VISION & PURPOSE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE
CONTENTS 6 Inspirational Moments Living Like Ester 10 Business & Entrepreneurship The Community Pastor of Grace 16 Health & Wellness A Day Of Healing Maintaining A Healthy Diet While on Vacation 22 Political Awareness Why Are You Here?
34 Community Outreach Honoring the Angel Fighters A Daughter’s Love and a Mother’s Fight to Live 40 Authors Speak Write to Heal, Heal to Write 44 All Things Fashion Under Pressure Life Stages of Hair 28 Cover Story The Fighter In Me This is My Life, This is My Story!
48 Performance Arts The Arts Community Remembers September 11th 52 Sports Report What Time Is It? September/October V&P Magazine | 3
Contributing Writers: Inspirational Moments Marjorie Middleton Business & Entrepreneurship Karen McConnell-Jones Health & Wellness Kyonna F. Brown Jason Greene Political Awareness Tory Livingston Community Outreach Karen McConnell-Jones Talyea Morsell Authors Speak
Dr. Essie McKoy
All Things Fashion
Antonio "Tony T" Turner Martina Turner
Performing Arts
Seth Washington The Sports Report
Karen McConnell-Jones Deven Richmond Cover Story
Karen McConnell-Jones
If you are interested in writing for Vision and Purpose Magazine, send a writing sample and which column you are interested in to info@vandpmediaproductions.com 4 | September/October V&P Magazine
September/October 2021 Issue Editor-In-Chief Marjorie Milddleton Deputy Editors Karen McConnell-Jones Seth Washington Layout & Design Krystal Glenn Karen Clay
Director of Graphics & Design Krystal Glenn Director of Sales Karen McConnell-Jones Sales Team Michelle Hauser Photographers Dominique Massaquoi Stevie Gaymon
V & P Services Page The V&P Team is here to be a positive voice for our community through the stories that are shared in our magazine. In addition, we would like to provide services for our community to continue to help build our community one VISION and one PURPOSE at a time. For services and pricing please contact us at info@vandpmediaproductions.com Karen McConnell-Jones Krystal Glenn Karen Clay Stevie Gaymon Dominique Massaquoi Deven Richardson Jason Greene Kyonna Fields Brown Dr. Essie McKoy Marjorie Middleton Antonio Turner Martina Turner Seth Washington Candice Camille Donna Harris Michelle B. Hauser
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September/October V&P Magazine | 5
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Bringing You Grace and Truth
“The Community Pastor of Grace” By Karen McConnell-Jones
What can we say about the community churches of our neighborhoods? One thing for sure we can say is that some of our community churches may be small in size yet operate with the BIGGEST intentions of covering mighty grounds in order to be the pillar and that “Safe Haven” our community has come to rely on. Greater Beulah Baptist Church (GBBC) of Capitol Heights, Maryland, led by Revered Squire J. Newsome, III, “The Community Pastor of Grace” is one of those churches. Pastor Newsome's humble beginnings started out in Trenton, New Jersey and as a young child, his mother raised him in church. As a young adult he always had a love for education. Pastor Newsome is a lifelong learner who is in love with education and believes in its power. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. states, “Intelligence plus character- that is the goal of true education.” This is one of the reasons he continues to also serve as a K-12 educator. In addition to pastoring a local church for the last 25 years, he has been simultaneously teaching middle school, and eventually becoming a high school administrator over the last 15 years. Pastor Newsome was also humble enough to share with me that before going into the ministry, he was happily involved in hospitality management while living in Trenton, New Jersey. He was managing an upscale restaurant in a local suburb of Trenton. Needless to say, he was earning a very good income and happily following his dreams of owning his own restaurant one day. God had a different plan for his life and changed the trajectory of his journey. “I knew pastoring was my calling in 1987 when I began experiencing this internal desire to read the bible and go to church. Even though I was raised in the church however, when I became a youngadult I did not want to have anything to do with God or going to church. So, I began my young-adult life aspiring to become a restaurant owner. I stopped going to church because I thought it was a waste of time and irrelevant. However, God began to work on my heart, and I started experiencing sleepless nights, and I would find myself reading the bible for hours at a time.
