Parenting ● Education ● Assistance ● Support
Magazine/January 2013 www.peasintheirpods.com
PRINCESS INC.
CULTIVATING YOUNG WOMEN TOWARDS EXCELLENCE
JANUARY
FEATURED MISSING CHILDREN
PARENTING CORNER GAETANE BORDERS PITPS PRESIDENT
DESTINED FOR A DREAM FOUNDATION PREPARING YOUTH FOR A GLOBAL ECONOMY
GIRL TALK
Remembering
JADE MORRIS 10
Deceased December 27, 2012
G.R.O.W
GETTING READY TO LEAD OUR WORLD
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Tarasha Benjamin June 26,2010 from Selma, Alabama
STATE OF ALABAMA ANYONE HAVING INFORMATION SHOULD CONTACT National Center for Missing & Exploited Children 1-800-843-5678 (1-800-THE-LOST)
Tarasha was last seen in Selma, Alabama on June 26, 2010. She said goodbye to her mother and left home at 10:00 a.m. to go to a flea market. On the way there, she stopped at a yard sale and met with a relative who borrowed her cellular phone to make a call. It's not clear whether Tarasha ever arrived at the flea market. She never returned home and has never been heard from again. The car she was driving, a gray Mazda Tribute she'd borrowed from a friend, was found abandoned on the Cecil Jackson Bypass, one mile from the flea market and facing the opposite direction. Two windows on the driver's side were missing and the driver's side door handle was broken. It's extremely uncharacteristic of Tarasha to leave without warning, and foul play is suspected in her disappearance. Authorities don't believe she's still in the local area, as extensive searches turned up no sign of her. Her case remains unsolved.
Fred Wright (Age Progression) December 6, 1998 from Tuskegee, Alabama Fred was last seen at his home on the night of December 6, 1998. He was last seen by an adult male who was in the home. Eyes-Brown HairBlack Sex-male If you have any information aboutt Fred's disappearance please contact Tuskegee Police Department (Alabama) - 1-334-7270200
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Peas In Their Pods Janice Lowery Chief Executive Officer GaĂŠtane Borders President Training Specialist Denise Bethune Editor P.E.A.S. Magazine Publicity Manager Paula Whitebear Administrative Assistant Yolanda Butler Business Consultant Vickie Britton Researcher for Missing Children Anita Harris Parent Mentor Marcus Dent Guardian Angel Nancy Fairbanks Webmaster
Mission
Featured M
Peas In Their Pods is an incorporated not-for-profit organization that provides a specific service to those who have missing loved ones. The organization is self-funded, and is comprised of a team of volunteers who work diligently to assist families during their time of greatest need. We are here to help parents find their missing children. We do not take the place of the Amber Alert System. We simply pick up where they leave off or never engage due to program criteria. Peas In Their Pods Organizational goal takes pride in helping to find missing children of color, fight against child abuse, and provide information to the public.
