Welcome to the May issue of Seven MAGAZINE! is month, we’re thrilled to dive into the captivating world of culinary excellence with none other than the dynamic duo, the Copelands. As the brilliant minds behind one of Portsmouth’s culinary gems, their journey from humble beginnings to culinary stardom is sure to inspire and tantalize our readers’ taste buds. Get ready to indulge in a feast of stories, insights, and delicious tidbits as we explore the passion and creativity fueling their gastronomic masterpiece.
But that’s not all – ip to our second cover and prepare to be dazzled by the incomparable Deneen Majors. A true visionary in the realm of hairstyling and entrepreneurship, Majors’ story is one of talent, determination, and boundless creativity. From her innovative techniques to her dedication to empowering others in the industry, she’s a force to be reckoned with. Join us as we uncover the secrets behind her success and celebrate the artistry that de nes her cra . Get ready for a double dose of inspiration and empowerment in this month’s issue of Seven MAGAZINE!
EDITOR
THOMAS CORBIN
LISA CORBIN ART DIRECTOR
THOMAS CORBN
CORBIN
THOMAS CORBIN
Seven Magazine: Good a ernoon, it is an honor and we’re pleased to sit with the beautiful Mrs. Cynthia Terry. Proud owner of Black Eyed Peas out here in Virginia Beach. I’d like to ask a few questions today about your wonderful restaurant and delicious dishes. Well, we’re going to start o and just get straight to the point, what got you into this restaurant business?
Cynthia Terry: Ok, well as a little girl I was always the sibling appointed to cook the food for my brothers and I enjoyed doing it. My mom was a single mom and she worked many hours all day long so for me the cooking part came easy. It was intriguing, exciting and unique and I just loved cooking all sorts of dishes for my siblings. I like seeing my brothers full and happy! With that being said, seeing people full and happy is what I aim for.
Seven Magazine: Mrs. Terry, what is the most popular dish here that gets the customers full and happy?
Cynthia Terry: Very good question! So our most popular side order is the carrot sou é! It’s very popular and it tastes like yams. Man, it’s so delicious, and a crowd favorite is Cynthia’s potato salad! It’s an old fashioned dish that I love to make and reminds you of grandma’s cooking from down south. Another item here at Black Eyed Peas has to be our turkey wings! I tell you the meat slides right o the bone! Many families come in for our mouthwatering cat sh and meatloaf! Our meatloaf is also very old-fashioned especially with the ingredients! You know, we o er our delicious old style southern liver and onions, cooked to perfection and with love! I make all of our dishes from my heart, everyday. Go online and be sure to look at our menu. I can go on and on but you’ll have to taste for yourself.
Seven Magazine: Mrs. Cynthia, what made you name your establishment Black Eyed Peas?
Mrs. Cynthia: So as a little girl again my mom cooked Black Eyed Peas every night. I know that sounds crazy but literally she did and she enjoyed them. As a little girl I did not like them, however I do like
them now, also Black Eyed Peas are A good luck pea culturally. For many years we’ve celebrated with them at the beginning of the year. Yes, so while pondering and just kicking names around trying to brand our restaurant I thought of Black Eyed Peas. I thought that sounds really good and very soulful just like my cook and I liked that. I felt like I said earlier that I cook from my heart and considering how black eyed peas were a staple in our community, the name t.
Seven Magazine: OK since we’re going back to you was a little girl a lot how long have you been in this restaurant business?
Cynthia Terry: My rst job was in a restaurant I watched a lot and did a lot of learning things like daily operations, etc. en my second job, which was my favorite job, was in a restaurant and I learned various dishes and felt like I was able to come full circle with my entrees. I was always tied to the restaurant world and I managed a bunch of the grocery, deli, bakery stores and I just really found it very interesting working with food. You know food gives you life and nourishment. Also, it gives you energy that you don’t always nd on every corner considering how we’re in the south and there is fast food places all over Hampton Roads. A lot of these places will leave you
full and not feeling good! You can come to Black Eyed Peas and you eat some good food and you start feeling better. Our food is here and it nurtures your soul and your stomach. Also, starting o young with cooking for my family I feel it was actually my purpose! I’m blessed that I found my purpose at a very young age and it it drives me.