This went on for at least a year before ever going to visit a church and consider membership. Later I joined Union Baptist Church in Trenton, NJ and was licensed and ordained as a Baptist minister on Nov. 11, 1989 by my Pastor Dr. Robert M. Dickerson, Jr.” When Pastor Newsome first began pastoring, 10 | September/October V&P Magazine
he was very young (just 29 years of age), and numerous members use to remind him that he was young enough to be their child. This was definitely a struggle for him at the beginning because he hadn’t much life experience to draw from when trying to lead the congregation. Pastor Newsome went on to share that preaching is only a segment of pastoring. In fact, pastoring is more of the day to day doing life with people and walking through difficult circumstances with them. So, it is important for a pastor to have life experience to accompany his or her counsel and sharing of wisdom with the church. His leadership style has always been what some may call a transformational leader. He firmly believes in leading people to experience their own transformation while doing life. In other words, he’s not a dictator, but seeks to motivate people to move in a direction where they experience transformation and newness of life with God. “I have now been the Pastor at GBBC for 26 years. One of the traditions we’ve kept over the years is making sure we hold to educating the congregation. Some churches may only focus on the emotional component of worship and walking with God. However, we’ve kept the standard of teaching as the most integral part of our ministry. Our Executive Pastor, Rev. Alma Savoy, who is a very gifted teacher, is very committed to ensuring we have a strong teaching arm in our church. One of the things I’m most proud of starting at GBBC is the non-profit organization Greater Beulah Community Development Center, which is dedicated to conducting educational and non-religious acts of service to our community.
In other words, I desired to create an organization that could do things for the community that did not have any kind of faith component tied to them, just practical things to help anybody who needed assistance. Another tangible thing I’m proud of is transitioning the church from its old facility to the current one at 6056 Old Central Avenue. We went through a 9-year process of selling the old church building on Sheriff RD in Northeast DC and renovating our current facility into a larger church building with classrooms and office space. Finally, I’m most proud of something that is intangible. I’m most proud of the spirit of love emanating from the congregation at Greater Beulah. We are not a large congregation, but we have a huge heart of love.” For Pastor Newsome it is extremely important that his church is active in the community because he vividly remembers the church being an integral part of the neighborhood where he grew up as a child. The church he joined as a young adult was the same church that fed his family at times and provided aftercare for him and his brothers. Therefore, he firmly believes in the church being an active part of the community. In his mind, the church is to operate like the hands and feet of God. “Pastoring during COVID has been tough for many reasons. Firstly, there was not one class in seminary that prepared me for leading a church during a global pandemic. We have had to learn how to use technology as a tool for ministry which none of us anticipated. Also, the pandemic has placed a fear of fellowshipping with others in the minds of most members. I totally understand the apprehension that many may carry, however congregating together in-person and embracing one another is critical to our faith tradition."
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So, needless to say, the transmission of the COVID-19 virus has interrupted many church functions, and many may not return anytime soon.”This is why you really need to know God for yourself and have your own personal relationship with him in these unprecedented times. Draw strength from his words and the power of prayer. For me, this is all that matters in this moment is my relationship with God and the love of my family. I can truly say that one of the most inspiring people in my life is my wife, Pam. She is a woman of grace that loves to serve and care for all people. Often, I’m in awe of how she can serve our family, church, community, and friends without ever losing patience. Pam is a true woman of grace. I deeply love the family God has given to Pam and me. We are a blended family with six wonderful children and we are extremely proud of Nia, Squire IV, Amie, Chase, Emani, and Skye. Each of them is unique in their own way and brings joy to our family. We also have two exceptional grandchildren Desmond and Elijah. I must admit they keep us young and always laughing. Family is everything to us.” “Recently, we created a small business, Building Better Marriages, LLC which is dedicated to empowering married couples with practical relationship principles to help their marriages flourish. It is through our work with other couples that I also find inspiration and the desire to inspire others whether churched or not.”
One of Pastor Newsome's favorite pastimes or one may say one of his hidden talents that most are unaware of, except for his congregation, is his love for landscaping. He has a knack for cultivating flowers, lawn, and outdoor spaces. He didn't grow up with a love for gardening or landscaping. Yet, somehow within the last 10 years he has fallen in love with caring for plants, flowers, and his lawn. He likes to spend hours at a time in his yard each weekend. As we bring this interview to a close I wanted to ask Pastor Newsome the question of the hour, which is the premise of what this story in based upon. This is a series on “Community Pastors of Grace” finding the real gems of our neighborhood churches, so I must end by asking, you have been called “The Community Pastor of Grace” what does this mean to you? “The title “Community Pastor of Grace” means a couple things to me. One, I am all about community. I love community and believe it is important for Christians to foster community because we live in a very divided society with so many divisions over race, economics, gender, age, sexual orientation and the list goes on and on. It is vital for the church to learn to promote community which does not mean conformity. Secondly, I am aware that I’m a recipient of God’s grace and therefore must extend the same to others I come in contact with on a daily basis. I truly believe that extending grace to humanity is a necessity in life. We all need grace because none of us are perfect.” On that note, all left to be said is thank you pastor, God bless you and Amen!
John 1:14 (NIV) The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 12 | September/October V&P Magazine
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Health & Wellness
A Day of HEALING By Kyonna F. Brown
In a city where there is darkness from crime and violence there are loved ones who are left pensive. The shadow of hurt can leave victim survivors in a river of devastation. For those who are traveling down the dark canal there is a light and a beacon of hope to carry them through their storm. In Baltimore Maryland the chances of becoming a victim of a violent crime is 1 in 53.
