The New Normal Issue

II

SWAGHER FALL 2020

SWAGHER ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Contributors: Malcolm Anderson Arnya T.M. Davis Francheska “Fancy” Felder Vince Smith April D. Byrd Kristin Peoples AllisonJanel Arnitris L. Strong

Christina Woodard

Copy Editors: Andrew Horton Francheska “Fancy” Felder Photography: Clay Banks Gama Films Annie Spratt Cassandra Hamer Jeppe Monster Get Croissant (Co-Working Space) Josh Herrington Jealous Weekend Ricardo Santiago Cover and Editorial Photography: Shameka Matthews of Smile 4 Meka Fancy’s Editorial Makeup: Robyn Pope of Lotus Love BR Cover Shoot Location: Smile 4 Meka Studios Cover Shoot Sponsor: BoxOffice7 Studios Marketing: Jarmel Roberson, VP of Marketing Shanice Ashby Angelique Janey Layout Design: Ricardo Santiago and Dwight Howard of ATHNTK

THE NEW NORMAL III

From The Editor

I

f you’re reading this, then, congratulations! We’ve both made it this far amidst a pandemic and a possible social uprising. A shift has definitely taken place.

I never imagined our tenth year in business to be like this. It has been both scary and challenging, filled with a lot of bad and good. When lockdown occurred, I wasn’t sure what I would do.

The nationwide shutdown went into effect two weeks after my kids and I packed our overnight bags and rushed to my cousin’s house to escape my emotionally and physically abusive ex. Like many others, I/we weren’t prepared for the shift, or so I thought.

As news outlets began to report the disproportionate deaths in Black communities due to Covid-19, the world learned of the murders of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, and then Breonna Taylor. I wondered if our work not only would be able to sustain us but if it even mattered in a world that appears to be so self-absorbed and wicked.

And yet, I also saw people, not just Black people, though that is who I was more so looking at, I saw people reverting to many practices and ways that we seemed to have abandoned. We rested, some of us a lot, but not all of us in comfort.

Ironically, I noticed many other Black businesses pivot and thrive during those first few months, but I was too scared. I didn’t know what the future held. I’m grateful to say that during that time, God sent me my ideal future husband (the name was chosen carefully), and somehow those months that really could have been hard months of struggle turned out to be peaceful, loving months. Honestly, I feel like I bloomed during that time.

I know my confidence and knowledge of self certainly did.

That’s when I took the time to recall and observe the growth of SwagHer Magazine. We had come too far.

And not only that, but in a spiritual sense, all of the magazine and my trials and tribulations had been preparing us for this. I realized this wasn’t the time to back down but to stand up.

Thank you so much to my team members, but particularly my core team. You all believing in me and my crazy ideas and then helping me execute them, sometimes when we have nothing but a dream itself. This means the world to me. I only wish to make you proud.

Thank you, Jarmel, for being my PNC all these years.

You keep me and this thing going. Thankyou, Arnya, for being some of whatever I lack in whatever the situation may be. I love you guys I know we joked online about how these times would reveal who’s a hustler and who’s not. I don’t knock anyone who’s having hard times right now, but I was determined not to be in the latter.

The words of William Ernest Henley ran through my mind continuously. I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.

I am that I am.

But that time to rest was like a caterpillar going into its cocoon. I feel as if I came out more robust and more beautiful than ever, and that is all that I aim to manifest around me even in this new normal.

Until next time...

From Fancy w/ Love

IV

SWAGHER FALL 2020

Full Apology and Retraction to Terricina Jackson From Francheska Felder and SwagHer Magazine

S

wagHer Magazine, and I, Francheska “Fancy” Felder, sincerely apologize for the erroneous and unacceptable statement made against Terricina Jackson in SwagHer Magazine’s recent, Unapologetic Issue.

In our feature of Ms. Jackson’s story titled, “Terricina Jackson Reveals What Healing From Trauma Looks Like” (Felder, Francheska. “Terricina Jackson Reveals What Healing From Trauma Looks Like” SwagHer Magazine, November 2019. 53-57.

Print), I wrote, I had no idea when she caught my eye as the owner of Respect the Queen, that she was molested by her babysitter at the age of four; began an incestuous relationship with her younger brother at the age of nine; battled alcoholism beginning in her teens; been gang-raped also in her teens; and later battled alcoholism again, along with a cocaine addiction in her early twenties; before facing drug trafficking charges, and going through court-ordered programs.

However, Terricina has not ever battled with cocaine addiction, as she has reached out to me (Francheska Felder) personally and cor-

rected me.

Ms. Jackson was oblivious to the false statement made on her behalf. She wasn’t given the opportunity to review the article prior to it being published. Although, she has been more than candid about her life’s story her brand, as well as her image, is of the utmost importance to both parties.

While this unfounded statement was not made with cruel or malicious intention but in error, I understand the seriousness of the matter and would like to publicly acknowledge this mistake, retract it, and we/SwagHer Magazine will be updating future and digital issues on our platforms and print (if further prints are ordered).

I take pride in telling the stories of others and I only do so to uplift and educate, so I wouldn’t ever want to inaccurately share someone’s stories. Personally, Terricina’s story is one of my favorite pieces, so it saddens me as a journalist that this happened, and I wish Terricina nothing but the best in the future.

Sincerely, Francheska “Fancy” Felder Publisher/EIC of SwagHer Magazine

Meet the Contributors

April D. Byrd

Malcolm Anderson

THE NEW NORMAL V April D. Byrd: April D. Byrd believes that positive, uplifting media has the power to inspire hope and courage for people to excel. She is a Writer and Producer that uses her voice for good while helping others express their talents. She is the creator of Breath Of Life Daily Online Journal and Podcast, which can be found on all social media networks @BOLDJournal Malcolm Anderson: Malcolm Anderson is a Cum Laude graduate of Reinhardt University. From the beginning of his education, the ideas of creativity and ever-expanding curiosity were instilled in him. He loves working with children and helping them believe that they can do anything they put their mind to, a lesson he was taught from an early age. Although his focus is on Sports Media, Malcolm has been writing for various mediums over the past few years and aims to expand his repertoire in efforts to reach as many people as possible.

Arnya T.M. Davis: Arnya T. M. Davis, a native of New Orleans, was transplanted in Dallas, Texas, in 1999. Arnya started her serial entrepreneur journey at the age of 23, with Arnya’s Abstract Services. She has owned businesses in six industries to date. At present, she is the CEO of LadiCEO, LLC. LadiCEO was birthed in 2012 to help up-n-coming small business owners and entrepreneurs find their voice and determine how they want the world to view them. LadiCEO has three components Media, Fashion, and Brand consulting and management. Arnya is Co-Host of the weekly podcast, Theories & Thoughts, which can be viewed on her YouTube channel, LadiCEO Media, SwagHer YouTube page and Spotify. Arnya’s goal is to uplift those connected to her and her community, no matter what they look like, their education level, or their life goal. She lives by the thought, “You don’t have to subscribe to what people think of you, be you genuinely.”

Vince Smith: Vince D’Writer was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. He attended Purdue University. While working as a Sports Recruiter, Vince D’Writer wrote a how-to guide that explained the recruiting process about obtaining an athletic scholarship. Developing a passion for writing, he transitioned to writing urban fiction books and becoming a contributor to multiple media outlets.

Arnya T.M. Davis

Vince Smith

Kristin Peoples: Kristin Peoples is a Style Coach & Blogger from North Carolina.

She’s always had a curvier figure and learned her to dress her body in stylish and flattering clothing. Kristin now teaches other women how to find their confidence and rebrand themselves through fashion by discovering their personal style. Her favorite mantra is “the joy of dressing is an art,” as she expresses herself as a Fashion Creative. Kristin is relentlessly growing her platform and has recently been featured in multiple publications. You can check out her website at www.kristinpeoples.com or via Instagram @thekristinpeoples.

AllisonJanel: Hailing from Manhattan, New York, AllisonJanel is a graduate of Saint John’s University, where she majored in Legal Studies with a minor in Court Administration. In 2015, she attended Metropolitan College of New York and received her MBA in Financial Services. AllisonJanel is the Owner of AllyKatzAlley & Everyday Accessory Collection, and Founder & CEO of Everything Phenomenally You and AllyJ Media, slated to launch in January 2021. Additionally, she’s an Editorial Assistant at SwagHer Magazine, Influencer, Blogger, Community Volunteer, Legal Consultant, and Licensed Notary in NYS. You can find her on Instagram @chatwitallyJ

Kristin Peoples

AllisonJanel

Arnitris L. Strong: Arnitris L. Strong, a certified Christian relationship coach, is dedicated to supporting single mothers as they heal their hearts to have room for the love they desire. Using her signature system, The Blessed Dating Experience, Arnitris guides women by creating a plan to date intentionally in preparation for marriage. When she is not working with women, you can find her living, loving, and dating as a good thing. Follow her on social media @blessedbthetie on IG & TW and theblesseddatingexperience.online.

Christina Woodard: Christina Woodard was born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She attended Dillard University in New Orleans, Louisiana, and received a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication. She is passionate about all things related to writing, investigation, family, and crime and hopes in the future to put those passions to good use by becoming an attorney. She is currently the Magazine Manager at SwagHer Magazine and Media. You can find her on Instagram @cstina.nicole.

Arnitris L. Strong

Christina Woodard

Fancy: Francheska “Fancy” Felder is the founder/publisher/EIC of SwagHer Magazine. She’s a single mother of 3 -Libra - Trapping scribe -Lover -Mental health advocate - Country girl -Proud, liberated Black goddess.

I Cover II Acknowledgements III From the Editor IV Apology to Terricia Jackson V Contributors VI Table of Contents

CONTENTS

VI SWAG SWAGHER HER FALL FALL 2020 2020

01 Feature

14 Social

04 Health

17 Author

06 Fashion

21 Healing

10 Spotlight

25 Essay

12 Revenge

30 Author

Vince S. opens by observing the new usual way of living due to the pandemic and social unrest.

Glendora Dvine is the mental health professional, author, and breast cancer survivor saving Black boys and girls from a world of pain.

Kaitlyn D. shares the secrets behind your favorite clothing stores and explains sustainable fashion.

THE NEW NORMAL “The new normal of a Black man being able to exercise freely and not have to worry about fitting a description. The new type of normal where everyone is accepted as a human being before deemed as being worthy of fundamental human rights.� - Malcolm Anderson, Pg. 1

We spotlight author and owner of Priceless Inspirations, LLC, Lynette Edwards, who also tells you how to be unstoppable.

April B.highlights the collaborative efforts of black people, companies, and organizations rallying for the BLM movement.

Arnya M. shares social media platform options that are Blackowned.

As she celebrates her ten year anniversary of life coaching, life coach, mentor, and author Debrayta reminds us that she and her clients are in it for the long haul.

Malcolm A. explains how healing is an art that everyone should experience.

Vince S. gives a recap on the men killed due to police brutality.

A domestic violence survivor, homelessness overcomer, U.S. army veteran turned author and podcast hostess talks about her life and work.

THE NEW NORMAL VII

66 Cover Story

SwagHer Magazine and Media’s E.I.C., Francheska “Fancy” Felder is interviewed by her 'Theories & Thoughts' co-hostess, Arnya.

Fancy shares how she grew from a teen mom and exotic dancer to a successful business owner and award-winning publisher.

34 Q&A

48 Peace

76 Author

39 Fitness

52 Healing

79 Meet

41 Style

59 Beauty

81 Love

43 Medicine

62 Spotlight

84 Men

Naja Hall details the inspiration behind Black & Blended.

Wellness and fitness diva, Beverly Johnson gives insight into why GenFit was created and the forgotten woman.

Kristen P. gives style tips by mixing and matching mixed prints to create an iconic look.

LaTanya “Ms. Unorthoodoc” Tibbs talks about her journey as a womb healer.

Arnya D. shares the wellness practices she has incorporated into her life for peace amid all the current chaos.

In this feature, Terrancina Jackson talks healing and trauma with Fancy.

Learn the story behind DemiBlue Polish in this beauty spotlight.

Author Spotlight Teresa Stith shares her struggle with her faith and how it influences her work.

The last Author Spotlight highlights the accomplishments of Kimberly P. Jones, early childhood educator and children’s book author.

We Interrupt Your Programming-Meet the new SwagHer Magazine media correspondents.

Arnitris S. gives tips on how to get over a breakup to becoming a better person in the end.

This MANdatory Awareness features S.L. Jackson, an urban fantasy author. He gives insight into his new book, podcast, and upcoming animated series.

VIII

SWAGHER FALL 2020

FEATURE

The New Normal

BY MALCOLM ANDERSON

THE NEW NORMAL 1

The New Normal

BY MALCOLM ANDERSON

C

ovid-19 was not, cannot, and will not be the most significant societal impact of 2020. The most massive shift of the year won’t be everyone moving 6 feet away. But instead, everyone finally taking a step in the same direction and being unilaterally tired while unanimously acknowledging it. What if THIS is the new world?

The new world where the money goes to the people fighting the disease as opposed to the money going to people hiding the cure. A place that offers multiple opportunities at the same quality of life without a system to load the deck of some while removing cards from others. A world filled with accountability and credibility, where police departments aim to “Protect and Serve” rather than aim at defenseless targets. Dare I say the type of normal where a “few bad apples” are removed and adjusted by the “few good ones.”

The new normal of a Black man being able to exercise freely and not have to worry about fitting a description.

The new type of normal where everyone is accepted as a human being before deemed as being worthy of fundamental human rights. A new world where the victims of oppression aren’t reminded of it every time they hike Stone Mountain or attend a class at Clemson University.

A world where the simple statement of “Black Lives Matter” isn’t considered a threat. I mean, I don’t understand.

How hard of a concept is that? You would have to WANT

to be ignorant to still disagree at this point. When a house is on fire, and the fire department shows up to put it out, nobody says “All Houses Need Water”. There is absolutely nothing controversial about saying that a life simply “matters”.

We’re not saying matters more than other lives; we’re not saying it’s the only thing that matters, but we’re saying Black lives matter simply because they’re the only ones being targeted at this moment and seemingly every moment in the last 400+ years, and even now as you read this.

If the world is too big for you, we can start smaller, let’s say an organization? Perhaps, the NFL, for example. A league that categorically rebuked Colin Kaepernick for calling out the system and its constituents while using his most lucrative and only platform. Kaepernick uses every right he has

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SWAGHER FALL 2020

“If “They” are offended, “They” have a personal problem because “WE” are exhausted.”

as an American and exhausts every legal avenue while doing so to be still cast aside like a pariah just because some guys with a brand got their little feelings hurt. I could be wrong, but I feel as if that would be a great place to start replacing and apologizing if anyone was wondering.

We’re all beginning to see that there is a group of people willing to go out of there way to remain ignorant in hopes of deterring progression. “They” ask for proof and law enforcement provided and have continued to offer a long list of references of those who can no longer represent themselves. “They” wanted peaceful demonstrations but poked and prodded them until peace no longer filled the require-

ments. “They” reference events and microcosms of society that “They” either created or benefit from and then explain such said situations as if those affected actually have a shot at fixing it.

If “They” are offended, “They” have a personal problem because “WE” are exhausted. “WE” are done with the way of just accepting what “They” give because that’s just the way it is. “WE” are ready to be the change in the world that we want and need to see whether “They” are ready or not.

THE NEW NORMAL 3

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4

SWAGHER FALL 2020

MENTAL HEALTH

MEET GLENDORA DVINE

The mental health professional saving black boys and girls from the system

G

lendora Dvine has been a nationally accredited licensed counselor since 2007 in South Georgia and has always had a passion and drive to help others. She is the founder of Dvine Systems GA, which is a mental and behavioral health practice that has been in operation since 2010, and in 2015 she became board-certified to provide TeleMental Health services. Dvine Systems GA offers an array of face to face and telemental health therapeutic and professional services to the community. Through Dvine Systems GA, Glendora has become recognized for her passion in three primary areas; 1) Family safeguarding through

healthy mental living, 2) Parenting Strategies/Intervention, and 3) Developing one’s vision for life.

Glendora acquired her bachelor’s in psychology and masters in professional counseling. After completing her studies, the Detroit native relocated to the Metro Atlanta area to plant her roots and began to uplift and inspire her community of families. She speaks on various platforms (schools, private and government companies, etc.), motivating, encouraging, and inspiring others to keep moving in their purpose of life. Glendora’s favorite two types of clients are someone who is trying to get through something or someone who is trying to

THE NEW NORMAL 5 reach a goal.

Glendora received a life-threatening challenge in 2013 after a breast cancer diagnosis; after several procedures and months of recovery, Glendora persevered to become a breast cancer overcomer and from there, a motivational speaker and author. She published her 1st book in 2016, entitled “Leaving Legacies - Breaking the disconnect between parents and millennials.” (amazon. com/author/glendoradvine - eBook), a guide on safeguarding families, which include worksheets. Her focus of writing reflects her passion for educating parents and caregivers on new ways to parent their children by embracing new habits and being mentally aware of old patterns. Glendora also has created “Just In Time” online educational courses, which are parenting courses that center on positive communication, quality family time, and family unification.

Fancy: What sparked your interest in psychology?

Glendora: I’ve always been a person that helped people with their problems. I was always in people’s business.

When I graduated from Master’s School, I had a party, and my husband held a toast. He stood up and said, “I want to give a toast and say finally, she can get paid for being in people’s business and stop taking my money to help them.” So, pretty much, I’m always helping someone. I think I am a natural servant.

Fancy: So tell us a little bit about Dvine Systems Georgia in layman’s terms.

Glendora: Well, Dvine Systems Georgia is a counseling agency, but it’s a system of networks, so we link up with a lot of different community entrepreneurs, educators, council people, and overall influencers. We connect with others in our community to help better serve our community, which is why it’s a system network. We try and put forth energy and effort in helping our community be great and leave a legacy. So for over ten years, we have offered counseling- individual, family, couples, marriage, we see an array of disorders and behaviors being versatile by accepting over 13 different insurances.

Fancy: As long as I’ve known of you and your brand, I never made the connection between the network that you’ve been building and the systems part within your business title. It’s impressive. Now, I did notice that your three primary areas of counseling pertain to the family.

What was your own family like growing up?

Glendora: Well, my dad raised me. My mom left when I was five, and my dad raised my two brothers and me. He was very strict concerning you don’t ask, don’t borrow, or beg. “You can go out there and get it yourself. Try not to do it on credit because you should have money if you really want it. So if you don’t have money to afford it, you don’t need it” was more of his philosophies. So it almost felt like a militant upbringing, but I honestly see now that it was a lot of structure and morals that he was providing.

He was keeping my brothers and me safe. He was actually making us understand how to have integrity and also understand what his legacy was.

Fancy: That’s deep, but I’ve said before that you seem like a very purposeful person, which brings me to my next question. You are a certified sex offender specialist, and I’ve heard of a little of your backstory about it, but what influenced you to want to work within this population?

