OCTOBER
PASTOR MONTH.....PG 7
Vol 17, No. 5 •October 2017
Choosing the “Wright” Path An Inspirational Life Jeremiah 29:11…For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. By Angela Rogalski Some young people who have their dream path mapped out in their minds would be more than a little devastated if something happened and that idyllic picture became muddled with clouds of interruption; they would be apt to give up, at least on their dreams anyway. Unless that young person happened to be Ayla Black Ayla Black Wright Wright. If that were the case, the phrase "give up" would not be in their vocabulary. Ayla Black Wright has been working since the age of 15 at the same place of employment that she currently works at today, Colom Construction Co., Inc. in Ripley, Miss. She attended and graduated from Ripley High School in 2005, and had a full academic scholarship to the University of Missouri-St. Louis. But that's where her very promising academic career came to a screeching halt. Wright became pregnant at the age of 17 and was unable to accept the scholarship. And while a baby
see WRIGHT pg 4 Return Address: P.O. Box 1292 Corinth, MS 38835
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Lipsticks lead to a dream career for entrepreneur By Lucy Weber While growing up in Selmer, Lala Davis wasn't really into makeup. In fact, when Davis got a part-time job in a department store to earn money while a student at the University of Memphis, she was accidentally assigned to the cosmetics counter. Intrigued by it all, she became fascinated with lipsticks. A dedicated student who earned her degree with a double major in communications and political science, Davis started researching how to hand-craft her own lipstick after her clientele for her makeupartistry increased rapidly. "It's like baking a cake," she said of her creating her own line of seven colors of matte, vegan lipsticks. Her colors are
Ridiculous, Boujee Blue, Melanin, Apollonia, Class of 89, Nu, and Olive You. This month, she will feature a new pink lip color for breast cancer awareness in honor of her aunts who are survivors. Her lipsticks are designed for women who love a perfectly polished lip. "I really wanted them to be longlasting. I went through a lot of trials but my lipsticks will stay on a lot longer. "Makeup became my passion," she said. The 27-year-old not only creates luscious lip colors but also polished her
see DAVIS pg 4
Latrice (LaLa) Davis
Caribbean Fest brings the island atmosphere to Tupelo By Lucy Weber Get a taste of the Caribbean in Tupelo Oct. 21. Hosted by Tupelo Social Network, the second annual Caribbean Fest is a family friendly event designed to get people familiar with island life through music, food and other activities. The festival will be 3-10 p.m. in Fair Park in downtown Tupelo on that Saturday, following a kick-off party Friday, Oct. 20 at 8 p.m. at the Link Centre. "We just want people to come out," said Natasha Pierre-Louise, the founder of the festival. "This is an opportunity to meet people from different backgrounds and cultures." Pierre-Louise, who is Haitian, said she started the festival last year to bring more culture and diversity to the Tupelo area Natasha Pierre-Louise and so residents here can appreciate all things Caribbean. The festival also raises money to help
children. Money raised from last year's and this year's festivals benefit a Haitian school where her father is an administrator. This year, the Tupelo School District's Growing Healthy Waves Program will be a recipient of the fundraiser also. Pierre-Louise said she was inspired to add the local school food and nutrition program as a beneficiary after hearing about it at a civic club. "We want to be part of the community," she said. "The school program is about growing food and that is similar to other cultures" throughout the Caribbean. The Haitian school, Presbyterale St. Louis Creve, Desforges, is an underserved school that has no electricity and
see CARIBBEAN pg 4