communique Magazine Issue 01 by communique_Magazine

Contents Table of

Letter From The Editor

You. Have. Cancer.

Revealing the Layers of Truth

The Happiness in My Pursuit

Education Challenges as a Result of the Covid-19 Pandemic

Doris Garrett Continues Her Husbandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Legacy

Anticipate | Graduate | Celebrate

From the Church Choir to the Hamilton Stage

Jennifer Simmons: An Artist on The Rise

The Storyteller Strategist

Their Happy Spot in Life: At Home with The Doctors

GoldGanq is Coming

Parenting... In Pink

The Beauty of a Blessed Business

Love in the Time of Corona

My Wellness and Social Acceptance

How to Avoid COVID-19 Lung Complications

Forever is a Lie

Beauty & The Barber Shop

Presenting Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Gaskins

Through the Lens

Is It Time for a Change?

Black Lives Matter: Police Brutality and Racial Profiling

Vanessa Henderson, Building a Legacy to Last a Lifetime Contemporary Expressions

Domestic Abuse/Violence &

Seafood Bandits Capture the Food Truck Scene

Traveling to Ghana

COVID-19

Music is always in Style

101

4,718 Days: My IVF Love Story

103

Letter From the Editor communiqué Magazine is an international publication that represents men, women, and children from several different countries. Each issue represents the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement. Everyone has a story. communiqué Magazine takes the message out of the story to deliver quality, relatable articles that inspire, teach, and encourage all readers. The world is undergoing a shift and the fallout from so much sudden change is painful. I send my most sincere condolences and sympathy, and much needed empathy, to the families that have lost loved ones due to these globally recognized situations that have touched the citizens of the world. Racism and Covid-19 are two problems that people are faced with. Each is a specific problem, and each is a problem toward a specific group of people. Both impact all people. The racial injustice towards black people is very wrong and heart-wrenching. The uncharted territory of the coronavirus is fearful and life changing. My prayer is that peace and well-being will encompass our world. In this issue the intention is to give you, the readers, articles about people that are conscious about their inner feelings, their outward display of actions and humanity, and celebrate the accomplishments of youth. The theme of self-awareness, family, education, fashion, food, music, entertainment, travel, and health is presented throughout this issue from beginning to end. We are proud to feature Tina Lifford as the cover story. Tina shares a deeper look into her initiative, ‘The Inner Fitness Project’ in the article, ‘Forever is a Lie’. Our feature stories highlight topics such as albinism, grief, perseverance, and music memories of the legendary Al Jarreau. Other stories will ignite and excite you as we unveil memories from Doris Garrett about the legacy of Shelly Garrett Entertainment, we share in the excitement of one family in Dubai about the upcoming birth of their first baby girl, and we capture the story of one Tennessee, USA photographer’s view of a wedding during this ‘new normal’ of social distancing. Thank you for taking time to read communiqué Magazine. This inaugural issue is dedicated to my daughter Brittni Alana Janai Cowart. She is my only child. I didn’t have many children, but I have the best there is and she is undoubtedly my reason for living. Find your purpose in life and cherish it. With appreciation, C.

BLACK

LIVES MATTER

COMMUNIQUÃ&#x2030; MAGAZINE

A Look into The Life and Music of

Chris Walker

by Corretta L. Doctor Chris Walker is standing on the wings of one of the most recognized names and identifiable voices in the music industry: the legendary Al Jarreau. Serving as Music Director for Jarreau, until his passing in 2017, Chris is now focused on keeping the music of Al alive. Chris was the middle son of three boys and one girl, born in Houston, Texas where they were raised in in a home that provided confidence, stability, and every basic staple needed to be great in this world. Looking at the image of young Chris Walker, I see an innocent young man that was a senior in high school when this picture was taken. Chris and his siblings grew up in a trusting and close knit, predominantly African American, neighborhood. Like most African American neighborhoods, there were liquor stores and churches on every other corner. Chris remembers growing up surrounded by Pastors and musicians; two professions that made little money in those days. 5

Outside of his parents, Chris’ high school band director, Dr. Robert Morgan aka “DOC” lit a fire under him and was very instrumental in Chris’ development. Chris tells communique’ Magazine that “DOC” treated all of them like professional musicians and gave them the foundation to excel in the music business. Chris adds, “In fact, as a gesture of gratitude and appreciation, I co-founded a nonprofit organization called DocFest (www. docfestjazz.org) to honor his legacy and raise scholarship funds for HSPVA jazz students. He’s definitely part of my family and we meet and speak regularly”.

“When you realize you can, you must.” –Al Jarreau Chris’ parents are given the biggest credit for his lifelong musical career that started when he was just a child. Chris is a professional musician with 34-years under his belt and he has no intention of stopping now. His father was the driving force behind the early years and musical talents of the family. If we had to compare, it was somewhat, a ‘Joe Jackson’ type scenario. He instilled a strong work ethic in the family’s musical journey from day one and never stopped encouraging the children. He was a father that instilled true stage readiness and musical education, along with a firm belief in perfection. He formed a family gospel group called ‘The Walker Brothers. The oldest of the Walker boys, Charles, led most songs and played guitar. Chris’ youngest brother, Ernest, played drums, and Chris had a dual role: he played bass and sang. Chris started out playing drums, but his father decided he should play bass. Chris shares, “He placed it in my hands upside down because I’m left-handed.” and that is where the magic of Chris’ music took off. Chris attended the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA) and it was a cultural melting pot filled with diversity. In 1986 he attended The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, in New York. His first gig playing bass was at a club called Michele’s for a wage of just five U.S. dollars. Chris would eventually land a job working part-time in the dean’s office. Today, Chris plays the bass guitar, drums, piano, guitar, and he is considering the trumpet. Heading toward four decades of greatness, Chris is an admirable leader and great musician in the industry.

The music business extends great influence to those watching them and esprit de corps is evident among the industry. It is a respected field of professionals that mentor and train up younger musicians to become masters at the craft, this bears particularly true in the jazz genre. It is no different than what Chris’ dad instilled in him and his brothers. From the beginning Chris learned what music mentoring means. When we asked Chris, to share a story of personal growth and/or a struggle that he overcame, Chris gladly shared a humbling moment from his past. “Upon graduating from HSPVA, I wanted to attend The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in NY. I submitted an application and was accepted. Unfortunately, my parents couldn’t afford the tuition and I saw my dreams of becoming a professional musician in jeopardy. I couldn’t allow that to happen and the Holy Spirit clearly told me to go to New York (NY) anyway. I sold my bass amp for $240 and purchased a one-way ticket to NY with $200. I walked into the kitchen with my bags packed and told my parents that I was moving to NY. They were shocked and didn’t know what to say. I landed in NY with $40 and a dream. I knew one guy, Justin Page, and he allowed me to stay at his place. I visited the New School the very next day. When I walked into the building the first thing I heard was a jazz ensemble jamming in the auditorium. I stepped inside to check it out and they noticed I was carrying a bass. They invited me up to play and the dean and instructor over the jazz program happened to walk in while I was playing and offered me a full scholarship. I enrolled later that day and a new chapter in my life had begun”. Chris definitely demonstrated a walk-in-faith. As he left Houston to do what many endeavor, Chris pressed his way to the big city of bright lights and hopeful futures of communiqué Magazine

moment that peaked his career high, “performing in South Africa for the first time as a solo artist, to an audience of 12,000 was surreal. I felt a spiritual connection with the audience and always look forward to performing there”.

Chris Walker – 12th Grade, High School Days success. Without a doubt, Chris was led by faith. He was guided with what he knew best, the promises of the Word. Along with his meek beginnings, his $40, and a dream, he never forgot his home training and proper values that were instilled in him by his two loving parents. “A professional life in the music business is not for the faint of heart. You have to want it like breathing and rise above many challenges”, Chris advises. What matters most to Chris, in life and in music is his belief that we were created to encourage and uplift each other. Chris says, “One day I would like to lead a humanitarian effort, combined with music, to eradicate starvation all over the world.” That is where his heart lies, that is his mission and with his determination, it will come to fruition. Chris acknowledges that many sacrifices have been made in pursuit of music. Chris tells us that his wife, Natalie, has been extremely supportive throughout his career. “While I was out touring the world, she handled everything at home, especially looking after our son Christopher who is now 25 years old. As a family, we've traveled to many parts of the world that most people dream about. The opportunity for our son to experience so many different cultures, at an early age, has definitely changed his perspective on life. He’s very compassionate and considerate of others and their circumstances”. Serving as the current Musical Director for Regina Belle & his two-decade stint with Al Jarreau are certainly life changing moments in Chris Walker’s career. In addition, performing with Ornette Coleman & PrimeTime, Bob James, Jimmy Heath, Gil Evans Orchestra, and so many more professionals, round out a list of his most memorable times in music. We asked Chris to tell us about a big 7

When Al died, February 12, 2017, Chris was devastated, he said. “The Holy Spirit clearly instructed me to honor his incredible music and legacy. I coproduced We’re In This Love Together – Celebrating Al Jarreau with my dear friend Larry Williams and Al’s spirit guided us every step of the way. This was a very emotional process for me and many times scary. I started questioning whether I could deliver the songs in a manner that accurately represented Al. I recall being in the studio recording Take Five with Larry & Mark Simmons. After listening to the playback, Larry turned to me and said, " The baton has officially been passed.” At that moment all of my fears went away”. Chris Walker is an amazing musician and works from a place of passion. His love and masterful approach to his music reflects his tenured career. He is a super musician with a bright personality. He is Christcentered and a family-oriented person with a huge heart and love for the art. Visit, follow and bookmark Chris Walker’s social media sites: https://chriswalkersmusic.com https://www.instagram.com/chriswalkerchat/ https://www.facebook.com/chriswalkersmusic/ For Media, Public Relations and Booking, contact Management for Chris Walker: Sonny Abelardo Management 407-628-4231 office

Chris Walker at Sun Arena in Pretoria, South Africa

g n i l a e v Re

the Layers of Truth

by Corretta L. Doctor Latisha B. Russell is on a mission to reconcile tragedy, restore hope, and relieve stigma among those who have endured childhood sexual abuse and trauma. Latisha’s goal comes full circle by creating a brave space for candid, educational conversations that expose the true impact of the atrocities of sex offenses that teens and young adults endure. Her experience with childhood sexual trauma is firsthand, she is a victim and she is a survivor. Her beautiful smile comes with a painful story behind it, and a message of transparency that we all need to live by. Latisha currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia. She was born and raised in Gary, Indiana. She grew up with her two older brothers in a single parent household with their Mother. Growing up, she suffered sexual abuse and trauma at the hands of her stepfather, her mother’s second husband. Latisha witnessed her Mother being abused and no one wants to see their Mom physically

beaten. That was a vision of battery and assault on her Mom that etched itself into her mind and left Latisha angry. As Latisha grew up she couldn’t shake those memories, nor the tragedy that left her spirit battered. Those memories were living inside of her and they hardened Latisha’s heart. She became a two-sided woman that needed to show a public face of strength during the day at her corporate Human Resources job, while struggling outside of work in her social and family circles with a private face of imbalanced emotions and aged anger. The double emotional split left Latisha emotionally weak. Latisha created a new persona, she loved who she became, but she still hid a part of her physical and emotional self. More than 11 years ago Latisha was diagnosed with alopecia, that is the term referred to as pattern baldness and is defined as the partial or complete absence of hair from areas of the body, such as the head and face, where it normally grows . That diagnosis was communiqué Magazine

devastating to Latisha, already living with Lupus, she now had another emotional setback each time she looked in the mirror. Her hair was noticeably thinning, and she vowed to keep this hair loss a secret. She jumped on the hair ‘fad’ bandwagon and purchased a collection of wigs and began wearing weaves for years to come. Eight years later in 2019, Latisha had enough, she was finally tired of the expense, and point blank, she no longer wanted to live ‘the fraud’. The fraud was her lying to herself and to her family. They did not know what was going on underneath her layers. In an effort to keep her story alive, along with her self-esteem, she told her husband that she was planning for a new beginning with her hair, a totally new style, and she would start by cutting her hair. Coming from under a shell is revealing. It is a tough decision to take off our mask and shed our shame and stigmatic layers. The layers of truth set Latisha free. Latisha’s husband offered her a blanket of support, yet he never knew what was, or wasn’t, underneath her false hairstyle. He had never seen Latisha without a fabulous hairstyle and when he finally did, without hesitation, her husband of whom she had been married to for five years, showed his support. Never seeing Latisha with a bald head made no difference to him. He encouraged Latisha to make

the change and flaunt whatever hair style she wanted to. He recognized her inward beauty and the love radiates from there. Carrying a full armor of support from her husband, Latisha made the decision to go public with her baldness and from there alopecia and all that comes with it became part of her platform. Latisha adds, “In full disclosure and transparency I was terrified of what my husband would think, and I wondered if he would love me after seeing my bald head!”. Imagine the fear of presenting a new image of you to a man you have been married to for five years. Imagine never being free to shampoo your hair, have him run his fingers across your scalp nor swim without the fear of revealing your hair secret. This is the same pressure that victims carry inside when they cannot release their anger, pain, or trauma filled past. Latisha is blessed to have the strength of diamonds and the courage to breathe freely from both areas of inward dissatisfaction and traumatic childhood distress on her emotions. She learned how to be F-RE-E. Latisha continues, “ I was afraid of what people would say, think and feel. I didn't know how I would explain this walking into Corporate America or if I even needed

to. Being bald for some time now, I am more confident, free, and I fully know that I am NOT defined by my hair. It started with me accepting myself, then the stamp of approval from the love of my life as he kissed, hugged and said, I Love you and I am here”. The truth must come from you before it goes anywhere else. You have to know what truth is to you. Society throws the term ‘truth’ around like air, but that word is heavy and requires a lot to lift it. When you cannot fully live your truth, you will find a million excuses why. Excuses come in the form of shame and discouragement, but truth- your truth- banishes those things and sets you completely free. The most important message Latisha offers is “to own your truth, never allow anyone or anything to take that away from you! Be a catalyst for change in whatever manner that looks like for you and lastly, do it afraid”! Latisha is the author of ‘The Naked Truth: From Pain to Triumph’ a memoir of her life. The book unfolds with a transparent writing of how Latisha dealt with her own childhood sexual abuse, depression, thoughts of suicide, and dealing with alopecia. “I had to finally do it for me and my girls. I talked myself out of it so many times and for most of my life, I've done things for others and not for myself. This would be my legacy, my go forward and my "coming" out. As I began writing, I struggled with remembering things and while certain memories are still foggy, I remember it most, I was ABUSED, my childhood was stolen from me so although writing was difficult, It was time for me to fight back”!

happy life and is executing a purposeful mission. She knows the benefits of releasing the façades that we use to cover our pain. Whether it is a wig, a weave or some other add on, we can let it go. The broad horizon that now sits in front of Latisha is lighting the way for you, too. She relies on her strength when standing on stages across the country to give her the words to enlighten audiences. Motivation through messages of experience comes with a great value. People love to hear from people that have been through some things and have come out on the brighter side. Through her own efforts and the support of her family and great network, Latisha is a beaming light that shines brightly everywhere she goes. Visit www.LatishaBRussell.com to learn more and stay connected on social media @LatishaBRussell. This liberated adult is a hero to many and a Blessing to everyone. The naked truth prevails, and Latisha is inspiring the world by sharing her journey.

Latisha is living a promising communiqué Magazine

from the educator’s perspective

EDUCATION CHALLENGES AS A RESULT OF THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC

Jay W. Foreman Best-selling author, keynote speaker, leadership trainer Jaywforeman.com As a leadership trainer and adjunct college instructor, I have seen firsthand the teaching challenges resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic. I have also seen the benefits. Let’s start off with a few of the pros before we dive into the cons. Through virtual teaching (via Zoom, Web X, or whichever platform we choose to use), instructors have seen a spike in attendance. More folks are participating. There are many factors that may lead to this, but the fact remains, classes are on average larger. They are also more eclectic. Naturally, with growth, there will be some diversity. Both of these attributes are great for teaching. Now for the flipside. My number one issue with virtual teaching is that it is much more difficult to “read the room.” In a live setting, sometimes just by recognizing the looks on some students’ faces, a good facilitator knows when to dive deeper into a subject. These same looks on students’ faces may also alert a good facilitator as to when it’s time to move on to another topic. This level of intimacy is somewhat lost when teaching virtually. On most virtual platforms, the participants don’t even have to show their live feed. Each individual can put up a static image. This makes it next to impossible for the instructor to see how his or her teaching is being received during the course of the session.

Another challenge that I, along with several of my colleagues, am facing is balancing teaching with empathy. Good teachers will always include empathy as well as discernment in their approach. However, these days, empathy is more important than ever. We know that Covid-19 will end. We just don’t know when. And details about it seem to change by the hour. Some have lost their jobs. Others have lost their lives. It’s a serious and a scary time. Most folks’ number one concern is not about their degree or their job advancement or whatever reason they may be taking an online class. Their number one concern is about their family and friends and their overall well-being. I have found that until students know that we, as teachers, understand that…and more importantly, let them know that we understand that…they are not as receptive to learning as they may have been in the past. Finally, I am a huge fan of hands-on learning, team building activities, and projects that really drive home the point. My favorite Ben Franklin quote is, “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” Virtual teaching obviously limits this aspect of learning. I don’t care how dynamic of a speaker one may be, only so much can be retained from straight lecture. This kind of teaching also limits discussion among students, which it vital to the health of a class. I always emphasize that it is egotistical for any instructor to think that a student is going to glean everything he or she needs directly from the course material being taught. Different student perspectives are not just appreciated, but vital to the overall teaching of any subject. This, unfortunately, gets severely restricted by online teaching. At the end of the day, I’m glad we have virtual teaching to fall back on during these crazy times. And I know teachers out there are making the best of it and I pray God blesses each and every one of them. These are difficult times, but I don’t hear many complaints. What I see are teachers and students rolling with the punches and finding new and effective ways to successfully teach and learn. And that…is what education is all about. communiqué Magazine

Anticipate | Graduate | Celebrate The COVID-19 global pandemic interrupted businesses and shutdown educational institutions for everyone. Dekiyah Doctor, a Hampton, South Carolina teen, joined millions across the world in anticipation of walking across the stage to signify completion of the 2020 school year. Dekiyah is a class of 2020 graduate of Wade Hampton High School where the traditional graduation ceremony was modified. The school held the graduation, however, it was limited to only two guests per graduate. Other family members and friends had to watch it via an online link. As with most teens, there are days when Dekiyah felt like giving up or not giving it 100%. As a part of the Class of 2020, she has had her Senior year cut short with no Senior Trip, prom, Senior Skip Day, and all of the joys that come with being a high school Senior. With a 4.290 grade point average, Dekiyah has been an Honor Student all 12 years of her school tenure. She consistently remained on either A/B or Principal’s Honor Roll. She remained an active member of the National Beta Club, National Society of High School Scholars, a Life Scholarship Recipient, Academic Excellence Awards all four years of high school, Career and Technology Education (CATE) completer in Early Childhood Education and General Management (Business), South Carolina Ready to Work Silver Credential, and the South Carolina Ready to Work Essential Soft Skills Certification. Can you say she has solidified the foundation to make her career workforce ready? Without a doubt, she has, and she is well prepared to begin her next phase of education at the collegiate level. High school, in my day, used to be a systematic journey of going from ninth grade to twelfth grade, and obtaining accolades along the way for participating in sports, music and industrial training, such as metal or woodworking shop. Now, high school focuses closer on preparation for life in a highly technological world filled with many different opportunities than in the mid 80’s as I was a high schooler. These days high schoolers are intellectually challenged in ways never before. Technology surely up-leveled high school education. Gone are the days of watching the typewriter keys go up and down and smelling the eggs cooking in home economics class. Dekiyah was raised in a single parent home consisting of her mom, Dwana, and two older brothers Kelvin aged 28 13

and Dondre aged 25 . She was always a happy and busy child. Her leadership skills began to blossom in her Head Start program when she took every opportunity to be the leader. She attended the Head Start early education program in Estill, South Carolina. Dekiyah is surrounded by family members that held education goals beyond high school. Dekiyah’s mom is the Executive Director at Hampton County First Steps, a nonprofit agency dedicated and focused on getting children (0-5 years old) ready for school and life success. She is a graduate of South Carolina State University with a bachelor’s degree in Family & Consumer Science with a concentration in Child Development. Dekiyah’s dad, Derrick Best, was a graduate of Estill High School and attended Denmark Technical College. Dekiyah’s two older siblings also attended college. Kelvin attended Technical College of the Lowcountry, and Dondre graduated from South Carolina State University on a full athletic scholarship majoring in Sports Medicine. At the age of 10 Dekiyah lost her father, Derrick, to Lymphoma, a form of cancer. This was devastating to young Dekiyah. As a pre-teen, the loss of a parent is unexpected and can be emotionally damaging. Although it knocked her down, it did not knock her out. With the help of her supportive family, she continued to excel academically and socially. Dekiyah won the title of 2016 -2018 Young Miss Jabberwock Delta Sigma Theta of the Denmark Alumnae Chapter. Her superior fundraising efforts and monologue performance, a literary piece dedicated to Black Lives Matter, contributed to her successful win. Within the past year, while maintaining an ‘A’ average, she became a young entrepreneur by turning her hobby of bracelet making into a business. Dekiyah is the owner of ‘Kiyah’s Kouture’, where she has customers throughout South and North Carolina, and as far away as Missouri. She offers personalized bangles and examples of her work can be found on her social media pages, both FaceBook and Instagram. She plans to continue her business while attending college and is considering expanding to an online store. With the turn of events in the U.S. that have severely impacted the employment situation, and after the layoffs and closures of many businesses due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of adults are turning to self-employment and entrepreneurship is on the rise across all age groups. With an early start on understanding how to manage a business,

In Spite of the Educational System Shutdown, Graduate

Dekiyah Doctor Finishes 2020 Strong

communiquĂŠ Magazine

Dekiyah is preparing for her independent financial future. Mentorship is important, at any age, but particularly for an aspiring young girl, highly educated, and filled with a world of possibilities towards her success. Dekiyah’s mentor is her mother, Dwana, who she admires and looks up to in all aspects. When you are outstanding others take notice. Twyla Kelly, Dekiyah’s first grade teacher had this to say: “Dekiyah was my 1st grade student and I have followed her from that time until the present. Throughout the years, Dekiyah has actively participated in our school district job shadowing program and she has come to Ben Hazel Elementary School, located in Hampton, SC, to complete her service hours for Teacher Cadet. Her caring nature and personality allows her to work well with others in a team setting, as well as respects others' opinions even when they differ from her own. Throughout the years of knowing Dekiyah, she has demonstrated openness and empathy for others, along with the ability to serve. All of these qualities make her an outstanding student and future leader”.-Twyla Kelly Dekiyah's grandmothers, Pearline Heyward and Vivian Best-Murdaugh played an integral part in raising her. They are both business owners as well; Pearl's Professional Alterations, and Vivian is owner of Brian's Playhouse Child Development Center. When I asked Dwana, about Dekiyah’s characteristics, here is what she shared: Strength: Dekiyah’s strength is versatility. She may not always want or like to but is able to adjust to the different situations she faces. For example, adjusting from having a few classes online to having all classes online and not being able to interact with friends physically due to Covid-19. Humility: She always gives God and her family credit for her successes in life despite the hard work she has put into academics and business. Her favorite scripture is Psalm 23. Loyalty: Dekiyah shows loyalty to her church (before COVID-19) her family and in her business. She volunteers during youth events at both of her family’s churches, Antioch Christian Church where she is a baptized member and Jerusalem Baptist Church where she sings on the youth choir. She loves and supports her family by attending events and showing support. She is dedicated to her customers by providing quality customer service and getting orders out in a timely manner.

