March/April 2023
General Leadership Requires Action
John Goins
God Is A Much Better Driver Than I Am
A Letter From The Editor
What if? That thought comes to mind when I consider what my life could be. What if I didn’t live in a particular city, or attend a certain high school? What if I had chosen a different career path or traveled a different road in life? What if I had never applied action to my dream? What if God didn’t choose me to be paired with His vision?
I will be the first to admit that my life has been anything but simple. For the most part, it has been full of winding roads and quite noisy at times. The love and encouragement of my mother, grandmother, and others surely help to soften me; I surely miss my grandma. Yet, the storms and shortcomings I’ve endured have done their job and toughened me a little.
I have learned that my peace lies in the space between the good times and bad times, and for me to enjoy and experience peace, I must work for it. I have also learned that life will get tough, and when we get knocked down, God doesn’t expect us to stay there. There are lessons in all experiences, and getting up and trying to get it right again is part of God’s lesson.
There was a point in my life when I didn’t know if I was coming or going. With every move I made, it was the wrong one. There were also times when I would move or react to whatever thought came into my mind. Again, that turned out to be the wrong thing to do. My point is everything I had done, I did it without seeking guidance from God beforehand. I was driving my own ship, yet I was going nowhere and fast.
While I made a mess of my life, God was there, like He always has been. He allowed me to make those bad decisions and provided grace to ensure I would survive them. During the times when I continued to make the same mistakes over and over again, God continued to cover me because there was a lesson that I needed to learn.
Despite everything I have experienced thus far, God has been right there with me. When it appears things aren’t moving fast enough, I know that God is governing the speed at which things are happening. When we get in God’s way, we block Him from blessing us. Get out of God’s way and allow God to drive. You might just learn that life is a lot easier from the passenger seat.
General James Gorham Sharecropper’s Wisdom
Amite, LA
Self Care is Important - CreoleFit Athletics
Nicole Harrison On The Cover
Newport News, VA
Lindsey A of VA
Lindsey Anderson
Spartanburg, SC
Love Operates In Truth
Shuntina Manuel
Greensboro, NC
Smart Technology Corporation
Christopher Jackson
Fanta Dorley
Journey Adult Day Center opens new location and provides more options for those in need of care. Greensboro, NC
Cutest Baby Photo
Se is a real cutey. Introducing Zoelle Alaiya Scott. She is featured as Huami Magazine’s Cutest Baby
Joy Cook Public Relations Group
Joy Cook
Gospel Sensation
Christian Anderson
Establishing Safe Cultures
Gene Blackmon The High Point Hushpuppies
Nicholas Sturdifen
Information and Photos Provided by Journey Adult Day Center
Journey Adult Day Center Inc, a 501c3 non-profit community organization, opened its second adult day center location at 3105 Yanceyville Street in Greensboro, NC, on February 25th, 2023. Their newest location will provide a safe place for developmentally delayed clients aged 18 and over. Journey Adult Day Center also specializes in senior care and respite care.
Journey Adult Day Center has existed since 2019. It provides participants daily cognitive development and fun activities, such as Tai Chi, Hebrew lessons, Music Therapy, Gardening, Silver Sneakers exercise, arts and crafts, and much more. “We have seen positive personal development results with our participants. They have become verbal, there has been a decrease in depressive episodes, and we have seen them participate in communal socialization and achieve personal and family goals.”
Journey Adult Day Center is the only location of its kind with the capacity to serve the clients on the Department of Health and Human Service’s waitlist. The waitlist consists of over 50 people not classified as elderly with a memory care diagnosis.
During their grand opening event, the public was invited to attend and take a tour and explore some of the activities future clients will experience. Thye offered free food, music and gifts at the event.
For those who may want to help with some cognitive development program supplies, please visit our Journey’s wishlist on Amazon.com by searching for “Journey Adult Day Center”.
Journey Adult Day Center’s mission is to assist individuals and families in the enhancement of their emotional, mental and physical well-being by providing adult day health care services. Their goal is to restore the JOY in the JOurneY.
General Sharecropper’s Wisdom
Growing Leaders The Old Fashioned Way
By Dr. Marrissa Dick
Photos Provided by Snuggs Photography
The Good Book tells us in Proverbs 29:18, “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” It also says in Zachariah 4:9, “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin.” These two verses have motivated James R. Gorham throughout his life. He never forgot the vision and continues to appreciate the humble beginnings of his life.
Meet Brigadier General James Roy Gorham, known by most as J. R. and affectionately known as that curly-haired little boy from the tobacco fields of Falkland, NC. Read on and learn how the sharecropper’s son rose from a boy priming tobacco in his parent’s tobacco field to becoming the first African American Brigadier General in the North Carolina National Guard. J. R. shares, “I was born to Roy and Madie Gorham in 1956. I have five older sisters, so I had six mammas. Since I was the first boy born after five girls, I was the apple of their eyes. I was fortunate to have been born into a loving family, even though we lived in a fourbedroom shack. That shack had holes in the floors and in the walls, we had plastic around our windows in the winter, and we even had an outhouse. That shack had no running water, so I had to draw water from a well. On the weekends, I had to draw 80 buckets of water just so mama could wash the clothes because we had one of those washing machines with rollers so it took a lot of water to do the laundry. I didn’t have any expectations to do anything in particular with my life back then because we were actually po’ with one “o” and we could not afford the “r” that’s just how poor we were. Looking back on it, we were only poor in resources, but in the things that really mattered in life we had an abundance.”
Growing up in an authoritative household can seem daunting to many teenagers, and J. R. was no different. So when the day came to forgo working in his father’s tobacco field and living under his strict rules, J. R. took it by joining the United States Army.
“I didn’t join the army out of any patriotic duty. I joined to get out of that tobacco field and to get from under my daddy’s thumb. I just wanted to live my life. My best friend until this very day, Rick Streeter, and I got our money together and sent in our initial deposit so we could attend NC A&T State University in 1974, but that didn’t happen. Instead of us going to school, we played hooky. After we messed around all day, we went down to the recruiting office to listen to that spill so we could get a note to return to school. When I tell you that the recruiting officer painted a wonderful picture of us seeing the world, we bought it; hook, line and sinker, and we signed up that day!”
