be Holding You Back Our People

Our People: Min. Veronica Daughety Founder of Shack<LESS Ministry BY MYKAH BUFF | qNOtES StAFF WritEr

Newark, N.J. native, Min. Veronica Daughety worked in radio for most of her life, but in 2018 she began pursuing something she had started 10 years prior. Fulfilling what Daughety describes as a vision from God, she founded Shack<LESS Physical and Spiritual Fitness Ministry in Charlotte, N.C. According to her followers on social media, Daughety and her ministry work have become an influential part of helping the community.

What inspired you to start a ministry of this kind?

Great question. In 2008 during a ministerial meeting, I was asked to bring an outreach ministry to the church. It was quite ironic because just that week, I started receiving visions and hearing a soft but extremely audible voice occasionally instructing me to help the incarcerated. Believing my mission was to minister to the incarcerated, one evening I held a Bible study at Unity Fellowship Church in Charlotte inviting inmates and former inmates as guests for an extremely robust discussion, “Christ behind the bars.”

How has your vision for the ministry changed or grown since its founding?

Wow, another great question! As Shackless laid dormant for 10 years, God placed me on His potter’s wheel. Ten years later on May 31, 2018, while sitting at my desk at Praise-FM, I distinctly heard the voice of God say in summary: “Now is the time.” As fate would have it I recognized that I, Veronica, had experienced being incarcerated, imprisoned, bound, shackled and on lockdown due to decades of obesity, high blood pressure, low self-esteem, diabetes, high cholesterol and one suicide attempt. With God’s inspiration, Shackles was reborn as Shack<LESS ministry.

You mentioned starting Shackles, now Shack<LESS, in 2008 but that it became inactive shortly after. Why did your ministry halt?

Wrong timing. Two years before my resignation from the ministry, God had to halt it because Shack<LESS would have landed in the wrong cannon. God’s plan was not to have this fitness ministry join forces with any other ministry currently operating. It is distinctively embedded with the fingerprint of God and God alone. God’s ultimate purpose was to make Shack<LESS its very own powerhouse led by yours in its very own electrifying Cannon. See we all have a cannon, and you are lucky if you find it, thrive in it, excel in it and then live therein.

Have you made personal physical progress with your ministry?

While I still battle with my weight daily, at 53 years of age I have now come to respect my curves, and I take honor in being a catalyst for igniting change in the lives of the world as I have currently lost 120 lbs. within the last five years with no surgery, weight loss pills, needles or fast weight loss gimmicks. I am beautiful, I am the image of the Creator which is absolutely magnificent. And as long as I have breath in my body, I will continue to honor the gift of Shack<LESS as it transforms and renews the minds of many who suffer daily with weight loss.

How did your vision for the ministry change or grow since 2008?

In 2018, I said goodbye to corporate America to pursue my dream of becoming a personal trainer and to build the very first physical and spiritual ministry of this caliber in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County and the surrounding areas.

I am now working with youth and adults using high-intensity cardio combined with spiritual applications and conversations aggressively thrust into the atmosphere to push and ignite the clients to shift into the greatness beneath the human shell.

Prior to the pandemic, as stated before, the ministry hosted monthly workshops in Charlotte, conducted monthly workout sessions and graced numerous podiums of various alliances throughout the Carolinas.

What has life been like since leaving your career in radio?

Marvelous! Absolutely marvelous. We have conducted 23 Praisercise fitness sessions since March. I call it church actually because it truly feeds the soul. I have been very blessed to have Mr. JR McQueen as my lead musician who brings the live Gospel beats each Saturday.

What did you do professionally prior to resuming your work with Shack<LESS?

Prior to resuming my work with Shack<LESS, I was employed with AT&T, Nielsen Ratings and, most notably, Radio One, Praise-FM, The Block-FM and Old School-FM.

When did you become a minister?

October 2016.

Where all have you lived?

I was born and raised in Newark, N.J. My beautiful angels still reside in Newark (mom and dad). I’ve also resided in Washington, D.C. and St. Petersburg, Fla.

What’s your home life like?

My home life consists of one fish. My nephew/son is now 26 and is a graduate of Shaw University. He now resides in New York City. There is a stark contrast between the public Minister Veronica and the private Minister Veronica. My home life is very slow, calm and peaceful and without noise. My public life is filled with dumbbells, ropes, kettlebells, weighted balls, loudspeakers, loud music, running, jumping, sweating. Just an entire sweaty spiritual production. So, yes, home is my peace and calmness.

What do you enjoy doing outside your ministry work?

Cooking. I recently became a vegetarian, so I’m enjoying this next level of physical and spiritual transformation. Duo chatting with my folks who are in New Jersey and, lastly, I truly enjoy serving as the chaplain of Charlotte Black Pride (2019- present). During this very unsettling season, my passion is to bring hope to the LGBTQ community. You can now catch “Sunday Morning Vibrations” every Sunday located on the Charlotte Black Pride Page. : :