Glendora: Well, again, it stems from my community. So I service a lot of children, and one of my philosophies is if you want me to see your child, you must also make an appointment with me for yourself as well. Because I’m not going try and help your child or pour into your child knowing they are connected to you, and I don’t know if you really are provoking this issue or there may be an action you can take to help decrease this issue. These appointments allow me to understand better if I may need to help the parent understand how to work with the problem also. Therefore, it’s a mandatory requirement.

But what inspired me to obtain certification was the fact that I was getting a lot of African-American kids charged with sexual molestation or sexual battery. When they’re accused of these kinds of sexual crimes, the charges stick with them for life, especially the molestation. I also didn’t like the fact that so many of them were coming through the office for such trivial things or things they did while calling themselves “dating.” I understand that our culture has dating twisted, and our children are claiming they’re dating while in elementary and middle school, and the kids that were coming to see me were in middle school and over-sexualized. They were saying things that made me look at them like, “Wait, hold the hell on!” It was like they were talking about how to make Kool-Aid. So with all of that being said, the kids were facing charges and didn’t have anyone to counsel them without the parent driving over an hour away.

That’s when I thought, “You know what? I can help these children because all of them are basically saying that they

6

SWAGHER FALL 2020 don’t have anyone to talk to at home”. They’re getting information from friends, social media and technology, and half talking parents. I realized I need to find a better way to treat them because I couldn’t treat them the same as an adult. I believe adults understand what they are doing from the moment they did it. For a child, I feel like they are trying to experiment with what they have been told or taught, so children don’t have that understanding of the full ramifications of what they’re doing.

So I now service teens 18 and younger, and I created a program for juveniles who have sexual offending problems or charges. We currently use the program is currently used in my community at the county courthouses. Also, as part of the program, in the last eight weeks of the program, the child goes back to the parent, and they complete an activity about decision-making that they do together as we close out the weeks.

I’m trying to create a real relationship between this child and their parent without there being a wall built up. So that was the whole point of me creating the program because it wasn’t anything out there to involve the parent. Most programs just include the perpetrator or allege perpetrator. At the end of the program, I created it so that the parent has a discussion with the child to gather more about what the child has learned related to sex and decision making. The parent now understands a little bit more about where the child’s decision-making skills are coming from and why.

the assessment, I’m already like, “Hell, yes, we need to get started.”

This way, they can say, “Well, I already started counseling for that particular issue. “So then, the court will have me or the parent come back around and give them the outline of the program. Parents will take that back to their lawyer, who will present it to the prosecutor and submit it to the judge, and it goes from there.

Fancy: I’m just still kind of blown away by the child offenders and how you’ve built the program, but now I curious as to how you went about the process of creating that type of relationship to work with the County. Did you pitch them?

Glendora: No, girl, that’s just been me. And I had a double mastectomy too because the cancer was only in one, but I was like, “Listen, do both of them. I don’t have time.”

Fancy: So three years into your practice, you are diagnosed with breast cancer, but you beat it. How did it change your life and your work?

Glendora: Honestly, it didn’t because I was more like, “Okay, so what are we going to do because I’m not going to make my life doctor’s appointments. Just keep it moving?” Plus, my family was very supportive, so I didn’t focus on it. I even went back to work early. As soon as the doctor was able to take the tubes out of me, I was like, “I can’t sit in this house. This is making me depressed, so let me go hear other people’s problems.” That made me happy. Yes, I couldn’t do that girl. I’m just really not a good patient. I don’t want to sit. It’s too boring.

“That’s when I thought, ‘You know what? I can help these children.’”

Glendora: Well, my clients pitched it for me because they would mention they are already seeing a therapist. Kids would get in trouble, and then the court date might not come as soon. Now the parents are freaking out; the kid just knows some ish has gotten serious but doesn’t really understand. And then next thing you know, the parents are trying to run and find some type of counseling. When they come to me, and they tell me what’s going on during

Fancy: Oh, wait, I thought that’s where your “One life, keep it moving” motto came from, from overcoming that experience.

Fancy: Wow...

Glendora: Of course, I get sad, I get down, and I mope, but my family doesn’t do those things. So it doesn’t last long, and reality comes back. Everyone around me is always like, “You laugh at disappointment; you laugh at sorrow; you laugh at everything!” I laugh because God is in it all, and positivity is there somewhere. So let’s find it. Have that negative moment, but it can’t be any more

THE NEW NORMAL 7 than a moment.”

Fancy: Yes, that’s a great perspective. I realized we hadn’t discussed your book yet. Please tell us about it.

Glendora: Leaving Legacies: Breaking The Disconnect Between Parents And Millennials. Basically, it’s a behavior therapy book because it’s actually a to-do book, an enlightening book on how to communicate effectively honestly. I’m highlighting assertive communication, and I’m pointing out that the reality is, we were raised in an aggressive communication style. That’s what most were taught. Now we have to reteach ourselves to talk assertively and honestly. It’s a conscious decision that we have

“All of them are basically saying that they don’t have anyone to talk to at home.” to practice because it’s a skill. So, I’m really trying to get parents to understand how they’re talking to their children and how to stop for a second, regather themselves, and understanding how to speak to themselves first.

This way, they can clearly relay the message to their children instead of responding so quickly with no listening or misunderstanding.

Fancy: So what other events or upcoming projects do you have in the works?

Glendora: This year, I have been accepted as a board member for a nonprofit that empowers women and girls called SheSteams. I have a lot of girls that come through my office, and I always look for referrals to connect them with to help them blossom into beautiful beings.

But also, I have a 14-year-old daughter who participates.

Currently, I’m also teaching a Masterclass for Mental Health Professionals to start their own business by providing counseling services online with Telemental

Health. Now since COVID-19 and the global awareness of social injustice, I want to certify as many professionals as possible to ethically and legally provide counseling services via Telemental Health. If you are a mental health professional and would like to build, scale, and grow in Telemental Health, then please join my Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/OnlinePrivatePractice/.

Connect with Glendora and Dvine Systems GA below.

Website: http://www.dsgeorgia.com/ Instagram: @glendoradvine Facebook: DvineSystemsGA Book: amazon.com/author/glendoradvine

8

SWAGHER FALL 2020

Combating Fast Fashion

by Kaitan Darby

W

e’ve all heard the horror stories about women and children working for virtually nothing in sweatshops in developing countries. Places like your faves, Fashion Nova, just to name one, and CEOs like Kylie Jenner exploiting and even refusing to pay workers who bust their tails making these products seem to be on the rise because people demand fast fashion. If you’re wondering what that is, it’s trendy articles of clothing, usually stylized by whatever is on the runway at that particular time that is mass-produced and sold much cheaper than their runway counterparts. Is it starting to sound familiar?

Another thing with fast fashion is that it’s not a sustainable model of production. It’s harsh on the environment. So if you’re looking to help combat the effects of fast fashion, a simple solution would be to start at places like Buffalo Exchange or Plato’s Closet. There are other places that sell gently used clothes at a fraction of the retail price. You can find all kinds of designer brands if you’re looking in the right places and you can save yourself a lot of money while you’re at it.

You can also try apps such as Poshmark, Vinted, or ThreadUp. Poshmark tends to have some real luxury items on it, I mean like really bougie things, Red Bot-

toms, LV, etc. So if you want to rock the rich b*tch attire but you aren’t really getting that rich b*tch income, download Poshmark. ThreadUp is also the largest gently used clothing website, so you’re bound to find something that fits your style there. You can buy or sell on these apps just like you can sell at Plato’s Closet. It’s basically a win-win if you need a new outfit and are looking to make some extra cash.

If you’re really crafty, you could learn to sew your clothes. This way, you know the quality of the product and the work, and no one has to work in a sweatshop to make it happen. Of course, this isn’t the answer for everyone, I know I couldn’t sew my clothes, but it’s a cool alternative.

Lastly, you can shop at small businesses. Crazy right?

When you shop with a small business, your money is going toward someone’s family, someone’s bills, someone’s something. Someone like you. Not a rich person who is exploiting workers. Fast fashion retailers sometimes even steal designs from smaller brands and try to pass them off as their own (Fashion Nova is notorious for this). Call it out if you see it. But the best way to support is to buy directly from the small business rather than its fast fashion counterpart.

THE NEW NORMAL 9

10

SWAGHER FALL 2020

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT

LYNETTE EDWARDS

L

ynette Edwards (Lyn.Free) is a nationally recognized author, she is a certified life coach, and owns a publishing company. She is the CEO of Priceless Inspirations, LLC and served as a global campaign member for the Born to Lead campaign in 2017. In addition, Lyn.Free has served as the Executive Producer of the hit play ‘One Night Only’, inspired by her best-selling book series. She was cast as the narrator of the sold-out play ‘Secrets of a Woman’, and she has made several guest appearances over the years which includes ‘The Balancing Act’ on Lifetime television, ‘Shine Your Light’ Christian broadcasting network, ‘Minority Women’s Movement’, ‘The Authors Lounge Radio

Show’, ‘A Literary Affair’, and ‘UP WORDS’ international magazine just to name a few.

She has published four inspirational books to help uplift and encourage others, three urban fiction books targeted towards women who are on the Christian journey trying to find themselves, one children’s book to bring awareness to mental health and the impact it has on children, and one interactive journal to help others create a clear path during life’s journey by releasing negativity, finding your why, and setting obtainable goals.

She started the ‘unSTOPpable’ collection which consists of apparel and limited accessories, inspired by her best-selling interactive journal titled, ‘Unstoppable: 15 Es-

THE NEW NORMAL 11 sential Steps Toward Becoming UNSTOPPABLE.’ Her motto for 2020- ‘Ready-Set-Succeed, the time has come for you to be UNSTOPPABLE!’ Learn more about Lynette below.

Fancy: How would you describe your swagher? What makes Lynette, Lynette?

Lynette: My swagher is bold. I believe in living out loud, seizing the moment, and making the best out of every situation by turning each of life’s lessons into unlimited blessings. What makes Lynette, Lynette? My willingness to think outside of the box makes me who I am. I am not afraid to stand alone or follow the road less traveled.

I am a firm believer that what God has for me is mine, therefore I don’t have to rush the process or try to figure out what lies ahead; I can simply live each day at ease. I take pride in the ability to become better instead of bitter; wiser instead of weaker.

Fancy: What sparked your passion for writing?

Lynette: In 2011 I was given a book about inspiring women by a family member, they wanted me to read the book since I was always trying to inspire others. I took one look at the cover of the book and thought, if I wanted too, I bet I could write a book to help inspire others. Just like that the idea came to me, I sat at my computer, grabbed my bible, and said, ‘Lord if this is your will, please make a way.’ Within six hours, I had the title and the first 28 pages to my first book. I have been writing and publishing books every since.

Fancy: Is it safe to say that you also coach through your writings?

Lynette: Of course, in fact, the majority of my coaching is through written words. I believe that you can reach others through writing. When you coach through writing you allow the reader to interpret the book for themselves and apply it to their lives as needed. They can then return back to the written words at any time and utilize it to help them on their journey in life.

Fancy: You also write across different genres. Is that ever a challenge for you?

Lynette: Writing in itself is a challenge for me. I am not a traditional writer. I am an emotional writer. Every book, except the journal, was inspired by a significant life event.

I use writing as my therapy when I am dealing with life

events and having a difficult time coping. I write to release my emotions. All of the books were inspired during seasonal changes in my life; they were not planned. The first four books were written when I was building my foundation in Christ and learning who I was, while the three urban fiction books were written as a result of bad breakups and during times that I questioned my faith. The children’s book was written after I lost my mother. She battled mental illness for most of my life, and after she died, I wrote the children’s book Birdie’s Way to shed light on mental illness and the impact it has on children. My ‘Unstoppable’ interactive journal is the only project that I completed on purpose. It was something that I wanted to do for me, something to help push me towards being a better person while motivating others to do the same.

Fancy: So your ‘Unstoppable’ interactive journal inspired your Unstoppable collection. Can you tell us a little more about the collection?

Lynette: The Unstoppable collection is a collection of apparel and limited accessories. There are t-shirts, hoodies, cell phone case covers, and laptop sleeves just to name a few. The collection is simply to help you feel unstoppable. With the hustle and bustle of life, we forget and need to be reminded that we are truly unstoppable. We each have something unique about us that allows us to do great things. The collection reminds us to keep going, it motivates us to never quit, and most importantly it ignites us to become unstoppable.

Fancy: What are one or two ways, we can practice being Unstoppable in 2020?

Lynette: Various steps to being unstoppable are included in my online course “Unstoppable 2020”, but two of the ways to practice being unstoppable is by releasing negativity and finding your ‘Why’.

Once you release the negativity in your life (negative people, toxic environments, negative thinking) you can then focus more on yourself and when you do you will be able to find your ‘why’. Why do I exist? What am I passionate about? What are my life goals? Once you find your ‘why’, you will be on your way towards becoming unstoppable.

Connect with Lynette and shop below.

Website: www.unstoppablebylyn.com

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The Best Revenge

BY APRIL D. BYRD

During this moment in history, as Black people mobilize and organize for justice like never before, many wellknown companies and organizations are stepping to the forefront to present statements of solidarity; some are even backing the cause with donations and making it known.

While these companies are stepping up now that the fire is going, it’s vital and essential that the Black community and all who are standing with us in the fight for justice continue to put their money where their hearts are.

Regardless of how many statements and changes are made by white-owned companies, we have to note Beyonce’s famous line from the song Formation: “The Best Revenge Is Your Paper”. Even amidst a pandemic, Black people have come together emphatically to put an end to the senseless violence and killings that are happening at

the hands of certain police. Just as we are fervent about raising our voices, we should just as strongly consider our invoices.

The most significant time to support Black-owned, buy Black-owned, patronize Black-owned is right now so that these oppressive systems of the world know that this movement is not a game, and this is not a trend. This is a revolution! Black lives not only matter, but they are also immensely valuable.

The companies that are issuing such statements know this, and perhaps they know it better than some Black people themselves. Remember, the best revenge is your paper as we rally together in protests, let’s also rally behind each other with payments- payments of love, respect, and support, now more so than ever.

To really slay as Beyonce says, to really kill them with kindness is to direct that kindness to your nearest Blackowned innovator/ entrepreneur/ creative and all the other marvelous things we are. During this COVID-19 pandemic, now is undoubtedly the time to pool and practice cooperative economics. While we are embracing “cancel culture,” let’s more importantly, look toward the future of building our own monuments and foundations.

This way, we can “always be gracious”. Amen.

Lakisha Mosley The LM Experience Event Planning & Management EntrepreneurshipTime Management & Balance Mompreneurship Panelist | Presenter | Speaker The LM Experience @thelmexperience LaKisha Mosley www.lakishamosley.com @lakishammosley Convo with Kisha www.convowithkisha.com @convowithkisha

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BLACK OWNED SOCIAL MEDIA SITES DO EXIST

by Arnya T.M. Davis

T

hey said the revolution would not be televised but I’ll be damned if it hasn’t been posted.

Since we as a people have had the time to sit down and focus on the many injustices of the world we’ve begun to unite and demand what it is that we want. When it comes to police brutality, we have not gotten to the tip of the iceberg, but with so many businesses as our allies now, how can the system shut us up? With the rise of social media posts mysteriously being deleted and Black people feeling they cannot express themselves the way they would like, several Black innovators have turned to start their own social media sites. These are the places where you can be blacker than black, and you be celebrated, not tolerated. Here is a list of some of those places that are out there.

Melanated People: $10/monthly with a 4.6 rating - didn’t get past the first part of the registration. didn’t want to pay $10 a month. https://melanatedpeople.net/

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Black-Page.Com: Free with a 3.7 rating.- This site reminds me of Facebook. As a matter of fact, I logged in through my Facebook, but Facebook login is not mandatory. I think I am going to play around with this platform a little. The site seems to have a Black face with a Facebook backing if that makes sense. It definitely screams Facebook. Whoever created this platform may have used Facebook as the blueprint. https://black-page.com/

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Black Connect: Has different levels of memberships, Free, $30, $50 or $250/year; not rated.- I joined under the free membership.

Users can create polls, forums, and take quizzes. It seems to have a social and business flow. There are specific networking groups within the app as well, and you are encouraged to add your business to the busi-

THE NEW NORMAL 15 ness directory. Once I signed up, I received an email welcoming me to the platform, which also has 18 features. This app is established as a non-profit, so it also offers programs designed for members who lack the resources, skills, exposure, or access to the capital necessary to establish and grow a business. Their purpose is rooted in eliminating the racial wealth gap. Did I mention it is easy to navigate? This app may be my favorite of the four. Let me figure out which yearly fee I am interested in paying. https://www.blackconnect.org/

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Black Planet: Free with a 3.0 rating. This social media site made me nostalgic. It took me back to my college days. The difference is this is an app, whereas when I was in college, we had just begun using the computer. Ooo, I feel old. Nevertheless, if you want to meet new people, you slide to the right to become friends. If you opt to pass, you slide to the left. The app includes different chat rooms that you can connect to and of course, notes. Notes is similar Facebook messenger or like email. I think it is worth keeping to look around. https://www.blackplanet.com/login Being such a social media junkie, I am very interested in seeing what else is out there, what other options we may have. It is almost like, if you show Black people that we are not wanted or welcomed, we go and create our own. However, on the flip-side, the minute we don’t agree with something, we are like, ‘ok, we are out.’ I look forward to returning to the site and playing around a bit more and really navigating the scene.

Who knows, I may come back with a part two of this segment.

SWAGH E R MAGAZ IN E'S GUIDE T O

BLACK OWN ED SOCI AL ME DI A M E L AN A TE D P E OP L E

$10/monthly with a 4.6 rating - didn’t get past the first part of the registration. didn’t want to pay $10 a month.

B L AC K C ON N E C T

T he i r p u r p o s e i s r o o t e d i n e l i m i n a t i n g t he r a c i al w e al t h g a p . D i d I m en t i o n i t i s e a s y t o na vi g a t e?

T hi s ap p m a y be m y f a vo r i t e o f t he f o u r .

B LA C K- P AG E. C O M

The site seems to have a Black face with a Facebook backing if that makes sense. It definitely screams Facebook.

Whoever created this platform may have used Facebook as the blueprint.

B L AC K P L AN ET

F r e e w i t h a 3 . 0 ra t in g .

T hi s s o c i a l m e dia sit e m a d e m e n o s t a l g i c . I t hin k i t i s w o r t h k e ep i n g t o look a r o u nd .

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THE NEW NORMAL 17

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT

DEBRAYTA SALLEY

D

ebrayta (Dee) Salley, aka Dee Life Mentor Coach founder of Debrayta Salley Enterprises, LLC, is a mother, servant, Christian author, inspirational speaker, biblical life coach, event host, and wellness advocate. Her life’s mission is to empower paths, support growth, and inspire change. She supports/serves women of all ages through all phases of life transition and breaking free from any place, space, or relationship where they may have settled for less than God’s best. Learn more about the author and coach below.

Fancy: You’ll be celebrating your tenth year of life coaching soon. How does that feel? Are you excited?

Debrayta: Wow! Thanks for the reminder. I have to say that ten years have flown by so fast that I had to double-check the dates myself to confirm this. It feels great to celebrate such a milestone, especially since I recently completed my goal of becoming a Transformational Biblical Life Coach. A goal that I had set my sights on over nine years ago, and it has finally become a reality.