In addition to everything Dekiyah is doing, her Community Service and Volunteer projects include the following: Girl Scouts (2008-2018), a community project called H.Y.P.E, Healthy Young People Empowerment Diamond Butterflies Mentoring Group (2016- present), Volunteer with Hampton County First Steps during their community events, specifically for Breast Cancer Awareness, Annual Kids Health & Safety Fair and Child Abuse Awareness Month held in April of each year. Dekiyah plans to attend Greenville Technical College in Greenville, South Carolina to study Radiologic Technology. Following graduation from Greenville Technical College, she plans to seek employment while furthering her education in Radiology. communiqué Magazine wishes Dekiyah Doctor the absolute best in all of her future plans and congratulates her on an incredible school tenure that began in Head Start and lasted throughout her 12 successful years of school.

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Jennifer Simmons

An Artist on The Rise

Story by Michelle Alene The beauty of art is that it is perpetually evolving and being pushed to incipient heights with each generation of artists and Miss Jennifer Simmons is no exception to the rule. The 21-year-old from St. Louis, Missouri attended high school at Grand Center Arts Academy graduating in 2017. She is currently enrolled in a graphic design class at Kansas City Art Institute (KCAI). She is studying remotely due to the social distancing restrictions in place because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Jennifer also attended St. Louis Community College with a major in Animation and Graphic design. She discovered a passion for art at an early age focusing on anime and taking part in the anime club in high school. Anime, sometimes called Japanimation, is hand-drawn and computer animation originating from Japan. The term anime is derived from the English word animation, and in Japan is used to refer to all forms of animated media. Jennifer always dreamed of creating her own characters and is currently using her skills to be able to publish her own comic book. Jennifer deeply admires the work of Ross Draws who has influenced and inspired her. Jennifer expresses that in some circumstances characters of color in Anime are created and drawn without beauty and passion. Their features are often distorted with oversized lips or other stereotypical images. This is something she wants to change. If you love art Jennifer deserves to be on your radar. She adds immensely to the artistic dialogue with her unique visions, cultural creativity, and techniques. This young woman is focused and knows what she wants, she plans to one day work for Disney Animation in Japan. She loves to create characters that make people happy; art is her happy place. Jenniferâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s drawing, included in this article, is a character she is creating to present to Disney when fully realized. Her name is "Eco" and she is one of the characters in the comic 17

series "Reborn" that Jennifer is writing. Aside from her art she also loves cooking and baking pastries and sweets for her friends and family. Jennifer is an amazing talent with attainable goals. Discover more of her artwork by following her on Instagram at : @ creepyproxie45

T HEI R HAPPY SPOT IN L IFE: "AT HOME"... WITH TH E DOC TO R S

oes anyone ever dream the American dream anymore? What must that look like now? A look through a cloudy lens gives view to our uncertain future as Americans. We are all living in a country riddled with political injustice, an interrupted education system, a wicked number of unemployed workers, and a health crisis never seen before by today’s middle-aged citizens. Imagine the chaos that children must be internalizing on how life looks from their vantage point. We have to protect them, and their education. Imagine the parents having to rethink what an American home-life looks like now, especially younger parents that are in the prime of their lives. Fathers are learning to create a new peace in the home and sense of protection in a world that leaves everyone to wonder ‘what’s next?’ and mothers are clinging to the hope that their roles as leaders and trusted advisors for their children will steadily improve, even while the world unfolds with so many sudden changes. The dinner table became a school desk and office, the backyard became a schoolyard and truncated walk in the park, the kitchen became the cafeteria and break room, and the

bedroom became a place of spa-like refuge, while a walk around the neighborhood became a full adventurous field trip. Was this a bad thing? One Macon, Georgia family shares their success story on maintaining life, at a steady pace, during the world’s rat race amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, racial and political unrest, and social separation among families, friends, and colleagues. Meet the Doctor family. Parents, Jeremy Doctor and Adelia Wilder-Doctor are raising a beautiful family with their two children. They are a two-parent, two-earner household. Their daughter, Joy Doctor is seven years old and their son, Joel Doctor is five years old. Joy is a rising third grade student and Joel is a rising kindergarten student. They attend a local public elementary school in Macon, Georgia. Joy and Joel have attended a public elementary school since the beginning of their formal K-12 educations. The biggest cry for help is coming from parents across the globe that must put on a teachers hat for the first time and communiqué Magazine

out what we were doing and how long we were going to have to do it. Fortunately, Joy and Joel’s teachers put together amazing lesson plans with organized assignments, but we had to establish a system to execute on those plans. By week two, we decided to take on official roles”. Adelia is the Co-Principal, ELA & Social Studies Department Chair, Humanities Instructor, and Lead Nutrition Manager. Jeremy is the Co-Principal, Math & Science Department Chair, Physical Education Coach, and Lead Maintenance Technician. “As cute and funny as these titles are, dividing up the responsibilities helped us to stay organized through the chaos”. Children’s aspirations do not stop because the world pauses. Joy still shows a great interest in the arts. Any outlet that allows her to create or to be creative sparks her interest. She loves to sing, dance, write songs, design clothes for her dolls, draw, and experiment with nail polish, much to the detriment of the household carpet. Joel is a maker. He enjoys any activity that gives him an opportunity to tinker or create something new. He is very innovative and resourceful. He likes to turn the household’s trash into his treasures.

try to teach their children at home. This task may appear easier for Jeremy and Adelia because of their professions. Jeremy is an Educational Therapist at a school that services students with disabilities in the Middle Georgia area. Adelia is an Education Program Manager at an educational consulting and grant-writing firm that serves K-12 and nonprofit organizations. Prior to becoming parents, the Doctors discussed educational goals for their unborn children, but it was informal. After their children arrived, they became more strategic about where they wanted to live and where they wanted their children to attend school. There was never a discussion that could prepare Jeremy or Adelia to be unemployed, though temporarily, and teaching their children at home while the world’s educational system shut completely down. The Doctors give us a look into their first week of homeschool. “We were in survival mode. We did not have a formal schedule or set structure, we were trying to figure 19

communiqué Magazine: If you had to guess, what will each child become as an adult? Have you ever asked each child? Jeremy’s Response: “It’s weird to put these types of predictions on our kids. If I had to guess, I could see Joy being a businesswoman or an entertainer. She has mentioned wanting to be the first Black woman President. For Joel, I think it’s too early to tell. When his teacher asked him what he wanted to be, he said a police officer. However, I think that based on his interests he may become a builder or work in architecture. Who knows?” Adelia’s Response: “This is a tough question. I have not thought about what each of our kids will become. I have thought about who I want them to be though. I want them to grow up to be compassionate, caring, and conscious. I also want them to love what they do and celebrate who they are as young, gifted, Black children. Their answers to this question are also evolving. Joy wanted to be a doctor when she was three years old, a teacher when she was five, and now at seven she wants to be the first Black woman president. Joel has discussed wanting to work as a firefighter and a police officer. I will support whichever path they take, as long as they don’t settle. When you take your kids to a doctor for a check-up,

developmental milestones are usually discussed. At the base level, we wanted to ensure that our kids were meeting those developmental milestones, but we also wanted more for them. I wouldn’t say that we established any specific educational goals while planning a family, but we knew that we wanted to expose our kids to the world around them. I remember being pregnant and reading to my babies in the wound and playing music for them. I wanted them to know my voice, but I also wanted them to stimulate their minds and spark their imaginations and curiosities.” communiqué Magazine: What is your opinion on homeschooling for your children permanently? Jeremy’s Response: “No. (Laughing out loud) Although I’m professionally an educator, my level of patience is different with my children.” Adelia’s Response: “I’m not interested in homeschooling our kids permanently. Although I’m a certified educator, I like being able to compartmentalize the many aspects of my life. Before the COVID-19 shutdown, it was often difficult to draw a line between work and home. After the shutdown, the lines between work, home, and school completely disappeared. We have done our best to support our kids through this process because we understand how difficult this transition has been for them, however, I think we will all be relieved when they can safely return to school and reconnect with their teachers and friends.” Education is key and it goes without saying that this family is focused and understands how the blend of education and social interaction is vital to a child’s success. Jeremy and Adelia both are equipped with a solid education. Jeremy is a 2010 graduate of Clark Atlanta University where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration. Jeremy holds a Georgia educator certificate in Middle Grades Math and Special Education General Curriculum.

Adelia Wilder-Doctor is a 2011 graduate of Spelman College where she received a Bachelor of Arts in History and a 2017 graduate of Harvard Graduate School of Education where she received a Masters in Education (Ed.M.) as a member of the C’2017 Education Policy and Management program. Atlanta Photographer Kim Taylor, ‘Kimazing Photos’, captured the Doctor family photos in an exclusive photo session for communiqué Magazine. “They were incredible” Kim says. We agree that they are super incredible! The philosophy of family and educational characteristics of Jeremy, Adelia, Joy, and Joel give us a true glimpse at what an American dream looks like. The Doctor family looks to God, and their elders for guidance. They understand the importance of self-care and recognize that life can be intimidating and confusing. They leave this time-capsule message for their children: Joy and Joel: “Learn your limits because you do not have superhuman powers. Learn to set boundaries because your time and your needs are valuable. Take time to get to know yourself because your life has purpose and meaning. We are rooting for you!” - Mom and Dad Jeremy and Adelia are beautiful people, inside and out. They are great role models for their children. They identify their ‘happy spot in life’ as their home. The Doctors closed this interview with this, “Our home…. it’s where we laugh, cry, learn, and work through the murky stuff. It is a safe space, free of judgment, and filled with support. It’s where we do life together”.

communiqué Magazine

The Doctor Family

We hope that our story will inspire and uplift everyday parents who are just trying to get through life while making it meaningful and interesting for their children. We're not a glamorous family, nor do we try to be. We're just "us". We hope that our story will affirm all of the parents who are still working towards their dreams and goals while providing the space and support for their kids to do the same.

Jeremy, Adelia, Joel, Joy

k n i Parenting... In P

Maurice Hoover is a man to mention, in high regards, when having discussions on topics like ‘living your dream’, ‘achieving success’, and ‘parenting’. The eldest of two young men born to Sabrina Hoover Albany of Allendale, South Carolina, Maurice, and his family live, work and study in the United Arab Emirates. Maurice is married to Lebriz, and they have three young sons: Malakai Lavel Hoover age 10, Makani Lamont Hoover age 5, and Malik Lamar Hoover age 3. Maurice has a 15-year-old son, Noah, that is following in his father’s footsteps for the love of sports. Noah is playing for his school basketball team as well as an AAU basketball team. He is exceptionally smart and an Honor student in school.

Dubai working in the IT field.

Maurice loves being a Father. He has four sons. His brother, Chareek has one son. A family filled with males is interesting and filled with lots of sports talk during the holidays, but this holiday season will be different! There will be gifts wrapped in pink because Maurice and wife Lebriz will welcome their fourth child together, a baby girl. Finally, someone in the Hoover household, aside from Mom, will wear pink and Mom can share her fun-loving, girly ideas and plans with their new bundle of joy. Maurice’s mother, Sabrina, has no daughters or granddaughters , until now. Welcoming a baby girl is a big deal for this family! LeBriz’s Mom is also overly excited and is Growing up in a small rural town located 75 miles south anxiously awaiting the arrival of the new baby girl. of Columbia, the state capitol, Maurice endeavored to live a prosperous and fascinating life, starting with his love for the sport A gender reveal party held MAY 4, 2020 in Dubai, United Arab of basketball. Living in a bustling middle eastern country did Emirates near the family’s home on Palm Jumeirah was captured not happen by chance. After graduating from Allendale-Fairfax in the photos by HAKOOM Photography. Lebriz, showing her High School in 2002 Maurice attended college, graduating from baby bump, wore a beautiful all-blue dress, Dad wore a pink Wingate University in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science degree shirt with dark blue trousers. The three brothers wore plaid in Biology. From there Maurice relocated to Bonn, Germany shirts, comprised of pink and blue interwoven squares and khaki to play semi-professional basketball for several years. Maurice shorts. Everyone wore smiles. The tension was high and then played in other locations around Germany such as Dusseldorf the gender was revealed…..explosions of pink everywhere! and Hilden. After incurring an injury to the shoulder that would The family will welcome baby girl Hoover this fall, we will limit his professional sports future, Maurice went back to school check in and update this story towards the end of the year! and received an Information Technology (IT) degree and is now Congratulations to the entire family and we send warm thoughts a Microsoft Certified Engineer and Cyber Security Engineer. and prayers for a healthy delivery of a beautiful newborn girl! Maurice worked in Kuwait for one year and now resides in communiqué Magazine

MOM INSPIRES DAUGHTERS TO OWN THEIR

Unique Beauty! by Paula Bernette Brooks

“God made all of us different so that we can make a difference! Aim to make a difference with the things that make you different. Mine is Albinism.” How surprising to find such a profound quote on the Facebook page of Ava & Logan Fullington! Ava is a ten year old young lady with Albinism who has been instilled with confidence and pride by her mother, LaWanda Patterson. Family and friends have also encouraged and supported Ava. It’s no wonder that Ava has come to love and accept her natural beauty at such a young age! LaWanda will quickly tell you that she had no knowledge of the condition when Ava was born, but she was surprised to find out that the African-American gene is very powerful. Albinism is characterized by a lack of pigment in the hair, skin and eyes. LaWanda stated candidly, “Ava still has a lot of questions about her condition, and I talk to her a lot. She asks questions like ‘Why is my hair blonde? Why is my eye color grey or blue or green and not like yours?’ These are the kind of conversations I have with her all the time about being different.” LaWanda continued fervently, “We are advocates for inclusion, diversity and self-acceptance! That is really our platform. I talk to Ava about how being different makes her unique and beautiful. As a 43 year old African-American woman, I didn’t see girls who looked like me depicted as beautiful in the media when I was growing up. I’m proud to see Logan and Ava become role models at such young ages. Their stunning visual images are part of the legacy that will impact their peers, children and future generations.” Lawanda is a busy mother of three girls, ages 10, 23

13 and 23, who has always taken time to talk to her daughters and ensure that they feel good about themselves! She is blessed to have a sister and best friend, Kiki Patterson Fullington, who supports her unequivocally. When asked how she has contributed to the positive mindset of her nieces, Kiki stated emphatically, “I speak it into existence! That’s what our mother did for us. She told us we were beautiful, smart girls. She stressed that we had to get good grades, and go to college. Since she didn’t have the money to pay for it, we had to obtain scholarships. Mom taught us there were no limitations and no excuses. Another lesson she instilled in us is that ‘Life doesn’t owe us anything’ and cares nothing about our sad stories. LaWanda and I have passed this wisdom to our children.” LaWanda is a math/science wiz who worked in the field of nuclear energy. She gave up the intense rigors of the job in order to spend more time with her daughters. Because of her STEM background, LaWanda was recruited to teach math in the public school system for several years. She now works contractually from home. She is delighted to have the time available to invest in seeking out opportunities for her two youngest girls. After attending an event in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, several people encouraged LaWanda to get headshots of Ava and put together a portfolio so she could pursue modeling. LaWanda immediately got busy scheduling photo shoots of Ava, because at first big sister Logan wasn’t interested. “Social media can be a negative experience, but it has helped me meet lots of wonderful people,

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who want to help me reach my goals,” LaWanda stated excitedly. “In 2018, Ava was discovered on Instagram by @castingwithkim and she was invited to audition for a major Hollywood movie. Although she wasn’t chosen for the role, Ava and Logan both say they would love to act. The same year, an Instagram friend of mine invited Ava and me to California. Her daughter, Lyric Wilson, played the part of “young Meg” in the movie ‘A Wrinkle in Time.’ Lyric also has blonde hair and blue eyes. So Ava and I flew out for the movie premiere, and the two girls did a fabulous photo shoot together. I couldn’t afford to take Logan, something she reminds me of to this day. From then on I decided never to do for one what I couldn’t do for both. Although somewhat shy, Logan decided she would also try modeling, and finally agreed to attend a photo shoot.” Mom, ever on the look-out for new opportunities, connected with Creative Soul Photography, producers of the Afro Art Calendar. In 2018, Ava and another Ava with Albinism were selected to grace the month of June in honor of Albinism Awareness Month. The following year Logan was also selected to represent the month of January in the calendar. The girls were next introduced to “Gabby Girl Hairbows.” They enjoyed marketing the bows at regional events and being photographed with the other “Girl Bosses.” They were thrilled when the line was picked up by Target. The girls also participated in International Women’s Empowerment Day this year. Their big break came when Ava and Logan were spotted on Facebook, and invited to sign up with Fashion Passport 365. The non-profit is a platform that affords young women the chance to model, attend photo/ video shoots, and hone their interview skills globally. When selected to attend the 2019 photo session in Italy, LaWanda sprang 25

into action. Although the trip was not in her budget, she knew that somehow, both girls had to go! She reached out on social media, and Ment Nelson, another South Carolina native decided to help. The trip was made possible when he shared the story on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, and donations poured in. Up until then, Allendale, South Carolina hadn’t been known for too many positive things. LaWanda described their small town of a little over 9,000 people as being crime ridden, with the worse roads in the nation. When congratulating their god-brother Bashaud Breeland on his part in the Kansas City Chiefs’ Superbowl win, Ava and Logan spoke candidly about their hometown, via a Facebook post. “Our beloved hometown of Allendale is a very poverty stricken, crime and drug infested city. Our school district has been taken over by the State twice. We are plagued with gun violence…all Black on Black crime. All odds are against us, but we continue to persevere in spite of difficulties, obstacles and discouragement from others!” More dedicated mothers, and fathers, like LaWanda are needed in order for the young people growing up there to thrive. LaWanda’s sister Kiki stated sincerely, “I so admire my sister because she is giving her girls a window to the world outside of our rural town. Through her efforts they get to see what life is like in the rest of our state, in the rest of our County, and actually around the world. She has taught them the necessity of taking risks in order to succeed. LaWanda helped Logan write this powerful statement, “Do something different every day! Something new, exciting and risky…the you of tomorrow will appreciate it!” Look out world! No telling what Ava and Logan’s next adventure will be, but acting lessons are definitely on the horizon! communiqué Magazine

"Fashionable expression is the definitive essence of the aboriginalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s connection to nature" - Sowele Model: Apollo Sadeek Location: Valley of Fire Nevada

infosowele@gmail.com @soweleproductions @soweleproductions

Sowele

Photographer

Love, and Craftivism, in the Time of Corona and the Textile Teachings of my Foremothers by Sigrún Braga. Guðrúnardóttir I first came across the term “craftivism” around the same time I started to work through several childhood traumas. Before that I had always been working with something in hands. I was raised by three generations of resilient and crafting women who, amongst other things, made bed linens from flower sacks imported from the U.S.A during World War II. My great grandmother, who lived through two world wars, taught me how to cross stich and never waste a single thread of yarn. Her daughter, my maternal grandmother and namesake, made most of her own clothes and taught me to appreciate various textiles. My mother and her 4 sisters also had regular gatherings of what they used to call “sewing-sundays” where they gathered at each other’s houses and made clothes for themselves and us, their children. I still remember lying under different dining room tables and listen to the soothing sound of heavy shears cutting through fabric on hard wooden tables. To me, that is the most relaxing sound there is.