Through our lived experience, most people understand everything that shines ain’t gold. J. R. discovered making his own decisions came at a price. He shares, “When I joined the US Army in 1974, I was 18 years old and bringing home $312 a month. That was the first time in my life I had some real soft money in my hand. I didn’t know what to do with all that freedom. When I was transferred to Fort Hood, TX, I got with the wrong crowd and started going out every night, getting drunk, and I was making a whole lot of bad decisions. My defining moment came on Christmas Eve in 1976 when I was at my platoon sergeant’s house for a little party. At that time, The Walton’s came on tv, and they reminded me of my family. A feeling came over me that I cannot describe to you, and all of a sudden, I didn’t want the beer that was being offered to me. I left his place and while I was driving to the hole in-the-wall apartment I lived in, I looked over onto the shoulder of the road and saw that a loaf of bread has fallen out of somebody’s car. Now I want you to understand I didn’t have any bread in my house. All I had was seventy-five cents in my pocket and a fourth tank of gas in my car because I had drunk up my money. So, I pull my car off on the shoulder of the road, get out and walk towards the bread. When I stooped down to pick it up, a story that I learned in St. John’s Baptist Church in Falkner, NC, came to my remembrance, and I said to myself oh my God, I’m that prodigal son! My mamma and daddy didn’t raise me this way.”
When J. R. got back to his place, he called home for the first time in about eight months. As soon as my mother hears his voice she says, ‘Bruh come home for Christmas.’ J. R. told her that he couldn’t because he didn’t have any money. He says, “She tells me that she and daddy would wire me the money but I had enough sense to know that I cannot take that proposition from my mamma. I was 20 years old and I manned up and told my mother that I had gotten myself into this situation and it was up to me to get myself out. I knew if I had taken that money from my parents, I would be expecting them to always rescue me. Instead, I asked her to pray for me. She understood, but then she put my five sisters on the phone, and after hearing them cry, I really felt like a loser with a capital L.”
By the time J. R. got off the phone, he says the thought of checking out permanently crossed his mind. However, something inside of him, what is referred to in the Army as “Intestinal fortitude,” kicked in. “Spiritually, I know it was the Holy Spirit and He would not allow me to check out,” he says. “After I hung up, I went across the railroad tracks into a cow pasture, and I walked, and I walked. I decided in that cow pasture that this would be as low as I was ever going to go.”
Armed with a desire in his heart and a gleam in his eye J. R. went down to the local community college and enrolled in an English and Math course. Afterward, he summoned the courage to confront his Sergeant to atone for his misdeeds. When his Sergeant saw him standing outside of his office door, he looked at J. R. as though he was the last person he ever wanted to see. “He asked me what I wanted and I told him I had a proposition for him. I told him I would pull extra duty every weekend for the rest of my time there if he would take my name off the weekly extra duty roster because I had enrolled in school and needed to attend class. After he finished looking at me he said, ‘You got a deal, Gorham.’ He shook my hand and took my name off the extra duty roster. To this day he doesn’t know that random acts of kindness helped me turn my whole life around. The Good Book says, one plants another waters, but God gives the increase. So, all he was doing was watering what had already been planted in my life by my parents,” J. R. says.
Roy Gorham
Pictured is the home where James Gorham was raised in.
Madie Gorham
Soon life got better for J.R. He started thinking about one of the many sayings that sharecropper daddy of his would say while they were riding in his old raggedy and smoky Silverado pickup truck. “He used to say, ‘Boy if you’re willing to do what other people will not do, you can go where other people cannot go.’”
J.R. didn’t realize how true that statement was until one day, in the Spring of his senior year the company commander called about 200 soldiers into formation. He asked volunteers to pick up nails in the motor pool because they were causing flat tires. He said he would give anybody who brought him two handfuls of nails a three-day pass. Now 200 soldiers heard that charge, but J.R. was the only person who brought him two handfuls of nails. Instead of him giving J. R. a three-day pass, he gave me a four-day pass. “On my way out, I rolled down my car window and hollered out who’s laughing now! Ya’ll gotta stay here and work while I get the rest of the week off. Like my daddy said, ‘If you’re willing to do what other people will not do you can go where other people cannot go.”
After J. R. left the Army he went home and attended East Carolina University. While there, he joined the North Carolina National Guard and attended Officer Candidate School in Fort Bragg, N.C. where he graduated first in his class. He was grateful that his father, who served in the Army during WWII, had the opportunity to see him graduate. While J. R. was taking pictures with generals, he remembers his father imparting yet another golden nugget in his life. “My daddy said, ‘Boy you are becoming your company. Whoever you’re hanging around with is who you will become.’ So as a Second Lieutenant, I started hanging around with the First Lieutenants until I became one. Then I started hanging around captains, majors, lieutenant colonels, and colonels. Eventually, I started hanging around generals and now I’m the first African American Brigadier General in the NC National Guard,” he says.
J. R. shares that his father was a firm and wise man. “I am grateful for the chastisement, ethics, and morals he instilled in me, past the bone into my marrow. I wouldn’t be where I am today if I wasn’t that sharecropper’s son. He groomed me to be a leader the old-fashioned way.”
J. R.’s progress through the military was not always as sweet as this last memory. He was often looked over for promotions he was qualified to receive, which caused him to consider retiring early. That would only be a thought and he recalls his father saying, “Boy when you get to the end of your rope, you tie a knot, and you hang on but you do not quit.”
According to J. R., “If I had let my emotions get the better of me I would have quit and retired as a major. Instead, I went to Iraq as a lieutenant colonel and was promoted to full colonel while I was in a war zone. If I had quit because of my emotions, I would have never received that promotion from on high. Not only did that happen but shortly after I returned I received a call from a two-star general inviting me to lunch. When I got there, he informed me that he had submitted my package to the Department of the Army to promote me to Brigadier General. I broke down right there at the table. I was crying from the inner part of my soul for two reasons. First, I’m going to be the first African American Brigadier General in the NC National Guard. I’m crying because in this country when you’re a man or woman of color, you become the litmus test for everyone coming behind you. I’m feeling the gravity of that responsibility in my tears.” J. R. says he was also crying because that moment made up for all the times I had been overlooked.” For the record readers, generals don’t cry. Their eyes sweat, so we can be assured that J. R.’s eyes were really sweating that day.