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SWAGHER FALL 2020 Fancy: What do you think makes your coaching unique?

Debrayta: I am unique as a coach because I don’t just coach others; I have been living as a coach. One thing that I learned in my training is that to be an effective coach, you have to BE a Coach and not just DO Coaching. I have been in my personal transformational process over these ten years, so it enables me to lead others from a place of experience, as well as use the professional skills that I have learned along the way. I am also a heart-centered coach who gives me a genuine heart for the growth and well-being of others.

Fancy: How do you celebrate your clients’ achievements, and do you find that celebration to be of importance?

Debrayta: I celebrate the achievements of my clients through gifts and words of continued encouragement, as well as sharing their accomplishments with others. I absolutely believe that honoring one’s accomplishments is extremely necessary. The process of achieving goals is not always an easy feat, so when you get to the finish line, a celebration is ALWAYS in order! When my Client wins, I win also. WE are in this thing together!

Fancy: How does your religion affect your advice that you administer to clients?

Debrayta: I’d rather term it “Personal Relationship with God” instead of religion.

As a Transformational Biblical Life Coach, my main clientele is people of faith (mainly women) who desire to grow in body, soul, and spirit, discover their life’s purpose, get support in reaching their goals, etc.

Also, as a Biblical Coach, my first responsibility is to seek God directly to get clarity and direction as to how I can support the individual. It’s not necessarily about me telling them all what I think that they should do, but supporting and guiding them to see what God would have them to do about a particular situation, goal, or desire.

Fancy: That’s funny. I refer to it that way as well,

“When my Client wins, I win also.

WE are in this thing together!” my “personal relationship with God.” So tell us how often do you draw from your personal experiences when coaching?

Debrayta: I find that using personal experience as a reference is always a plus. It helps to center the individual and lead them to a place of calm and reflection. I believe that it’s vital to help the client see that they are not the only one experiencing or who has experienced what they are facing. There is nothing new under the sun, and there’s light at the end of the tunnel. We are in this thing together.

Fancy: In a perfect world, what are the characteristics of the ideal life coach, and why? How do you identify with that individual?

Debrayta: I believe that the characteristics of the ideal life coach are honesty, integrity, excellent listening skills, compassionate, knowledgeable, intuitive, humble, vulnerable, and resourceful.

I identify with these characteristics in a coach because I desire the same from anyone whom I would hire as a coach myself. I believe that each of these is needed to have a successful coach/client relationship.

Fancy: When we talked before, we discussed you were running away from our purpose. What words of advice would you share with those who may be running from their purpose?

Debrayta: It’s virtually impossible to run away from the purpose that God has assigned to your life. We

THE NEW NORMAL 19 may turn away from it for a time, refuse to acknowledge it, stuff it away in an invisible closet, and/or be frustrated by the weight of the assignment, BUT GOD will always draw us back to it.

For that person that may be running from their purpose/assignm e n t / d e s t i n y, slow down and catch your breath.

There is no place on God’s green earth that you can hide from the one who foreknew you and instilled purpose and destiny within you from the foundation of the earth.

God doesn’t want you to run from him; He’s waiting for you to run to Him so that he can lead, guide, and equip you. You will never be completely fulfilled until you answer His call. Don’t leave this earth without allowing God to fill you with purpose so that you can be a blessing to others. There is someone out there who will never be who they are called to be unless you submit to becoming the YOU that you are destined to be.

Fancy: That was beautiful. Now, you are also releasing a new book at the end of the year. Can you tell us more about that?

Debrayta: Well, that must be from God’s lips to your ears LOL because I don’t have a firm date as of yet for my next book project. I don’t even have an outline formed just yet. As far as what the new book is about, all I can say is that sometimes we are tired, frustrated, unhealthy, burnt out, and everything else, because we are carrying around “weights” that God never intended us to carry and in order to be all that He ordained us to be we must lay it aside/drop it!

D.D.S. Fancy: Has COVID-19 impacted your life or work

any?

Debrayta: COVID-19 landed right in the middle of my latest book launch. We were in the midst of planning our book release party for our new book, “Grace FULL Seasons”. Unfortunately, we had to cancel our date and will reschedule at another time.

Prayerfully, before the end of the year.

Fancy: Do you have any upcoming events or projects that you care to share?

Debrayta: I am currently seeking God for guidance about the direction of my business/ministry. I hope to be able to produce new programs and products that will assist women in being well in body, soul, and spirit.

Connect with Debrayta below. www.deelifmentor.com https://www.facebook.com/DeeLifMntrCoach/ https://twitter.com/DeeLifMntrCoach https://www.instagram.com/deelifmntrcoach/

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The Art

of Healing

BY MALCOLM ANDERSON

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The Art of Healing

BY MALCOLM ANDERSON

T

he art of healing is just that, an art. Art as an identity of itself is merely reflective, receptive, and perspective. Relevant to those that created it or those that are receptive to it. There are no wrong interpretations of art, more so unjust condemnation. Who is anyone to label one’s expression laid out for another’s perception as wrong or misguided? Art is a technique, similar to healing, that is a necessary outlet for sanity if nothing else, an entirely internal sanity, a sanity that has a balance, holding on and letting go.

Holding on to anything only accomplishes one thing...keeping whatever

it is you’re holding on to within arms reach. Regardless of the emotion tied to the subject, it’s right there.

If it’s something you need to look at every once in a while to remind you of who you are and who you are supposed to be, it’s there. If it’s something necessary to have to share with others so the world around you can learn by observation rather than trial by fire, or if it’s something that needs to be let go in due time but has a place in relevance, again, it’s right there.

Whatever is in that hand is specifically for you, nobody can take it away from

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you, and nobody can tell you what to do with it. For some, it may be completely personal, but for others, it could be used to lend out for someone else.

Aside from that hand, you possess its equal and opposite, wholly independent but connected all the same. As one hand can grasp, the other can let go.

Letting go is the counterweight. Letting go is removing the weight that holds you down or releasing the platform that keeps you up. There’s no rule book for how long one needs to be on a level to consider it accomplished. Some need short-term memory to avoid drowning themselves in an undesired position. In contrast, others thrive under pressure, under the circumstance, under the motion that this test is going to take overachieving to overcome.

it’s just that, YOUR madness, it’s your life, your feelings, your actions, and your reactions. It’s you. You can’t fail a test that you created with your own answers in mind. You know what you want, and your well being knows what you need.

Don’t let anyone take your test for you. To be transparent, the answers of others aren’t necessarily your answers, and that doesn’t mean they aren’t an answer, but every puzzle piece doesn’t exactly fit anywhere on the puzzle either. Circumstances determine many things.

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FEATURE

The Visual Effect

BY VINCE SMITH

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SWAGHER FALL 2020

The Visual Effect

BY VINCE SMITH

“

I am not going to stand up and show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. To me, this is bigger than football, and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies on the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder,” Colin Kaepernick stated after the first time he did his silent protest in August of 2016.

Kaepernick was referring to the police brutality that became consistent for two years. In July of 2014, Eric Garner had an encounter with the police that landed him in a chokehold. While lying face down

on the sidewalk, Eric Garner repeated the words, “I can’t breathe” 11 times. Garner loses consciousness before being transported to the hospital. He died an hour later.

“This is not something I am going to run by anybody. I am not looking for approval. I have to stand up for the oppressed people...”

The death of Eric Garner was one of the multiple reasons why Colin Kaepernick decided to orchestrate a silent protest. Too many black men were losing their lives at the hands of the people who are put in place to protect and serve the community.

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“If they take football away, my endorsements from me, I know that I stood up for what is right.”

On April 12, 2015, Freddie Gray was arrested in Baltimore, Maryland. While being transported in a police van, Gray fell into a coma. A week later, Freddie Gray died. The cause of death was determined to be a spinal cord injury. The trend of black men losing their lives to the police continued in 2016. During a four day period in the month of July, Delrawn Small, Alton Sterling, and Philando Castile, all were killed by police officers. This sequence of unfortunate events inspired Kaepernick to carry out his silent protest a month later.

Kaepernick knew certain people would take offense to his protest, but he was willing to face the consequences. “This is not something I am going to run by anybody. I am not looking for approval. I have to stand up for the oppressed people... If they take football away, my endorsements from me, I know that I stood up for what is right.” Kaepernick predicted the future as a year later; his football career was a thing of the past.

Kaepernick’s kneeling protest was targeted toward social injustices and police brutality. It wasn’t aimed

at disrespecting the country or the military. Some people understood his stance, and others such as the NFL Commissioner, and multiple team owners never gave the effort of trying to understand his position.

Five years and ten months after Eric Garner uttered the words “I can’t breathe” on a cell phone video, George Floyd found himself in a similar predicament. Floyd was arrested after attempting to pass a counterfeit $20 bill at a store. He was detained and forced to the ground by a group of police officers. Derek Chauvin decided to press his knee on the back of George Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds. Onlookers pleaded with the other officers to help, but no one stepped in to stop the malicious act. Floyd stated, “I can’t breathe” 16 times. A heartbreaking moment occurred when he shouted, “Mama!” Floyd was motionless for the last three minutes.

The gruesome footage of George Floyd taking his last breath provided the visual effect that people who weren’t capable of understanding the

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struggle needed to see. The tragedy provided a reality check as protests in regards to the murder of George Floyd included people of all races. When it comes down to social injustices and police brutality, Black Lives Matter. For the people who couldn’t comprehend this statement in the past, they’re now starting to understand the meaning. Even the National Football League is showing signs of understanding the struggle. Commissioner Roger Goodell admitted the NFL’ s reaction to Kaepernick’s protest was wrong. “We the NFL, admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and

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We the NFL believe Black Lives Matter,” Goodell stated.

It took 27 “I can’t breathe,” and 8 minutes and 46 seconds of torture for some people to realize the struggle exists, and the movement is necessary. The George Floyd tragedy cut deep as it opened eyes and hearts. With the NFL encouraging players to kneel, and people from other races understanding why Black Lives Matter, this could be the new normal.

THE NEW NORMAL 29

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AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT

DOVE BENNETT D ove Bennett is a force to be reckoned with. While being transparent and open about her life dealings with homelessness, childhood abuse, mental health, and domestic violence, Dove is far from a victim and should definitely not be underestimated.

Dove is an award-winning author, United States Army Veteran and the Founder and CEO of Dynasty Solutions, a boutique marketing and Public Relations firm. Throughout her years as a business owner, business partner, and CEO, Dove

has developed a key understanding of what it takes to succeed in business. Additionally, she’s the Editor-In-Chief of the newly launched magazine, Dynasty Evolution, and the host of an award-nominated podcast, Distress Signal. Dove has spoken at dozens of conferences around the country and is a strong advocate for mental health, entrepreneurship, and the epidemic of homelessness.

The LA resident is a self-proclaimed mompreneur and has served in various leadership, com-

THE NEW NORMAL 31 munity and mentorship roles. Dove’s mission is to inspire and empower growth in entrepreneurs.

Dove is witty, clever, creative, and brings understanding, communication, and organization to every project that she is involved in. Learn more about Dove below.

Fancy: How long were you in the army?

Dove: I served in the United States Army for three years.

Fancy: What sparked your interest in media?

Dove: I honestly had no intention of getting into media until I was already doing it. I went viral from a book excerpt from my autobiography and more and more people started turning to me for my opinion and to show support. It showed me that I did have something of value that could help others and I wanted to be able to put that out there as much as possible.

Fancy: So tell us more about Dynasty Solutions and what type of services you all offer.

Dove: Dynasty Solutions is a boutique marketing and public relations firm. We offer marketing, PR and social media management to small and medium businesses so that they are seen by the right people, in the right way and at the right time.

We pride ourselves on our ability to get our clients directly in front of their target audience so that they can reach their business goals.

closely together?

Dove: Lol, well he is not my partner, just a close friend, though we do get that a lot. The show just recently relaunched though and I am now the only host of Distress Signal Podcast.

Fancy: Your publication Dynasty Evolution Magazine was recently launched. What can readers expect from it and what was the inspiration behind it?

Dove: The motivation behind Dynasty Evolution Magazine- so funny story... When I was a child, I was obsessed with running a magazine. I actually used to staple notebook paper together and create articles and things and take it to school for all of my friends to read. Well as I got older, I was told by everyone that starting a magazine was a waste of time, that magazines were becoming obsolete because of the internet and that no one would be turning to print to get their news anymore. Feeling defeated, I gave up on my dream of running a magazine. Well when I started my mental health journey, I decided that I deserved to be able to follow whatever passions I have, regardless of the opinions of others.

“People’s energy, whether good or bad, is contagious.”

Fancy: I noticed you host Distress Signal Podcast with your partner. What is it like working so

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Dynasty Evolution Magazine focuses mainly on businesses and entrepreneurs, but we also include articles on lifestyle, relationships, and beauty.

Achea Redd, the wife of ex-Olympian and allstar NBA player Michael Redd, graced the cover of our first issue to talk about her book and her non-profit, and Arlan Hamilton, Founder and managing partner of Backstage Capital graced the cover of our second issue.

Fancy: You’ve endured several hardships in your past. What keeps you motivated and moving forward?

Dove: To be honest, I hadn’t realized that I’d had a tough life until recently. I was physically and mentally abused as a child, and after leaving home, I was pretty much done the same way by everyone else that I came across. I was a shell of a person just going through the steps of life on autopilot. It hadn’t occurred to me that the constant pain and struggle that I had been liv-

“The best way to make sure that my thoughts are in order and aren’t manipulated by others, is to spend a lot of time with my thoughts and talking to myself.” ing in wasn’t normal and it definitely wasn’t the only way to live life. Now that I am aware, it’s so much easier to go through life, because I’ve been through so much and survived. Now any obstacle that I face kind of pales in comparison to what I’ve been through and what I’ve overcome.

Fancy: How do you practice self-care?

Dove: For self-care, I get a lot of alone time. People’s energy, whether good or bad, is contagious and the best way to make sure that my thoughts are in order and aren’t manipulated by others, is to spend a lot of time with my thoughts and talking to myself. I also enjoy exercising, listening to music, and the occasional glass of wine.

Fancy: Do you have any upcoming events or projects that you care to share?

Dove: I am always working on something new.

I will be releasing my new book, “Beauty in Business; Designed for the SheEO in You” this year. If you are a female and you are striving for greatness in your business or career, then you need to read this book. I am also a delegate for the Women Business Leaders and Entrepreneur Pageant which I will be competing for the crown in September.

Connect with Dove and Dynasty Solutions, LLC below.

Website: www.dovebennettspeaks.com Business Website: www.dynastysolutionsllc.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/dovebennettspeaks Facebook: www.facebook.com/dovebennettspeaks LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/dove-bennettb553b9189/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCq2mb9wHqkaQxzTHHVT0AkA?view_as=subscriber

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FACEBOOK: AUTHOR

PEN. PAPER. PUBLISH. I Can Help You Birth and Deliver Your Book in 6 Months!

SHELLY LEE TWITTER: @LADYLEE452018

IG: @LADYLEEBOOKS Pen.Paper.Publish. is a business that offers services such as copy-editing, self-publishing, and ghostwriting, owned by Christian, inspirational author Shelly Lee. Lee has written two books and has many more to come.

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Q&A

THE PERFECT BLEND E

ntrepreneur, content creator, author, wife, and stepmother Naja Hall has become the go-to woman for all things blended. The Memphis native took her personal experience as a woman dating a man with children and turned that into a super successful brand. She has given hundreds of women in relationships with men that have children advice and counseling.

Arnya: How did you decide, “Okay, this is needed, this is what I’m going to do. Let me reach out to other black families and help them.” How did you come about that decision?

Naja: The thing that made me decide to even just look for sources that could help me with my blended family conflict because I had fallen for a man whose previous family had been devastated by divorce because they say divorce is like the death of a family.

I had fallen for a man whose previous family had been devastated by divorce. You know they say divorce is like the death of a family. So what inspired me to first look

for resources was my personal need to solve my blended family’s conflicts.

I feel like the new guy usually catches the brunt of the problems, and a lot of stuff is directed at you (the new guy). That’s what was happening in our family. It was just - it was nuts. It was going crazy. There was disrespect and negative talk, and the children were alienating him. People were hurting and didn’t know how to redirect their pain or find good sources for help. Of course, I started Googling, just because this is what we all do when we face a life problem- we start to Google.

Ultimately I relented because my husband is genuinely the best man I’ve ever had in my life. I did what most sisters would do. I built. I rolled up my sleeves, and I built. I created my first Facebook group. It was named ‘Blended In Black’ and very quickly within maybe two or three months, I built it just so I could have a space for Black people, so I can ask them questions like, “Hey you all, what’s happening with my life?” But then I got pushed to the forefront of it because they were expecting me to be the leader of this space.

THE NEW NORMAL 35 When I saw that other people were relying on me, someone that was very new to the game to help them, I realized, number one, there were not many resources available because folks were out here suffering. Four years later, I’ve become the leader of the largest millennial Facebook group for blended families. I even started a separate platform, a paid membership community for stepmothers. It’s become a whole business for me.

Arnya: Awesome. I’m just sitting here like, “Girl, that was my thing, dating a man with kids- I don’t have time.”

Naja: That’s precisely the same thing I said. While praying for my husband, I told God, “Don’t send me one with no children.” Lo and behold... They say if you tell God your plans, he’s going to laugh at you, and that’s what happened to me.

Arnya: You did as most Black women do. If I don’t see it, I’m going to build it, which is so amazing. So you are dating this terrific guy, and you’re trying to get this information and then boom- you are the “go-to person,” “Mrs. Know It All.” What were his thoughts on the matter?

Naja: My husband is a very private person, but I asked him, “With me doing this work, and putting so much into it, how do you feel about me talking about this?”

Sometimes, I will talk about my feelings, and those are a direct result of the decisions he made before he even knew I existed. So I was like, “Are you okay with it?”

He re-

“I did what most sisters would do.

I built. I rolled up my sleeves, and I built.” plied, “Naja, I knew that there was something special about what you were doing when I saw your inbox and I saw these people blowing you up, and I knew that we weren’t the only ones.” He’s like, “I go in there and read

sometimes.”

He doesn’t comment much, but now that I’ve appeared on national television and sold 10,000 books in a week, he sees that this isn’t a game. Number one, he sees that the work that I’m doing was never my plan. It was never my plan to be a step-mom. My work was never, never, ever part of my plan, but I think we’re both faithful people. We believe in the universe of God, or Him or Her- or whatever your readers call Him or Her, and we believe you’re placed in positions because you have a mission to fulfill. He’s cool about fulfilling my purpose.

He takes a lot of my pictures; he proofreads my articles.

He’s been in almost every TV appearance with me. He holds me down. So he 100% supports me.

Arnya: I love it! He sounds amazing.

