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CONTENTS
Artist of the Month 10
Ben Heine
Book of the Month 36
Dahmenah’s Love Theropy
Music Artist of the Month 56
Lady V.O and Tracy Neely
Flowetry in purple 40
INTERNATIONAL FLY NAILS
Keeping it Real
144 What is Dating?
Music 42 48
HESTON Love Junkie Marcus Johnson
Community 62 68
Tug of War The Origin of Bulling Pathways To Your Future Gerald Thompson
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Top Business Women in the U.S
Entertainment
136 Universoul Circus 140 Chad.L Coleman 146 Ambi’ance Magazine/D’marie Productions-Night of love
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Jonathan Fields CEO/Editor-n-Chief Heather Dmarie Marsh Vice President of Operations Nadia Comanechi Director of Marketing & Social Media Donna Dymally Senior Photographer/Writer James Gatti Media/Producer Michelle Stackfield Senior Atlanta Correspondant Mark Howard Senior Writer Miya Dymally Makeup Artist Mikey Koonz Graphic Designer Tashia Jackson Fashion Stylist /Writer ​ Que Tann Host/Production Asst Latricia Renee Price Host/Production Asst
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Michael Baisden is undeniably one of the most influential and engaging personalities
in radio history. His meteoric rise to #1 is redefined radio with the numbers to back it up! The show was syndicated and heard in over 100 markets nationwide with millions of loyal listeners daily from 3pm-7pm EST during the 10 year run. By commenting you consent to The Michael Baisden's Show use of your name, profile photo, and post in connection with the show and derivative programming as exhibited in any and all media in perpetuity now known or hereinafter devised. His career began when he took a leap of faith to leave his job driving trains in Chicago to self-publish his book and began touring the country selling books out of the trunk of his car. Through the power of his sheer determination, Michael carved a unique niche as a speaker, radio personality, and social activist. He is always in the lead when it comes to helping those who don’t have a voice. “I’m not one for just talking, either do something or get out of the way!” Baisden has hosted two national television shows, and has recently produced three feature films. According to Simon & Schuster, Michael Baisden is “probably the most successful selfpublished African American male author out there today.” With nearly 2 million books in print both hard and soft cover; his books blend the perfect combination of entertainment, humor, provocation and sexuality. Michael’s vibrant personality on and off the air has made him a people magnet. He began attracting attention with primarily female followers as author and publisher of the highly successful best-selling books: "Men Cry in the Dark", "The Maintenance Man", "God's Gift to Women" and most recently a hot new book “Do Men Know What They Want.” Baisden is about to release the Collectors’ Edition of Maintenance Man followed by his 6th book "Maintenance Man II: Money, Politics & Sex...Everyone Has A Price" to be released in June 2012. Two of his titles ultimately were adapted into stage plays playing to sold out crowds across the US. In 2010 Michael pledged $350,000 of his own money to be donated in over 72 markets he would visit on a bus tour. The outreach was named “One Million Mentors National Campaign To Save Our Kids.” Michael challenged his listeners to get involved. In October 2010, President Barack Obama publicly congratulated Michael on his efforts. 2012 kicked off with the announcement of a partnership with Michael, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and African American Fraternities for the Mentoring Brothers Campaign to recruit more Black mentors for Black boys. However, on March 31st 2013 Michael Baisden called it quits! His Live Radio discussions on social activism, encouraging people to live their dreams, exercise, eat healthier, and have more honest relationships WERE UNPRECEDENTED. For ten years he gave us the best four hours of "Keeping it Real" ever on radio. I remember interviewing him at this year’s Hollywood Black Film Festival(HBFF) in L.A., and found him to be not only personable and grounded, but extremely helpful to all who approached him for advice and/or general conversation. For most, it’s been an honor and privilege to be inspired for the past 10 years. As CEO/Editor of my own magazine and non-profit organization, as well as soon to be author of my own book, i can honestly say it was Michael Baisden that gave me the courage to truly "BELIEVE & ACHIEVE". Thank You Michael. contact info: http://www.baisdenlive.com http://www.minglecity.com http://www.twitter.com/baisdenlive http://www.facebook.com/michaelbaisdenlive.com
Photo's by Alexandre Meas
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BEN HEINE
Photo's by Alexandre Meas
BEN HEINE (born June 12, 1983 in Abidjan, Ivory coast) is a Belgian multidisciplinary visual artist.
He is best known for his original series "Pencil Vs Camera", "Digital Circlism" and "Flesh and Acrylic".
EARLY LIFE Ben grew up in Ivory Coast. He lived there 7 years, along with his parents and his 3 sisters. His father was a commercial engineer and his mother a Modern Jazz dance teacher. Everything changed when the family came back to Brussels in 1990. Ben was a demanding child and he didn't like school at all. He became wiser, more disciplined and a studious person later on, after a stay in a boarding school (at the "Collège Saint Vincent" (Belgium), from 12 y/o to 18 y/o). In 1994, he discovered for the first time that his energy, his fears, his emotions and his ideals could be canalized in "visual projects", it was the very beginning of a never ending adventure in drawing and painting. As a teenager, Ben had many other hobbies and activities: beside writing poetry on a daily basis, he played drums, piano and guitar, he also used to play basketball and to run everyday. His interest for graphic arts was eventually the strongest one.
ACADEMIC BACKGROUND Ben has a degree in Journalism (started at "Université Libre de Bruxelles" (Belgium) and completed at "IHECS" (Belgium) & "Utrecht University of Applied Sciences" in The Netherlands). He also briefly studied History of Art, Painting and Sculpture at "Hastings College of Arts & Technology" (England) but he is a self-taught person in Drawing and Photography. Through his studies, he learned several languages: French (1), English (2), Dutch (3), Polish (4), Spanish (5) and Russian (6). Ben loves languages because he loves communicating and interacting with people. He loves people.
Photo's by Alexandre Meas
Photo's by Alexandre Meas
Photo's by Alexandre Meas
Pho
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PROFESSIONAL EVOLUTION Following his studies, Ben has tried all kinds of different jobs but visual creation has always been his main concern. Since 2006 until now, his pictorial works have been published in famous Belgian and international newspapers and magazines (see "Press" for more info) and they have been seen by millions of people online. Ben Heine’s artworks have been exhibited in Belgium, Great Britain, France, Canada, USA, Germany, Turkey, Romania, Brazil, South Korea and Spain. Ben is currently represented by several well-established art galleries in Belgium and abroad, such as the Gallery Garden (Brussels), the Appart Gallery (Brussels), Start/Stuff&Art (Cape Verde), the Art Movement (London), the Next Gallery (Jacksonville), the Radeski Gallery (Liège) and others (see "Partners" for more info). He has also participated in numerous art events such as the London Art Fair, the Affordable Art Fair, the Berliner List, the Accessible Art Fair, Art Event, Music for Life... (see "Exhibitions" for more detailed info about the most important past and future shows).
oto's by Alexandre Meas
Photo's by Alexandre Meas
Photo's by Alexandre Meas
Photo's by Alexandre Meas
Photo's by Alexandre Meas
Photo's by Alexandre Meas
PENCIL VS CAMERA "Pencil Vs Camera" mixes drawing and photography, imagination and reality. It’s a new visual concept invented and initiated by Ben Heine in 2010. It's full of magic, illusion, poetry and surrealism. Ben published his first "Pencil Vs Camera" image in April 2010 but the series is the result of a long graphic exploration and a logic consequence of his personal artistic development. Ben usually integrates an inventive hand made drawing in front of a realistic background. There are several methods to achieve the same effect (see "Interviews" for more info). Ben’s hand is always clearly visible; it represents the close connection between the viewer, the artist and the artwork. The drawing is either in black and white on white paper or in color on black paper, while the photo is often very colorful, this amplifies the contrast between the two mediums. In this series, Ben likes to focus on people’s life, portraits, nature, animals, architecture... Among others, the main themes approached in "Pencil Vs Camera" are: Love, Freedom, After Life, Friendship and Nature. Ben says: "I just make art for people. I want them to dream and forget their daily troubles. I used to write poems many years ago, I want to convey a poetic and philosophical meaning into my pictures, each new creation should tell a story and generate an intense emotion, like a poem, like a melody". Because of their originality and the visual innovations Ben brought in his artworks, this series has had a huge impact on the graphic design community and has generated several buzz on the Internet. Ben says the initial idea of this "Pencil Vs Camera" concept came by coincidence while he was writing a letter in his family house in Braives, Belgium. Email info@benheine.com Website http://flickr.com/photos/benheine http://benheine.deviantart.com http://benjaminheine.blogspot.com http://www.youtube.com/BenHeineChannel http://500px.com/benheine http://twitter.com/BenHeine http://pencilvscamera.tumblr.com http://www.soundcloud.com/presage_music http://benheine.com
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Photo's by Alexandre Meas
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P121cre8tions By Michelle Stackfield
Psalms 121:1-8 1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. 2 My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth…8 The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore. This is the biblical scripture for which this up and coming diva of fashion designs, Ms. Jessica Goodwin based P121cre8tions. Her warm spirit, her love for fashion, her vision and her wisdom are well beyond her years and it is Ambi’ance Magazine’s pleasure to be here, at the ground floor of this spectacular designer’s fashion journey! Jessica met me for her interview at my home with her sewing machine, supplies, my fabric and her own extension cord! We had decided to kill a few birds with one stone. However, I never anticipated door-to-door service! Jessica set up her equipment as I did the same. Her Erykah Badu swag was accompanied by an ever present series of ‘yes ma’ams and no ma’ams’ and bashful smiles and giggles. I knew she was talented because I had seen her work and ordered a custom-made piece, but it wasn’t until the interview that I came to truly respect and admire this young lady, literally adopting her! Ambi’ance: Jessica, tell me a little about yourself, where were you born, your age and how long have you been interested in fashion? JG: I was born and raised in Cahokia, IL, I am 26 years old and I have been interested in fashion all of my life. I’ve always been fashionable, loved to shop and things, but never wanted to really get into it, like sewing? No. I never thought I’d be doing that. That’s what my mother does! My mother and grandmother sewed. Ambi’ance: What inspired you then? JG: I took a clothing and textile class my senior year in high school and really enjoyed it and have been doing this ever since. Ambi’ance: Where did you do your formal training? JG: I attended AIU (American International University) here and Atlanta and finally graduated last year! Ambi’ance: Fresh graduate! Awesome! I am amazed because when I look at your work you appear to be much older and seasoned in this industry!
JG: (Laughing) Yes, ma’am! After high school I did some photo-shoots and some other things back home in Illinois and stopped, but was still interested. I attended and graduated school for massage therapy and did that for a while. Then I moved here and I knew that fashion was what I really liked and enjoyed doing. It’s what makes me happy! Ambi’ance: A lot of your styles are unique and as a designer they should be. Where do you get your muse, your inspiration? JG: That’s crazy because a lot of designers have muses and inspirations. I don’t. I like to play with the fabric and whatever comes out, that’s what happens! I really don’t have a muse; it just has to hit me. Ambi’ance: So you don’t see anything that catches your eye and say, “Hey?” JG: I may see a color, pattern or funky fabric when I’m in the fabric store and I say, “Okay.” I pick it up, usually put it away and when I’m ready to sew, I’m like, “Oh, I forgot I bought that fabric, let’s do something with it.” But for example, I see your chandelier and say, “Hmmmm, that gives me inspiration?” No. Ambi’ance: What about other designers? Have you ever looked at their designs and think that you could have done that different or better? You know like, hmmmm, let me tweak that just a little bit! (Laughing) JG: (Laughing) I actually have! You know Monif C came out with a convertible dress; I liked it and designed a convertible jumpsuit since I had never seen one! Ambi’ance: Yes, I love her fashions, so that’s good one! JG: Yes, I changed it somewhat. The pants come up to here (gesturing under the bustline) and I have 2 (two) long straps that allow you to wrap it anyway you like, and wherever the bow lands that’s the way it goes! So, that’s my version! Ambi’ance: Obviously, I’m six feet, full-figured and you know I love fashion, which is why I was attracted to your style. For our readers, what are your size ranges or do you only do custom designs? JG: My line is debuting in March, finally! The online boutique will launch then as well! But I mainly do custom-made. Normally I make one piece and if someone else wants one I will make it, but it always comes out different. I cannot make the same thing back to back. Every client I have I make things differently for them, designed for their body and style.
Ambi’ance: What adversities have you found being in the fashion industry? JG: The plus-sized business is very very difficult, because you know that mainstream’s standard sizes are zero to maybe a six or eight. When you start going to sizes ten and up? It’s difficult because they are the plus-size realms. My adversity is that a lot of stores carry plus sizes but it’s not fashionable and I don’t like that! I may not look like I’m plus-sized, but I am a size ten, twelve or fourteen depending on how it’s made. When I go to the store and I don’t like shopping unless it’s for fabric, shoes or jewelry, because the clothes don’t fit me right. I’m tall, and I’m sure you can relate, most of the time they are too short, the sleeves aren’t long enough and they don’t fit around the tummy, you know I have that infamous muffin top! (laughter) But, when I see my big gurlz and what they are trying to buy, it makes me so upset, why can’t we look good? That hurts my heart, because big gurlz like to be fashionable, too! Why not? That is why I design for plus-sized! Ambi’ance: Speaking on behalf of my ‘big gurl’ sisters, I thank you and we welcome you! Being here in Atlanta now, it does my heart good seeing the plus-sized divas embracing themselves, loving who they are and rocking the styles! So again, thank you and the other plus-sized stylists for catering to us! With that being your adversity, what are your goals? JG: My goals are to first open up the online boutique which will be in March. Then I want to open a store here in Atlanta and after it flourishes and it will because I am speaking it into existence, I want to go home to Illinois and open a store there as well. Eventually heading to Los Angeles and New York City! I just want P121cre8tions everywhere just to show that plus-sizes are fashionable and that there is a store to showcase that fashion. Ambi’ance: With the various full-figured and curvaceous fashion weeks now on the rise, I can see that in your future, so I too am speaking it into existence and am just honored that Ambi’ance Magazine was able to come in on the ground floor of your journey! I can then say that I did your first interview at my dining room table! (laughter) Your debut is coming up! Tell us about that! JG: Yes ma’am! It will be in Marietta, GA on March 16th. I have a live band, DJ, food and vendors! I want to promote everyone! It will be a networking debut! I want everyone to know who the shoe designer is, so Thomas will be there! I have an awesome jewelry designer making pieces so unique that you have to buy! My old supervisor designs handbags and jewelry, she’ll be there. I have a creator of a natural hair care product there. Another that designed her Ambi’ance: That’s very admirable of you. You’re very young and yet you understand and have the foresight to pay it forward! That speaks volume of your character, making you very wise beyond your years! Someone raised you right! (Laughing)
27 JG: (Laughing) Every time I have a photo-shoot I try to call someone in. I say, hey I need jewelry, c’mon. I need shoes, c’mon. It’s not just about me, it’s that you never know who you will run into and the experience in its own is worth it and I enjoy sharing it! Now, I get calls every weekend wondering where I am going to be and if they can come. Yes they can! You have to treat people the way you want to be treated, because we didn’t get here by ourselves and this business isn’t easy. If you treat them right, they will always be there for you when you need them. The plus-sized fashion world is very small and we all stick together. If I have something going on, I call the other designers. If someone needs models, we’re there for them. That’s the way it should be. Ambi’ance: Speaking of which, are you heading into the modeling field now? I’ve been seeing your pictures popping up a little bit of everywhere these days, and you’re singing! What’s that about? JG: (laughing) Yes ma’am! I finally decided to do it. All of my photographers have been trying to get me in front of the camera, so I did and I’ve been there ever since and singing is my second love after fashion designing! Ambi’ance: Your look is very natural and unique. Embracing yourself for who you are! The photos are very nice and you belong in front of the camera. Now that you are building your portfolio as a fashion designer, model, entrepreneur, singer and etc., what would you say to the young people coming up? JG: I would tell them to first and foremost, always be you! Don’t let anyone change you into who they want or think you should be. You are uniquely you, so never downsize. Everyone is not going to be Beyonce’ or Rhianna. Love your body and follow your heart. If fashion makes you happy or singing does it for you, do it because at the end of the day you are YOU! It was my plans to be a doctor, but it was not my purpose! I’m older now and at twenty-six I understand that this is God’s purpose for my life and I am extremely happy doing it. Ambi’ance: Old! (laughing) But I understand! Is there anything that you want our readers to know about Jessica Goodwin? JG: I am a twenty-six year old, Black, down to earth female that is also humble, driven, hard worker and will keep it straight with no chaser. I help any and every one that is trying to get there. I think that’s it! Oh, and thank you, Ambi’ance for thinking about me! Ambi’ance: Well Jessica, on behalf of Ambi’ance Magazine, you are welcome and thank you for allowing us to take this journey with you and I’ll be watching you as well as making more purchases of course! I thank you for your amazing door-to-door service and my fly original P121cre8tion that I will be wearing to your debut! Can’t wait to try it on! I love it! Now it’s time for another excuse to do some shoe shopping! Woohoo! Follow Jessica’s P121cre8tions at: www.P121cre8tions.com www.facebook.com/P121cre8tions
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Dahmenah’s “Love Therapy” by Michelle Stackfield
A
n avid reader, I came across a new author of a self-help book entitled, The Game Changer-How to Date a Man in the 21st Century. Hmmmm, interesting to say the least! Although, I am presently comfortable and secure in my relationship, I am never one to turn down an interesting read. Besides, we all could use a little help in the Love Zone every now and then! I contacted the author and received my package within a few days! After picking up a large cup of Chai latte, I settled into a comfortable spot on the sofa, gathered my throw cover, lit some candles and cracked the pages! As usual, I started with the introduction to the book, moved to the back of the book for reviews and finally, the last few pages to read about the author. As I was reading this, I thought of Steve Harvey’s Act Like a Woman, Think Like a Man. I thought that maybe this was a woman’s response to his book. As I began to read the book, I found it a very easy read with a direct, in-yourface type of language, not like Steve’s book at all! It did not address how to catch a man, but the issues that women go through with the struggles of life, love and raising children, while trying to find their place within themselves. The book guides women to being secure in letting go of the past, live and be accepting in the present and to honestly re-design themselves in current and future relationships. Curiosity led me to reach out to this young lady again to find out more about her. AM: Hi Dahmenah! I really enjoyed your book. It was more than I expected. Tell us a little something about the lady behind these words of wisdom! Dahmenah: (laughing) Okay, I was born in San Diego, CA. I moved to Queens, NY for a very brief period in my life and then returned to San Diego where I spent the majority of my childhood. Currently, I live in Los Angeles, CA. I attended San Diego State University where I studied drama and dance. I lived in Northern Virginia from 1987-1992 and returned to California and attending Cal State, San Marcos and receiving a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. In 1997, I moved to Los Angeles, CA where she started working on films as a costume assistant until 2002. In 2006 I attended New York Film Academy and studied Directing and the following year I started Rebel Girl Pictures and Production Company and Rebel Girl Entertainment, a web network. I am also a film director. I spent many years in the social services system working with therapists, women and families, so I got a chance to deal with a lot of women and women’s issues first-hand and the struggles they were going through in life, love and raising their children. By working with the therapists I learned more about the human psych and the way our emotions and minds work. Then of course as a woman, I had to work through some of my own challenges. Marrying young, divorcing young and becoming a young single mother. I visited homes and spent a lot of time coaching these women in all aspects of their lives over a span of fourteen years. These women had so much deep inflicted pain, and I wondered if it was really possible to make a difference. I knew it was time for a change and to try a different approach. That is when we created The Dating Revolution Workbook – A 12 Step Journey to Rediscovering Your Power and The Game Changers: How To Date Men In The 21st Century and the GURL KNOW company.