Today, Brigadier General Gorham is a community leader, motivational speaker, and the author of Sharecroppers Wisdom: Growing Todays Leaders the Old-Fashioned Way. He is married to Barbara; they have three children, Tony, Jamie, and Joshua.
Plug-In Networking Fundraising Event to Benefit the Reading Connections of High Point
Presented by Audretta Hall VP of Marketing
Support 4 Your Dreams
Marketing any business, small or large, can be a very daunting task. What message will reach the audience? Who is the target audience? How can the message reach them on regular bases without breaking the marketing bank? Marketing is the message the consumer hears, yet, advertising is the medium by which the marketing message is heard.
Listed are the Top 10 inexpensive ways to Market any business:
1. Sponsor an Event
2. Speak at an Event
3. Write A Press Release
4. Text Messages
5. Bonus Offers
6. VIP Specials
7. Social Media Marketing
8. Email Blast
9. Have A contest
10. Rich Referral Program
11. Bonus and Kicker: Partner with a Nonprofit Organization to do fundraising
Now every one of these key points can do a small business a great deal of success. Combine and connect the right marketing strategies, and it can change the trajectory of a business and its profits. But connecting a small business with a fundraising project for a nonprofit and a small business has a chance of getting on television through news coverage.
The financial benefits of getting a business logo, website link and message to hundreds of thousands of people for free can be very effective for any business.
The businesses that Participated in the January 28th, 2023 Plug-In Networking Fundraising Event to benefit the Reading Connections of High Point got just this type of exposure. The event was featured on 97.1 WQMG Community Calendar, WXII News Channel 12 out of Winston-Salem, and Fox 8 News out of High Point. The News Spots featured the logos for Hine’s Health, Bios for the Speakers (Rashaad Johnson from MD and Macea Whisettse from Greensboro, and Michele Irby Johnson from Winston-Salem.) and the children’s book “What Should I eat Today” by event creator Audretta Hall.
Again, sponsoring and speaking at Plug-In Networking Event Benefiting The Reading Connections of High Point was an excellent way to raise awareness for the organization and media coverage for the businesses involved.
To get involved and to get more information about the Reading Connections of High Point, please visit www.readingconnections.org If you would like to have your business positioned to get media coverage and or additional marketing strategies for your small business, please contact Audretta Hall.
Audretta Hall
VP
Marketing
- Support 4 Your Dreams
336-471-7672
VENDORS/SPEAKERS
Hines Health and Wellness PLLC 336-252-4524
Total Women Expo -- Denise Little www.totalwomanexpo.com
Divine Connections Magazine--- Deloris WIlliams www.divineconnectionsmagazine.com
Author Sandra Bartell www.sandrabartell.com
Author Health Advocate Audretta Hall www.findyourhealth411.com
Author Dr. Stevii Mills www.workwithstevii.com
Author Victoria Sparks “Plan to Prevail” www.victoriamsparks.com
Author KeyNote Speaker Rashaad Johnson www.rashaadjohnson.com
Author KeyNote Speaker Macea Whisettse www.wakeyourvoice.com
Author Charlene Sparks Women with Vision www.wwvinc.org
Author Keynote Speaker Michele Irby Johnson www.livingbygraceministries.org
Caterer Angela Knoxx Saucey Chick “Get Sauceyfied” www.xtrasugar.com
Caterer A2D4 Creations 336-471-4775
Smart Technology Corporation
By DorJea’ McClammey
Provided by Christopher Jackson
He is described as someone who can make just about, well, anything! Christopher Jackson is the owner of Smart Technology Corporation. Based in Greensboro, NC, Smart Technology Corporation is leading the way in the areas of Precision Machining, Injection Molding, and Assembly Fabrication. They also offer various services, including engineering design assistance, reverse engineering, prototyping, and flexible, short-run production. Additionally, Smart Technology Corporation offers 3D scanning capability and can capture up to two million measurement points for a scanned subject, resulting in a precision of about 1.5 microns, or 0.00006 of an inch.
Christopher currently resides in the Triad area of North Carolina but was born and raised in Warsaw, North Carolina. He grew up playing baseball and was very good, so good that he had plans to play professionally. Unfortunately, tragedy struck when Christopher became a victim of a crime that put him in a coma. When he came out of it, he was on disability for three years, and his doctors said he would be 80% medically dependent for the rest of his life. Christopher did not let this discourage him, and he continued to work hard and ultimately regained his mobility.
Now outfitted with a new lease on life, Christoper attended Guilford Tech Community College and received a degree in machinery technology. He also became a machinist and tool maker. After about eight years, he enrolled in North Carolina A&T State University and obtained his Applied Engineering degree. Christopher would later work in various industries, including medical, consumer goods, and automotive, gaining plenty of experience from processing tools, plastics, and materials. Soon he would begin to design his own tools.
Christopher worked as a senior engineer for a company that extruded rubber and helped them launch the X5, X6, and X7 BMW series. He was also working on the new X8 BMW when the Covid 19 pandemic hit, resulting in his being laid off.
At that point, Christopher was so tired of starting over. His wife, Jackie, encouraged him to start his own company, and on the 5th day in October 2020, Smart Technology Corporation was born. “Smart Technology Corporation is a place where we do everything smart. We use the best materials and employ the best people to produce products. Our motto is, “there is no wasted time with Smart Technology”. If you can imagine it, we can make it,” he says.
“Smart
Photos
Christopher has customers from all over, including the medical field, consumer goods, the communication industry, and small and local businesses. “When you come to Smart Technology with an idea, no one is turned away. We can design, develop, mass produce, and market our client’s products. Any plastic or metal products, tools, pieces, big or small, we can make,” he says.
At Smart Technology Corporation, a culture of inclusiveness and teamwork has been established. By having those components in place, the feeling of ownership has been easily embraced by everyone. “I don’t say you work for me. You work with me,” says Christopher. “Having that type of work relationship creates a culture of loyalty within the business.”
What separates him from the competition? While getting certified, Christopher wanted to become a Minority Business Enterprise. That certification gives his company access to connect with other billion-dollar companies looking to work with minorities. By 2025, corporations will aim to do trillions of dollars in business with certified MBEs in America. While there are over 30,000 companies in the same industry, African Americans run only six, and Smart Technology is one of them.
