Huami Magazine Dallas/Fort Worth March/April 2022

DALLAS/FORT WORTH

®

March/April 2022 Vol. 2 Issue 4

Be And Us LLC Dallas/Fort Worth - Nov./Dec. 2021

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It Matters Who We Are At Our Core A Letter From The Editor

There Are No If, Ands, Or Buts About It!

We have finally made it to the month of March. However, living in North Carolina, I learned not to get my hopes for warm A Lettertoo from thedue Editor weather high to the inconsistency in the weather patterns. All in the same day, it may feel like it’s Springtime, and before you know it, the temperature may rise, and it feels What if By tomorrow didn’tit’s arrive?

All of your plans, hopes like Summer; the evening, Fall-like, and when midnight and dreams wouldn’t have a street to park on.

What if arrives, it’s Winter. That is just how it is in North Carolina. everything that you decided to put off until tomorrow never happened?

There would reason for aevery rainy day, I am a warm-weather kind be of no guy.

If it’sto 70save degrees day, andwith you could spare someone the trouble of making that is fine me. Though I’ve survived the Winter, I can do promises.

What if your last opportunity seemingly expired without it. today? What would you do?

As a young kid, my mother would dress my brother and me I’ve beencoats told that I often seemus like do outside too much. in thick winter before allowing toI go and play Honestly, I feel like I am not doing enough and I’m a firm in the cold. Underneath the coats, we wore sweaters, two believer in knowing that God wouldn’t put anything on meto t-shirts, thermals, and sometimes more t-shirts. She wanted that we I couldn’t I sometimes wonder how life would ensure would handle. not get too cold while out playing.

We didn’t, be if I chose to sit idle and accept what it presented to me. I and when it was time to come back inside, mom would peel found that to away, be verydown boring.

In my opinion, opportunity ourhave layers of clothing to one shirt.

Our inner core is a blessing that isn’t afforded to everyone.

A challenge body temperature remained warm beneath everything, and our to me is an adventure. What is the worst that can happen? wellbeing remained intact. That experience reminds me of how If I do nothing, I fail, and if I try I don’t, but instead learn God protects me for all seasons and situations. something new about myself. Relinquish your pride and in return acquire life.

Through prayer, fasting, reading God’s word, and application, a layer of protection is placed over my life. When I keep God at The best advice ever given to me happened when someone my core, He reveals Himself when the layers are peeled away. told me to make my tomorrow happen today. In doing so These layers can be fear, shame, depression, guilt, or anything I have pressed my way through doors with a key that only the enemy may try to use to discourage me into believing I am hope provided. I have also learned the difference between less than what God created me to be. what God blesses me with and what life can burden me with as well. I compare it to knowing when to be confident and I start each day with prayer and reading, and I seek God when to be quiet, because first; that is the first layer applied. When my faith is tested someone may get it confused throughout the day, I speak life with being arrogant. into my situation and rest on God’s promise. Make By doing another you this, tomorrow layer is happen applied,today, and I am butwarmed most by whatimportantly I expect tomake happen by faith. it count.

Before Life my day ends, I can only is but a whisper andthank God forwe Hismust graceput yetourselves once again in afor keepingposition me. Wetomust keep God hear what it is at the core of who telling us.we are.

www.huamimagazine.com Terry L Watson

Publisher

www.huamimagazine.com Ellen Richardson Editor In Chief Writer Terry L. Watson Terry L. Watson Writer Alana Allen - Deputy Editor Dorjea’ McClammey Writer Writers

Still Shots Photography Photographer Tonya Dixon Luanna Moglamu Terry L. Watson Photographer Victoria Fowler Alana Allen Photographer Tamara Smith

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dallas.huami@gmail.com Who Shotya Photography Howard Gaither Photography (336)340-7844 Layout

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A Group For Followers and mykelmedia@yahoo.com Supporters Huami Magazine (336)of340-7844 HUAMI MAGAZINE is published bimonthly quarterly by the Mykel Media Company. Any reproduction of any portion of this publication is prohibited without written permission from the publisher prior to doing so. Mykel Media doesn’t accept responsibility for statements made by individuals featured or advertisers. Comments concerning this publication may be submitted to the editor by Email or Telephone E-mail at terrywatson@huamimagazine.com terry.editor@yahoo.com terry.editor@yahoo.com 336-340-7844 or to Mykel Media Company, LLC P.O. Box 20102 Greensboro, NCReserved 27420 2022 All Rights HUAMI MAGAZINE 2014 All Rights Reserved

Terry L. Watson

Terry L. Watson Editor/Founder

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November/December 2014

On The Cover

Photo by Shaw Photography Group

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CONTENTS

MARCH/APRIL 2022

DALLAS/FORT WORTH

Moe Elam-Joseph 34 thee_situation LLC

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On The Cover

Be and Us LLC

Frenchaire Gardner

Victoria Marie Photography

Victoria Fowler

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Hair & Stuff 216

Remona Taylor

Huami Magazine Cutest Baby

Wynter Rose

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Also Featured

Patrick Bean He is singing and praising God. Learn more about the founder of Bonafide Worshippers.

