SHE INSPIRES Online Community Magazine
Tina Cummings Owner. Creator. Editor
JULY 2021
ISSUE 3
3
TABLE OF CONTENTS 3. THE ART OF INSPIRATION
5. HOW DO YOU BRAND YOUR
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BUSINESS?
6. IT'S BURKE DESIGNS
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11. "EMBRACE YOU "TEEN EMPOWERMENT
14. MELANIN. BEAUTY & YOU !
15. SAVVY SISTER-SCHOLARS
23. SOUTHERN CHARM CHARITIES "SINGLE MOM SUPPORT"
6-10
31. WOULD YOU LIKE TO EARN EXTRA INCOME? 33. BLACK MEN ARE MAGIC TOO 35. BODY BEAUTIFULL APPAREL
15-19
embrace you | July 2021
THE ART OF INSPIRATION Girls, Teen and Women
How do you inspires young girls, teens and women in your community? She Inspires Online Community Magazine would like to share your program with the community. Contact: Tina Cummings Email @ sheinspiresmagazine@gmail .com
THE SHOPPE@ SHE INSPIRES
By- Tina Cummings, Owner
Promoting community, unity, and positivity is the key. Get into it! The clothing line is rooted in our past, present, and future. My brand celebrate, highlight, remember, salute and observe black pride, lifestyle, love, history, successes, self-acceptance & more. The Shoppe @ She Inspires! promotes everyday wear. Branching out our ROOTS include, Yoruba Western Mythology, It's a Revolution, /def/, Love-Out-Loud, Embrace You Self-Love , Black Men Are Magic Too, Empowerment, youth wear, and more. Each root (t-shirt) defines the reason particular clothing lines were created. It's more than a tshirt. THERE. IS. A. PURPOSE. Did you know partial proceeds will benefit many of my community creations that uplift and support others? Purchase yours today! https://mstinacummings.wixsite.com/sheinspiresnewyork/shop
WHATS YOUR BRAND? Branding is the way of identifying your business. It is how your customers recognize and experience your business. A strong brand is more that just a logo-it's reflected in everything from your customers service, style, business cards and premises to your marketing materials and advertising. ~ Business Queensland
ACTIVE. AMBITIOUS. ARTISTIC. BOLD. CALM. DIRECT. DRAMATIC. DYNAMIC. EAGER. ECCENTRIC. EFFICIENT. IMPACTFUL. INTENSE. INTENTIONAL. RELIABLE. RETRO, REVOLUTIONARY. RETRO. ROMANTIC. SECURE. SCHOLARY.
BURKE
BURKE DESIGNS Words and Images Provided By- Designer- Yvette Burke
Yvette Burke is a creative and well informed Interior and Fashion Designer, with more than 10 years of experience in delivering exceptional designs and services that fits the budget and lifestyle needs to a diverse population of customers. Her passion for fashion designing began when she was a 13 year old plus size girl. She had followed her mother for shopping and was disgusted at the kind of fabrics that were used to make clothes for plus size women. After leaving the store disappointed, Yvette told her mother she will start making her own clothes and that marked the beginning of her journey into the fashion designing world. She taught herself how to sew and has continued to design eyecatching wears with colorful materials that make customers look good. Yvette went to New York to pursue a career in Interior Designing. She attended Sheffield School of Design and was awarded a Certification in Interior Designing in 2002. With over 10 years of experience, Yvette has worked in Lifestyle at Design and Home create, where she served as an Interior designing consultant and home interior decorator respectively. She also worked at the Expo Design Centre in New York.
