Pro team. The 501(c)(3) organization boasts basketball programs that support children from ages 5-18, to include both local and travelling teams. “I wanted the Space Coast Stars to be more than just men getting together to hoop. There’s a lot of talent here in Brevard County, but I wanted the Space Coast Stars to be more. I wanted it to be a way to give back. A lot of times, people make it and never give back,” he says. “It’s sad because people start to say nothing good ever comes out of Brevard. I wanted to change that and set a better example.”
The Space Coast Stars is built around five core values: UNITY, COMMITMENT, INTEGRITY, FAMILY and RESPECT. Their goal? To “empower and develop the next generation of student athletes through sports, and our CORE VALUES. The SCS MENTALITY way!” Corey’s eyes light up when he speaks of the impact the SCS has had in the community. “We ended up partnering with the Orlando Magic to create the Space Coast Stars Junior Magic League. Through that, we are able to help develop children’s motor skills, improve their overall health, all while stressing the importance of education.” With the Stars entrenched in the community, Corey has plans to expand his reach. “There are so many kids that grow up, play basketball in high school or college, and have no tools or skills after basketball. We want to give kids a trade. We are creating our own college.” Upon opening, Legacy College plans to offer 32 online certifications, tuition free, in a variety of disciplines to include credit counseling, Real estate, insurance, sport agent, customer service, data entry, media and public relations, entrepreneurship, intro to computer science, graphic design, sports management and scouting, among others.
Through basketball, Corey Williams has found a way to provide his community a way up, not out. His commitment, his selflessness, his drive for and love of his community provides exponentially more. He is something good, something special, something important that came out of Brevard County. Corey has given Brevard what it needed most, an example. h
Semaje
Love For God, Love For Music
Semaje is a phenomenal gospel singer who was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. It all began with love for him. With the love that he was provided by his family as a young child, he shares that he has always been encouraged to push for his dreams.
Raised in a detached home, Semaje spent Monday through Friday with his mother. He would then go to his father’s house Friday through Sunday. His father kept him in church every Sunday, faithfully. That experience is what shaped his spiritual foundation as Semaje loved the sound of church music and picked it up early and began playing drums and eventually singing.
“I knew that it’s something about the soul and message in the gospel that uplifts people and brings them to a different space,” Semaje said. “That is why I started to love it.”
Semaje was a crafty child and turned every theme song from shows like “The Parkers,” “Martin,” and even “Power Rangers” into a gospel remix. Once he noticed how his peers were constantly entertained by the things he did, Semaje knew he could make this into something extraordinary.
Why did Semaje choose music to follow, it all makes sense to him. “I developed a love of music because it speaks to many different emotions. Music embraces a feeling or takes the feeling out of the listener. I believe gospel music is the best because of the type of power it has over people,” he shares. He compared gospel to people like gas to a car and how gospel pushes him for more in his life.
“Gospel music makes you feel like you can conquer the world. It’s saving music and healing music. No matter how you’re feeling,” Semaje said. “Gospel music can take you out of that mood. It’s the best genre ever because it puts you in a place like no other.”
Semaje, at the age of 18, went to Philadelphia by himself to audition for “Sunday Best” in pursuit of his dream. However, with the opportunity came disappointment.
“I had people very close to me like family. I didn’t feel the support at all, and I felt discouraged,” Semaje said. “However, my grandmother on my mom’s side encouraged me to go after whatever God placed in my heart.”
By Dillan Teabout Photos by Semaje h
That reassurance Semaje got from his grandmother helped him conquer the lack of support. He gives her enormous credit for lifting him up. Now, when he looks back, he knows it was a part of God’s plan. Recently, a song with Fred Jerkins and Semaje hit #4 on the Billboard called “Reason to Praise.” Semaje is doing everything possible to leave his mark in the industry. Talking about his Billboard appearance is still crazy to him. He expressed that seeing his name on the charts with artists he listened to as a child is surreal.
Currently, Semaje has his first EP coming out soon and he remains extremely excited to get his work out to the world. He shares his music is for everybody, and it will save, deliver, inspire, and motivate listeners. Semaje’s plans for the future are big. In addition to honing his craft, he is looking to acquire experience in acting, radio, podcast, and even start a clothing line.
Patience Always Wins Monica Hawthorne
By Tonya Dixon
At one point, Monica Hawthorne thought things couldn’t be any better in her life. She was happily married. Had a thriving hair salon in Charlotte, North Carolina, and her family were safe and healthy. But in one instant, it all changed. She found herself single, dealing with an undiagnosed illness and a declining business and bank account. Before she knew it, she found herself back in Greensboro, living with her mother and making countless trips to the doctor. But as she looks back on it, it was nothing short of God’s divine hand upon her life. She gained more than she ever had before, physically, spiritually and emotionally. However, it didn’t seem divine at the time.
“God directed me to come back home to Greensboro. I thought I was hearing things because I thought there was no way HFe was telling me to leave. I was doing well in Charlotte. My business was thriving and I was successful,” said . “But I did what I heard God say. I packed up and moved.”