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In the entire state of Maryland the statistic is 1 in 220. Out of the 1 in 53 in Baltimore there are entire families left to pick up the pieces and continue life with the loss of their loved one. Losing a family member can play a dramatic role on your mental health and stability. In losing a family member to violence the survivor deals with the same components but there is also the state of retaliation, unforgiveness, and rage. In Baltimore, that community has a beacon of light and hope from several organizations that offer help such as Roberta’s House (a family grief support center), Panacea Media, Hug Don’t Shoot, and many many more. On Aug 4, 2021, I had the honor of visiting Roberta’s House for A Day Of Healing. As the forgiveness expert this event was right up my alley, but on this day I chose to relish in the healing instead of sharing. There are many times in life where our presence is all that’s needed. On this day there was so much healing in one room that it was truly a blissful place to be. There was a panel of victim survivors and experts to guide the audience through their healing journey with the hope to inspire the room to forgive and heal. The amount of transparency in the room was undeniably breathtaking. Healing comes at the cost of releasing the past of bondage, brokenness, and pain. The panel paid the cost and was able to deliver hope to those who are stuck in their past. The center that facilitated this day gives rays of hope to homicide survivors' families. They offer support groups to teach, empower, and unite. This well coordinated evening was just one of the many examples of their organization pushing to bring the healing of hearts in need.
Panacea Media was one of the collaborators of the evening. They brought tears, laughter, and inspiration to the room from the documentary they shared. The documentary is entitled Dante Barksdale’s Last Act. September/October V&P Magazine | 17
Many reading this article may be familiar with the name Barksdale from the famous HBO series “The Wire”. Dante was the nephew to the main character in real life. His name brought many emotions to the community, but as he changed his life the name brought empowerment. The film shared a personal story from his life where he was seeking forgiveness from a mother (Kenyita Allen) whose child was accidentally killed by Dante in a vehicle incident. The openness Kenyita displayed to forgive Dante sent ripples through the city and even opened the eyes of a mother (Terri Abbott) from Washington D.C. to forgive the man who hit and killed her son Timothy Abbott. Shortly after Dante was forgiven his life was taken due to gun violence. Although this was unexpected it was a clear indication that others need to forgive and not hold onto the weight of ther past. We never know how long we will have on this earth and no amount of hurt is worth taking to the grave.
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Dr. Karen Swartz says that forgiveness is a choice. You are choosing to offer compassion and empathy to the person who wronged you. Developing a forgiving attitude can better your emotional and physical state. Through organizations such as Roberta’s House and Panacea Media hope is given to the community of people who are hurting. In the documentary there was an insert from Dante Barksdale’s book. It was a poem that we all need to remember: Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender. Be on good terms with all persons. As long as there is breath in our bodies we should activate healing in our hearts and minds that will inspire a healing in our communities. No one person can do it all alone. We need you, too.
Political Awareness Why Are You Here? By Tory Livingston
“Why are you here?” rang the words of 12 year old Yolanda Renee King during the 58th anniversary of the March on Washington, Saturday August 28, 2021. This question, simple yet profound, sounded the alarm of purpose for the thousands of multi-racial activists who attended the march and to every American - rich or poor, black or white, young or old. Who better to pose such a prolific question than the only grandchild of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.? Her Grandfather led the March on Washington 58 years ago. That's 46 years before Ms. King was born, yet the zeal to carry on her grandfather's legacy for peace, justice, and equality was evident. Ms. King and thousands of us marched in the blazing sun to urge the United States Senate to do the right thing and 1). Pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act 2). Pass the DC Statehood Bill and 3). Put an end to Filibustering. The heat of the day did not deter participants who wore masks to protect their fellow activists. “Though the mask makes it hotter and more difficult to breathe, we are willing to sacrifice our comfort for such critical issues, it's important”, said Mark Livingston as he continued on the march. The march began at McPherson Square and ended at the National Mall. We marched along a route that took us past the Department of Veterans Affairs, US Court of Claims, Department of the Treasury, Department of Commerce, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
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... Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to open the doors of opportunity to all of God's children. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children."
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Washington, DC
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At the National Mall, Ms. King urged everyone to call their Senator's whether they were able to vote or not. “Call Your Senators, and do it again until the forces of injustice cannot stand, I will!” she stated courageously. “Because your vote affects us. ...Why are you in office?, Why is it Easier to register to own a gun than to register to vote, unacceptable” Ms. King's statement directed to the Senate. Her speech had a sense of urgency about getting things done, NOW.