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AM: How long have you been writing? Dahmenah: I have been writing for a couple of years now, but of course I have spent a lot of my life writing when you consider that working in the social service field it requires lots and lots of writing. But as far as authoring, it has been in the last few years that I have decided to kind of put the knowledge I have acquired down on paper. AM: When I first saw the title for the book, I thought it would be a follow-up or women’s interpretation of Steve Harvey’s: Act Like A Woman, Think Like A Man. Dahmenah: Really? Well actually, the workbook and book came out of my own personal journey. It wasn’t until I started to love myself that my life started to changed. I wanted to share this journey with other women because I believed that all women DESERVED to have EVERYTHING they wanted and then some. After co-authoring the two books, I decided to add life coaching for women through a membership program at www.gurlknow.com. Gurl Know is a resource and membership site for women who want to Do, Be, Love and Live Better. My passion is to help women become their best selves so they can have better, happier lives. My co-author and I wrote a workbook first. The thing about workbooks is that they have a lot of work in them! For people to really like working in them, they have to be in a certain place to want to actually sit down and go through something, work it out and then write things down. Because of that we decided to write the book because people may be more inspired to read the book first and then decide whether or not they are ready to take the next step in doing something like the workbook. Women would have to really delve into themselves much deeper than the book does. That’s kind of the jest of it. AM: Why this type of book and why now? Dahmenah: My own personal journey and learning about the challenges I have. To me, this book may be about dating to some degree, but it is more about the female journey. The journey of growing up, learning about life, love and the choices you make along the way and how those choices affect the outcome of your life. It is past time that we as women address these issues. AM: You talked about the Feminist Movement and the side effect that has had on modern day women. Dahmenah: Like you mentioned, the Feminist Movement was about having women treated equally in the workplace. I don’t believe they realized that like anything that brings about change, there are side effects. No one would have foreseen that the future generations would have become so masculine in their actions that it would have affected the family unit as a whole. People don’t think about it in the bigger sense that a lot of women are suffering and at times do not admit that we are lonely and want a man, but it is true. There is nothing wrong with wanting a man and nothing wrong with needing a man. You don’t necessarily have to have a man to financially provide for you, but there are other things that men are designed for. Besides, we were not created to live this life alone. That movement has programmed us to utilize one of its side effects that we are supposed to take on the role of a man while forgetting that we are actually women and what our true design of femininity is. I don’t mean the role of a housewife, or barefoot and pregnant, I am talking about the strength in being a help-mate, being a woman. A lot of women are now walking through life and relationships as an observer and not a participant. Once we change that mode of thinking, we will be surprised at what we are missing. AM: I find that interesting because a lot of us have successful businesses and careers and have been functioning as single parents for decades now making us very self-reliant in handling these dual roles. We have been programmed to believe that we are expected to be “Superwoman”, handling everything all by ourselves. The image of a strong woman!
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“I found it to be very informative and any woman that has gone through some things in life can definitely benefit from it.”
Dahmenah: Of course, and we also see these same women observing other relationships, wondering how (Angela) landed such a great guy who dotes on her every word, treating her like a queen, while they are still looking and waiting for their king or Prince Charming. These same women are spending numerous days and nights lonely because of the energy they are projecting. That energy is masculinity. Men enjoy being needed and wanted. This is the role they were designed for. Today’s woman subconsciously continues to remove that role from them. The time is now to put our internal houses back in order. We have to remove the past pains, focus on our whys and wants, change our energies, recapture our femininity so that we are not only desirable, but able to be a participant in our lives and relationships. Someone once said that a man will be a man when he is in the presence of a woman. We have to return to being a woman. Still keeping our strengths, but also remembering that we are women. We don’t think like men, we are not built like men and we shouldn’t act like men, because we are not men! That is what the book and the workbook address. AM: I found it to be very informative and any woman that has gone through some things in life can definitely benefit from it. We can recognize ourselves as well as sister-friends throughout the book. I started off just reading it and later I found myself highlighting and underlining different things! (laughing) Dahmenah: (laughing) That is a good thing, because it means that you were truly being honest with yourself.
AM: Very therapeutic to the point that I passed it on to a couple of single and married ladies that I know and received the same feedback! So you may have to come to the east coast and conduct a workshop! (laughter) You stated that you are also a film director? Dahmenah: Yes! I would love to. Funny you say that because we hold very successful workshops with the book here as well! Yes, I have a new short movie in production called: Love Therapy and we are hoping to release it within the near future. Love Therapy is a story about love, heartbreak, self-actualization, romance, marriage, the coldness of loneliness and even the fact that you can find new love, rekindle old love and love yourself in the process. AM: Sounds like the book has made it to the big screen! Dahmenah: (laughing) It is a dream come true! It’s not finished yet. Raising money for a new movie is difficult, so I have had to finance the project using my own money. Like all shiny new things, a movie can be all consuming and sometimes painstaking, but the rewards are worth it. My Director of Photography, Assistant Graffer and Script Supervisor are all women and that’s unusual to have all women at the helm of a movie project! I am really excited! AM: All while yet remembering their femininity! Dahmenah: Absolutely! AM: Dahmenah, it has been a pleasure and very insightful. I personally thank you for your strength, courage and camaraderie to all women, reminding us to re-capture our femininity by working through our past and becoming a participant instead of an observer in our lives and love relationships. We are looking forward to the release of the movie as well as other great things from you! I wish you the best and I will be purchasing the workbook! (laughter) Dahmenah: Great! And I thank you, Ambi’ance Magazine, for giving me the platform to spread the word because all of us can use a little Love Therapy from time to time especially when we lose our way! For more information, and online memberships please check out: http://www.gurlknow.com Dahmenah M. and Charyn Gant Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gurlknow http://www.amazon.com/The-Dating-RevolutionWorkbook-Rediscovering/dp/1466334355 http://www.amazon.com/The-Dating-RevolutionCompanion-Journal/dp/1468021265 http://www.amazon.com/The-Game-ChangersDate-Century/dp/1481074393 Movie project: Love Therapy www.lovetherapymovie.com Movie Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=cYTpjvHXM2E Filmography-Love Therapy (Producer/Director), Happily Ever After (Director), Fear Runs Silent
INTERNATIONALLY FLY NAILS by Dark Gable MY QUEEN I AM BACK AND STILL LOVING YOUR INTERNATIONALLY FLY NAILS. I AM THAT MAN WHO APPRECIATES YOUR SEXY HANDS YOUR INTERNATIONALLY FLY NAILS. HATERS KNOW THEY ARE LONG, SEXY, AND EROTIC. OH, HOW YOU PLAY THEM! YES, I STILL DESIRE YOU TO RUB MY HEAD, AND STROKE MY BEARD WITH THOSE INTERNATIONALLY FLY NAILS. I STILL DREAM OF YOU WITH THOSE BLOOD RED STILETTOS, MASSAGING THE LARGEST ORGAN OF MY BODY, MY SKIN. I STILL ENVISION THOSE TWO INCH, FUCHSIA “WEAPONS OF MASS DELIGHT”NERVOUSLY WALKING ACROSS MY BACK. I STILL SMILE WHEN YOU SPORT THOSE TWO-INCH, BLACK AND SILVER POINTS OF PLEASURE IN THE SHOWER. I STILL BEAM WITH PRIDE AS YOU GLIDE YOUR INTERNATIONALLY FLY NAILS FIRMLY, BUT AFFECTIONATELY, ACROSS MY MANLY CHOCOLATE CHEST. YOUR BLISSFUL KING MOANS WITH PLEASURE AS WE SPOON THE NIGHT AWAY. I JEALOUSLY PROTECT THOSE NAILS FROM THE HATERS WITH NOTHING BUT NUBS. I GO TO BED EVERY NIGHT THANKING GOD, FOR BLESSING ME WITH YOUR INTERNATIONALLY FLY NAILS. SO LONG, SO SEXY, SO EROTIC, AND SO UNIQUE. YES, I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU AND YOUR INTERNATIONAL NAILS, BECAUSE YOU ARE STILL MY QUEEN, AND YOU ARE FLY!
by ICESIS BLACK
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HESTON-Love Junkie by Michelle Stackfield
HESTON defines his journey as a full-time musician, composer, songwriter and producer. “Creating timeless music has always been my ultimate goal,” says Heston with a poised, yet humble demeanor. “I want to leave the world with music that can be played for a lifetime.”
The position as a correspondent for any media outlet allows you benefits that no one could possibly imagine. We attend various functions; meet VIPs, travel and every now and then come across a pleasant surprise! Meeting this young man was one of them. As I was attending an event bringing awareness for AIDS in Atlanta, this young man was one of the featured acts. His stage presence, performance and vocals were so mesmerizing and fresh, that I felt he deserved some Ambi’ance Magazine love! So, I now have the honor of presenting to some and introducing to others, HESTON! AM: Hey HESTON, I want you to know that I really enjoyed you the other night! I didn’t know and was pleasantly surprised to hear that you’re actually local! Tell me a little bit about the man behind the vocals. HESTON: Thanks, Michelle and yes, I am living here in Atlanta. I am a true West Indian I was born on the Island of Dominica (British West Indies), where I lived until I was in my pre-teens before moving to the United States. I am very much a West Indian to the point that sometimes I am on stage with flip-flops on. The type of music I do today has a lot to do with the music I grew up listening to. My mother sang a little bit in the church, and it’s funny that to this day, I recognize how much of an influence she was for me because through her, I was introduced to Al Green and a lot of different artists. My father passed away when I was seven and I listened to the tons of albums he had. But, it was really my mother’s influence musically that I was exposed to and the radio stations playing all kinds of songs from different artists like Nat King Cole to the Bee Gees to Quiet Riot, you name it and it was there. All on one station! The difference is in the United States, now my stations are programmed to 107.5, 102.5, maybe Michael Baisden, V103, although they’re decent stations, it’s really limited when you think about it, because I’m not exposed to country, rock or classical on a regular basis as I was as a kid and I think what I regurgitate in my music has a lot to do with me as a kid and what I grew up listening to. I guess I was subliminally influenced. AM: Wow! That was a loaded answer and it covered a vast array of the questions I wanted to ask you, so I think my job here is done! (Laughter) When did you decide to sing professionally or when did you know you wanted to sing professionally? HESTON: (Laughter) I think I always did. Especially after seeing the Michael Jackson’s video “Beat It”. I knew that music did something else for me. It wasn’t that I just enjoyed it and it wasn’t that I wanted to necessarily be Michael Jackson, I wanted to be THAT…whatever THAT was, I wanted IT, and I used IT every time I sang or listened to someone sing , it hit me differently. Even a couple of days ago I was having a very serious conversation with a close friend of mine about how some people just will not get that I bleed music. Literally, the story of music sometimes can be serious. You go through your ups and downs but honestly speaking, if I were handed a career that made me a million dollars a year and you asked me to let music go, I can’t tell you that I would do that. I know I wouldn’t. I write the lyrics because of what I experience. I literally put my blood in the words. AM: It’s very evident in your performances. You have a great aura when you are on stage. You are very passionate about what you are singing.
HESTON: When I’m on stage I am very close to emotional, like a heartbeat away from outward expression. I saw Eric Benet on an interview say, “Don’t let anyone fool you, everyone sings to get the girls….” and that is so not representative of everyone that does music. I do music because I have no choice. It’s my catharsis. AM: Cool and it definitely shows. You mentioned earlier that your mother sang, though not professionally, she still sang. Were there any other musicians in your family and are they supportive? HESTON: No, just my mother and she sang in church some of the time. That’s where I started. My father was a defense attorney, Interim Prime Minister of Dominica, Attorney General. I look more like my father that anyone else and after his passing, my mother always wanted me to follow in his footsteps and be a lawyer and etc. That is what is expected on the islands, to go to school to be a doctor or a lawyer. At some point, it just turned me off. When I went on a tour of the Caribbean and stopped back home on my island, where I did a music in the school program for Convent High School I met a young girl, last name “Pepperhart”, sixteen years old and crying because she knew I understood. She was so talented and her parents insisted that she leave music alone and become something else. But when you hear her the music just oozes off of her. We always look for the approval of our parents regardless of what we say outwardly, because inwardly that is what we want. Even though I didn’t follow in my father’s footsteps, I can see that through the years regardless of how much I struggled, my mother has always been 100% supportive and in my corner. AM: How long have you been singing professionally? HESTON: Professionally, since 2003. I am working on my third full length album, “Love Junkie”. We will be promoting it around July. I have written, produced and arranged my other albums, but this time I am allowing others to work with me. AM: I’ve read a couple of reviews about you and wanted to share them with you. “A throwback to the best of the 70’s…mellow soul”-Ebony. “Reminiscent of a class like Wilson Pickett”-Atlanta Constitution Journal. “Music transcending age, time and genre, his voice is amazing and his music touches your soul. If you have not heard him, you are missing one of the greatest singers of our time”.United Negro College Fund-Alicia Smith. What do you think when you hear others speak of you in this manner? HESTON: Humbled, but with a sense of insecurity because there are so many amazing performers who are at the level of those write-ups. I don’t see myself that way. I have always wished I could attend my own performance and SEE me perform through the eyes of the audience. I guess I am my own worst critic, but it allows me to continue to grow. AM: Where is HESTON in love? HESTON: (chuckle) I am seeing a young lady. I am a hopeless romantic. I’ve made mistakes in the past and this time I would like to take my time. AM: How do your children view you now that you have almost three albums under your belt and videos?
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HESTON: I’m just dad! (laughing) They keep me grounded! My daughter has a beautiful voice, much better than I was at her age. I taught my son Donny Hathaway’s ‘This Christmas’ last year and we’ve been singing it even when it’s not Christmas! (chuckle) We keep music between us at all times. AM: Thinking about the memories you are creating with them, that’s awesome. What’s next for HESTON? HESTON: If I had all the things that I want in the immediate future, I would love to dig my hands into some form of benefit work for women and children. It’s a passion of mine. I’ve dabbled in it here and there but I want to be involved on a much larger scale. I also will be promoting a campaign that will start around the Essence Music Fest encourages people to support their local independent music stores, especially if their genre of music is jazz, soul or R&B. I will be promoting free samples for my new album, Love Junkie and if you happen to be at the Essence Music Fest we will be giving away music samples, doing interviews, online radio and regular radio. AM: Where can our readers find you? HESTON: I am on Facebook, Twitter at HestonSoulMusic, HYPERLINK "http://www.hestonmusic.com" www.hestonmusic.com I’m always online wherever I am so I am always available and I am now on Instagram. AM: HESTON, I love your music and your spirit. I’m looking for more great things to happen for you. I know that as we speak you are currently in the studio and I need to let you get back, but thank you for taking some time to sit down and speak with us, it’s been a pleasure! HESTON: You’re welcome, Michelle and thank you for the interview. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around. I sent you some links to a couple of places that I’m sure you’ll enjoy while you’re here in Atlanta. AM: Thanks and yes, you will. I’m a HESTON groupie now! (Laughter) HESTON: (Laughter) Great! I love surprises and this young man was definitely one of them! He’s handsome, extremely shy, but he brings nothing less than his A-game to the stage allowing the audience a moment of time in his intimate space and thoughts! He has a vastly growing international fan base and has played at the Apollo Theatre, The Blue Note (NYC), Sambuca’s Jazz Cafe, BAM, Highline Ballroom, Hard Rock Cafe, SOBs, and Blues Alley to name a few and is graciously accepted whenever he goes. His sound is mellow, soothing, romantic, and full of old school groove and passion. If you listen close, you can hear the slight undertones of the Caribbean. He has an awesome spirit full of humbleness and humility. HESTON is a perfectionist. The precision of his music both on his albums and love is unparalleled in this day and time. You can’t quite put a finger on who he sounds like, because he doesn’t sound like anyone, he sounds like HESTON as he should, and that sound will keep him on the charts for years to come! Look him up and I am sure you will agree with me as well as his other reviews. I want to personally thank Ambi’ance Magazine for a platform that welcomes equally the fresh as well as the seasoned talent. Until then, peace! HESTON’s ‘No Way’ HYPERLINK "http://youtu.be/UX56tI4a5ik" http://youtu.be/UX56tI4a5ik HESTON’s ‘Greatest Lover’ HYPERLINK "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQqFsO9CDwA&feature=share&list= AL94UKMTqg-9BlPi-rnhBouJqKiv7ftkOa" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQqFsO9CDwA&feature=share&list=AL 94UKMTqg-9BlPi-rnhBouJqKiv7ftkOa
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Marcus Johnson The Man Behind Jazz Lifestyles and FLO Wine By Michelle Stackfield As an independent Billboard-ranked musician, producer, owner of a music label, Three Keys Music, and NAACP Image Award nominee, International Jazz Keyboardist/Pianist, Marcus Johnson has emerged as one of the young lions of the music world. Johnson’s unique self-taught style of piano play has earned him distinction amongst his peers, praise within the media and accolades across the music industry. And now, he continues his quest for success in the business world with his lifestyle branding company, FLO Brands, LLC. ™ Ambi’ance Magazine had the pleasure to catch up with this young man and enjoy a heart-to-heart, unconventional interview! We were able to pin him down between his engagements, travels and business meetings. Our two hour interview (yes, two hours) were filled with fire alarms going off in his office building, securing business deals, parenting his then five month old daughter, Chase and friendly conversations about life. A master of multi-tasking, not once did his humbling spirit waver as he was able to attend to these matters and keep the conversation going at a very interesting, yet relaxing FLO ! Marcus, thank you very much for granting Ambi’ance Magazine this interview. I know that you are extremely busy and I don’t want to take up a lot of your time. I did my research prior to talking with you and you have such an accomplished background, that I don’t know what to ask you first! So, let’s just start with the basics, the things not published about you: name, DOB, address, phone number, social security number and place of birth! Marcus: (laughter) I was born in Columbus, OH in 1971 at Grant Hospital. My father was a professor at Ohio State University. Ambi’ance: So you come from a family of educators? Marcus: I really do. I mean not just a background of educators, but an educated bunch of siblings. All but one of my sisters and brothers are either doctors or lawyers. That’s six of us and the other one got into a program at Harvard Business School, but her husband’s wellness center where he was an OB/ GYN was going so well that she actually ended up turning it down. So, yeah, we are very and I hate to use the word, ‘accomplished’, but we did study hard, I will say that. Ambi’ance: Don’t apologize for that. It’s a good
Marcus: I mean there are possibilities if you apply yourself, there are possibilities if you persevere, there are possibilities if you have faith, there are possibilities if you do your best, dare to dream and if you recognize that your children are not your friends until they get older and yet there is still full respect. Ambi’ance: Very true and a great way to look at life. Marcus: A mentor of mine, Edward Hall, told me many years ago, that Ziggy Zeigler quoted, “If you want to be successful, help as many other people that you can.” We don’t build relationships anymore. Money does count, but relationships are what matter. You have to be an active participant in society. When you are there are so many things that can happen and these are the things that are not taught. Ambi’ance: Are you the only musician in your family? Marcus Yes Ambi’ance: How was that accepted? Marcus: (laughing) Ambi’ance You know we’ve talked earlier about your parents and sibling’s backgrounds. You also share these backgrounds, but you’ve decided to make your career in music. Marcus: Well you know the thing about it is of course, my family was like most families. They were fearful of my going into music having a law degree and the main thing is that it goes back to that community way of thinking, “What does that look like? You are a Georgetown lawyer and a MBA. What are you doing music for?” I do this because it is what I love to do and I am going to make a business out of it. Even the people at Georgetown questioned me. I never did an on-campus interview with the business school or the law school because I knew what I was going to do. When they called me in at both schools during my last semester of my program and asked me what I was doing, I told them I was an entrepreneur. I had already released two CDs was in the Top 20’s Billboard all while still in my mother’s basement. That is what I was doing and I was starting my own company. They said, “We can’t use this for our statistics.” I said, “I don’t give *@$% about your statistics, this is what I am going to do with MY life and MY education. Ambi’ance: Definitely, it IS your life! Marcus: Exactly Ambi’ance: Did you play music in school like in high school? Marcus: Yes, I was in the jazz band in high school. I started playing music when I was fourteen; the first year I played I won the All-County Soloist Award and would win it every year afterwards. Then I was the All-County Piano Player and finally the All-State Jazz Piano Player. Ambi’ance: All this talent and no one in the family playing music. Marcus: Well, my mother played piano before having a stroke my senior year of high school. She played classical piano. Ambi’ance: Music just came naturally to you. Marcus: Yes and reading music is not my forte!