The Craftivism Manifesto: “Craftivism is about raising consciousness, creating a better world, stitch by stitch...It’s also about sharing ideas with others in way that is welcoming, not dividing, and celebrating traditional skills in new ways. As well as remembering and respecting the makers that came before us, adding to the dialogue and leaving something for the next generations of crafters...Craftivists open minds and hearts. It (craftivism) is about connecting through, by and with craft and creating a more compassionate community.” www.craftivism.com/manifesto

Therefore, it comes as no surprise that I am a textile artist and a craftivist today. Textile saved my life; craftivism saved my sanity, and embroidery is my resistance. Through embroidery I connect with other people, I aim to open minds to the fact that Iceland is a very privileged country. It is also my wish that when people see my embroidery art in the form of yarn graffiti in public spaces, they open their hearts, gain more social awareness and find their own voice to speak out against social injustice. I know that is not a simple task. But at least I must try.

There is always room for more love in the world. The first artists were crafters. It is only recently, in historical time speaking, that art has been divided into sections or categories. It is a part of my craftivist’s vision that art should be available to everyone. I also believe that art and crafts can be a healing force,

sow seeds of knowledge, so to speak. Seeds that might even come into fruition later in life. And last but not least, I am certain that art and crafts are the perfect platform to break various stereotypes. You might ask yourselves how a cute, granny like doily can be an undercurrent in a gentle protest? The doily can be embroidered with beautiful and loving words and left out on a park bench for someone to take into their hearts, a positive affirmation of some sort. And that is compassion. When news of Covid-19 spread around the globe I was, like many, struck by disbelief. Honestly, I felt like the news were more like a dystopian fiction rather than actual news. But as time passed, I came to realize that this was no regular “flu”, like my GP told me at the beginning of February. The harsh truth struck the world like a trauma does and people acted out like they do when trauma hits; a tangled mess of emotions like compassion, denial, rage, sorrow, anger, isolation….all very “normal” reactions to an “abnormal” reality. The weeks went by, my family and I were socially distancing and all of a sudden, I had Dionne Warwick’s voice on my mind singing on repeat:

goes without saying. But they also deserved a “thank you” note from someone who appreciated them for keeping the public safe while away from their own families and friends. Because when they got home their workload was far from over, given they had families. I found pieces of soft, black textile that I had kept, mostly due to my grandmother’s lessons of preserving good textile that “just might come in handy later on”. On one piece I embroidered “Takk” which translates as “Thank you” along with a big shining heart. I also embroidered the sentence “You are doing a good job” along with a pink 3D heart from my daughter’s old winter jacket. Again, something that I had kept because I knew it would come in handy one day. I mounted the “You are doing a good job” on a lamp post next to the parking ticket vending machine in order for more people to read. I decided to mount the “Thank you” embroidery on lamp post in front of the main ER Reykjavík. As I was mounting the embroidery, the receptionist came outside and asked what I was doing. I explained that I was paying a homage to the hospital’s hard-working women and she was quite perplexed, but also glad. Out came more women. All were members of staff and they began to take pictures. They were touched and surprised.

I decided to spread some love. Through embroidery.

My mission was complete. My mission of generating more compassion and kindness towards those whose worked hard to kept us safe and sound during a world crisis. A friend who works in the hospital’s administrative office heard about my craftivism series through his colleagues and reported on the project on the hospital’s staffs’ website.

I wanted to recognize the importance of women’s work in the hospitals, nurses and especially of the licensed practical nurses. Many of whom are immigrants. I wanted to pay my respects. The yarn graffiti was meant to be a homage to the working women at the hospitals during Covid-19.

My embroidery had served its purpose. Love, sweet love, had been shared. The teachings of my great grandmother, a woman who was born in 1901, helped to spread sweet love in 2020. A small seed sown almost 40 years ago came into fruition.

You see, the working women were not only fighting a virus. They were also fighting for fair pay for their relentless work. These hard-working women deserve fair pay, that really

Takk, langamma! Thank you, great grandma!!

“What the world needs now is love, sweet love It's the only thing that there's just too little of.”

Respiratory Disease Experts Advise on How to Avoid COVID-19 Lung Complications The cystic fibrosis community is at high risk for serious complications from COVID-19. Through a recent survey of the online patient and caregiver CysticFibrosis.com community (200+ participants) conducted by the nonprofit CFTechnology.org, we discovered that CF patients are faring quite well at home. This is in great part because they are the original experts at avoiding germs and maintaining respiratory health. It is worth noting that the CF population live with some of the world’s most threatening bacteria permanently inhabiting their lungs. From a survey responder (a patient from Wisconsin) we learn that “the rest of the world is now being asked to live how we live every day so I'm able to have different and more valuable conversations with people.” The survey revealed insight from this community with extensive experience with respiratory illness that could help all of us survive this pandemic. By following these protocols, here are some proactive ways you may be able to prevent serious complications from the virus. 1. SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19 Any of the following: loss of smell, dry cough, intense chills, headaches, fever, diarrhea, shortness of breath, ear pain, intense chest/back body aches. 2. KEEP FEVER UNDER CONTROL A cold compress (for sweating), blankets (for chills), and lots of liquids (for dehydration) can be helpful in allowing your fever to naturally run its course which evidence shows may help boost your immune system. Follow the guidance of your doctor to keep your fever under control so that you feel better, upright and moving.

Between naps try to move as you did before you felt ill. Do not allow yourself to just lay around all day. Prop yourself up on many pillows and change positions multiple times per hour. This will help avoid secretions from pooling in certain areas of your lungs. Consider laying on your stomach so the greatest areas of your lungs on your back can still expand or even inverted. If possible, get up and get your own food and drink. Your lungs need the movement. Breathing deeply as one does during exercise and engaging your diaphragm allows your lungs to open up and helps keeps your airways clearer. 4. BREATHING EXERCISES Use this breathing technique to keep airways clear - Take a deep breath in through the nose and hold for 5 seconds then exhale through your mouth. Do this 5 times and on the 6th exhale as far as you can until you cough. Repeat this process 2 times. Sit or lay and for 5-10 minutes every couple of hours and do deep breaths from your diaphragm (belly up and down) to get air into the smallest of airways deep within your lungs. Demonstration: https://youtu.be/WlRYWKMUi4Q 5. HUFF COUGHING Do not take cough suppressants or antihistamines unless directed by a physician. You want to be encouraging your body to cough not suppressing it.

3. STAY ACTIVE

If you have a dry cough or itchy throat drink tea or use a lozenge. If you have a wet cough, attempt to cough up secretions removing them from your body.

Pneumonia thrives in inactivity. Get up and walk outside (with distancing and a mask) or exercise at home.

Learn to huff cough - it’s more efficient than the typical method of coughing because it keeps your airway open. communiqué Magazine

Demonstration: https://youtu.be/2VI92MA9gHM 6. STAY HYDRATED TO DISCOURAGE PNEUMONIA Aim for half your body weight in ounces each day. This will help keep your airway secretions thinner and more likely to be mobilized. Consider adding electrolyte powder in it with some carbs is fine as you likely aren’t eating as much and this will give you energy. It will also cause you to have to get up to go the bathroom. Movement is good! You want to keep your lung tissue and secretions hydrated in order to discourage pneumonia. 7. MAINTAIN OPEN AIRWAYS Consider a hot steamy shower to help open your airways or use an inhaler every 4 hours or as prescribed by your doctor. Perform sinus rinses. Get a netipot, sinus rinse bottle or aerosolized saline and clear your sinuses where viruses try to hang out. 8. SUGAR Eat healthfully but most importantly try to eat even if you have no appetite. Resist the urge to eat sugary treats. Bacteria thrives on sugar and consumption raises your blood sugar level. Lungs circulate blood and it’s better for your blood to not have a large sugar supply for bacteria. Though COVID-19 is caused by a virus secondary bacteria infections can be involved in pneumonia. 9. GLOVES, MASKS AND DON’T TOUCH YOUR FACE When going out in public use this protocol to avoid germs. How to use gloves and mask - and get in the habit of using the inside of your shirt or a tissue if you must touch your face. N95s are best but anything is better than nothing. Consider purchasing a fabric mask from your local town Facebook page. Demonstration: https://youtu.be/FV1uLcEf3Ds

10. TELEHEALTH Contact your doctor when you first notice any symptoms. COVID-19 has brought about much needed changes for Telehealth. Insurance rules have changed and your physician and other health care providers now may get paid for phone and video conferences. Ask for it! Strides are being made with best practices for COVID-19 treatment and your doctor may have additional recommendations for you. From our survey we found that 88% of our CF community already utilize remote telehealth and video conferencing options. Says Jeanne Barnett founder of the on line CF community in 1996: “The CysticFibrosis.com community is predominantly tech savvy, familiar with telemedicine and are also used to pulling together, supporting one another, sharing advice and medical information; it is second nature to them.” We, as a CF community are doing everything to stay healthy and our mission is to have patients be able to access and follow their data, give permission for its use, and be compensated when it is used for research. We believe this is a 21st century job. Now, with the pandemic of COVID-19, as some are “donating” their plasma in hope of helping find a cure, it is becoming clearer that HUMAN DATA ECONOMICS needs to be researched and resourced. To find out more about our work at CFTechnology.org, please email us at info@cftechnology.org Jeanne Barnett, President and Founder of Cysticfibrosis. com and the non-profit: CFTechnology.org Lauren Brenneman with CF, VP, Director of Operations CFTechnology.org Demonstrations by Lauren Brenneman with CF

You. Have. Cancer. by Shannon Routh

The PapSmear does not test for ovarian cancer. In fact, there is NOT an accurate screening test. Wait! What?! That’s right…that’s not a typo. When you go in for your annual visit, you are NOT being screened for ovarian cancer; the PapSmear tests for cervical just like the mammogram tests for breast. Let that sink in while I share how I came to know this bit of information. In July of 2009 I had just returned home from a bucket list trip to France. While there, I had some severe cramping. I thought it was the rich French food. Or it could have been that I was about to start my period. When I came home, the pain continued. It was off and on but when it was on, it was on. I remember one day my husband and I were driving and one of the pains came on and it was so intense, I asked him to pull over and just stop the car. He told me this was not normal, and I needed to really see someone about this. I made an appointment with my gynecologist.

asked to put my feet in stirrups and slightly terrified when the tool (that had what looked like a condom on it) was presented and used for capturing images of my insides. As I lay there, feet in stirrups with a giant dildo-shaped camera taking photos of my insides, the imaging tech said…and I quote: “Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! How are you even able to walk?!” I was like what is it? What do you see? She said, “the doctor will have to go over the results with you.” Are you freaking kidding me?! I saw the doctor immediately after. She told me I had a large cyst, the size of a grapefruit on my right ovary. Normally people gasp when I say this. But I was diagnosed a few years prior with a condition called polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). So, for me to have a cyst was not that big of a deal. She scheduled me for surgery to remove the cyst. A few days later, the doctor called me. She told me she had run a blood test on me and that my numbers looked a bit high. The blood test was called a CA125. She said she felt more comfortable referring me to a Gynecologic Oncologist. This was the first time I had ever heard of an oncologist. I had no idea.

When I went to see her, she ordered a transvaginal ultrasound. I had always envisioned an ultra sound being done on my belly, so I was incredibly surprised when The weekend before my appointment, my sister and I went communiqué Magazine

to a wedding. We drank beer and danced the night away. It was a really fun night until what felt like a severe urinary tract infection (UTI) hit me and I was in absolute misery. My sister dropped me off and went home. The pain from the need to go to the bathroom was unbearable. So, my husband called the 800# on the back of our insurance card. The nurse suggested we go to the emergency room. It was after 11 on a Saturday night. I put on the baggiest pants I could find. At the time I was a size 6, but I had some loosefitting capri’s (you know from the fluctuating weight clothing pile). They were a size 10 and fell loosely around my hips. We went to the hospital, calling my mom along the way. The nurse at the front desk was rude and insensitive to me, and I also felt like she was not the nicest person she could be. She totally dismissed us and basically was like, “take a number”. So, we began our wait. And I do not think I have ever felt like I was as close to death as I did that night. The pain became so unbearable I could barely walk. I would go into cold sweats, hot sweats. My husband and mom pleaded with the Nurse to please just insert a catheter. But she would not. The pain became so bad, I literally laid on the emergency bathroom floor of a very public hospital on a Saturday night. And just before, I think, passing out from the pain, a nicer nurse came to grab me. She helped me to my feet and at this time, I could not even button my size 10 pants. To give you an idea of how much fluid I had in my bladder, the second…the actual second that a catheter was inserted, I released 1.5 liters of fluid. The delay in this important step of catheterization almost cost me my bladder function. I 35

had to wear a portable catheter for two weeks because my bladder was so stretched out this also meant that the doctor had to delay my surgery to remove my cyst. I was actually released from the emergency room Monday morning and went directly to my gynecologic oncology appointment. The doctor laid out a few options: 1) remove the cyst and possibly the ovary; 2) remover the cyst, the ovary and may find some cancer meaning both ovaries may need to come out; 3) may find advanced cancer, remove both ovaries and parts of your colon leaving you with a colostomy bag. I was in shock. How do you even prepare for that? I remember waking up from surgery and asking if I had an ovary… because if I had an ovary, that meant I could still have kids and that the likelihood of having cancer was minimal. The nurse said yes. You still have one ovary. I was so happy. I spent five days in recovery. And on the day I was being released, my doctor came into my room and said something I will NEVER forget. “Your pathology report has come back. You have a very aggressive form of ovarian cancer. We need to schedule you for a radical hysterectomy right away! I didn’t want to take both ovaries without being absolutely sure.” The doctor left. I buried my head into my pillows and blankets. I screamed. Then I cried a big nasty ugly cry with huge crocodile tears. Two weeks later, I had a radical hysterectomy. A few weeks later I started chemotherapy. I did six months of

chemotherapy.

Other symptoms of ovarian cancer can include: I have been cancer free since February 2010. • Fatigue • Upset stomach or heartburn Before I was diagnosed at 32 years old, I had never even • Back pain heard of ovarian cancer and my immediate thought when • Pain during sex I did hear about it was, “isn’t that something old people • Constipation or menstrual change get?!” The more I learned, the more I was freaked out. The American Cancer Society estimates that over 22,000 2. Listen to your body - if symptoms are new and persist for women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer while more than two weeks, it is recommended that a woman see 14,000 women will die from the disease. While the 11th her doctor, and a gynecologic oncologist before surgery if most common cancer among women, ovarian cancer is the cancer is suspected. fifth leading cause of cancer-related death among women and is the deadliest of gynecologic cancers. A woman's 3. Ask questions – ask questions in your family and with risk of getting ovarian cancer during her lifetime is about your physicians. You are your best advocate. Do not be 1 in 78. Her lifetime chance of dying from ovarian cancer embarrassed. is about 1 in 108. The 5-year survival rate once diagnosed is 46.5%. Some families have genetic history of ovarian or breast and there is genetic testing you can take to determine When I heard those three little words: you. have. cancer. if you are at risk. I was scared, numb, overwhelmed and I felt lonely. I became a robot; doing what I needed to do each day just So why the heck are we not talking about this? Why don’t to get through. During treatment, I felt a fire burning in women know there is not an accurate screening test? Why my soul. A calling. An awakening. I wanted more. More is there not an accurate screening test? I do not have the spirituality, more adventure, more love, more of what this answers to these questions however, I am now armed with life has to offer. I needed to connect with others. I could the knowledge of the symptoms. And I now know I must not find what I needed and so I created it. Shortly after my be my own advocate. Ovarian cancer is often referred to 3rd chemotherapy treatment, I created Teal Diva. as a silent killer because the symptoms mimic what, we as women, face monthly. It is easy for us, and doctors, to The mission of Teal Diva is to celebrate victories, honor dismiss the symptoms or pass them off as something else. memories, empower women, educate the community, and fund research specific to ovarian and other gynecologic When caught in early stages, ovarian cancer (in most cancers. Supporting women and their families during and cases) is 90% more treatable. And if you have made it this after a diagnosis is at the core of what we do. We currently far reading, I want you to take away three things: host two virtual 5k run/walk events throughout the year 1. Know the symptoms of ovarian cancer to raise awareness. To get involved or read more about • Bloating what we are doing, visit our website: www.tealdiva.org or • Pelvic or abdominal pain follow us on all social media outlets Facebook @tealdiva, • Trouble eating or feeling full quickly Twitter @tealdivanc, and Instagram @tealdiva_ovca. • Feeling the need to urinate urgently or often

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The Happiness in My Pursuit By Stacey Henry-Carr No one woman can purely define the essence of womanhood. It is too complex and comes with many layers and a depth that can only be reached with a personal quest of self. This self-discovery usually starts with us searching for answers or seeking refuge from pain. This personal pursuit allows us to create our definition of womanhood. If you find your story, then you find your definition. It is within the words of your story that you will find out the woman you are to your core. Some would say that their womanhood comes from the women in their lives. The mothers who shared their values that were passed down from generations. The grandmothers whose wisdom were shared through the stories they tell. The heroine that we learned to admire because of their imprint on our society. Yet to me this sounds like something from the movies because my definition of womanhood only came through my journey from pain to equanimity. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t believe that there is a right or wrong way to ascertain your definition of womanhood. Our lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s journey is filled with hills and valleys, so we must reconcile with what it took to get us to the place where we are today. It is my wish that as you are reading this article you are standing firm as a woman and you are at a phase where you understand that this is just temporary holding space. Because within a journey where we are in search of something more promising there will be milestones, pitstops, roadblocks, and turnbacks. All of which will help you define the essence of who you are as a woman. I used to think becoming a woman had to do with age until I witnessed that at any age, we can be reminiscent of the child we once were. We do not search for womanhood we search for the inner workings of what makes us a woman.

Strong woman, no-nonsense woman, independent woman, don’t mess with that woman, corporate woman, creative woman, they are too many to mention. But regardless of which category of a woman you find yourself, it is not wrong or right. I call her the “just be” woman. Womanhood is not what others say you should become it is what you inherently know you will become. The bumps and bruises along the way are important markers of strength. They shape who you are and the legacy you leave. One of the women I admired during my rise to womanhood was poet Maya Angelou who left a legacy with her writings and “Phenomenal Woman” was one that made an imprint as it reminded me that I was so much more than I was taught to be. But my favorite poem took on a deeper meaning each stage of my womanhood. Every time I thought I nailed this woman thing there was a shift. There was a shift in my thinking, my understanding, and my actions. I resembled the woman I was and did not recognize the woman I became. As I stated before, to understand your womanhood you must understand your story. I was born with a purpose to serve, to heal, and to bring together the pieces of life that others discarded as broken. This relevant part of my existence did not happen overnight. It was with the defeats and the triumphs in my life that led me to this profound comprehension of myself. The women in the community I grew up in had endured so much pain that they did not celebrate themselves. However, I vowed to be different, I dared to make that change and consciously pursue love, joy, and beauty. Finding these things was not easy and was filled with trials and errors.

for the happiness in your pursuit”. It was as if a light bulb turned on, it wasn’t the end of the journey that would make the woman I wanted to be, it was the journey itself. It was all the places I would go, the people I would meet, the lessons I would learn, and the feeling I took away that shaped me.