Just think, 58 years later, we are still struggling with many of the same issues that compelled Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to deliver his iconic I have a Dream Speech. Embedded in the speech was the same sense of the urgency of now, as he stated, "This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to open the doors of opportunity to all of God's children. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children." Now is the time ! The proclamation made by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. coupled with the question posed by Ms. Yolanda King, "Why are you here?" should resonate in every reader’s heart and mind. It's a clarion call for all to take action, NOW to achieve justice, peace and equity. We stand on the shoulders of those whose sweat, tears and blood was shed so that we can live better, do better, be better. Let’s not drop the ball on Ms. King's generation. Let's move the wheels of justice a little further. Call your senator today and keep on calling until “the forces of injustice cannot stand“ and show them why you are here. Please use this link to find your local listing: https://www.senate.gov/general/resources/pdf/senators_phone_list.pdf 24 | September/October V&P Magazine
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The Fighter in Me
This is My Life, This is My Story! By Karen McConnell-Jones
Yes, it’s been said that most Americans are gullible for a heartfelt story that takes us on a journey to a happy ending. These are the stories that just capture our hearts and take us on such an emotional rollercoaster ride that we are left overwhelmed with joy or more importantly overwhelmed with the joy of HOPE! 28 | September/October V&P Magazine
V&P LifeStyle Magazine celebrates the month of October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It brings us great honor to tell the life story of Mrs. Elicia Pegues Spearman, a woman who possesses the life of resilience, across the board personally, professionally, and humanitarianly. Elicia is best known to many for her energetic way of being, her friendly and loving heart, but most definitely for being a FIGHTER and a SMART BOSS CHICK kind of GIRL!
Meet Elicia Pegues Spearman The Professional Elicia Pegues Spearman serves in a unique dual C-Suite executive role as the General Counsel and Vice President of Human Resources at Quinnipiac University. She is also the liaison to the Board of Trustees Nominating & Governance Committee. Since onboarding in April 2020, she has presented Class Action legal updates and facilitated by-law changes and will copresent to the Audit Committee regarding a proposed Enterprise Risk Management System. Elicia’s background and experience include a combined 19 years of private, federal, and state experience across the manufacturing, defense, healthcare, and higher education industries. Elicia specializes in high-risk investigations, labor relations, culture and change management, diversity, workforce planning, talent development and organizational redesigns. A proven strategic leader, Elicia has managed large domestic and global teams and served as the legal or human resources partner in organizations with over $7B in revenue and over 17,000 employees. She has personally managed a $24M budget and utilized compliance and risk management strategies to reduce liability for her organizations.
The NASDAQ symbols for the companies where she gained a plethora of her experience are CVS, HUBB, and GD. In 2019, Elicia successfully initiated the Diversity & Inclusion project, implemented new Core Values for the enterprise and negotiated the collective bargaining agreement at General Dynamics Electric Boat. This negotiation was historical as it included crucial monetary savings, shipyard coverage changes and the first swearing-in ceremony for the Chief at the on-site Fire Department.
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As we sat down to talk with Elicia, we wanted to dig a little deeper into the conversation on why she wanted to become a lawyer and her kind ability of wanting to help people. In her own enthusiastic way and with a glowing smile of proudness, Elicia began to tell us that the ability to help others was very exciting to her. There are so many different areas of the law that one could never get bored. It is a great and honorable profession where we can make a lasting impact on a system, process or an individual’s life.
Elicia’s Real Talk, Up Close and Personal with V&P
“If I can take my Law degree and be of service to my community then this is what I shall do. I believe it is our duty as humans to help each other. There is always something you can do to uplift someone’s spirit or socio-economic status. I’m a big believer in supporting my community. My parents Elbert Thomas Pegues and Cheryl Anderson Pegues were married 49.5 years before my father passed and they have instilled in me ever since I was a small child that helping others is what God wants us to do. So, giving back and helping others is what I was taught to do. I especially love serving the youth and elders of my community.” “Personally, I must say that it is truly in my DNA to help others. I grew up watching my parents helping others and leading by example. So, I just love to provide an encouraging word, helping someone find a job, obtain a promotion, negotiate salary and benefits, or leave a toxic environment, to even playing matchmaker (yes, I am proud to say that I have five couples that I have connected who are still married to this day), or providing a listening ear to allow someone to vent. I have been a source of support and strength for folks decades older and decades younger!”
Elicia goes on to share with us how very proud she is of the way that she and her husband have raised their daughter as a Christian, and to make an impact by serving in the community and in church.
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Yet, on a professional level, Elicia was most ecstatic when she received her first C-Suite role and negotiated an impactful union contract and she also formed a project team to revamp the company’s core values. Throughout her career she has been able to provide career assistance and guidance to others and that brings her joy as they are now able to uplift and help their own families and others.