51 Marcus: No. I mean you just put it all in the computer. I write all of my music, but composing and writing are two different things. Ambi’ance: Modern technology at its best and the things you find out during an interview! Marcus: I mean I can write a chord chart, but I don’t have to write out each individual note. I can play it for people, they get it and you go from there. If they need to write it down they can do it. Ambi’ance: Great, just a natural gift! Now how did you get into the wine business? You know the list of African Americans doing this is very very short outside of you now. By the way, it is excellent! I had a glass of both the other night at Acoustix’s. Marcus: Awww, thank you! I’m really glad you liked it! Ambi’ance: I am waiting for it to come on the shelves so that I can add it to my rack. Marcus: Great! We will be on the shelves in Atlanta at Total Wine and More within the next week to week and a half. Ambi’ance: Great! I’ll get an extra one for you to sign when you’re back in the area. Marcus: Sure! No problem that’s a deal. When Sean Parker and MP3.com came on the scene in 2004, it hit the music industry like a catastrophic torpedo. It exposed the industry, the copyright laws and the holes in it. Some of the companies were consolidating and some artists were let go. If you were one of the ones successful you were not just making money on your music, you had to have a brand. I saw my checks going further down and I recognized it as macroeconomics. We then started the FLO Lifestyle CD using FLO as the acronym for “For Lovers Only”. We put out the CD for that and I recognized that it was just not something I wanted to brand. For Lovers Only was an urban adult, grown and sexy thing. I sat down and asked, ‘What is my idea?” We then turned it into ‘For the Love Of”, which could mean for the love of anything and everything. I hurried and trademarked it because I knew this could be my billion dollar idea! We had an exclusive with Circuit City and at one retail of Circuit City we broke into the top all across the board immediately after we stocked it! One of the CDs was #13, another was #7 and the other was #3 on the Billboard charts! Everyone was asking where did that came from! That was very successful for us and validated my idea. It wasn’t until I began to see the revenue from those ten of thousands of sales in that short period of time that I decided that this was not for me and not what I had anticipated, but I recognized that I had a brand and I had the supporters. Women would support me tremendously and they drank wine! You guys are the decision makers. You decide the type of laundry detergent, what we are eating for dinner, where we are going, all of those things on a mass scale.
Ambi’ance: (laughing) Marcus: (laughing) Well, you do! So why not go on experience and realize that women were my target audience. They would come to see me play and when they see a brother trying to do something positive, they buy the wine just to show their support. So while I was at a CD release party, I went to the vineyard and asked if they did private label wine and was told that they did. That was in February and by that May we were sponsoring the Arlington, VA and North Carolina Jazz Fest. We got a hit to put our stuff on the shelves of Super Value Stores, but that automatically took us out of the realm of VA winery because they couldn’t fill the capacity of the orders. So I took the head of sales from the vineyard and we put together a business plan and pitched it to companies. FLO Wine! It’s a jazz lover’s wine because the thought is that jazz lovers come in a mixture of Black, Asians, Whites and so forth…a nice blend, just like wine! Ambi’ance: Do you drink it? Marcus: Yeah, I mean yeah, very much, a little too much! (laughter) I took two bottles with me on the Capital City Jazz Cruise and during my set I converse with the audience and I introduced the wine and thanked all of the retailers that were carrying it. Afterwards, a lady walked up to me and said that I was doing a great job, but that her store wasn’t mentioned. I later found that this was an Executive with Walmart. She later put a deal together for me in DC, Maryland, VA and Delaware. Who would have thought that the Executive of Walmart would be a sister on the Capital City Jazz Cruise and like wine. In less than two years Walmart will be opening five more stores in these areas who will also be carrying FLO Wine! Another validation. Ambi’ance: Is that the baby I hear? Marcus: Yes! That’s Chase, she’s five months old! Ambi’ance: Awwww! Then that brings me to another question. With all that you have done in your career and life, does being a brand new father to Chase increase your drive or purpose? Marcus: I get that question all of the time. I look at it as another point that I focus on. Everything is still the same, just an additional focus. I still do business hard. I have changed some of my travel a little when I can. But we have invested in a great nanny who is full-time and that allows us to do what we need to do and I don’t feel guilty about that. Ambi’ance: When this is all over, what do you want Chase to remember about you? Marcus: That I cared. That I genuinely cared for her and was there when she needed me the most. I hope that she remembers that I gave her the skills to selfempower, to do her own thing. If she wants to be a ballerina, which she has her beautiful ballerina outfit on today and looking incredible, then do it. If she decides to be a veterinarian, do it. I hope she just does the best she can. I hope to have tons of money for her to live the lifestyle she wants, I don’t care, I can’t take this crap with me, but she needs the tools to be able to manage it if she wants it. I just want her to live out her purpose whatever that may be and remember that is what I taught her, to live her purpose! Ambi’ance: That’s what it’s all about. Marcus: Exactly
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Ambi’ance: I saw somewhere that you were a radio host! Marcus: Yes, I had a Top 10 radio show on the jazz station 105.9 in DC. I got up at 3 a.m. and by 5 a.m. I was saying, “Smooth Jazz, 105.9, this is Marcus Johnson along with Jacqui Allen and you were just listening to Kenny G… Ambi’ance: You have shared the stage with some of my all-time favorites and the best jazz artists of our time, Will Downing, Gerald Albright, Kim Meadows, Najee, Maysa, Kem, Miles Jaye, B. B. King to name a few. Big question, who’s your favorite? Marcus: (laughing) Awww man, ummm Gerald Albright, Najee, Maysa and countless others! I look at it as a great jam session!! That’s how I play. It’s what I do, have a great jam session! Ambi’ance: Marcus, I love your spirit, your stage presence and your music. I am glad that I took the opportunity to introduce myself and schedule this interview. Marcus: Likewise. Where else can you sit down and have a refreshing two hour interview with a fire alarm, business calls, babies and never missing a beat talking life? (laughter) I mean really? Ambi’ance: (laughing) That’s messed up, but you know I wouldn’t have traded it for the world, Marcus…except that I now have to go through all of this tape and find my interview! Marcus: (laughter) Good luck! Ambi’ance: What do you want our readers to know about Marcus Johnson? Marcus: The main thing is like the old song from Sesame Street? Anything I can do you can do better! They sang, “Anything you can do I can do better”, but I say that if I can do it so can you. Dream the biggest dream and put a plan together and do it! The reason I do so much is because of what my mother taught me. She used to say that life is not a dress rehearsal, this @$*% is real! When you finally get to the point where you’re ready to leave this world, can you honestly say that you lived life the right way? Not how much money you have or the size of your house, but did you live life right? Did you help someone besides yourself? Were you a participant or an observer? I want to be able to say that I did everything I wanted and was placed here to do. I have traveled all over the world. I have dated the beautiful and the not so beautiful. I have played on stage with some of the best and some not so good. I have had success in business and I have had significant challenges and all that has done was increased my faith that with a purpose, a true dream, perseverance and hard work, it could be done. If I have all of that, and have done that, then I have lived a successful and full life! Ambi’ance: On that note, enough said! Much love and continued success Marcus: Likewise For more information on Marcus Johnson please visit: www.likemarcusjohnson.com www.likeflowine.com Check out this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdqG-cE36HM
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Jazz Entertainers of The Year
Love Jazz
by Dark Gable
AM- Where are you from? Lady VO- I am from New York City – I lived in the Bronx, New York until I was about ten years old when we moved to Queens, NY. At eighteen, I moved to California. Tracy-I am from Georgia. Most of the southern boys immigrated north. I did not. I immigrated west. AM- How did you two meet? Tracy-We have been together for three years. We met when I was playing at the Inland Empire Jazz Festival hosted by a good friend of my brother and mine. I did not find out until stage time that I was going to be the showcase artist. After the festival, I was playing at my house and she came in the garage and told me she played congas. I told her to go get them and being the very aggressive lady that she is, she went home, got them, came back and set them up and we played a song together called Jazz Therapy by Brian Kennedy. After we played the song, I told her, “I got three bands”, and the chemistry that we had together playing I knew we had something good. Since then we have grown to be good friends and that is why we are known as Love Jazz. We emit love and lay it with love. Lady VO-The main thing he meant to say is when I played earlier it only took a couple of seconds and he told me I could play with him. He had three good bands, but I knew I had to play with him. I had even told my friends that. Tracy- It was a defining moment AM- What are some of the venues that you guys played at? Tracy- San Manuel Casino, wine galleries, Jazz Café, Mavericks Flats, Tobacco House-Riverside, The Boardwalk, The Bistro-Venice Beach, The Warehouse, Hollywood Studios Bar and Grill, Embassy Suites- La Airport, Roscoe’s-Long Beach, NY-deja vu, Florida Tampa, we do a lot of stuff with little groups too. We are fillers; we can play with anybody, anytime, any kind of band. If you need fillers, we can do that. Recently we had to play with artists like Tmaris and Octavia. We have played with a great flutiest named Gladys. She was great. AM- By the way, how is Tmaris? Tracy- He did a show two nights ago in Hollywood. We were not able to make it. We had just signed a new artist named Patrice. Lady VO and I use to manage her years ago. She is fantastic. She is reminiscent of Gladys Night, Anita Baker or Whitney Houston. She has everything it takes to do the greats. We have been working with her for about a week now but looking forward to the future with her. AM- What is in store for you guys? Tracey Neely- We are looking to do some movie stuff and really focusing on our up and coming tour in NY and Tampa. Her uncle is a very famous recording engineer. He worked in Manhattan with some very famous people and he is working in Tampa now. He is kind of retired, but we are going to do some stuff with him. I am going to Kansas City to work with a new writer to see how things go. He also is working on some stuff for us. He wants to set up something in the Light District. I use to play a night at the Jazz Foundation there and I love it. A lot of famous artist played there. George Benson, Johnnie Guitar Watson, etc. Lady VO-I have had a long career but I think Lady VO has had a very long career playing the congas. She has been playing like thirty-five years now. She saw some guys in New York and she used to hear them play late at night and said she wanted to play just like them. She said it one time to someone, and they bought me a set of congas. I have been playing ever since. I started playing at Griffith Park then at Venice Beach. I was going like Wednesday and Sunday playing with the all the guys, then I started playing with groups.
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AM- You guys have a cd out right Lady VO-We have quite a few cd’s out. Paying Homage, Just the Two of Us, Drop Zone, Ninety –Four-Seven, Rain Dance, and Street Funk Jazz is our latest CD. We have only been together for a short time but have quite a lot of music. AM- How has Love Jazz changed you? Tracy Neely- I didn’t always have a lot of time for people because I was so focused on my music. I use to just practice all the time. There is one thing Lady VO did for me. She helped me get back into people, relate, and work with people. She helped me open up my people skills. AM- Describe your goals for Love Jazz Lady VO. Lady VO- I have always been a helper trying to help others make it with a record label or whatever. My goal in this business is to be the woman that goes all over the world having more love about ourselves and to start loving people. Let people know there is still love in the world. I am very passionate about that. I can talk onstage about that for hours. To stop being a player and catch that one and make it right. We have to make it happen. We are in the White House now. They represent Change. This is the time. We have to make the change. It does not take fifty people to make it happen. Do it the right way. Go positive. It is about being positive. That is what I am really about 100%. I want to go all around the world letting people know Love Jazz means business. Lady VO- it is really all about Love. No negative just positive in our world. Even in the people around us. When does it start? It starts now. It is hard for people to recognize what positive is. You have to be around positive people to be positive people. AM- Is there anything else you want our Ambiance Magazine readers to know about Love Jazz. Tracey Neely- What we are hoping is that our affiliation with influential people like yourself, will assist us in our goal to spread Love Jazz around the world. AM- Any particular venues you prefer? Lady VO- Not really. Hotels, casinos, nightclubs, movies, stage and/or screen. Love Jazz wants it all! Tracey Neely- Ultimately we want to play for the President and First Lady at the White House. Contact information: Ladyvo_tracyniely@yahoo.com 951-436-6636 for bookings www.myspace/tracynielyfactorone Can low entertainment.com Weapons of mass destructions-devious.com Party in a bag.com
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Tug of War -THE ORIGIN OF BULLING ? by Kimberly Jackson-Nelson
Tug-of- War is known as a sport created in the ancient
days, which was practiced in China and Egypt, implying of the legend where the Sun and Moon played Tug-of-War over light and the dark. The sport cause many injuries and deaths of innocent teens because of the war game that compare weakness from strengths. Tug of War is between two groups against one another opening the door to protagonistvs.-antagonist. “Like the movie Harry Potter, an orphan, a wizard of the chronicles, his soul request is to conquer Lord Voldement the Dark wizard who murdered his parents. Harry being the protagonist has to protect himself to stay alive and escape the antagonist. This bestseller novel describes how Harry Potter tug-of-war against wizards and witches from visiting schools, and also competing with Hogwarts students” (Wikipedia, 2012). “Tug of War can also coincide with the new released movie “The Hunger Game” where one girl and one boy who annually selected by lottery from each 12 districts adjoining the Capitol. Their mission is to try to win in a televised combat, where only one individual will survive the game” (Wikipedia, 2012). Harry Potter and The Hunger Game reveal the importance where our teens must remain safe from the war of world. Teens tug of war daily over popularity, royal ship, best dresser, or even over who is the swan or the hunk. Like Harry Potter who is the fatality, he never knew he would be treated different because of his magical powers. He was only trying to fit in the crowd, but never seen the true bullies coming. You may be a target Discovering my issue for the month of April is to support Child Abuse, Teen Summit, and Bulling. With California facing these devastating problems and other regions, I final embark on the sole purpose of this article. As a creative writer for Ambi’ance Magazine Inc., I decided to interview two students who walked in the shoes of being the protagonist or antagonist. Let me get to the point, Bullying is wrong. We tend to not meddle in others business because we do not want to be classified as a snitch. We see the news daily, some teen or adult reaches the point in life where he or she become fed up and retaliate against their antagonist. The story behind these interviews is real victims and victimizers who became the protagonist-vs.-antagonist ; Now I am sitting in the home of Shawana Powell, the protagonist, straight from Houston Texas. After discovering that she once was a victim of a bully; I decided to interview her, so let me give you a little info about her profile. Shawana is a graduate student at University of St. Thomas, where she is currently studying Drama. She not only faced bullies in school, but also amongst her family members. When the evil door opened in her life that’s when she became a victim, not only with the mistreatment of predators, but also she was sexual assaulted by a jailer. She still remains single, hoping that one day she would heal from her past antagonist. Now let me open your ears to hear from her to tell her side of the story. Ambi’ance: How do feel as a protagonist who had more than many bulling experiences in your life?
Protagonist: As the protagonist, I feel at times that my good has to be balanced out with the negative. Because being born in the world of good and bad, there has to be equilibrium in life. Ambi’ance: So you are saying that even when you doing well, evil seem to always catch you from behind without notice. In other words, you feel like when you were born into this world, you were created to suffer? Protagonist: I feel like at times that the whole human race is really the falling angels and we have been deceived by fairy-tale stories. The reason why I feel this way is because I had a dream that the body of Christ and me made it into heaven. There was Christ at the Gates of Heaven allowing the Saints to enter in. I was walking in heaven and Christ pulled me to the side and said to me, “I will explain everything to you when you get here.”Almost like him saying that something is left unsaid. Ambi’ance: Do you believe that everyone who acts as an antagonist purpose in life is to bully someone? Protagonist: I do not think so, but I do think that bullies were created to bring out the goddess and gods in us. Ambi’ance: So can you take me back to a time in your life where you felt victimize by an antagonist? Let me rephrase the questions. Tell me a time when you were bullied by someone? Protagonist: I can remember the time when my mother told my sisters that I hit her; they came to the park where I was to jump on me. To explain what really happen, come to find out my sisters realized my mother was lying. Ambi’ance: I have heard of bulling at schools or communities like apartment complexes, so what you trying to tell me that your family was the antagonist in your life? Child abuse can be a form of bulling also. Is that the case? Protagonist: Yes, all my life. Ambi’ance: Have you ever been bullied in your local communities or in your previous schools? Have anyone intentionally hit you causing you emotional disturbance? Protagonist: Yes… Ambi’ance: Can you give me a little background about one of the question I asked, only if your feel comfortable sharing your most devastating moment? Protagonist: When I was going to school studying for theatre some of the aspiring actresses mocked me, told lies about me, and got me kick out of a show because of hearses. Ambi’ance: Sorry to hear that. Bulling can also leads to physically/ mentally abuse causing harm to someone. Have you ever been a victim of rape, or physically assaulted? Protagonist: More than many... Ambi’ance: Is there anything you would like to say or bring out before I end this interview? Protagonist: Yes, I would like to let all the protagonist know, to woman-up and man-up, and put their war clothes on because there will be many more test and trials to come. There is nothing much I can do about bullies, but to stand strong and do not let them cause me to lose my focus, mission of greatness, and hope in life. As you read the true story about Shawana the protagonist, she not only standing strong but she is not letting anyone make her lose her sanity. She is a young woman of integrity and very ambitious in successfully completing her goals. As students do not give up on life, nor allow anyone to prolong your visions. Even if you meet an antagonist in your life, do not fear the person nor show them signs of weakness; if you do, they may defeat you. After giving you the insight of the protagonist, now let me walk you through the mind of an antagonist (bully). Ambi’ance: Nisha, how old were you when you first started bulling?