Little Rock, AR

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Lalese Stamps She has always been a creative.

Now, her talents are taking her places she never imagined.

Meet the face and owner of Lolly Lolly Ceramics.

Milwaukee, WI

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Tameran Davenport She made the huge step from Corporate America in to the world of Entreprenuership with Positive Outlook Trainings.

Charlotte, NC

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Be And Us LLC

By Terry L. Watson Photos Provided by Frenchaire Gardner Dallas, TX resident Frenchaire Gardner is a product of the communities of which raised her. She describes herself as someone who loves all things that are artsy and creative and uses her imagination to share joy and peace. She’s a dancer, teacher, author, entrepreneur, and more.

Yet, Frenchaire is genuinely a lover of people and desires to positively impact whomever she encounters.

Frenchaire is the daughter of Virgie and John Gardner. She says her mother raised her as a single parent in South and East Dallas. As a parent herself, she often dotes on her children Joseph Jr., Frenchaire-Two, Sarai, and Melchizedek Malcolm X. “My mama nurtured my artistic and creative energy by enrolling me in dance classes. As a teen, I danced with Erykah Badu, aka Erica Wright, and we performed throughout the Dallas - Fort Worth Metroplex,” she says.

Additionally, she participated in a dynamic dance performance in St. Louis that featured prominent professional dancers and has acted in the play, “We Scream In Silence” and performed in St. Louis, Kansas City, and Chicago.

Frenchaire graduated from Southern Methodist University in Dallas with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Sociology in 2002. In 2011, she moved from Dallas to St. Louis, MO, leaving all of her family and found her niche in the insurance and public relations industries. She is licensed in the states of Texas, Missouri, and Ohio for Insurance and she focuses on helping families and businesses protect what’s most important to them.

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In the years that followed, Frenchaire worked in various capacities, including public relations for a publishing company, and even acquired a multi-family building and dabbled with property management. The property management experience she shared was challenging. “Hiring productive, trustworthy help to maintain the building was difficult. Many hired people did not finish the job or did a shoddy job. It was tough to manage the tenants while collecting rent on time, and I have too much heart to evict people,” she says. Still encouraged, she decided to move from St. Louis to China and teach English in 2019. Her commitment was for a year, but due to her needing to care for her mother back home, she couldn’t stay.

Today, Frenchaire is the owner and founder of Be And Us LLC. Her company offers original prints, including toddler t-shirts, baby bodysuits, t-shirts, hoodies, duvets, shower curtains, and blankets.

She also offers rugs, throw pillows, bath mats, notebooks, stickers, greeting cards, face masks, neck gaiters, phone cases, mugs, and tote bags.

Each product is designed with one of four of her original acrylic abstract paintings. Additionally, Frenchaire teams up with other Black businesses to sell products like hoodies, art, and books.

Frenchaire founded Be And Us LLC in St. Louis in 2017. She decided to start a brand after speaking with a good friend regarding t-shirt brands. She told him that her t-shirt brand would be “Be” and he said that his brand would be “Us.” She combined both words to create “Be And Us LLC” when she started her brand. She says, “If you just be your best self, you can fulfill your purposes. Together we can help each other complete each other’s goals because teamwork truly makes the dream work.”

In 2019, she started a podcast called A News You Can Use Podcast that she hosts, which is now a global podcast streaming in all major podcasting platforms. On the podcast, Frenchaire interviews other BIPOC business owners and allows them to share their successes and failures.

Frenchaire has several self-published books that are available in both paperback and e-book format. This collection includes a children’s book titled Mommy & Daddy Do You Still Love Me Anymore? There is also an Amazon Best-Seller titled Finding Joy in the Journey, a 90 day devotional.

Volume 2 is an anthology of 90 authors writing on the topic spearheaded by Vernessa Blackwell. The Single Struggle Continues is part of the Confinement Series produced by Angie Bee. Several authors talk about their experiences during the Covid 19 pandemic in this audiobook.

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adopted children s still love them ses from the point ken to foster care, their families. our children; olm X, and Sarai, much.

Frenchaire says she truly loves what she does, mainly because it allows her to learn about the interests of diverse people. She also enjoys connecting people with others based on their interests. She is mostly inspired by her children and says, “It is her greatest desire that my four children and I reunite once they are liberated from the adoption system. When that time comes, we will travel the world together; laughing, loving and getting to know each other. We will visit Africa first as I promised them years ago.”

Her advice to those thinking about jumping into the world of entrepreneurship is to research the industry you’re seeking to join.