Yvette has always loved the art of making things new and unique. Following her passion for fashion designing, Yvette went back to school at the age of 56 and earned a B.A in Fashion Design and Marketing from the American InterContinental University at the age of 60 in 2018. She combines her love for fashion and interior designing by having two locations and an online store where she displays her fashion and accessory line. She has been featured in People you Should Known In Atlanta Magazine, and her interior design works have also been published in Aziza Magazine. She has been called upon to teach refugee women how to become fashion entrepreneurs. She also runs an online class where she teach people how to buy unique pieces of materials for fashion designing. In 2013, Yvette launched her own signature, It’s A Burke Fashion Company with a fashion philosophy that emphasizes impeccable craftsmanship and customer satisfaction. She is goal-oriented and continues to obtain current industry knowledge with strong market research prowess and the ability to analyze and predict trends. Her keen eyes for color patterns, quality fabric, attention to details and ability to deliver personalized services, are some of the defining values that customers love about her. Yvette enjoys the process of design from concept to execution. She has also collected exquisite fabrics from Dubai, Qatar, Pakistan and Paris to create breathtaking garments for her upcoming fashion show. She enjoys manipulating fabrics, art drawing and repurposing small furniture. As an amazing art curator and entrepreneur that resides in Atlanta G.A, Yvette is using her love for designing to touch lives - one design at a time.
"It’s A Burke Fashion Company has a fashion philosophy that emphasizes impeccable craftsmanship ."
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TEEN LIFE IS REAL LIFE.
"We have to talk about liberating minds as well as liberating society."
~ ANGELA DAVIS
HAS YOUR PASSION BECOME A POSITIVE PROJECT WITHIN YOUR COMMUNITY
?
The Passion Project is dedicated to those who have created/founded non-profits, community agencies, charities, and other organizations that work to raise awareness and offer assistance to low-income families and individuals with housing assistance, food, education, hygiene items, clothing, healthcare needs, and/or financial assistance, etc. Whose mission is to also help others acquire useful resources, life skills, knowledge and have their personal needs met. Does your passion project help others gain access to new opportunities and achieving selfsufficiency? The Passion Project would like to hear from you! Let's collaborate and spread the word!
If you would like to contribute an article about your organization, community agency, or charity please contact me: Tina Cummings Email @ sheinspiresmagazine@gmail.com Subject: The Passion Project
SHE INSPIRES ONLINE COMMUNITY MAGAZINE
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MELANIN. BEAUTY. YOU.
INTRODUCING
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SAVVY SISTER SCHOLARS
IT'S A HIGH Her EDUCATION
The Savvy Sister-Scholar section is dedicated to women who have a love for higher education and learning. I believe it's important for little black girls to see women who look like them representing positive and smart black women in media. Not only are we strong, smart, brave, resilient, and capable; our minds are beautiful and we should be celebrated not underrepresented. If you know an outstanding individual who would like to share a personal story of completing school, balancing life, and overcoming barriers please email @ sheinspiresmagazine@gmail.com
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MARLA DINKLE AS BSW MSW Ed D Images & Words By- Marla Dinkle
My name is Marla Dinkle and I choose to speak out and openly share my story so that others living in silence would know they too can get out and lead a different life. With this introduction, my goal is to open a conversation that validates the importance of higher education. My life includes a memory of being adopted at the age of 2 and reconnecting with my biological family at the age of 41. (THEY FOUND ME AFTER 38 YEARS OF SEARCHING FOR ME) the juvenile justice system and the foster care system, in which I aged out at the age of 21. I am a product of the juvenile/foster care system. I am also a single mother of five kids, who are now the ages 23-, 20-, 15- and 8year-old twins. I have three degrees and am currently working on my Doctorate Degree in Higher Education at the University of Rochester. I will graduate in 2022! I have held several positions in healthcare and higher education. I share this to verify, it is not where you come from, but where you are going! I have beat many odds that were set up against me and often created a mind in me that I would fail. However, on a more positive note, I have become verification within the juvenile system and foster care community that life can turn out far better than believed. I would first like to explain that having a degree truly exemplifies personal accomplishments in so many ways. Having a degree can support a walk, a personal walk into your own independence! Your independence will give you the satisfaction of being a significant contributor to your community and to your personal passion and work through the successful accomplishments of your academic goals. My message in my explanation of why your pursuit for higher education is extraordinary includes a reality in knowing our personal responsibilities in life. I encourage you to use higher education as a platform to support your personal life, but also as a platform that will create a place in space for you & YOUR work to be given and to be learned by others. We inspire ourselves in so many ways! I have a desire to specifically work with the youth and transitioning foster youth population, because I know I can make a difference and relate to them on a personal level. I have been where they are...a little scared, confused, and anxious as to whether “I” could make it. I am a testimony and I believe that ALL people need to know that they can make it. I believe in myself to be a role model and an excellent mentor. Throughout my younger years in my life, I remember being so full of anger and sadness, I did not know much or even want happiness. With continuing to strive for a better me, I no longer walk around looking like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders. That past weight that once could have crushed me but DIDN’T! Now, I believe that it is my job to carry and take on love and care of the many people in this world. It is my chosen responsibility! My resolve on this topic is to give back to the community and exemplify hope, even when mine was once lost, and to do what I can for those in similar positions.