What To Do If Your Child Is Missing Act immediately if you believe that your child is missing. If your child is missing from home, search the house checking closets, piles of laundry, in and under beds, inside old refrigerators--wherever a child may crawl or hide. If you still cannot find your child, immediately call your local lawenforcement agency. If your child disappears in a store, notify the store manager or security office. Then immediately call your local law-enforcement agency. Many stores have a Code Adam plan of action--if a child is missing in the store, employees immediately mobilize to look for the missing child. When you call law enforcement, provide your child's name, date of birth, height, weight, and any other unique identifiers such as eyeglasses and braces. Tell them when you noticed that your child was missing and what clothing he or she was wearing. Request that your child's name and identifying information be immediately entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) Missing Person File. After you have reported your child missing to law enforcement, call the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children on our toll-free telephone number, 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678). If your computer is equipped with a microphone and speakers you may talk to one of our Hotline operators via the Internet. Adapted from Just in Case...Missing. CopyrightŠ 1985 National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). All rights reserved. 4
Missing Children *January Featured Organizations JADE MORRIS 10 Deceased December 27, 2012
8 Princess Inc. Cultivating young women towards excellence
Indra Lyn Owens, Founder & CEO
16 Destined for a Dream To see our youth attain the inevitable
Erica Waller-Hill, CEO
22 GIRL TALK G.R.O.W Getting Ready To Lead Our World
Akissi Brooks-Hill
* Monthly Contributors 6 Gaetane Borders Parenting Corner
26 Author Sharon Fox Holiday Meal & More
12 Pat Holmes Monthly Treat
28 Paula Whitebear-Burton Encouragement
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Website: www.peasintheirpods.com
Parenting Corner Gaetane Borders PITPS President I Admit I Lost My Child....For 90 Seconds It was the longest minute and a half of my life! I was distracted by a short phone call on my cell, and averted my eyes for what seemed like a millisecond. Yet when I looked up he was gone! I called out his name countless times across the playground. However, I did not hear the sound of his adorable voice responding back "Yes, Mommy!" I frantically searched for his striped blue and white shirt in the crowd of children. Luckily, I ultimately found him playing with a four-year-old "friend" by the slides, but only after I aged two decades and grew a few grey hairs. Although my torment lasted only a few seconds, I know that for many parents the ending is not as happy. Can you imagine for just one second how you would feel if your child was missing, and there was nothing that you could do to protect them from harm? No parent should ever have to experience this. Yet an alarming number of children are abducted each day. Statistics indicate that every 40 seconds a child goes missing. With such startling evidence of an epidemic, I believe it is important to help parents by sharing several tips about how they can prevent such a tragedy from happening to their family. The following are some things to keep in mind: Don't let your child wear clothing with his or her name on it. Children are less likely to fear someone who knows their name. The reality is that although we typically tell our children not to talk to strangers, children do not have a true grasp of who can or cannot be trusted. In fact, young children often believe that anyone who knows their name is a “friend.�
accounts and passwords. Make sure you know what sites they visit, and if they meet anyone suspicious while online. If possible, only allow computers to be in common areas such as a den or kitchen. This will make it easier to monitor internet usage. Avoid having service people come to the home if your children are there alone. Remember, these individuals are considered strangers! Establish a "code word" or phrase with your children. For example, tell them that they are only allowed to go with a person who knows this secret word or phrase if they were to pick them up from school. This will allow your child to know that this is a trusted person. Establish safe houses where your child can go if in trouble. A safe house can be the home of a trusted friend or some other trusted individual in the neighborhood who agrees to let children make emergency calls. Teach them that the police are their friends and that they can rely on them if they are in trouble. Make sure they know to dial 911 or 0 if they need assistance.
These are just a few simple ways that parents can help to protect their children. The key is to make sure that as parents, we vigilantly supervise our children because it only Never leave your child alone in a public place, even in a takes a second for misfortune to happen. If you have not locked car. Accompany a young child to the bathroom in a already done so, make sure to visit public place even if they insist that they can go by themhttp://www.familywatchdog.us/ to see what pedophiles are selves. Moreover, instruct them to never play in or around living in your community. Make sure to look at the site frepublic restrooms, as pedophiles often linger in these arquently because it is updated regularly. You definitely eas. need to know who in your community preys on your children! Accompany your child on door-to-door activities like Halloween and school fundraising campaigns. Keep track of your children's Internet activity. Share email 6
Remembering JADE MORRIS 10 Deceased December 27, 2012 The holidays are usually spent with families, friends in celebrating life. For some those celebrations will never be the same. The family of Jade Morris and community are still struggling with how could anyone harm innocence without consideration. Jade Morris was stabbed 40 times (4 days before Christmas) one couldn’t even fatham the torture that this child endured, how could a sane person even place themselves in such a mind frame? According to her family: Jade was "a girlie girl," family members said. She was the type of girl who loved to dress other girls up in computer models and who, when ever offered a piece of candy, would say, "No, that's not good for me." She loved the color red. Her favorite song was Larry Graham's "One in a Million." And she was fascinated with butterflies, which was probably why, dressed in a red sweater in the casket, she had decorations of butterflies all around her. It’s ironic that Jade ‘s fascination with butterflies, they fly free, colorful, graceful, quiet , who’s place on this earth provide a beauty as Jade. When you see a butterfly don’t try to catch it, embrace the beauty, and remember Jade and all our children who without fault have become the target of a world where there presence is becoming unvalued. At this point I have become very impatient with society’s lack of respect and or commitment in helping our children. The families of these children should not have to endure such pain, its seems to be ongoing. Hopefully Jade Morris and her family, community will find peace, hard as this will be, they should know that there is a wider community of supporters. Denise Bethune/Editor-In-Chief 7
Indra Lyn Owens Princess, Inc. Founder & CEO
indra@princessinc.org
Wife, mother, daughter, friend, and educator: Indra Lyn Owens began her career as an educator in 2004 in her ripe early 20s. She quickly noticed the severe need for strong guidance counselors within the public school system and positive roles models within the urban community—the trend seemed to be—every student/ child needed a big sister or mommy; they were thirsting for someone to talk to them and just listen— she became that ear and their futures, lives, and successes have been her burden ever since. She was regularly encouraged by her mom’s soft yet powerful one liner, “go teach the kids!!”