Naja: Thank you. He’s proud of it. Now when his homeboys have their occasional drama or child support question, or friends are going through divorces, or just whatever, now I’m the person that they’ll call for this stuff. But I remember when I was going through it, I didn’t have anybody to call. The only thing people would tell me is, “You knew what you signed up for,” or “You could always just leave.” That’s the only thing people would tell me, and I was like, “I know this the wrong damn answer.” Now I do have a proper answer to give people. So if I couldn’t get help, I said, “At least I can be an advocate, so somebody else doesn’t have it as bad,” and forego what could be a great relationship, because other people have unhinged personalities or unresolved emotions.

Arnya: Maybe this was God’s way of showing me that I can be with a man with kids.

Naja: Seriously, I feel like if I can do it, anybody can.

36

SWAGHER FALL 2020 If I could, anybody can, because it’s just a certain way you must finesse it. You can’t enter into it the way that most step-moms think that they’re going to come into it.

“You’re going to be part of the family. You’re going to be this.” I’m like, “Girl, look, sit your butt down.”

Arnya: With everything that’s going on, you started a group, became the expert, and started giving advice. How did you feel with having that much “power” to give people advice? Do you have an aim, did you go to therapy and say, “Hey, I got all these people asking me these questions, and I want to make sure I’m giving them the right answers?”

What was that like, your mental?

Naja: Well, as far as my educational background, my Bachelors’s is in Family and Consumer Sciences, and I’m also a Certified Family Life Educator. My area of the specification is in step-families. I feel that not even a therapist is going to be as skilled as I am with helping people navigate these problems because I focus solely on this one issue. The thing that made me feel confident is number one; I’m good at what I do! I’m an advocate for going and getting more letters behind your name and perfecting your craft. I can gladly and proudly call myself an expert because I am an expert in this area.

Arnya: Okay, and did you say you also have a book published?

Naja: I do! So in 2017, I released my first book called Girl Bye! She’s Not Going Anywhere and Neither Are You. That book paid homage to mothers and stepmothers, not precisely teaching them how to kiss and makeup, but like, “Girl, how do we coexist if we don’t exactly

fool with each other?” That book did well, and I just re-released it. I’ve made Girl Bye! into an entire series.

The one that’s currently available on Amazon is Girl Bye! Unfiltered, and it’s a mindset makeover journal for step-moms. It is an unfiltered version; it uses colorful language. The final one is Girl Bye! He’s Never Going to Marry You, and it’s just giving statistics on why men marry some women and not others. We decided to do a trilogy.

Arnya: So tell us about your podcast.

Naja: My podcast, I Know I’m Crazy with Naja Hall, covers divorce, remarriage, co-parenting, step-parenting, and mental illness. We’re top-ranked on iTunes right now. That’s been like a fun deal because I don’t have to be cute to do any podcast. I just sit here looking nappy and just talk, so that’s probably the funniest thing that I do.

Arnya: Oh, I love everything about what you’re doing.

When thinking about dating a man or being with a man that has kids, what are three things that women should consider?

Naja: Let me tell you, if you are a woman that is considering dating a man with children- for the sake that the children’s lives won’t be as much of a living hell, I think you first need to consider his relationship with the children’s mother. I believe that the family is an essential system that exists. Sometimes, when people uncouple, they don’t know how to untie everything from their lives, which makes it very difficult for a new person to come in and have romantic ties to either of them. So the relationship that he DEFINING LIFE MONEY has with his children’s AND BUSINESS mother is significant.

THE DEF IN E U R ADIO SHO W The next one deals Weekly podcast on iTunes or www.valenciagwallace.com with the children’s FO LL OW U S ON SO CI A L M E DI A mother. Is she a prob@THEDEFINEU | BIT.LY/THEDEFINEU lematic person? Most

THE NEW NORMAL 37

Just Listed

of the women that are part of my private membership community, which is called VIP step-mom, are women that have found themselves in love with a man who has a high-conflict biological mother as his children’s mother. I don’t want you to be the first woman that he seriously dates after he’s broken up with his baby mama.

Don’t be the test dummy.

You should also check and see what his child support obligations are. Because if he’s paying $5,000 a month, then he probably won’t be able to get you that beautiful engagement ring, or that house, or that vacation that you’ve been waiting on, because guess what? All of his obligations are going to his previous household. It doesn’t mean he’s not a great dad; it just means you can’t afford to be with him.

Also, understand that becoming a stepmother comes with its own set of rules and insecurities.

Naja: One of the things that I love about myself is that I’m always able to self-calibrate quickly. I always know how to balance myself back out, and I don’t wait on other people to do that for me. I’ve also heard that I have an extraordinarily genuine and warm personality.

Connect with Naja below: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/missnajadotcom/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MissNajaDotCom/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/najamatthews Website: https://www.blendedandblack.com/ and https://www.najahall.com/

Arnya: My last question is, what is your SwagHer?

Creative Calfuray | Charmyra E. Fleming As an author and through Creative Calfuray, it is ‘M.A.I.’ mission to ‘M.OTIVATE | A.SPIRE | I.NSPIRE my readers and beyond to live their lives with purpose, intention, and full of passion!”

Romance Author of “The Violet Rose” and “Three’s a Charm” of The Purple Charm Series, available now on Amazon. For more information go to www.CreativeCalfuray.com

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THE NEW NORMAL 39

WELLNESS & FITNESS

FORGOTTEN WOMEN Coach Beverly K. Johnson Coach Talks about the Forgotten Women

Beverly Johnson, a lover of music and fitness, founded Genesys Fitness to help women grow into their better selves. She wants to help the “forgotten” woman who has lost her way in life. As a fitness coach, she not only helps women with their physical appearance, but she also assists them with their emotional and mental wellbeing.

Johnson believes that through fitness everyone can grow and become a better individual.

Christina: What is your SwagHer? What makes Beverly, Beverly?

Beverly: My SwagHer is bold, optimistic, dry-witted humor. I am fierce yet humble and thankful. What makes me, me? That’s a tough one. I’ve learned that I’m not just one thing. I’ve learned that I’m multifaceted; I have given myself permission to be whole and authentic; I have multiple interests that make my world interesting. My

tastes range from enjoying my quiet moments to becoming excited when I hear “Cash Money Records taking over the 99 and 2000s.”

That’s what makes me, me.

Christina: Tell our readers about Genesys Fitness. What does it offer?

Beverly: This has been an intentional year of growth for GenFit. This year I’ve expanded it into the world of virtual fitness. With virtual training, I’m able to work with clients across the country. I’m excited to finally offer that platform as well as nutritional coaching.

My goal has always been to offer a total wellness program for my clients.

Christina: You were a Zumba instructor for years, then decided

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SWAGHER FALL 2020 to open up your fitness center. What motivated you to open up Genesys Fitness?

Beverly: Over the years as a Zumba instructor, I would have students asking me questions about how to improve their exercise program and reach their goals. I wanted to provide the best information that would enable my students to reach their goals, safely and effectively.

It was a natural progression for me to create GenFit. Christina: In your bio, Genesys Fitness got its name because it signified a rebirth for the forgotten woman. What is the forgotten woman?

Beverly: The forgotten woman works at a job and is often unrecognized for her efforts. She works tirelessly to provide for her family and often puts herself last. We, the forgotten women, become depleted because we’ve poured out everything for everyone else. It’s not uncommon that we forget ourselves. At certain points in our lives, we’ve all experienced this feeling. My goal is to help women rediscover their magic and take care of themselves.

Christina: How do you think GenFit has helped these “forgotten” women?

Beverly: Over the years, I’ve seen my clients--affectionately called my DEVAS--reach their goals. I’ve seen them lose weight and lose the emotional baggage that has held them back from being the best version of themselves. When my DEVAS are able to [regain identity] and heal from their emotional wounds, that’s when change happens. And if I’m able to become a catalyst for helping my DEVAS rediscover themselves, I’m happy.

Christina: Personally, I know nothing about fitness. What do you tell people like me, who have no idea how to start being fit?

Christina: I’m going back to this “forgotten” woman term that you use. Why do you fight so hard for the “forgotten” woman?

Beverly: I’ve been the forgotten woman. I’ve lived that experience of feeling tired and depleted while feeling guilty for not measuring up to the “strong woman” narrative. I created a vicious cycle of being busy and trying to save the world. With that, I can relate to my clients’ struggles and understand the desire to make the change but unsure of how to get started.

Christina: Not only do you help women get into shape physically, but you help women mentally and emotionally. I would think the constancy of it all takes a toll on you. What are some things you do to destress?

It’s not uncommon that we forget ourselves. At certain points in our lives, we’ve all experienced this feeling. My goal is to help women rediscover their magic and take care of themselves.

Beverly: The first thing I encourage everyone to do is set a goal. The goal has to go beyond “lose weight.” Your goal should be “lose 10 pounds for my baecation” or “the doctor said I need to take high blood pressure medication, and I don’t want to.” Those are goals.

It has to be SMART--specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and have a time limit. Your goal becomes your “why.” Once you establish your “why,” it makes it easier to remain focused. You won’t always feel motivated to make changes or to exercise. That’s when discipline has to kick in. When you have your “why,” you’ll remain on course.

Christina: Please tell our readers some things they can do to improve their self-care journey.

Beverly: Self-care allows you to hit the reset button. Become intentional about setting aside time for yourself. Recognize that you need to recharge. It can be setting your phone to “do not disturb” for a few hours a day and taking a nap. It doesn’t have to be expensive.

Beverly: The coach has a coach and a safe space to unwind. I make sure that I schedule breaks to nurture my soul. I have no problems reinforcing my boundaries.

Christina: What are your plans for Genesys Fitness? Do you plan to expand it? Do you want it to be worldwide, like Planet Fitness?

Beverly: I would love to be worldwide like Planet Fitness. I think it’s every business owner’s dream to have that level of brand recognition.

My plans include increasing my online client base. My goal is to provide virtual training to clients across the country. I already have several clients who are exclusively online, and it’s been very successful.

Christina: Do you have any upcoming events that you would like to share with our readers?

Beverly: I’ll be launching my first wellness webinar. We’re working on the details now and will roll out the registration links soon.

Christina: Any final comments?

Beverly: Let’s stay connected! On Facebook, join my tribe--The Fitness DEVAS. Fitness DEVAS is open to and dedicated to all women looking for fitness inspiration and coaching. Follow me on Instagram (@bevkjohnson) and receive daily fitness tips and motivation. Thank you for the opportunity to share GenFit with your audience.

THE NEW NORMAL 41

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SWAGHER FALL 2020

Creating Your Own Style with Mixed Print Looks

By Kristin Peoples

O

ne of my favorite “style mantras” is from the lovely Carly Cushnie, which says, “life is too short to wear boring clothes.” I couldn’t agree more! Think about it. We are beautiful, courageous, and risk-taking women; our styles should reflect that too!

So, let’s get into the idea of incorporating “mixed prints” in our wardrobe. I love this concept because it adds another dimension to your look with minimal effort. One of the keys to achieving a chic look is matching the color schemes but pairing different patterns. For example, you could pair polka dots with a floral print or snakeskin prints, with stripes or neutral plaids! If you aren’t ready to venture out with clothing pieces that are different - I love the concept of

using bold accessories to add to an otherwise neutral style, so I suggest that as well.

Here are my top three tips for creating your own style with mixed prints:

1 2 3

Treat classic patterns as neutrals. (i.e., leopard print, snakeskin, polka dots, stripes, etc.)

Have fun with accessories! It’s an effortless way to incorporate mixed prints and create a fierce look.

Relax & try something new! Remember, there is no right or wrong when it comes to fashion.

You determine your look – OWN IT, QUEEN!

THE NEW NORMAL 43

WEAR WHAT YOU WANT!

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WWW.IAMHERSTL.COM | @IAMHER314

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THE WORK OF WOMB HEALING

MS. UNORTHODOC

BY ALLISON JANEL

THE NEW NORMAL 45

W

ombprenuer’s mission is to empower young girls and women all across the world to learn more about green, healthy hygiene caring for the Mind, Body & Spirit! The company was created based on the belief that their customers’ needs are of the utmost importance. Their entire team is committed to doing just that! As a result, a high percentage of their business is from repeat customers and referrals.

Owner LaTanya “Ms.Unorthodoc” Tibbs decided to start her process and journey because she and her sister suffered from chronic dry skin caused by eczema and had battled with it for years. This motivated LaTanya to create a remedy to soothe her skin naturally.

With over 29 years of experience as a holistic natural specialist, LaTanya has always crafted herbal-based products for the hair, skin, and body. Her latest transition into hygienic products with her V-Smart Bar has proven to be an instant success. It’s been a blessing for women all over the world.

Ms.Unorthodoc’s creativity and expertise did not stop there. Her mission is to provide all-natural hygiene solutions for the masses, and she currently markets her products worldwide. Her product line offers over 150 eco-friendly herbal-based soaps, all hand-made by herself.

LaTanya’s products have been praised for being all-natural and proven to aid in the prevention of many diseases and ailments, and the V-Smart Bar has been endorsed by a board-certified OBGYN physician. LaTanya is a certified stress and anger management instructor and is welcomed as a transformational speaker. She travels and shares her expertise on the subject of women’s wellness and preventative healthcare, and natural feminine hygiene solutions.

Over the years LaTanya has been instrumental

in proving her product as an amazing cleansing all-natural vegan-friendly bar. She has appeared on the “Dr. Oz” show, pitched her product to “SharkTank” and was also the winner of $10,000 on the Steve Harvey’s Funderdome.

Her product continues to prove itself. Ms.Unorthodox doesn’t stop there. She has also been known to gather groups of women together to assist in healing vaginas via V-Steam.

Due to the overwhelming success of her product line, LaTanya opened Wombtique in the beautiful, historic downtown location in Roswell, GA and after three successful years in Roswell, her vision moved her to a new location in Columbus, GA where she opened Wombpreneur Wellness Boutique. Due to the demand and request outside of her brick and mortar, LaTanya expanded her service adding VSteam2Go, where she goes on location to festivals, churches, parties, restaurants, girls night out, and retreats. She also offers her powerful, innovative, educational seminars on “Dating Detox/Mate Manifestation Seminar”, “The Truth about Feminine Hygiene”, “How to Heal Yourself Natural from Fibroid’s”. She has also been featured on FOX 5 DC NEWS, ABCNews, WTVM, WRBL, Ledher-Enquirer, WLTZ, THE MILLS CONNECTION, MGN Radio, “FRO FASHION WEEK”, and a host of other various media outlets. Meet Ms. Unorthodoc below.

AllisonJanel: How would you describe your SwagHer? What makes LaTanya, LaTanya?

LaTanya: I would describe my SwagHer as a Spiritual Energy which allows me to help young girls/women transform and heal within. What makes me, me is my ability to change or adapt to whatever assignment the Spirit gives me!

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SWAGHER FALL 2020

specialize in womb healing. Afterwards, decidAllisonJanel: So tell us more about the prod- ed to get certified in healing touch, inner child ucts that Ms.Unorthodoc offers. healing, hand and foot reflexology, meditation, stress anger management, and Reiki master.

LaTanya: My Smart Self Care Products are personalized/customized based on the need AllisonJanel: What education and/or training of the client. Because our bodies all request is required to own and operate this business? something different based on our lifestyle we like to create products that get to the root of LaTanya: I would recommend getting training the issues not medicate the symptoms. So, we in herbalism, inner child healing, spiritual healpride ourselves with the personal connection ing, and healing touch healing. we have with both our new and older customers!

AllisonJanel: How have your products/services changed lives for women over the years?

AllisonJanel: How long has this establishment LaTanya: My products have helped a lot of been in business? women from all walks of life heal from repeated yeast infections, bacterial vaginosis, bacteLaTanya: My online store has been in business rial issues, odor, vagina irritations, emotional since 2012 but my new services have been in healing, soul-tie detoxing, mental, emotional, existence a little over three years. and spiritual healing. My services are not just product based but customized to heal from AllisonJanel: What made you decide to go into within. business for yourself ?

AllisonJanel: Do you conduct online interacLaTanya: Well I’m a child of eight who has tive sessions for potential clients? always been different or weird. One day I watched a good friend/sister get fired from a LaTanya: Because I’m a spiritual energy healer, job that she was training her replacement for. I can offer my client distance healing services She went into a deep depression after her de- and meditation services via virtual platforms. mise. Not too long after that situation, I made a vow to myself that no one would be able AllisonJanel: Please tell us more about V-Ste to do that to me. At that point, I knew that am?

I didn’t want to be an employee, I wanted to be a business owner. Yet, I wanted to build LaTanya: Well because this service has been something that I loved doing without a lot of shown on different reality shows it’s become stress. I later decided to become a natural ho- the latest fad to get into. But I’m glad that my listic hair stylist at the age of 19. I then retired spiritual healing background allowed me to offrom that position in 2010 and closed my hair fer more than just an herbal v-steam. My clients salon in midtown GA as well. In my new ven- get to experience a mini healing session before ture, I became an energy wellness/life coach. I and after their vste-am services and I custom-

THE NEW NORMAL 47

ize my herbs based on my client’s health issues. LaTanya: I host a series of services to help women develop healthy eating habits. I offer AllisonJanel: How do you balance your time, c-steam parties on location, and I offer healwhile operating two business locations? ing womb sessions for women who have issues with getting pregnant. I specialize in LaTanya: I make my own schedule. Self-care soul-tie detoxing. I’m available to speak at is first and I work with my clients around their churches, youth groups, organizations, womschedules. Additionally, I travel to meditation en health festivals, hair shows, girls’ night out retreats at least once or twice a month. Yet, and retreats. I also offer services to develop I maintain a meditation lifestyle four hours a products for celebrities, make-up artists, hair day and I eat a plant-based diet. I laugh at You- stylists, barbers, and companies.

Tube videos at least one hour per day. I also keep my stress in check daily I enjoy each day Connect with LaTanya below: as if it’s my last. It’s a continuous reminder to Business Website: www.healmyvagina.com myself not to waste time on things that bring Instagram: @holistichealinghugger my vibrations down.

Facebook: Latanya M.Tibbs LinkedIn: Latanya M. Tibbs AllisonJanel: Do you have any upcoming You Tube: Ms.Unorthodoc events or projects that you care to share?

LaTanya: I’m working on my 3rd book/journal “Spiritual Dating, A woman’s spiritual guide to manifesting her king!”. I will be hosting a couple of online series in the fall and I will be hosting my first healing retreat in winter of 2020 in Columbus, GA which you can stay updated on all my social media platforms.

AllisonJanel: Is there anything additional that you would like our readers to know?

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BETTER LIFE. BETTER BUSINESS. BETTER RESULTS.

Dr. Carlene Randolph W.I.N. provides women who are start ups or in business less than 6 years in urban communities to build systematically successful businesses that thrive and support their communities.

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FINDING PEACE IN THE MIDST OF CHAOS

by Arnya T.M. Davis

I

have been facing a roller coaster of emotions since March. I have asked myself, should I care, do I care, what if I don’t take this seriously.

Then BAM- George Floyd was murdered, and it seems like everything went to hell in a handbasket.