“Confer with and seek mentorship from folks doing the same thing and test the market to see how well your product or service is received. It’s important to create a business plan, obtain a business bank account and an EIN number from the IRS. You must also build relationships with bankers. Also, set up your business structure and get proper licenses, including trademarks. You must obtain business insurance and network, collaborate, and partner with other businesses. Create a standard of operation and hire a team of people you can trust. Also, connect with the SBA and other organizations that provide business resources and networking,” she says.

In the future, Frenchaire plans to continue to grow her brand and business by developing workshops and participating in speaking engagements. She also plans to market and promote herself on various platforms and write more books and journals. For the most part, Frenchaire doesn’t have any plans to slow down. h

addy, Mommy & D Love Do You Still ?

Me Anymore

she graduated s, Texas in 2002 and Sociology. ate. She designs She created podcast advocate for Black unities in several nity vending, duced the hip-hop is the co-author ney Vol. 2 and tinues audiobook.

Written By

Frenchaire Gardner

Art By

Dail Chambers

“If you just be your best self, you can fulfill your purposes. Together we can help each other complete each other’s goals because teamwork truly makes the dream work.”

Be and Us LLC

www.linktr.ee/beandusllc mylinks.ai/beandusllc 314-690-8765 9

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Lalese Stamps Lolly Lolly Ceramics

By Terry L. Watson Photos Provided By Loalese Stamps

Lolly Lolly Ceramics, the name itself, exudes excitement.

Founded in 2017 by Lalese Stamps, Lolly Lolly Ceramics is a Black-owned, womenrun small business in Milwaukee, WI. The brand focuses on objects that are functional, unique, and handmade.

In September of 2019, Lalese embarked on a 100 Day Project where she made 100 mugs with 100 different handles for 100 Days, bringing national recognition to the Lolly Lolly name. Today the Lolly team is made up of four people, but growing. The demand for Lolly Lolly Ceramics is high. Most recently, Lalese was invited to appear on the Daily Show with Trevor Noah to celebrate Women’s History Month. A collaboration was announced between the two, The Lolly Lolly Ceramics x The Daily Show with Trevor Noah Collection, and will feature three special-edition mug styles set.

Lolly Lolly Lolly originated in Columbus, OH. In July 2021, Lalese moved her operations to Milwaukee, which is also her hometown. “I’ve been a creative my entire life, but I didn’t begin to make ceramics until 2017. I studied graphic design at the Columbus College of Art and Design in Columbus. While studying for my undergrad, I noticed that I was always on my laptop and became afraid that I wasn’t using my hands to create as much, so I enrolled in a pottery class at my local community arts center. From there, I started selling ceramics at the local flea market to make a little extra money. One thing led to another, and now I’m selling direct-to-consumer on my own website, wholesaling, and even doing custom orders for brands such as Saine Heron and Solange and the MOMA Design Store,” she says.

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“I always tell people to listen to their gut and just keep going. As you grow, there are going to be people who interject themselves onto your dreams and goals, but only you know you, and you’ve gotten yourself far for a reason.”

In September of 2019, Lalese designed and completed a 100 Day Project where she made 100 mugs for 100 days with 100 different handles. This project has been her sort of claim-to-fame experience. In addition to mugs, this year they hope to roll out more dinnerware pieces like bowls, and plates.

With an abundance of plants in the studio, planters possibly will be a major alignment to the Lolly Lolly Ceramics brand.

Lalese says she is inspired by a lot of things. Recently she went to the Harley Museum for the first time in Milwaukee and was amazed at what she saw. “The museum itself is beautiful, but seeing the journey of another brand is so inspiring. They’ve saved everything from bank notes to invoices to initial motorcycle sketches. I hope I can grow my brand to be recognized on a global scale like Harley is.”

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Like most businesses, Lolly Lolly Ceramics has seen its share of challenges.

The biggest challenge has been handling the high demand of work. The growth of Lolly Lolly Ceramics happened very quickly. Navigating entrepreneurialism has suddenly become a wild ride for Lalese, but she says it’s also very empowering.

“Scaling up our production has been a challenge within this challenge. We want to produce more work for our audience, but that has meant a lot of sacrifice and patience. We are so close to rolling out a new way to produce our pieces; we’re excited about it because it’ll mean new opportunities for products, workshops, new team members, and so much more,” Lalese says.

The journey for Lolly Lolly Ceramics has been enjoyable, says Lalese. She shares this isn’t much she would change about how things have happened. “I” ve learned along the way, and I’ve hired the right people to navigate areas that are unfamiliar to me.”

For others who may follow the same path as she has, Lalese shares some sound advice and encouragement. “I always tell people to listen to their gut and just keep going. As you grow, there are going to be people who interject themselves onto your dreams and goals, but only you know you, and you’ve gotten yourself far for a reason. Sometimes outside advice can be helpful, but it also can be very detrimental. You need to have the wherewithal to be able to take it all in, but know which things are important and which are not,” she says. h

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Victoria Marie Photography LLC 16

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By Terry L. Watson Photos by Victoria Fowler The craft of photography has grown in popularity in recent years, possibly due to the conversion from film to digital photo production. We live in a digital age, where a quick turnaround on anything seems to be the majority preference.