As Elicia continues her humanitarian duties, she is currently the Chairman of the AKA International Leadership Fellows Committee which is responsible for providing a dynamic week-long program to train undergraduates for leadership opportunities in their sorority and in their chosen careers. She has been a chapter President, 2nd Vice President, Assistant Graduate Advisor and has held regional leadership positions and received several awards from her sorority. Elicia has initiated a scholarship fund for undergraduate Leadership Fellows that was endowed in May of 2021. Also, Elicia is currently serving as the Chair of the Eastern Area Links Incorporated Leadership Development Committee. She just graduated from Jack and Jill and was voted as the Distinguished Mother of the Year and her last position held was Teen Advisor where she supported one of her Teens who won the election to be the Vice President of the Eastern Region Teens. Elicia has been active in all of her organizations and has served as a member, officer and/or committee chairman and member of AKA, Links and Jack and Jill of America. She is also a Senior Usher in her church – Immanuel Missionary Baptist Church. September/October V&P Magazine | 31
As we all know with every great heartfelt story there will come a time in life where life will throw you a curve ball and you will have to come face to face with life's challenges as Elicia shares with us her first serious family life challenging situation. “Growing up I was always a daddy’s girl and in my adult life we were just as close. So, as a daddy’s girl learning of my father’s diagnosis of prostate cancer, at first, I wasn’t so devastated when I heard the initial diagnosis as I thought it was curable. It can be curable but in some instances the treatments don’t work. So, when I found out it was terminal for him I just made sure that I did everything to lift his spirits. My mother, brother, husband, daughter and our close family and friends all worked together to support my Dad. I was by his bedside to the end and thank God every day for allowing me to be his health and legal advocate and comic relief. 32 | September/October V&P Magazine
I I miss him so much but have no regrets as I was blessed to have the love and devotion of a father and he knew how devoted I was to him – the father/daughter bond was all love!” “Now, what was my healing process like to help me overcome my father’s death? Oh boy, it was painful. I’ve never not had my father to call, laugh or hang out with. So, his absence was devastating. I prayed, cried and laughed at the funny stuff he did or said. I really had to learn about the grieving process. You can’t control your tears – you just have to cry when you feel like crying. The first New Year’s Eve in church after he passed, which is also his birthday, was like a scene out of the movies…I was wailing in the back of the church and my mom was wailing in the front of the church… then my daughter was crying in my lap and my husband who was ushering, he ran off the floor to comfort us. Let’s just say I didn’t go to church on his birthday/New Year’s Eve until three years later. I couldn’t take not seeing him in the choir singing his solo part of “Silent Night.” I’m much better now but sometimes you have to switch up routines that will trigger your grief.”
My Breast Reduction Saved My Life “Hmm, I, the lawyer who used to work for a hospital, who preferred not to undertake any elective surgeries as hospitals are full of germs, acquiesced. Yes, after thinking and praying about it, watching and talking to many friends who had breast reduction, I finally decided that I would do it. I scheduled my breast reduction surgery. Yes, I did it. I had a voluntary medical procedure and as a part of that procedure the pathology report showed that I had a small lump.” “At first receiving the news, I was like a zombie and in disbelief. I always had an annual mammogram and they never found anything so this news was shocking. Then I was just relieved to know what type of breast cancer I had (DCS-1), that there were excellent doctors who helped me explore options, a breast cancer support network, and my family and friends to help support me. I was close to two of my sorors and family friends that battled breast cancer so I used them as role models to embrace a positive attitude and relied on my faith in God, the expertise of my doctors and my family and sorors to get me through.” Elicia felt the need to stay strong and to protect her family (husband and daughter), as they are a very small and close knit family. She knew that if people kept asking her husband and daughter how she was doing that it would bring on unwanted pressure and stress. Elicia knew that she couldn’t focus on her health if she was worried about her family. So, she limited the amount of people that she shared her diagnosis with as an effort to limit the number of people who would contact her family. As we celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October, Elicia just wanted to share an inspirational message as an overcomer and fighter of breast cancer herself. “There is always HOPE and there are so many survivors and thriving fighters. There are also many of us who you can call on for support and we can also share with you support services to allow you to focus on your health. Just know that you are not alone!” “I’ve always known that your health is your wealth but I’ve also learned that you don’t ever know when your last day will be, so it is important to make a difference while you are alive and live your life to the fullest without any regrets. Life is too short so don’t take it for granted. And if there are toxic family members or friends in your life, you have the right to cease or limit contact so you can focus on your health. A positive mindset, faith based religious fortitude and a supportive network will allow you to maneuver through life’s challenging situations. Never be afraid to reach out and ask for help as most folks are of good spirit and nature and would welcome the opportunity to be a blessing to you and your family.” V&P LifeStyle Magazine honors all the fighters, overcomers, and survivors. We also take a moment for the memories of the loved ones who have not lost the fight yet whom have transitioned on to be the spirit of our fighting angels. Let us all join in on the FIGHT! September/October V&P Magazine | 33
Community Oureach
V&P COMMEMORATIONS OF THE MONTH September National Childhood Obesity Month, About 1 in 5 (19%) children in the United States is experiencing obesity. Certain groups of children are more affected than others. National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month provides a chance for all of us to learn more about this serious health condition. While there is no simple solution, there are many ways communities can support children with their journey to good health. Yellow is the ribbon color for Childhood Obesity Month. National Recovery Month: Every September, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) sponsors Recovery Month to increase awareness and understanding of mental and substance use disorders and celebrate the people who have recovered. Turquoise is the ribbon color for Recovery Month.