“The essence of womanhood means being strong enough to survive”. “Womanhood to me is loving yourself and who you are” “What the essence of a woman means to me is that I proudly own motherhood” “Accepting my femininity and embracing it instead of being ashamed or hiding it” My struggle with my traumatic past “I think the essence of a woman is of child sexual abuse and abandonment being the nurturer and catalyst of life” was not who I was as a woman. It was a small part of my story. Although there It was an awesome realization that was a time that I thought it defined me many of the women spoke of strength and it caused roadblocks for progress, and resilience. Some would say we are I learned I could choose to change not fragile as we were given the one my narrative. I could not change what of a kind blessing of childbirth. Many happened to me, but I could mitigate challenges and feats brought me to the how it affected my pursuits. This woman I am today. But the smile you was the point in my realization that I see on my face is deep-rooted and comes found self-love. I had been searching from a conscious effort to find and own for love thinking it was a vital part of who I am. A spiritual being placed on my womanhood, but it was not love this earth to make it better. from others but self-love that was the As I continue to reach the different ultimate ingredient to defining and layers of my consciousness, I gain a bringing to light my true essence. It was different understanding of the essence of through self-love I realized the power my womanhood. It is a freeing feeling! that resided within me. The light that It is a beautiful experience! It is my was waiting to shine and be a beacon happiness that I found in the pursuit. for those who need it most. Stacey Henry-Carr In the true spirit of a collective voice, Life Coach and Certified Hypnotherapist I reached out to women in my life for Contact Mail: Stacey@Staceyhenrycarr. their definition of the essence of a com Instagram and FB: @staceyhenrycarr woman. Website: www.staceyhenrycarr.com

At the beginning of my journey, I was in pursuit of happiness and that felt like an arduous challenge. Yet my fervent desire to not repeat the history of the women in my bloodline motivated me to continue the journey. One day my mind stumbled on a shift that said, “you are going about this all wrong, start looking communiqué Magazine

D ORI S GA RR E T T CONT I NU E S H E R H U SB A ND’S LE G AC Y

by Paula Bernette Brooks Doris Garrett, widow of Shelly Garrett, legendary playwright, director, teacher, actor and author, is determined to continue his legacy and keep his memory alive! Shelly Garrett is known as “The Godfather of Urban Theatre” for good reason. He began his 33 year theatrical career in 1984, when he authored and produced his first “Beauty Shop” play in San Bernardino, California. “Beauty Shop” was then presented in Los Angeles for the next two years. The popularity of the play gave Garrett the idea to tour with it, and Detroit became his first stop. He went on to write over 20 plays and ignited the trend of touring with African-American

stage productions, and filling venues that held as many as 4,000 people! Black theater had previously been limited to Broadway shows which were too expensive for the masses of Black people to afford. Garrett priced the tickets at $17 to $25 and people lined up around the block to buy them. A new phenomenon swept across inner cities around the country! Not only were tickets affordable, but the plays were written with African-American culture in mind and they were hilarious! They had the audiences cracking up with laughter, and begging for more. Shelly often said, “Comedy is a difficult art. The key is timing and

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if it’s not there, the entire production simply becomes a waste.” Doris reflected that her husband insisted his actors learned their lines word for word, although she said laughingly, “He often took the liberty of tweaking his lines to get a bigger laugh!” Doris revealed that the first ‘Beauty Shop” was born after Shelly visited his favorite hair salon to get a manicure. In waltzed a client in a bathrobe with rollers in her hair. She loudly demanded, “Which one of you tramps have been sleeping with my husband? The salon got so quiet you could hear a parade of ants walking by. Finally a gay stylist stepped out and said pointedly, “I don’t even know your husband!” Shelly broke into gales of laughter and the other patrons joined in. Shelly went home laughing to himself and put the scene in “Beauty Shop.” The experience led him to create a hysterically funny cast of characters for all his productions. He hit pay dirt with his stinging one liners, spot-on comedic timing and casting of talented actors and singers, many of whom would become superstars. Shelly’s plays went on to be enjoyed by millions of people and “Beauty Shop” alone earned over 33million dollars. Annie Doris Williams was one of twelve children born to Willie C. and Lucy Mae Williams in the small town of Bainbridge, Georgia. It was there that she first became a contestant in beauty pageants and dreamed of becoming a model. Doris credits her parents for encouraging her and giving her the confidence to pursue her dreams. She attended Albany State University in New York State, where she continued to blossom. Doris became Miss Charm of Albany State, Ms. Alpha Love, Captain of the Royal Passionettes, acted in several plays and pledged Delta Sigma Theta among other activities. After graduation with a major in Speech and Theatre under her belt, she headed to Atlanta and began working for an engineering company. Doris laughed as she recalled that she had been bitten hard by the acting bug! As fate would have it, Doris heard that a Shelly Garret play named “I’m Doing the Right With the Wrong Man” was in town. She called a 41

friend who used to be one of Shelly’s bodyguards and said she heard on the radio that the production would be at the Fox Theatre. He knew of her background in theater and persuaded her to attend. They missed the first part of the play, so Shelly invited them back the following night. Soon after, Shelly asked Doris to be an extra in the production; then later one of the dancers. After Shelly decided to recast a part in his play, he asked Doris if she wanted to give it a try. She quickly learned her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre did little to prepare her to work in a Shelly Garrett production. However she was eager to work in her chosen field. Shelly was so impressed with her acting, knowledge and dedication to the art, that he made her a leading lady in one of his “Beauty Shop” productions. Later after proving she had what it took to be part of a major production, Doris become the Producer/ Casting Director and eventually Executive Producer of Shelly Garrett Entertainment. Doris reminisced that Shelly often said, “It’s difficult to run this company without her. In fact, I think she’s running it, not me. It takes so much pressure off of me, since my main concern is writing the scripts and dealing with the talent aspect.” The day they met, Shelly stated that he intended to marry her. They began dating, found they were a match made in heaven and the rest, as they say, is history! It was truly a family affair, since Shelly’s mother, Lera M. Garrett toured with her son for seventeen years, before her death in 2006. His father, Willie B. Garrett, was a constant source of encouragement to his son, in the lean years before his success. Times were tough and Shelly thought about quitting the business. Thankfully, Shelly persevered, honed his craft, and went on to kick open doors and inspire the likes of Tyler Perry and David Talbert. Although they never met, Shelly was told by an usher that Tyler Perry had attended a production three nights in a row with a clipboard in hand. When asked what he was doing, Tyler replied that he was taking notes, because he also wanted to write and produce plays. Shelly Garrett was honored to receive a “Hollywood Walk of Fame Star” in 1992 and he was also presented the “Keys” to 23 cities and numerous awards over the

years. However, Doris said she will never forget the tears in his eyes after receiving a call from The Smithsonian Museum of African-American Culture saying that he was being inducted on October 4, 2016. They couple had attended the grand opening of the Museum, and heard President Obama’s keynote speech a few days prior, and now they were being given a police escort to the fourth floor where Garrett’s first Beauty Shop poster would be housed. The Museum is now preparing to add another of his posters.

ideas of her own. One of her goals is to put together a show similar to the 30th Anniversary of “Beauty Shop.” This show would compile scenes from some of the play’s many editions, into one performance. Doris also revealed that her husband stopped flying in 1980, which is why his plays have not been seen outside of the United States. She has her sights set on London for the first international performance. She also plans to start the Shelly Garrett Foundation to help playwrights and young actors break into the field.

After taking time off since her beloved husband passed on May 4, 2018, Doris Garrett is ready to continue some of his many projects. Shelly Garrett’s desire to help upcoming playwrights and actors led him to offer a series of educational workshops. They are designed to provide a roadmap to a successful career in theatre. Not only do they provide detailed information, they are also affordably priced. A documentary entitled “Shelly Garrett a Theatrical Legend” also began production in 2016 and should soon be completed. Doris and their oldest daughter are involved with both projects.

Shelly Garrett loved the theatre with a great passion! Even in the hospital near the end of his life, Doris heard him saying softly in his sleep, “Tell them not to open the curtains yet! Did you do the ticket count yet?” She recalled that they began each performance with a prayer, after which, Shelly’s eyes would light up as he said, “Now go out and have fun!” His best advice for anyone entering the field was, “Follow your dreams! Don’t let anyone say you can’t do it, including any unsupportive family members! Why not you?” Why not, indeed! Bravo King Shelly Garett! Bravo! You truly continue to inspire us all!

Doris would also like to pay tribute to Shelly with some

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FROM THE

Church Choir TO THE

Hamilton Stage Desmond Sean Ellington by JC GARDNER

esmond’s road to stardom began where many African Americans get their start, and it wasn’t in a performance arts or music school. It was in Oklahoma, where his family lived. While there, Desmond found his footing from singing in the choir to performing in Christmas plays and Easter skits. He recalled as if it were yesterday being incredibly young, maybe around six or seven, and noticed his Easter part was always so long, while the other kids were significantly shorter. He approached the youth director in charge and asked why were his Easter speeches so long? She responded, “Because I know you could do it.” Those words planted seeds in him that took root, and it was something he would refer back to time and time again. Music was a staple in his household, where he and his siblings always dabbled in singing together, but they were restricted to gospel music. He remembered having and playing all of the gospel greats’ albums, particularly, the Winans family and Walter Hawkins. Singing came naturally to him, along with childhood dreams of being a singer and then a famous movie star. His musical pathway was not always clearcommuniqué Magazine

cut. Because he excelled in his studies and was in the gifted and talented program in school, the natural next step after high school was to attend college, but not as a theater major. Instead, upon graduation, he headed to the university with an engineering scholarship.

to him being cast in his first local show, “Black Nativity.” Being on stage was a whole new ballgame and opened his eyes to a new way of using his talents, yet he continued to pursue being a recording artist.

He was miserable studying engineering. His heart just wasn’t into it. Intuitively, he knew that was not where he was supposed to be at that point in his life, and there began his journey of self-discovery and soul searching about what was his true calling. He was at a crossroads. He knew he had to leave school and making that call home to his mother, who he was close with, was difficult. Since Desmond was the oldest and a role model for the rest of his siblings, disappointing his mother would have been the worst feeling ever. He noted, “I’m not scared of a lot of things, but talk about fear and trembling before making that phone call…it was a struggle.” After a lot of hesitation and second-guessing, he called his mother. To his surprise, his mother was extremely supportive. She told him, “I can’t help you in the way you want to go. However, I give you permission to go and figure it out.” Those words were the best profound, influential words that he needed at that time. Even so, before making that leap, he talked to his pastor and asked, “What if I bomb and fall on my face?” His pastor said, “Go where you need to go and if it doesn’t work out, you can always come back.” What a simple directive that carried so much weight, but now there was no reason not to leave the university, come home and regroup. Using his connections from singing and networking in college, he made his way to Atlanta…and mom was right there, offering financial, spiritual and moral support. He was able to stay with a friend who had just bought a spacious home with plenty of room for Desmond. Always having a place to lay his head was a divine intervention that follows him to this day. Once in Atlanta, he was hired to sing in clubs and soon began a career as a background singer. He’s been in the studio with producers who have worked with Yolanda Adams and Kurt Carr, to name a few. He’s toured with Angie Stone and Syleena Johnson. Before you knew it, he was going to Africa and London. These credentials led

After several years, his time in Atlanta was ending. He needed a fresh start; his cousin who was living in Nashville invited him to come live with her. Once again, a big house with lots of room was waiting for him. He was hired to do extra work on TV shows like, “Nashviille,” and he thrived being on set. This was all well and good,

but where was the music? It seemed it was elusive and The show started, and he was immediately blown away. the closer he got to it, the further it drifted down the road. “My face just melted into my lap.” He remarked. “Ya’ll are not human. All of this rapping, dancing for three Desmond remembers being frustrated and surrendering hours. It shook me to my core.” to God. He prayed and said, “If there is something else, let me know what Once the Winans tour ended, he got another gig on a it is.” He wanted the music career so smaller show in New York. He decided to reach out to badly, but perhaps he was chasing the his agent to follow-up on any opportunities. The agent astounded him saying, “You’d be great for Hamilton. I’ll wrong dream. get you an audition.” Shortly after that prayer, he was filming on the Nashville set, and he Desmond took it with a grain of salt. He was like, “Okay, got a call from a connection who use sure,” not expecting anything of it. to book wedding gigs for him. The But one Friday, he got a call from the agent saying he got call was about a casting call for a him the audition. bio-musical about the life of BeBe “With who?” Desmond asked Winans. They were casting the final “With Hamilton. You are going to go in there and kill it.” role of the show, one of the Winans’ That was mind blowing, but he had to get ready. He had twins. to rap, sing, and remember ten, yes ten songs for two Because of his upbringing listening different roles in three days! to the Winans, he was remarkably familiar with their music and sound. This was a lot to memorize in a truly short time. But why He went back to Atlanta, auditioned, were his Easter speeches long again? Because he could do it! He had to pull out all the stops. He was about to have and got the part. his first official audition for his first show in New York, Being on that stage was an epiphany. and it was for Hamilton. Becoming another character, learning lines, acting combined with singing After five auditions over two months and commuting and the electric approval from back and forth to New York where, again, a home of a the audience, was a revelation of friend was open to him during those times (God’s favor), mammoth proportion. Desmond he received a phone call from the casting director. After found he loved the stage and the stage singing his praises and thanking him for auditioning, she loved him! He was chasing a music offered him a contract for the Hamilton Philip Tour. He career, but his true calling was always was cast as a principal standby for Aaron Burr, George right there at his fingertips, waiting Washington, and the Hercules Mulligan/James Madison for him to embrace it with his arms roles. He had to learn and be prepared to fill in for any of these roles at a moment’s notice. opened wide. The show went on tour, and one of the places was Washington, DC, where he met John, his current manager. John sent him to New York City to meet with an agent so he could begin to build “theater cred” and be able to audition for Broadway shows. In the midst of still touring with the Winans, they landed in Los Angeles, CA. During this time, the first national tour of Hamilton came to town, and Desmond just happened to know one of the cast members. Next thing you know, Desmond, dressed in his finest threads, was sitting in the audience.

Prior to COVID-19, he’d been touring with the cast for the past two and half years but after eighteen months, he became the principal actor for the Hercules Mulligan/ James Madison role. He noted, “It goes to show when you dare to take the leap, Oprah said God can dream a bigger dream than you can for yourself.” Desmond is a walking testimony that God will indeed grant the desires of your heart. Desmond Sean Ellington is amazing! Follow him by visiting his website at www. DesmondSeanEllington.com

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Storyteller Strategist

The

Roshanda Pratt is a highly sought-after Storyteller Strategist and a global media influencer. She is the founder of REP Network, LLC and serves up a main course of optimal media positioning for her clients. Roshanda has a glowing personality that matches her presence in the industry.

grade, my father told me as an American citizen it was my duty and responsibility to know what was going on in my country. That sparked a love for the community and my being informed about the world around me. I have loved the media since.” That was a profound lesson that undoubtedly propelled Roshanda on a success ride to the top.

Though we are both from South Carolina, we met in 2019 thousands of miles away, across the Atlantic Ocean, in Paris, Her journalism interest peaked in high school where she France on a business trip. Her smile introduced me to the kindest worked on her school’s video magazine show. In college she human being you could only hope to get to know better. studied Mass Communication and upon graduating Roshanda immediately took a position in television that spiraled her up the Roshanda is a mastermind at developing clients. Her skillful career ladder. She held titles such as news assistant, associate teachings will immediately show you how to effectively producer, then producer while working in Charlotte, North communicate your brand and help stamp visibility on every Carolina. Working for PBS, NBC, and CBS stations, Roshanda angle of your business. When someone asks you, ‘what do you was well on her way to fulfilling her Father’s hopes while do’ and you say, ‘I don’t really know how to explain it’ then, establishing her foundation to reach her dreams. Roshanda without delay, it is time for you to call Roshanda. You cannot grasped the world of media with a force unseen. She knew what sell what you cannot say. Roshanda will ensure that you learn her future held. She was going for it! how to demonstrate clarity in your business, and clarity will lead to a prevalent visibility and an increase in revenue for you. Roshanda, with such humility, says “Some would believe my television news career gave me an advantage in my own Roshanda’s most memorable early school lesson came from her visibility. However, like many of the clients I support, I had Father. “My father is from Trinidad and Tobago. In the fourth to learn how to embrace my voice and visibility. I learned

and I say remain curious. The best stories occur when you start asking yourself questions about what you see around you. Ask why is that? Who is that? Who else needs to know? Curiosity is a gift, use it to your advantage”.

how to be outgoing because I was always the new girl in class because of my father’s job. I had to fight through comparison, confidence; the lack of it and embracing my calling to come from the shadows to the front”. Her bold and courageous footprint in today’s media is an indication that her voice and visibility are powerful to many. She is a coach to men and women that are ready to take the deep dive into visibility and come out with a clear presence in their market. The world of business is jumbled with competition and similarity. Roshanda is a ‘stand out’ consultant that teaches clients in owning their visibility. She says, “get ready to be seen, heard, and to be paid on-air and online by clarifying your message. Visibility leads to impact, influence, and income when you understand how to find your voice and clarify your message to impact the world”.

Roshanda doesn’t miss a beat. She delivers engaging coaching sessions, public interactive discussions online, and is gracing many platforms across the digital space. We wanted to know what life outside of work looks like for this media guru, and I must say I laughed out loud at her initial response. “It looks like more work”, she said and then added, “Just kidding. I try my best to unplug, but as a creative and storyteller, I see stories all around me.” Roshanda says that if her life were a crayon she would be yellow. I agree. She immediately radiates any space that she encompasses, and her personality is a beacon of light for many to follow. “Since a young child, the color yellow has been always my favorite. It brings light, happiness, and you can’t deny its presence. I guess, like me.” Roshanda also added, “I love spending time with my family and friends. Short trips and crafts give me space to breathe and reading is a great escape. I discovered early morning workouts and my essential oils help me to turn things off. I promise I need an off switch”. Roshanda and her team are looking to tell more stories that otherwise are not told through multimedia. They are looking forward to releasing her first documentary this year. She and her team are working on two book projects for the faith and business community. “I am so excited about the direction we are taking to carve out our company's voice for the future”, Roshanda confirms her future endeavors and we wish her much success.

Roshanda is married to Jacobee Pratt and they are creating beautiful stories with three children in South Carolina. Visit When asked how she builds and maintains such a large social www.TheRoShoLive.com and get connected to Roshanda Pratt media following, Roshanda credits having a ‘consistent message’ and her amazing team. for her growth and following. She says “while I grew as a leader, media personality, and business owner, the message has evolved, but at the core, it has always been about helping people find their voice. We often purchase things that we constantly see before us. Get your message constantly before the people you are called to serve. Media, like me, has experienced an evolution. There are more platforms embracing the opportunities to create space for messengers to share. I believe this is the beginning. We saw the impact and power of the media during a pandemic. More people were online and specifically on social media. The opportunity of communicating has shrunk and the power of creating your own media has increased. There is now a level playing field of sorts”. With such a solid footing in the media world, we asked Roshanda to give some advice to the emerging journalist/reporter/news anchor and she told us this is actually her favorite question! Roshanda says, “I share with them my story of how I started, communiqué Magazine

GoldGanq IS COMING

by Trenace Carter Music is the language that we all understand. No matter where we, are or who we are, a song can provoke a thought or inspire a movement. More recently there has been a surge in a genre labeled Afrobeats. This music is not new at all, it is just now emerging boldly into the commercial arena. Afrobeats is a music genre that combines elements of West African musical styles with American funk and jazz influences with a focus on chanting vocals, complex interesting rhythms, and percussions. Mr. Achirobe Lambert and Mr. Abakwam Chana Paul are the members that make up the duo musical group, ‘GoldGanq’. They go by stage names of Lamachi and Chana Paul. They are a part of this international movement. Lamachi and Chana Paul are both from Navrongo in Ghana, West Africa. Navrongo is a town, and the capital of Kassen-Nankana District, in the Upper East Region of north Ghana. The duo are childhood friends. They were destined to connect because of a mutual love of music.

Lamachi liked to produce instrumentals. After Lamachi got a computer he installed FL (Fruity Loop) Studio, a complete software music production environment, and learned with tutorials from YouTube. By the time he had completed senior high school, Lamachi had become quite good producing beats. There were always children around because Lamachi’s mother was a baker. She gave free bread to the children; Chana Paul was one of those children. Chana Paul knew Lamachi was into production and would often freestyle. After a friend of Lamachi’s opened one of the first studios in Navrongo, Lamachi brought Changa Paul to record a song with him. They have been recording together ever since. This is the birth of the GoldGanq. They have been together for nine years. Their love and passion for music connected them as friends but has united them as brothers forever. GoldGanq’s music is a contemporary type of Afrobeat with a dash of Trap and a pinch of R&B. Neither Chana Paul or Lamachi play instruments. Lamachi still produces the beats that Chana Paul continues to communiqué Magazine

flow effortlessly over. GoldGanq’s most exciting performance was late 2019 when they told us about their opportunity to perform at Ghana’s Dancehall ATTW Concert, along with headliner’s Stonebwoy and Shatta Wale. Ghana’s Dancehall ATTW Concert is a threeday music festival that is similar to Coachella but on a smaller scale. These acts are full time musicians that dream to become recognized globally and inspire the world. If you ask GoldGanq what inspires them most about music the response is, “our dreams and passion for music inspire us most.” They want to let readers know that there are people in less privileged areas that dream big, too. However, they don’t always get the opportunity to achieve their dreams”.

creativity. Their most recent song, ‘The Hustle’, can be found on YouTube. It is written by both members of GoldGanq. They were inspired to write the song because of unhealthy competitions going on in communities. GoldGanq uses their music to educate members of their communities, especially the youth. The message from GoldGanq is simple: “unhealthy competitions are not good, and everything has its time”.

They do not have a business manager and they fund themselves, for the most part. GoldGanq is definitely an up and coming group to be on the lookout for. You can support this innovative and creative group by subscribing to their YouTube Channel and sharing the link to their music with others. They can be found on This Dynamic Duo hasn’t had the opportunity to come all Social Media platforms. Follow them on Twitter @ across the great pond to the United States yet, but it is a goldganq, on Instagram, @Goldganq, and on FaceBook goal of theirs. They can be caught performing anywhere @GoldGanq that they are able to inspire others. They are consistently working to improve their craft and expand their GoldGanq is coming!

Listen to "The Hustle" https://youtu.be/zXT7bUvlYKs

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The Beauty of a Blessed Business

s timeless as the saying, ‘hair is a woman’s glory’, the beauty and barber industry is a career that withstands any economic upheaval. My grandmother used to say, “if I don’t have money for anything else, I keep my hairdresser money to the side”. True beauty comes from within and radiates loudly in your actions. 1 Corinthians 11:13-15 13Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, 15but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering. Sabrina Albany is a Licensed Cosmetologist and Hair Stylist that specializes in all hair care. She is the owner of Sabrina’s Hair Studio and lives in Allendale, South Carolina, where her business is located. The mother of two adult sons is also the grandmother of five grandsons and is preparing for the birth of her first granddaughter. Finally, someone’s hair to do! Keeping it lighthearted, this beautiful spirited woman is a pillar in her community and was recently acknowledged as the recipient of The Allendale Image Award for Excellence in Customer Service. Sabrina is a gentle soul with a kind heart. After working for another Salon owner, Mr. Willie J. Priester, 53

at Magic Fingers Salon for 20 years, Sabrina entered into a joint partnership with another Stylist at Divine’s Touch salon for eight years. In 2013, Sabrina opened her salon, Sabrina’s Hair Studio and has been serving clients in the downtown Allendale salon ever since. Sabrina has worked in her community, where she was born and raised, all of her life. With a faith-based atmosphere, the salon welcomes patrons in an inviting setting. The entrance has an open floorplan waiting area with a wall of images that displays hairstyles of past patrons. There is enough seating to space out clients in a comfortable, air conditioned/heated room. A few steps more leads into the work area where Sabrina transforms client’s hair. The overall design is quite fashionable with a fuchsia, white, and black color theme accented with a zebra print design. The inspirational theme carries throughout the salon with a subtle background ambience of soft lighting and a mix of traditional and contemporary gospel. Best known for her designer cuts, Sabrina designs customized hairstyles for her clients. Although she is trendy and follows the latest in hair couture seen in magazines and at hair shows, her designs are uniquely created for the individual that walks through her doors. Considering the clients face structure, hairline, hair texture, and age appropriateness Sabrina is known to deliver a style that exceeds the expectations of her salon patrons.