Getting his footing in such an underrepresented industry has come with some challenges. One was obtaining capital funding and resources to buy the equipment needed to operate. With continued research, he was able to create a joint partnership with a company that already had the facility and resources.
Despite the challenges, Christoper highlights his family as the #1 inspiration that keeps him going. He aims to create a legacy for his kids that will give them financial independence. In addition, he wants to leave something as a reminder of who their father was and what he did.
Moving forward, Christopher plans to provide an opportunity to NC A&T and GTTC students affiliated with the applied engineering department. These opportunities include internships, co-ops, and job opportunities. The goal of Smart Technology Corporation is to become a billiondollar company with a true community impact. “Yet, the biggest dream is to be one of the first black billionaire companies in the United States of America or the world.”
Christopher’s advice for future entrepreneurs looking to follow in his footsteps is sensible. “If you want to start your own company, find a mentor, find someone willing to give you information, and how to do and what to do. I wasted time and money trying to do and learn everything simultaneously,” he says.
To learn more about Christopher Jackson and Smart Technology Corporation and all of the amazing services they provide, please visit their website. h
Be The Change That You Want To See
By Terry L. Watson
She is known as Lindsey A of VA.
In the fall of 2018, Lindsey set her sights on creating an incubator for aspiring entrepreneurs. Being an entrepreneur without any guidance, she had failed with a previous project where she attempted to put together a conference as a part of the launch, which was a flop. “I had one ticket sale and only two confirmed participants. I was heartbroken, but after conversing with my mom and close friends, I realized I wasn’t being true to myself. I took the venue I secured and created my first youth conference in just a little over a month, Building Bosses. I reached out to local professionals to speak on several topics ranging from health and wellness to job readiness. From there, I began cultivating and executing events in Hampton Roads to assist school-aged children with resources and information. I wanted to fill the gap I saw in the community and schools regarding our children,” she says.
It is obvious that Lindsey is determined. In 2018, she created Vision Driven LLC. In 2020, she founded Vision Driven 757, INC. and created her signature brand, Lindsey A of VA.
Vision Driven 757, INC is a nonprofit organization that provides resources, information, and support to transitional-aged youth. Vision Driven 757 offers apparel to support the mission and vision of the organization.
“Under Lindsey A of VA, I am an empowerment speaker. My focus areas include Becoming Decided, Being Vision Driven, and The Power of Authenticity. I am also an empowerment coach who supports those deciding and transitioning into their purpose,” she says. Lindsey recently wrote a children’s book, Be the Change, as a call to action for kids of all ages.
Photos Provided by Lindsey Anderson
Lindsey was born in Detroit, Michigan but has lived most of her life in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. Lindsey graduated from Old Dominion University with a Bachelor’s of Arts in Communications and is a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc. She is a mother to eight-year-old Arrie, who she calls her “mini me”. Arrie has impacted her life and career more than anything and Lindsey says when she had her daughter, she wanted to show her that whoever or whatever she wanted to be was possible. “I wanted her to believe in people and their goodness,” Lindsey says.
Lindsey says she loves serving and helping people. “I love working with kids and allowing them to dream. I love being a part of positive change and creating a ripple effect in the community. I also enjoy speaking life and change into people of all ages. There’s hope in my work and putting my heart on display with everything that I do makes it all worth it,” she says.
The life of an entrepreneur can be quite challenging, and Lindsey has seen a few along the way. “In the beginning, I was a one-man band. My family would be the event crew and help me pull off the events. I didn’t really know how to ask for help, but they would always be there for me. I knew I needed to find a team if I wanted to grow, and when Vision Driven 757, INC was born, I was blessed with a board of amazing women who have aided in the organization’s growth,” she says.
The process of building her brand, Lindsey says she wouldn’t change how it has happened. “My purpose has always led me, and even when I get off track with other passion projects, I take everything I do and learn from it. Everything I’ve done has gotten me to where I am and aided me in who I’ve become. Every mistake or setback was just a lesson I used to adjust and get better,” Lindsey says. “If I did change anything, I would have slowed down sooner. I used to move so fast, trying to get to where I was going, that I’d never stop to realize where I was. I missed a lot of moments by simply not being present.”
Lindsey’s advice to others who may walk a path similar to hers is clear. “If you know you’re moving in your purpose, don’t let any outside force make you forget who you are and what you’re supposed to do. There will be times when you want to give up, but you must remember that someone needs you. Once you really decide that this is what you want to do, become disciplined and diligently work towards your goals. Most importantly, don’t forget to take care of yourself.”
While her goal is to focus on constant improvement, Lindsey plans to increase her advocacy work and become more involved in creating resources for those in need. In the future, she plans to aid in making positive changes for youth. “I want to create several safe spaces for our youth to grow and develop,” she shares. h
By Terry L. Watson
Make Yourself A Priority
Hairston
Nicole Hornsby-Harrison’s mission to help others is rooted in her belief that healing comes through a sound emotional and spiritual foundation. Her passion for the mental and physical well-being of those around her has helped to grow her fitness empire, Creole Fitness.
Nicole owns CreoleFit Athletics and is the Executive Director of the A.G.A.P.E Project, a nonprofit that focuses on her community’s physical and mental health. A native of Amite, LA, she is also a dynamic certified personal trainer, actress, author, Army Veteran, and woman of faith who is passionate about helping people journey through life as their best selves.
As a personal trainer, Nicole offers various services and products, including meal prep consultation, meditation, weight training, boxing, and many CrossFit workouts. She also makes custom blend supplements, waistbeads, and detox drinks. She says her products are designed to assist or motivate those on their fitness, mental health, and wellness journey. Additionally, Nicole is a mental health coach, author, and motivational speaker.
So how did Nicole get started with fitness? She shares, “I have always been an athlete, but I was burnt out on anything fitness when I exited the military. I took a few years off and began boxing and supporting my youngest daughter while she trained as a UFC fighter. I never thought about training anyone, but somehow I started working with one client, and things took off from there.”
Several academic achievements complement Nicole’s passion. She has a master’s degree in criminal justice and is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Public Administration. She is married to Rashund Harrison, and they have five kids: Desiree, Kierra, DeAndre, Xavier, and Tiara. They also have five grandchildren: Aijah, Reign, Raelin, Keem, and Kayden.