October Breast Cancer Awareness Month, marked in countries across the world every October, helps to increase attention and support for the awareness, early detection and treatment as well as palliative care of this disease. There are about 1.38 million new cases and 458,000 deaths from breast cancer each year (IARC Globocan, 2008). Breast cancer is by far the most common cancer in women worldwide, both in the developed and developing countries. In low- and middle-income countries the incidence has been rising steadily in the last years due to increase in life expectancy and, increase in urbanization and adoption of western lifestyles. Pink is the ribbon color for Breast Cancer Month. National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, October was first declared as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month in 1989. Since then, October has been a time to acknowledge domestic violence survivors and be a voice for its victims. Domestic violence is prevalent in every community, and affects all people regardless of age, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, gender, race, religion, or nationality. Physical violence is often accompanied by emotionally abusive and controlling behavior as part of a much larger, systematic pattern of dominance and control. Purple is the ribbon color for Domestic Violence Month. World Mental Health Day, is observed on 10th of October every year, with the overall objective of raising awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilizing efforts in support of mental health. Green is the ribbon color for Mental Health Day. 34 | September/October V&P Magazine
October 2021
September 2021 Days: 5th International Day of Charity 6th Labor Day (United States) 8th International Literacy Day 10th World Suicide Prevention Day 13th World Sepsis Day 15th International Day of Democracy 21st International Day of Peace 22nd World Rhino Day 27th World Tourism Day 28th World Rabies Day 29th World Rivers Day 29th World Heart Day Month Long Awareness: National Childhood Obesity National Recovery World Alzheimer’s Biodiversity Healthy Aging World Sepsis Leukemia and Lymphoma
Days: 1st International Day of Older Persons 2nd International Day of Nonviolence 4th World Animal Day 5th World Teachers’ Day 6th World Cerebral Palsy Day 7th World Habitat Day 8th World Sight Day 9th World Post Day 10th World Mental Health Day 10th World Homeless Day 11th International Day of the Girl Child 12th Indigenous Peoples’ Day / Columbus Day (United States) 12th World Arthritis Day 15th International Day of Rural Women 16th World Food Day 16th Global Cat Day 17th International Day for the Eradication of Poverty 18th World Values Day 24th United Nations Day 27th World Day of Audiovisual Heritage 29th World Internet Day 31st World Cities Day Month Long Awareness: Breast Cancer Domestic Violence Cyber Security Down Syndrome (United States) Energy (United States) Hunger Awareness (United States) Learning Disabilities (United States) LGBT History (United States) SIDS (United States)
September/October V&P Magazine | 35
Community Outreach
Honoring the Angel Fighters By Karen McConnell-Jones We all know that Breast Cancer Awareness Month is in the month of October. This is the time we celebrate the survivors, overcomers, and the fighters. This thing called CANCER; we all know, it DOES NOT discriminate. It doesn’t care about your race, your spiritual background, or even your SEX (female or male). It just comes on with a vengeance and you must FIGHT it with a vengeance! Who are our WARRIORS? YOU ARE! V&P LifeStyle Magazine would like to recognize all our FIGHTERS of breast cancer as we give a special tribute to Angel Fighter Ms. Devay Tarchelle Campbell.
The Love of an Angel Fighter Devay Tarchelle Campbell was a phenomenal woman, a self-driven woman, a remarkable woman, yet above all, to her family and friends, she’s IRREPLACEABLE! Devay’s life story is a true testament of a person being a conqueror and an achiever. She is a fine example of living life to the fullest and living with no regrets. Early on in her teen years she showed us then just what she was made of. As a young teen mom in high school, Devay was determined to finish her education and not become an At-Risk statistic. Not only did she finish, she graduated with honors. Devay made the honor’s list her entire high school years, graduating with a 4.0 grade average. Setting the BAR very early on for herself to always become an achiever in life.