Custom wigs and weave styles such as frontals and lace front installations have become widely popular in the hair industry. Sabrina notices the natural hair care upswing lately and embraces the commitment of her clients that choose to remain chemical free. Sabrina says, “Natural hair care has not impacted my business, I have tenured clients that have been dedicated to me for greater than 30 years. One client in particular has been under my hair care since I became a licensed stylist nearly four decades ago. She keeps a low maintenance style of curls, many refer to this as a curly kit or jerry curl style.” Sabrina credits her diverse client base for offering her a great career filled with longevity and satisfaction. She adds, “The diversity of my clients, their age range, and the bond I have built with each one goes from client-stylist to familystylist. This is a relationship that is not cultivated in many other industries, so it is a Blessing to build this bond with people in my community as I stand behind the chair”. Beyond making beautiful and attractive styles, Sabrina educates her clientele on how to maintain healthy hair and provides information to help each client attain the desired outcome for their hair, based on their specific hair type. She gives suggestions on hair tools to use and at home maintenance supplies to keep their hair looking its best and as healthy as possible in between visits. Being a business owner in any industry requires skill, mindset, finances, and motivation that matches your goals! Sabrina has undoubtedly proven that goal setting works. The biggest evolution of her business, to date has been transitioning to an independent shop owner. Sabrina leans her head toward the sky, with a look of gratitude as she tells us, “freedom, literal and figurative growth and most importantly, an overwhelming sense of pride in showing my children and grandchildren that hard work truly pays off is why I keep going.” This is a business that attracts young entrepreneurs. They all dream of walking out of cosmetology school and flipping the light switch on in their own salon within months of getting licensed. Sure, it is a goal, and many accomplish it, but Sabrina offers this advice to emerging stylists, “Take your time and plan for longevity in the business. Never compromise the integrity of your business. When you build your business, you don’t allow other people to come in and tear it down. Don’t allow customers to bring in their own products. Never combine professional salon products with client supplied chemicals.

Enforce a dress code and never allow loud, disruptive music or offensive language in your salon. Maintain standards and remember that time management goes both ways between you and your clientele. Listen, advise and be kind while being truthful”. The biggest challenge in being an owner and stylist is being able to maintain affordability for the community while not allowing the local socioeconomic standards to negatively impact your business revenue potential. Sabrina tells us that her favorite time of year, and one of the busiest seasons is spring and Mother’s Day weekend. She said her clients come in so happy and looking for a new look to sport at church and this is the time of year that she sells a lot of gift certificates. It is refreshing to see the love of Moms and Wives being shown by their loved ones gifting them a salon visit. Sabrina would love to continue serving clients for the rest of her days, her joy and fulfillment in her career is immeasurable. Life doesn’t always work like that. We all have to look to a reasonable succession plan for what life looks like for us as we age. Years standing on your feet, hands in and out of chemicals and water and the long hours in a salon can take a toll on a body when you are approaching four decades of repetitive work. Sabrina has no plans to stop anytime soon but when we asked her to take a look into the future of her business, she said she would love to have a mobile, destination hair service that would allow her to style and maintain hair for people that cannot come to her. With a lot of her client base being senior citizens, she sees a value in being able to one day take her service to their homes, nursing facilities, and other places. It is not just about the money, but to enhance a client’s beauty through their hair is truly a feel-good piece of work that Sabrina loves. Sabrina donates to the county’s back-to-school programs and secret-Santa projects. Children need support too and Sabrina is always ‘at the ready’ when it comes to supporting the community she loves so much. Sabrina closes our interview with her favorite Bible Verse, ‘Philippians 4:13, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.’ We wish Sabrina and her business continued success. Sabrina is truly the heart of her business and the love for her craft shines through everyone that walks through her doors. communiqué Magazine

MY WELLNESS

and Social Acceptance by Toy Addington I intentionally attempted to kill her and then she died. That was the only option for her to be able to live. I am Toy Addington, a successful businesswoman that took a difficult road to my destiny. I have arrived, and I am her. It felt like I was shot, stabbed, and left for dead by people I expected to help me. I lacked 4 walls, 3 meals, 2 parents and left with only 1 me. I am her. I had to quickly learn how to lick the gunshot wounds and apply pressure with my own hands if I were to survive. My wellness and social acceptance were imbalanced. I seemed to dodge almost every bullet that could have caused a negative impact and leave a permanent scar. A scar so ugly that it would have to be surgically altered, it was my learned helplessness. Learned helplessness is a condition in which a person suffers from a sense of powerlessness, arising from a traumatic event or persistent failure to succeed. It is thought to be one of the underlying causes of depression. It results from being locked into a system to fit in. I had to block out every negative comment that related to me. Everyone commented negatively about me starting my business, especially since I was going through a divorce at the same time. I stopped, started, stopped, and started back again and again, it took me 413 days to finally go and not stop. I quickly learned to set boundaries and not allow

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people to feed me their lies about my truth. I accepted wise and constructive criticism, but I rejected old wives tales and unjustified lecture with no basis on how I would fail. The threat of single parenting was not intended to be a brick wall, but a new normal for me and my children after being married for almost 15 years. I could not settle and compromise happiness while trying to keep up a façade. I was going to be the best single mom, of four children that I could be, if that meant I would be happy in my pursuit of building a solid life and legacy for my children. I never wanted my kids to have to compete for jobs, instead I chose to create them. I work hard because I know the feeling of being without a shelter, nourishment, and sometimes I went without basic needs such as lights, gas, and water. I was seeking advice about meat from a vegetarian and got nowhere fast. You have to be mentally tough when you are wanting to accomplish your goals. Get ready for the pushback from people and the blocks that will show up inside of you. It comes with the territory. Many people will present their opinions instead of offering unbiased advice. Their opinionated support is never received well. When you are in a struggle, it is not easy to see anything positive. You can only see fault and finger pointing when the information being poured into you is not helping. You have to go forth with a clear mind, an open heart and be ready to receive regardless of what the truth may look like. Not everyone is giving you grief, some of the stones being thrown are just words from a person looking in through your dirty windowpanes. They can’t really see what’s happening inside, but they have an idea. Be open while being selective. You have to surround yourself with viable resources and protect your conversations with people. I had to start thinking differently. I switched my inner thoughts about myself and I started with healing myself. I put up a barrier to protect me from the negativity that hit me like bullets. Opinionated people left holes in my spirit and didn’t fill me with any encouragement. I have been beaten by words more than any other weapon out there. I became intentional about making my own choices, my mood started to change from feeling broken back and I returned to a bubbly personality. I got my money right to ensure that my stability wasn’t jeopardized, and my kids were stable mentally, physically, financially, and spiritually. All I know is survival. Being socially accepted is important to most

people because they want to fit in but I had to fit out in order for me to rise up. Too often we rely on the opinions, limited beliefs, and perspectives of people that could intentionally kill our dreams. I was determined not to give up nor give in. All I needed to do was pull the trigger of my own gun! I did it scared, unprepared, broke, in doubt, stuck and even unwilling. But I DID IT ANYWAY and kept the motto of ‘I Can’t Coaching’ in mind along the way: “I Can’t Let Anything Control My Mind, Mood or Money” I chanted it three times a day; morning, noon and night. It resulted in me getting certified as a certified professional life coach, becoming a six figure business coach, Founder and CEO of my Globally Accredited institution with coaches in six different countries and 28 states, the author of my first book, ‘ The Serotonin Junkie’, which has a formula to help you “hack your happy”. I successfully founded an online business school with classes set at an economical price to ensure that money is not the mental meltdown of you starting your business. I also lend my voice and talent to coach the culture of corporations. This is just the beginning and it is my personal responsibility to help the masses strengthen their mind, mood, and money to live their highest form of prosperity. I celebrate you for who you are today and for who you are becoming. I celebrate you for acknowledging that you have total control of your mental proximity and that people will have their opinion but you make the decision. I celebrate you for realizing that “fitting in” just may leave you “counted out”. I learned how to say “I can’t” to anything that could penetrate my skin and cause me to miss the mark in living life to its fullest. It was something bigger than me guiding me through with grace. That higher power helped me reach greatness and restored my faith. Who would you be if you were not just alive, but actually LIVING? I’m here to serve! Signed a fatal bullet survivor. I am the Founder and CEO of ‘I Can’t Coaching, LLC’, a sixfigure company that is the parent company to ICC Life Coach Institute, LLC and ICC Life Coach Institute, LLC Online Business School. From a homeless 15-year-old teenager to a thriving Chief Executive Officer, I am speaking from both a place of horrid experience, and ultimate success. Visit www. ICantCoaching.com to connect with me!

Sudden Grief

Led this U.K. Woman to Fuel a Culture of Intentional Acts of Kindness When it happened to me, I was so unprepared for it because I had been living in the bubble. The place where just two people live, and you focus on the day to day moments and have little time for anything outside of that; caught up in your own story. I had worked my way up over 15 years in the corporate world to what most of society would deem 'success'. I was living by the sea, with the man I wanted to marry and he, fortunately for me, wanted to marry me. I earned good money and we had settled into each other. My life was centred around work and he was patient and fitted in to that, a constant struggle to prove myself as a woman in a man’s world comes at a price to your time. On the 23rd of March in 2012 I dropped him for a charity cycle ride and two hours later he called me to say he thought he was having a heart attack, eerily very cool and calm on the phone. I asked him where he was, and he told me he would call me back. It would be the last conversation we would ever have.

by Nahla Summers and Corretta Doctor “If happiness is what we are all seeking, then kindness is the action to get us there”. – Nahla Summers Grief, on any account, is hard. Kindness is by far the easiest gesture to give. This story will show you how one woman from Dorset, England in the United Kingdom transferred her pain into hope for many people around the globe. Nahla Summers is the founder of ‘The Sunshine People’. Nahla: You never think it is going to happen to you. The moments that change your life. They arrive and you think, huh, so that is what this feels like as you lie on the living room floor staring at the dusty radiator pipes.

There are moments that followed on that day that will forever be embedded in my mind, the moment the doctor said the words, 'His life has expired'. The wails that came from me but sounded as if they came from someone else. The moment the nurse sobbed because she knew they had tried so hard to save him but had to see my grief unfold anyway. The whispers from nurses as I lay on the floor, unable to speak, unable to cry, barely able to hold onto breath. Some of you will know this moment so very well and others will not recognise it at all and understandably do not wish to. When it happens, it is something you wish did not have to happen in the journey of human existence, but it does and when you know that, you, in some ways become free. I arrived back at our home and his slippers sat by the door as though maybe he was due to return to do all the familiar routine things that made up our life, but it was not to be. communiqué Magazine

asking people for money, I would ask them to do an act of kindness for a stranger instead. We often focus on raising sponsorship money, but I wanted to prove that kindness has more power than money.

The grief grew as time went on and the funeral past, and people got on with their lives, however I did not. I stayed confined to the place we called our dream home and, in the end, could barely handle people being in the house. I was living with the ghost of him and so having people there felt as though maybe they might push him out. On no particular day, a few months into my own confinement, the sun was setting into the sea and I made it outside to the beach. The sand was compact, and the sky lit up with the orange and yellows as it fell into the sea. The sea was far out. On the sand a man on a horse was trotting in figures of eight backwards. It was mesmerising. However, in my future I could only see darkness even amongst this beauty. A man walking his dog arrived beside me, asked if the horse was mine and proceeded to share his life stories of hope and love. He had worked with horses in America, he knew the power of healing that they had. After about 10 minutes his mobile phone rang, and he went off in the direction that he arrived. It was then that I started to walk home and I realised that I could see a glimmer of light in the darkness. In that moment, with that stranger, it felt defining. I just did not know how at the time. It was that 10 minutes of kindness that became the catalyst for me six months later climbing Kilimanjaro and in turn ÂŁ14,000 was raised in memory of my partner. When I asked the charity afterwards what we could do with the money they said that it had 'gone into the big pot'. In those moments I realised I made a mistake, I had made his memory about money and that was not what our relationship was about and it was not representing the 10 minutes of kindness that gave me some light in the darkness. So, I decided to carry on doing challenges but instead of 59

So that is where my social movement, Sunshine People, was born from. As it grew and my challenges got more public interest, I became what I affectionately like to term as 'The accidental researcher of kindness'. I was being gifted kindness stories, research, memes, books from all over the world as well as travelling the world myself seeking out examples of extraordinary people. I discovered something from all this research that after 15 years in the corporate world, the fundamental issue with stress and anxiety in our workplaces, why people left jobs, the lack of productivity was ultimately very simple; unkindness. Kindness is seen as something fluffy, just an action or something you encourage in school playgrounds. However, the research highlights it is more than that, it is a complex web of values that underpins the way we choose to behave as a society. Kindness holds a historical story dating back to our very existence and what is prevalent is that when society sees its worst disasters that is when the human race steps up with kindness. It is as if we recognise in those moments of despair and worry that we cannot survive alone and so thus look out for our neighbours and communities. From my research I discovered that Kindness has seven main values and they are, Gratitude, Empathy, Integrity, Time, Trust, Compassion, and Courage. They each hold a story of importance and how we deliver that in our work. This will not just be a 'nice to have' in the future but will be imperative for our workplaces, social platforms, and communities as we move into a new dawn. Corretta: my moment of recognizing the deep importance of kindness came in a small town in England where I met Nahla in September of 2019. The concept of happiness was far from my mind on the rainy day we convened in Birmingham, England for a womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s conference. I never stopped being kind to others, but my inadequate kindness to myself, inflicted upon my ability to be happy. Of course, I was happy about the conference but my interior grief and emotional slackness was surmounting. I was tearful, depressed, and not sure of my trek across the Atlantic Ocean; was it worth the journey for me to share from an empty place? I asked myself â&#x20AC;&#x153;what value do I have to offer someone, when my world is crumbling

inside of me?” Depression is real. Nahla’s message helped me to see why I should look for the silver lining in every cloud. I had a mission to fulfill and it came from a genuine place of caring and kindness, regardless of the personal storm I was experiencing. Kindness to others, regardless of your own emotional battles, goes a long way. Although, I cried profusely the night before my presentation, and I leaned on my travel companion, NaTasha, to hear my tears fall, I knew I had a purpose for being in England. My intention to stand before the women in the room was to leave them with an inspiring message of being authentic. I knew that my joy would surface once I was able to impart knowledge and experience about being true to yourself. I recalled Nahla’s quote, “If happiness is what we are all seeking, then kindness is the action to get us there”.

Kindness allows people to grow from the strength they already have within themselves but need a reminder. Kindness exists, it thrives and it makes life worth living for you and those you come in contact with. Nahla’s presence in the room, that rainy day in Birmingham led me to see that a stranger had once again changed the world. Nahla brought me to a better emotional place and my kindness acts have continued from that day forward, regardless of how bad I may feel inside, I hope to share in helping someone else see their place in this world. Nahla is a great friend, author, and change agent in this world. She is not a stranger to me anymore, but a beacon of hope in my life. Find out more –

I knew that I would feel better once I talked about how kindness towards people dealing with mental health issues is a part of their healing. I spoke with great enthusiasm about removing the stigma from having a mental health diagnosis and healing our minds back to health. The message was well received.

Nahla shares her story of how she grew from the grief in the book ‘44 Rays of Sunshine’ available on Amazon. She also works with organizations supporting them in moving to a culture of kindness to improve workplaces across the globe. Her book and podcast are out now for leaders to support the delivery of change to their departments and organisation, it’s titled, ‘A Culture of Kindness’, available on Amazon. You can find out more about this work at www.acultureofkindness.co.uk

The world can be mean, especially when there is so much about mental health that we need to learn. I am always kind to people because just like the man that Nahla encountered on the beach, he had no idea how his kindness sparked a beautiful movement within Nahla’s unhappy spirit.

You can also find out more about her challenges and 'hobby' to raise more kindness in the world at www.sunshinepeople.org.uk.You can seek out her social media platforms and sign up to monthly newsletters on the websites to be kept updated.

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Photo Credit: Marcus Owens

Tina Lifford

TEACHES INNER FITNESS

FOREVER

is a

Lie

communiqué Magazine is excited to give you a closer look at one of the most dynamic women in our world, Tina Lifford. The Hollywood veteran and award-winning actress is CEO of The Inner Fitness Project, an initiative committed to making the practices and benefits of ‘inner fitness’ as familiar, well understood, and actionable as those of ‘physical fitness’. Tina’s journey is big, colorful, and her festive smile is contagious. You need to know Tina Lifford. When Tina Lifford is not fulfilling the role of Violet Bordelon, on OWN’s ‘Queen Sugar’, an original drama series by filmmaker Ava DuVernay, she is fulfilling the lives of men and women across the globe through The Inner Fitness Project. Viewers love everything about ‘Aunt Vi’. We love everything about Tina and her ability to change lives. There is a parallel between the strong character of Aunt Vi and the distinct presence of Tina Lifford and her commitment to inner fitness; we highly respect both. My experiences have taken me through a series of places in life where I have needed help to balance my life and here is what I have found to be true. A coach guides and awakens what is already inside of you, using constructive emotion. A teacher brings education, understanding, and new skillsets using constructive criticism. A friend listens and responds with compassion and makes you feel safe while you share private words and thoughts. These three elements culminate into a well-balanced life coach that is committed on improving your personal growth, your healing process, and above all a life coach genuinely wants to see you win. (continued on next page)

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I asked Tina if her target audience is made up of people that are hurting. Tina replied, “Inner fitness is not just for people that are hurting. The need for information and understanding is impactful in your life. It is real and relevant wherever you are on the spectrum of wellness. If you are a human being, you need to have the information about inner fitness.” Tina acknowledges that we all have nervous systems that have evolved from a very intricate and efficient survival system. Tina has been blessed with a way of seeing that helps her decode experience, and she knows that she is not unique in her emotional makeup. Tina creates opportunities through The Inner Fitness Project to disseminate information that has been helpful to her. She always helps from a gentle heart that recognizes that no-one is broken, and we are all here to lift one another up. Forever is a lie. Tina’s book, ‘The Little Book of Big Lies’ fully explains, and teaches, the meaning of that statement and why you need to investigate it further. “Not all lies are equal” says Tina. The chapter, ‘The Truth About Lies’, will help you understand why

forever is a lie and will give you a clear understanding how to discover underlying lies that impact your circumstances. Tina’s book teaches readers that if we look closely at the things that scare us or make us feel overwhelmed to the point of giving up, we will find a lie that is holding us down. The book tells us that we can improve our SELF if we know what to look for. I read ‘The Little Book of Big Lies’ and then I listened to the audio book that is read by Tina. I encourage you to do both. Reading the book gave me an understanding of Tina’s teachings. Hearing the book, made me put her teachings into action. I am a listener and a student of things that can improve my wholeness. Tina’s voice carries a tone of calmness and truth. I believed the words that I heard and immediately changed my thinking. This book became the voice I needed to hear while learning my way through some hard lessons. Tina’s book has eased the pain I was bringing on myself. This book taught me to discover what was already in existence, it helped me discover the best of me. ‘The Little Book of Big Lies’ is a book that everyone needs to own.

Self-Discovery

communiqué Magazine: In self-discovery do you

recommend that we look at both the good and not so good in ourselves?

Tina: Yes. Self-awareness leads to change. You cannot

change what you cannot see. Creating the ‘muscle’, the skillset of being able to better see ‘self’ puts you in a position of literally seeing ‘self.’ Seeing what you do, how you think, seeing your default reaction, seeing your beliefs and when you take your seeing and you match it up with your desires for your life, you then have a clear picture of where your attention needs to be placed. Tina does not use the terms good/bad or positive/ negative. She explains, “We are in the habit of judging ourselves and we default to that so quickly that I don’t recommend judgement, and comparison is a great way to judge.” When learning about our true SELF, we cannot use terms such as good or bad or looking at the positive side versus the negative side because those are judgements. “To encourage judgement, good or bad, is really to keep that ‘something’s wrong’ and ‘against me’ mindset going in some way”, Tina adds. There is no reason to identify a ‘great good’ or a ‘bad negative’ in anything, or especially not in anyone.

When working on our SELF and preparing to learn more about who we are and why life is the way it is, we should not look at ourselves as I have ‘this much good’ or ‘that much bad’. We have to look at the WHOLE situation without judging its characteristics. Tina tells us, “I start with the premise that we all are innately creative, resilient, and empowered to see how we create and respond whole and worthy; that is how we came here. We have become disconnected from that truth of who we are, and that disconnection has distorted our ability to see our selves clearly. The work is to begin to see the ways in which we do not honor or live from our true identity”.

Commitment and Clarity

Tina’s days start early. She always awakens by six in the morning with a clear sense of gratitude and excitement. Gratitude is her way of being. “There is always some thought of ‘inner fitness’ on my mind when I wake up”, Tina says. She relies on her sleeping hours to support this uncommon mystical journey to where inner fitness is concerned because there is no road map and she is totally following the compulsion that lives inside of her. She is committed every hour of her day.