“I never thought about training anyone, but somehow I started working with one client, and things took off from there.”
Photos Provided by Nicole
Helping people reach their goals and conquer their fears are two things Nicole says she loves to do. Embarking on her own personal fitness journey gave her a sense of empowerment, which she tries to duplicate with her clients. “Working on myself helped me to transform her from an insecure young woman to a passionate wife, mother, businesswoman, and community leader,” she says.
Working on herself is something Nicole learned to do after facing a huge challenge in her life. On the eleventh day of February 2022, Nicole suffered a heart attack. “My life changed in a matter of minutes. I had zero blockages and learned that my heart attack was stressinduced. Since then, I’ve been spreading awareness of mental health while caring for myself. Months following my heart attack, I held my first annual Mental Health and Wellness 5k Run/Walk. I’ve visited five countries and written three books, one memoir, and one journal. I am living now, and I do not take anything for granted anymore,” Nicole says.
Other challenges Nicole has faced include getting her culture to change their relationship with food and fitness. “The younger generation is catching on, but I have a lot of work to do for my generation,” she says.
As a businesswoman and entrepreneur, Nicole remains willing to share information and tips with other aspiring business owners. She says, “Whatever you do, don’t give up. Run towards your fears and invest in yourself. If your friends and family can shop at Walmart and Target and not question their prices, then they shouldn’t question yours. Do not allow family and friends to depreciate or devalue your product and service. Real friends won’t ask for discounts or freebies, they will support you without hesitation and won’t mind paying.”
Be on the lookout for a future brick-and-mortar location for CreoleFit Athletics. Nicole’s vision does not only include a gym but also “ninja warrior” type obstacles for those who love to push themselves to the limit. She also plans to spread mental health and wellness by promoting her memoir, Pruned, and her journal and recipe book, Pruned By June. Her annual “It’s Ok Mental Health & Wellness 5k Run/Walk is scheduled for July 2023. Please visit their website to learn more about Nicole Hornsby-Harrison and CreoleFit Athletics.
Gene Blackmon & CJ Brinson
Shifting The Culture
By Monica Montgomery - Photos Provided by Mykel Media Company
Gene Blackmon and CJ Brinson are two individuals working to make a difference in their community. Each has chosen to use their experiences, gifts, and talents to influence those around them. Their paths have taken them on different journeys but have brought them to a common place where their goals align.
Blackmon & Brinson are both fathers raising their children in a world not designed for their success. With the rise of gun violence, they have decided not just to take a stand but to help facilitate a change. Establishing Safe Cultures Coalition is the collaboration built to shift the culture from the escalating violence we see daily to a healthy community ready to educate and equip its people to inherit the world they live in.
Gene Blackmon is a newly single father of two who is using his platform as a Master Barber and business owner to mentor and elevate the people in his community. Like most black men, he has layers that make him an influential voice in the community. “I am a father, mentor, teacher, businessman, and community activist,” Blackmon said, describing the different facets that come together to make him the man he is.
Raised on the Northeast side of Greensboro, North Carolina, by a single mother, Blackmon’s start in life was as a statistic. “We lived in a lowerincome area, and my mom was a single mother of three. My aunt was also a single mother of three. They brought us all to my grandmother’s house and raised us there. That’s how they made it work,” Blackmon explained. “This was also during the era when your neighbors weren’t just the people you lived next to. They were like family. And family looked out for each other.”
As with most lower-income communities, there are little or no opportunities for advancement or mobility. Children from these areas are considered to be “at risk.” Being labeled “at risk” puts a target on the back of many young black males, and Blackmon was no different. When he was sixteen, he got into some trouble with the law. “I was charged for a crime I didn’t commit, but I was young and trusted my public defender. I pleaded guilty, which gave me a reduced sentence but left me with a permanent record,” Blackmon explained.
After the smoke cleared, Blackmon was seventeen and needed to make a plan for the future. “I left high school because I felt like they weren’t teaching me things useful to me and my future. I got my GED and went straight to barber college.” Having a criminal record made life difficult for Blackmon at first, but he persevered, and now he owns his own barber college and works to help young people from his demographic avoid the pitfalls that tried to trap him. “I am a barber by trade, but my calling is to help elevate and educate the culture,” Blackmon shared.
CJ Brinson is also a native of Greensboro. Although his journey slightly differs from Blackmon’s, he also sees himself as being called to make a difference in the urban community. “I am a minister, a husband, and a father. My wife DraShonta, and I have three children and a fur-baby,” Brinson shares. “I wanted to become an R&B singer but was called into ministry and community activism.”
Brinson earned an undergraduate degree in political science, a minor in social justice from North Carolina A&T State University, and a master’s of divinity from Hood Theological Seminary. “Greensboro is a city rooted in social justice and community activism,” Brinson explains. “Many people don’t know this, but Greensboro has played a part in just about every move of social justice that has taken place in America. There’s the Revolutionary war, the Civil War, the A&T Four, who were instrumental in the desegregation of the Woolworth lunch counter, and the 1974 Greensboro Massacre, to name a few.”
Living around and being influenced by a rich history of social justice in the Greensboro community, Brinson felt it was a natural inevitability that he be part of the social justice movement of his generation. After receiving his undergraduate degree, Brinson earned his Master of Divinity. “It was while I was in seminary that my political thought met my religious thought, and that’s what inspired me to mobilize my community towards social justice,” Brinson explained. “After seminary, I returned to Greensboro and connected with an organization called Beloved Community Centers. It’s a faith-based group that trains community leaders. I’ve been moving forward ever since.”
As activists individually, Blackmon and Brinson worked to effect change in their community. However, they realized they could become more significant if they joined their voices with others ready to address the major issues facing today’s culture. The primary issue the duo is targeting is the rise in violent crimes in their community.
“Today’s culture has been conditioned to see violence as the answer to every situation. They are being inundated with this way of thinking from every outlet. They have constant exposure through music, movies, social media, video games, and their homes. We want to change the culture by reconditioning people, specifically young people, to see that violence isn’t the answer. Especially when we are attaching each other,” Blackmon explained.
“We
The violence Blackmon and Brinson are discussing results from years of systemic racism, disenfranchisement, and a social media campaign to push the idea that to be seen as powerful or in control; you have to be willing to fight for it physically. And the one who can be the most ruthlessly violent will survive. Thankfully Blackmon and Brinson have a plan to turn the tide of inter-communal violence in their community.