Still, to succeed in this arena, one must have an eye for it. Without it, it’s almost impossible to separate yourself from the masses.

Victoria Fowler of Nashville is the owner of Victoria Marie Photography LLC. She began shooting for the first time around 2011 and 2012. She shares, “Around that time, I really didn’t take it as seriously as I could have. My nursing career was taking off, so I approached it like a hobby and it didn’t materialize. I always enjoyed taking pictures, but life got in the way, and I just put it out of my mind. Then the Covid 19 pandemic started in 2020, and I had a lot more time on my hands. So I learned everything about photography and decided to invest in a beginner professional camera. Once I got my hands on it, I told myself if I could bet on anything, I could bet on myself. In a few short months, I outgrew my beginner camera and purchased another one.”

Victoria was born and raised in Nashville and graduated from Tennessee State University in 2008. For the last fourteen years, she has worked full-time as a Registered Nurse. She is the mother of a six-year-old son, whom she says is her world because he pushes her everyday to be better and do better. Victoria naturally loves helping people, which is why she decided to pursue nursing. “Nursing has changed my life. I have met some unforgettable people along the way.

I have always loved taking pictures to document everything, so as my nursing career took off, I bought a camera and took pictures,” she says.

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“When you come to me, all I want you to do is be prepared for an experience of a lifetime that you will remember, forever.”

Victoria is a luxury maternity photographer. She provides makeup and wardrobe creative design for her maternity clients with each photography production. “When you come to me, all I want you to do is be prepared for an experience of a lifetime that you will remember forever,” Victoria says.

She currently serves Nashville and the surrounding areas and will travel upon request.

Being able to wake up everyday knowing that she has a purpose inspires Victoria. Also, knowing and trusting God that she has found her purpose inspires her as well. She credits her parents with having the biggest impact on her life as they have supported her 1000% in anything she wanted to do. “They raised me to be a woman of my word, to be kind in a world that is not, do the right thing, and be myself,” she says. “If I could give them the world, I would.”

Victoria shares she has enjoyed her ride, from being a nurse to becoming a full-fledged photographer. “I wouldn’t change anything about the experience I’ve had. I am right where God wants me to be. Things don’t happen on my time but on time. I am truly blessed to be able to do what I do, and I have big plans for my future,” she says. h

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Latoya Johnson Bodied By KLE

By Dorjae’ McClammey Photos Provided by Fredro Star

Latoya Johnson of Huntsville, AL, is the owner of Bodied by KLE, a body sculpting studio. She is also the face of The Latoya Johnson Brand, her personal line of luxury wellness products for both men and women.

Bodied by KLE is a family-owned business. She is married to Eric Johnson, who is also her business partner. KLE are the initials of their three amazing children. Khyah, Laylah, and Eric III all play significant roles in the family business.

The company is based in a studio setting, and Latoya focuses on educating her clients on self-care techniques. They also strive to help their clients achieve their ultimate Bodied goals while providing a clean and safe environment. Some of their services include Body Sculpting, Yoni Steaming, Lip Blushing, and Semi Permanent Makeup. Additionally, Bodied By KLE offers Microblading/ Microshading and Body Sculpting classes for those interested in making a career move. Latoya points out that all of her services begin with a detailed consultation that’s designed to ensure their clients have a concise understanding of whatever procedure is taking place.

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“I want to be a good example to my children. I love how they come to me for business advice and life lessons.

They’re watching me grind and create a legacy.”

Along with her family, Latoya made the trek to Huntsville from South Alabama. She is a country girl at her core, and says she is living the “country life in the city”. “I love to garden, and I also own a few chickens and a duck. I love when Mr. Johnson takes me fishing, and we have even camped in the backyard before.”

Initially, Latoya and her husband, an engineer, set out to establish a consulting company. However, things would change after Latoya and her sister took a trip to the spa. Latoya received her first body contouring experience and loved it so much that she bought the machine. Latoya took it home with her, and they learned how to use it in no time. They began conducting contouring sessions in their home, eventually obtained their certificates and licenses, created a company under the KLE Solutions’ Umbrella, and moved operations to a traditional brick-and-mortar location.

Soon, Latoya stepped away from her job and gave Bodied by KLE her full attention.

The couple continued their research and acquired body sculpting education, and focused on perfecting their craft. What is sewed shall also be reaped; in July 2020, Bodied by KLE was established.

The Latoya Johnson Brand was established in November 2021. Latoya says it began as a supplement to Bodied

by KLE and offered detox teas, yoni oils, and waist trainers. The Latoya Johnson Brand is transitioning into an adult intimacy company. This new and sexy line of products aims to create a space for women to experience the power of the “Yoni.”