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A typical day for Tina includes Zoom meetings, team meetings, ideation sessions, and vision planning for The Inner Fitness Project and studio. Tina hosts a series of ‘inner fitness workouts’ in her virtual fitness studio. I attended Wellness Wednesday a few times and it was a very enlightening experience for me. I appreciated being in a virtual room that begins with Tina welcoming everyone and acknowledging the attendees. Then there is a relaxation technique for deep breathing and a stretch exercise for our neck and shoulders. I experienced so much peace from the virtual room where people from around the country check in and connect. The live interaction with Tina is always calming and feels like a soothing relief for any troubles in my spirit. The wrapup at the end of the session kickstarted my next-level thinking. Between March and July, Tina is in New Orleans filming ‘Queen Sugar’. This year’s schedule is different because of the quarantine and work on the set is shutdown as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Tina has more time to do things she enjoys around her home. She likes to hike and allows the time spent on the canyon hills and slopes to become the backdrop for her creative flow. She thinks and prepares for her next sessions while on the hills that she loves hiking on. When I Asked Tina how she winds down, her response made me chuckle. “I am never really wound up.” Tina

also says that her day is filled with peace. She ‘binge watches’ on comedy series when she does look at television, but usually her home is quiet without sound, including her car rides. She does not play music while driving. She commands peace and gets it. Tina has actively been working on her inner fitness for 40 years. Her commitment to inner fitness guides her entire life. She is committed. It is your turn. Choose inner fitness and balance your life. Be committed to uncovering your true SELF and loving every part of it. Visit www.TinaLifford.com and join The Inner Fitness Project today. For Media Inquiries, contact Squire Media & Management, Inc.

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Her Faith MOV ED H ER MOUN TA I N vivid period of grief in her life that ultimately led to the beginning of ‘I am Beautiful...#TheMovement’. We will get to that later in the interview. “Grief can be tolerated when you have real support all the time every time......People die way before their heart stops beating of loneliness and then it becomes a decision to live or die. It has to be more than ‘call me if you need me’ because if you know someone needs you...then do ...then go help them.

“I was always faithful, and I trusted God with everything during the process”.- Tashauna Richardson From time to time we come across people that instantly change our lives when we hear their story. Tashauna Richardson is one of those people. Her story began in 2012 when she suffered an unimaginable blow to her spirit, the death of her son Ja’Kari. Tashauna describes a 67

There is no manual in the world... no word in the dictionary that could ‘help’ or ‘describe’ the loss of a child. As much as we would like to think we could, every journey is completely different. The truth is time does not heal, it constantly reminds you of what is supposed to be. My son Ja'Kari's life was short-lived in the number of days, but everlasting in my heart. Day by day has been a roller coaster of highs and lows... moments of having moments. Outbursts of screams that were quickly followed by smiles. I had to embrace the process. Death is no punishment, but it is the beginning of a life unknown. There will always be a void because he isn’t here. After my son passed I had no desire to live. I didn’t want life, it was almost as if I were giving life the middle finger. However, no one noticed. I was decomposing internally and rotting to the core. I didn’t trust anyone....the smiles became dark and evil”. In 2015, three years after Ja’Kari’s passing, Tashauna

launched ‘I am Beautiful…#TheMovement’ and her Facebook group has over 80,000 diverse women, including many single moms like Tashauna. The movement was designed for women who have triumphed through life's trials, faced darkness, and still came out on top surviving their experiences. Tashauna is a leader that knows what hope looks like and she represents hope in all she stands for. I am Beautiful (IAB) has over 30 individual chapters. Each chapter hosts local events, meetups, supports local community events, and then annually they come together for their main IAB event. With the support of her children, her family, and friends, and the IAB members, Tashauna was able to work on bringing her life back to a sense of normalcy. However, things continued to spiral downward for Tashauna, and she found herself homeless in February 2016, living in a hotel with her children and needing to secure some additional income. Tashauna walks a mighty walk of glory, sacrifice, and triumph. Her smile was paid for with many tears. Homelessness has impacted many people, but Tashauna shares her story to help you see that ‘trouble don’t last always’. Tashauna shares that before she had success, she had pain. She tells us that her absolute worst moment as a homeless woman was hard, “the worst moment was when my children and I had to sleep in a car in a Walmart parking lot because my credit card failed when trying to pay for a hotel. I was scared! Although I was filled with fear, I felt protected. I looked back at my children and with a full heart, I asked God to protect them. It was a torrential down pour of rain, thundering, bad weather. Next morning, I

was able to get them a change of clothes so they would be clean. To this day each child vividly remembers that experience.” Tashauna adds,” The best part of my worst experience is that none of my children chose to leave me. They wanted to stay with me no matter what”. In May 2016 Tashauna was introduced to Surge 365, a travel industry business, by a woman who became her mentor. Tashauna had never met the woman before but trusted her. Given her situation of being at the bottom, she didn’t have much to risk in her endeavor to make it to the top. As with anything, Tashauna went in headfirst with a strong desire to excel. She knew she had to do something, and she was ready. She did not know anything about the business, and she didn’t watch videos or read books, she just listened to her mentor. Tashauna says, “I did everything that the mentor asked of me…. times 10.” By the 7th day of being in Surge 365, she received a check for $1,250 and with a sense of accomplishment, a plan to work hard, and a great business support system, Tashauna quit her styling job and went full time with the company. Tashauna earned a $50,000 Bonus within her first 84 days. Using her bonus Tashauna was able to make positive steps toward putting her life back together. While living humbly, holding her head high amidst all of the pressures she faced, and calling the extended stay hotel her home, she met a realtor that was a business partner in the same company. That realtor helped her get out of the hotel. In 2016 Tashauna was able to move from North Carolina to Georgia into a two-bedroom

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home. The realtor guided Tashauna on credit repair and advised her to save her money for 12 months. By 2018 Tashauna and her children moved into her current home. Tashauna went from living in an extended stay hotel to a five Bedroom house, a place where the children have their own rooms. Tashauna’s ray of light has always been her faith. She holds fast to the promise that ‘yesterday is no more’, and ‘tomorrow will be a better day’. She knew she would survive because she believed she would. Tashauna launched M$50K Cosmetics in early 2019 to show women that they can be wealthy in their own way. For Tashauna, today is so much better, although there are still bumps along the way, even the company that Tashauna made millions for demoted her last year and then she resigned from Surge 365 in August of 2019. Tashauna reminds us, “You get to take YOU wherever you go. I am my own best friend and my own worst critic.” Keeping in the spirit of success, Tashauna gave her M$50K lipstick line names of prosperity hues, such as Rich Ladee Red, Millionaire Mauve, New Money Nude, Cut the Check Cherry, and Payday Pink are a few of the lipstick colors. Tashauna’s slogan, ‘put your money where your mouth is’ is the perfect saying for a woman that walks the talk and helps women stretch their abilities to reach their goals. Check out the cosmetic line and pick up a shade or two at https:// m50k-cosmetics.weeblysite.com./ Tashauna has been through a lot. She had a hard road to walk and she tells us one word that consistently pulled her through: MOM! Hearing the voice of her children is music to her soul. She reminds herself every day that she has to live for her remaining children. Tashauna’s son Javan Richardson is 21 years old and is graduating in December f r o m A&T. She describes 69

him as very smart, bold, and a young man after God's heart. Jewel Richardson is 18 and is a Class of 2020 Quarantine Senior. Jewel is the quiet one, yet she has a contagious laugh. Jordan Hines is 14 and is a rising ninth grader. Jordan is funny, and always the life of the party. She is a leader and definitely a protector! Sean Richardson is 13 and is a rising eighth grader. He is also quiet, but athletic. He is very considerate of others and like many young men his age, he is an avid gamer. Journey Richardson is 10 and she is a rising fifth grader that loves everyone! She is so sweet, and she is the family hugger! Loyalty is one of her strong characteristics. God rest his soul, Ja'Kari McBride is eight years old in heaven. He is Tashauna’s lifeline, her angel. Be faithful in your efforts to trust God. Don’t stop when the road gets rough, just press on. Keep your mindset in the right place and look beyond your troubles. Just over the hill is your new day. Tashauna says, “you’re one day closer.” No matter where you are in your cycle of life, be grateful. On a closing note, Tashauna says, “ You must embrace the pit to appreciate the palace”. Press ahead, don’t ever give up. We encourage you to read Tashauna Richardson’s book, ‘The Nine Lines’, a reflection of her life. The book is available for purchase under the ‘SHOP ALL’ tab on her website listed above.

Beauty... AND THE BARBER SHOP A business built on the proper foundation will surely prosper. A foundation of integrity, skill, education, and excellent customer service is golden in any line of work but is essential in the hair industry. Craig Cylear established his full-service salon in August of 1982. Today he and wife Babette have grown their business, establishing Golden Shears Brands in 2013, into a successful business entity in the community that they grew up in. Craig’s father, Mr. Reed Cylear, was a part-time Barber and allowed Craig to watch him cutting hair when he was just a young preteen boy. Craig shared, “I believe because I was introduced to hair at an early age by my father it’s in my DNA. I gained a passion for it at an early age. I feel like as long as I’m standing behind my chair a piece of my FATHER is still with me teaching me the tricks of the trade.” The ability to carry on the legacy of your elders is fulfilling. Craig and Babette are also legacy builders. We asked Craig to tell us about his first experiences cutting hair, “When I was nine years old I did my first hair cut by myself , of course I was under my father’s guidance. Sometimes he would allow me to cut his friends hair. If I messed up he was always there to correct my mistakes. By the time I was 14 years old I was able to cut without having my father fix my mistakes. When I was a senior in high school my father died.” Every moment of time spent with his father was a lesson in love and a lesson in the craft. When Mr. Reed died Craig says he felt he was left alone to carry on their special place: the barber shop. He knew he had to study and get his license. He set out on a mission. Craig attended Denmark Technical College in Denmark, South Carolina. He first enrolled in the fall of 1979 majoring in Master Hair Care, formally known as Barbering. Once he completed that course, he enrolled in Cosmetology. Succeeding his educational goals, Craig graduated with dual degrees in Master Hair Care and Cosmetology. communiqué Magazine

If you live in Hampton County, South Carolina then you have at least heard of “Craig’s”. Craig’s Golden Shears is a full-service barber and beauty salon and has been located in the same spot since its doors first opened. Craig has serviced multiple generations in families. An all-time favorite request for the salon’s older male and female clientele is the ‘jerry curl’. The jerry curl is a low maintenance, chemically processed curly hairstyle that keeps the hair moist and the style is very versatile. The younger female clientele would request a precision cut that was made popular in the ‘90’s like celebrities such as Halle Berry , or more commonly these seen on television and film actresses such as Megan Good. For the guys, a basic fade is always in order. However, Craig says, “God has given me a gift to be able to see a hair cut in 3D. If I’m able to see a picture of a haircut I’m able to recreate it and that is the blessing”.

or because they were no longer able to tolerate chemicals”.

It is obvious that Craig absolutely loves what he does, he has not done anything differently all of his life. We asked Craig, what makes his career so great and this is what he had to say, “ I have a passion for making people look and feel better about themselves, and I have realized over the years that a simple haircut and a shave can make a man feel like a man again. A simple cut and curl can give a lady back her flair and smile.” It doesn’t surprise us that Craig’s love for his work comes as a direct result of the way his clients feel when leaving his chair. He give back vitality and stamina and sprinkles a bit of ambience upon his clients. As the folks would say back in the day, Craig’s hair styles caused the clients to get a “pep in their step” and feel good about themselves.

In 2013 Craig’s wife and daughter created a non-profit organization called SOAR. Through this organization the Cylear family mentors youth in Hampton County and surrounding counties to prepare for college. Through SOAR they have exposed many young people that have gone through the SOAR’s ‘TEACH ME’ program to activities outside of their environment. We wish the Cylear family much success in their family business and applaud them for many years of community service and for being a landmark, pillar in their hometown.

Working any major holiday is a favorite to Craig, but he has one special time of year in particular that brings him an extra feeling of joy, “It is something special about weddings when you can transform a bride for her special day. Just knowing that you are creating a lasting impression that her future husband will always remember until ‘death do them part’ brings me joy. With creative styles rapidly changing and more people going to all-natural trending looks, Craig and his wife Babette created a way to counter the financial impact of the trend. They started, Golden Shears Brands, their own natural hair care line. Craig tells us, “In the hair care industry most of your money is made using chemicals, i.e. relaxer and color. With the recent trend of clients going natural many clients are not coming into the shop to get chemical styles and treatments. Some of my clients have been forced to go natural for various reasons, maybe medical 71

Craig tells us that he is the hands-on person in the business and leaves one of the most important aspects of business ownership to his daughter, Blaine-Babette and his wife, Babette: the paperwork. “I would tell the future barber styles to remain constant, dependable, disciplined, maintain a great work integrity, and most of all remain focused and finish strong,” he says. Handling the infrastructure of the business is particularly important while always ensuring customer satisfaction. WE close our discussion with Craig and his wife Babette with one of their favorite quotes - “Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it” by Maya Angelou.

COMMUNIQUÃ&#x2030; MAGAZINE

Presenting MR. AND MRS. STEPHEN GASKINS by Paula Bernette Brooks The fabulous wedding of Brittany Marion to Stephen Gaskins was set on the lovely grounds of the Old Davie Schoolhouse in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The historic site had just turned 100 years old, and the original floors and antique appointments were still in use. Over 150 guests attended the lavish reception on the 2nd floor. The bride was gorgeous in a form fitted gown that had clearly been made to her specifications. The bodice was a hand-beaded, camisole style top that ended in an airy tulle train. The beautiful gown accented the bride’s figure perfectly. The groom was resplendent in a royal blue brocade tuxedo with matching ascot, accented by a hot pink shirt and rose boutonniere. The newlyweds were happy to talk about how they met and fell in love. Brittany chuckled and declared that Stephen had stalked her on social media. “All of a sudden, he started ‘liking’ all my photos on Facebook and sending me messages. I basically ignored him. We had actually both been attending the same church for two or three years, but had never met. One day we finally saw each other in church. Stephen had someone ask me if I would go on a date with him and I said no!” Stephen reminisced, “I used to run the sound system at the church and I used to sit in a booth up high. I noticed her talking to a friend and I asked who she was. I saw her again the following week and I remembered we were Facebook friends.” Brittany chimed in laughing, “Stephen sent me a message and asked ‘Are you interested in dating me? If not, keep it real! I’m a man, I can take it!’ One day I posted a picture of myself in the gym and we found out we both went to the same gym. That’s when we began talking and had our 1st date.”

When asked what makes their love so special, Stephen responded seriously, “I always knew that I was going to be a husband and was going to get married. So much so, that I wrote it down in a fifty page binder. I used to reflect in writing, on where I wanted my life to go. I called one of the chapters ‘My Vision.’ I wrote down all the things I was looking for in a wife. It wasn’t a description of physical attributes, it was all of the characteristics I wanted in a wife. After we had been talking for a while, I looked at the list and realized I could pretty much check everything off with Brittany. She had everything!” Brittany continued earnestly, “For me I would say that Lynette Mitchellwe both hadbytrials and tribulations withHarley other people. But around our third date, Stephen asked ‘are we doing this, or are we doing this?’ I knew he was asking if we were only going to date each other and I said, of course! That was our 1st time having that conversation. We didn’t even have our 1st kiss until our wedding day! We decided that we weren’t going to have sex, or be intimate until we were married. We wanted to be sure that this is real and that we were both on the same page! I think it was beautiful for both of us because it allowed us to get to know each other on a deeper level. A lot of times when you throw intimacy into the mix, it messes up your vision of what’s really going on in the relationship. We were able to see each other in our most vulnerable places. We were able to decide if this was something we really wanted to do, and wanted to work on.” The couple dated for a year, before Brittany threw Stephen a surprise birthday party. Dramatically, she blindfolded him and drove him around before walking him to a door. When Stephen took off the blindfold, a group of his closest friends surprised him at the ‘90’s

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themed party. Before the party ended, Stephen surprised Brittany. He got down on one knee and proposed in front of their friends! It would be another year before the couple consummated their union. The couple hired Sophia Jones, a wedding planner from Royal Occasions. They said she made the daunting task of having an unforgettable wedding and reception very easy. Sophia was allowed to come up with her own ideas, which they either approved or disapproved. On the day of the wedding, she even surprised Brittany by placing a picture of her deceased father in an empty chair near the altar! Stephen and Brittany still had plenty to do. The groom is a Graphic Web Designer and a photographer, so he got busy designing a classy and unique website that showcased their love. They also put together a magazine entitled Beloved, that featured pictures from

their engagement party and photo shoots, as well as fun facts about the couple. They then began to research exotic honeymoon locations. Their first choice was the over water bungalows in Bora, Bora but they decided that due to the cost, they would save that trip for their ten year anniversary. Instead they chose to spend a few days in New York City, before flying to Athens, Greece and the lovely island of Santorini in the Aegean Sea. The couple said their honeymoon was beautiful and unforgettable. Brittany and Stephen declared that getting to really know each other before marriage has prepared them to spend a lifetime together! This includes helping them weather all types of unseen events such as the coronavirus, stay at home orders and all the stress that comes with living through a pandemic! communiquĂŠ Magazine wishes the couple continued health, prosperity, and years of wedded bliss!

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Sandra Clukey Photography, LLC https://www.sandraclukeyphotography.com/

THROUGH THE LENS

Photography after COVID-19 and Beyond Taking pictures of everyone and everything around me, including an occasional selfie, is a hobby of mine. My love for the camera is secondary to my greater admiration for the profession of Photography and those that have mastered the craft. Sandra Clukey is one of those professionals that I truly admire. Her work, shown above, captured my attention. Meet Sandra, of Sandra Clukey, LLC, an on-site photography company. Sandra is the main photographer and works with her husband, Tony, as a team. Their main focus of photography is weddings and engagements. The couple loves to travel and do weddings world-wide. This image captivated my soul when I saw it. There was not a story written about it, there was just the picture. For me, the picture is the story. I heard a million things being said as I quietly gazed at the picture on my computer screen. This image was screaming loudly, and it said, “this is me, a new world for us, a new view, and a new perspective for all to see and in this moment a statement is being made.” Since the COVID-19 pandemic everything in the world has changed in some way. As I looked closely at the photo taken by Sandra, I thought, if this is how I see the world through 77

the photographer’s vantage point, then it must truly be a new view for the photographer too. Groomsmen armed with facial coverings made this image more than a picture. It is art and therapy. The photo above, the one that led me to Sandra, happened as she was photographing the groomsmen and she just knew that she wanted to do something to help them remember this time in their lives. The year 2020. Sandra says, “When among the chaos of all that is going on in the world, love continues, love moves on. Nothing stops love! So, I asked the groomsmen if they all had masks and I asked the groom if he would like to do something to show what was happening in the world in the year they got married. He was all for it. They all went and got their masks, one asked if I wanted to use a tape measure that he had in is truck, I said yes, and the photo was made.” It was a gesture that not only marked a time in their lives, but a time in my life too. This picture changed a lot of my assumptions on how normalcy will feel like now. I have started to understand the art of photography as therapy. I somehow felt peace when I looked into the eyes of the groomsmen.

They were simply fine standing there in their masks, which symbolized more than safety. It helped me realize that this new normal has found its way into every possible scenario whether we want it to or not, and it is okay. Safety was surely the novel idea, but memorializing the moment was the reason. “Most of the people at the wedding were not using masks as they were mainly close family members that had all been in confinement. Some of the elderly did wear masks.” Safety matters and its important for photographers to also consider the atmosphere when working in large groups. Sandra adds, “Neither I nor my husband wore masks as we too have been keeping isolated from people, and most of the wedding day was outside. My lenses allow me to keep a safe distance from people, and they were naturally keeping a safe distance from us”. Sandra feels the immediate impact of the social distancing guidelines on her business. “The future of photography for weddings with the social distancing means much smaller weddings. Brides and grooms that have not cancelled or postponed have cut their guest list down to immediate family only. Professional photographers are suffering financially all over, many will not survive in this business financially, some are already closing their businesses. Thankfully, we are currently doing well and are committed to our brides and grooms, but the financial strain is real. Bills still need to be paid for advertising, insurance, equipment maintenance, websites, clients online photo galleries, editing programs and software programs, bridal shows, and even licensing expenses; but the phones are not ringing nearly as much as they used to”.

Sandra adds. It is the great people behind the lens of a camera that deliver memories. Sandra is a beautiful soul. Sandra loves photography and has a passion for it, but photography does not define her, it is only a part of who she is. Sandra is a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister, an aunt and within the last two years she has been made a grandmother four times! When asked Sandra what is most important, her immediate reply “most importantly, I am a Christian. I love the Lord my God with all my heart, and it is He and his word that defines who I am”. Sandra is an amazing photographer with a warm personality. Visit Sandra Clukey Photography, LLC at www. SandraClukeyPhotography.com.