“Establishing Safe Cultures Coalition was born out of a deep desire to resolve intercommunal violence here in Greensboro,” Brinson explains. “Homicides were increasing here in Greensboro, and I knew something needed to be done. So I called a community meeting at my barber school,” Blackmon explained. “We had a major turnout, but we didn’t have a solid resolution to our problem. CJ Brinson was in attendance and started researching national programs that addressed our community’s problems. These programs would help minimize violence from a communal perspective that didn’t involve overpolicing. From that point on, we were on a joint mission to shift the culture of our community away from the rising violent crimes.”
“We call it intercommunal crime instead of “black on black” crime because this kind of violence isn’t just happening in black neighborhoods. It’s happening in communities around the country,” Blackmon points out. “We want to get away from the idea that poor black communities are the only ones dealing with this issue.”
Blackmon clarifies that the Coalition is not activism but the community coming together to work toward a common goal. “Activism and Establishing Safe Cultures are two different things,” he explains. “Establishing Safe Cultures is the community coming together to shift the culture from one plagued with violence to a peaceful one that opens the door for more opportunities.”
The Coalition plans to shift the culture through education, mentorship, social and emotional development, and career readiness. “These workshops are designed to arm the community’s youth differently,” Blackmon shares. “We will show them and teach them that there is a better way to handle conflict. They need to know that everything doesn’t have to escalate to violence, especially when the escalation stems from something deeper.”
On February 26th, 2023, Establishing Safe Cultures Coalition held its first set of Culture Shift Workshops. One hundred girls and boys ages seven to twelve were invited to participate in this monumental experience. “The kids are going to have instruction and mentorship in personal development, financial literacy, and conflict resolution,” Blackmon explained. “There will also be group exercises for the body, mind, and spirit.”
The Coalition has been working on getting state funding to make the program sustainable. The desire is to have students meet twice weekly for instruction, training, and social-emotional development. But until that happens, the Culture Shift Workshops will be held quarterly. “Ideally, we want to have regular contact and training for the students, but without funding, that’s not possible. But we had to do something. We couldn’t allow things to remain as they are.”
Because of the efforts of Gene Blackmon, CJ Brinson, and the other members of the Establishing Safe Culture Coalition, the community of Greensboro doesn’t just have a plan of action; they have action. Working to combat years of cultural violence and disconnect won’t be easy. Still, Blackmon and Brinson exude a contagious confidence that will propel this culture shift well into a restored and unified community.
Love Operates In Truth
By Terry L. Watson
To truly connect with your inner core, it requires you to be willing to be open with yourself. This means removing every layer and misconception and revealing some things you may have never thought about doing. This is a true example of self-truth. Minister Shuntina Manuel has done just that and allowed her life to serve as an example of God’s unwavering love for us all.
Shuntina is the founder of EMPOWER, formally known as Woman Be Transformed. Shuntina is a worshipper and firm believer in the word and power of God. As a pastor and mentor, she is committed to a lifestyle of service that promotes permanent change and enhanced authenticity. “My ministry did not begin with me saying I wanted to start a ministry. It began with God putting the vision in my heart. That vision was a women’s ministry that affirms all women. My passion will always be to utilize my experiences, insight, and influence to help others evolve into the best version of themselves,” she says. Her ministry is built on a foundation of empowerment, transcending gender, ethnicities, and generations; her only target is to redeem the lost through the demonstrated power of God’s love and restoration.
Shuntina is a native of Greensboro, NC. She is a women’s advocate and female minister who believes in educating, empowering, and equipping all women. Furthermore, Shuntina has been gifted by the grace of God to impact women from various walks of life.
It was in 2018 when Women Be Transformed came to fruition. The first event was held at the Spartanburg Marriott in Spartanburg, SC. Since evolving to EMPOWER, it has successfully reached and guided women to awaken healing, wholeness, and love for themselves and others. EMPOWER assists women in various transitions in their personal life; spiritually, socially and relationally.
Photos Provided by Shuntina Manuel
Shuntina shares how she finds life in women who can be truthful with themselves. “I am most inspired by truth. I am inspired by strong women who are unafraid to speak the truth in love. This is not bitter, caustic, cutting, or polluted with sarcasm. It’s not judgmental arrogance, either. It’s a love encounter with other women who are focused on clearing the path for the next generation. It’s women who are not embarrassed or too proud, or afraid to share their stories. Women who invest their lives in others because they understand it’s not all about them,” she says.
What Shuntina loves most about EMPOWER is the ability of her ministry to serve as a safe place where women can support each other. The area of support that EMPOWER focuses on is developing an authentic relationship with Christ and one another through prayerful and intentionally planned events, including fellowship. She also shares that she finds inspiration in those who have shown unconditional love to her. These same individuals have significantly impacted her life and helped her become the woman she is today. These individuals include her mom, her dad, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and various family members and friends. She also acknowledges several mentors for pouring into her life and ministry. “A common denominator is that they have all loved me unconditionally and each reflects God’s Love for me,” she says.
Shuntina is hosting the Safe Room Experience at the Spartanburg Marriott in Spartanburg, SC in March. The event is FREE to attend and will include special guests Prophetess Kristy Lyles and Dr. Elisa Lashell Harney. Moving forward, Shuntina will continue to EMPOWER women to be the best version of themselves by providing a safe place for them to come and be free.
To learn more about The Safe Room Experience and other events Pastor Shuntina Manuel hosts, please contact her directly.
“It’s a love encounter with other women who are focused on clearing the path for the next generation. It’s women who are not embarrassed or too proud, or afraid to share their stories. Women who invest their lives in others because they understand it’s not all about them.”
The People’s Publicist
Joy Cook
Rainmaker and Risk Taker
By Terry L. Watson
An often-used aphorism states, “If you know, then you know”. Regarding Joy Cook, having knowledge and access to her has proven to be beneficial and value-added.
Joy Cook is a mother, a mogul, and a media maven. She is also an experienced public and media relations professional, entrepreneur, and consultant. She is highly skilled in building relationships, fostering engagement, and impactful storytelling across traditional and emerging platforms. Joy has successfully mastered and is reimagining the multifaceted world of communications while serving as a mentor and educator for the next generation. She is a trailblazer and expertly guides clients from all professions to next-level success. Her clients have been featured on international platforms and made history as a direct result of her strategies and knowledge of effectively communicating in a noisy world.