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After raising her daughter, Devay decided it was now time for her to go on to college. She attended Kaplan University, graduating with her AAS Business Administration with Management Concentration and her BS in Professional Studies/Human Resources. She continued her tradition of graduating with high honors, making the president’s and dean’s lists the entire time while in college. Devay went on to have an outstanding career and a thriving HR firm, she became the most sought after career coach in her field, four time bestselling author, and the top keynote speaker at many conferences. Devay wanted people to win in life personally and professionally, Point, Blank, and Period. If it was important to you, it was important to her. She helped coach many people into their true purpose. Even through her bout with breast cancer she was still coaching her clients to the top of their career and helping them to reach their personal endeavors. She wrote her last book in support of the fighters of breast cancer, Plan to Succeed Daily Planner. Devay was courageous in her fight with breast cancer and yet the biggest protector of her family while in her fight. She stayed private and intimate with her immediate family to allow them their time to go through the process and to assure them that they will be okay. She was our ROCK and an ANGEL FIGHTER until the end. She just wanted her daughter Sequoia, grandson CJ, mother Alfreda, and dear friend Cecilia to know to keep the faith and that she will forever be their ANGEL watching over them. To my cousin/daughter, Devay, thank you for showing us what real strength is and for loving and protecting us until the end. We love you always! September/October V&P Magazine | 37
Community Outreach
A Daughter’s Love and a Mother’s Fight to Live
By Talyea Morsell
It was a regular day for me, a high school freshman in honors classes who had just started playing basketball. Little did I know life as I knew it would change once I got home from practice. It was December 4th, 2013, my mother was diagnosed with stage four metastatic HER2positive breast cancer. It was also my sister’s ninth birthday, and my youngest sister would be turning one a couple days after. I felt like my life had crashed down on me, being the oldest child, 14 years old and hearing a diagnosis as such. All I thought was that I was going to lose my mother. Lost and afraid, her doctors, nurses, and nurse navigators always assured that we were safe and that they were fighting just as hard as we were. I’d never forget her first oncologist, Dr. Nunez, she broke everything down for me step by step, she held our hands when we were scared, and she always did what was best for my mom.
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With each year I spent in high school, there was an advance in the cancer. I spent countless days and nights lying beside her in Washington Hospital Center, from surgeries to hospital stays to chemotherapy treatments, I was there. We really appreciated the dedication that the doctors gave us as the cancer progressed to her bones, brain, and liver. As I really reflect on my mother’s story, I have noticed a magnitude of strength that I never knew she had. I was finally witnessing all the things parents hide from their kids, from financial struggles to sickness and discomfort. I was amazed at how she carried it all. Due to her losing aspects of her memory and mobility after brain surgery and the cancer just generally breaking her body down, I soon started presenting that same strength. Many people look at my mom and they would never think twice that she may have cancer as advanced as it is. When I look at my mom, I see a true fighter, a woman who chooses to live everyday against something meant to break her. If you ever asked my mom how she did it, she’d talk about how she did not want to leave her girls; she knew she had more life to live, so she turned to God. Every night before bed, whether at the hospital or home, I got down on my knees and cried to God. I practically begged him to keep her here with us, for without her I would really be lost in this world. My mom chose to fight for her three girls; I choose to do everything in her name.
My mom has inspired me to break so many barriers that could have had a hold on me. She has motivated me to be myself and accomplish anything that I ever wanted against all odds. My mother, Tiffany Nicole, is the epitome of a strong black woman and I am honored to be her daughter every day of my life. September/October V&P Magazine | 39
All Things Fashion
Under Pressure
by Tony Turner.
Many of us are under pressure. Some of us are traumatized by life's experiences. It's interesting how we cope with stress. It is also interesting how our bodies react to stress. Some say stress is the 1 # killer of people of color. Studies have shown stress creates inflammation. It plays out in our overall health. Heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, hypertension, alopecia, and mental illness are triggered by stress. There are those who have succumbed to addiction: drug addiction, sex addiction, shopping addiction, all types of addictions. Fashion is greatly affected by stress. Example: Many of the poor desire to be rich. This is why name brand clothing is so expensive and sought after, from Louis Vuitton bags to Jordan's. These fashion items represent style and swag. They also represent money and affluence. So you got to get the bag to get the bag. Which brings me back to my topic. We are under pressure! As a hair stylist I see the results of this pressure. I see the Alopecia, I see the damage of wearing weave, I see the over processed hair and scalps. I also see the damage done by socalled protective styles.I see the balding edges from tightly braided hair and the disappearing natural hair and increased popularity of the laced front wigs. We all want the dip, at whatever the cost. I was watching the I.G. and Styles P said something very profound. He said "There is something called brain drip….You get it through reading a book. He said you can't rap without knowing the words. Then he mentioned some books he thought we should read like The Archer. He also mentioned that he was petty, so he always wanted the smoke. So he had been researching and found that healthy foods help to deter bad attitudes. So today's fashion report is to study the Word! Get some knowledge in you. Let's learn how to be thankful (to appreciate things), grateful (to take care of things given), compassionate(to show love and understanding)and discerning (knowing the intentions of a thing); knowing our fate depends on it. Then you will understand that we create our own fashion/ culture. We set our own cost. Because we are valued by The Most High! There aren't too many occupations that require as much study as that of a doctor. In my town I became the stylist of choice for a lot of the medical students that were about to graduate and were about to interview for their residency. 44 | September/October V&P Magazine