Seven Magazine: I’m gonna try out this legendary Black Eyed Peas and I’ll get right back to you guys with my review (5 minutes later) Man, the food is beautiful! Actually amazing! I’m highly and thoroughly impressed and it’s not gonna be my last time here! I also want to know what else is going on here for the spring, the summer events and things of that nature ?
Cynthia Terry: Oh yes sir, we actually do events! And we have bookings where you can book out the whole restaurant if you like. Our establishment holds 229 guests and all you’d have to do is give us a call. You can nd us online and our location is outside the
food court in the mall! e address is 1005 lynnhaven mall loop Virginia Beach VA 23452. Our web page is BlackEyedPeasVB. com Instagram:Black Eyed PeasVB and our phone number is (757) 778-5219. We do private parties, we have work or o ce parties at the bar area and you can have a nice happy birthday party at Black Eyed Peas on the outside or inside. We recently had a party for 100 people on one side of the establishment and we had one other side for another event that we o ered catering. Yes, that’s right, we also o er full catering to any party or event that you are having. Let’s say you don’t know exactly what you want or if it on our menu, we are unlimited with the things that we can and will cater for you. We o er all varieties and di erent styles of foods and we have a full service bar with some amazing cocktails. Be sure to check us out at Black Eyed Peas located at lynnhaven mall in Virginia Beach we look forward to seeing you guys and food is my life thank you so much and have a wonderful evening.
While mindfulness once felt like a wellness trend, it’s become a way of life for adults hoping to maintain healthier routines, be intentional in their work and handle daily stresses e ciently. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mindfulness is the practice of being fully aware of your thoughts and feelings in a moment without judging them or negatively reacting.
But what about kids? Even at an early age, stress can lead to harmful brain development, potentially shrinking brain capacity, locking in ght, ight or freeze responses and escalating mental health disorders. A stressed brain is blocked, frustrated, over-reactive and anxious. e CDC recently published a policy report on youth mental health, which listed daily mindfulness practices as the #2 strategy to drive improvement. Mindfulness and self-regulation can impact a child’s ability to learn, and these skills are crucial for growth inside and outside the classroom. e CDC recommended K-12 classrooms practice mindfulness more regularly, but even early childhood education centers can attest to the positive impact of adopting this mindset.
Bright Horizons, a leading global provider of high-quality early education
and child care, is naturally integrating mindfulness into the daily routines of early learners at hundreds of its child care centers. Utilizing Inner Explorer, a platform designed to support mental health and well-being, Bright Horizons centers implement this daily mindfulness program to help its children learn critical skills like self-awareness, self-regulation and empathy.
“Young children don’t know how to recognize and manage their emotions. ey use coping tools available to them until they learn new strategies. Emotional recognition and regulation skills can and should be taught, just like any other set of skills. One of the most valuable strategies we can teach them is mindfulness,” said Bright Horizons Chief Academic O cer Rachel Robertson. “Mindfulness is paying attention on purpose, and we know it can play a crucial role in helping young children manage their emotions and actions. But, it requires intentional support from teachers and parents to develop it. Beginning mindfulness practices at an earlier age also boosts important cognitive skills. It has a signi cant impact on executive function, creating habits that carry into adulthood and nurturing several skills identi ed as essential for future success.”
Want to integrate more mindfulness
practices into a child’s daily routine? Robertson has several tips and techniques parents and teachers can use:
* e STOP Strategy: Stop, pause and focus. Take a deep breath. Observe what’s going on around you and inside yourself. Proceed.
* Gratitude Moments: Spend a few moments each day sharing what you are grateful for.
* Nature’s Symphony: Close your eyes and identify as many sounds as possible, from birds chirping to leaves rustling or cars nearby.
* Star sh Breathing: Take ve breaths as you trace your hand, one nger at a time.
* Mindful Walk: Pick one sense like sight and notice how many di erent colors you can see.
* Shake the Sillies Out: Pretend you’re a statue, take a deep breath and shake the energy out!
e possibilities of mindful activities for you and early learners are endless, and the bene ts of more intentional practice cannot be denied. To learn more about Bright Horizons, visit brighthorizons.com.