And that’s what she’s been doing ever since. Now 7 years later, she teaches in a more different sense in her new role as Guidance Counselor but she realizes that all the needs are still pretty much the same. Owens has an innate passion for inner city youth—because they look like her, they’re from where she’s from and she totally understands that we as adults must invest in our children—“we indirectly have a direct connection to them whether we like it or not— we can continue to insult them, patronize them and straight up ignore them—or we can uplift them, encourage/empower them,
attempt to understand them and love them!” Since early 2007, the idea of her organization, Princess, Inc. has stirred within her but she neglected the stirring until recently, where she decided to stop making excuses not to make it happen; and just make it happen!!! She believes that she owes it to the young girls she serves, her community but most importantly her daughter and niece—she wants them to see firsthand that we as women of color can do anything—we are not the common negative stereotypes—we can live above the images that often portray women of color as lazy, superficial, angry, attitudinal, poor, overweight, stressed, etc. And we are truly, PRINCESSES!!! If she had to pick a favorite quote it would have to be one of the two: “Don’t be pushed by your problems; be led by your dreams!” or “Even in the word Impossible there is I’m Possible!!!!”
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Princess, Inc. is a collective group of strong, intelligent, socially responsible and progressive women who donate their time and personal resources to the development of young ladies in Southern New Jersey mainly in Atlantic City/Pleasantville . Through informative workshops, honest and open communication and strong mentoring, we aim to help young ladies who need an advocate and voice for their struggle, pain, triumphs and success! Our three main program initiatives are: Citizenship, College & Career Planning, and Women's Health! We serve at
risk teenage girls of color from ages 13-22 whom most come from single parent homes and low socioeconomic backgrounds. We use the assets that we have to educate and inform program participants in various areas of their lives. This education comes from a myriad of things including literacy intitiatives, nutritious meal planning; citizenship and community service and a safe sex series intended to help mentees make healthy sexual choices in their teenage years as well as adulthood. wwwprincessinc.org
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John Derenzo Cotton Jr December 4, 2009 from Placentia, California Circumstances: He is being concealed by his noncustodial mother, Silvia Cholumbo Mulenga. A photo and vital statistics are posted below. A felony warrant was issued for her on December 17, 2009. She had previously been denied permission to take her son to Zambia. On December 5 Mulenga called John's father to tell them they were in Zambia and he would never see his son again. They are still believed to be in Zambia.