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Antagonist: I remember in the first grade I was angry and I slapped my teacher. I did not know what came over me. The only thing I could think of was to release pain. Ambi’ance: Can you explain to me the pain you were feeling to make you slap your teacher? Antagonist: I felt alone because I was the only child and was not close to my father. He spent more time with my other siblings than me. I felt like the outcast, and the black sheep. Ambi’ance: Did that release the pressure you were facing at that time? If so, what was the outcome? Antagonist: I was not discipline by my mother, but the school would put me in detention classes among student not like myself. They were more like special educational kids. Because of my behavior, I was put back in the first grade and that made me angrier against any students that came my way. Ambi’ance: You say your mother did not discipline you, so that made you turn against innocent bystanders? Antagonist: No, when my mother used to go to the club with her friends during the night, she let a friend of hers babysits me. Her friend had a daughter that had a mental disorder who used to touch me and she was a girl who acts like a boy. I was very young and did not understand. I thought it was ok. Then I began to battle with sex changes, such as acting like a tomboy. Ambi’ance: I’m sorry to hear that, but why did you not talk to your mother about it? Antagonist: I felt so alone, I did not know how to go to my mother. My behavior got so out of hand I did not know how to control myself. It became so hectic; I began to street fight with students after school to release my pressure. My mother many days had to go in and out of court because of my outrages. Ambi’ance: So tell me how you are today? Do you still see yourself as a bully? Antagonist: I am twenty years old; I finally finish school this year. It took hard work to get to where I am today. I realized I had to change for the better. Being a bully is not a good name after you have bodily injured someone that did you no harm. I really have released much pressure, and daily I still continue to do my best. Ambi’ance: What would you like to say to other bullies that are and had walked in your shoes? Antagonist: I would say to find self-excellence, talk with family members about your issues, or a counselor about any depression or self-inflicting behaviors because if you do so you can release anxieties and fears within yourself. That being said, well, I believe will bring healing and freedom from the spirit of antagonist. Conclusion Words Now you read that bulling someone can cause many teens undermining, anxiety, and uprising emotions. What makes a person lose their six senses to arm force against the innocent? This answer remains in the mind of an antagonist, meaning a bully. Teens or mid adults are facing many obstacles daily within school settings and among their local neighborhoods. You hear on the news
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Gerald Thompson "Pathways To Your Future"
Gerald Thompson, the Co-Founder/ Board
Chair of Pathways To Your Future, is a perfect example of personal redemption and dedication to better his community. In 1999 his Inglewood Chapter of MAD DADS became known as “The Frontline Soldiers”. In 2000 Mr. Thompson and his wife Linda co-founded Pathways To Your Future, Inc. (PTYF). PTYF’s mission is to provide comprehensive education, health and human services to reduce homelessness for underserved individuals, youth and families while promoting their development and enriching the communities of Los Angeles County. Over the last 23 years, Gerald has been acknowledged and commended for his advocacy on mentoring and homeless Transitional Age Youth (TAY) ages 16 to 24 and has received a number of commendations for his unselfish commitment to serve. California Mentor Summit, Disneyland Hotel Presenter-“Strategies for Culturally Appropriate Mentoring” After returning home, his mother died and left Gerald alone without a safety net and found himself using more drugs and becoming addicted to alcohol and drugs while still being successful in the Fashion and Disco Club business (Disco 1985, Disco 2000 and the Quo Vadis) and hanging out with entertainers like Leon Isaac and Jane Kennedy, Smokey Robinson, and The Temptations. In 1979 he became a real-estate investor but his alcohol and drug abuse destroyed
Nine months later, Gerald founded the agency called Building On Sobriety; Inc. referred to as “BOS.” During the 10 years that BOS was in existence it served over 3,000 men, woman, and children with its Drug/ Alcohol and Homeless Shelter programs. In 1995, the nationally acclaimed organization Men Against Destruction, Defending Against Drugs and Social Disorder (MAD DADS), elected Gerald as the director of the Inglewood, California Chapter. This organization was nationally known for community involvement of men taking their role in leading the charge of taking responsibility to reach out to the neighborhoods where we had allowed drug dealing, gang violence and killings to continue to go on without a strong presents of positive men committed to taking the responsibility of fatherless young men and girls that had become caught up in the negative behavior of gang violence by providing weekly Community “Street Patrolling,” supportive service,mentoring, block clubs workshops, intervention and prevention programs. In 1996 being inspired by the 1995 Million Man March he started the community event known as A Gathering of Men Breakfast geared to recognize unsung men of the community but also use to recruit and eventually train men and women to become mentors. In 1998 Gerald was one of seven men in the state of California to receive an accommodation from former Governor Pete Wilson at the First Annual Mentor of Year Awards. That same year, the California Youth Authority, LA DADS Program, presented Mr. Thompson with the Youth Mentoring Award.
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In 1999 his Inglewood Chapter of MAD DADS became known as “The Frontline Soldiers”. In 2000 Mr. Thompson and his wife Linda co-founded Pathways To Your Future, Inc. (PTYF). PTYF’s mission is to provide comprehensive education, health and human services to reduce homelessness for underserved individuals, youth and families while promoting their development and enriching the communities of Los Angeles County. Over the last 23 years, Gerald has been acknowledged and commended for his advocacy on mentoring and homeless Transitional Age Youth (TAY) ages 16 to 24 and has received a number of commendations for his unselfish commitment to serve. California Mentor Summit, Disneyland Hotel Presenter-“Strategies for Culturally Appropriate Mentoring” Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Community Award Commendation 1999 Eureka Fellowship Award, Recognition of Commitment to Community Service, 2000 Key to the City of Hawthorne CA, 2002 Spirit Of Peace Award, 2003 Certificate of Recognition “for over Ten Years of dedicated and tireless effort to intervene and prevent gang violence”, former Speaker of the House Assembly, Herb J. Wesson, Jr., 2003 Interreligious and International Federation for World Peace, Ambassador for Peace, 2004 City of Inglewood Citizen Police Oversight Committee Commissioner, 2006-2008 Commendation for Community Organizing for Congresswoman Maxine Waters – 2011 State of California Black Caucus Job Fair where there were 10,000 attendees 2012: NAction Faith & Service Award for his continued support to Ex-Offenders, Homeless and Teen Intervention 2012 Special Service Award from Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa for volunteering for the Gang Reduction and Youth Development Grant Review Committee. Currently, Gerald is volunteering for the movement for “Justice for Trayvon Martin” and the Los Angeles Cease Fire Gang Intervention Committee. 408 E. Bradenhall Dr. Carson CA 90746 www.ptyf.org 310-400-7677 323-997-9180
The 21Top Business Here, at Ambi'ance Magazine, we salute the concept of people reaching for the stars. It has never been about race, creed, color or gender! What we do is highlight and congratulate those that "Dare To Be Different"! That is why this month we present to you the 21 Hottest Business & Entrepreneurial Women on the planet! These trend setters range from entertainers to corporate CEO'S to fashion designers. They hail from all over the country. If your thing is the Caribbean, we have international model; Heather D'marie Marsh, if you prefer the sunny California lifestyle, there's comedian Annie McKnight, casting director, Jeannie Fisher, public relations CEO, Cassandra Williams and Kierrah Foundation director, Brandy Sanders. Is Texas more your flavor? Then check out Houston's, Felecia Harvey's "Mamafe's Candles". There's also plenty of serious business going on in the "Dirty South" with Michelle Stackfield, Alana Sanders, and April Smith puttin in work. Cynthia Andrews and Toni Breedlove are making broadcast history in Seattle, Washington and Pomona, CA respectively. Last but not least, get your praise on with evangelist, Lady Jarmond from Mobile, Alabama, plus many, many more. Socially, these women have smashed all the stereotypes and so-called glass ceilings, which used to prohibit some of their predecessors from achieving their rightful positions of glory and success! They didn't ask for, but demanded the right to reach for the stars! As an aspiring entrepreneur myself, I am proud to not only call these ladies MY inspiration, but my FRIENDS. For all the young girls out there who feel bullied, disrespected and unloved, these are your true ROLE MODELS. For those seeking to re-invent yourself, here's a guaranteed template for success. As a man with a young daughter myself, I would be honored if Jaelynn De'Challon Fields chose any of these sistahs to be her role model. Truly, they are doing it the right way. That is why Ambi’ance Magazine proudly presents: “21 of America’s Hottest Business Women in America”.
sWomen in the U.S.A
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Kandee Lewis
Kandee is the Executive Director of The Positive Results Corporation, a non-profit organization. She is a Certified Domestic Violence Advocate, specializing in Youth Violence and Teen Dating Violence (TDV) Prevention. Kandee was honored as a Shero in 2009 by California State Senator, Curren D. Price Jr., for her volunteer & community service work. She successfully advocated Inglewood (2012) & Los Angeles City Councils (2010) to make February, Teen Dating Violence Prevention & Awareness Month! In October 2010, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa appointed Kandee to the Harbor Area Planning Commission. She also served as the Youth Representative to the Harbor Gateway North Neighborhood Council from 2010 to 2012, and currently serves on the Community Advisory Council for L.A.’s Promise. In 2011 Kandee created ‘Stop The Pain, Teen Summits’ to address the epidemic of Dating Violence and Bullying, for youth. Now going on their 3rd year, The PRC has successfully trained more than 1500 people, of which, 1100 plus are students throughout So. CA. In 2013, The PRC will have three Stop the Pain Teen Summits. In 2012 Kandee collaborated with 56 organizations to provide services to over 940 youth and 450 adults. In addition to teaching leadership, violence prevention and healthy relationship workshops, Kandee is also a frequent guest speaker on radio, at churches, schools and community groups to discuss violence and abuse prevention. Prior to The Positive Results Corporation, Kandee was a successful hiring, sales and training manager with Los Angeles Times, Moore Business Form and Office Depot, to name a few. She retired from Corporate America in 2007, as Vice President of Sales & Interim President of a Technology company. Kandee attended schools in LAUSD, Centinela Valley Unified School District, Los Angeles Southwest College, El Camino College and Cal State University System. Her favorite activities are family time, reading, cooking, networking, swimming, music and traveling. Kandee has been married 30 years, has three adult children, two dogs and lives in Los Angeles. Please visit her website @ www.prc123.org, or www.facebook.com/PRC123. Kandee Lewis Executive Director The Positive Results Corporation (323) 787-9252 www.prc123.org www.facebook.com/PRC12
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Makena Hayes-Gargonnus Mission To empower special event planners, entrepreneurs, and marketing consultants how to “Bring the Light” to their events by using the power of social media, personality and basic marketing skills to “Be A Star” in your business. Description Makena is a Live Producer in San Diego, CA. She is well know for her 7th year production “Conscious Comedy Explosion!” as seen on NBC News, The CW "San Diego Living" in local San Diego newspapers such as Voice and Viewpoint and sought after regularly to be interviewed on internet radio shows and web shows. Her mission is to continue to coordinate culturally centered workshops, educational events, and personal gatherings to embrace cultural diversity and socially conscious events.She currently produces many special events such as SuperWoman Spa Parties, Spa Tours, personal development workshops and Conscious & Clean comedy. The last almost 7 years of her professional career has expanded to booking authors, professional speakers, comedians, poets, neo soul artists and gospel singers/rappers in San Diego. Her most successful production “Conscious Comedy Explosion!” a production that is co-produced with her husband to share the positive and conscience side of comedy since Dec. 2005 is taking the comedy world to another level. She believes that its time for audience across to see more positively influenced comedy shows that is clean, classy and uplifting for a mature audience that wants the “Old Skool” comedy back! Many well known comedians has appeared in her comedy show and networking event such as Mooney Twins, sons of Paul Mooney, A.J. Jamal, D’Militant, Shang, Doug Williams, Evan Lionel, Carlease, Annie McKnight, Dannon Green, Lester Barrie, T.J. Mc Gee and last year for her 6th year anniversary, she hosted Kim Coles from the sitcom "Living Single". Kim Coles's team said her production is a "Class Act" and Kim Coles returned again just recently for her special tribute to comediennes.."Laugh Be A Lady" themed from the book written by Daryl Littleton aka D'Militant and his wife, Lady Tuezdae. She also has done special promotional events for Dr. Elon Bomani as seen in Essence Magazine, “The Talk” on CBS and Elaine Swann as seen on NBC News, Fox News and CNN and her mentor Dr. Al-Najjar, Manifestation Expert. Others special events in her repertoire. She plans and promote trips to beautiful spa locations with the inventive idea called “Spa Tours” and exotic cruises trips from Mexico to the islands of the Bahamas. For 6 years, has operated a full service online travel agency with a specialization in themed cruises. With the many so many talents displayed, she also carries the title “Prosperity Lifestyle consultant” which is a part of her social media management services that does online promotions for local and national businesses. This year, her company will launch live and webinar classes about how to use attraction marketing, internet and spiritual practices to attract prosperity in your business via social media tools. Brand Your Self- Create your presence and brand in the Social Media World Makena Hayes-Gargonnu Live Event Producer Conscious Comedy Explosion! As Seen on NBC News… http://www.nbcsandiego.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Conscious_Comedy_Takes_Center_Stage_San_Diego.html Friend me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/makenagargonnu Follow me on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/makena_gargonnu Follow my Blog at http://www.prosperitysocialnetwork.blogspot.com
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Catherine Arambula Catherine Arambula is a successful business woman with extensive experience in the financial and insurance service sector, who believes in giving back to the community. She currently volunteers her expertise to organizations such as the MANA de San Diego where she serves as President, Latinas in Business Foundation where she is a Board Member at Large, the Hispanic Empowerment Network where she serves as Secretary, and on the WESUPPORTU Advisory Board. She is Past President of the National Latina Business Women Association SD where she is still an active member in addition to being a long time supporter and member of San Diego La Raza Lawyers Association. As a financial representative her main goal is to motivate and help individuals achieve a secure future for themselves, their families and businesses by working with clients to understand complex financial issues, and how they can affect life goals – whether they are working to achieve current financial success, or to protect and preserve assets over the long-term. Catherine understands that professional women often blaze their own paths and have different needs than traditional life styles of the past; this is why these women and their families are especially important in her practice. Throughout her career, Catherine has managed to impact her community while maintaining an outstanding work ethic, which has led her to obtain numerous recognitions and accolades. In regard to her personal drive and success, she credits her parents for inspiring her to give back to her community and always do her best in everything she is a part of.
Michelle Stackfield
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Born in Southern Pines, NC and raised in Harrisburg, PA, by a single mother of four daughters, Michelle has been in the field of service for as long as she can remember. She attained her cosmetology license while still in high school, her PA state license as a Cosmetology Instructor, substitute high school teacher, owner of her own salon, Chae’ Silk Hair Designs, Examination Proctor for the PA State Licensing Bureau and the Executive Director of International Beauty School all by the age of twenty-five. This allowed Michelle to follow her passion for fashion, art, modeling, platform artistry and creating new styles for all that graced her chair. Failure was never an option for Michelle, now a young single parent of two sons. Her goal has always been to show her sons that life is always better when you make a difference in the lives of others. Always ready for new challenges, Michelle changed her course by leaving the fashion world and entering Corporate America. Her sons were now very active teenagers and she wanted to be able to attend all of their activities. She sold her business and stepped into the world of the 9-5, Mon-Fri. as an Administrative Officer for the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Program. There she was in charge of all refunds, grants and loans for students of PA attending colleges nationwide. Lasting relationships were again made through her travels to various universities. In May of 1998, Michelle’s course of life would change forever with the tragic death of her twenty-one year old step-son. Determined not to be the next (mental) victim in this tragedy, she decided to attend college alongside her sons. Studying Criminal Justice with a minor in Psychology, she accepted an internship with Victim/Witness Assistance Program. Turning her pain into passion, Michelle has never looked back. Unfortunately, within the next few years, she would lose her husband, sister-in-law and mother to the grief of this tragedy. As the former Manager of Direct Services and a Homicide Specialist with the Victim/Witness Assistance Program, Michelle’s office was housed in the Dauphin County Courthouse where she oversaw staff and made sure that the City of Harrisburg's families of homicide victims were never alone. Michelle has received local, statewide and national recognition having obtained her Pennsylvania State Certification in Crime Victim Advocacy, a National Certification as a Homicide Specialist as well as other certifications while serving as a crime victim advocate and community activist against gun violence. She is a former member of the Keystone Crisis Intervention Team, a speaker on the Pennsylvania State Speakers’ Bureau and a mediator for Crime Victims and their Offenders within the State Prison Systems. As the Manager of Direct Services and Homicide Specialist she has attended numerous crime scenes, assisted the Detectives and the Coroner's office with death notifications, advocated on behalf of survivors and empowered numerous survivors during their journey of returning to a 'new normal' way of living. Many of these relationships are still active today. Entering another leg of her journey, Michelle had decided to retire from direct services. The experience she received in assisting others in crisis re-ignited her passion for entrepreneurship and prevention! Today, instead of enjoying the relaxation of retirement, Michelle has been birthing similar yet unique programs in the Greater Atlanta Areas that will be of help to the same community of people that she has had the honor of serving for over a decade. However, instead of direct services, she is mentoring. Her main focus is in on the forgotten females, ages 18-25. Through her program Legacy, Inc. she will be offering, self-empowerment, life skills, entrepreneur trainings, etiquette classes, job readiness, personal branding, leadership and other services. Her belief is that if she is able reach even a handful of these young ladies at this stage of life, someone will not have to be in the same position of a Crime/Victim Advocate delivering those life changing words. She somehow found the time to pursue her long time passion- Fashion and Entertainment. Currently she holds the position of Atlantic Region Correspondent for Ambi’ance Magazine. Currently staying in the Greater Atlanta Area, Michelle is the proud mother to two amazing sons (who are also following in her footsteps of giving back) and five rambunctious grandchildren and a host of adoptees! Specialties: Homicide/Crime Scenes Grief Counseling Crisis Response Domestic Violence School Violence Crisis Victim/Witness Mediation Witness Relocations Awards, Certifications and Recognition: Nationally Certified Homicide Intervention Specialist, 2012-NACP# N88-761-8015 PA Certified Crime Victim Advocate, 2008 Distinguished Citizen's Award from the Harrisburg City Police Dept, 2008 Outstanding Volunteer Award from the Rotary Club, Hbg, PA, 2004 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Leadership Award, 2010 and 2012 Organizations: Georgia’s Governor’s Office for Children and Families Children Sexual Exploitation Task Force, Keystone Crisis Intervention Team, FEMA Crisis Intervention Team, Member of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women-Harrisburg Chapter, Member of the NAACP-Harrisburg Chapter
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Tiffany Pollard
Tiffany “New York” Pollard has paid her dues in the sometimes fickle world of reality television.
If I were to ask you, "Who was the hottest and most talked about female, on the highest rated reality
shows from 2006-2009?" Who would you say? Kim Kardashian? Snooki? Omarosa? Well, if you did you were dead wrong! Unless you were a true fan, I am sure you didn't know that honor belongs to Tiffany Pollard. Yes, that Tiffany Pollard, also affectionately known as ‘MUDDA FUCKIN NEW YORK’. Although just barely thirty-years old, she has accomplished more in eight years than some seasoned actors have done their entire career. Because ‘New York’ caused such an impact on ‘Flavor of Love’ (as evidenced by the tons of fan mail that demanded more of this fiery vixen), the shows executives were forced to create a situation in order to keep her coming back. This led to the return of ‘New York’ in ‘Flavor of Love 2’. She had one of the highest popularity indexes in the history of reality television. Networks needed to capitalize on her ‘east coast swagger’ and protagonist flair. Thus, the spinoffs ‘I Love New York’ 1 & 2, ‘Charm School’ 1& 2, ‘New York Goes to Work’, ‘New York Goes to Hollywood’ were born. Tiffany also made numerous guest appearances on other sitcoms. Her rise to stardom marked a paradigm shift in today's Black Girl Star Power! Not since Lucille Ball, Joan Collins, Marla Gibbs, Anna Nicole Smith or Omarosa, has any woman, Black or White dominated a show, or captured the tabloids like ‘New York’. She is truly a pint-sized force of nature! Although it was "Flavor Flav" who gave her the nickname, ‘New York’, Tiffany Pollard was already a phenomenon of sass and confidence that truly belayed her petite, yet busty stature. Tiffany Pollard epitomized all that is ‘The Big Apple’, TOUGH, EXCITING, RESILIENT, OVERWHELMING, AWEINSPIRING AND NOT QUITE FOR EVERYONE!