Cooper’s Soul Food Restaurant, nestled in the heart of Portsmouth, Virginia, is a culinary haven steeped in tradition and avor. From the moment you step through its welcoming doors, the aroma of Southern comfort food envelopes you, promising a soulful dining experience like no other. With a rich history spanning generations, Cooper’s is renowned for its mouthwatering dishes craed with love and care, each bite a testament to the kitchen’s dedication to preserving the essence of Southern cuisine. We were able to catch up with the Copelands and asked a few question about their gem.
What inspired the concept behind your restaurant?
e concept behind the restaurant, for the both of us, has always been to focus on God and family. And to me, if you have God and family in the right place, everything is in the right place. omas, there’s nothing better than to bring people together for food and fun.
Can you describe your culinary philosophy and how it’s re ected in your menu?
My culinary philosophy is there’s nothing better than homemade made with love and heart. And in our generations today, everything is out of a box from a microwave and a can. And I wanna transport you back to grandma’s kitchen where everything was made with love. We cook everything from scratch and fresh everyday. e only thing that comes out of a can in my restaurant is the green beans. We cut the collar greens, we peel the potatoes, we make everything fresh from scratch. And I think the focus that I put forward on family
and the fact that we only play gospel music in here, we don’t play loud, obnoxious music. It de nitely focused on family and God.
How do you source your ingredients? And do you prioritize locally for Coopers?
Absolutely, most of our ingredients come from vendors. I do buy local like my watermelon and stu like that. I try to buy from local street folks that are out on the street corner that picked them fresh from the eld. But a lot of our stu comes from PFG or Sisco. We do support local grocery stores and stu like that.
Can you share any standout dishes?
And, can you tell us items that have become signature items? I would de nitely say, our pigs feet. I get in trouble if I run out of them. We also known for our chitterlings however we need to nd them where they’re inexpensively priced so that I can a ord to get them. Last year, when we had them, I couldn’t keep them. As soon as I posted that I had them, they were gone. And this year, I haven’t been able to nd any at a sustainable price to make it a ordable to put out there.
How do you feel about innovation and new ways in the restaurant business?
I’m not big on innovation actually, because innovation means quick, fast, no love, no heart. I prefer to stick to old school, hard, homemade, putting the work in, because that’s where you get quality. If it’s quick, it’s not worth it. I believe, because of our conversation, just to me, giving back to the community is everything. It shouldn’t just be about pro t. It should be giving back to those who support you and help you succeed, because without them, you wouldn’t be you. And for me, a big passion of mine is feeding the homeless, the elderly and children. It saddens me in our country where we have so much wealth that children go hungry or elderly people go hungry. And so I have a Feed the Children program where I take a
business card to schools, to the Y, to social services, and that card entitles every child within a household to be able to come in here and get a free dinner. e parents don’t even have to buy a meal because this entitles everyone of their children to a free dinner, cause no child should go to bed hungry.
I’ve heard around Portsmouth about a issue that you had feeding someone. Can you tell us more about your act of kindliness? So one night I was leaving work and noticed a gentleman sleeping at the end of the building. And when I came back in the next morning, he was still down there, and I immediately came in and xed a tray and it made me cry. I immediately xed a tray of food and took it down to him and gave it to him. And a city o cial happened to be driving by in one of the city of Port Smith vehicles and inform me that I was breaking the law and that I could be ned if I continued to do that. He also told me, I had to stop. And I looked at him in my response to him was, well, I’m feeding Jesus. Fine me.
How does feedback from customers continually improve your diner’s experience? Customer feedback is everything. And if you don’t follow up with it and listen to it, you’re a fool because your customers are what make your restaurant next to your sta . If you don’t treat both well, you’re nothing because you wouldn’t be open if you didn’t have a great sta and you didn’t have great customers. So customer feedback is everything. We always ask if there’s something they’d like added to the menu. If we’re doing a special event, I customize the menu to them like, for an example, we’re getting ready to host a hundred year old birthday party. And I asked the clients mom if there’s anything special that makes her reminisce about her childhood and let me know so that I could include that in her menu.
How do you juggle with bing married and running the beautiful establishment? And give us some notable successes?