"My goal is to open a conversation that validates the importance of higher education". ~Marla Dinkle
CASSANDRA CLEMENTS
,
AS
Written By- Cassandra Clements
I began my educational journey in 2007. I intended to obtain a Bachelor of Science degree in Community and Human Services. During a meeting, my mentor suggested I create a degree plan to obtain my Associate's degree while working on my bachelor’s degree. It was one of the best decisions I ever made. SUNY Empire State is the most established non-traditional college. I was able to use my work experience and life skills as a credit to obtain my Associate's Degree in Office Procedures. After obtaining my associate's degree I was offered a part-time position as an administrative assistant. I accepted the offer after working several months in this position I was offered full-time employment. This position required an Associate’s Degree. It was during this time I realized the support and advice offered by my mentor was invaluable. I received my Associate's degree in 2009 and I intended to return to school in the fall of 2010. I had plans to marry the following year July 2010, confident I would manage the two tasks at hand successfully. The marriage happened but, my plans to return to school did not. I don’t have any excuses other than life happened. I knew I would return and had hoped it would be sooner. Eleven years later in September 2020 I finally returned to finish what I started.
One of my biggest challenges with returning to school was paying for tuition and going back as a full-time student. I had the opportunity to utilize scholarships and financial aid when I first entered college years ago and decided to apply again. Both serve as a bonus to help me obtain good grades. I am proud to say I made the Dean’s list the first term (Fall 2020) and my employer granted a once-a-year tuition assistance payment for Fall 2020. I also managed to secure a scholarship for my Spring 2021 course through my part-time employer. It has been extremely hard to accept the idea of taking one course per term. However, I am closer to obtaining my Bachelor’s degree, and securing tuition assistance each term has been a blessing. Another challenge I face with returning to school has been trying to find effective and available places to study. The Pandemic has made it close to impossible to study in most areas I found helpful. The library, coffee shops, on campus all shut down because of COVID-19. I was stressed because I didn’t want my grades to suffer. The first course I took was called Stress and Coping and it was fitting considering the status of the world, and I forgot to mention I had just started a new position. I share this because it is crucial to have a designated area or place to study. While reading one of the books assigned in the Stress Management Course a chapter shared how rearranging furniture, painting, adding colors can improve one’s stress level. Since I couldn’t find a place to study I thought this would be perfect to try. I did some furniture rearranging and added pictures with color and these small changes worked. I decided to put myself first during a very difficult time in my personal life. I recently separated from my husband. Instead of feeling pity, saddened, and letting depression creep in. I decided to focus on self-care and going back to school was one of my goals. My Stress and Coping class also served as self-counseling during this challenging time in my life. Most importantly I understand the commitment and dedication it takes to be successful in college. If I am selected to receive this scholarship the funding will be applied to the Fall 2021 term. It is my hope to attend graduate school at the University of Rochester or SUNY Brockport. I realize now there is no such thing as finding the right time to attend college. I do know this is my time for continuance in higher education. My Educational goal will conclude upon receiving my Ph.D. in Psychology.