ANYONE HAVING INFORMATION SHOULD CONTACT National Center for Missing & Exploited Children 1-800-843-5678 (1-800-THE-LOST)
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
Angelique James February 15, 1997 from Los Angeles, California James was last seen in her family's home in Los Angeles, California on February 15, 1997. Authorities believe Angelique was killed between Dec. 15, 1996, and March 1, 1997 by her mother, Shirley Ann James. Shirley James, failed to comply when authorities inquired as to her daughter's whereabouts. Shirley was arrested in November 1997, nine months after Angelique disappeared, when authorities demanded she produce the child and she did not. She was charged with Angelique's presumed murder, as well as three counts of child abuse and two counts of corporal injury to a child. Shirley has seven other children in addition to Angelique. One of them, a nine-month-old daughter, died in 1992, apparently of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. The baby's death was reviewed by homicide investigators after Angelique's disappearance, but no charges were filed. Shirley was sentenced to five years in prison in 1998, but Angelique's body has never been found. 10
Expectation: The Key For Success In The New Year Author Sharon Fox Every New Year is different from the last year and so should be started on a new footing. Last year may not have been pleasant or as you expected, however, one thing that is sure is that the New Year holds the opportunity for a tremendous change. And the paramount key for success is your expectation. For surely there is a latter end [a future and a reward], and your hope and expectation shall not be cut off Proverbs 23:18 (AMP) And when they had gone over, Elijah said to Elisha, Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you. And Elisha said, I pray you, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me - 2 Kings 2:9 (AMP) Then said the Lord to me, You have seen well, for I am alert and active, watching over My word to perform it Jeremiah 1:12 (AMP) Success in the New Year lies on your expectation. What you expect is what you receive. Likewise, what you don't expect you will certainly not receive. I have learned from God's word and personal experience that your expectation surely comes to pass. It may take a while but it WILL come to pass. So, the paramount question is, "what is your expectation for the New Year?" Your answer to the above question gives a vivid picture of how the year will turn out for you. This is because it will determine your thoughts, words and actions throughout the year. Also, it will affect your strength and vitality, your perspective to people, things and places in general. Your expectation really is a very important key for success in New Year. Having said this, I encourage you to have big expectations. Yes, if your expectation shall not be cut off, why not have a big one instead of a small one? God is equal to the task.
The number one way to build up your expectation is through the word of God, which is the bible. The bible is God's will for His children. It is a bag full of covenant seeds that must come to fruition when planted in the right soil under the covenant conditions. The word of God gives the full picture of God's expectation for His children. And when you agree with Him and hold unto it, your expectation will surely not be cut off. God watches His word to perform it. Therefore, let the word of God be the basis for the expectations you desire to see in the New Year and hold unto them till you see their manifestation. Continuously declare your expectations. This is because you will believe them more as you continue to hear them, and the more you believe them, the more you will expect them to happen, leading to you declaring them more. What a lovely cycle! Besides, you will have whatsoever you say. Now, Elisha desired a double portion of the spirit upon Elijah. His expectation was so strong that he followed him till the last spot. When the sons of the prophet tried to distract him, his high expectation will not allow him to give in to them. Elijah said it was a hard thing that he had asked for, but because he held unto his expectation, he received his heart desire: a double portion of the spirit upon Elijah. This was clearly manifested by the number of miracles they performed. Elisha performed double the number of miracles performed by Elijah in the scriptures. In conclusion, success in the New Year is certain for you but you need a high expectation, which is the paramount key for success. Therefore build up your expectations based on the word of God, keep declaring them and get set for a most glorious ride throughout the year. 11
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MONTHLY TREAT Pat Holmes PECAN PIE BARS 1 ¼ Cups flour ½ Cup powdered sugar ¼ teaspoon salt ½ Cup butter (soften) 2 Eggs, slightly beaten 1 Cups chopped pecans ½ Cup packed brown sugar ½ Cup light-color corn syrup 2 Tablespoon butter, melted 1 Teaspoon vanilla Preheat oven 350
Crust: A medium bowl combine, flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Cut in the ½ cup butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pat crumb mixture into an ungreased 11x7x1 ½ inch baking pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until light brown.