I stopped watching the news at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic; I couldn’t handle the gore and doom of it all. It drained me, and my mental capacity could not handle it. I resolved to get my news from social media. This may not be the best choice, but it is a choice. I figured anything essential to know, one of my friends would report on it, or they will share a news link. One of my jobs is outside of the house, so I faced the threat of Coronavius daily. I had to find something to bring me peace. Once the racial tension started, I had my plan already in place to make sure my mental health was not disturbed.

1

I stopped watching the news. As I stated in my intro, the press reported on so many lives lost but never talked about those who were beating this thing. I had three friends fight COVID and win.

2

I started seeing my therapist every other week. Although we did not talk about COVID, it was good to have a sounding board for life’s issues that may be getting out of whack. If life is crazy, and you compound more on top of it, a breakdown is bound to happen.

3

I resumed my massage appointments. This helped me to have some self-care time. I also have a dope masseuse, who makes it a great experience.

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4 5 6 7

I started to eat better. Do you know that certain foods can throw off the chemicals in your body? When you cook your meals, you know what is in them.

I hired a cleaning lady to help with the things I didn’t want to or had the time to touch.

Best decision EVER!!!

I re-decorated my living room. I hung up pictures, re-purposed things, added plants, and a water fountain to the ambiance. Now I can sit on the sofa and unwind.

I now burn candles and wax. I love my home to smell good. I can appreciate it now that I am here all the time.

8

I remain thankful. It is so easy not to appreciate the stillness of this time. The fact that God has caused us all to slow down is so amazing to me. I’m able to think, cherish the quietness, and take moments for myself to explore me further.

As simple as these things seem, they bring me joy, and I treasure them. I am obedient to this moment.

Although I still work daily and I’m enrolled in a class. I always find peace in being alone with my thoughts when I want. I have created a space that was much needed.

Take time to find what will bring you joy and do it. They said that 2020 was time for a reset, and we have the opportunity, space, and for some of us, the money to reset. Finding my peace was very important to me, and daily I find other things that help me.

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THE NEW NORMAL 51

52

SWAGHER FALL 2020

Terracina Jackson FEATURE

AND HEALING FROM TRAUMA

THE NEW NORMAL 53

Healing from Trauma

BY FANCY FELDER

Sometime around 2013 or 2014, Terricina Jackson and I met while she was running the Respect the Queen, LLC. I loved the beautiful black artwork of her apparel, that depicted and easily displayed black power, love, and strength. So, I was shocked to see her post (maybe last summer or spring) saying that she would be closing her brand. Her closing the business almost scared me, because I was worried it was due to some misfortune or her giving up - and that always makes me feel some kind of way when I witness it amongst colleagues. I was yet again surprised to find out she had created ‘The Sacred Space.’ This had me intrigued and it seemed like we were in the same space in life - healing.

Terricina’s posts in which she shared her journey was so transparent and insightful, and as one who has basically grown into my knowledge alone, I was happy to find someone who could relate. I knew Terricina knew pain and had endured trauma, but I was unaware of the extent. I had no idea when she caught my eye as the owner of Respect the Queen, that she was molested by her babysitter at the age of four or began an incestuous relationship with her younger brother at the age of nine; battled alcoholism beginning in her teens and was gang-raped in her teens also. Later, in her early twenties, she battled alcoholism again and faced drug trafficking charges, and went through court-ordered programs. She later told me this was all preparing her for the launch of Respect the Queen. Of course, we never really know what people are going through.

When she and I got on the phone, and she shared her story with me, I was blown away. I’ve had to shorten it some, but I fought hard to keep many nuggets of wisdom that she had dropped. Get your whole life and your family’s lives together in

our discussion below!

Fancy: How would you describe your swagher? What makes Terricina, Terricina?

Terricina: I would say my swagher is my ability to be transparent at a level that makes some people feel uncomfortable. I guess that’s my superpower. I think that is what makes Terricina, Terricina. I’ve found a unique way to tell the truth about myself, even when it may not make me look good.

Fancy: I wanted to dive into your history a little bit. Can you tell us a little about how you grew up?

Terricina: I tell people all the time that I was “literally” born into dysfunction. The pain is ongoing upon every visit home.

My father kicked my mother down a flight of stairs when she was eight months pregnant with me, and that really was my introduction to this world. From that point, it felt like it just continued to spiral out of control. My father was very abusive to my mother.

I was born in California. When I was two, my mother secretly took a plane back to Michigan, where she was born, to get away from my father. We spent time in hiding for a while until my mom realized she was pregnant with my brother, and she ended up getting back with my dad. For me, it was my introduction into a cycle of dysfunctional behavior, thought, and belief system.

Fancy: What exactly is your latest venture in regards to The

54

SWAGHER FALL 2020 Sacred Space Community?

Terricina: I got to a place in my life when I understood that with Respect the Queen, LLC, running the business, and holding all the different titles, it required that I stay broken. It was at this point that The Sacred Space came about.

Respect the Queen required that I continuously tell the same stories that no longer served me, but I didn’t know how to part ways from it. In essence, it (Respect the Queen) saved my life once upon a time; but, I had outgrown it and I had evolved past it. I didn’t want to continue being required to stay broken to run the business, and I was having a lot of issues

with my oldest boy, the unfortunate aftermath of my addiction, and growing up in a dysfunctional family. I was trying all kinds of things to fix his life, trying all kinds of stuff to fix Respect the Queen, and seeking all these different opportunities, but things just were not manifesting themselves the way that I wanted them to.

Somewhere between prayer and meditation, I realized that I wasn’t caring for myself. That I wasn’t taking care of myself wholeheartedly, and I wasn’t able to take care of my children properly. I wasn’t being completely invested in my business. I have an altar inside of my closet, which I refer to as my prayer room. Continually, I would go to my altar. One day, I was sitting

THE NEW NORMAL 55 there and I asked myself, ‘what am I doing here?’ I don’t know if I was praying, or that something just came into my spirit, but it hit me that most women are struggling, because they don’t have time in their sacred space. That’s the time to connect to self. The sacred space is you.

From then on, I thought of how to convey this to my “sisters.”

It’s not the job. It’s not the husband. It’s not all these external things that are preventing you from succeeding. It’s you who is not caring for yourself. You are not taking care of yourself – mind, body, and spirit. At that moment, I wanted to create a community to teach and share with sisters and show them how to transform their trauma and their pain into a purpose. In essence, how to evolve past the story that they tell.

The Sacred Space is just a community of women who are in different phases of their healing journey. They are there to uplift, empower, and ultimately teach women how to take care of themselves. We have workshops, classes, and a retreat coming up. We are focusing more on the healing aspect because what we have found with the sisters that I work with, within The Sacred Space, is that sometimes we focus so much on the trauma, that we never get to the healing.

It brings me so much pride in helping sisters identify what that traumatic experience was, what that barrier is, what that blockage is, and getting them to spend more time in the sacred space, praying, meditating, or whatever it is that they do because I don’t enforce or suggest any one right way. For you, it may be religion or spirituality; for another, it may be nature, reading, writing, journaling, or whatever it is.

We want to help you really tap into that certain gift that you have, and of course, we have some products that we have for sale. These items for sale are really things that I personally use and that the sisters in the tribe have used for its healing properties, such as oils, sages, and crystals - things that we have found are not necessarily mainstream in outside communities, but definitely within our community. We also have a directory of resources. That’s it in a nutshell.

Fancy: What would you say is your generational curse? Was it alcoholism, drug abuse, or something else? Was it something deeper than that?

Terricina: Since I left home in 2009, I have only returned a

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few times, and I was in and out. Home is where the pain is. I could not stay long at all. I couldn’t stand being there, because that’s where all the pain was. It is where all the addiction, all the abuse, all of the violations took place. I deliberately went home to spend time with my grandmother who has dementia, but in the process, I really started confronting things on a deeper level. I remember talking to my grandmother, and it clicked for me, what was kind of the root of a lot of the things I had been going through in life beginning with sexual trauma.

I was speaking to my grandmother, and she told me that she was 12 or 13 years old when she married her first husband, who was 22, and how their first sexual interaction took place. Now mind you, she was sharing this with me so candidly, and it was not from a place where she recognizes that there is something wrong with that. She was speaking to me as if it is normal.

Matter of fact, she was 14, and he was 22. But when she was 12, she was molested by her stepfather, and she told. Instead of being acknowledged, loved, and supported, and him being held accountable, she was sent away from Mississippi to Virginia.

At that moment, it clicked - this is ancestral trauma! This is generational. We have been passing this along and I have been personalizing it like it is just me, but the reality is a lot of women and men in my family were violated, whether it was sexually or physically.

The sad and terrifying aspect of it all is that it just kept being swept under the rug. It became normal. That is the hard part about healing because a lot of this dysfunctional behavior and thought pattern is considered normal across a whole family; all-the-while trying to decipher through what’s real. What’s the truth? What’s a lie? What are you supposed to believe?

One of the books that opened me up to all of this was ‘The Four Agreements.’ Understanding those silent agreements that are being made within yourself based on your primary caregiver and the messages they give you, whether verbally or silently, are vital. Here I am, all this time as a child, given the messages that “it’s ok for men to violate you,” “It’s ok for men to abuse you physically,” “It’s ok for your mother not to take care of herself,” “It’s ok to be abused and watch it continue and not say anything.”

Fancy: How would you describe how you’ve been affected both currently and with regards to your future by the trauma you’ve experienced?

Terricina: I would have to connect the promiscuity, the molestation, the incest and the rape. Being exposed to men at an early age, or even girls at an early age, sort of opens you up to this world in many ways. Your body is sexually activated before its time, and you don’t even understand. Of course, my 39-year old self gets it today, but the silence of the lessons that are given to you as a child when your body is sexually activated are that your body is a tool and it is for the pleasure of other people, and you have to check out mentally and emotionally to survive.

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SWAGHER FALL 2020 Up until two years ago, even going through this healing process, I hadn’t connected to how I was still checking out in that area. I was still very disconnected from my own body. I was very much physically present when I was engaging in sexual activity with men, but I wasn’t mentally, spiritually, or energetically there. Having to reconnect with myself, having to cater to myself and take care of my wounds, and knowing just that within itself spilled over into every other area of my life.

Growing up, I always used to say that I wanted a man like my father until I got honest about my father. This was just last summer when I went back home on this healing journey. I used to put my daddy on a full pedestal, and I finally was able to say to myself, “my father was a good man in a lot of ways, but in a lot of ways, he wasn’t. You are going to have to be honest about that and how you’ve attracted that type of man into your life. You know words have power, and here you are seeking out your father in men.”

It formed skewed perspectives, and it caused me to make so many dysfunctional choices as it related to men and to relationships in general. Not trusting my mother, having that mother wound, and not trusting myself, ultimately led to me not trusting my sisters. So here I was, running Respect the Queen, but

to my very core, I didn’t trust women, because I was still dealing with issues with my mom. We had a breakthrough this past October that opened me up to trust her more, trust me more, and ultimately trust women more.

I think it’s something we have to be honest about because we have a lot of these sisterhood movements. It’s really pretty to say let’s have these sisterhoods and then not be honest about that mother wound, or about how you’re still learning to trust and take care of, and love yourself. And if that foundation isn’t solid, then you really can’t have a sisterhood movement. You know? It’s also affected how I parent my children. I have been working on how to be there, working on being intentional, and recognizing current-day, dysfunctional parenting behavior, and how it reflects back to my childhood and with repairing my own children. My oldest child is eighteen, and he went through the majority of my addiction with me; so, he mirrored my childhood issues, the things that I am still dealing with, the things that I still haven’t conquered, and that are connecting to my inner child.

Depending upon the level of trauma you’ve experienced, it may feel like it is never-ending. You are continually having things exposed to you from your past that are affecting your current

THE NEW NORMAL 57 situation. It’s a constant day by day journey.

Fancy: How can we approach trauma and healing with our family members?

Terricina: Here’s the thing--a lot of the times when we are on a healing journey, especially when in our younger years, we want to tell everybody, “Y’all need this shit in your life!” [Laughs].

About four to five years into my sobriety, I wanted to tell everybody about AA (Alcoholics Anonymous), NA (Narcotics Anonymous), and other drug-court programs.

Then when I came to be on this side of things- when I walked

away from the church, and I started to dive into the knowledge of self, African spirituality, and all of that, I was the same way. I wanted everybody to know because I wanted everybody to feel this sense of freedom that I was feeling.

The reality is, that’s in a perfect world, but everybody’s journey is their own. Everybody’s healing process is theirs. When I started to focus more on myself and the healing process, I could see my mom start to catch the light. Not in all areas, but she began to catch on to some of the information.

So, for she and I, we can have better conversations than we ever had, but there are still areas where she is in denial or the way she remembers things - ‘I don’t know where you were at because

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SWAGHER FALL 2020 that’s not what happened.’ But I understand that for my healing, they almost become envious. It’s like they almost become jealous in a way, because you have a voice, that they don’t even know exists. You are using your voice to tell the truth that they always wanted to tell, but weren’t able to do. When you bring up these feelings and emotions that they hadn’t dealt with, felt or acknowledged in a really long time, their first instinct is to resist. Their defenses go up. They don’t want to hear what you have to say, because our parents would have to take accountability on a level that is just uncomfortable. It’s almost like, ‘You want me to tell you that I failed as a parent. You want me to tell you and acknowledge that I didn’t protect you and I didn’t provide for you, and I didn’t give you a solid foundation.’ But that is not our agenda.

As the person who is healing, that is not what we want them to do - not to the degree that hurts them, not to the degree that it causes them pain or that it causes them to be uncomfortable.

We really just want them to feel the same freedom. I learned not to force my healing unto other people. I learned that in its proper season, it would come for some.

The best example is my brother, there has always been this uncomfortable space between us, this pink elephant in the room.

We have never discussed the incest that transpired and we never truly discussed all the things that happened to us as children, and what we experienced. We both responded to trauma in different ways. I responded out loud. I was a tornado. My brother, on the other hand, distanced himself, always finding ways to connect to women and connect to their families, to get away from our family. And so about, maybe two months ago, I finally mustered the courage to reach out to him and say, “Hey, we really got to have a conversation about what happened between us,” but I spoke from a place of being considerate of him, not making it seem like he needed to go about it the way that I had gone about it. I acknowledged that he was hurt too and that things transpired between us that were inappropriate.

Shockingly, my brother reached out to me. I didn’t think that he was going to respond back, but he shared that he was so happy that I finally had said something. He had been privately seeking therapy, and he was apologetic for the things of a sexual nature that transpired between us. We just got talking, and I let out a cry. Something came up and out of my belly because it was something I had been holding on to because I was afraid to hurt him.

Fancy: So how do we approach the subject?

Terricina: Sometimes, we just have to get gutsy enough to say, “Hey, we need to talk.” I do believe that the spirit will let you know when the timing is right. For me, it was just a nudge of ‘you’ve got to do this.’

It was such a relief for him and me, but on the flip side, I have aunts and uncles who aren’t fooling with me at all. I’ve just had to accept that it’s not time, and sometimes that it won’t ever be time for them, and you just got to get to a point, a place where

you accept the fact that they are not on a journey. They have found something. I have aunts that use their financial status as a means, that it is almost like a measuring stick - ‘I’m okay because I’ve got this house.’ ‘I’m okay because I’ve got this money.’ ‘I’m okay because I’ve got a husband.’ ‘I’m okay because I’ve got these materialistic things that allow me to hide’ because that is precisely what they are doing. They are hiding from the rest of the world, and somewhere along the line, they have made peace within themselves that says this is good enough. Now for you and me, it’s not good enough, but for them, it is.

Fancy: It will be our generation and those after us that make the change.

Terricina: I was just getting ready to say, it’s going to be us.

Laughs. Those who are 50 years and over, let them be who they want to be. You have to know that they have experienced something within their lifetime.

I say this because my family is from Mississippi, and Mississippi holds all my family‘s secrets. My father was born on a plantation. A lot of things have transpired there that I may never know about, and for them, they are probably going to take those things to the grave. We just have to be able to accept that.

That is probably what is going to happen.

However, our generation, we have the audacity to heal.

Connect with Terricina below: Website: bit.ly/TheSacredSpaceHealingServices IG: @speakerterraj | @thesacredspacecommunity | @ terricinaljackson Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspacecommunity/ https://www.facebook.com/Sacred-Womb-Healing-684890885315667/ | https://www.facebook.com/terricinajackson/?modal=admin_todo_tour Podcast: www.anchor.fm/thesacredspace YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqDilqxUm3vrOG9_tVcmggQ

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B O U T I Q U E

THE NEW NORMAL 59

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SWAGHER FALL 2020

A MOMENT WITH

DEMI BLUE

A

bout three or four years ago, I stopped wearing acrylic nails. I honestly felt like I was being held hostage to my habit, and I just didn’t have the time. Then I thought I could put the money to good use somewhere else.

So what now?

As a child, I used to bite my nails, and that was one of the reasons I wore acrylics, anyway. In my mind, I felt that a lady did not walk around with bitten nails and nubs, especially a professional woman. I talk with my hands, so that was definitely a no-go.

The beauty of wearing acrylics for so long was, I no longer had the desire to bite my nails. It was at that time that my love for

polishing my nails started. I found that painting my nails tremendously helped with my anxiety and moodiness. It calmed me, and changing the color, helped me feel that I was in control of something when my world felt like it was out of control.

Recently while browsing my timeline on Facebook, I came across a post in the Billionheiress Girls Club from Michelle Robinson. Michelle stated that her polish brand was going to be soon in Walmart. I never heard of a sister making polish, so I rushed to support.

I loved the polish that I purchased so much that I created a second-order, right away. One thing about me, when I find a gem, I like to tell others about it. *Wink* Michelle Robinson’s

THE NEW NORMAL 61 brand is DemiBlue Polish. This is a moment with DemiBlue, a time for me to introduce you to a new brand in beauty.

Arnya: What is the driving force behind starting your brand?

Michelle: In recent years, consumers have become increasingly aware of the potentially harmful ingredients in a product many of us use weekly-nail polish. Health officials warn us to avoid the “toxic trio,” which includes formaldehyde, toluene, and dibutyl phthalate (DBP). Formaldehyde, used as a hardening agent in nail polish, is a well-known carcinogen while toluene, used to create a smooth finish, and DBP, used to create a chipfree coat, have both been linked to developmental defects. DEMIblue is proof it is possible to make safer nail polish. What other ways does DEMI blue stand up to conventional nail polishes, you ask? This 10-Free Vegan-Friendly nail polish is long-lasting, as it may be worn up to 10 days with no chipping.

Our target market is health-conscious and/or vegan women in the millennial through baby boomer generations who seek to expand their choices in products that support their healthy lifestyles. We also know the benefits that women who have undergone radiation treatments, who have diabetes and other ailments, are highly sensitive to carcinogen agents, could have from incorporating DEMI Blue as a safer alternative in their nail care regimen.

Arnya: Do you have mentors in the industry?

Michelle: I don’t have a mentor in the beauty industry per se; however, I seek guidance and accountability from my friends and family.

Arnya: How did you get into the industry?