Jessica Untile Jessica Untile is the Founder and CEO of P121crea8tions. Jessica Untile is a Designer, Stylist and Model. She enjoys designing and making Plus Size Women look and feel GREAT ! Jessica Untile designs are Sheek, Sassy, Classy, Eclectic, Suffocated and Fun. These are the elements that she feels all women should show, on a daily basis. And what better way to show off all of the elements than, through your sense of style. Jessica Untile feels that P121cre8tions is for that groovy Plus Size Woman, who is not afraid to step out and turn the heads of everyone, they pass by. If you like to be different, P121cre8tions is the clothing line for you. For more info contact Jessica Untile at: Tell; 404-268-6859 Email; p121cre8tions@yahoo.com Youtube; youtube.com/p121crea8tions
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Cynthia Andrews Cynthia Andrews is the Executive Director of the Central Area Senior Center, now known as 'The Central', in the heart of the Central District in Seattle, Washington. She often claims that her best career move was turning 50 years old. With a passion for the elders in her community, Ms. Andrews has also developed a large network of boomers and those they like to call the '50Plus Club'. She hosts events for folks over fifty, such as Speed Dating, Wine Tastings and has opened a monthly local jazz club called The Green Dolphin Street Lounge for the mature crowd. Cynthia Andrews is member of the Mayor's Council on African American Elders, has served on Creative Aging Panels and is developing a reputation as an Aging Enthusiast. She is a dynamic public speaker, captivating her audience with her real=topics and delivering with grace, wit and her amazing smile. Ms Andrews has written articles in many publications, local blogs, and newsletters and now hosting her own talk radio show addressing aging issues in ALL communities, especially the African American Community. Her goal is to help usher everyone she meets through the greatest time of their lives.... Fifty-Plus! Cynthia Andrews is single, living in Seattle Washington. She has three adult children and eight grandchildren.
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Dr. Carolyn Rowley Dr. Carolyn Rowley is the Co-owner. Vice President and CFO of Gilderfluke & Co., Inc., a company which designs and manufactures Animation Control Systems and CD-Quality Digital Audio Repeaters used by themed amusement parks, themed restaurants, museums, waterparks, miniature golf courses and other attractions throughout the world. Gilderfluke & Co., Inc. also provides special effects for about a dozen new movies a year (www.gilderfluke.com). In her role as VP and CFO, she has been responsible for increasing sales two-fold, creating a new marketing image with ads that have won awards, and opening an east coast office in Orlando, Florida. Dr. Rowley is also the Founder and Executive Director of Cayenne Wellness Center and Children’s Foundation - www.cayennewellness.org (a non-profit organization dedicated to health and wellness). In her role as Executive Director, she specializes in nutrition (well known for her 3-4-4 nutritional program), health psychology and treating patients and their families with sickle cell disease. She also began another non-profit organization as a result of her missionary experience to Kenya, East Africa (The Machao Orphanage Foundation - http://www.machaoorphanage.org). The Machao Orphanage Foundation’s primary goal is to provide a dormitory to house 80 - 100 orphaned children, to bring clean drinking water to the children, solar panels to provide electricity and agricultural sustainability. Dr. Rowley holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Loyola Marymount University, a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology from Loyola Marymount University, a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, and a Ph.D. from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. She successfully completed a twelve-month APA approved predoctoral internship in Pediatric/Child Clinical Psychology with the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Louisville School of Medicine as well as a postdoctoral fellowship in the Research Training Institute at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in Los Angeles. Thereafter, she was the project director of a grant funded by the Department of Defense entitled, “The Study of Men with a Family History of Prostate Cancer” at UCLAs Division of Cancer Prevention and Control Research. Dr. Rowley has teaching experience from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIU-C), having taught both Introduction to Psychology and Psychology of Personality. During her tenure at SIU-C, she received excellent reviews from both the students and the chair of the Psychology Department. She has been an advisor to psychology students, creating several organizations on the campus at SIU-C such as B.U.P.S. (Black Undergraduate Psychology Society), the Undergraduate Psychology Club, and Psi Chi (an undergraduate Psychology Honors Society). Most importantly, she was the Undergraduate Psychology Department Director for one year. Before returning home to California, she served as a consulting psychologist to several schools in the Archdiocese of Louisville, Kentucky. Prior to accepting the post-doctoral position at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, she served as a consulting psychologist to several organizations in Los Angeles and the Los Angeles County basin and was the Project Director of the Women of Color Breast Cancer Survivors Support Project. Dr. Rowley has devoted 50% of her clinical psychology practice to the needs of children, adults and their families with sickle cell disease. At the request of the Sickle Cell Disease Foundation of California, Dr. Rowley began a sickle cell adult support group, which now meets in three locations (Los Angeles, Loma Linda and Antelope Valley). She is a committed environmentalist and vegan and has brought an understanding of the importance of nutrition in dealing with sickle cell disease. She has served as a panel member for a number of forums for the general public and for medical professionals regarding successful living with sickle cell disease. Dr. Rowley was also a regular guest host on an award winning cable show - Talk About Parenting with Shirlee Smith. In her efforts to bring about awareness about sickle cell disease, Dr. Rowley is spearheading ‘The Faces of Sickle Cell Disease: An Educational Traveling Photo Exhibit’ which encompasses photographing 500 persons with sickle cell disease across the United States. In 2007, Dr. Rowley was awarded Person of the Year for the at the NIH (National Institute of Health) / Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc. 35th Annual Convention held in Washington, D.C.. ___________________________________________________ Contact Information for Dr. Carolyn Rowley Cayenne Wellness Center and Children’s Foundation The Machao Orphanage Foundation Mailing Address: P.O. Box 3856 • Glendale, CA 91221 • USA Telephone: 818.377.5120 Email: carolyn@gilderfluke.com Websites: www.cayennewellness.org www.machaoorphanage.org
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Carole “Ginger” Gray by Dark Gable Ambi’ance Magazine: Carole, are you a native of California? Carole Gray: Yes, I grew up right here in Los Angeles, CA. I am the second of five children (three sisters and a brother). We have lived in Los Angeles all of our lives. My mother is from Mississippi and my father is from Texas. Ambi’ance Magazine: A little southern flavor I see. Carole Gray: Yes. Ambi’ance Magazine: Where did you go to school? Carole Gray: I attended high school in Compton, respectively, Central Mill Hill and Dominquez High School. Ambi’ance Magazine: Did I read somewhere that you wanted to be a nurse? Carole Gray: Yes. As a matter of fact, I was always interested in the medical field. I attended school here in Compton to study Computer Operations in 1988. After graduation I became a medical transcriber. I went on to Herzing University where I received my license in CPT Coding, ICD9 Coding and Medical Transcription. Ambi’ance Magazine: You have quite a diverse background. Carole Gray: Yes Ambi’ance Magazine: How did the musical aspect come into play? Carole Gray: Well, actually both my mother and father’s sides of our family are musically inclined. On my father’s side, I had a cousin who is deceased now, by the name of Michael Grey. He was the lead in “Your Arms are too Short to Box with God”. He was also the original cowardly lion in “The Wiz”, with Stephanie Mills. On my daddy’s side most of us either play an instrument, sing or both. Ambi’ance Magazine: So, you are a musical prodigy? Carole Gray: Yes, I have been singing since childhood. Ambi’ance Magazine: How did you get started in the business?
Carole Gray: I started singing in the night clubs when I was about fourteen years old. I started with a band called, “L.A. Trinidad Band” in the “El Rey Club” in Los Angeles. It was so awesome because they played these instruments that looked like trash cans. They have such an awesome sound when you put all of the instruments together. Later, I opened for Big Mama Thornton who sang, “You Ain’t Nothing But a Hound Dog”, Barry White, Curtis Mayfield and Mable King, who played the mother on “What’s Happening?” I have also done some work with the late Ike Turner, yes, THAT Ike Turner! He wanted to remake a lot of the songs he did with Tina Turner. My roots have always been R&B or gospel. Ambi’ance Magazine: Do you have a band or are you solo? Carole Gray: I used to sing with a band, but right now I am solo. Ambi’ance Magazine: I understand you are working on your first solo project. Carole Gray: I have spent many years singing with different bands. Today I am working on a break out solo project. Ambi’ance Magazine: Who is going to produce your music? Carole Gray: Right now I am working with Michael Nash formerly of the group, “Rolls Royce”. Ambi’ance Magazine: Wow! Have you worked with him before, or is this the first time? Carole Gray: Michael Nash and Benny Weismann used to be my producers when I was with a group called “Rare Gem’s Odyssey” some years ago. Ambi’ance Magazine: You have mentioned some pretty powerful names. You have quite an impressive resume. Carole Gray: Yes, it has been quite a run and I have done a lot of singing for different people, but I never reached out to do a project for myself. That is why I am working with Michael Nash to accomplish that goal. Ambi’ance Magazine: After all of those years of paying dues, it has to be rewarding to see this come together.
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Carole Gray: Absolutely! I am pumped! I am just on an incredible high. It is just an awesome thing to hear something you put to music develop, especially when you are a writer that writes music. When you hear it come together, that is such an amazing thing! Ambi’ance Magazine: What type of music do you sing? Carole Gray: R&B and gospel. Ambi’ance Magazine: Do you have a signature song? Carole Gray: Not yet, but I hope my first single, “Get Away” becomes just that! Ambi’ance Magazine: What is the anticipated time frame to drop the CD? Carole Gray: Hopefully real soon. I have about four more songs to write. Ambi’ance Magazine: Do you have a title yet? Carole Gray: The title is the same as the proposed signature song, “Get Away”. Ambi’ance Magazine: Well Carole, here is the question all of the eligible bachelors want to know… Carole Gray: What’s that? Ambi’ance Magazine: Are you married or single? Carole Gray: (Laughing) I am single for now. Ambi’ance Magazine: Any children? Carole Gray: My children are grown. Ambi’ance Magazine: Are they also into music? Carole Gray: Not really. My oldest daughter sings, but she is mostly into sports. She used to coach for Cal Poly Pomona’s Girls’ Basketball Team, Saint Mary’s and Bakersfield Universities. Ambi’ance Magazine: What is your daughter’s name?
Carole Gray: Her name is Latosha Brad. Ambi’ance Magazine: Was she also a player? Carole Gray: Yes, she has won quite a few awards and trophies. Latosha has been in many championship games and won the Women’s’ National Basketball Divisions and recently they retired her number. Ambi’ance Magazine: Where did she play? Carole Gray: She went to Cal Poly Pomona College. She started playing basketball while she was attending Lynwood Junior High School in Lynwood. Ambi’ance Magazine: Okay Carole, you are off the hot seat! Carole Gray: Whew! (Laughing again) Ambi’ance Magazine: Any plans when you drop the CD? Release party? Showcase perhaps? Carole Gray: Well, I will leave that up to “Million Dollar” of radio station KJLH and Michael Nash. Ambi’ance Magazine: Well, Ambi’ance Magazine is definitely looking forward to that. Carole Gray: I am so excited that your magazine took an interest in me. I thank God for everything, because without Him I do not think anything would be possible. Ambi’ance Magazine: So, it is safe to say that you are not only a musical diva, but a force to be reckoned with? Carole Gray: Hey, just like Ambi’ance Magazine!
Carole Gray with R&B Legend Angie Stone
Lizz Russell Cocktails & Couture Collection in the Versailles Ballroom at The Westgate Hotel
LIZZ RUSSELL COCKTAILS & COUTURE COLLECTION
in the Versailles Ballroom at The Westgate Hotel Discover your own style with Celebrity Fashion Designer Lizz Russell during the cocktails & couture collection event at The Westgate Hotel. Special guest models will showcase her signature creations. Friday, May 24, 2013 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in the Versailles Ballroom One cocktail and three hors d'oeuvres $32 per person (plus tax & gratuity) A portion of the proceeds to benefit The GBS/CIDP International Foundation
Reservations: westgatehotel.tix.com
lizzrussell.com
Join us Friday, May 24, 2013 in the Versailles Ballroom. Make your reservations today! westgatehotel.com
Copyright Š 2013 The Westgate Hotel | 1055 Second Avenue, San Diego, CA 92101 Telephone: 619-238-1818 | Reservations: 800-522-1564
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Alana Sanders AM- Who is Alana Sanders?
AS -I am originally from Covington, a little town right outside of New Orleans, Louisiana. Born to two educators, my background comes from them. Being educators/ professors and my father being in the music industry, all were instilled in us. I am the baby of the family. Being an enterprising person and a professional entrepreneur, my drive and zeal all started with them. I attended Grambling State University on a vocal performance scholarship. My goal was to be a radio broadcaster. I did work in television and radio and I interned for BET in the nineties. I came to Atlanta because of an offered position with CNN, but that took another route, so I went back to school and got my Master’s degree, started teaching and working on my own marketing firm. When I first came to Atlanta, I started a modeling agency. For seven years, I have had top ranked models with Versace, Fashion Fair, McDonald commercials etc and marketing for a candidate for Georgia’s State Representative. I am a professor in day and sing with the band at night. I am sometimes amazed with all the things I do, but my number one priority is that I am mother to seven-year-old, McKinley. AM- I want to dissect a little of that. I have done some research regarding some of the things you are doing. I see that you are making the most with your God given talents. For example, I just completed an article with one of your clients, April Smith and her Butterfly Cosmetics line. How did you and April Smith come together? AS-April heard about what I what I was doing in the industry and contacted me. When she first hired me, she was going to open a boutique then decided that was not her God given talent and she went into the beauty industry. April started that from watching her daughters wearing make-up. I have had people ask me how to get into the beauty industry. I had a page, she read it and it all went from there. Later, she was able to find the best laboratory to mix her colors and products. She may eventually collaborate with a major company. We got together and did some research, since I teach marketing and research, I had some of my students involved. It was exciting to have them involved in finding out who her major competitors would be and all, so that she would know exactly what to do. AM- I really enjoyed my interface with her. She appeared very knowledgeable on the subject, which is a reflection of your tutorage . AS- Thank you so much.
AM- Your music career is very interesting. Tell me about that. AS- That is my foundation. It is what keeps me happy and sane. And yes just like Whitney Houston and a lot of musical talents, i'm a church girl. My pastor was very supportive and recognized my talents early on. Like many I started out singing in the church. It was there that i started playing every instrument there was. But coming from a musical family, you had to do something musical. Everyone can sing in my family- on my father’s side. The vocals were always there and I played the piano and clarinet. Music was so instilled in me, that even in college when I pledged Delta, (you had to have so much to pledge money wise) I entered a contest, won and paid my Delta membership dues. I used what God gave me. Anything I needed, I utilized my talent. I was a beauty queen having won about seventy-five pageants. I have always won in the talent. I am thankful for that. I was blessed to be an artist. In 2007, I released a gospel album. I wrote the whole project and released it as an independent. I have a new song out called "Full Circle" that was written by writer Elizabeth Hayford. The producer is Casey Irvin. But the Arrangement/Vocals are all Alana Sanders. You know God works in mysterious ways, because Elizabeth Hayford is a great writer, but wanted someone to sing her song. So she had her daughter find me on Facebook and that is how we hooked up. You never know where this industry can take you. Along with my band, we play at several different venues, corporate events and CEO’s houses, so you never know. It has always been a part of me. Right now, I have a label that is looking at me to become an artist. That has always been my goal and you know, you have to take care of family. AM- What is the name of your band? AS- I named after me, Alana Sanders & Company AM- I noticed a very diverse Educational background Alana.Can you share some of it with us ? AS-Absolutely my Undergrad degree's are; BachalorsTelevision Broadcasting, minor in Vocal Music Performance, Bachalors in Chriminal Justice Masters- Marketing, Business. I'm also a Certified Paralegal in Human Resources Lastly I'm almost finished my dissertation for my PHD in Leadership in order to change business. Interestingly enough it's the same degree NBA Legend Shaquille O’Neal just received. AM- I read somewhere that you wrote a textbook on Social Media Marketing ?
100 AS-Yes I wrote my first college textbook on Social Media Marketing. This has never been done before! I am teaching the first couple of classes. This is new in the education media. I wrote my second college book on business scenarios used in the corporate sector as well as classrooms, showing the students how to handle different situations or deal with CEO’s or Board of Directors. It is bringing real life experience to the classroom. That is how I wrote the textbook I wrote it to be purchased by small businesses or major corporations, not just the classrooms. AM-What university are you a professor? AS-Right now I am four chair full-time at Kaplan University, which owns about two hundred and fifty schools and I teach a business management course at Barter College here in Atlanta. AM-Wow i'm exhausted just listening, how do you find time to be a mom Alana ? Especially with a seven-year- old? AS- You have to have some form of family support. That is the key. That is what helped me to get to where I am. I have two other siblings and my daughter is the only niece, so her Aunt and Uncle spoil her. I also have a caregiver for her that takes care of her as if she was her own child. I have huge family support and sometimes she is with me. I want her to see mommy in action and since she has seen me, my daughter has created her own clothing line at seven-years old. Her clothing line she sketched herself and had someone else actually sew and make them. She also has written her own children’s book at six-years old. I have helped her embrace her entrepreneurial side and sometimes that kind of backfires because if she has clothes that do not fit, she is like, “Mom, let’s have a garage sale” and sells them. She has that spirit in her. She is already talking about college she wants to be a scientist. She scored on a fifth grade level and she is only seven. She is blessed and talented. AM- Well you certainly have a solid built-in support system. AS- Yes in that respect i'm truly blessed . AM-When you see your daughter, do you think about the legacy your creating ? AS- That is the problem with us. We do not always leave a legacy for our children. They should have a legacy. If you look at other communities, they leave legacies for their kids. They leave businesses, old money, etc. They have funds and businesses waiting for them to help them start their careers. In our communities, we do not have that as much. We need to start giving our children something to look forward to. If we did, we would not have some of the problems we have in our communities, and that is what I want to instill in her. She already wants to start a foundation for kids that want to start their own businesses and show them how to do this in our communities. AM- How often do you get a chance to work on the West Coast ? AS- I have not been out there in a while. I actually have family there, but I have been so busy. I have not been able to go out there in years. I think I will be out there pretty soon doing some things. A lot of movie industries have migrated to the south because it is cheaper to make movies. Tyler Perry has a whole studio here and so does BET. They do all their movie/shows here and some share a studio with Turner Studios. I have students that work on the sets and that intern with them. One thing is that they are bringing their own people from New York or Los Angeles and not utilizing the Atlanta person, which does not stimulate the economy here. AM- What's on the horizen for Alana Sanders ? AS-I have a huge networking event which is really around my birthday. I have actually turned my birthday party into a networking event because here in Atlanta, there are a lot of networking events but they are not really networking events. It should not be where I am watching a celebrity. That is not networking. This is going to be a business-networking event. I told the people that to network they can get on the microphone with a thirty-second elevated speech, but they cannot get up there unless they have a legitimate business with at least a business card and my event is free. I am not charging, because this is really networking. You get to see who has a business in Atlanta and what they have to offer and you get to speak which is hardly heard of, so that is what I am doing on June 2nd. There is also a magazine launch on July 7th , Connecting Social Media, which is online. Electing Doreen Carter the fundraiser, is June 6th . We are trying to get everyone active in voting.This will be my first time marketing for a politician and I have a new respect for them because of all the money they have to spend just to say, “I am running.” It does not make sense to me. This is all new and I am learning a lot trying to get her elected in July. AM- How can people find out more about Alana Sanders? AS- They can go to my website, www.alanasanders.com or on Facebook/Twitter @alanasanders. AM- Good luck Alana i all your future endeviours, Ambi'ance Magazine will be watching. AS- Thank you so much for this interview, and i'll be watching Ambi'ance Magazine as well.