Sandra’s love of photography and her amazing talent keep her motivated. I wanted to know how Sandra began her career in photography and my heart smiled as I heard her response, “My love for photography started when I was very young. I honestly cannot remember ever not having a camera. Photography records life. It captures moments. Moments that keep the memories alive. Life changes so quickly. Photographs stop time.” This is an important piece of life for everyone to think about. Our country suffered an unimaginable loss of life due to the COVID-19 virus and all the families have left are memories, and hopefully many photos to reflect on. “Photos help you to feel close to someone even after that someone is gone. Photos help you to remember many life events that could otherwise be forgotten”, communiqué Magazine

Is It Time for a

CHANGE?

by Lynette Mitchell- Harley

Fortunately, there are some workers who have the flexibility to work remotely from home. These workers are at an advantage because they can continue their work (and continue getting paid) during the disruption of this pandemic. However, there are another set of workers, through no fault of their own, that are suddenly out of a job. Now what? The first question: Is this unemployment temporary — or permanent? In either case, your efforts should be focused on getting on with your life. Depending on if you are looking to change jobs or change careers, you will have different actions to focus on. You will need to assess your strengths and review your weaknesses. Without a job, your days may seem endless. Unless you have children at home that you’re suddenly in charge of teaching, then life slows down for the unemployed.) Now is the time you can work on projects that you’ve put off because you’ve been busy with work. Think about where you want your career to be one year from now and think about your five-year plan. Take the opportunity to move yourself closer to these goals. Focus on personal development. Are there additional or new skills you can work on developing? This may be the time for you to take some online classes. If you can, secure a certification or license that you can add to your resume. Speaking of résumés, now is also an excellent time to update your résumé. When you’re back to work and the economy is humming along again, you may find yourself wanting to look for a better job. Now might be the right opportunity to take the time to gather your accomplishments, update all online profiles and ensure you have official transcripts and copies of your education and training certificates. 79

eek support from others during this time. Inperson gatherings are highly discouraged due to the COVID-19 social distance guidance and restrictions, but you can use technology that allows for face to face interaction. FaceTime, Skype, and Zoom are a few popular platforms to meet up virtually with friends, family, and colleagues. You may find organizations in your surrounding area that are hosting networking events. Attending and being an active participant in those type forums will keep you invested in the professional community that you are a part of or aspire to become a part of. Covid-19 is a global crisis that is impacting our nation, especially in job loss. No one knows when this national crisis will be over and what the landscape will look like when it is. We are living in unprecedented times and must prepare for going back to business as usual, as well as prepare for a new reform. You need to have a backup plan in case the view is different for you. It is a possibility that you must work in another career while your primary job is shut down. Consider looking into a second career on a part-time basis. Reach back into your repertoire of jobs that were once a part of your career. See how you can revitalize yourself in the marketplace by revisiting old skills that are still in demand today. Reinventing yourself to fit the new industry requirements may put you back to work sooner. When preparing for another career don’t forget to investigate the “hidden job market”. The “hidden job market” is a phrase commonly used to describe job openings that are not publicly advertised. Why would companies not publicly post a job opening? • The cost of advertising an open position can be substantial. • They do not want to be overwhelmed with applications. • A new role is being created and they are unsure of the qualifications of the ideal employee. • They are replacing an existing employee (who doesn’t know they are being replaced). Most of these job opportunities are accessed through referrals from current employees of the company. It is estimated that 60-80 percent of jobs are found through networking. While not all of the jobs found through networking are accessing the hidden job market (after all, your friends/family/acquaintance network can help you access interviews for advertised opportunities too), almost all candidates who get interviews for unadvertised jobs do so through networking.

Current employees can be an excellent source of candidates. Particularly if the company has a strong workplace culture, having existing employees identify prospective candidates can help ensure solid candidates are encouraged to apply. Some companies even reward employees — with cash or gift cards — for recommending a candidate who is eventually hired. Employee referrals provide an advantage for the jobseeker too. Employee recommendations can carry great weight. Plus, there is less competition for job opportunities accessed through the hidden job market than for openly advertised opportunities. Being referred by a current employee may also mean that your application is set apart from the typical internal processes that most jobseekers must navigate — such as an applicant tracking system for online applications. So how do you tap into the hidden job market? Because opportunities are filled both through employee referrals and recruiting, you will want to cover both bases. Accessing the hidden job market works best when you have a clear target in mind — either a specific job title or, even better, a specific list of companies you’d like to work for. There are a few ways to access the hidden job market: • Connect with someone at the company through your network (either an employee who can refer you or a hiring manager). • Contact the company directly about exploring unadvertised opportunities. Here are some specific tips for jobseekers looking to tap into the hidden job market: • Let your network know you are looking for a new position. While this can be difficult if you are conducting a confidential job search, it is important that the people you know think of you when an opening comes up. • Get involved in associations and activities in your industry. Participate in professional association activities and build rapport with colleagues. Attend conferences and industry events. These are an opportunity to meet hiring managers and decision-makers at your target companies. The wider your network, the more opportunities to access the hidden job market. Based upon my 25 years of experience in workforce development, I am the one that can assist you with your career preparation, exploration, and transition/re-entry needs. To learn more about my company, contact me at 404.913.2755 or at info@careercornerservices.com. You may visit my website at www.careercornerservices.com. communiqué Magazine

BLACKLIVESMATTER # POLICE BRUTALITY AND RACIAL PROFILING by Dr. Sharon H. Porter Across the U.S. and in fact around the globe, we have experienced yet another instance of police brutality, another killing of an unarmed black man. George Floyd was accused of passing a counterfeit $20 bill....A $20 bill... Cup Foods Convenience Store owner, Mahoud Abumayyaleh, the store where Floyd allegedly passed a fake $20 bill, now says that he wishes the phone call to police was never made in an exclusive interview with TheGrio. Unfortunately, what we have recently experienced is not new. Our country has a deep history of this behavior... long before Rodney King. Recently, Breonna Taylor, a first responder in Kentucky, was shot in her own bed while sleeping; Freddie Grey died while in police custody in Baltimore, just five years ago. Ahmaud Arbery, was shot and killed while jogging near Brunswick, Georgia. Alton Sterling, Eric Garner, Philando Castile, Trayvon Martin, Sandra Bland, and the list goes on and on... According to Mapping Police Violence, police killed at least 104 unarmed black people in 2015, 1 in 3 black people killed by police in 2015 were identified as unarmed, 36 percent of unarmed people killed by police were black despite black people making up only 13 percent of the nation's population. Five years later, things have not changed. I think about the controversy of Colin Kaepernick's decision to kneel to symbolize his own silent protest of police brutality and the injustice of African Americans during the 2016 NFL pre-season. Kaepernick was saying then, Enough Is Enough! Somehow, his message wasn't felt as it should have been in 2016. We feel it now.

SPEAK OUT In a 2019 Report, The New Era of Public Safety, commissioned by The Education Fund, five suggestions were shared as to how we can make change in our communities, in our cities, in our states, and in this country. 1. Start a Conversation 2. Get Involved 3. Access More Information 4. Speak Out 5. Organize Out of the five suggestions, SPEAK OUT, resonated with me the most, not sure why. I began looking through social media; Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, to see who was actually speaking out on this injustice. I was not surprised that what I found on my timeline/feed were people who looked like me speaking out. I did run across a female Caucasian high school classmate's post that stopped me for a moment. I reached out to her and asked if I could use her post in an upcoming interview I was having on the subject of police brutality and racial profiling. She graciously agreed.

This post said to me that perhaps people who are not black may not always know exactly what to say or do. I say you need to say and do what you feel. SPEAK OUT. She ended her post with "I have hope that we can all do better". We can, but it will take us ALL to SPEAK OUT against this injustice. I get it, she wanted to make sure that the African Americans that were speaking, hurting, and grieving were heard. She listened; she spoke out!

I CAN'T BREATHE...AGAIN If you haven't viewed Nick Cannon's video I Can't Breathe...Again. It is a MUST. (Age restricted based on language). "You've been on our necks for centuries...knees or trees either way you're still lynching me..." "We made America Great INITIALLY..." This entire video from beginning to end is filled with true, raw emotion. I applaud Nick Cannon and all of those with platforms who are speaking out on the continued mistreatment of Black Americans. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

PROTESTS AND LOOTING The killing of George Floyd has sparked protests around the world. Unfortunately, looters are taking advantage of the situation, but please understand that protesters are protesting, and looters are looting, they are not necessarily the same. My hope is the looting does not overshadow the purpose of the protest. Black people are hurting. All people should be hurting at the dehumanizing of not just George Floyd, but the countless others who have died for frivolous reasons...Skittles, jogging, a counterfeit $20 bill. I am in the Washington, DC area and protesters have to take to the streets of our nation's capital as well. The President stated that “vicious dogs” and "ominous weapons" would meet protesters who crossed the security line at the White House. This reference brings to mind images from the civil rights movement when marchers faced police dogs and fire hoses. Muriel Bowser, mayor of Washington DC responded to The President saying that “while he hides behind his fence afraid and alone, I stand with people peacefully exercising their First Amendment Right after the murder of #GeorgeFloyd and hundreds of years of institutional racism.” One of the officers has been arrested. Will all involved be arrested? We shall see. Silence is an indication of support or at least alignment, in my opinion. I need to thank all law enforcement personnel that uphold your duty to protect and serve. This must be said. There are decent officers that risk their lives each and every day for us I end with the sincere desire to make a difference, to spark a discussion that is grounded in viable solutions. This is for people all across this nation, but specifically for the little black girls and little black boys that are growing up perhaps thinking, the color of their skin is a sin. It is not. #BlackLivesMatters is not just a hashtag. It is a mindset shift that needs to take place in these United States. The

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Van Miller International White Eyelash Dress Halter back gown, low draping front neckline. High back spilt, the look is finished with a beautiful silver broach

Designer: Vanessa Henderson, Van Miller International Model: Cherry Song Photographer: Jerry A Barnes Hair Stylist: Gina Marks Rebolledo Makeup Artist: Rachel Reid Stylist: Kimberly Harden Jacki Barnes

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Vanessa Henderson

Van Miller International

by JC Gardner

tops and immediately put her whole name on them, thereby foreshadowing owning her own label.

Vanessa Henderson, Building a Legacy to Last a Working by hand required meticulous detailing, Lifetime something she mastered. When she did get a hold All the skilled women spun with their hands, and of a sewing machine, they connected like long-lost friends and mastering it became a catalyst for creating brought what they had spun, in blue and purple and scarlet material and in fine linen. sought after designs by the time she was in her early twenties. At that time, she worked with her sister to put Exodus 35:25 on a fashion show with about twenty-five models. She Quilting is a time-honored tradition of individually noted, “We sold out everything. I always knew one day patterned squares of fabric with a unique footprint I would be a fashion designer.” carefully connected by hand to another individual Vanessa always square, building worked with and depending on something that the one before it dealt with fabric. until a landscape She worked with of various colors companies and and hues create a trained sewers for tapestry blessed by them, including ancestral teachings at the community and resounding college. She scripture of the also worked final creation with mainstream being beautifully retailers such as and wonderfully Peace Goods, made. Joann fabrics and White House/ This was Black Market, to how Vanessa name a few. She Henderson of even owned a North Carolina full-service bridal got her start as salon. a designer and a seamstress. Raised All of these by a single mother and the oldest of six children, at the tender age of five accomplishments with no degree or design classes. years old, she helped her mother with quilting, which required working by hand, never using the sewing Having raised three talented and successful children of machine. As time went on, all of her siblings would her own, when she was forty-three, she decided to fulfill assist with the quilting, and they were all gifted with a promise to her mother who had died unexpectedly when she was twenty-one, and that was to go to school being able to sew as they grew into adulthood. and get a degree. She lived in a dorm with three, Vanessa, while under her mother’s wing, became a eighteen-year-old roommates in 2001. “I did life in good student. She eventually graduated to making doll reverse,” she stated. After graduating at the top of her clothes and then as a teenager, she started making halter class in 2003, Vanessa started Van Miller International communiqué Magazine

in Atlanta, GA, and in that same year, she was designer of the year. The college degree put a stamp on an already impressive career. Vanessa has done hundreds of fashion shows, worked with Project Runway designers, beauty pageants, movies and theater. She’s won numerous awards, judged shows, and her couture has graced an abundance of magazine covers. She has also been the costume designer for stage and television. Speaking of theater, she wrote and produced her first successful stage play, Finish the Dream about a church girl finishing her dream. Vanessa’s accomplishments and accolades extend past what the eye can see. She is an Editor at Large for New York Style Fashion Entertainment magazine, an editor for Mothers & Daughters magazine, and she hosts the series on Amazon Prime, “Why Did I Become a Model,” which chronicles the personal lives of models from all different walks of life around the world. With all of her designs, her sewing team consists of… one! Vanessa is the only seamstress at Van Miller. “When I sit down to sew, I’ve already thought it out and what it should look like in my mind. I’m the creative director, and I create my own patterns. I would go and get the fabric but wouldn’t cut anything until I know [what it is to become.]” When asked about what she is most proud about, she recalls turning sixty a few years ago, “It was like I really found my voice. It made me feel different as a woman. I’m living out loud.” She revels in the fact that she is able to hold her own in the fashion industry as a Black

woman, and she loves taking fashion to the streets in the community, like doing shows or photoshoots in the park. Vanessa’s handprint has touched many, and she demonstrates being a servant leader as an ordained minister. She lives out her faith by mentoring young hopefuls who want to break into the industry or others who need some encouragement. She doesn’t see herself in the pulpit; rather she’s a “ hedges and highway kind of minister.” She likes being in the field. What’s on the horizon for Vanessa? She’d like to do something on the political front and write a few books. She’s also co-founder of Queen of Hearts International which mentors young women in Africa. Travelling to the Motherland would be a dream come true. She notes, “The grind is every day. You have to stay focused. If you are swayed, you won’t attain what you want.” In addition to the very many businesses and endeavors she is involved with, teaching her granddaughter how to sew brings her immense joy, and it is no surprise they are working on a collection together. “To see one of my grandchildren come along” and follow in my footsteps, that would prove my time was well served. There’s no stopping this talented, prolific designer anytime soon. Visit the House of Van Miller www. vanmillerinternational.com.

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CONTEMPORARY EXPRESSIONS by Corretta L. Doctor June through September are typically bustling with beautifully designed halls and courtyards filled with celebrations galore. Not in 2020; the scene has been reduced to back yard weddings of less than ten, driveway birthday dinners for two, and front yard landscapes that depict a graduation for one. Many celebrations have been paused due to the current restrictions in place for social gatherings. The COVID-19 global pandemic has been a defeating blow to the event management and planning industry, yet in some ways the shift in how we celebrate has created an opportunity for the industry to show up differently. Contemporary Expressions (CE), a full-service event planning and design company is open for business. 89

CE is still producing events and growing their business by catering to a demand of patrons that say, “the show must go on.” Recognizing the need to keep their clients and staff safe, CE has enacted a social distancing policy that allows them to continue working through this unusual time of social separation. CE unofficially started in the year 2000 as a “do-ityourself” project when they designed and decorated their eldest sister’s wedding. As the years progressed, they received numerous requests from family and friends to provide décor’ for their events. Weddings of their other sisters followed, then more and more requests came pouring in. As a result, they decided to turn their hobby into a business. CE officially became an LLC, servicing clientele nationwide in 2009. Since 2009, their business has grown and flourished.

CE currently provides event planning, design, and floral design for all of life’s celebrations to include: Weddings (Traditional, Destination, Civil, etc.), Parties, Showers, Birthday Celebrations, Corporate Events, and any event worth celebrating. CE also provides exclusive wedding services such as event day management, sometimes referred to as same-day wedding coordination. The company, owned and operated by a team of five extraordinary women, has built a reputation for always providing their clientele with the "five-star" experience. They believe in innovative designs, luxurious decor, excellent customer service, and punctual events. This is a standard for the company that has helped to propel

their brand forward. There are numerous opportunities for growth within the wedding and events industry, and they have vowed to never limit their creativity. CE tells communique’ Magazine, “We understand that the way to remain relevant in this industry is to always increase our knowledge, while setting new goals for ourselves with a plan already in mind to achieve them. Building and maintaining positive relationships with other event professionals is also a must in this industry. There can never be an island mentality. We are grateful for the many professional relationships that we have built over the years”. For the ‘five star experience’ visit the company’s website at www.contempoexp.com.

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Domestic Abuse/Violence & COVID-19 Mildred D. Muhammad

Award-Winning Global Keynote Speaker, Certified Consultant with the US Dept of Justice/Office for Victims of Crime, Speaker for the US Dept of State, CNN Contributor, Domestic Abuse Survivor, Certified Domestic Violence Advocate, Ex-Wife of DC Sniper evening. And now, they have nothing! They wake up to the uncertainty of what the abusers’ behavior will be moment by moment. Stay-At-Home Orders Every state implemented a ‘stay at home’ order as a way to minimize transmitting the virus from spreading. Larger companies established ‘teleworking’ as a means to continue productivity and smaller companies were forced to close not knowing when or if they would be able to re-establish themselves as a viable business. Prior to COVID-19, victims knew they were victims as well as abusers knew they were abusers. That dynamic didn’t change. However, the dynamics for the administration of that abuse changed from abusing a few hours a day to abusing all day and night. Another dynamic that changed for the victim is not being able to reach out for help ‘safely’. Being trapped was also a “new” emotion victims had to come to terms with and maneuver through each day.

Life, as we know it, good and bad, has changed because of COVID-19. As I’m writing, my heart is heavy because I know, right at this moment, someone (women, men and children) is being abused and traumatized. They feel alone and scared while being afraid to reach out! Domestic violence is rising during this pandemic. COVID-19 has changed the way business owners operate their businesses. Now that teleworking is a reality, domestic abuse/violence cases are rising. Not much is mentioned in the media, but we know there are many who will not, or they are unable to call for help. My initial thought was, what will victims and survivors do now? Going to work offered relief to their situation for 6 – 10 hours or longer. They had a sense of ‘normalcy’ during the day to prepare themselves for what was to come in the

Staying home became a prison and escaping is difficult. Social distancing, unable to move into a shelter or a hotel was the rule of the day. Courts were closed so obtaining a restraining order was equally difficult and once received, where would they go? A perfect storm was created. All areas of abuse became amplified. Abuse of women, children and men began to rise at a rate unseen to many in the field. New strategies had to be developed and implemented in a matter of days, not months or years. And in the midst of developing these programs, women were/are dying at an alarming rate not heard of before of COVID-19. Abusers Tactics COVID-19 is a gift to abuser. They have created different ways of abusing. Some of those ways are, creating fear of getting COVID-19 by spitting, coughing and sneezing on victims, hiding their cellphone, work and interfering with the internet connection when they know the victim must be on a videocall meeting. Verbal assaults, physical assaults are an ongoing occurrence every day. There isn’t any relief except when the abuser leaves the home, taking a shower or asleep. Those times are few and the relief is brief for the victim.

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Being Abused While Teleworking During COVID-19 Teleworking has been a part of the fabric of most business owners. It is not a new concept. Because of COVID-19, a well-executed plan had to be established that would allow hundreds of employees to work from home so they would be able to continue working at the same level as they would at their offices. This would be a major experiment throughout the world. As the reality of teleworking began to unfold, there were concerns as to how this process would work. Equipment (laptops, cellphones, task assignments, etc.) would be included and supplied by the employers. Time schedules, workspace and managing family times would be the responsibility of the employee. Victims would have more the plan. They would have to maneuver being abused, consistently, while teleworking without anyone knowing they are being abused, if their employer and co-workers are not aware. Seeking assistance is a challenge because of the ‘stay-athome’ orders and the virus. Social distancing would make it impossible to call police. The courts are closed, and no restraining orders would be obtained online as well as shelters are cautious of accepting victims and their children. However, the National Domestic Violence Hotline remains open and they are accepting calls. 800-799-SAFE (7233). Law enforcement, from different cities, have announced if called, they will respond. Check your local police precinct. Their message to victims and survivors of domestic abuse and violence is YOU ARE NOT ALONE! We are here for you. We are waiting to serve you. If you need help, call the hotline or your local precinct. The abuse is not your fault. Getting Help One suggestion to receive assistance, if you are unable to call the hotline or the police, is to tell your abuser you are ordering a pizza. Instead of calling the number for a pizza, you would call 911 and pretend to order a pizza. Dispatchers are aware that victims would be calling for help. They recognize this is one-way victims are using when they are in distress. I wrote, ‘Being Abused While Teleworking During Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic: A Safety Guide for Victims of Domestic Abuse/Violence & Awareness for Bystanders’ to assist victims, employers and bystanders. We are connected more than we realize. It is an eBook to make it accessible to victims so that they can download it and place it in a separate folder that can be read at will. Click this link to download your copy. https://amzn.to/2YrrJOn The paperback will be available soon.

If you know someone who is a victim or survivor of domestic violence, call, not email or text this person. They need you more than they can say and that you are aware of. This is not the time to leave them alone. When you call, ask questions that can be answered with yes or no. Establish a code with the victim that will be used as a warning that she or he is in trouble and need you to call the police. Another tip would be to call the police and request a wellness check. The abuser will be mindful that someone is watching and cares for the victim. They may think twice before hurting the victim. However, the most dangerous man in the world is a man who is not afraid to lose anything. There is a new signal to alert the person you are video chatting with that you need help. Its called ‘The violence at home signal for help’. 1. Palm to camera and tuck thumb 2. Trap thumb 3. The video is provided to assistance you with the motion https://youtu.be/AFLZEQFIm7k Domestic abuse/violence is never the fault of the victim. Therefore, stop asking the victim, why do you stay and start asking the abuser, why do you abuse? When you ask the victim, why do you stay, you are placing the total responsibility for the abuse in the relationship on the victim. It is time for the abuser to be held accountable for the terror he/she is causing to those whom they claim to love. It was difficult for those who cared for and loved John to believe he was abusing me. They didn't believe me. Even after he killed innocent people and became known as the DC Sniper people blamed me instead of helping me and my children. There were and still are advocates that didn't/don't believe me. In the beginning, law enforcement and some nonprofits didn't believe me. I didn't need anyone to validate my abuse. When I began to speak out, I was told to go somewhere and sit down, get over it, move on, no one wants to hear from you! The negativity and venom spewed at me was difficult. I have a mission in my heart to help others. I asked and believed God would put the "right" people and resources in place to help me. I stepped out on faith and He was there and still is every step of the way! If it had not been for the Lord on my side, tell me where would I be? You don't need anyone to validate the mission in your heart. Ask God to put people and resources in place to help you. Then...release your faith, knowing with assurance, that ALL circumstances will work in your favor today. Believe in yourself!