Michelle: DEMIblue was a response to my mom’s experience with radiation treatment. I was shocked to learn there are toxins found in nail polish she cannot be exposed to, which kept her from enjoying the simple pleasures of a basic manicure. I had to do something with my 11 years in healthcare and eight years in education; DEMIblue came to life. Now a manicurist, I can provide my mom and other women services and healthier products so they too can enjoy a manicure that helps boost self-esteem during this transition.

Arnya: What are some goals you wish to accomplish with your brand?

Michelle: My goal is to continue offering women healthier nail polish products while also educating them on safer and healthier nail care practices. Therefore, decreasing their exposure to cancer fueling toxins and help them create and maintain great natural nail care.

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SWAGHER FALL 2020

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THE NEW NORMAL 63

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT

TERESA STITH

T

eresa Stith began writing in her early 20’s, starting with writing topics for the Sunday School Union and representing Cedar Grove Baptist Church that was then under the leadership of Pastor Dennis C. Ruffin and the late Dr. Miranda T. Ruffin. Stith holds an Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice and is currently working to complete her Bachelor’s Degree in the same field. She has a Life Coaching Certificate and has often utilized her life coaching skills for the Virginia Department of Corrections where she currently manages corrections sergeants, officers, and close to 1000 offenders at a Virginia correctional facility. She absolutely loves facilitating strategies for “learning teams” composed of groups of staff members who become directly involved

in how to best utilize resources and strategies that will work best to grow and impact the working environment.

She has also held the title of Certified General Instructor summoning the “teacher” inside of her. She is a proven LEADER in her own rite, exhibiting an outstanding ability to teach and coach those with whom she encounters. Above all, she LOVES the Lord. She found Christ at an early age of 19 years old, and through hard tests and trials, she has remained grounded in her Christian faith. Through her own struggles and by overcoming obstacles, she has developed a passion for faith. Unsure of what she was “stepping out on” in early 2017, Teresa obeyed the voice of the Lord and ultimately birthed A Faith That Works, a faith-based group

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SWAGHER FALL 2020 developed to build people up in the area of their faith. The group is currently 9,300 followers strong. She is the author of four books and counting: A Faith That Works, Moving From Seeing To Believing, The Real Purpose Behind The Hat, The Broken Leading The Broken, Live Like You Know, Embracing Our Freedom In Christ, and her latest title STEP, The Day I Told Myself Enough Is Enough. Her upcoming titles include Contending For The Faith, 25 Reminders That Will Build Your Faith and Equip Your Mind For The Days Ahead, Advancing the Kingdom of God, With Nothing But a Sword, Shame on You, Shame on Me, Love in a Fist, Love Psalms to God When You’re Single and Waiting, and For the Writer in You: What Every First Time Writer Should Know.

Her motto is “Faith works WHEN YOU WORK your faith!”

AllisonJanel: How would you describe your SwagHer? What makes Teresa, Teresa?

Teresa: My SwagHer is that I am a “lifter upper” of people’s heads. While I strive to build people up in the area of their faith, I also help people to overcome their fears and discover their confidence and their ability to move themselves forward.

AllisonJanel: What do you believe is the most important aspect to being a leader?

did not want to be an officer. I will never forget my First Lady (pastor’s wife) saying, “God said don’t make Him have to do you like they do the horses when they want them to go a certain way--they put a bit and bridle in their mouths.” I finally got myself together and said, “Okay Lord, I’ll go.”

AllisonJanel: What advice would you give to someone who wanted to become a corrections officer? Are you still currently a corrections officer?

Teresa: I will tell anyone who wants to become an officer that it is the most amazing career. You meet people (mostly offenders) from all over the world with all kinds of backgrounds. YOU have the ability to speak a word, encourage a heart, motivate, inspire, and SAVE a life every single day.

You work with an amazing staff that challenges you to be your absolute best. One thing that I have learned from others is that everyday you have to challenge yourself to be better than you were the day before. You won’t always get the pats on the back or the “job well done” when you’re busting your back, day after day. But when you go home and you take that uniform off and you realize that today I stopped someone from hanging themselves, overdosing, or possibly walking off the job, you can say to yourself, “Lord I have successfully completed another day that YOU equipped me to endure. You are why I do what I do.” I am still currently a Corrections Lieutenant.

“People’s energy, whether good or bad, is contagious.”

Teresa: The most important aspect for me, to being a leader is being able to listen. It is very important to hear what a person is not saying to you. When you can do this, your ministry becomes effective. When you can tell a person what he or she has not verbally stated to you, it is then that you have their full attention.

AllisonJanel: What led you to become a corrections officer?

Teresa: (Laughs) It’s amazing that you ask me this question. I had absolutely NO PLANS to become a corrections officer.

As a matter of fact, I hated it. (Laughs) I was pretty much forced into the position when the position that I held at the facility was terminated. I was told at that time that I could go home or I could laterally transfer into the position of Corrections Officer. At the time, being a single mother with four young mouths to feed, of course I chose to do the lateral transfer. All I will say is that when God has a direction for your life, your plans mean nothing. This was the beginning of Him working His plan into my life and I am so glad that He did. I kicked and screamed and even cried in church because I

AllisonJanel: What sparked your interest in writing and leadership?

Teresa: I’ve always been a writer.

I grew up not really understanding how to express my feelings to other people. I learned to write down what I would say if ever given the opportunity to say it. I felt that writing covered all the deep issues that I could not express in words. After I began to understand myself--my pain, my trials, my tests, my journey--I wanted to prevent as many people as I could from going down the same path of allowing situations or circumstances to dictate the outcome their lives. I realized that being bitter about life would not improve your life, but accepting your life as is allows a person to find joy in the midst of the trials. I say to any person reading this that, regardless of how you started, you will NOT DIE here, but LIVE to declare the works of the Lord. God gives us many promises daily, but we have to be willing to accept His gifts for us.

AllisonJanel: Were you raised in the church? Did you experience hardship, trials and tribulations in your life that lead you

THE NEW NORMAL 65 to GOD? Teresa: Yes. My grandparents took me and my siblings to church at a very early age. We sung and sat under the Word often. Of course being so young, we did not understand much about what was going on. Later on in life when I found myself wanting to end my life, it was that covering that actually saved my life! Hardships, trials, and tribulations? These drove me straight to the Lord.

I was so young, and ready to check out of here, but God said “NOT YET!” Glorryyy!

AllisonJanel: Please provide us with a prelude to some of your books. What should your readers expect?

Teresa: A Faith That Works is the first book I’ve written and I get down, dirty, and real about my life and how I struggled with faith.

Faith just simply was not working for me! Hmph, everything that was happening in my life was confirming that! But just like Peter, when I began to stop looking at my life and why it was so messed up, and put my focus on THE AUTHOR of my life, I began to see my life through His eyes. I began to understand that He was not punishing me, but that He was actually trying to give me hope and a future. He was molding me, equipping me, and shaping me for a destiny that I did not understand. My, my, my. My readers should expect the TRUTH as I keep it all the way REAL. Professional, but real. I tell my readers to “get ready to be broken.” You cannot be healed until you have been broken and put back together again by the Lord Himself.

that I would like to see with A Faith That Works. I would like to get it more deeply involved within the community and maybe even consider it becoming a non-profit organization.

Not sure if it will happen this year or the next, but I trust that it will all be in God’s timing.

AllisonJanel: Is there anything additional that you would like our readers to know?

Teresa: Support authors--local, new and aspiring. There are some amazing stories that do not get read because some of your local authors may not have the resources to market and promote their ideas. Invest in them… There were times (and this is still true) that people have looked at me and automatically assumed that I was mean without ever having a conversation with me. I have been judged by people that did not know me because of what someone else told them. This has hurt my reputation in so many ways and I have had to work extra hard to redeem myself. I redeemed myself by living and conducting myself opposite of what people were hearing and saying. I don’t know why God gave me this face, but I know that it was for a reason and I had to come to accept that, even when I did not want to. In accepting it, I came to realize that there will always be somebody who is not okay with you being who you are. But my advice to you: “Be who God created YOU to be!” Be the best you that you need to be FOR YOU! We miss out on the most beautiful relationships with others when we judge them from the outside. When you can FULLY accept who you are, regardless of the stares and opinions of mere men, …you began to live and lead a FULL life. Peace and blessings to you all!

Connect with Teresa Stith below.

Business Website: afaiththatworks.com Instagram: @reeblk_motivated Facebook: Afaiththatworks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teresa-stith-44b97512 Amazon: https://amazon.com/author/teresastith Email: afaiththatworks@outlook.com

AllisonJanel: Tell us more about your group, A Faith That Works? Do you foresee anything that you would like to add to the group by the end of the year?

Teresa: In this group, I send inspirational messages of love, hope, and faith geared toward taking the individual’s mind off of personal struggles and helping that person to believe in and focus their attention and hope on Someone greater--Someone BIGGER than their problems. This is a Christian-based group, however, where we welcome all those who choose to know God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

While we do not force the acceptance of the Lord into the lives of our followers, we do urge them to seek divine fellowship and a personal relationship with Him. There is so much

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THE NEW NORMAL 67

A Talk With a Goddess FEATURE

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHAMEKA MATTHEWS

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SWAGHER FALL 2020

A Talk With a Goddess An Interview With Francheska “Fancy” Felder

BY ARNYA T.M. DAVIS

A

ny journalist will tell you there is a shortlist or a long list of people they would love to interview. The people on this list are intriguing enough to create a desire to want to know them in-depth. With that, let me start by stating, Francheska Felder was definitely on my shortlist of people I wanted to interview.

Mind you, I talk to Francheska, aka Fancy, daily, and in most cases, throughout the day. So I knew a great deal of the information shared, and at times I know she wanted to say, well, you know this already.

Yes, people may know her as the Editor- in- Chief of SwagHer, but I wanted the public to see HER. People see a brand and tend to associate a person ONLY with the brand but never know the individual.

Fancy is a very strong, powerful, and intriguing goddess who brings in so much when she enters a room. I have been able to learn and work by her side for many years. I always kid and ask her when she will allow me to interview her. Little did I know, recently, she would grant me the opportunity.

Through this interview, I wish for you, the reader, to grasp just who the woman behind SwagHer is. Her layers, passions, and what made her not quit, after facing so much adversity. I wish for you to understand her hardships. They did not tear down but created a BADASS version of who Fancy was to grow into.

I present to some and introduce to others Francheska Felder, Editor-in-Chief of SwagHer Magazine and CEO of Fancy’s Thoughts.

Arnya: Good afternoon, Francheska. Thank you for allowing me the honor to interview you this afternoon and getting to know who you are. I am aware that many people know you as “SwagHer, the editor--she’s this, she’s that, she’s [Fancy] the boss.” But can you please tell us who Francheska is? Not Fancy. Francheska. Outside of SwagHer, being a mother and everything that you have going on—who are you?

How would you describe Francheska, the woman?

Fancy: It’s rather odd that you added the last descriptive term as “the woman,” because to me, Francheska is very much a girl. Often, even when she is mothering her kids, she feels somewhat like a girl—if that makes sense. In many ways, Francheska can be very timid and nonchalant. She hates making decisions, which is why I see her as the girl—she’s just not business-oriented. Francheska tends to end up in crazy situations, but somehow God always comes through and protects and/or saves her. She’s more reactive than proactive. At one time, everything and everyone scared me. A big part of me did not really feel like an adult until I became 35, at which time I felt a sense of relief. I could be more of myself because I had earned it. The saying that we consist of multiple versions of ourselves—Francheska is like my lowest, weakest form. And to be honest, I do not know if that’s a good answer. But really, that is how I kind of see it.

Arnya: Actually, nobody refers to you as Francheska. I recall now that I’ve never called you Francheska—I’ve only addressed you as Fancy.

So, with that being said and you’re saying that people are made of multiple versions of themselves, would Fancy be another version of yourself ? If so, what other names would you call the other versions of yourself ?

Fancy: Fancy is definitely my more affirmative, dominant side, which I still have to work on. She is very different from Francheska and looks at situations more logically and more strategic--which is good because Francheska can be very naive. It is weird to be talking about myself in the third person. However, this is the best way I know how to explain it. At the same time, my childhood nickname, Van, is used by my close family from Mississippi.

Arnya: In your growth, when I asked you who was Francheska, you

THE NEW NORMAL 69 said you earned it. To me, that made me think that you have battle scars and had to go through some things. Tell me some challenges that you’ve faced being a serial entrepreneur, mother, girlfriend, and wife? How did you get through them?

Fancy: OK. So challenges would definitely be with me. I’ve publicly talked about my whole stripping phase because that was a challenge.

It was a challenge to overcome that lifestyle of fast living and outgrowing that desire and finally growing up. My mental struggles of dealing with my anxiety and depression had frequently been the base of everything. Taking the time to learn more about my mental health and going to therapy has helped me tremendously. When I really look at my challenges, the biggest one is myself. Through an epiphany, I discovered that I’d been battling imposter syndrome and sabotaging myself for most of my life. So, to beat that and then learn after the fact that what I was dealing with was really a big thing. I knew I had reached another level in life. So, again, most of my challenges have been within me. Being a Black woman in business; being in media.

The media itself is steadily changing. Different media outlets are popping up every day, and it seems like it is easy to get into. At the same time, when you really start to look at the situation--like how you are going to grow, what are going to be your advantages, how you are going to set yourself apart from the others--it’s not just as simple as hopping on the phone and using your social media outlets and creating a website. It’s so much more than that. Being a Black woman from a marginalized community, I was so far behind. Add the fact that I never worked in corporate America—that itself is a significant weakness for me. I first had to take an interest in that type of culture to educate myself in those areas where I was weak. I began to think if this was a Fortune 500 company—this is what they will be doing. So

this is what people are expecting; I had to teach myself much of that.

So that was a big challenge right there—there was much knowledge that I was missing.

Arnya: You gave great examples. One of the examples that you talked about—mental health--is so prevalent, and I know we talk about it all the time. When did you sit back and say, “Wait, there is something wrong, and I need to get help?” Or did you just say, “Okay, there’s something wrong,” yet waited a little before you got help? When did you have the epiphany that you needed to get some help because you had been battling yourself ?

Fancy: I was about 27, and it was back at the time when people began to really discuss mental health more openly. It was also about the same time that I started my self-love journey and looked at my family relationships and family dynamics. As I was learning, I read You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay. One thing that stood out to me was that she talked about how often the things that irritate us about other people are what we really need to work on within ourselves. That was mind-blowing for me, and it made me evaluate my situation much more. During the same period, I looked at those around me and saw how they fit the different profiles and how I fitted the profiles. However, it was a long, slow period. This was seven to eight years in the making. Although I had wanted to attend therapy years ago, I was not settled enough in life to be able to take it seriously. But looking back, I realize my mental health was a big part of my hang-up; even as a child, I felt like there was always a sadness to me. In many ways, I had a good childhood, but that sadness was more overpowering.

That is a big part of the reason why I am such a loner now. I can sit by myself and have a peace of mind, but I might still be battling

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SWAGHER FALL 2020 something internally.

Anyway, I also went to my brother, who is two years my junior, and asked him to watch me and let me know if my behavior ever seemed sporadic or like I was beginning to show the signs of decline that we’d seen in other family members. Then when my depression got too bad due to life challenges, I decided to seek therapy earnestly because I didn’t like the person I was becoming, and I felt my kids and the people that loved me deserve better. However, I’d also like to note; it wasn’t easy for doctors to take me seriously. I really had to advocate for myself because doctors wanted to say the depression was situational, but I knew that I felt as if I’d been living trapped inside myself for years. I knew that something wasn’t right.

Arnya: You mentioned your kids, so I now want to switch gears because something that I know is important to you is your kids. How are you as that mother who says, “I’m Mama, who knows how to parent and take care of my other business matters?

Fancy: I’m not a very strict mom, but, for the most part, I am the kind of creative, artsy mom who may not necessarily always remember everything. At times, you might actually have to stay on top of her with whatever the item is. But, at the end of the day, she teaches you morals and life lessons. She’s preparing you for the world, but she might forget your lunch the next day. [Laughs] That’s kind of me, but I love my kids! We had to work on our relationship, but that’s the beauty of things because we got to start over. Now our communication is much better. We’ve had to rebuild our trust due to my moving to Atlanta to work on the magazine, which was an immense strain. For about a year or two, I had to work with my middle daughter, regaining her trust; I feel like our relationship is beautiful now. My son, whom I had at 14 years old, is still a work in progress. We have had a long history together because we grew up together in many ways. Then, [the dynamic] with my youngest daughter, being open with my whole custody battle and losing custody of her, was something that broke me as a woman but also revealed many things to me, not just about people, but also about myself. For a long time, I was bitter [about the ordeal] but, at the same time, was trying to have a better relationship with her. To achieve this, I had to move past it to enjoy the time that I have with her. I think my oldest two children and I used to feel a lot of guilt about doing anything without having my youngest daughter present. People talk about long-distance relationships, but the most challenging long-distance relationship is one as a parent.

Arnya: So, if you don’t mind and so people can understand what you mean by long-distance with your kids, can you elaborate on the custody battle? I know that she lives with her father and her stepmom?

Fancy: My younger self would have just gone straight off the rails, but now I say I can only share the story from my perspective, of course. I have almost blocked out this period—I blocked much of this out of my memory, to be honest, so there is a big part of my life I feel is missing. I already had so much going on at that time. I think the depression and our instability did not help. But shortly after I moved to Baton Rouge after finishing Community College, I got a marketing job, which did not work out or pay the bills, which is how I started dancing. Once I started dancing, there was an issue between my daughter’s dad and me. At this time and in my immaturity, I did not take him seriously. I take responsibility for that now. Earlier I looked at it as, “You just took her.” But now I know that I played some parts in that.

Basically, we went to court that was, like, a year of our lives--going through that whole situation. To be honest, there were so many things

that went wrong on my end--from my lawyer dropping my case on the date of the court date to the social worker mixing up the SwagHer site and the finding and discussing the site that I sold sex party toys with.

I remember the judge [making an issue out of me choosing to attend an HBCU]. And I was like, “What does that have to do with anything?

I’m still trying to better myself, you know.” The way I was painted in court was just like this horrible person, and I’ll never forget what that felt like. To be a girl that everybody back home used to be so proud of and then see everybody just look at you in a different light, you know.

Just like, “Oh, we thought she was like this,” you know…that was a really heartbreaking sort of thing. It seems like I’ve been fighting to get my daughter back for seven years now. This is something still hard for me to talk about. I didn’t realize it until now. This life event broke me early on as I was growing into a woman, and it took a lot for me to rebuild myself after this, but I know it made me stronger.

Arnya: That’s understandable. So, we’ve talked about the person, the mother. It was important to me in this interview so people can get to know who you are. Because, again, we only know SwagHer. The way your spirit is, you like to be in the background. I wanted people to know who you were so that you can be here and accounted for. So now I want to delve into the businesswoman. Most people just know SwagHer. They don’t remember Redbone Entertainment. They don’t know all of the other things that you do—e.g., websites, PR. After all, you went through and dealt with in your earlier years, what made you stay the course, go get it, and fight it out? What made you decide to relocate to pursue your dreams?