Filling: In a medium bowl stir together the eggs, pecans, brown, sugar, corn syrup, the melted butter and vanilla. Spread evenly over the baked crust. Bake for 20 minutes or until filling is set. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Makes 24 bars. 13
RILYA Alert Criteria• *The abduction is of a child age 17 years or younger. The parent must have contacted law enforcement to report child missing. *A RILYA Alert may also be issued if the child is classified as a runaway by the police. If the parent has reported missing child and has convincing evidence that child does not have a history of running away, an alert will be initiated within the 1st hour. *We recognize that at times, not all information is readily available (ie. license plate numbers, name of abductor, or witness to abduction. In such cases, the available information will be reviewed and verified prior to RILYA Alert. *The law-enforcement agency believes the child is in imminent danger of serious bodily injury or death. *All children of color meeting the criteria for the Amber Alert will also receive the RILYA Alert If these criteria are met, alert information is assembled for public distribution. This information may include descriptions and pictures of the missing child, the suspected abductor, and a suspected vehicle along with any other information available and valuable to identifying the child and suspect.
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Destined for a Dream DFAD) is a
tined for a Dream is a non-profit or-
Erica Waller-Hill
non-profit community based organi-
ganization founded in the summer of
zation founded in 2008 by Erica
2008. It is the mission of "Destined
Waller-Hill a native of Bucks County,
for a Dream" to inspire and em-
youth attain the inevitable, by be-
PA. The myriad of experiences en-
power youth and young adults
lieving that they hold the power to
countered by the founder only
through life coaching.
create and shape their lives based
served as the catalyst to ignite the
Mrs. Waller-Hill is undoubtedly
DFAD. Where the vision is “to see our
upon their decisions. DFAD believes
vision of serving a diverse group of
an individual acquainted with... the
the formula to empower youth lies
youth from the community in which she spent her formative years.
unpredictability associated with pursuing your dreams. As a former
with the mission to "inspire and empower youth and young adults
Olympic hopeful, educator, and
through life coaching," by providing
that dreams and wishes can come
mother Mrs. Waller-Hill has had to
youth with opportunities that will
true. Having a dream for your life
overcome challenges in order to ac-
assist them in actualizing an attain-
gives you energy, motivation and
tualize her vision, subsequently that
able goal by providing a blueprint.
passion to achieve excellence. Des-
same tenacity is the driving force of
Destined for a Dream will show
My "Vision" is to see our youth attain the inevitable, by believing that they hold the power to their goals and continue to be a community resource. In a community where dreams are crushedFor me, being a wife and a mother of two girls, Capri and Nylah, I find myself on an average day wiping noses, assisting with homework and preparing dinner. Being a working mother trying
out for the Olympic Team and Direc not an easy task, but an awesome e lenges you're faced with in life you you dream! I find my strength and e ior, Jesus Christ. Knowing who you you grounded. Growing up, there w choose another path, but realizing t termines your future. I will admit tha choices, but I eventually got it right! 16
create and shape how they live and the choices they make. We will help youth attain and reach - this is a dawning of a new day where Dreams are cultivated.
cting a school center full time was experience. No matter what chalcan achieve excellence at whatever encouragement in my Lord and Savare daily and your purpose keeps were so many opportunities for me to the choices you make, ultimately deat I didn't always make the right ! As a native of Bucks County, I
graduated from Harry S. Truman High School and went on to further my education at Widener University in Chester, PA. At Widener University, I studied Early Childhood Education,Liberal Studies with a concentration in Applied Supervision. I'm currently pursuing my Masters Degree in Education Administration. I'm passionate about the work that is ahead of me, seeing the children and adults that I've met on this journey was great! The questions that some of the children and even adults had about their own dreams, made me realize that my journey was so much bigger and it must continue. 17
Clearsshinda Denise Hall May 9, 1994 from Pine Bluff, Jefferson County, Arkansas
STATE OF ARKANSAS ANYONE HAVING INFORMATION SHOULD CONTACT National Center for Missing & Exploited Children 1-800-843-5678 (1-800-THE-LOST)
Cleashindra was last seen at approximately 10:30pm on May 9, 1994. She was reportedly last seen by Dr. Larry Amos, leaving a house he owns. She worked part time while in high school, doing clerical work for Amos. She called home around 8 p.m. to see if someone had called for her. ACleashindra usually called her parents after work to pick her up, that night she didn't. Dr. Amos told police that she got into the car with someone else when she left his office that night. Some thought Clea may have tried to walk home and was abducted. She only lived a half mile away from her job. Police initially suspected someone else was involved with her disappearance, but no one was ever arrested in the case.