Evangelist Lady Jarmond
by Kimberly Jackson
Let me take you back to the future where there were a
proud woman who destroyed the antagonist movement against sexism and racism. Maria Stewart from Harford, Connecticut carried the name as Maria Miller began to form institutions working with small black subgroups in the 1800’s. As a white woman, God called her to conquer the enemy to fight against anyone who oppressed African American Women. Thank God now for Lady Jarmond. She is not only a mother or daughter but she is a woman who is walking worthy of her call. A good and perfect gift do not falls from the tree but comes from above. Ambi’ance decided to find that gift to share it with you, to ensure your sole desires being a woman can began to manifest itself. Just like Lady Jarmond, she did not allow others to destroy her passions and dreams. Re-capturing her life journey can encourage you being a woman to take a stand and to explore the world beyond fears. If you do not mine, I would like to walk you down the road of success. Interview with LADY JARMOND: Ambi’ance: Again Ambi’ance would like to thank you for your success story to be printed in their magazine. I see that you are a great instrument for the Kingdom of God. May I ask where you are from? Lady Jarmond: Mobile, Alabama. A beautiful gulf-coast it rains every day, none stop. Ambi’ance: Most people special moments, I recall, is when God have chosen them for a specific assignment. What age were you when God mandated you to spread the gospel Good News to all humanity. Lady Jarmond: Actually I was eleven years old. Many many moons ago, I am 63 now. But GOD - One of my neighbors and mother saw something in my sister and I. They decided to bring us to his elderly lady (Rosey Denjamin) home and teach us how to sing. We would have rehearsals quite frequently and ah, it was like a seventy-eight, one of those large records. This lady everybody called her ‘Dear’ in the community. She was a singer as well. She taught us -we didn’t know anything about singing. She taught us by having us to just listen to a seventy-eight record, one of those large ones. And we listened at that over and over and over again for many many months. And then mother decided, “okay y ‘all, we want you to sing just like you heard the people on the record sing?” We started singing and of course after we song for many more months. They decided now y’all are ready to go out. Naturally we had prayer, we was fasting we didn’t understand it but we did what our parents and the lady, the neighbor lady asked us to do. In fact we called it play time. We did not know it was go to carry us into another area of ministry. And so it did. We sang all over the country for about a good ten years. And the Lord started calling us into the ministry, my sister and I.
Lady Jarmond: It’s been a ride. It’s been a wonderful ride and I thank God that. And thank God for the old Lady and my Mom, being able to see out of all the girls who were in the community and men, as well as young boys. They were doing other things playing basketball, playing cards, and watching the court. They just put us under their wings and we stated a group we called it, “The N&H Gospel Singers” the Sweethearts of Valentines.” The N&H were initials of the girls I named and our last names. It was phenomenal, absolutely. Ambi’ance: Daily humanitarians, like doctors commit their desire and heart to helping others. So what kind of services you provide for individuals who seeking spiritual advice? Lady Jarmond: After that episode and becoming a gospel singer and touring all over the country. Even after going to Bobby Jones and singing in his ‘New Life Choir.’ God called me into the ministry. I began to - the churches that I been in for forty-three years and now sent me to a remote area called, “Andalusia Alabama” four hundred miles from where I lived, round-trip. They called me there, the bishop said, “You must go there and build this church.” The building was there but he meant to work it. I did that successfully for three years. In fact, I’m relative to say this. The choir members, everyone last one of the choir members from the Baptist church that was down the street, would come over to the Triumph Church and joined may little church, “The City of Andalusia Alabama.” I’ve had a wonderful ride in reference to ministry. It wasn’t easy, it has not been easy, and it will never ever get easy. But I love speaking to the people that are in need. I love doing what I do. I ministry to the homeless, feed them, cloth them. I sometimes have to wash their hair and it’s just things that I do in the community that I live in. As I see the homeless people walking the streets, some just don’t have no places to go. They take what you have for them and go in the woods. And my ministry right now it’s more focus on the hurting and the people that are simply just don’t even know that there is a God. Because perhaps some of them might have never known in their life before, and I’m now trying to bring them back to that reality, that there is a God and he loves you. That’s what I do, basically. I also have many groups on Facebook, I have over five thousand members. And when I say members, I mean virtue friends. Lot of them real close friend and ah, I even have a ministry group on Facebook. And so I get a chance to hear what they have to say, and I would post it where I post my information and my words of wisdom to the nation. And it’s been phenomenal. I have a website, and I have been told by people overseas that they use my website in their classrooms as a tool to teach their students. That blew my mind! Absolutely, blew my mind. So I’m thankful. Ambi’ance: That is a blessing.
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Lady Jarmond: You know these Social Sites can actually be good. I seen on different judge shows say that it’s not a good thing. However, it’s been very good for me because I try to stay with the people that I know I suppose to be with. That we walk together, and thinking together with the same mind, and the mind of Christ. Those who I find out when I become friends with them and realize this is not the person who is good for me right now. He shouldn’t be/or she shouldn’t be in my space right now. What I do is simply dismisses them as a friend because I can’t have anybody bringing negativity into my space. I just will not allow that. Because that brings God disease, brings Gods diseases. I don’t need it. I really don’t need it. I love everybody but those people who don’t know anything about the Lord. They doing profanity on Facebook and I don’t like to talk in on a conversations with the person who uses profanity. Because my mother I never heard her speak like that. And my father however was an alcoholic and he would get drunk on the weekend and he would curse my mom out, curse us out. I vowed that I would never use profanity that I would teach my children not to use profanity; you can’t pay them to say anything around me. Ambi’ance: It is a blessing how you speak at engagements for community events, and gospel explosions. So have you even spoken for ministries outside of the United States, basically in foreign countries? Lady Jarmond: I haven’t been to any foreign countries, but I have been asked to come. I consulted some people and I consulted a Prophet and a Prophetess. They both said the same thing without knowing what was going on. I just explained to them about the letter that I received and what suppose of that they wanted me to do, to speak for an hour. I think it was in Nigeria, I’m not sure. The Prophet and the female Prophetess said that, “Pastor keep the invitation, but don’t go yet. It’s not time to leave the country yet.” And I believed in Prophets and Prophetess. So I took their word for it. I stayed. Now I’m ready. Ambi’ance: What would you like to tell others that are in ministry who are dealing with challenges or lack of spiritual concepts? Lady Jarmond: I would love everybody to have what I have. And many people possess it but simple called the, “Dunamis” and it got me the Power of God. A power it would keep you when you can’t keep yourself. It would heal you when you can’t heal yourself of prior hurt, prior pains, and prior disappointments. Dunamis Power that’s what I just want to give but I do not have the ability to just give it to anyone only the Lord Jesus Christ can give it because it’s a gift. He says, “Here here it is, you take it.” It’s just that easy. And so that would be my desire to have everybody, I know and I associated with to have the Dunamis Power (The Holy Ghost) that leads us to the wisdom and Power of God. Ambi’ance: Amen. You are so anointing. I feel the anointing all over this room. Lady Jarmond: I feel it on me when I speak to you. God gave me that gift; I carry the Anointing wherever I go. I MC a lot at gospel shows and a lot of people promoters ask me to come because they know I’m not just going to call up the next entertainer or next guest. I’m going to speak to the needs of the people because God called me to preach. The Lady that we called Dear, God rest her soul she’s gone now. But she called us to sing. God called, I’m taking about my sister and me into the ministry. When God does it, it’s done. But I do get a change to sing as I minister to people all over the world. Now, thanks to this wonderful thing they call Social Internet. I have prayed for many people that inbox me, “ Thank you Lady Jarmond for praying for me marriage, praying for my son he, “I thought he was going to have surgery but the doctor said No, he doesn’t have to have surgery.”
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Ambi’ance: After reading your background, I notice you have interest in participating in local hobbies. Can you tell me about your other passions? Lady Jarmond: The mind to be a minister but I love motorcycles. I do truly love motorcycles. This is a life because I was told years and years ago, that if you ever ride on a motorcycle that would be the death of you. So I do not ride them but I have these things that are pushing me to just get on one and take a picture on one. I have never road a motorcycle but I have many years. I cannot ride one; I just can’t actually take off and ride one. That would be the end of me. Amb’ance: That’s interesting. Lady Jarmond: That is interesting. I have some interesting things that have happened in my life and I try to life a righteous and upright life. Where I can hear things that is coming in positive to help me. This was way back in ninety-two when this old woman said to me out of the blue, “Don’t you ever ride a motorbike if you do that would be the end of your life.” Now I have this passion. I can’t ride it but who can say that I can’t sit on one. After my husband died, which was in 2000, he was in the military for thirty-two years. He died in 2000, after that I grieved for a long time but I heard the voice say, “I want you to start a collection of – I didn’t ask any question, I just wanted to wait and hear what the Lord wanted me to do. And I was collecting ‘elephants.’ I didn’t know about the college part of elephants and how you get those for some kind of sorority you in. This was a spiritual thing that the Lord told me to do. To ‘collect elephants’ and I studied elephants and I found out often -Danny is died and buried, he is my husband. That I started collecting these elephants, I told the members at the church this is what I have to do, and the spirit told me to do it. And they began to bring elephants to me every Sunday. I have elephants from all over the world. My daughter and sister she travelled all over the world. She would come back with elephants from wherever she been. My house is full of elephants, matters if my trunk is up or down, I obeyed the spirit of the Lord. When I started studying elephant I realized, God did that. An elephant the heel is one of the herd of elephants, they lose one of their herds; they would not leave the particular one. They would hand around like their grieving. So that let me know that God wanted to let me know that you’re grieving and I want you to show you can come of the grief. Once the elephant does that for like months the whole herd is gone to another area. So that why when I started collecting elephants the Lord told me to collect elephants. I started reading and watching television on elephants about how they are phenomenal and they never ever forget. I could never ever forget what God done for me. I could never forget how he brought me out- Just so marvelous and wonderful. He is an awesome God. Ambi’ance: Before I let you go, is there anything else you would like to share with our readers and Ambi’ance? Lady Jarmond: The name of the magazine is Ambi’ance. Do you know what that mean? Ambi’ance: I think it means setting the atmosphere ripe. Peaceful. Lady Jarmond: I am trying to find Jonathan Field, he inbox me on June 9th. Ambi’ance Magazine means you always in an ambiance state of mind - faith that’s what it means. So that’s good to me. I would say to everybody, stay in a certain state of mind, a Godly state of mind. Stay in a relationship with God. And when you read this magazine, stay in a personal relationship with God. And you will be able to overcome, subdue, and conquer everything. When I say everything, I mean everything that is not God like. To the readings and purchases of Ambi’ance Magazine and there will be many I declare and decree, many will be sold. And this magazine will become one of the Top Magazines in the nation. I declare and decree that In The Name of Jesus Christ. And Mr. Jonathon Fields to you, the CEO thanks you so much for seeing in my, what I didn’t see in me. Thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of this magazine. The God that’s in me showed you the God that’s in me. Contact Lady Jarmond: If you would like to contact Lady Jarmond, she is just a call away. Visit her latest groups and teachings on Youtube, Twitter, Facebook, and other websites. You can also visit www.facebook.com/LadyJarmondmc4u or www.ladyjarmondmc4u.com.
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Toni Breed love AM- Who is Toni Breedlove ? TB- I'm a native of Southern California. Born and raised in Carson, CA. I went to Banning HS graduated in 1979. AM- Whats your background ? TB- I Tried different things. Went to Dental Assistant School and Broadcasting school. Had a couple of years in community college got my degree from University of Southern Illinois- Carbondale. Worked for Orange County Transit for 10 yrs., got hurt on the job hurt my back been off of work for 2 ½ yrs so I got bored with that since there was not a lot I could do and a friend of mine suggested Radio. I was in the entertainment industry with a management company for several years during the time I was working because I was in sales and running a management company at the same time. After I got hurt a friend of mine suggested online radio so that’s how that started. I have one son raised him by myself he is recently out the Navy he just got home 3 months ago he is in his transition things in music and doing his thing too. Its real simple, I’m real simple a couple of the people that follow me now are old classmates and a lot of them I don’t’ even remember but after time goes on you kind of remember who they are. So far I’ve gotten that word of mouth advertising so it’s doing very well. AM- How long have you been doing the radio show? TB- Just since October and I bought on my cousin Yvonne Baker she's a producer she helps me format the shows and the topics. Any topic that is controversial or in the media she helps me set up the interviews and gets the people booked. I have one co-host that’s Jerry Kelly he has been here since the inception of all this. I have just bought on a person I grew up with in Carson Hermina Renden she is now going to assist me with research when we have shows that require research. I run it here out of the house. AM- what kind of topics have you been covering so far? TB-. I started actually doing political issues. As you know there are something that greatly affect the African American community so I started doing politics and then I had a lot of people saying I should do other topics so we cover politics, entertainment, national headline news an human interest. It’s a wide range, it really depends on what’s going on for the week or the month that we get together and we decide what type of shows we are going to do. We try to schedule one month in advance but it kind of depends on what the trend is in news or entertainment. But the first few shows I did were on politics, voter registration, Republican Party, tea party. We covered Treyvon Martin, Whitney Houston and the Penn State scandal so like I said it ranges. AM How did you connect with The Ultimate Merger ? TB- I did a show that was actually going to be based on the Reality Housewives. During the session I noticed that one of the gentlemen from Ultimate Merger was one of my friends on FB, so I got in touch with him and he said we would love to do the show because it is based on reality. So I interviewed Cedric Bellows, Frank Newson.& Jason. Good guys, funny guys. I just finished with the entire cast of the play …Janine Fischers cast. We had a chance to go out and see the production. I see as time goes on we are getting busier. I have request of people wanting to do the show now. I think even though a lot of this has to do with word of mouth it has a lot to do with people can’t get in the mainstream media to get their name out there so we are getting a lot busier. So now it’s just a matter of be brining in people to help me handle the growth.
110 AM-. I’m sure you have experience the fact that doors have opened that you didn’t expect to open. TB- Yeah like I was telling Yvonne I told her I go to church every week and I sing in the choir and I do all these things but this is the first time that now the scheduling is starting to step on what I normally do. This is the first time this week I have had to put church off because I have had to be at certain functions. This is starting to get to the point that I am going to feel guilty because I am not giving the time I need to the church because they depend on me for certain things. She told me to take it easy and the schedule will work itself out. Like you I don’t want to get to the point of exhaustion. When I had my management company I was pushing artist through doors that were always shut or closed to them I was in the board room with people and that just doesn’t happen so God has blessed me in a lot of way. In that point I was running around being responsible for I think it was 8-10 artist and everybody had a different place to go and its not that they wanted to the staff to help them they wanted me to do it. Like you my body shut down and my brain shut down I had to shut the door and turn the lights out and basically say I don’t want to do this anymore and I don’t want it to get to the area of burn out. I was just telling my son last night I don’t know how I’m going to schedule all these things. One week I am going to have to actually have Yvonne or Jerry do the show so I can have a day off you know. And he told me I don’t want to do that. So maybe I can just choose a show and rebroadcast it so I don’t take my name out the mix and let people still hear my voice. Trying to keep it all tight and together. It’s tough AM- How did your career in Music Management prepair you for Talk Radio ? TB- Wow thats a great question, when I was doing music management I got in with 2 ladies and I got into because I had sang for years and had my opportunity to be signed I got screwed up behind it with a management company. I have always had that in the back of my mind if I got screwed then someone else is out there getting screwed and if I didn’t trust that they did for my career then I can just imagine what its like for someone younger just coming into the game so I got together with these two girls and sat down and put a business plan together and I had a friend of mine who is an attorney took me on as a client to help me with contracts and so on and get me up to speed and we basically started TPSD Management and it took its own life. At that point we seen so many young people getting screwed in the game and it took on a part that I became a counselor. Everything they were missing in their lives I became. I think that is why I got so inundated trying to be what everyone needed. But I always wanted to be there no matter what their goal or aspiration was in entertainment I did that but the unfortunately part of that is that it burnt me out I ended up having a artist who was convicted of murder and it was just starting to fall apart and I said this is just not me it came down to be paying people’s child support that they couldn’t pay. It just wasn’t working for me and I ended up going back working for someone else and I did that but my head was always still in some point of entertainment. It just never left but with this the radio thing people are able to call in and able to vent their frustration or call in and find out about issued they didn’t know about.
AM- Toni your topic's are usually based on things people want to know but are afraid to ask. Sometimes they are, like in this last show the topic was “Does Size Really Matter” and people immediately thought this was about physical attributes but I wanted to talk about does it matter if a man has a large bank account, property and all those things. I wanted to give them statistically data that they normally would not get. It is all a learning process. I love the entertainment industry and this is just where I happen to end up. Where does Toni Breedlove see her show going? TB- Wow what a coinsciendence a friend of mine asked me the same thing. Its funny because I like radio because I don’t have to put in the make-up and stuff and I get to be at home. But I want to be in an area 2/3 yrs from now, where Toni Breedlove's Hot Topics is a household name. That’s where I want to be whether it is on the radio or takes me in front of a camera in a studio I don’t know. I just ride on the heels of what God has planned for me. But all I know is I want to be where I can reach people and they can feel comfortable talking to me where they feel they can talk to me and no one else. So I don’t know where it will lead me I will let God lead the way. I can’t question that. All I can say is I will trust in God and rely on my background that my mom and dad raised me on and continue to be a good parent and a good friend and go from there. AM- Well here at Ambiance Magazine, we see you breaking new ground and bringing real journalism back to the forfront. Its refreshing to listen to your comentarys and interviewing zeal. TB- well thanks Jonathan and i want to thank Ambiance Magazine, on behalf of HOT TOPICS TALK RADIO for providing this wonderfull forum for me . AM- It's was our Pleasure Toni or should i say The Robin Roberts of Talk Radio ? TB- Wow what a compliment ! But why Robin Roberts ? AM- I say that because Robin was a pioneer journalist. Being the a African American Women breaking that Glass Ceiling in TV Jornalism. Like you she also has a diverse background (she was and All-American Basketball player at The University of Georgia in the 80's). She colorfull straight forward, and unafraid to make waves. TB- Well now you have just raised the bar for HOT TOPICS TALK RADIO, thanks alot ! Laughter. AM- We at Ambiance Magazine will continue to raise it for those WHO DARE TO BE DIFFERENT WHILE STRIVING FOR EXCELLENCE. like yourself.