Fancy: Wow. You know it was my youngest daughter’s dad. I wanted to get away from him. He wasn’t abusive or anything, but I realized that as long as I stayed in the same town as him, he would always have a

THE NEW NORMAL 71 hold on me, I guess. That has changed since then, of course, but back then, I also knew that there weren’t many opportunities for me in McComb, Mississippi. Not to mention, when I graduated with my associate’s degree, I didn’t understand what I could do with it or even what it was. I didn’t understand the job descriptions or what opportunities it offered. And to be honest, it wasn’t much. But as I was looking for jobs, and I knew that one of my close childhood friends had moved to Baton Rouge. So I was like, hey, this could be my way out. At the time, I was actually working at a chicken plant. So I’m just glad that I took that leap of faith.

Arnya: You have such a sweet and low-key spirit, and, as you said, you are a loner. You like to be by yourself. So why did you pursue marketing and PR? That puts you right in the middle of everything.

Why the media? Why this profession? What made you say, “I’m going after that”?

Fancy: Actually, that’s the thing, because that is more of who Francheska is. Francheska doesn’t like the limelight, but Fancy does, yet she had to grow. It’s always been there, and I’m kind of stepping more into my power now, but I’ve always loved entertainment stuff. Coming from a small town, that was one of the biggest things I saw; and at the same time, I knew I could write. I’ve always loved writing. I knew from the first grade and all of the gifted classes that I took that I am creative and like to control whatever I’m working on. That’s one thing I don’t think a lot of people may realize about me. It can also be a flaw, but I’m just not a follower. I’m good on my own, if it’s going to come to

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that. I wanted to be able to bounce between creative projects. I didn’t want to be within a box, and I saw a magazine as being that. I looked at Essence. They weren’t just a magazine: they have a festival and a slew of other things. It was just something that, you know, stuck out to me.

But at the same time, with PR, I’ve always loved angles, like the angling aspects of things. Even as I’m reading, I’m still wondering, “Okay, are they doing this because of this?” or “Is this good?” That’s how I look at almost every situation.

Arnya: Oh, wow. So I know that you started SwagHer when you were attending Southern University. You were also waitressing and exotic dancing at the same time. Then you met a prominent businesswoman, and you felt the need to start something to promote Black people.

Speak to that, please.

Fancy: It wasn’t just one woman in particular. It was more so the stories of the women that I met. I took a liking to this group of Black women, and a lot of them had businesses. But they lived very different lifestyles, unlike anything I had ever seen at that time. They would see me, you know, just like really in this funk. I won’t lie, I was pretty bitter, a Debbie Downer. I said, “When is my time coming? I’m doing all of this, I’m going to school at the same time, and still, nothing is coming about.” They would kind of share their stories with me about the different things they went through. Looking at a person, you know, from the outside, you’re like, “Oh, they never had to experience all this hardship,” you know. Just hearing those stories were new experiences for me, coming from a small town and all. I figured it would be cool if other women--Black women in particular--could hear these stories

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THE NEW NORMAL 73 situation was not working out. I used to sit in the McDonalds from the time they opened until 10:00 or 11:00 at night. I would just sit there and work, and then one day, this guy came in, and he wanted to use the outlet to charge his phone. We struck up a conversation. He was actually creepy as hell and from the Caribbean. He offered to let me stay in his room with him.

I did that for about two to three months. Throughout the process, there were times I had nothing and had to depend on him. I was trying to find a job and finally found one that allowed me to move in with a roommate. All of these were very different situations for me. Even though I had stayed with my best friend and her husband when I moved to Baton Rouge, I had not moved my kids with me, and now I was in an entirely different city, 400 something miles away. I hadn’t ever been to Atlanta by myself. I got a job at a call center, and that kind of began to help me transition into things. But at the same time, it was still very different. Living with a roommate thing and being away from my kids, I [felt] so guilty. Considering the higher cost of living, I wondered how in the world I was ever going to get to the point where I can move them here? There was also the situation of my youngest daughter having to remain in Mississippi. It was a very different experience, but it had many good moments, and it helped the magazine.

I got to meet a lot of people and, at the same time, realized a lot of those people weren’t honest. It brought me a good deal of bitterness and depression to the point where I almost ended the magazine. I was, like, “I don’t know if I can do this anymore.” I didn’t know if it was worth it. Jarmel was still keeping things afloat, and that’s how we continued until we got back into the groove of things. Relocating helped us to grow because Atlanta had more opportunities.

Arnya: Gotcha. You mentioned Jarmel. What role does he play with the magazine?

as well. Like, what if we shared more? One thing I was realizing, and I am still amazed by it even as I grow, is how we as the Black community, we as women do not like to be transparent, or you know- everything is supposed to be a secret. Nobody’s supposed to know. Often when somebody does know, somebody might help you or tell you the tools or the tricks or whatever. If you look at movies, for example, I’m always amazed at this. We look at films nowadays and realize that many plots are based on a secret no one wants anyone to know. So then there is all this disaster and destruction. I want to share the stories of these Black women. It has evolved, of course, but that was just the thing at that time. I figured if there was anything that I could do to help, it was share and educate.

Arnya: Oh, wow. I love that. So SwagHer started in Baton Rouge, and then you moved to Atlanta on a whim, because of the support you received from there. Tell me about your experience in Atlanta.

Fancy: I’m not going to lie; I feel like I left a part of my heart there.

And a part of me still feels like I belong there, but it was much faster than I ever imagined. I just wasn’t ready for that faster pace of life. And I know many people may not understand that, but it’s just a whole different way of thinking, and if you’re not ready, then…you know. I’ve already said I used to be naïve. I was out there, and I was really green. I packed up my car and left. I met this other girl online, and she was moving there from New York. She had five kids, but she told me I could stay with her when I got there until I found a place. I didn’t know it was going to be so hard to find a place. Now I’m with this girl in her house with her five kids, sleeping on the floor, and the

Fancy: Jarmel plays a very vital role as our VP of marketing. He’s had to keep things afloat many times when I was dealing with my physical and mental health and personal matters. He wasn’t with me when I started SwagHer, but he’s been with the magazine for seven or eight years... I’ve lost many people over the years of getting my life together both professionally and personally, but Jarmel has always been there and is a real blessing.

Arnya: Yay Jarmel. Okay, so there is the businesswoman and everything that you’ve had to go through to keep the magazine. How do you last ten years, being so young in the business? And, as you stated, you had to learn so much on the fly, and you’re still learning. How can one stay ten years in business doing all you do, considering all you’ve dealt with?

Fancy: All right, the most significant factor is the grace of God, to be

74

SWAGHER FALL 2020 honest. Also, another big part of things is maintaining the determination just to see things through. After a point, you get to where you’re almost like, “I can’t have wasted this many years.” So I have to make this work, you know, I have to make something come out of this.

And the crazy thing is, you’ll think that you’re working hard. But you will look back and realize you weren’t doing anything. You might have been doing the best you could at the time. Once you grow, you begin to realize that you definitely probably weren’t working smart. I know automation is huge, and I know everybody’s talking about it, but I used to kind of be against it. But now we’re growing to a larger capacity, and we have to get more stuff out, I see the value in it. Also relationships--I think that’s a big part of things and I don’t think I touched on that. Our advertisers and sponsors have been most supportive. Most have been with us for a while. So that alone, their continuous support is great! They also tell other people, and that’s another big portion of our support comes from. The ability to adapt is also beneficial. You must possess determination, but you too could be stubborn and not want to adjust when you see that things are going wrong or something isn’t working. And then there’s also patience, and ten years is, of course, a lot of patience. But again, once you put more time into it, you just really want that time to mean something of value.

familiar, “Theories” comes from “my world in theories”: your tagline and my tagline is #fancysthoughts. So we pulled the “Thoughts” from there. With that being said, Theories and Thoughts was a way for us both to use our voices. I knew I was ready to speak. You see, we wanted to have a lot of those conversations that we don’t have as Black women.

At the same time, I’m also stepping into being more vocal. I realized that as much as I love writing, speaking is a whole other passion. I do publicly speak occasionally, but it’s not as consistent as I would like.

Speaking is such a rush, but it’s kind of a different feel with the podcasts. But that’s, again, kind of putting myself out there and making myself uncomfortable. Podcasting is something I had wanted to do for years but slept on due to my instability and fear. It’s like, you know, you can write something or hide behind a screen, but if you’re going to speak, it’s like, “Hey, we got you on tape.” To be honest, I can’t remember the conversation that we had, but I do remember us kind of talking about it. Then I got so caught up in some other work, and it almost didn’t happen. I do remember thinking, “I want to see this through because I know that Arnya wants to do this as well.” I didn’t want to let you down. In some ways, I possibly could have still backed out of it, had it just been me.

Arnya: Right. So tell us what else you do besides the magazine?

Arnya: I’m thankful that you brought me along because I am a talker.

And as you told me, I’m a conversationalist, and I never used that word for myself. But you said it and other people had said it. And it’s like, “Okay, well, I guess I can carry a conversation.” But I will say you brought me out of my shell because, although I talk, I have now learned to speak about my opinion on a matter. I feel like you got me out of that. You helped me to grow in that area. So, thank you.

Fancy: I don’t do much publishing on the website anymore because I’ve begun to focus more on building up the PR side. So working with our subscription clients, we offer PR, Marketing, and Creative Services. It’s a mixture of multimedia stuff, whether from us submitting guest submissions for our clients or securing them press placements.

Or, you know, taking a lot of their blogs or their products and just doing different things. Of course, we’re still advertising and promoting them, but also helping them secure more placement outside of marketing. We’re sharing their story. We’re actually helping them to build up their portfolio for their brands. So now you’re not just this business owner, but you’re a specialist in your field. Since there is both SwagHer Online and then the print magazine, I still handle most of the print issue production. I’m trying to get more into writing again, but I’m also working on some personal brand projects.

Arnya: But you also offer other services too, right?

Fancy: Yes, I design websites. We also offer graphics and marketing materials. I say “we” because we really work as a team. I’ve been stepping more into the role of a coach/trainer, but my team also learn a lot on their own. Sometimes I just kind of help them get started, and then they one-up their designs or whatever the work may be, by themselves. So it has just been really cool to watch them grow as we’re working and revamping lots of things. Then there’s the podcast, Theories and Thoughts. I handle much back-end production stuff with the podcast regarding formatting and publishing and stuff like that.

I’m basically a techie. So that’s one of my most significant advantages on top of the fact that I can write. A lot of people can be technical, but they can’t write. So I think it’s a gift to be able to combine the two.

Arnya: So, Theories and Thoughts. You do so much, and you have such a wide range. Why did you want to start the podcast? You got me hyped about it because I was like, ok, well, we could do it. Then we just did it, much of the same way we‘ve done other ventures. And that’s what I love so much about our friendship. So tell me about Theories and Thoughts. How did that come about?

Fancy: Well, of course, you’re my co-hostess, but for those who aren’t

Fancy: Aww, you’re welcome. Thank you for letting me know that.

Arnya: So we’ve discussed the woman, the mother, and the business owner. Is there anything that I’m missing?

Fancy: Well, we didn’t discuss the Goddess.

Arnya: Come on, Goddess! She’s a part of you. There’s Fancy, Francheska, and then there’s the Goddess. So let’s talk about the Goddess.

Fancy: Fancy is more a part of the goddess, you know; they’re kind of one in a sense, but that’s more of the spiritual side of me. Maybe it’s just me, but as a woman in business, it seems we have to be a lot more masculine, and I don’t really like that. I’m very much a girly girl. Often, when people hear about the magazine, they try to label me a feminist, and I’m like, no, that’s not me. Like, I am very much like, “Oh, can you please lift this?” I don’t even hold my own door open. Do you know what I mean? Like, that’s me. And it’s also just because I think that spirituality is like a massive part of my life. And I look at everything kind of from some spiritual aspect, but frequently when people hear you identify as a god or a goddess, they’ll feel like it’s something offensive. I do believe, you know, when it says that we are made in His image, then I get it. I’m not the God; I’m not the capital “G,” you know. But I am a goddess because I believe that we have a lot of power within ourselves. And when I began my self-love journey ten years ago (that was the same time I started the magazine), I began to learn about the powers that we [humans] possess, like the power of thinking and mindset. The crazy thing is I spent so many years wanting to believe or trying to manifest, but I didn’t see things come to fruition. But the stronger that I’ve gotten, over the years, I began to notice the patterns. I remember because I have a gratitude

THE NEW NORMAL 75 and affirmation journal. So when I’m looking back, and I see many things did finally come into fruition, I’m just like, wow. That guidance is a spiritual aspect of me, and it’s what fuels the side of me that is so passionate about uplifting the Black community and seeing my people excel. I just want to be a nurturer, you know, and a giver of life, in whatever the situation may be. I always say to myself, in my affirmations, that I’m a light. So I like to think that wherever I go, I spread wisdom, empowerment, and light. The more I grow, that’s who I want to grow more into. Is this interview sounding crazy as hell? Because I don’t know. This is me. (Laughs) Arnya: I love it. It’s you, and that’s why I love it. I LOVE IT…because everything you speak is like, wow! Gosh, you told me I could talk about whatever I want, so I’m sitting here talking about whatever I want. Ten years accomplished, what’s in the future for SwagHer? Fancy: We aim to have our headquarters/studio opened by late this year or early next year. [Considering the effect of the pandemic], I’m just wondering how this is all going to play out. Still, I’m very excited about this venture, and we haven’t disclosed the location yet because I just know how people can follow you and try to imitate whatever you’re doing. But I’m excited about it. Not only will we have more capabilities, but we will have the ability to do a lot of things in-house and have the space needed for our equipment and so on. But then we’ll also be able to give back to the community because we’re going to hire within the community and offer other needed services and other amenities that aren’t as popular within that area. We’re bringing something to a location where it is needed, which will benefit the city

in the long run. Once we’re in our headquarters, I look forward to working more on the agency part of things, such as hiring more reps and other positions, bringing in more creatives. I want to create more opportunities for Black creatives, especially within the South.

Arnya: What is your SwagHer? Fancy: I’m actually very silly or very serious. I’m not good with the in-between. I always ask people, “do you want something deep, or do you want something light?’ but I don’t really do light well. So with everything and everyone that is of importance to me, I think I can be a loving person, though hard at times, because I’m frank and straightforward. Often, I may be afraid actually to say whatever it is, I’m saying, but I feel so compelled to try to do something. So I am like one of those who try to help others, but often, the things that I see may not always be what other people see. And I’m not going to say that I’m wrong. I’ve had to learn to trust myself. I don’t know if you all are familiar with chakras--I’m still learning about them myself--but I honestly believe that I’ve kind of tapped into my crown chakra because of the wisdom and insight that’s recently been bestowed upon me is so great, you know. Like I’m a student of life. And I’m a huge lover, to be honest. At the end of the day, I’m still a country girl. My other motto is, I’m “a goddess in human form. So I guess that just makes me a girl that longs for the world.”

LADONNA MARIE BOOKS

DISCOVER THE CHAMPION IN YOU LADONNA MARIE INFO@LADONNAMARIE.ORG 912-403-5830 WWW.LADONNAMARIE.ORG PLANTINGPOSITIVESEEDS.COM HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/LADONNAMC HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/LADONNA.SMITHCOOKLIN KEDIN.COM/IN/LADONNA-MARIE-73904153 HTTPS://WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM/LMB_POETRY/ HTTPS://TWITTER.COM/LMB_POETRY HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/CHANNEL/UCZYUOX-UVRIFFPRQZIUPBW

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CASSIDY LEE

EDITOR. BOOK COACH. LIFE CONSULTANT

(225)317-9191 ConsultantCassidy@gmail.com www.CassidyALee.com https://linktr.ee/cassidyalee FB: @CassidyALee42 IG: @CassidyALee42 TW: @CassidyALee Pinterest: @CassidyALee42

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KIMBERLY P. JONES AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT

K

imberley B. Jones is a professional early childhood educator and children’s book author. Currently, Kimberley is branching off into writing fiction, young adult and new adult literature, and adult novels on issues in society. She is releasing her latest book, Our Friendship Matters, and several others soon.

After receiving her education and being a military spouse, Kim held several jobs as a preschool teacher and a preschool director. Still, she wanted to put her knowledge to use by writing children’s books. She wrote her first book in college for her children’s literature course.

Since then, Kim has self-published several children’s books located on Amazon.

Born in the small town of Saint George, South Carolina, the author graduated from Woodland High School in 2000, Benedict College in 2004 with a B.S., Child & Family Development, and from Ashford University in 2013 with a Masters in Early Childhood Education.

Kim loves writing and wouldn’t change it for anything in this world.

She is now represented by the great publishing company Rhetoric Askew. Meet the author below.

Fancy: How would you describe your swagher? What makes Kimberley, Kimberley?

Kimberley: What makes me, me is my passion for writing and expressing how I feel about situations in life. But it is not only about how I feel but to also inspire change in the world, with hopes of letting the world know how others think and may react to situations.

Everyone will not see things the way you see them, but I want people to know, it’s okay, and the world will change with or without you.

My writing is my voice and how I see potential in a changed- society.

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SWAGHER FALL 2020 Fancy: How did you fall in love with writing?

Kimberley: In middle school, one of my friends and I used to play around in writing, but I never had an interest until college.

Fancy: You have several titles under your belt, particularly several children’s books. Is your upcoming book, Our Friendships Matter, a children’s book, and can you tell us more about it?

Kimberley: In Our Friendship Matters, these two girls graduate from a St. Louis, Missouri, private school. But during the summer, they become enemies because one friend decides to protest for her race: one black and one white. But once a tragic accident happens, one must come forward, to tell the truth by leaning on the friend she betrayed.

Sasha is the smart one who works hard to get good grades. They both have the jocks at school. Leah doesn’t care; what she says goes, and if it doesn’t go her way, then expect to pay. When one friend is interested in protesting, the other gets jealous of the other’s new friends and goes against her. It’s all about revenge.

It takes a tragic accident, threats, and leaving the city for one friend to realize that she made a huge mistake. A threat that will make all the high school friends come together and protect her.

Fancy: So what was your inspiration behind Our Friendship Matters?

Kimberley: What inspired me to write Our Friendship Matters was when African- Americans started the Black Lives Matters movement. I would search the internet and watch the news. I would see other groups, like Whites Lives Matter, All Lives Matter, and Blue Lives Matter, forming against the Black Lives Matter movement, taking the focus off the real issue. In my view, it wasn’t fair or right. The reason Black Lives Matter started was to stop police brutality against African-Americans, which has been happening for decades. Yes, all colors are brutalized by police. But in all reality, African-Americans suffer the most.

Another reason I wrote this book is for African-American parents who shelter their children from the truth. This isn’t good all the time.

Children need to be aware of certain things that could happen because of who they are. That way, when they are faced with reality, they can handle the truth and know what to expect in certain situations.

The world is becoming more diverse, and our children are the future that can make a change. In this book, two best friends struggle with their friendship because they have been sheltered by money and do not appreciate the role race could play in their lives. Sometimes, we have to sit back and think to ourselves on the point we fought for. We need to think about what we can do to make things better. It starts with the youth, who are the future. If we can reach out to them, we can help them, and they can help us make this world a better place.