Before starting Bodied by KLE, Latoya worked in the healthcare industry for over 20 years. She has a background in Nursing and Health Care Administration. She served as the Director of Nursing in a prominent Assisted Living community in Huntsville.

Latoya shares how she has always had a passion for making others feel better. “My career in management has played a huge role in helping me teach others about healthy living.”

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Latoya says she loves being her own boss. Most importantly, she enjoys operating a family business and securing her family’s future. “I want to be a good example to my children. I love how they come to me for business advice and life lessons. They’re watching me grind and create a legacy,” she says. “Everything that I do is connected to their future. I do it for them.” She is also developing a continued education/ mentorship program that will teach body contouring secrets and branding and marketing techniques. Bodied by KLE is also developing a mobile solution for Postop care clients that have received cosmetic procedures such as Lipo- 360. “We will be the spa that comes to you,” she shares.

Latoya offers some advice for those thinking about entering the world of entrepreneurship. “It doesn’t have to be perfect for you to launch it, and don’t allow the small things to hold you back from your dreams,” she says. h

Bodied By KLE www.bodiedbykle.com bodiedbykle@gmail.com 256-274-1477

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Hair & Stuff 216 26

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By Dorjae’ McClammey Phtos by Remona Taylor Like most urban communities around the country, African American ownership of beauty supply stores was once nonexistent. Historically, the percentage in the consumption and purchases of beauty supplies greatly leans towards African Americans when compared to other races, rarely do they reap or benefit from their spending choices. Now, the landscape is changing, and a new color of ownership is emerging.

Cleveland, OH native Remona Taylor is the CEO of Hair & Stuff 216 Beauty Supply. Located in the heart of Cleveland, OH, the growing supply chain offers popular, trending, and reputable products such as Black Panther, Curls, Mielle, The Mane Choice, and The Doux. They also have natural beauty and hair care products inspired and handmade by small business owners like LaJAshley, Blossom Beauty Co, and Premier Ponytail Band. “Hair & Stuff 216 works with local and out-of-state small business owners to exclusively carry the unique trending products in our store,” Remona says.

For quite some time, Remona always wanted to be a business owner. While in Graduate school, she would constantly ask her husband, Raymell, if they could start a business. His reply was always, “when you finish school, we can talk about it.” So that’s what she did; she completed everything, and things began to move.

Pictured with Remona and Raymell are their children Malessa Raymell Jr.

At first, her husband wanted her to think outside of the box. She gave him ideas for all types of businesses like daycares, home healthcare agencies, and more. Then one day, while traveling to the closest beauty supply store, which was 45 minutes away, Remona and her husband realized an opportunity to fill a void in their community.

She said to her husband, “I have an idea; what about a beauty supply store?” Being the smarty pants he is, Remona says he responded, “I have a better idea, what about a beauty supply store?”

This (make it happen, duo) hit the ground running from that conversation.

This was 2017. Even though Remona and Raymell both were working full-time jobs, they weren’t deterred. They contacted a friend who helped them get started by selling all types of hair bundles. It began with them selling bundles, purchasing business cards, and registering their business name. Remona and Raymell continued to work hard until they secured their lease for their initial brick and mortar retail location. During this time it took 4 months to create the store and open the doors January 13th, 2018. “Our shelves were bare, and we purchased the small amount Dallas/Fort Worth - Nov./Dec. 2021

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of product we had with our own money. We were a little hesitant at first, but just like a kid on Christmas Day, I ripped the paper off and opened the doors, and Hair & Stuff 216 came to life,” she says.

At first, due to staffing issues, they could only have the store open for part-time hours. After one year, they hired their first employee, which helped them grow from their original 900-foot store into a 2400 square foot space.

Remona has built her business to serve the needs of her community and is fully committed to giving back to it. She accomplishes this by working with other entrepreneurs in Cleveland, such as the owner of Events on Ridge, Alisha Norris! Together they created Westside W.R.A.P (working relationships and positivity), a group for entrepreneurs who learn and help each others’ businesses grow.

Malessa & Raymell Jr.

Remona says what she loves most about her business is the relationships developed with her customers. She refers to them as Kings and Queens and knowing that she can give them a comfortable experience while shopping is essential to her. As for what inspires her, Remona stated, “Knowing that I’m doing the right thing at the right time and doing right by God, my family, myself, and aligning with my purpose. That inspires me more than anything else. My mom alway makes the statement to me “reach for the stars”; well I am now reaching beyond those stars and it’s time to touch the universe.”

While the journey has been challenging as an entrepreneur, Remona says it has been worth it.

“God has made it, so it’s not an issue. Through it all, the long nights and hard times, my lights are on, the gas bill is paid, I’m able to manage and grow the inventory and pay my employees.

Most of all, I’m still winning.”