CATYRA POLLAND
Most Educated, Least Appreciated: the Black Woman The Majors I knew what I wanted to major in since I was a sophomore in high school: sociology and Spanish. I followed through on those majors. However, my career goals changed. The Involvement I thoroughly enjoyed my undergraduate career at the University at Buffalo. I participated in various programs such as Diversity Advocates and the Leadership House. I built my network, studied in Puerto Rico, and gained confidence as a UB student. The Counselor There was a trying semester when I felt overwhelmed. I started seeing a counselor for the first time. This helped me work through my anxiety. Counseling has proven to be fruitful throughout my life. The Best Friend I met one of my closest friends, Ms. Carla Robinson, at UB. We were bright-eyed, bushytailed freshmen. We were eager to learn and enter young adulthood. Now we are adults with fledgling careers and personal lives. Gratefully we are still close. Our friendship stood the test of time.
Continued... The Graduate I said farewell to UB and transitioned to the University at Albany. My journey at the University at Albany was rockier than UB. I considered switching majors about a year into the criminal justice program. Originally I wanted to become a homicide detective but realized I would have to be a police officer first. That was a no-go for me. I thought about transferring to a degree in sociology, but I wouldn't have been able to transfer most of my credits. I stuck it out and earned my Master's degree on schedule. The After Master's After graduation, I moved back to Rochester. Soon thereafter, I joined AmeriCorps. During my term, I started my first business, Career Prep (Est. 2011). This was just the beginning of my entrepreneurial journey. I continued my work in the non-profit field with various local agencies. Throughout my career, my entrepreneurial spirit flourished. The Entrepreneur In 2017, I launched Love for Words, a non-fiction, developmental editing boutique. In 2020, I founded the Literacy Love Scholarship for high school students in Rochester, NY. Thus far, we have awarded over $1000 in scholarships. Why It Matters Although my path was different than I planned or imagined, the degrees were worth it. My education taught me invaluable, transferable skills such as flexibility, critical thinking, and perseverance. I fiddled with pursuing a PhD, but I am not sure yet. My ideal program would be African American Studies. What should I do if I want to pursue a college education? 1. Research. Identify your passions and strengths. Use this information to select a major that aligns with your goals, mission, vision, and talents. 2. Ask for help. Find a mentor to help you. Utilize your high school counselor and family or friends who are current students or graduates. 3. Master time management. Use a virtual calendar or a physical planner. Set reminders for yourself. Check your schedule before you agree to anything.
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SOUTHERN CHARM CHARITIES A FREE ONLINE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION FOUNDED BY A SINGLE MOTHER FOR SINGLE MOMS. By Tina L. Cummings
Southern Charm Charities is a startup online community organization established in 2016. Our mission is to support single mothers and their families through outreach, volunteering, and my community creations i.e support services, free activities, and events. We accept donations for free clothing closets (TBD), summer arts and crafts, hygiene and diaper donation drives, youth volunteer opportunities, back-to-school drives plus more! My vision is to own an organization that supports struggling families who are struggling with the daily challenges of single parenthood. Through outreach, vents, and activities. that encourage family bonding and increases strength within the community. We are building a positive, strong, and consistent presence that highlights Southern CHarm Charities by volunteering, community creations, and the coordination of enriching programs that will promote inspiration, empowerment, self-sufficiency, and enhancement among our environment. We run purely on donations and dedicated volunteers all SCC events are FREE of charge. As a founder, I am diligently working hard to rebuild after the COVID-19 pandemic. There will more information coming soon about our upcoming SCC community creatons.
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BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL.
BY JORDAN WATSON
BUILDING BLACK
African-American businesses, also known as Black-owned businesses or Black businesses, originated in the days of slavery before 1865. . AA has owned and operated almost every kind of business. Insurance companies, banks, recording labels, funeral parlors, barbershops, beauty salons, restaurants, record and book stores, etc. ~Wikipedia Building black is not a new concept and it's time to learn more about black communities, finances, wealth, and entrepreneurship. Are you building black? What does building black mean to you? Are you a small business owner? Would you like to advertise your business in She Inspires? Or share an article about the importance of BUILDING BLACK? Contact: Tina Cummings Email @ sheinspiresmagazine@gmail.com
L L A Y W O H S A H BROT DOIN?