Born in Hollywood, California, Joy shares she was destined to be a star. However, her parents had other plans. Her childhood experience happened thousands of miles from Hollywood, in the Bull City community of Durham, NC. She was educated in Durham County Schools and is a member of the first graduating class to go 9th through 12th grade at Riverside High School. “I am proud of my heritage and roots of growing up on Tobacco Road,” she says. Joy grew up in the legendary “Old Farm” neighborhood and attributes her success to her upbringing and her parents, who were attorneys and teachers.
With a sound foundation prepared by her parents, Joy was ready to answer her calling. She is a two-time graduate of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a Thread at Yale graduate, holding positions on numerous boards and commissions. While at Yale, she studied under the first woman editor of the New York Times, Jill Abrams. Joy currently serves as Chief Communications Officer and Associate Vice Chancellor for Strategic Communication at Fayetteville State University, a public Historically Black University founded in 1867 and the second oldest in the University of North Carolina System. She is also the owner of Joy Cook Public Relations Group. Her company specializes in the art of Strategic Communication. “We are in tune with influencers and why trends really do matter. Our passion and commitment to innovation and excellence make us the top choice for breakthrough public relations and digital engagement results,” she says.
Since assuming her position, Joy has been anything short of busy. She has built a team of strategic communications, executive communications, media relations, campus news, photo/video production, writing, marketing, administrative and project management professionals. Her focus is to advance and promote the reputation of FSU through messaging, storytelling, earned media, and community engagement. As the chief communications officer, Joy has revamped and streamlined FSU’s digital presentation of news items, increased its visibility throughout the community, deepened connections with various local and regional media and communications partners, and secured storylines for the university with major publications such as The Washington Post and Diverse Issues in Higher Education. Some of her most recent projects include productions where she was executive producer.
Photos Provided by Joy Cook
Joy has over 20 years of experience and training in public and media relations, publicity, and digital engagement. In 2010, she founded Joy Cook Public Relations Group (JCPR), where she serves as the CEO and lead strategist. JCPR is one of the longest-running minority-owned PR firms in the Triad and enjoys a clientele of presidents and professionals. Additionally, she has facilitated media training programs for elected officials, as well as C-Suite and executive-level professionals. In 2013, Cook was named one of the Business Journal’s “40 Leaders Under 40” Award Winners. Joy and JCPR Group have been recognized with myriad accolades over the past decade. Joy and her clients have been featured on various news and media outlets, including HLN, CSPAN, BBC, FOX, CBS, ABC, NBC, ESSENCE Magazine Online, NPR, and more.
With her skills on full display, Joy has successfully navigated the intersection between traditional and digital media platforms. She has also embraced and mastered the art of social media as an effective and realtime marketing tool. Affectionately titled “Ms. Twitter” by the front page of a popular publication, Joy has positioned herself as one of the nation’s top authorities on Twitter (@JoyCookPR) and stays abreast of current and emerging mediums poised to make an impact. Even more, she is the author of the multiple best-selling book, “Watch the Company You Tweet: A 4 Step Guide on How to Make an Impact on Twitter.”
Joy’s start in public relations happened while working at radio station UNCG 103.1, located on the campus of UNC-Greensboro. She found a passion for publicizing local independent artists, and her interest grew from there.
When asked what she loves most about what she does, Joy responds, “I love that I am a KING maker. I love that I have the ability to turn oblivion into national prominence. I’ve had several mentors that I attribute to my career success. I have learned that success leaves clues, and I have surrounded myself with the best teachers”.
While she wouldn’t change how things have happened along her professional journey, Joy notes that some of the challenges she has faced have helped her become the woman she is today. “I left East Carolina University my freshman year to start a family. I returned to UNCG to finish twice over and start my career, all while being a young mother. In 2010, I left my corporate job to start Joy Cook Public Relations Group. That is exactly 13 years from today. In all that I’ve accomplished, I wouldn’t change anything. I feel like I am just getting started,” she says.
As she looks forward, Joy says her plans are to continue to impact people’s lives by telling the stories that make the world go round. h
Dr. Nicholas Sturdifen
Changing The Landscape of Baseball in The Triad
By DorJea’ McClammey Photos Provided by Life Push, LLC
Businessman, family man, author, and visionary. Dr. Nicholas ‘Nic’ Sturdifen appears to do it all.
Nic, as he prefers, is a proud product of Newport News, Virginia. As a man of Christ, he loves being able to show the love of Christ in everything he does. Nic has several degrees, an undergrad, two master’s, and a doctorate. Nic is a Qualified Mental Health Professional certified by the Virginia Board of Counseling. He is an author and has written two books, the Center of Influence and the 5 Phases of Human Engagement. Also, Nic owns High Point Hush Puppies, a collegiate-level summer league baseball team located in High Point, NC.
With all his endeavors, Nic has found time for more; he co-owns Life Push LLC with his wife, Kaylin. Founded in 2014, Life Push LLC is a human services engagement company that offers mentoring, counseling, and family development. They are also directly engaged with public school systems.
Why did a very involved businessman decide to buy a minor-league baseball team? Nic responds, “I’m big on access. Baseball can be an expensive sport that not many minorities have access to play. I wanted to create a space for athletes of all shades where they could engage and play,” he says. Nic shares he also wanted to let young black men and people of color everywhere know that they don’t just have to play the sport; they can own a team too. “I really want us to be an example of what that looks like, someone who looks like them and is involved with team ownership.” Most importantly, The High Point Hushpuppies helps to support players who wish to create a path to professional baseball.
Nic’s athletic background doesn’t include baseball. He grew up playing soccer and played football at the collegiate level. “Baseball always sparked my interest, yet unfortunately, like many other minorities growing up, I didn’t have access to the sport and wasn’t introduced to it. I know that baseball is deeply rooted in communities across the country, in the world for that matter, and I figured it would be good to be a vehicle to help underserved communities,” he says.
“I’m big on access. Baseball can be an expensive sport that not many minorities have access to play. I wanted to create a space for athletes of all shades where they could engage and play.”