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which operates Rib Runners BBQ and Seafood Bandits, serves Orlando, Florida, and surrounding areas with three food trucks. They are Orlando’s premium mobile eatery solution. Rib Runners barbecued ribs are cooked right on premise and are perfect! Oh, so tasty! The order size is plentiful and is priced exactly right. Seafood Bandits offers gourmet seafood that is tasty and tied into a street food concept with a variety of menu choices that include fish, shrimp, lobster, and other selections that include chicken wing dinner options and a variety of side selections.

During the current restrictions in place due to COVID-19, restaurants temporarily closed, leaving many of them scrambling to stay afloat, while others shut their doors permanently. As the restrictions relaxed, food establishments were allowed to serve curbside, carryout, and delivery orders. The food truck industry came alive during this time. With their standard ‘pick up and go’ service, food trucks are a convenient, and primary ‘goto’ source for a meal. Seafood Bandits Group, LLC, 95

Founders, Antone Holmes and Keiaron Jackson and Head Chef and Advisor, Preston McCarroll are pillars in the Orlando communities, supporting major events and operating a weekend service from Thursday through Sunday at 1923 Bruton Boulevard. I attended the 2019 Pro Bowl game, the National Football League's all-star game for the 2018 NFL season, played on January 27, 2019, at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. It was an exciting game, I met a lot of people, and it was my first encounter with Seafood Bandits. I have eaten at the Seafood Bandits and Rib Runners BBQ food trucks several times; one week I purchased my dinner and returned three times in the same week. Each time I took some friends that also have been return patrons.

The mission of Seafood Bandits Group and its subsidiaries is to service the city by serving the world. They want to expand operations, to include a brick and mortar establishment and create resources and opportunity for those who desire to achieve greater. Employment and training opportunities promote growth in communities and the company is focused on a future of encompassing growth in its endeavors to become a national company. Every business has a purpose with specific goals and expectations. The most important purpose that inspired the start of Seafood Bandits Group was the plan of establishing something for the younger generations of the founders to look forward to and continue on. Legacy is a good foundation to be passed on to the up and coming generations that will ensure the future of the company. The family inspired business is building a company that creates generational wealth. The owners have established a movement that is able to service the Orlando communities, providing opportunity and inspiration. Young entrepreneurs has a role model to look up to. It's not just about having ownership, as an entrepreneur, it is also about the impact and change you create in others. That is a quality that makes you a good business owner. Antone Holmes is a native of Liberty City, a neighborhood in Miami, Florida. He is a venture capitalist in the business. Keiaron Jackson attended Fort Valley State University, a public historically black university in Fort Valley, Georgia and holds a degree in Business Management and Computer Science. He also has a masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in Education. He is an advocate for community growth and is a Dean at a local Orlando Elementary school. Preston McCarroll loves food with all of his heat, he has been at the top of the food industry for more than 25 years. Preston has worked at Bonefish Grill and in various positions at Disney as a prime-time Chef. The success of a business is engrained in its leadership. The heart of Seafood Bandits Group is evident in the food quality, professionalism in their business, superior customer service and excellent tasting food. Hats off to the team!

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TRAVELING TO GHANA Traveling is on just about everyone’s mind these days. Whether it is a short trip, long trip or a destination event, the world of travel stood still starting early 2020. Domestic and international travel have both slowed down, and in many cases has completely halted due to the restrictions of the COVID-19 travel guidance.

languages that include Twi, Akan, and Ewe. Tiffany has made friends that double as family when she is spending time in Ghana. Being able to host her own group traveling to Ghana was one of

Tiffany Heard is an avid global traveler from Los Angeles, California. In 2007, as an undergraduate student, she took her first international trip to the Republic of Ghana, which is located in the subregion of West Africa. Tiffany traveled there in the summer to study abroad. During those six weeks she fell in love with the country and the people. It ultimately led to her hosting her very own group trip, which felt like a full, complete circle. Tiffany shares that she loves to see the joy on the faces of her groups when visiting the ‘Motherland’. Tiffany studies abroad to expand her cultural experiences and add unique education options to her professional resume. She also volunteers at local schools in Ghana. Tiffany returned from her most recent trip to Ghana just months before the COVID-19 restrictions on travel went into effect. Ghana was formerly known as the Gold Coast until 1957 when it gained independence from Britain. The capital, and largest city in Ghana is Accra. Ghana is bordered by the Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, Togo in the east, and the Gulf of Guinea, and Atlantic Ocean in the south. Ghana means "Warrior King" in the Soninke language. English is a major language in Ghana along with African communiqué Magazine

her top experiences among all of the trips she has taken there. Although Tiffany has stayed with her ‘homestay’ Mother’, a local family that provided Tiffany an in-home experience while in Ghana, she also uses Airbnb, guest houses, and hotels during her stays. Tiffany stays anywhere from one week to two months while in Ghana. She fully engages with the culture and participates in activities that include the naming ceremony, having local custom-made clothes designed, swimming in the beach, attending church, and dining at local food establishments. We see pictures in magazines and often align our thoughts of safari animals with the word Africa. When we asked Tiffany about this experience, she told us, “Ghana has a zoo located in Accra and Kumasi. Travel to the northern part and visit Mole National Park if

you would like to see safari animals. Most safaris are located in the eastern regions (Kenya and Tanzania) or in the south (South African countries). While walking around Ghana you will mainly see animals such as chickens, goats, and cows”. To travel to Ghana from the United States, you are required to have an international certificate of vaccination with the specific mandatory immunization for yellow fever. The Republic of Ghana must also issue you a VISA. Visit the Ghana Official Government website at https://www.ghana.gov.gh/ and be sure to check with your country’s State Department or Travel Authority when planning a trip to Ghana. Follow Tiffany Heard on Instagram @sweettiffys and follow her Blog at www.tiffany-travels.com . While there check out her ‘Ultimate Travel Guide to Ghana’!

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MUSIC

ALWAYS

STYLE Music is a part of life that marks time, creates memories, establishes unions, and is used as therapy. Every wedding, birthday party, or other celebration includes a comprehensive and specific plan to have music. I have talked to a long line of musicians in my career but meeting musical artist Curtis Styles, a native of Teaneck, New Jersey, was a high point for me. With a few things in common, such as our connection to the city of Newark, New Jersey where Curtis has worked at a Newark Community Corrections Facility and I attended Weequahic High School in Newark’s south ward, we also share a passion for supporting people facing mental health challenges, and we share a love for jazz instrumental music and melodic Rhythm and Blues (R&B). Curtis Styles is a keyboardist and plays multi-keyboards, including piano, organ, and synthesizers. Vintage Soul Experience (VSE) is a group comprised of three members, Ron Anthony who serves as the group’s vocalist and songwriter, Leslie Booker is the bass player. Curtis is the musical director, keyboardist, and executive producer. The group previously released three singles: Can We Flow, Believe in Me, and Get Ready to Party. Just weeks ago, they released a new social justice #blacklivesmatter single titled, ‘Yet Another Brother’. As a form of respect to those lives lost and in acknowledgement of our country’s racism problem, VSE has delivered a song that will always remind us that there is a needed change in our world. Curtis has a long history in professional music that spans decades beginning in 1982. Curtis has performed with Gloria Gaynor, SILK, Jagged Edge, Force MDs, and many other well-known recording artists. He credits his parents, James and Jacquelyn Styles, for his early start towards what has become a fruitful career. His Mother, who passed at age 92, was a licensed Family Therapist and was still seeing clients up until her death earlier this year. His father passed away in 2012; he had retired as a Technical Administrator of Radiology at St. Mary’s Hospital in Passaic, New Jersey. Curtis’ parents started his training on classical piano at the age of nine. Classical lessons provided him necessary theory to understand music. His maternal grandfather, Arthur Bowie, was a professional pianist, originally from Philadelphia, he played in Harlem, New York for more than 50 years. He was a big band player. Curtis breathes and bleeds music, for sure it is in his DNA. Curtis was a member of the NYC funk band ‘Der Kinky Foxx’ for a decade, from 1982 to 1992. The band 101 99

in East Orange, New Jersey as a Licensed Clinical Addictions and Drug Counselor (LCADC) Intern. Curtis continues to compose, arrange, and produce music at his home studio, “The Spot Recording Studio” in Teaneck, New Jersey. Stay connected on social media by following Curtis Styles on Instagram and please go like and follow Curtis and the band, Vintage Soul Experience, at the following links. To contact Curtis Styles, send an email to Curtis Styles at keyplay57@gmail. com Instagram: @CurtisStyles FB: Curtis M Styles https://www. facebook.com/OfficialCurtisMStyles/ FB: Vintage Soul Experience https:// www.facebook.com/Vintageguyz12/ left New York and became residents of Canada and had a successful hit single, “So Different”, released in 1983. They were the biggest band in Quebec, working full time with a nightly gig. There were seven members total. Canada seemed to have super clubs and life was booming when the band arrived in the early 80’s, but in the nineties the local club life started drying up. As a result, after ten years, Curtis returned to New Jersey and began a different career.

band, called Curtis and asked him to join the band for a show in Vienne, France. After the sold-out performance, the band was asked to return to Europe in late November of 2019. They toured five locations, 1. Paris, France, 2. Tournai, Belgium 3. Amsterdam, Netherlands, 4. England, United Kingdom.

Curtis was educated in the field that he would revert to after the Canada stint. He held a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and upon returning to New Jersey, he took a job at New York’s Beth Israel Hospital as an Addictions Counselor at a methadone maintenance treatment program (MMTP) and was promoted after one year to Clinic Supervisor.

Curtis has also released gospel and jazz instrumental singles as well. I have to add that my favorite ‘Curtis Styles hit’, out of many of his recordings, is “On Time”, a contemporary gospel song featuring Alyson Williams as Lead Vocalist. The song was originally released in 2016. Curtis was on keys and drum programming. Leslie Booker was on Bass. Brian Morgan on Guitar, and Serena Pegues was background vocalist. Curtis composed and produced the song in honor of his father’s 2012 passing.

In 2013, Kevin Robinson, leader of the BB & Q band, also known as the “Brooklyn, Bronx, and Queens”

Curtis currently works with clients having co-occurring disorders at Community Psychiatric Institute communiqué Magazine

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4,718 days

My IVF Love Story

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Introduction My name is Ericka Michelle, the daughter of C. NaTasha and Melvin Richburg. The eldest of four children and the first to encounter “life experiences,” I was the first of my siblings to get babysitting opportunities, the first to leave home, and the first to attend college. I also held the erroneous belief that I would be the first to have a child. If there were a real “baby whisperer,” it would be me; as an infant teacher at a childcare center, I trained babies to roll over, crawl, and roll their lips to make bubbles (raspberries). I loved children, and children loved me. In December 2006, I got married at the age of 20. I had bright hopes of building a family with my husband and little ones filling our home. To my dismay, it was not in the cards for me to have children effortlessly and spend the rest of my picture-perfect life with a doting husband, gazing into the cherubic faces of our happy children. My path to motherhood, while not what I expected, is a story of love – love of family, friends, co-workers, and members of my IVF Facebook group, whose collective stories afforded me the support I needed for this road. This new reality for me was designed for me to help others to navigate their own special roads. This is the story of how I finally become a mother. In the beginning, I dreamt that, immediately after saying “I do,” we were destined to conceive a child on our honeymoon night. Glowing with the shimmer of honeymoon blitz, two weeks passed, and I took a pregnancy test, waited impatiently to read the positive result I knew would be there. NOPE! This is not the fairy tale I originally believed it would be. It took 4,718 days, which is the equivalent to, twelve years, 11 months, 7 hours, and 20 minutes for my dream of becoming a mother to finally come true! Today, I am cheerfully carrying my first child. I am now prepared to share my story with others.

This emotional ride presented to you through the pages of my story will focus only on those who stayed with me for this ride. Those who fell off along the way are not mentioned here. My Journey When we lived in Columbus, Ohio, I sought the help of a fertility specialist to check my female inner workings and prepare me for conception. Once all of the necessary blood work and testing were completed, I learned that polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) was inhibiting my quest to conceive. The doctor wasn’t concerned, so I wasn’t either. My husband and I approached the issue, implementing timed intercourse coupled with taking a medication called Clomiphene or Clomid, a pill taken orally for 5 days to treat infertility in women who do not ovulate. Six months of this method resulted in nothing. No pregnancy. No baby. No reason not to give up hope. I took the next step on the road toward pregnancy, which included an elective laparoscopy, “[a ] surgical procedure in which a fiber-optic instrument is inserted through the abdominal wall to view the organs in the abdomen or to permit a surgical procedure (Lexico.com/em/definition/laparoscopy).” In other words, the doctor sent a tiny camera into my body through my belly button to see what was happening inside of me. Yet again, the doctor did not find anything to be concerned about. In 2010, my husband joined the military, and we were stationed in North Carolina. This opportunity provided me access to a military installation that performed fertility procedures at the clinic; better still, all the required medication were free of charge. Just like my first fertility specialists had, the military clinic took blood work and performed testing. One test administered is called a hysterosalpingography (HSG), which required an x-ray of the fallopian tubes. The test was uncomfortable, to say the least, communiqué Magazine

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but the results revealed that my left fallopian tube was blocked due to scarring and that I had endometriosis. Since the doctor now understood what was wrong, the remedy was to proceed with Intrauterine Insemination (IUI). An IUI cycle consists of injecting hormonal medications Gonal-F and Menopur into the stomach, while the doctor monitors my progress every other day with a sonogram and blood work. Once all hormonal and blood levels look good, the nurse calls and instructs me to inject a very long needle (known as a trigger shot) into my buttocks. Please note that this step required teamwork, since I could not inject the needle myself. The administration of the trigger shot required that all involved adopted the precision of a world-class rowing team. The trigger shot contained a medication called Human Chronic Gonadotrophin (HCG). However, the medication does not burn, which is important, since it allows the stimulated ovary to release eggs in preparation for insemination 24-36 hours later in the doctor’s office. On the day of the insemination, we would go to an external facility where my husband would collect his sample, and the staff would wash it using a special solution to ensure that the sperm would be preserved; this procedure cost $160 each time we did it. Then I would transport the collection cup between my breasts to keep the sperm warm. When I arrived at the hospital on post, I would give the nurse the sample, and she would place it in a catheter, which was then placed into my uterus with the sperm targeted for injection. I then remained lying down for a few minutes, and I would be sent home to rest. I later returned to the hospital 2 weeks later to get my blood drawn to see if the procedure was successful. We underwent IUI 4 times, and each time, the treatment was unsuccessful. In August 2011, we decided to proceed with 105

in vitro fertilization (IVF). One outstanding memory of the preparation for IVF included the familiar drama of the trigger shot. Let’s be clear: preparing for the needle injection is like standing outside of the double-dutch ropes swaying front and back, trying to get in sync with the rhythm of the ropes as you brace to generate the nerve to jump. If you don’t mind needles, it’s not bad. But if you hate needles

(like me), the process requires the demonstration of heroic courage. It took six months for us to save the money for the IVF procedure. The cost was $6,997, and I worked to save half, and we took out a loan for the other half. Luckily the medication was still given free of charge. In February 2012, we proceeded with IVF, which is like IUI, except I had my eggs retrieved under local anesthesia. My husband provided his sample in the cup, as in the IUI process, and the doctor washed the sperm. Next, the embryologist combined the egg and sperm in a petri dish. At the time of retrieval, the doctor collected 15 eggs. Five days later, the best embryo was selected and placed into my uterus. Two weeks after this grand production, I returned to have my blood drawn to determine if I was pregnant; I was not. All of my hard work, time, dedication and financial sacrifice were all for nothing; I was heartbroken. I took a sabbatical from work, because I was so embarrassed to admit that I had still not achieved my dream of motherhood. From 2012 until 2014, I traveled with my husband and tried to focus on other things besides trying to conceive. In May 2013, my husband received orders to move to Fort Campbell. While living there, I

revisited the desire to have children. During this time, I had reached my heaviest weight of 237 pounds on my small 5’2 frame. That was an abundance of weight for me to carry. I was eating correctly and exercising regularly, but the weight would not budge. I went to see my primary care physician and told her my problems. My doctor asked me if I had ever thought about weight loss surgery. I said I hadn’t, but I wanted to learn more about it! Out of the many options given, I chose the gastric sleeve, and during this procedure, a portion of my stomach was removed, which limited my ability to consume too much food. In July 2014, I had weight loss surgery, and January 2016, after 18 months exactly, I reached the milestone of 100 pounds lost! In 2016, my husband and I decided to divorce. My inability to conceive had weighed heavily on our marriage. I wanted my husband to go on to have a family, something I couldn’t give him. In 2017, I was married again, and my current husband suggested that I go see a specialist to see what was going on with my fertility. In May of that year, I went to a fertility specialist in Maryland. The doctor conducted an exploratory procedure to see what was going on reproductively. The specialist found that my fallopian tubes were leaking, which represented a condition called Hydrosalpinx. The doctor believed the leaking might have causes my infertility in 2012. The specialist removed my fallopian tubes and informed me that the only way I would be able to conceive was through IVF. I was distraught at the news; I felt less of a woman. The only thing I’d ever wanted to do in life was physically taken away from me. I knew that the cost of IVF was astronomical. My current employer offered health insurance with comprehensive infertility coverage, but the cost of the procedure and the medication was still too high. For personal reasons, I switched jobs, and with my new position came reasonably priced health insurance communiqué Magazine

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with comprehensive infertility coverage. In January 2019, I made an appointment at a fertility center in Columbia, Maryland. During my first consultation with my doctor, I received a checklist of everything I needed to complete in order to be ready for IVF. In February 2019, I had a saline sonogram, which helps determine if any abnormalities are present within the uterus. The test revealed 3 polyps. Then, in April 2019, the polyps were successfully removed. Throwing a wrench into my plans, in May 2019, my employer switched insurance carriers in the middle of the term, and my doctor’s office did not accept what would have been my new insurance. In June 2019, I switched employers. I now work for a wonderful healthcare organization that offers fertility and prescription coverage. My insurance took effect in July 1, so I was back on track, completing my checklist. In August, I began taking birth control to regulate my cycle and quiet things down, and then I underwent a baseline ultrasound. On September 20, 2019, I had 35 eggs retrieved. Due to my PCOS, I suffered from Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS). My body was so bloated and swollen that I could not have an immediate, fresh transfer. My treatment team had me drink Gatorade Zero until my hormones balanced out. While I waited, I asked about clinical trials, and I participated in a clinical trial that involved a research study to evaluate whether the individualized timing of embryo transfer is superior to the standard timing of embryo transfer, called Endometrial Receptivity Analysis (ERA). The biopsy brought me the opportunity to have my embryos undergo Preimplantation Genetic Screening (PGS). The results indicated that, of the 35 eggs retrieved, only 4 made it to blastocyst, and of those 4, only 2 were normal. On October 21, 2019, I had an ERA biopsy, and on November 22, 2019, I completed my frozen 107

embryo transfer. I went into the transfer with a full bladder, as instructed, and the doctor inserted the catheter. I watched the monitor as my embryo entered my uterus. After the procedure was complete, I went home and relaxed, but I made a point to continue on with my routine and not to let worry or fear consume me. I began taking pregnancy tests 2 days after the transfer (far too soon), but I did not receive a positive result until 7 days later. On Friday, November 29, 2019, I received my very first positive pregnancy test after 12 years and 11 months of trying to conceive. On December 6, 2019, I went into the office to take a blood test to determine officially whether I was pregnant. My beta level was 1654, and I went back 3 days later to make sure the levels were raising correctly – the second beta was 6709. On December 19, 2019, I was 6 weeks, 5 days pregnant with my daughter, whom I saw on the sonogram for the very first time and heard her heartbeat. On December 29, 2006, I embarked on the journey of becoming a mother. My dreams had come true. On March 16, 2020, my life changed again. Never did I dream that I’d be expecting my first daughter during a worldwide pandemic, though I am thankful for the journey and for my current health. I am expecting my daughter to come into the world in August 2020, and I look forward to being her mother, to explore life through her eyes, and to help her discover her dreams and fulfill her passions. _______________ Story by: Ericka Michelle (princess_052386@yahoo.com) Written by: Author, C. NaTasha Richburg, MBS, MIS (www.cnatashaproductions.com

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Lead Designer Brandon Jolly Brandon Graphics Design Email: info@brangraphicd.com Front Cover Design Kiva Ferreira Graphics Designer IG @kivaferreira Front Cover Tina Lifford Photographer: Kauwuane Burton Table of Contents: Watermark Image Designer: House of Van Miller Page 86, 87, 109 Photographer: JABarnes Photography IG @jaybarnesphotography

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Page 5 Nathaniel Phillips Pages 8, 9, 10, 18, 19, 20, 21, 67, 68 Kim Taylor of KIMAZING Photography Pages 14, 15, 79, 89, 90 Johannas IG @JohannasJPhotography Pages 24, 25, 26 @creativesoulphoto Pages 29, 30 @sigrunbraga Page 44 Gizelle Hernandez (LA) Page 56 Greg Moore Photography Page 63, 64 OWN Communications ‘Queen Sugar’ Pages 74, 75 S. Gaskins of Stephen Gaskins Photography Page 92 Guthrie Bonnett of ATOC Photography

communique Magazine does not take credit for any Photographs provided by the Interviewees. All images are used with permission granted by the subjects of the articles or by the Photographers listed below. Any errors or omissions will be corrected on the magazine’s website and in the subsequent issue.

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