6277 Pearl Road Suite D Parma Heights Ohio 44130 440-345-5595 www.hairandstuff216.com

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In the future, Remona plans to bring more jobs to her community by hiring more employees and ultimately opening another store. She is a determined businesswoman who has changed how African Americans purchase beauty products. Her final message for those who may follow a path similar to her is, “Let your faith be bigger than your fears; trust it and stand on it.”

Please visit their website to learn more about Remona Taylor and Hair & Stuff 216. h

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Bonafide Worshippers 30

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By Ellen Richardson Photos Provided by Patrick Bean Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. – Psalm 105:2 (New International Version).

If you are a part of the church-going crowd and you enjoy singing praises to our wonderful Heavenly Father, then you need to know more about Patrick Bean & The Bonafide Worshippers. This apostolic gospel group was birthed from the dream of Forrest City, AR native Patrick Bean. “I am a church boy who loved music,” said Bean. “I grew up in church and spent most of my free time listening to and dreaming of becoming a gospel singer like Donald Lawrence and Ricky Dillard. I started pursuing this passion alongside my brother and three other cousins when we formed a family youth ensemble when I was like five years old. I also started singing in my family’s church choir and became a praise and worship leader at a very young age.”

Although he would take a break from music for a brief period, God would keep the dream of bringing his worshipful music to all who need it. “It was funny that while I was taking a step back from music ministry, to enjoy spending time with my new bride, God birthed a new dream in my heart to start a gospel group,” said Bean.

“After sitting down with the pastor, I knew that this dream was going to become a reality.”

While it would take some time to find all the key players that would one day form a heavenly choir, the dream that God had placed in Bean’s heart began to take shape within a few months. “While I would like to tell you that everything fell into place easily, that was not the case,” said Bean. “As a matter of fact, it would take months of researching and sending inquiries to other gospel musicians/singers to find out if they would be interested in forming a group of apostolical worshippers,” said Bean. “Fortunately, God began opening doors, and people started agreeing to join my wife and me from all over, including Tennessee, Missouri, Texas, and Illinois.”

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Before long, this group of God-given performers from around the Midwestern United States were rehearsing and performing at churches, conferences, stage plays, and going on tour with gospel musicians like Chrystal Rucker, Evangelist Andrew Johnson, famed Pastor Tim Rogers, and Leandra Johnson. “It has been an amazing experience. I have always loved music, and found my first love for the church in music,” said Bean. While the Gospel group that was once a dream inside a young man’s heart began their claim to fame by singing gospel songs that were made famous by a few of Bean’s mentors, it would not take long before the Lord led this lover of worship music towards writing his own gospel tunes. “I will never forget my brother pulling me aside and telling me that if I wanted to build my and this group’s brand, then I needed to start writing my own songs. It’s funny because shortly after this, our group held a rehearsal where our first original single called “Finish The Work” came to life,” he said.

Following this single, Bean and his Bonafide Worshippers have written and released two singles, including their recent single taking the gospel world by storm – “Something’s About To Happen” and one full album. As this Contemporary Gospel Group continues to follow the path that God has laid out for them, what does the future look like for Patrick Bean and the Bonafide Worshippers?

“It has been an amazing experience. I have always loved music, and found my first love for the church in music.”

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“We have our second album coming out in the next two or three months, and I can see this one charting since our new/ lead single is being played regularly on various Christian radio stations and is even charting,” said Bean. “I am hoping that, with the help of my Heavenly Father, I and others in this group can become full-time artists so that we can bring God’s music to places like Italy, England, Africa, and throughout the world.”

Productions of Patrick Bean and the Bonafide Worshippers on popular online music outlets, including Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, and YouTube. You can also find out more about Bean and his worshippers on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. h

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thee_situation

By Terry L. Watson Photos Provided by Moe Elam-Joseph Just as the effect icing has on a cake, a good hat often completes the deal of an outfit or arrangement.

Monique Elam-Joseph of Houston, TX, is a self-described creative who loves art and fashion equally. She is a wife, mother, grandmother, and free spirit. Monique has been married to her husband, Marlon, for 21 years, of which they share two daughters, Asia and Taylor, and a one-year-old grandson, Zayd. Monique is a proud graduate of Grambling State University and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. This talented creative loves spending time with her family, attending church, and watching the latest Netflix series. She also has a passion for travel and has identified herself as a solo international traveler.

“Traveling is peaceful and it brings me great joy. I also love sharing my traveling experiences with others,” she says.

As stated, Monique has a natural love for art, and one day, she decided to paint a couple of her Fedora hats because she wanted to look different. She sent one of her designs to her mother, and the reviews were great. People soon inquired about where they could get Monique’s custom-designed Fedoras. During this same time, Monique had posted pictures of herself wearing her hats on her social media page. That action resulted in even more inquiries. Having those results on hand, Monique decided it was time to turn her craft into a business, and thee_situation LLC was born.