They came for my famous silk wrap! You see, it was commonly known that you couldn't look Afrocentric if you wanted to get that opportunity. I thought it was a shame but it is and was real. I talked to a client of my wife’s yesterday and she has been practicing for a while and that discrimination is very much still in existence, in spite of the recent Crown Act….She said it hadn't kicked in and was hard to be proven in court. I agreed. But what if we become an authority? What if we owned the hospital and the care was superlative? Could we then set our own standards and become sought after physicians? This is the higher calling. This is why we must study The Word. So The Most High would grant us the responsibility of being the world's Caretaker. That means studying to show ourselves approved. There was a time in history when we had that responsibility and the world looked to us for that kind of knowledge. We (people of color) created the first universities. Architecture science, medicine, war, hygiene, and culinary skills were our gifts. At some point we lost it. Maybe we lost it when we stopped being compassionate or when we lost the Gift of Discernment. Maybe we stopped being thankful and started to think we owned it all and The Most High didn't bless us with it. Maybe we became ungrateful and neglected our duties to take care of our Blessings. Here lies the fall of mankind. Restoration comes with going back to the basics. That is in all things. It's like reverse engineering. You’ve got to study what you’ve gotten. Break it down to it's least common denominator and build from there. The Most High and It's Creation. We must learn to respect it and build our relationships on it. If we want to be given the responsibility of Caretaker. Our fall has its consequences. Heartbreaking repercussions that last for generations. That sounds and feels like pressure doesn't it? I believe so, and; everything has its purpose. Even the worst kind of pressure. The tearing down of a thing to build it up. Can't have diamonds without the immense heat and pressure. The Word says the servant will be the greatest among you.We’ve got a lot of work to do but I think it's worth it! May peace & blessings be bestowed upon you.
Tony T.
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All Things Fashion Healthy hair is a lifetime journey. From the time you are born and throughout each period of your life until you are old, your hair will take different stages to its healthy state. These are the three stages to hair growth: Anagen (Growing phase): Lasts 2-7 years and determines the length of our hair. Catagen (Transition phase): Lasts 10 days the hair follicle shrinks and detaches from the dermal papilla. Telogen (Resting phase): Lasts one to four months, 10-15% of hair is resting in this phase where the old hair sheds and the new hair continues to grow. This is the lifespan of a hair follicle. From the ages of one to five years old most little girls have virgin hair, natural hair strands that have never been chemically processed or colortreated. Between the ages of six to twelve, some young girls may have gotten their first chemical relaxer which is a type of lotion or cream designed to straighten extremely tight curls or tightly coiled hair. A relaxer helps make the hair more straight and manageable when styling. This is the beginning when the hair has been altered and needs professional expertise to continue a healthy hair journey. The ages of thirteen to twenty, that's the period of a young lady's life where she is interested in permanent hair color from your blondes to red, blue or purple. We all love the beauty of those vibrant colors but the beauty of it can also take a toll on the hair strands when processing such a high lift color. Now you have to keep up with your color retouch, deep conditioning treatments, hair trims and monitoring the amount of heat you apply to your hair. Hair care is a priority and consistency is needed. This age group is so fragile when it comes to healthy hair. Some begin to want to try protective styles such as braids, weave installs and wigs. All of these styles can be harsh to your frontal edges, thinning and baldness to the scalp if not taken care of properly. You need to have a hair stylist that specializes in healthy hair, braids and weaves. Keep up with the hair maintenance between retouches and installs to make sure your natural hair is taken proper care of and give your hair a break between protective styling.
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Then you have the ages of twenty one to forty. Your hair has been through all the ups and downs of hair health. Pregnancy to medication and the way you handle stress also plays a key role to your hair health. Throughout this age group a lot of women have decided to focus more on their overall health and hair care regimen. Once you have reached your fifties and older in age your hair texture tends to change. You may begin dealing with menopause, changes in your hormones. Or hereditary hair loss which causes hair thinning or baldness (Alopecia). Throughout life the choices we make determine our reality and present state. It's the same with hair, if you take care of it you will see it flourish and continue to grow throughout each stage of life. In life there are unexpected things that happen. So you may have to start all over again. The goal is to take care of your mind, body and spirit. That's by eating a healthy diet rich in nutrients such as vitamins, protein, fruits and vegetables. Stay hydrated, drink plenty of water. Make time for meditation and exercise. Keep a positive mindset and be grateful for each day.
Martina C. Turner
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