You de nitely have to take time out with your partner. My husband and I, being partners, brings its own challenges, and you need to take time out for each other. Keeping our marriage transparent is key. You have to take that time to work on your marriage as well as the business. e business should never come before your marriage. Our notable successes, I would say, is just that we’ve made it for as long as we have in a declining economy when everything is so tough, we’ve been able to keep our prices a ordable so that people can a ord to come in and stay focused on my mission statement, which is to transport people back to grandma’s house.
What exciting developments or expansions do you have plan for the future?
I am waiting for God to give me a standalone building where I can expand and focus even more and especially expand on what we’re starting in May, this rst Sunday, we are gonna start doing breakfast with church. We’re calling it Breakfast with the Word. Because, again, I want my restaurant to be very focused on God and getting that message out there. And so I have been praying
long time for God to give me something that would really make that statement loud and clear, that we are a light in this community, and we’re here to stay. And so starting this Sunday, we will start having church with breakfast. Every Sunday, I’ve got 20 pastors that have stepped up to be apart of this event and it gives them not only the opportunity to present a message here, but also to talk about their church. is also gives the opportunity to share what their churches are doing, bring people to them and bring people here. And we’re gonna feed their heart, and at the same time feed their bodies, you de nitely got to stop in to see I it. Be sure to come in, bring those children, you know.
And lastly, is there anything else you’d like to tell the readers of Seven Magazine?
Yes, we are e Copelands and together, we’re the owners of Coopers Soul Food Restaurant. We just wanna say thank you for coming in. ank you for stopping by. We appreciate you and look forward to seeing you soon and thank you for stopping in. Be sure to tell everybody about us.
Meet Deneen Majors, a powerhouse in the world of hairstyling whose journey began at the tender age of nine. Now a seasoned entrepreneur, Deneen is the proud owner of a thriving hair salon, o ering not only cutting-edge styles but also a range of health products and other ventures. With her unparalleled expertise and unwavering passion, Deneen continues to leave an indelible mark on both the beauty industry and her community.
Seven Magazine: I met you over in Norfolk almost 14 years ago! What are you doing over here in Portsmouth? Where are you originally from?
Deneen Majors: Well, I am originally from Norfolk, virginia, but I’ve been in Portsmouth, Virginia for like, the last 23 years.
Seven Magazine: How did you come over to the beautiful Hight Street in PTOWN! What inspired me to come to Portsmouth well, I was in college, and I met my best friend my freshman year in college, and she was from Portsmouth so I, when she showed me all about Portsmouth, I showed her all about Norfolk, and I decided that when I purchased my home I decided that Portsmouth was de nitely for me!
Seven Magazine: You know when they speak on P Town, they o en speak of the negativity here. I love downtown Town and I believe it is a beautiful place. Tell me what about this area does it for you?
Deneen Majors: For me, I love Portsmouth!
I love the various family events that we do every year, I love how the community, besides the negativity, comes together no matter what. Most of all I love the food right down on High Street. So when I met my best friend, she introduced me to her family, and they took me in just like I belong with them, I became apart of her family! I’ve always been part of their family. And so that’s what made me love Portsmouth. I didn’t know that I was gonna bring my business to here, though, because I was still a Norfolk girl. You know omas, when I came over, I realized how Portsmouth showed me so much more love.
Seven Magazine: Speaking of you coming over here to to bring your business, tell us about your business.
Deneen Majors: So my business is a lot of things! I am the part owner of Major Moves Beauty Studio. I’m partner with my daughter, Taryn Majors. Everyone calls her Alexis, but that is my partner. And we own a hair salon over here near social services. And we love it, the atmosphere, the area, omas the people are great! I don’t know what people think, but this is a great area where you can raise your family! Anywhere you go is going to have a rough area that many frown on however you have to look past it, try to help that community and build with people. Like you I like to eat and we’re close to food, we’re close to fun! Also o of High street, I also have an o ce, right near Roger Browns Restaurant where I am a real estate agent. So I am really all about Portsmouth.
Seven Magazine: Tell me what type of environment typically would a customer encounter when coming to Major Moves?
Deneen Majors: omas, it is so relaxing. We’re de nitely family oriented. We do believe in children are people too, so we welcome the whole family. At my Salon, we can cater to everyone in the family. You know one time we had the mom, the dad, the son, the daughter, we had a whole family at one
time, getting their services, so they loved it.