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Monique designs and customizes Fedora hats, blazers, and earrings. She shares she never dreamed of going into business.

When the decision was made to do so, she shared that she did not want to have the word, “hat” in the business’s name. “I knew I was more than hats,” she says. Instead she settled on “thee_situation”. “I am a part of a brunch group that produces themed brunches once a quarter. If one of our members is wearing a popping, dramatic outfit, we say, “What’s this situation you got going on? In December 2019, it came to me.

I’m a whole situation by myself,” she says.

Monique’s entrepreneurial path was set into place early in life. She says, “Growing up, I saw my parents involved in different business ventures, so entrepreneurship has always been instilled in me. My mom left a six-figure job in 2011 to pursue her balloon business and has never looked back.

Her decision inspired me to become an entrepreneur also,” she says.

Because she didn’t have any prior experience running a business, Monique says she faced several challenges with getting her company started. “I began by ordering hats from China. It would take 3-4 weeks and sometimes longer for shipping.

This was very inconvenient for me, yet fortunately, I was able to find a wholesaler in the United States,” she says.

While it may have been challenging to launch and grow her business, Monique says she wouldn’t have changed a thing. She is a visionary and is always looking ahead and planning for thee_situation LLC. Moving forward, she says she plans to incorporate more custom products and create a team to keep moving the business forward.

For those contemplating jumping into the world of entrepreneurship, Monique offers some tips and advice. “Purpose fuels passion, so whatever you love to do, it will put you in the right position. Don’t worry about business cards, a website, or even a name. Start by putting your work, ideas, and content out there and get a mentor.

Going into business sounds nice, but having a knowledgeable mentor will help with addressing the many aspects of the business,” she says.

To learn more about thee_situation LLC, please visit their website. h

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Tameran

Davenport

Positive Outlook Trainings

By Dorjae’ McClammey Photos by Luanna Moglamu

Charlotte, NC native Tameran Davenport is the CEO and President of Positive Outlook Trainings, LLC, a Tameran Baxter Inc company. Raised in a sound family setting, she has devoted her life to giving her children the best opportunity to live a well balanced life, succeed in her endeavors and help enhance the community.

Tameran attended the Charlotte/Mecklenburg school system and later acquired her formal education at the University of Phoenix to receive her BA in Management and MBA in Business Administration. Tameran also has a Data Analyst certificate from CPCC and a Business Analyst Certification from UNCC. She describes herself as a People Change Management Consultant, “I help people change their self talk, shift their mindset, and help them gain work-life balance, all while building legacy and enjoying life,” she says.

Tameran left Corporate America about seven years ago with these goals in mind; to operate in her purpose, live on her own terms and establish a legacy for her family. Tameran shares when she stepped away from corporate America, her passion was manufacturing the Positive Outlook Grooming products line. She produces Vegan and All Natural Men’s Grooming, Hair Care, and Skin Care products. Her most popular product is the men’s beard growth and grooming kit, a four-piece system including castile soap shampoo, apple cider vinegar tonic, growth serum, and a leave-in conditioning beard oil.

Tameran states she established her brand in 2018 to honor her father and brother, who passed away in a plane crash that her father was flying when she was only 13. “The reason why I make all-natural products for men is to give back the love my father and brother gave me during the time we spent together,” she says. Her products are 100% vegan, including a vegan foot care product. Her products are centered around a healthy lifestyle because she desires to contribute to men’s well-being and longevity.

Her second passion is Positive Outlook Trainings. Tameran says her journey with Positive Outlook Trainings began after she desired to use some of her schooling and life experiences.

In her search, she stumbled across an international learning and development company. She went on to say, “As I was looking through the companies database, God clearly told me to buy a license within this company. He said “I will let you know when to launch the company, and I will provide the people and resources needed to assist

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you with this business”. Without any knowledge of what to do next with this newfound opportunity, she made the purchase.

Tameran admitted she was skeptical at first but knew she heard that message loud and clear. For several years, she kept the business and licenses active as well as the website ready for God’s instruction. Tameran waited in anticipation of hearing that still voice say, “now is the time”. Two years after her initial business startup, the Covid 19 pandemic imposed its wrath worldwide.

Tameran was still a little skeptical, and now she was faced with the uncertainty of what Covid would bring. Still, she waited and listened, and now four years later, she has a learning management system that houses over 140+ e-learning training modules and programs. Tameran shares that Positive Outlook Training is almost ready to be introduced to the world as a leading e-learning and management system for small and medium-sized businesses and entrepreneurs that are ready to pivot. She knows everything is falling into place because she let go and let God work,” she shares.