Lynn Smith December 4, 1985 from Hot Springs, Arkansas 15-year-old Jeffrey was last seen walking home from school with her boyfriend in Hot Springs, Arkansas on December 4, 1985. They were a few blocks from her home, but Jeffrey never made it home and has never been heard from again. Jeffrey's boyfriend had been allegedly abusive towards her and she wanted to end their relationship prior to her disappearance. After Jeffrey vanished, her boyfriend pawned a piece of her jewelry. The police were aware of the boyfriend's actions, but didn't consider him a suspect in Jeffrey's disappearance. He was later charged with an unrelated assault against another person. Jeffrey was originally thought to be a runaway, but now there are other theories considered in her disappearance. Jeffrey goes by her middle name, Lynn, and some agencies refer to her as Lynn Smith. Her ears are pierced and she has a mole on the right side of her chin. Jeffrey was last seen wearing a brown jacket, pink pants, and brown shoes. Jeffrey's case remains unsolved. 18
BRUNCH PUNCH 1 (11.5 fluid ounce) can of frozen white grape juice concentrate 1 quart bottled or sparkling water 2 cups sliced strawberries 4 to 5 peaches or nectarines, chopped 2 cups chopped watermelon Empty concentrate into your pitcher or container and stir in the water. When the concentrate is melted  into a smooth liquid, add in the fruit. Stir well, cover, and chill for several hours or overnight. The fruit will fortify the white grape juice, making it refreshingly delicious. It will also blush the color from an unappetizing dark yellow to a pretty shade of deep pink. Serve chilled in a frosty cold glass and garnish with a triangle of watermelon or small strawberry.
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Bryon Eric Page January 29, 1992 from Los Angeles, California
STATE OF CALIFORNIA ANYONE HAVING INFORMATION SHOULD CONTACT National Center for Missing & Exploited Children 1-800-843-5678 (1-800-THE-LOST)
Byron was last seen at a bus stop at Overhill and Slauson Streets in Los Angeles, California on January 29, 1992. He was planning to visit a music warehouse and video store twenty miles away in West Hollywood, California; he was a regular patron of the store. Byron never arrived home and has not been seen again. Employees at the store did not recall him entering the business that day. Byron wasn't having any problems prior to his disappearance; in fact, he was very happy with his life and looking forward to getting his driver's license. He was an excellent student with a perfect attendance record, and he had been accepted at several colleges within the University of California system. Foul play is suspected in his disappearance, which remains unsolved.
Donel Coby Minor December 20, 1984 from Inglewood, California Donel was abducted from his mother's apartment in Inglewood, California on December 20, 1984. His mother, Deanna L. Trammel, had previously had a photographic portrait made of the baby. An unidentified Caucasian male arrived at their house on December 20, claiming to have the photos in his black briefcase. Trammel let him inside; Donel was asleep at the time. While he was there, the man asked for a drink of water and Trammel left the room to get him one. When she returned, both Donel and the man were gone. No ransom note or any other clues were left behind, and neither Donel not the suspect has ever been seen again. The man, whose sketch is posted below, was approximately 6'0 and had brown hair, a mustache and a thin build. The abductor was wearing a long-sleeved white dress shirt, a dark tie and dark-colored trousers. He has never been identified. Several area portrait businesses had sent salespeople door to door offering to make and sell holiday portraits, but none of them could be linked to Donel's abduction. His mother passed a polygraph in relation to the case. Donel's case remains unsolved. 20