ARE YOU A MENTOR? BUSINESS OWNER? YOUTH ADVOCATE? HOW'D YOU IT? HEY KINGS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE HOW YOU HELP YOUNG BLACK MALES IN YOUR COMMUNITY? JOIN BLACK MEN ARE MAGIC TOO MOVEMENT . LET'S CONNECT.
DELAYED NOT DENIED By Shawnite Wall Photographs by Shawnitea Wall How many of you have made certain plans for your life or decided that you wanted to reach a certain goal? Well, if you are a planner like me, you have done the research, determined the steps you needed to take, along with when you wanted to have each one completed. You have made up your mind that you must complete each goal accordingly. You are so committed to the extremely high expectations you impose on yourself. Any minor detour or change in plan has you completely devastated. If you thought you were the only one, you are not. For many years I thought that I had to do everything perfect. In my mind I believed that because it was not working out there was something wrong with me. However, that was not the case there was nothing wrong with me as a person. It was my thought process.
It took me a while to accept and understand that my life was a result of all the events, interactions, and experiences with the people, places, and things in my environment. Acknowledging that meant I also had to accept that the reality was that sometimes I would need to revisit the drawing board to readjust or eliminate some things. An example of this was growing up I always knew that I wanted to be a writer and I wanted to help people. However, when I say I wanted to help people, not many know that I wanted to be a forensic psychiatrist or psychologist and work with the individuals like Ted Bundy, Jeffery Dahmer, and the Columbine shooters.
"Create financial wealth utilizing life insurance".
DELAYED NOT DENIED.
When I wanted to be a writer, my intentions were never to write poetry. My poems were never something that I planned to share with the world, I wanted to write academic journals and research about what I would learn from the individuals I worked with. I had plans of graduating from high school and going to one of the most prestigious colleges, Harvard and graduating with honors. As a young girl, I would hear my grandmother say, “If you ever want to make God laugh tell him your plans.” I would be so confused as to why God would laugh at you because it was meant to make fun of people. To be honest I had no clue what that meant until I was in my thirties, I am 42 now. When I decided what I wanted to do after I graduated from high school, I did not know that years later there would be two individuals calling me mom. I made it all the way to my 12th grade year with 2 small children, which given my situation at the time was a great accomplishment. I however was unable to take all my finals I needed to graduate. My youngest at the time was admitted to PICU (pediatric intensive care unit) because of her asthma. The school I was attending at the time was not willing to reschedule them or allow me to do summer school. I had already missed too many days because of the pregnancy and other events that were taking place in my life at the time. About 1 year later, I enrolled in The Barbara Bush Literacy Program, took classes and signed up to take my GED test and was unable to take the second part of the test because my daughter was again admitted to PICU. This time I asked several individuals in my family no one was willing to sit at the hospital with her so I could finish my test. At that point I just accepted that it was not going to happen. I see myself as a failure. I thought I had failed myself and my children.