Seven Magazine: I see your daughter working so hard in the salon, is this your only child?
Deneen Majors: No, I have ve. I have ve children.
Seven Magazine: ats a nice size family!
Deneen Majors: Yes. I’m a hard working mother!
Seven Magazine: Deneen, what type of clients are you currently taking?
Deneen Majors: My clients that I currently service right now are pretty much like me, very, very laid back, very, um, easy going, um. But I have clients that range from age ve all the way up to 90. So it’s not one type of demographic or client. I do all races, all nationalities. I just love to do hair! I’ve been doing styles since I was in my early teens! I really love to make my clients happy and because I come from a school where they taught you that hair is fabric. I came from Wards Corner Academy. I started braiding hair when I was nine, and so I actually wanted to go to hair school. My mom said no, even during high school, when everybody was going to Norfolk VOTEC, she told me I couldn’t go, I had to go take a business class. So while everyone else was doing the VOTEC thing, I was at Maury High School doing marketing. at was my class. And even when I graduated from high school, she still said, no, like you can get a job, get a city job or something, or go to school, you can do something. So I decided to go to school. And when I graduated from high school, and graduated from college, I gave her my diploma and said, “now can I do what I wanna do?” Here I am a grown woman, asking her, now, can I do what I wanna do? She said, I don’t care what you do now. So then I became a student at Wards Corner Beauty Academy at the age of 26. Taryn, my daughter was 18
months old when I graduated from beauty school so I’ve been doing hair for quite some time.
Seven Magazine: So what college did you graduate from?
Deneen Majors: I graduated from the beautiful Norfolk State University. Behold the green and gold. I have a Bachelors of Science of Marketing. Yes, I do. It’s a Bachelor of Science in Business with the emphasis in marketing. I am a distributor for a company called Partnerco and that’s only a year and three months old. It was started by two pastors who came together to save 4 other companies. Noni is our agship because that’s my team. ere are other agship products, however we are focused on the Noni which means a gi from God. We wanna make sure we push getting healthy from the inside out. is product is the thruth and everyone says it feels great and it works amazingly throughout my body. omas, I take Noni juice and another product we have called skinny drops and from staying on my. Products it has got me these results in 28 days, it’s wild because I dropped 47 lb. in 28 days! You know, I have to keep busy with family, Noni and hair because it some days can be a bit di cult. I’ve had a lot of loss in the last two years, like losing my dad in December of of 2022 and then losing my mom in March. She died March the fourth of 2023. So in three months I lost both my parents. So it was a lot of grief, a lot of pain and everyday I work through it. I just pulled up my big girl undees and I had to say to myself, “ I’m gonna do this.” I’m gonna nally do what’s good for my body. Because both my parents died from cancer, and I didn’t want that to be my fate. My father had prostate cancer and my mom had lung cancer. omas, the crazy part of it all was my dad was in remission and covid brought it back! My father caught covid inside of a
waiting room. He had no pain, nothing. He was just experiencing a little uneasiness in his chest. And so they took him to the emergency room, and he caught covid in the emergency room.
Seven Magazine: Wow Deneen, that’s a lot to deal with, I’m sorry to hear about your loss. Can you let us know what would you like us all to know about you?
Deneen Majors: So let me tell you something about Deneen Majors. I am a person with a big heart, and I will help anybody. But my goal right now is to let people know that this transformation that you see before you had nothing to do with me, is the fact that I surrendered and I gave my life to Christ. And lastly, I’ve always loved God. I’ve always cared about Jesus. But when the Holy Spirit takes over, it’s nothing you can do about it. When you let go and you let God, this is what you get, you get a carefree life. And I just always say, I’m not gonna worry about what others have to say about me or how others treat me, I’m only concerned with how I treat other people because that’s what God is looking at, and that’s my rise.
Seven Magazine: Beautiful. ank you.
Deneen Majors: You’re welcome. ank you.
Seven Magazine: Can you tell us your phone number and your address to the salon?
Yes, my phone number is (757) 2370255. at’s my claim to fame. And my address to my salon is Major Moves Beauty Studio, located at 509 Williamsburg Avenue, Portsmouth, Virginia. 23704, we’re next door to Social Services across from Norcom High School.