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Getting Ready To Lead Our World GIRL TALK G.R.O.W (Getting Ready to lead Our World) is a community service, leadership, mentoring and scholarship program that strives to educate, empower and encourage teen girls to "BE Smart! BE Safe! BE Responsible!� The purpose of our conference is to bring young ladies together, while offering resources and ways to deal with everyday issues that stem from peer pressure. As a teenage young lady, staying positive while growing up under the influence of peer pressure is noteasy, and one of our goals is to show young
ladies that at times, it may be hard but it is not impossible! The mission of our GIRL TALK G.R.O.W program is to encourage young ladies to realize their worth, purpose, develop leadership skills, and recognize the importance of community service. Our program provides young ladies with the opportunity to learn, acquire leadership roles, which promote self-confidence, respect, responsibility, and reaching out to others. We host forums for teen girls in Pulaski County, donate to a few organizations and volunteer at shelters on a regular basis. We are a 501c3 status organization and always looking for donations and sponsorships to help us with activities, engagements and projects for our girls. In addition, we also have volunteer and mentoring opportunities. Anyone 22 interested in more information may contact Akissi Brooks-Hill at 501.960.2366 or by e-mail at GIRLTALK@ABHprojects.com or Akissi@ABHprojects.com
Akissi Brooks-Hill is an ambitious 24 year old young woman who loves to motivate and encourage youth to strive for excellence. She has a passion for giving back to the community through public service and loves encouraging and assisting the young ladies of today become successful women of tomorrow! By interacting with young ladies, her goal is to inspire them to become leaders who will inspire others. Akissi and her two younger brothers were raised by her mother, a single parent who instilled in them the importance of education at an early age; leading Akissi, a first generation college graduate, to become the first on both sides of her family to attend graduate school.
ferences for young ladies. May 1, 2010 was proclaimed as "BE Smart! BE Safe! BE Responsible!" awareness day by Governor Beebe and started the "First Annual Arkansas Single Parent Proclamation Luncheon" which Governor Beebe proclaimed as March 20, 2010. Akissi is also a participant in the Arkansas AIDS Foundation, Women on the Move for Prevention program as a Certified Basic HIV Educator and has served as a panelist for a few events such as the African Women’s Health Project International "Youth Walk for Africa Press Conference" and the Simones Home Inc: "Girls Circle in the Rock! Empowerment Conference 2010"
Fall of 2007; Akissi graduated
Akissi lives in Little Rock, Arkan-
Cum Laude from Philander Smith College, with a Bachelors degree in Business Administration, concentrating in Accounting. Before graduating, she was initiated into the Gamma Gamma Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. Summer 2009; Akissi received her Masters degree from the University of Phoenix and is employed with the Arkansas State Government. As for her community involvement and passion for community service, Akissi started a Non-Profit organization-ABH Projects, where she promotes her "BE Smart! BE Safe! BE Responsible!" platform offering scholarships for high school seniors, Annual Teen Con-
sas with her husband Tony and their three year old son T.J! She is very family oriented and loves spending time with all of her family.
Akissi's words of wisdom are "Sometimes you have to go through things in life to make things RIGHT when they are WRONG and EASY when they are HARD." She lives by this faithfully because no matter what she has been through, there has always been a “Blessing in every Lesson!” Akissi was named Mrs. Arkansas U.S 2010 and is using her crown to embrace and encourage all young ladies within her reach to BE Smart! BE Safe! BE Responsible! 23
G..R.O.W. Getting Ready To Lead Our World
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when we help her find purpose, she becomes proud and powerful . . . this is how we build better communities with brighter futures
The next time you say, "I can't do it", remember you built pyramids . . .