With her life virtually upended and turned inside out, Hawthorne had to do something she had previously never really done. She had to relinquish control to gain restoration. She had to depend on someone else.
Photos by Santana B Photography
“God told me the I didn’t need to be concerned about the opinions or actions of anyone else. He said I was already qualified, verified and approved by Him, so I didn’t need to seek approval or validation from man because He had already given me that.”
“I stayed on my mom’s couch for nearly three years because I had serious health problems and God wouldn’t allow me to do anything else,” she said. “I prayed and had many conversations with Him. I was going through a lot mentally and physically and I was practically broke because I was supporting my daughter in college.”
“I left my source of income in Charlotte. I virtually started over. I had to come back to Greensboro and rebuild my business and myself.
A licensed minister, Hawthorne admits she “ran” from God and her calling for more than 15 years. She had a people problem. “I was concerned about what people would say. What would they think of me?” she said.
But it was in her weakest moment when she heard God as clear as she heard him say move back to Greensboro. She received the instruction and strength she needed to begin her journey of restoration and wholeness for herself and for other women.
“God told me the I didn’t need to be concerned about the opinions or actions of anyone else. He said I was already qualified, verified and approved by Him, so I didn’t need to seek approval or validation from man because He had already given me that,” said Hawthorne.
It was at that moment that she spiritually and physically birthed her ministry, a new business and strength to regain her footing as a hair stylist. But she says founding “GOoD GIRL” (intentionally spelled with mixed case) has been the most profound and rewarding because it impacts everything else in her life.
“I thought I would call it ‘GOod GIRL,’ because it symbolizes being a light, knowing your worth and getting approval only from God,” said Hawthorne. “But then one day God said, ‘you’re a good girl, but I want you to make one of those “Os” very small so that you can see me in it.’ And that’s how it became what it is today.”
After developing a logo, Hawthorne designed a few shirts and the rest is more than just history. It’s a situation she believes only God could have orchestrated and ordained.
“I hadn’t even planned to launch it until May 2020, but COVID hit and everything changed. As soon as they were released, women from all over were buying the shirt,” she said. “So that’s how it started. But there’s more. There’s a community component for all kinds of women. Young, old, every race and every background.”
Ultimately, she says the mission of GOoD GIRL is to teach women that they are enough and only need God’s approval. Plain and simple.
“I want girls and women to know you don’t need that [blue] check on Facebook. You don’t need that [blue] check on Instagram. You are already verified. It’s about women learning who they are in God,” she said.
It’s important to note that Hawthorne continued to suffer from a mysterious illness for many years. She was in and out of hospitals and doctor’s offices, without receiving a definitive diagnosis. It took a serious toll on her life, to the point where she couldn’t fulfill the requests of her salon clientele. Yet and still, there was still a blessing amid her illness.
“I had issues for 10 years and didn’t even know what it was until I moved back to Greensboro and I think that was a blessing within itself because God knew and he told me to come home. As soon as I went home, I got extremely sick. I needed to be home because if I had been in Charlotte, I would not have had any one to help me care for myself,” she said. “I needed to be at home with my mom who was helping me. She understood that God brought me back home for a reason even though at the time I wasn’t sure exactly what it was, but I was trusting him.”
“It turned out to be my gallbladder, but it was affecting my whole body. It would take me down for 2-4 weeks at a time. Imagine having no income and being so sick you can’t get up. But it’s important to remember, even when things look bad in the natural, there’s always a blessing though God.”
As much as she struggled, she was able to resurrect her salon – Hawthorne Hair Studio. Not only did she rebuild her clientele, she realized it was another part of her ministry. God strategically sent clients that needed spiritual, emotional and mental restoration. She admits, it had nothing to do with her. It was all a GOoD GIRL thing.
“I’m really ready to retire from that,” she jokes. “But God hasn’t released me from it yet. For some reason this salon has been a place for people to get renewed and repaired. People come and they get what they need from God when they are here. If they need it, I pray with and for them. It goes down in here some days, but it’s part of my Ministry. I used to say I have a ministry behind the chair. I asked God to meet people here when I first opened the salon and that’s what he’s been doing.”
While Hawthorne is passionate about hair and is known for her precision cuts and styles, she’s looking to expand in a different way – one that she says doesn’t necessarily require her to stand on her feet behind the chair as much. She’s looking into her own hair product line, including everything from washing supplies to equipment.
“I already have my own hair oil, but I’m working on my own hair shampoo and other products and styling tools – blow dryers, curling irons, flat irons,” she said.
Just like GOoD GIRL empowers women, she plans to use her styling expertise to help others as well. “I’ve taught before and I want to continue, but not in a traditional setting with multiple students. I prefer individual classes so that I can give one-on-one attention.”
As Hawthorne expands her product line, she isn’t leaving GOoD GIRL behind. There’s much more to come and there are many more lives to impact. “GOoD GIRL is much more than a t-shirt. It might be how I got my foot in the door with some people, but it’s ministry. It’s more motivational speaking. It’s expanding on the books and series’ I’ve already written.” But most important, Hawthorne says it’s about lifting someone else up along the way.
May/June 2021
HAMPTON