As a young Marine 42 years ago, John was stationed at Camp Elmore in Norfolk. He met Sharon through a fellow Marine. at began a beautiful journey of raising 6 kids and serving the Lord together. It was while attending a Gospel service at a base chapel in Okinawa, Japan, that they began truly growing in Christ and learning how to serve Him. rough John’s military career, the Lord brought them to churches where they worked in many diverse ministries. ey served from building projects to youth ministries and youth choir to food lines. John felt the Lord’s calling while in Jacksonville, FL. At that time, Sharon envisioned that their future ministry would be feeding people through perhaps a food truck while sharing the Gospel. A er John’s retirement, God led them back to Virginia where Sharon was raised. Due to some traumatic experiences in her childhood, however, this was not where she wanted to be. But they started a Bible study in their home of about 5-10 people that kept growing to where they began renting space within a local church. Up to 40 folks were attending. John said that the members of the other church would peek their heads into their room because they could hear them praising the Lord! John and Sharon were sure that they were called to ministry.
13 years ago, they moved their church into a Newport News building beside
a men’s rescue mission. ey began meeting the physical needs of those in their area, providing nonperishable food, blankets, etc. God also led them through a process of meeting the needs of young Marines and others in the neighborhood who just kept coming their way. ey now also work with the USDA program at six di erent sites every month to serve people who pick up food. eir names are on the Food Bank website from which they get calls - John, his brother-in-law Je , and other church members help with those needs.
John and Sharon feel so blessed. Serving the homeless was di cult at rst because they had a hard time not seeing why the people couldn’t just get a job and make their lives right. But through Faith Bible College courses, their perspective began to change. Classes such as Evangelism and Anthropology helped them see humanity di erently. ey began seeing the homeless as created in God’s image, having the DNA of the Father in them. is changed their whole church approach and how they thought. rough the Romans class, they were reminded not to judge because it is only God who can judge.
Sharon admits that she used to want a glamorous church where everybody came in smiling and smelling wonderful and looking good. But that is not who God is giving them! Regardless of who they are (or how they smell), their church provides breakfast for folks every Sunday during Sunday School while they teach
them the Gospel of Jesus Christ. ey had seen that people o en get the ‘middle of the story’, but they needed to start at the beginning with Jesus. ey needed to see who He really is, the God who loves them and has saved them, not the church or who the pastors are. John knew that some folks come to get what they want and become professional churchgoers, but they really need God’s Word. So they changed their Sunday School from teaching a curriculum to studying straight from God’s Word so everyone leaves with ‘food for thought.’ Folks are responding. Some have given their lives to Christ and are continuing to grow in Him. e Baxtons share that they are learning in the process. John started understanding what a NC pastor had shared - that you can’t treat church people like you would treat Marines who did what they were told! And you can’t get out of character; you have to remain in the character of the Lord. Sharon realized her original vision of feeding people and sharing Jesus was only a partial picture - she hadn’t envisioned the details as the Lord had planned! ey praise God for all the godly men and women who spoke into their lives, counseled them, and weren’t afraid to tell them the truth. Accountability is important.
family growing up, but then realized she was bringing that into her own familyeverything had to be perfect and in its place, including the house, the kids, etc. She didn’t know that those behaviors carried their own dysfunction. She feels that through FBC, God is helping her rightly divide His Word of truth. She knows that each course has been part of God’s plan for her and, as He answers her questions about her own life, she can now share with con dence. ey feel that they used to only skim the surface, but truly knowing and understanding the Bible is the greatest gi that they can give others. Christ never stops amazing them. From free bags of brand new men’s sweaters to a man in Walgreens who said, “ is is on me,” John was reminded “...with love and kindness I have drawn thee” (Jeremiah 31:3). God was showing him, “ is is what brings people to Me, not your preaching, but it’s the love.” ey have cut out activities that were all about the passion of ministry to focus on sharing the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. Sharon’s brother Je and his wife Janice have been in ministry here with the Baxtons from the start. Sharon talked with Janice about FBC and they decided to take classes together. ey are both on schedule to get their degrees in May
Sharon has been working on a book about dysfunctional families and how you can take dysfunctional ways into God’s house without really knowing what that means. While researching, she identi ed the dysfunction in her take May 2024.