Having The Highpoint Hush Puppies located in the Triad made good sense to Nic. He says he wanted to continue upholding and honoring High Point’s history. While he supports getting more African Americans involved with the sport of baseball, he says he doesn’t want to make it a black-and-white thing. “This isn’t a black team, it’s not a white team, this is a team open and accessible for everyone,” he shared.
Nic says his biggest inspiration is time. He explained that we all have a limited time here on earth, and he’s motivated by wasting his share. His focus is to help others and lead them into a better place. His biggest fear is when it’s all said and done, he’ll look back and wish he had done more and pressed harder. He wants to leave empty, knowing he gave it all and left behind a legacy for his kids and generations.
He also finds rest in the work of others who have come before him. He shares, “I look back at each generation, and I can see the progress. Every generation is responsible for building on the shoulders of the previous generation. From my great-grandparents to my children, work happened, and the work must continue.”
As for the future of Nic and The High Point Hushpuppies, he plans to continue growing the team and changing the perspective of baseball and what it can be. He also plans to continue helping others, providing affordable entertainment to families, and bringing more revenue to the Piedmont triad area. Yet, his vision doesn’t end with baseball. Nic plans to own a soccer team and even build a school.
For those who may follow his path, here’s some advice that Nic offers. “Understand this, to be successful, especially in entrepreneurship, you will have to be either lucky or blessed. I recommend being blessed because luck can run out. You must have strong-rooted faith before you jump in. Also, stop waiting on other people to believe in you, because their beliefs have nothing to do with your success,” he says.
To learn more about Nic Sturdifen and The High Point Hush Puppies, please visit their website. www.highpointhushpuppies.com h
Christian ANDERSON
By Terry L. Watson - Photos Provided by Terri Jackson
If someone in authority grants you something, or if something is granted to you, you are allowed to have it. That is the meaning of Granted Access, the brand developed by Christian Anderson, an award-winning gospel artist and savvy businesswoman.
Born and raised in Tennessee but now residing in North Carolina, Christian is widely known for singing and ministering the good news of Jesus Christ to help build the Kingdom of God. She is a psalmist, student-teacher, preacher, and lover of life and God’s people. Her genuine love for God has opened the door for her soulful, heart-touching sounds to bless the ears who desire intimate and compassionate worship. “My genre of music is Gospel. I sing to others to let them know how much God loves them and that they can do anything through Christ, who gives them the ability and strength to do so,” she says.
Christian says one of her most significant accomplishments was becoming a mom to her beautiful daughter Yael Maylean. Christian lost her mother, the late Minister Maylean Anderson when she was just seven years of age. She would be raised by her father, William Anderson, along with her siblings. Life would happen for Christian, and she adjusted as it did.
She attended the Job Corps right after high school and studied Phlebotomy. She shares that she always loved the healthcare field and knew she wanted to help people somehow, so becoming a nationally certified Phlebotomist was a way for her to do so. She worked in that field for nearly six years before becoming a licensed cosmetologist.
Christian says her initial inspiration comes directly from God. “Knowing He has begun a good work in me, and knowing I have the responsibility to live out what He has given me,” she says. Christian has faced several trials and storms in her life, and has learned some lessons as well. In addition to her mother passing, suffering abuse at the hands of her stepmother, and even marrying someone God told her not to marry, Christian testimony amplifies the story of an overcomer. “My testimony inspires me to tell it to as many people who will hear it, and show them what healing, victory, grit, and freedom looks like. It’s no goodness of my own that I’m still here. It’s only by His grace, mercy, and blood constantly covering my life.”
When not singing, Christian serves in full-time ministry with several business ventures on the side. One business is called “Melody Bedtimes Stories”. It’s a show and innovative idea she says God gave her, and one that she shares with her daughter Yael. “I sing books to children all over the World. We encourage, enlighten, affirm, and uplift them. We also let them know they are important, valuable, and needed!”
She references scripture in the bible, 2 Corinthians 2:14 which says, “But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.” With her brand, Access Granted, Christian says it consists of her “VICTORY OV” Merchandise. “God has granted us access to having victory over every area of our lives. If you are dealing with depression, the merch will read, “VICTORY OV Depression”. Granted Access isn’t limited to clothing, it is a mindset we must carry everyday,” she says.
In addition to being inspired by her daughter, Christian finds inspiration in her pastors, Kendall and Quierra McDowell, the founding leaders of Revival Now Global Church. “My pastor’s stand on the Word of God with no compromise, and they Truly Love God’s people. They love me, correct me and help guide and encourage me. I’m truly grateful for them and the impact they continue to have on my daughter’s life and my life. I can honorably say my life has never been the same since becoming a part of Revival Now Global Church.,” she says.
She also credits her manager Jessica Williams for having a huge impact on her life and career. “She goes above and beyond the call of duty and is truly a God-sent. I often tell the story of how she became my manager and how we attended the same church, but I didn’t know her personally, nor did I know her name at the time. The Lord put it in my heart to have a concert named “I’m An Overcomer”. I didn’t have a team, nor did I know of anyone who could help me, so I prayed and asked God to send help. Her face literally popped into my head. I approached her, thinking she’s going to think I’m crazy. I informed her of what God told me about her, and she agreed to help me assemble everything. I later asked her to be my manager. She said no at first but soon obliged, and we have been rocking since 2017,” Christian shared.
Being able to make an impact on the lives of God’s people and be the voice some so desperately need is what makes it happen for Christian. “I enjoy the opportunity to be the intercessor, the encourager, the mentor, the motivator, the testament of triumph over any and everything the enemy tries to keep God’s people bound in,” she says.
As Christian looks to the future, she has several projects underway. One is publishing her first book titled, “I WANT WHAT YOU WANT”. Her book will provide a description of her life, spanning from a little girl to adulthood. It will share the many challenges she faced, the disobedience she walked in, and the consequences of it. It will show the Triumphant Victory she now walks in as well.
More than anything, Christian says she looks forward to growing more in God. She also wants to grow more in knowledge and understanding and obtain the necessary wisdom to walk life’s journey. “I want to be a better, anointed mother, love my family and friends, and love God’s people the way He requires for me. I am also looking forward to meeting my purpose partner so we can purposely build the Kingdom of God together and make hell nervous!” h