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Jeannie Fisher Jeannine Fisher is quickly making an impact in the entertainment industry by finding and casting talent for the stage, screen, and television. Producers and directors in the Los Angeles area have been turning to Jeannine Fisher Casting, LLC for the past four years as the company’s influence and reputation continue to grow. Ms. Fisher specializes in casting for the stage, but also finds talent for movies and television pilots. Ms. Fisher cast the TV pilot “Just the 2 of Us,” starring Dorien Wilson, and last year cast the Washington, D.C. stage production of “What Ever Happened to Black Love?” which starred Kenny Lattimore. Ms. Fisher has cast for several Los Angeles-based directors and producers, such as Donald B. Welch and Alexia Robinson. Ms. Fisher has an eye for talent. Two actors cast by Ms. Fisher won prestigious NAACP Theatre Awards in 2011 for their work in the stage production of “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow Is Enuf." Ms. Fisher is currently casting for the stage play “Colorblind” which is being directed by Wallace Demarria. Jeannine Fisher Casting, LLC is continually seeking opportunities to work with producers and directors in order to bring new talent to the forefront of the industry. Contact information: Email Jeanninecasting@yahoo.com Twitter JeannineCasting Facebook Jeannine Fisher Casting “Connecting producers and directors with talent to create the magic”
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Annie McKnight From New York City's hottest comedy clubs to Chicago and the entire California coastline from San Francisco to San Diego - McKnight's extensive list of credits include, Martin Lawrence Presents 1st Amendment, Comic View, and the Tom Joyner Morning Show. She has hit the airwaves as a guest-host on LA's Power 106 with Big Boy, and Lee Bailey's Radio Scope/EUR Web. Annie recently landed a voice-over role on Conan O’Brien, and is currently in a Verizon commercial, co-starred in Friends with Benefits, latest movie “The Lineage" The Soloist" starring Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey, Jr. Annie is on a roll also on the big screen in "Cornered" starring Steven Guttenberg and "Crazy On The Outside" starring Tim Allen. No stranger to the small screen, Annie has appeared on "Heroes," "Brothers & Sisters," "The Winner," and Nickelodeon's "iCarly." She also performed in Eve Ensler's "The Vagina Monologues" directed by Penny Marshall and worked on Parker Posey's pilot "The Return of Jezebel James." Annie also appeared on the Tonight Show. The unforgettable Annie McKnight is so funny she took home $10,000.00 dollars as the first place winner on "America's Funniest People." This talented actress has among her film credits appearances in “Crimes of the Heart”, “Two Degrees,” and “Hair Show.” She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre from Columbia College. One of her special interests involves using her animated skills and various vocal abilities to teach Autistic as well as developmentally delayed children to enhance their cognitive and communication skills. “Annie McKnight is an exciting new talent with the rare ability to make you laugh or cry," says Actor-Director-Producer Bill Duke.
 Jacnique
Jacnique Harriis Love JACNIQUE...sensationally soulful, jazzy, sultry siren. 2013 Los Angeles Music Awards nominee for “Jazz Artist of The Year”. 2013 Hollywood Music in Media Awards nominee, in the genre of Jazz, for her song, “Sunrise”. 2011 winner of 2 Black Music Awards, "Best Neo-Soul Artist" and "Best Urban Soul Artist". 2011 Los Angeles Music Awards winner, Producer's Choice "Jazz Album of The Year". (Previous Producers Choice winners include No Doubt, The Black Eyed Peas, System of A Down and Sugar Ray.) It was once said that, “only passions, great passions can elevate the soul to great things”. The very essence of that statement is reflected in the mind, body, soul, and music of Jacnique Harris-Love. Known to her fans simply as Jacnique (pronounced Zsa’nique). This sensual, soulful songstress embodies all the qualities of a natural superstar. She is an avid songwriter, pristine vocalist, sensational performer and a runway renaissance woman. With graceful elegance, seductive sensuality, sassy sophistication, and a truly beautiful voice that seems to trace the very beat of your heart; she sends her audiences into a hypnotic frenzy. Her sultry soul music represents a harmonic groove in a world full of ambient noise and sound. Jacnique does not get by on an image or any gimmicks, she is exactly the person you see & hear on stage. She eats, sleeps, and breathes the musical passion, vocal artistry, class, grace, beauty & essence of what it is to be Jacnique. Jacnique’s enchanting musical skills were developed early on in her life. From the age of 5 years old, those closest to her could see a prodigy in the making as she virtually mesmerized her family and peers with her God given talents. As a teenager, Jacnique joined a girl group called Ynturaj. Although she had some wonderful experiences with the group, it was not long before Jacnique realized that she no longer needed an entourage to solidify her presence as an artist. She then began making quite a name for herself on the Bay Area nightclub scene performing alongside well know jazz guitarist, Tony DeWayne. Soon after, she was gracing stages and receiving critical acclaim from Hollywood, CA to Las Vegas, NV and in her home town of San Francisco, CA. Recently, Jacnique started her own independent record label and publishing company, SirenFire Music Works LLC and SirenFire Music Publishing LLC, initiating an introspective journey through the vehicle of song with the help of multi-genre music producer, Ricardo Love. Her award winning debut CD, “Trial By Fire”, continues to touch the hearts and souls of fans and critics all over the world with deeply moving songs such as Believe In Love, Help Me, Let’s Go, This Kind of Blue and Trial By Fire. Not to disappoint her public, this dynamic diva has just put the finishing touches on her second CD entitled, “Rise In Love”. As a poignant and poetic songwriter, Jacnique puts her jazzy, sultry, smooth spin on her new compositions including, Rise In Love, Press Play, Zero To One Hundred and Audio Portrait. This project is an eclectic blend of smooth jazz, sultry soul, hot dance grooves and love songs. Please get ready for a taste of the home cooked meal she is preparing for a somewhat famished industry. Jacnique represents the epitome of artistry. She personifies everything that is femininity, sensuality, gracefulness, vocal excellence, and everything that represents class. She masterfully combines all of these elements to create her own cleverly blended artistic brew that intoxicates audiences wherever she performs. If it is truly passion that elevates the soul to great things, then Jacnique’s music and artistry are the product of that passion. Melodic, vocal elegance has finally found a symbol by which to be defined and that symbol goes by the name, JACNIQUE
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DIVA Musical Poet Ms DVA (Divine Vision Anointed) is a magnificent and distinguished performer who knows that her purpose is to satisfy the body, mind, and soul with music and positive words given to her from God. She is a person who knows that the level of success cannot be obtained without bringing others on the stage to show their God-Given talents. Therefore, Ms. DVA is on a mission that will afford all performers an opportunity to showcase their talents on stage all over this universe. As you flip the pages in this book, you will have an opportunity to see that Ms. DVA WANTS YOU IF YOU GOT GOD-GIVEN TALENT 2004—2013 Appearances February 22, 2013 performed at the Carson Black Chamber of Commerce 8th Annual Youth Entrepreneur Leadership Mini-Summit in Carson CA; December 19, 2012 performed at Minister “Kurtis Blows” Hip Hop Church of LA in Los Angeles CA; December 6, 2012 performance at the Carson California Black Chamber of ; Commerce Awards event at the Congressman Millender McDonald Community Center in Carson, CA; June, July, August 2012 performance at Ms. DVA With A Purpose Showcase at the SouthBay Pavilion (Carson Mall), 27900 Carson Blvd., Carson CA June and July 2012 performance for Youth Program at Challengers Boys & Girls, 5029 Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA April 2, 2012 performance at Carson Black Chamber Of Commerce Green Carpet Event at Congressman Millender McDonald Community Center in Carson, CA; March 17, 2012 Filming of “The Bully” Video in Gardena, CA; March 9, 2012 Special Guest performance (Feat. Multi-Platinum Producer Barry “The Foz” Fasman) for the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated 19th Annual Talent At Compton High School in Compton, CA; February 24, 2012 performed at the 7thAnnual Young Entrepreneur-Leadership Mini Summit on the Home Depo Center in Carson, CA; February 14, 2012 performance for In The Spirit Gospel Showcase (Michael Campbell, Brooklyn West Records) at the Clarion Hotel in Las Vegas , NV; January 21, 2012 Performed in Rhythm and Praise Showcase at the Hollywood Celecbrity Center in Hollywood CA; October 29, 2011 performed in Ms. Shirley’s Showcase “Stir Up Your Gifts” at the Hollywood Celebrity Center in Hollywood CA; June 20, 2010 at Judge Mablean HUF After Party at Westin Hotel, Long Beach, CA May 1, 2010 Judged at MLK Park LB Unity Fest. Auditions in Long Beach, CA; April 24, 2010 performed at 5thAnnual Black Business Celebration at Congressman Millender McDonald Community Center in Carson, California; April 18, 2010 Positive Impact Making Peace Video filming, in Los Angeles, California; April 10, 2010 ABC Rap of Self Esteem Video filming in Los Angeles, CA; April 2, 2010 Fan Club International Internet Radio Interview worldwide; March 27, 2010 Stopping The Violence Remix Video filming in Los Angeles, CA; February 21, 2010 performed at Minister “Kurtis Blows” Hip Hop Church of LA in Los Angeles, CA; December 24, 2009 performed at Legendary Hip Hop Old School Artist “Kurtis Blow’ Christmas Eve Party in CA; December 21, 2009 performed at the Long Beach Unity Festival Recognition Event; November 1, 2009 performed at the One Love Showcase and Talent Showcase (Special quest J.eannie Deva from America’s Got Talent) at Hollywood Celebrity Center in Hollywood, CA; October 24, 2009 performed in the Last Stand Showcase at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center in Redondo Beach, California; September 12th and 14th2009 interviewed/video taped for Ryan Seacrest’s “Chance” on in Los Angeles, California; July 15, 2009 performed at Anthony J Brown’s J’s Spot Comedy Club in Los Angeles, CA; May 30, 2009 performed at Unity Festival in Long Beach California; May 3rd and April 15th2009 also on Get It Started Now T.V. show in Bellflower CA; April 15, 2009 and April 19thAppeared on R U Talented T.V. and Radio Show in Bellflower and Anaheim California; April 11, 2009 Performed at the Hollywood Celebrity Center Showcase in Hollywood, CA; January 31st and February 1st2009 performed for BeBe Winnans and Mary Mary on Sunday Best National B.E.T program at B.E.T. Studios in Washington DC; March 27, 2004 performed in a Gospel Program with Praise Discovery in Freeport. Bahamas.
Felecia Harvey by Kimberly Jackson-Nelson There are many people like myself who love to smell a fresh atmosphere burning with the aroma of your flavor candle. For instance, like Felecia Harvey a woman entrepreneur who “mastered the art of making candles and produced a highly fragrant candle with a scent throw throughout the room where it was burning and beyond.” Being a woman it’s her nature to spread her wings to carve her fingertips in the mist of the air flowing with the fragrance of the right scent. As you can see her passion not only produced the delicate scent of love, but also a business “Highly Fragrance Hand Poured Candles” in the Houston area. The moment of real true love is two individuals who date to just have one night candlelight dinner. The camera of two couples sitting among a table of candles lit to fill the atmosphere of a sacred union of marriage. A women or man after a hard day’s journey opens the door of their castle to soak in a tub of bubbles surrounded by love candles. Are even being sweet fragrances unto God, the Universe, and a sweet smelling sensation to his nostril. After thinking of great issue to reach many doing the holiday seasons to purchase a candle of fragrance; Felecia Harvey was the idea person who met that criterion. So, Ambi’ance had the opportunity to interview Felecia to hear from her about ‘Mamafes Candles’ that sets the environment ripe to burn a sweet aroma. Ambi’ance: How did “Mamafes Candles” first get started? Felecia Harvey: Small Business with a Personal Touch— Mamafe's Candles is a small family business owned and operated by Mamafe WITH HELPING HANDS OF HER LOVING CHILDREN. The business name has special meaning because Mamafe is an adoptive/foster parent and her children named the business. Mamafe makes all products by hand and adds her decorative touch to give each product her signature of Quality and Class! Mamafe began making candles as a means to save money because Mamafe loved candles. Once she mastered the art of making candles and produced a highly fragrant candle with a scent throw throughout the room where it was burning and beyond, she realized that she had created a candle that would sell. She loaded her candles in her car and took them to her children’s school. Word of mouth is the best form of advertisement, the good news about the highly scented candles spread fast at the school. Fortunately, for Mamafe there was a counselor who worked at different schools who purchased a candle and she began to take orders from teachers at all the schools she worked. The demand immediately began to outweigh the supply and Mamafe’s Candles was born. Mamafe started her business as a street vendor with a tent, sign, propane gas heater and candle gift baskets during the Christmas season. It was awesome beginnings that eventually lead Mamafe to opening her first Mamafe Candles store in one of Houston’s largest flea markets, The Trading Fair II. She later relocated to another popular market in Houston, The Kings Flea Market. Mamafe added fragrance oils, air fresheners, electric oil burners, incense, African/home décor, collector items and her own line of bath & body products to her inventory. Mamafe manufactures a variety of products including Highly Fragrant Hand Poured Candles. Scented Moisturizing Hand & Body Lotion made with Shea Butter, Mango Butter and Cocoa Butter. Shower Gel and Shea Butter Moisturizing Lip Balm. All natural 100% Scented Shea Butter Moisturizer for hair, body, eczema & very dry skin. Car & Room Fresheners and highly fragrant Incense. All products are handmade by Mamafe with Customer satisfaction being her first priority. Mamafe uses the best products, fragrance oils, essential oils and ingredients to bring you Quality Products for your enjoyment. At Mamafe Candles, we thoroughly test all of our products to ensure we offer a top quality product. All of our scented candles are tested to ensure that they smell beautiful, burn smoothly and will truly scent your room when the candle is cold and hot. You have our assurance when purchasing Mamafe Candles & Products you will not be disappointed. Once you have tried our hand poured candles you will never return to machine manufactured candles. Mamafe Candles also offer customized color & scented container candles to accommodate your color schemes and decor, available upon request by special order. All of Mamafe candles are poured, finished, and designed with love, care and your satisfaction in mind. All fragrance oils are tested to ensure they provide top quality performance. We test a wide variety of fragrances to discover the best highly fragrant oils that produce the best scent throw for our candles, which guarantees a highly scented candle that will throw the fragrance throughout the room. All of our candles are formulated to be highly fragrant and long burning. Our highly fragrant candles are available in a wide variety of fragrances. Enjoy a selection of Baked Scents, Fresh Scents, Floral Scents, Designer Scents or Fruit Scents. Also Aromatherapy candles. We offer candles in 4oz, 6oz, 11oz, and 22oz. Tureen jar sizes in over 40 different fragrances. We offer gift certificates, candle fundraisers programs, online candle parties, home candle gatherings, consultant & distributor opportunities, wholesale candles, free candle giveaways, referral discounts, and monthly specials. Ambi’ance: Are there any other businesses other than “Mamafes Candles” in the making?
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124 Felecia Harvey: Mamafe is an entrepreneur at heart. Her first business in the Houston area was Genesis Hair –N – Nails a full service salon. Her second business was Genesis Flower Delivery Service. She has short and long term goals for other business ventures. Her short term goal is to start a catering truck business in the Houston area and bring back the old dairy concept. Old fashion burgers, chili dogs, fresh cut fries, fish/chicken baskets and other homemade fresh entrees. Mamafe has taken pride in giving back to the community and opening her heart and home to abused and neglected children, her long term goal is to open a an emergency shelter for children. I am also writing a book about being an Adoptive Single Parent. Ambi’ance: When you started your business, how did you finance it and what strategies did you create to process it? Felecia Harvey: I financed this business with my hard earned money. LOL, no loans and no business plan. God’s plan my strategy was to create a product that exceeded the customer’s expectation. As well as to introduce customers to new fragrances unlike the norm and popular fragrances that those customers were so accustom to purchasing. Such as apple cinnamon, mulberry, coconut and vanilla. This business was started by taking steps of faith…believing and achieving. Ambi’ance: So what are your daily workloads like? Due to the failing economy I am working part time as a cosmetology instructor with Regency Beauty School. I am a mother, business owner, advocate for children and a substitute teacher with the Pasadena Independent School district which gives me the flexibility to manage my business and pursue my ambitions and goals. Ambi’ance: What is the most essential thing you prepared to expand your business?
“no loans and no business plan. God’s plan my strategy was to create a product that exceeded the customer’s expectation.”
Felecia Harvey: The most essential thing to expanding my business was quality products and good customer service. As well as offering products and fragrances that made Mamafe distinct. Ambiance: What potential outsiders have been important to “Mamafes Candles” success? Felecia Harvey: The success of any business is the customers of course. But on a personal level I have always had supportive friends, family, prayer partners and confidants. I would also like to acknowledge my children who have been my greatest inspiration. They have worked beside me in my business, from wicking candle jars to putting on labels as well as working in the retail store. Amb’ance: Since you been in business, what worse counsel from outsiders you received? Felecia Harvey: I honestly don’t entertain negative Felecia Harvey: Mamafe Philosophy— When we bring out the best in others, we bring out the best in ourselves. It is not the years of your life that counts but the life in your years. I would say first to believe & achieve. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen. Fear is false effects appearing real. It has been my faith as small as a mustard seed that has allowed me to be self- employed for over 25 years. Nothing beats a failure but a try. It has also been my belief in God first and then myself that has enabled me to take the leaps of faith necessary to become an entrepreneur. A business plan without faith in my opinion is obsolete. Faith, hard work, and determination to succeed are the key elements to being a successful entrepreneur. ONLY the strong survive! Ambi’ance: What are some of your daily interest and hobbies? Felecia Harvey: I am an internet junkie. I love computers and technology. I love to cook, entertain, music, read, travel, write, and be of service to others. I am a single mother and grandmother which is the most gratifying experience in my life. I have raised nine children that I birth from my heart. Teaching them the empowerment of education and watching them excel and grow into productive members of society has been my greatest daily interest. Eight has graduated from high school and five are attending college. I have done all things through Christ who strengthens me!
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Cassandra Williams W.E.T. Inc. is a Public Relations firm located in Beverly Hills, California with a unique approach to assist those individuals who want to enhance their within the realms of the entertainment industry. Whether you are a seasoned professional or an aspiring singer, model, comedian or actor, W.E.T. PR, Inc. can and will get you recognized. Each client is personally screened prior to signing a contract to ensure all aspects of their positive image is reflected in the media; TV, Radio and Silver Screen; we’ll “Write it, Edit it, then Tell it� Cassandra Williams W.E.T. was originally formed to assist families to improve their quality of life while being relocated from crisis situations. President and CEO Cassandra Williams established a "unique" and "sensitive" approach to assist families to improve their quality of life while returning to main stream living. Ms. Williams realized that if a person is not comfortable with him or her self, he/she cannot move forward with any aspect of their life. While assisting families with social service referrals, job training/development and all aspects of improved living, Ms. Williams began to ascertain that many individuals who were trying to pursue their goals in the entertainment industry, could not express themselves orally or verbally, hold an interview or communicate effectively to the media. Thus W..ET. PR, Inc. was formed. On a Personal Note: Cassandra Williams was born in Los Angeles, California and graduated from U.S.C. in 1975. She received a BA degree in Business Administration and Minored in Music. Her Hobbies are Singing, fishing, being married, and she is the proud mom of two children, Christopher and Crystal. Although her grand-daughter Savannah keeps her quite busy, she says she always has quality time for each and every one of her clients.