Fancy: Do you often draw inspiration from your children and/or students?

Kimberley: Absolutely. As teachers and parents, we have some knowledge of what children like to read because we spend most of our time with them.

Fancy: I read somewhere that you had an interest in writing children’s books about slavery. Would any of your books be categorized that way?

Kimberly: I started off writing children’s books because my motto was, “young children deserve to learn history.” I was fortunate to have a grandma who lived until she was 94 years old, to share with me all her stories of her coming up through the Marcus Garvey Movement, Great Depression, boycotting chain stores, World War I & II, The Great Migration, Harlem Renaissance, and the Civil Rights Movement. I wanted children to know history to make life better for those who pave the way for American-Americans today.

I wrote my first children’s book in college, and the book that inspired me was White Sox Only. It was a cute book about a young American-American girl who was confused about signs posted that said, “white’s only.” She does not understand the concept of race, but only understands the color.

Fancy: Do you have a writing routine? If so, please share.

Kimberley: On the weekends, I start writing first thing in the morning. If my son allows it, I can get a full day of writing. During the weekdays after work, I try to do my daily chores and get writing in for a while. Then, I have to stop to get my 6-year-old son into bed by 8:00 pm. After that, it’s back to writing for me.

Fancy: So how do you balance teaching, writing, and your family?

Kimberley: I have to, but some days I come home too tired to write, so I have to save it for the weekends. That’s why I hope I will gain an audience that loves my writing so that I can become a full-time writer and balance my time with my son going to school and giving him more attention.

Fancy: How do you practice self-care?

Kimberley: I always try to manage time for myself. It’s not easy to do with a husband in the army and a six-year-old who is an only child that craves his mother’s attention. As a mother, you have to get it in where it fits.

Fancy: Do you have any upcoming projects or events that you care to share?

Kimberley: Yes, I am working on a romance box-set project with my publishing company, which is new to me because I never thought in a day that I would be writing romance. For myself, I am working on a suspense young adult novel that will knock teenagers off their feet.

Connect with Kimberley below.

Website: www.kimberleybjones.com Twitter: @KimberleyBJones Instagram: @authorkimberleybjones Facebook: @AuthorKimberleyBJones

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KIM WHITEHEAD CEO | AUTHOR | ATTORNEY | ENGINEER | SPEAKER | ENTREPRENEUR | BOARD MEMBER | FOUNDER OF DEMAND THE DREAM

DEMANDTHEDREAM.COM FACEBOOK.COM/DEMANDTHEDREAM IP-ADVANTAGE.COM

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Meet The Correspondents Jessica Canty

Jessica Canty hosts SwagHer What’s Going On (WGO) segment live on Instagram, interviewing special guests and sharing career advancement tips. Jessica Canty is the founder of Proverbs 15:22 Personal Growth Coaching LLC, a company focused on helping people go from unfulfilled jobs to their dream careers. @jessicacanty Watch live on Instagram: @swaghermagazine

Adrienne Allen

TPR specialist Adrienne Allen steps from behind the scenes in her The Purple Pages segment, where she chats with some of Hollywood’s movers and shakers. @diaryofaprdivaAdrienne’s segments are usually via Facebook: @swaghermagazine

Chrisnatha Derosier The MasterPiece Lounge w/ Chrisnatha Derosier is an hour of inspiration being poured into you by certified life-coach Chrisnatha. Chrisnatha often guides us through self-work with thought-provoking questions and routines and tips to help watchers be the best version of themselves. @chrisnatha Watch live every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 10 AM CST on Facebook: @swaghermagazine

Claricia Lange Sweet-N-Reel is a live conversational segment hosted by Claricia Newberry- Lange, aka Mrs. Louisiana Universal 2019. Whether it’s Claricia’s frequent co-host Tyra or a guest co-host, Claricia takes the sweet side of a chosen subject while the guest gives their real take on things. @mrslouisianauniversal2019 Watch live every Thursday at 7 PM CST on Facebook: @swaghermagazine

Brittany Passion In the More Than a Pretty Face collaboration with The Passion Xperience and its CEO Brittany Passion, Brittany sits down with celebs, influencers, and creatives to discuss their gifts and lives. Brittany is an actress and talent scout and executive assistant at Ice Television. @brittany_passion Watch live on Instagram: @swaghermagazine

Natalie Louis The Queen’s Corner highlights women in business doing remarkable things. Hostess Natalie Louis has created a space where people can get to know the women behind the brand/movement. Natalie is an author, speaker, and breakthrough coach. @natalie.louis Watch Live on Facebook: @swaghermagazine

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Beverly K. Johnson Are you ready to live a healthier lifestyle, but you aren’t sure where to start? Coach Beverly, The Fitness Deva can guide you! Every weekend, Coach Bev discusses various health and fitness topics and answers questions. Beverly K. Johnson is the CEO of Genesys Fitness and life and wellness coach. @bevkjohnson Watch live on Facebook every Sunday: @swaghermagazine

Delayna Jasper Unnamed? Delayna Downs-Jasper is also one of our new media correspondents.

Delayna, a corporate flight attendant, tends to interview professionals with belief in giving back through mentorship or other good deeds. @d.e.l.a.y.n.a.j.a.s.p.e.r Delayna’s segments are usually via Facebook: @swaghermagazine

AUTHOR AUDRA HILL

FROM TRAUMA TO TRANSFORMATION: ALL THINGS NEW https://www.alhministries.com/ Jotaliapublishing@gmail.com IG: @audrahill Facebook: Audra Aliticia

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AFTER THE LOVE IS GONE

by Arnitris Strong

Y

ou have a good man. I don’t understand why you feel like you need to explore your options,” he yelled.

Deciding to end a relationship you have nurtured is never easy. It can be challenging to come to terms with the new normal that ensues—struggling to move past a breakup? Read on for some tips.

“I don’t know who you’re a good man to, but it’s not me,” I thought.

1. Feel

“I don’t think you are in a position to make demands right now,” I replied.

The first step to getting over a breakup is to acknowledge and honor your feelings. Many people attempt to suppress their emotions because they are uncomfortable. There has been a lot of talk online recently about healing, but no one talks about the un-glamorous and ugly healing process. But, much the same as a physical wound must be exposed to the sun’s nourishment, our feelings have to be exposed to the light to begin the healing process. The best thing you can do after a breakup is to permit yourself to feel the feelings as they come. You may as well get comfortable being uncomfortable because we have only just begun.

I hadn’t spoken to him at all three days before this 1 a.m. phone call. I was just getting in from a night of exploring my options with a nice young man who actually had time for me. As I perched on the bed’s side, I gazed out of the window at the clouds that loomed in the early morning sky. They were dark and full and hung low just beyond the horizon. It was a sight that would initiate a mad dash back into the house to grab an umbrella so that one wouldn’t be caught unprepared.

What had become of this love affair was a storm that we’d both created. But, neither of us were ready to say that it was over. All relationships go through ebbs and flows, but lately, there had been more ebbing than flowing, and I wasn’t sure that the rift between us could be repaired. If I were frank with myself, I would accept that I didn’t even want to invest any more of my time or energy. So, with a deep breath, I grabbed my umbrella and prepared for the storm to come.

“I think that we both know there is nothing left here. You will always have a special place in my heart. Take care of yourself,” I said before ending the call.

2. Find After you have gotten comfortable sitting with your feelings, the next step is to find their purpose. Emotions surface for one of two straightforward reasons- to heal or to reveal. Do you find that you experience the same flood of emotions whenever you are in a stressful situation? These recurring emotions arise to heal an emotional wound that hasn’t been addressed. Until they are addressed, life will continue to present you with problems to resolve them.

Sometimes emotions arise to reveal a hidden truth about ourselves. Maybe you aren’t angry with your ex. Anger is a secondary emotion that masks a deeper one. What if you are disappointed that you ignored your intuition the

THE NEW NORMAL 83 first time you noticed something was wrong? There is no shame or blame in making mistakes in life and love, as long as those mistakes are used to move forward.

3. Forgive This is a hard one. Many times, as we navigate a breakup, it is easier to focus on what your ex could have done differently. This is YOUR process, though, and concentrating your time or energy on anyone outside of yourself is an exercise in futility. You have given yourself permission to feel how you feel, and you have found the reason for those feelings - now it is time to forgive.

Relationships are merely mirrors that reflect the broken pieces of our souls to us. Each relationship or interaction is an opportunity to get just a step closer to being whole emotionally. I am sure that this may be a hard pill to swallow while in the throes of a breakup, but the reality is forgiveness is critical. You must forgive your ex, but you must also forgive yourself for the part you played. Maybe your role was a more passive one, and you didn’t speak up when you were mistreated or even listen to the still, small voice warning you that something wasn’t right. Give yourself some grace; we are all guilty of overlooking a red flag or two or maybe even three.

4. Form At this stage, it is time to determine where you are going. Start by getting a clear picture of the type of relationship you desire. This is not to say that you are going to dive right back into the dating scene. But, to achieve anything in life, it is essential to know what you really desire. Is your ultimate goal marriage, or do you wish to just date for fun? Once you have formed the picture in your mind, take some time to let the feelings about this new normal settle into your spirit. How will it feel to date different people without the pressure of wondering where it is going? Or, imagine the security of being in a relationship that is both healthy and supportive? Remember those feelings so that when you are presented with opportunities to live out that dream, you recognize them for what they are.

5. Forge

At this point in your healing process, there is nothing left to do except forge ahead. Using the picture of your ideal relationship in your mind, you are equipped to make it a reality. It is time to get intentional about creating the love you desire. Every action that you take from this point forward should be aligned with this goal and bring you closer to it. Whenever we determine in our minds that we want something, life presents us with opportunities to test that desire. This is especially true with relationships. It seems as if just when we begin to move past the hurt of our failed relationships, the ex pops up- it may not even be your most recent ex, but inevitably as if they have received some sort of bat signal that the ship has sailed they will reach out with a Hey, big head text or call. As tempting as it may be to fall into old patterns, resist the urge to go backward. You have made so much progress.

Are you struggling to adjust after a breakup? What have you done to navigate the process?

MYRA DEUNIQUE AUTHOR

My calling is to help, inspire, uplift and motivate others into their divine purpose orchestrated by God. http://www.myradeunique.com/mdu myradeunique@gmail.com @myradeunique

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NATASHA MCGEE (MSNATCHEZ)

PLEASURE QUESTS LLC Pleasure Quests LLC believes in and supports the unity of Marriage / Coupling. We believe that in every relationship there is an opportunity to never exhaust the possibility where romance and passion meet pleasure. The opportunity to keep the fire burning and never have a dull moment in time. We offer products that will keep the passion flowing when life gets busy and there's little time to spare. You can unplug on the throws of reality and connect with your imagination, with that special someone. We also encourage self-love, fact is you have to learn to love yourself before you can know how to love another.

https://www.pleasurequestsllc.com/home pleasurequests@gmail.com 504 662 3200 (PQ) |504 875 1812 (MsNatchez)

@MsNatchez. Facebook:@PQSIMAGINATION Twitter: @pleasurequests YouTube: PLEASURE QUESTS LLC

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MANdatory Awareness

S.L. JACKSON S

.L. Jackson, an Urban Fantasy Author from Inkster, MI, who now resides in metro-Detroit, first entered the publishing scene in 2019 with the novella ‘Animal Instincts: The Urban Jungle.’ He is an autoworker, a community activist skilled in the art of urban jungle survival, a podcaster, and a former entertainer and entertainment education provider. You can always find him reading, watching, and listening to interviews, helping others achieve their goals, and busying with anything that challenges his creativity. “Writing is my way to escape,” Jackson says.

Even though his first novella ‘Animal Instincts: The Urban Jungle’ is considered an Urban Fantasy, he prefers not to place himself in a box and stunt the growth of his creativity by limiting himself to one genre. He is the creator of the hashtag #respecturbanauthors. He has been nominated for several awards that include Feathered Quill Awards, Ippy/Elit Awards, Top Shelf Magazine Awards, and Top Shelf Book Cover Awards. His podcast, “The Connected Experience,” is a cultural and lifestyle show.

Jackson is currently working on a comic book and cartoon series for ‘Animal Instincts: The Urban Jungle.’ His plans also include more books, awards, and

his books placed in libraries across the world. “Animal Instincts: The Urban Jungle” has won the Gold Medal award for “Short Story Fiction” at the 2020 eLit Book awards.

Christina: What is your Swagger? What makes S.L., S.L.?

S.L.: Hello, I am S.L Jackson, debut urban fantasy author from Inkster, Michigan. My supreme confidence is what makes me who I am. I am a firm believer in speaking things into existence and manifestation, and this is a prime example of that. Also, Inkster, Michigan, is the most important 6.2 miles in the history of the world. I encourage your readers to look it up; they will be surprised who is from there and the history of my city.

Christina: Why did you become an author? Have you always loved to write, or is it something that just came to you one day?

S.L.: To be honest, Christina, I have always been a writer. When I was nine years

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SWAGHER FALL 2020 old, my older cousin Blac introduced my twin brother AJ and me to rap. So, I was introduced to writing raps and creative writing around the same time. We stuck with rap for a long time in our lives, but becoming a published author was something I decided to do in September of 2019.

Christina: I am a lover of books, and I have always loved to write, and I hope to write a book one day. What advice would you give to other aspiring authors out there and me?

S.L.: Advice I would give to aspiring authors is to make it happen.

First, research, see where you would fall in the marketplace, and decide what type of book you want to write. Once you figure that out, then put the pen to the pad. You also must know the business of selling books, so write and research.

Christina: Tell our readers about your novella, “Animal Instincts: The Urban Jungle.” How did you come up with these stories focused around a family of outlaw rabbits?

S.L.: “Animal Instincts: The Urban Jungle” is based on rabbits because when I was younger, my brother and I let my older cousins Gator rabbit “go,” and ever since that day, I wondered about how “FREED” animals lived. So, in 4th grade, when I was introduced to creative writing, my very first story was based on outlaw animals and how they lived. “Animal Instincts: The Urban Jungle” is just a spinoff of my very first creative writing story. “Animal Instincts: The Urban Jungle” has been in my heart for almost 30 or so years.

Christina: How and why did you start your podcast, The Connected Experience?

S.L.: The Connected Experience Podcast was started by my twin brother AJ and I. Throughout all our years of being involved in business and the entertainment industry, we built a healthy list of contacts who we stayed in touch with. At one point in our city, we were the go-to guys for helping people out with the business side of the entertainment industry. So, we decided to “connect” people via our podcast, and our show turned into a hit show. We started The Connected Experience because we wanted to sit and talk with a few people, and we made that happen. Our motto on the show is “I want for my brother, what I want for myself,” but it’s more than a motto; it is a lifestyle. If I want for you what I want for me, how could I not help you advance? (https://soundcloud.com/tcepodcast) Christina: What is one thing you would tell your younger self now that you are a published author?

S.L.: I would tell the younger version of me not to rush to get old. Also, live limitlessly. The world is such a big place, value experiences over money. I grew up fast, but by no means did I have a bad childhood; I was just in a rush to be grown.

Christina: You are skilled in the art of urban jungle survival. Tell our readers about this. What is it?

S.L.: Urban jungle survival is making it out the ghetto. Remember I told you I was from Inkster, Michigan, well when I was growing up, it was a real war zone.

My roots are deep there; a lot of my childhood friends are dead or in jail; a lot of us did not make it. But I did, I survived that urban jungle. I am proud of the fact I made something of myself.

Christina: Who or what inspires you?

S.L.: Life inspires me. When I look into my daughter Shelby’s eyes, that inspires me to want to do more, be greater. She is going to have to tell someone about

who her father is one day, so it is up to me to be great, so she has something to talk about.

Christina: Why an urban fantasy as your first book? Is that the genre you tend to lean towards when reading?

S.L.: Urban fantasy was just what came out first. I do not even read urban fantasy novels. I did my market research and seen that my contribution to the world was just considered “urban fantasy.” Truthfully speaking, I hate labels, I am only an author, and I write what I feel.

Christina: Who is your favorite author, and why?

S.L.: I have a host of favorite projects by a variety of authors. But if I had to go with my top three (it is a tie, I do not have a number one), it would be Iceberg Slim, Donald Goines, and Harper Lee. Iceberg Slim is on my list because of how raw his projects were. I was introduced to “pimping” through his books at a very young age, so I credit Iceberg Slim with giving me the “Game”. Donald Goines because my father introduced me to his works, and that was an incredibly special moment in my life. And the truth is my real first name came out either an Iceberg Slim or Donald Goines book. My dad is not sure which one, so I guess being an author was in me. Then Harper Lee, “To Kill A Mockingbird,” may have had the most impact on writing besides religious text. I loved that book as a kid, and to know she only released one project always stuck with me.

Christina: Do you have any upcoming events or projects that you would like to share?

S.L.: Definitely, I’m going to give you an EXCLUSIVE: here is the link to the first look at “Animal Instincts: The Urban Jungle ANIMATED” (https://vimeo.com/443440090). We will be releasing this around the top of 2021. I am the first author to turn their novel into a cartoon without the help of a studio. That means I am in control of how the world will receive my content; being self-financed, I call all my own shots.

Christina: Is there anything additional that you would like to share with our readers?

S.L.: I would just like to let your readers know that any and everything is possible. I wrote “Animal Instincts: The Urban Jungle” in September 2019; I put it out in March of 2020; by May 2020, I won “BEST SHORT STORY FICTION” Gold Medal at the 2020 eLit awards, I’m in the process of making it into a cartoon. I told anyone who would listen when I talked about everything I was going to do with this content, and that’s what I am doing.

It is limitless on all the things coming from my award-winning novella, “Animal Instincts: The Urban Jungle.”

I created the hashtag Respect Urban Authors (#respecturbanauthors), so we all can have something of our own to be a part of. For more info about me or to order your copy of “Animal Instincts: The Urban Jungle,” visit my website: www.1sljackson.com.

Connect with S.L. Jackson: Website: www.1sljackson.com Instagram: @sljackson3 Facebook: Sljackson522 Twitter: @tcohhdotorg

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CE O / T HERA P I ST

SHAWNEE PALMER

ALPINE’S EMPOWERMENT AGENCY & LOVE & SERENITY WELLNESS P r ovid in g wel l ne s s s er v i c es a nd pro d u ct s t h at pr om ot e an inc r ea s e of se lf- lov e an d in n er p ea c e b ui lt f rom w i th i n.

IG AND FB: @LOVEANDSERENITYWELLNESS TWITTER: @LOVESERENITYW WWW.ALPINESEMPOWERMENTAGENCY.COM WWW.LOVEANDSERENITYWELLNESS.COM SUPPORT@LOVEANDSERENITYWELLNESS.COM 314-516-3718

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MOTIVATIONAL LIFE COACH, TRAINER, & "GIRLFRIEND OF AUTHORITY" www.beverlykjohnson.com | info@beverlykjohnson.com | 256-457-9126 Instagram: @bevkjohnson @thedevalife_Facebook: Genesys Fitness