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3-4 stalks asparagus 2 fresh eggs the bias (an angle; it’s pretty) into In a small, non-stick skillet, heat utes, stirring constantly. Pour the spatula, creating large, soft curds. cook the eggs but removing from continue stirring with a spatula. E be delicious. I also like Greek yo
FRESH FRUIT WITH C 8 oz. Regular Sour Cream Zest o Combine all ingredients in a med use. Pour over fresh fruit. Top wi over the top! There are so many c 26
Author Sharon Fox Comfort Food for the Mind, Body and Soul CRANBERRY ORANGE CONES Mix together: 1 ½ cups flour ¼ cup sugar 3 tsp baking powder ¼ tsp salt Cut in: ¼ cup butter (4 tbsp) Stir in: ½ cup dried cranberries 2 tsp grated orange rind Mix separately: ½ cup buttermilk 1 egg Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just moist. Knead a few times, pat into a circle and cut into triangle wedges. Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for about 18 minutes. Mix together and drizzle over the warm scones: 1 cup powdered sugar 2-3 tbsp orange juice ASPARAGUS AND SOFT SCRAMBLED EGGS The key to these eggs is their melting soft texture. If that is not your style, of course you can cook them a bit longer to suit your taste. A splash of cream is divine.
s Sea salt ½ tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon cream or half and half Clean and trim asparagus and cut on o ½ -inch pieces. Mix the eggs with two pinches of salt with a fork until the eggs are well incorporated. the butter just to foaming over medium low heat. Add the asparagus and sauté until tender, about 3 mine eggs over the asparagus. Draw the egg from the edges of the pan into the center with a wooden spoon or . After less than a minute, when the eggs are still wet, remove from heat. Residual heat will continue to m the heat now will ensure that you don’t overcook them. Pour a tablespoon of cream over the eggs and Eat the eggs immediately, with some sliced tomatoes and soft pita bread or toast. Some olives would also ogurt and honey mixed together for my bread.
CREAMY SAUCE of one Orange 3/4 Cup White Sugar 1/4 Cup Orange Juice (I use fresh squeezed from the orange) dium sized bowl.(I like to make it the night before so the flavors all come together.) Chill until ready to ith granola, if desired. You may also use some cubes of pound cake, top with fruit, and pour the sauce combinations you may like! 27
Faith Without Works Is Dead As the New Year begins, many start it off by making all of these resolutions that so many of us make, but by the start of spring we’ve generally strayed away from them. These resolutions can include things such as losing weight, focusing more on ourselves to become a better person and being happy, eating healthier, and the list goes on and on; however, can anyone say that they make spiritual resolutions? This can be anything from walking closer with God to truly allow Him to take you higher, or to just fully commit yourself to Him... Well let me share my resolutions with the entire world…first, I hugged and kissed my family, telling them that I love them and how blessed I am to be shown the grace to see another year and be blessed enough to be with all of them as the New Year arrived. As for my resolutions, my one resolution consists of just allowing God to use me as He sees fit, even if that means that His plan is for me to use my experiences to help someone else who may be where I was at this time last year or even 5 years ago, and the rest
of what many use to make their vows of what they are going to do in the new year I used for praying. I’m sure some would think that they might be a little different than what they perhaps would consider a resolution, yet, for me my mentality is the way that I’ve brought in the new year is the way I want to go throughout it, praying…striving to be all that I can be through my Father. Think about this one thing, there are many that didn’t make it to see 2013, but all of us who were blessed enough to see it must consider several things. One, even with all of the things that 2012 brought us good or bad, 2013 is a new journey which means new tests better stated as new testimonies. Two, even in the midst of the tests that we experience, we go through them to take us to the next level of where God wants us to be. And three, remember that with faith, anything is possible…but remember also that faith without works is dead. We have to be fully committed as God is committed to us. There are no limits to which God can take us if we have faith. I was told before 2012 ended that though my past
holds so much pain and many dark things that I would not wish on anyone, God favors me, He carries me because He wants to show Himself to me, He wants to show me that if I have faith He will sustain me which will allow me to do what’s necessary to sustain my family; however, I have to trust Him, and trusting Him means to have faith that He can do it. My background will no longer be what holds me back from the success that I know is for me…what God has is for me just as it is for you. In 2013, don’t rely on your own will to sustain you, allow God to sustain you…have faith that God will sustain you, that what He has for you is for you unconditionally… in the process you have to do your part as well because Faith Without Works Is Dead. Be Encouraged…you are more than a conqueror. Paula Whitebear-Burton
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PEAS IN THEIR PODS KEEPING OUR CHILDREN PRIORITY
www.peasintheirpods.com
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