Delayed Not Denied
DELAYED NOT DENIED. Eventually, I let go of my dreams of going to college. I put all my energy in what I thought it meant to be a good parent. I worked when I could find jobs that would hire me without a high school diploma or GED. I bounced in and out of unstable and abusive relationships because I thought having a man made me better. I made a lot of bad choices because I thought that I could not do any better. I punished myself in every way possible. I did not realize the impact that my state of mind and lack of selfworth had on my children. By the time I was 23 years old I had 5 children and not many people were willing to watch them when I needed to. I did not have a strong network of support and because of my past I either did not trust or I trusted too easily. I do not know how else to put it other than I gave up. It's funny how life has a way of working itself out. I had just had my son Bishop. My god sister had told me about this program called Early Head Start that comes out to the house to work with the kids to get them ready for preschool. The program required you to occasionally attend field trips and you got to socialize with other parents. While I was not keen on some of the components of the program, surprisingly I tried it and liked it. The family service assistant that I had was nice and I participated in the program until suddenly the home visits just stopped. Weeks then months went by with no communication from the program at all. Then suddenly one day the Programs director calls and wants to come by for a home visit. My son and I enjoyed the program. I was also pregnant with my youngest daughter, so I agreed to let her come out to my house. The day she arrives she shows up with this additional person, whom I did not know. So, I graciously let her know we would be doing the visit on the porch. To make a long story short the stranger’s name was Trelawney McKnight, she continued to reach out until we did a home visit in the house. She was awesome at her job and one of the very few people that pushed me to do better and be better. She even tried to convince me to go back to school. She told me about this program at Monroe Community College called the 24 Credit Hour Program. The program granted students the ability to take college courses and upon successful completion you would earn credit towards your high school equivalency. Every time she tried; I had a reason why I could not. However, some plants, others water, but it's God that gives the increase. Delayed Not Denied
"PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE" Trelawney continued for 8 years to plant that seed in fertile ground without ceasing. My children however watered it and then God did the rest. I made the decision to enroll in the 24 Credit Hour program at MCC and found a different way to help people. I made the decision to do Human service and to continue to get my degree in social work. Covid has impacted many of us vastly in different ways. For me it has paved the way for me to publish one of many books, which will be released Summer 2021. It has also made other ways for me to help others. There is also Write2 Live, a program I recently started to promote writing as a tool to help people heal from traumatic events. Then I started working for this company called People Helping People, which allows me to help my people understand how to create financial wealth utilizing life insurance.So, just because you do not follow the picture-perfect plan that you thought you should. It does not mean that your plans cannot be achieved or that you are a failure. It just means that you need to reevaluate the expectations you have set on yourself. Although I may not have achieved my goals the way I wanted to, I am still helping people and I am a writer. The way things eventually ended up working out for me, is much more effective and allows me to help without so many restrictions. If you can still get to your destination, does it really matter how you get there? Delayed Not Denied
Expectations Written By: Shawnitea Wall
Do you hear the music? That once did beat from within. The constant thump of the Unsettled. A sun that will rise but Never Shine. Can you feel the rhythm? The steady murmur of the drums. Coldness and warmth both Intertwined. Are you waiting, or do you run? Do you understand the Rush of what is to be and What will never come? Slow then fast and now, it’s gone. Is your patience running thin? As your lids grow weary Trying to fight…..what! You want it. You need it. You know what it should be But do you get it? What is it that you will receive? Can you give it a description? Or is it closed from your vision? Your body tenses, now its Relaxed. Should you encourage it to happen?
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BODY BEAUTIFULL APPAREL Ann Brantley-Jones
She Inspires Online Community Magazine
A.B.J By- Ann Brantley-Jones, Fashion Designer
Love the fullness of you"~A.B.J My name is Ann Jones. I am the owner of Body Beautifull apparel LLC. If you notice there are two LL in Beautifull because I am catering to the sexy thick girls and anyone who wants beautiful clothing. I currently hold my Associate in Fashion Design and Bachelors in Business Administration. Body Beautifull Apparel exists for the sole purpose of creating a clothing line that's made of quality fabrics and great craftsmanship. I started this company because I am a full-figured woman who was going to stores and not being able to find beautiful, trendy, and fashionable clothing for myself. The fabrics were horrible and oldfashioned. So I created a style that is slightly different from others. I do not want to shop in the same retail store where I have 50 percent of looking like another woman when you go out or even to church in the same outfit. I like to stand alone in my fashion and create garments for the woman who seeks the same thing. To be sexy but classy at the same time. My brand launched on July 1st, 2021. On all social media platforms and you can find me at my website at www.bodybeautifullapparel.com or go to body-beautifull-apparel.myshopify.com You can find me on all social media platforms Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Tiktok at Body Beautifull Apparel or my personal page Ann Brantley Jones. Business Contact - 470-BEAUTEE or {470} 2328833
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#EMBRACE YOU
Thank you to all business owners, and contributing writers!
I am honored that you chose She Inspires Online Community Magazine.
Tina Cummings, Owner. Creator. Editor