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Schatar Sapphira If you think Schatar Sapphira aka ‘Hottie’ is just another flash in the pan “Reality Star,” you are sadly mistaken. This award winning, classically trained, Ivy League educated (Univ. of Pennsylvania, John Hopkins Univ, Peabody Conservatory of Music, Georgetown Day School), actress, vocalist, and entrepreneur is no ‘Reality Show’ cliché. Historians of classic cinema know that like the giants who came before her, Schatar Sapphira has that ‘IT’ factor, as well as talent. How does she measure up with some of the legends of stage and screen? Exceptionally well! You see, in Schatar Sapphira's world, ‘balance and diversity’ is the key! Schatar has done everything from ‘The Flavor of Love’, ‘Flavor of Love Charm School’, television guest appearances, stage plays, several dramatic movies, to singing and dancing...yes, I said DANCING! Her concert performance at the British Embassy, headlining at the National Theatre’s Helen Hayes Gallery and a live performance in Amsterdam Netherlands are still the rave in the international community. Fellow actors, Betty White, Kim Cole, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Queen Latifah, Omar Epps, Adam Rodriguez, James Spader and the legendary William Shatner have all praised Schatar's range and commitment to her craft. Last but not least, Schatar Sapphira is a tireless ambassador for the disenfranchised. She loves mentoring at-risk youths and young girls. She regularly speaks at colleges, high schools and homeless shelters. Organizations that are in the business of helping to improve society and/or bettering the education of our children are her biggest passions. Humanitarian achievements just seem to be in her DNA as evidenced by her being a former American Legion Distinguished Scholar, Hugh O'Brien Youth Leadership Ambassador, American Cancer Society Awardee, American Heart and Lung Association Award, White House Honoree, Congressional Assistant and humanitarian speaker. Schatar “Hottie” Sapphira also attends and hosts special events and parties as a booked ‘special celebrity guest’ and presents and performs at televised award shows. Somehow she’s found time to volunteer and help revitalize the Children’s Opera Program at the esteemed John F. Kennedy Center. Did I mention that Schatar Sapphira has made numerous guest appearances to ‘our’ community fund raisers and celebrity red carpet events? Like I said earlier, ‘Hottie’ is not a reality show cliché. She's real and Ambi'ance Magazine is proud to call her friend!
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April Smith CEO & owner, April Smith is about to take over the “Peach” state, the nation, and the world. She is the epitome of a self-made woman who will not stop until she snags that top spot in the beauty industry. With the Promotion of positivity, education, high self-esteem, and productivity the brand of Butterfly Cosmetics will hold its place at the top firmly as there is no line like it. With a heart of gold April plans to give back and become a role model for girls of color who have dreams and goals to be successful. On February 28, 2012 the cosmetic world was introduced with the launch of Butterfly Cosmetics. The slogan of the brand sums up the intentions it carries; “Looking Fabulous and Loving It”. April Smith created this cosmetic brand with women of color in mind. In being a woman of color she understands that some cosmetics that are out here, are harsh to the skin. April strives to provide women with the proper education on makeup application on how to get a natural look without looking caked up. After watching the damaging effects of cosmetics from different cosmetic lines, she vowed to step in with a solution. Wearing makeup is a big part of a teenage girl’s years, she feels it’s important to understand how to create looks that are age appropriate without harming the skin. Butterfly Cosmetics features a signature collection of lipsticks, eye-shadows, lip glosses, foundations and much more. April Smith’s ultimate goal is to have her beauty products featured in upscale elite events around the metro-Atlanta area and also have Butterfly Cosmetics on the tip of the tongue of everybody within the music, fashion, film, & business industries. With interviews and award shows under her belt such as having her product in the gift bag at the “Soul Train Music Awards”, in Las Vegas, NV in 2012 she is well on her way towards her goal. With this being such an exciting period in her life it’s easy for April to get excited when good news comes her way. With inboxes full of emails from A-list entertainers, top colleges with fashion & beauty programs, corporate sponsors from some of the top Fortune 500 companies, all wanting to do business with her, it won’t be long for Butterfly Cosmetics to become a household name. For any business opportunities, media, or future endorsements with Butterfly Cosmetics contact: butterflycsmakeup@gmail.com www.ButterflyCosmetic.com Facebook (ButterflyCosmetics) Twitter (ButterflyCosmet)
Photographer Airic Lewis.
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Brandy Sanders Brandy Sanders, Founder and Executive Director of The Kierrah Foundation, has been a longtime advocate for homeless women and children in Los Angeles. In 2004, Brandy and her late husband, Stanley “Unc” Sanders begin to notice that many of the young women on the streets had aged out of the foster care system and immediately became homeless thereafter. She began to wonder what happens to these young women from day to day. Being on the streets without anyone to turn to and the uncertainties that follow is a scary scenario for anyone. After taking a closer look, Brandy became aware that many of these young women were fending for themselves, often with a child in tow, and without the basic life skills or the resources to survive. From that awareness, and the commitment to make a “mighty” difference in the lives of former foster girls and their children, The Kierrah Foundation was born. The only child of a preacher and a nightclub owner, Brandy Sanders' life was very interesting from the start. Brandy grew up in Chicago, Illinois where she studied Theatre, Dance & Music at Goodman School of Performing Arts and Business Administration at Chicago State University. She moved to California in the early 70s to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. With over thirty years of experience, Brandy worked as a Studio Temp for Universal Pictures and Sony Pictures for fifteen years. She has also worked as a Film Festival Coordinator, Production Coordinator, Production Manager for independent films and has served as the Executive Assistant to some the most famous actors, studio executives and musical artists including: legendary filmmaker, Cassius Weathersby, Angela Lansbury, The Spice Girls, George Michael and legendary soul singer/songwriter Brenda Lee Eager, to name a few. Currently, Brandy is the Creator, Producer and Musical Director of Nu Skool Sings Old School Live Showcases featuring talented kids paying tribute to music of the 60s and 70s. These amazing youngsters perform some of the most unforgettable R&B, Soul, Funk, Jazz, Blues and Classic Rock songs. Nu Skool Sings Old School is where you can see these young artists exhibit their talents, showcase their vocal artistry, while taking another step closer to pursuing their dreams. The focus is to create a new generation of legendary entertainers that sing and perform music that is uplifting, joyful, celebratory, positive and soulful. Upon meeting these amazing kids, Brandy discovered she could combine her passion for keeping real music alive in the hearts of children with her commitment to serving former foster girls and their children. Nu Skool Sings Old School Live Showcases raise funds and awareness for The Kierrah Foundation. Brandy also hosts several other fundraising events annually, including The Disco Ball, Spotlight On Sisters Awards Show, Back to School Concert, Fashion Aid Toys & Gifts Drive and Kierrah's Holiday Toy & Gift Giveaway Extravaganza. Since the transition of her beloved husband of 35 years, Stanley “Unc” Sanders, Brandy has dedicated her life to holding the dream and keeping Stan's legacy of giving, unconditional love and understanding alive. Brandy Sanders, affectionately known as “Auntee Brandy” lives in Hollywood, California. Brandy's Favorite Quote: "People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed, never throw anyone away"...Audrey Hepburn Pamela "Brandy" Sanders Founder/Executive Director The Kierrah Foundation Phone: 213-309-9900 www.kierrahfoundation.org www.kierrahevents.org www.nuskoolsingsoldschool.com www.facebook.com/brandypsanders www.twitter.com/aunteebrandy
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‘The Greatest Show on Earth Fo Sho" by Dark Gable
Although it was a cold evening outside, it was red hot under the big top as the UniverSoul Circus kicked off its 19th year in
grand fashion! Hollywood Park was the place; fast and furious was the pace. Ambi’ance Magazine and celebrities from the stage, screen and television all came out to support this amazing performance. The list of luminaries seemed endless and the family atmosphere was both tangible and sincere. As far as talent is concerned, Barnum and Bailey would have purchased a ticket to this illustrious affair! The guest list included: Joe Torrey, Johnny Gill, Johnathan Slocum, Kiki Shepard, Mari Morrow, Kobi Bryan, Scorpio, Cut Kelvin and the president of the Beverly Hills Chapter of the NAACP, Ron Hasson to name a few. This show is a highly interactive combination of circus acts, theater, and music that spans genres including, Pop, Classic R&B, Latin, Hip Hop, Jazz and Gospel. It embraces and celebrates the unique and familiar aspects of pop culture globally by bringing them center stage with a cast of international performers. UniverSoul Circus is rated as one of the top three circuses in America. If you haven’t checked out long time Master of Ceremony, ‘Casual Cal’ and his band of extreme entertainers, get your tickets today and check out the real ‘Greatest Show on Earth!’
“The Wire” & “The Walking Dead” Sta
ar is Cinema’s Newest Dark Gable"
C.C Styling Studios is honored to except Chad L. Coleman in our repertoire of elite clientele. We had a chance to catch up with him at Boa on Sunset Blvd. This gentle giant has opened up to us about his life and the heroes which he admires. He looks up to the swag of Jim brown, from the 70s. Not to mention his rugged, masculine rigidness this is all encompassed by his superior love for humanity.
Life can be going bad but there is always someone whom going through it worst in their life; this is one of those cases. When Chad was 11 months old his parents abandoned him and his four siblings, ages 3 to 7 in their apartment in a housing project in Richmond, a neighborhood full of drugs and violence. He says that he had maggots eating at his backside and he does not know for how long his parents were absent but nobody had changed his diaper. The five children had become wards of the state after being discovered when the apartment was accidently set on fire by his eldest brother Donald (whom is now a Richmond School Board Member) while he was attempting to cook eggs for his siblings. Chad's mother fled to Washington to avoid persecution. The five kids where raised by foster parents George and Lottie Byrd. It was his foster parents that established values, character and Christianity in them. They raised them to be good and respectful kids.
As a teen Chad developed an interest in acting after a bum leg prevented him from continuing to run cross country and track at John F. Kennedy High School. It was in his theatrical after school program which was ran by drama instructor Robert Pemberton, whom was one of his most intense teachers that he credits his ability to take on roles to the best of his ability. After graduating high school, he attended Theater school at Virginia Commonwealth University but found it boring and enlisted in the army and served as videographer, doing voice over work for four years.
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Chad is a highly skilled actor with over 20 yrs. career experience on screens and stages. Mr. Coleman has also performed "Joe Turner's Come and Gone" on Broadway for President Barack Obama, the first lady, and Meryl Streep. He has also had the opportunity to work with stars like Bill Cosby ("The Cosby Show" as a technical stand in), Dan Aykroyd (appearance on ABC's "Soul Man") and Patrick Stewart (appearing in "Othello" a theatrical production in 1997). Chad is best known for his role on HBO's "The Wire" an inner city drama, where he plays Dennis "Cutty" Wise a struggling reformed drug dealer, Chad's past aided him to be in touch with the characters redemption. He has gone from Shakespeare to sitcoms; He is a versatile actor whom enjoys doing comedy such as sitcom “I Hate My Teenage Daughter" on Fox. You can see Chad currently slaying zombies in "The Walking Dead" as Tyreese, a retired NFL football player, on Sundays at 9pm on AMC.
His personal highlights are awaiting his second child this year. Seeing Sasha, his daughter, who is 13 yrs. old and has made her Broadway debut in 2010 on "Fences" starring Denzel Washington. As an adult he has reestablished his relationship with his mother. This was his very own personal lesson of redemption and forgiveness in his own personal life.
Self help writer- Doreene Mcclain
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“Keeping It Real�- What is Dating ? by Doreene McClain Over and over again we find ourselves back on the market and dating again. So what exactly is dating these days? I am a little confused as are others that I have talked to. Back in the day guys use to ask for your number and talk to you on the phone and then you would set up a date to either meet them out or they would pick you up from your home, you would go to dinner, coffee or drinks and then you would return home and talk to them the next day or so and perhaps if things went well set up another date or you would cook at your home etc. until you get comfortable enough with that person that you decide to take it to more intimate level and then at that time I guess you are dating this person. But now a days things seem to be a little different. A friend of mine was out a guy approached her and asked if he could take her for coffee sometime she agreed and gave her number to him and later that evening he texted her (OK it is 2012) and then he sent her a picture of his penis.....are you serious....there are so many things wrong with this picture. First of all I don't even know you, second do you think it is appropriate to send me pictures like that and we just met one time, third and lastly do you ever think you have a chance in hell now that you did do that? There seems to be a gray area these days what is OK and what is not. I have to admit I am somewhat in that gray area too. I have a friend and we went to have drinks and dinner and he paid and when we got back to my place I gave him a hug and said goodnight and thanks. Ever since then he is acting funny like I was suppose to go back to his place or I owed him something and one night he even texted me at 11:20 and asked did I want him to come over.....are you kidding? I was at a bar one night and some guy I had met earlier in the evening asked me was I going home with him immediately I was taken aback and said "did I come with you?" he told me no but you can leave with me. I declined and walked away. Do people really still do that kind of thing? I have a different perspective on dating I guess. First if I meet you and we talk and I give you my number then I know you are interested and we should talk and see if we are on the same page as to what we are looking for and move on from there, but if we have known each other for a while and decide that we want to try dating there obviously needs to be some ground rules. First if you know me you should already know the ground rules but let's keep it 100% so we are both clear here and secondly don't push the envelope because you will be corrected without hesitation. So the question is when did we get away from traditional dating and does anyone still date? Are there men and women for that matter that still want to take the time to get to know someone and build something or is everyone out for the quick lay and then see where it takes you? Even though I am older I still expect no demand to be treated with respect and that will not change. Dating seems to be a thing of the past these days but we need to bring it back. I want to have a party where people come and meet other people and at the end of the night I exchange their numbers with the rules of dating and see what happens. No texting for the first week just talking and no sex of any kind until you know if it is going somewhere or not. Let's get back to some basics people and respect ourselves a little more and make others do the same.
Ambi’ance Magazin
D’marie P
‘a Night o
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On a brisk Hollywood Saturday night, Ambi'ance Mag & D’marie Productions presented "A Night of Love" - A Musical Showcase. International recording artists, K.D. Brosia, LaMont Wheat and Ripley Fairchild performed their latest hits and showed everyone why On a brisk theyHollywood were primed Saturday for thenight, 2012 Grammy's, Ambi'ance Mag "New&Artist D’marie Productions presented of the Year Award". Opening act "A Night ofwas Love" Def- Comedy A MusicalJam Showcase. International and Comic View’s comedian, recording Mark artists, Howard. K.D. Brosia, Red carpet festivities LaMont Wheat will opened and Ripley Fairchild this prelude toperformed this year’stheir Music latest Award hits shows. and showed It waseveryone an exciting why throwback they were primed for the 2012 Grammy's, to the days "NewofArtist Melba of the Moore, YearFreddy Award". Jackson, Opening Teddy act was Pendergrass, Def Comedy Maxwell, Jam and Vesta, Comic andView’s comedian, Mark Howard. Luther Red Vandross. carpet festivities The "Eye will Candy" opened was thiseverywhere prelude to as thisRipley year’sFairchild Music Award and Carole shows.Gray It was an exciting throwback made to the their dayspresences of Melba Moore, known Freddy to the standing Jackson,room Teddy only Pendergrass, Hollywood crowd. Maxwell, Proceeds Vesta, and of that Luther Vandross. The "Eye Candy" night were wasdonated everywhere to "The as Ripley BelieveFairchild & Achieve andFoundation", Carole Grayamade 501(3) their c non-profit presences organizaknown to the standing room only tion Hollywood advocating crowd. re-entry Proceeds and at-risk-youth of that night were services donated in LostoAngeles. "The Believe This & affair Achieve was the Foundation", first a 501(3) c non-profit organization of several "D"marie advocating and re-entry Ambi’ance andMagazine at-risk-youth productions servicesininSouthern Los Angeles. California. This affair was the first of several "D"marie and Ambi’ance Magazine productions in Southern California. The "Night of Love Musical Showcase" was Ambi'ance Magazine's jump start of our 2nd The "Night yearofofLove exciting Musical fashions, Showcase" comedy, was music, Ambi'ance and artistic Magazine's expressions jump start in Southern of our 2nd California. year of exciting fashions, comedy, music, We have andhighlighted artistic expressions some of the in Southern most popular California. and hottest We have newhighlighted artists in the some business. of the most The popular and hottest newamazing artists inpart theofbusiness. this was, The that amazing three of the partfive of this actswas, performing that three were of doing, the fivewhat actsamounted performing were doing, what amounted to an to encore performance. an encore performance. RipleyRipley Fairchild, Fairchild, Mark Mark Howard, Howard, Lamont Lamont Wheat, Wheat, CaroleCarole Gray, Gray, and Schatar Sapphira have and Schatar all been Sapphira there for Ambi'ance have all been Magazine there for from Ambi'ance the beginning (as Magazine were from the beginning (as comedians Derrick Ellis and Black Kasper), sowere it would comedians only beDerrick fitting that Elliswhen and Black we decided Kasper), to highlight so it would thisonly year’s be fitting hot new thatR& when B phenomenon, we K.D. Brosia, we called decided on our to dear highlight friends thistoyear’s help us hotout. new This R& Bwas phenomenon, a full circle affair, K.D. Brosia, considering we called we hosted on ourthis fundraiser, atthe-same place dear friends we launched to helpour us own out. This magazine was arelease full circle party-The affair, considering Celebrity Center. we hosted this fundraiser, at-the-same place we launched our own magazine release party-The Celebrity Center. Our grown & sexy artists had The Celebrity Center buzzing with enthusiasm and excitement! They had that Hollywood crowd reminiscing about the "Frankie Beverly, Luther Vandross, and Phyllis Hyman days at "Humphreys by the Bay" concerts in San Diego or Washington, D.C.'s "Rock Creek Park". The always tantilizing Lamont Wheat, gave his best performance to date. Lamont had the audience primed for more. Ripley Fairchild blessed with a three octave vocal range, lived up to her billing. She gave it to them raw and with unbridled emotion. No wonder they call Ripley the "Ninth Wonder of the World". Mark Howard had the place in spasms with his fast pace comedy tidal wave. It was very difficult to stop laughing at this veteran of Comic View and Def Comedy Jam. His political and social jabs were cutting edge stuff! Of course, there was K.D. Brosia, five piece band and all. He showed The Celebrity Center, Los Angeles and all that mattered that OLD SKOOL is back! These rising stars are confident, kool, attractive, talented and ready for the prime time ! Remember these names; Ripley Fairchild, Lamont Wheat, Mark Howard, and K.D. Brosia. They’re here to stay, and we know that no matter what their destiny is, Ambi’ance Magazine will continue to support them.
Special Thanks To Photographers; Donna Dymally Ron Morales Dark Gable Sandy Schwartz
Ripley Fairchild- R&B Vocalist/ Model
Jonathan Fields- CEO/Editor-n-Chief Ambiance Magazine
LInda Leak- KTST FM Producer
Mr and Mrs MDirk Davis- CEO of Tudor Productions/Music Producer
Greg Labauckie- Celebrity Center Director of Entertainment/Promotions
Mark Howard- Def Jam/ Comic View Comedian
Cerdan Smith- Artist & Founder of Cerdan Designs, Inc
Carole Gray- Vocalist/ Internationally Fly Nails Spokesperson
K.D. Brosia - International R&B Singer
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Fans of KD’s Music
Lamont Wheat- Singer/Activist
Mercylym-Merci Dean
Heather D'marie Marsh- International Model/ Ambi'ance Magazine VP of Operations
Schatar Shappira- Actress/ Author/Speaker
KD’s drummer
KD’s bass guitarist
Coming soon, "Rip The Runway"- Featuring Heather D'marie Marsh