Positive Outlook Training is an amazing library of leadership and development, human resources, business growth, and soft skills e-learning courses. It houses Employee Retention, Upskilling, Women’s Leadership and Development, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs to name a few. Its courses and programs are housed on an easy-to-use learning management system that offers reporting, case studies, and knowledge assessments which can be taken anywhere at any time on most computers and mobile devices. They also provide a branded certificate with the successful completion of a program and courses. Positive Outlook Trainings plan to add the 10hr and 30hr OSHA trainings to the portfolio by the end of the year.

Personally, Tameran has a heart of love, healing, and service for her community. She feeds her desire with Positive Outlook Trainings Elite (POT Elite), a coaching program that helps women entrepreneurs/small business owners operate within their comfort zone, expand their territory and have fun while increasing profit.

It also assists with creating more leverage allowing participants to work less and spend more time doing what they enjoy.

When asked what she loves most about what she does, Tameran credits being able to positively impress upon people’s lives and being able to help educate her community. She also appreciates the opportunity it offers by creating balance and eliminating stress in her life. She says her children are her biggest inspiration. Their drive and commitment to their aspirations in life motivate her to keep thriving. “My children keep me on my toes,” she shares.

Of course, everyone has their challenges, and Tameran has some as well. Having to leave the mindset of a solopreneur to be CEO is one of them. “You have to develop a new way of thinking, build an amazing team and learn to trust people with your process and procedures. I am learning that I could not do it all by myself,” she shares.

Postive Outlook Grooming www.pogrooming.com 980-319-3784 Positive Outlook Trainings www.positiveoutlooktrainings.com 704-665-8577

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Moving forward, Tameran plans to hire teams composed of thought leaders that will continue to grow the community and expand her businesses globally. Her advice to others who may travel the entrepreneurial path is to balance their lives. “Work-life balance is key; without it, you will not be fulfilled, and you will not live a long healthy life. More importantly, you will not be able to enjoy the fruits of your labor.” Her final words would be “to pray, quite the mind (meditate) and listen for Gods instruction. Let God instruct you on why He chose you!”

To learn more about Tameran and her companies, please visit her websites or follow her on social media @pogrooming and @potrainings. h

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Brothers Restoring Urban Hope, Inc.

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By Ellen Richardson Photos provided by Victor Durrah Jr. There are few powerfully inspiring stories like that of Victor Durrah, Jr. Victor is the President & Executive Director of B.R.U.H. Mentor (Brothers Restoring Urban Hope). This non-profit organization aims to restore urban communities across the Upstate of South Carolina through group mentorship, leadership training, and spiritual guidance, has turned his past into a prosperous future for the youth in his community.

“I grew up in a poor neighborhood in Cowpens, SC. While I was growing up, we had a community center that gave us a safe space to come and do homework, have a snack, play sports, and just receive any kind of support possible to all the kids in my apartment complex,” said Durrah. “The woman who operated this center, a woman we all called Mama Doris Anderson, was a real mentor. She even took us all on trips to Washington, DC. Everything that she did gave us hope for the future, and I just want to do the same for our future leaders.”

Before having the opportunity to achieve his goal, The 5-foot 11 athlete, who played guard in high school, would do the same at Spartanburg Methodist College. This opportunity would allow him to obtain his associate’s degree and transfer to the University of Southern Carolina Upstate to receive his bachelor’s degree in non-profit administration and management. “When I was given the opportunity to go to school, I originally planned to pursue teaching and coaching, but I felt like God was pointing me in a different direction, one that would allow me to impact my whole community more profoundly,” he said. That impact was through the B.R.U.H Mentor program.

While working at a local Boys & Girls Club, Durrah began to see a need for urban youth development and mentorship for young adults aged 16 to 18-years-old. “Once these impressionable students begin to age out of programs like this and others like it, I noticed that most were left to figure out how to become a successful adult without someone to show them what this looks like,” he said. “As a result, my fraternity brother Antonio Boyd and I began coming up with mentorship programming catered to underserved young adults between the ages of 16-24 that assisted them in discovering and developing their unique talents so that they could become thriving, productive, and engaged adults. It is funny because this started out as a class project that 17 years later has served over 20,000 young people throughout urban communities here in Spartanburg.”

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While giving birth to this mission would stem from a successful class project, God would take Durrah on a bit of a journey before his dream to run this organization full-time would become a reality. This journey would begin at the Boy Scouts of America in Spartanburg as a district executive, director of multi-cultural markets, and ultimately senior district executive in less than a decade. Before long, this bornto-be mentor would return to the school that began his professional career as a director of professional development. “While I enjoyed this job, the position mostly centered around campus development,” said Durrah. “So, it wasn’t long before I realized that pursuing this kind of position was keeping me away from my passion, which was being out in the community helping our urban youth,” he said.

This desire would lead Durrah back towards a dream job at a remarkably familiar place. “I have always dreamed of being a CEO of a Fortune 500 non-profit organization. In February of 2020, I was given a chance to see this dream come true when I was offered the executive director position at the Boys & Girls Club of Transylvania County, in Bervard, NC,” he said. “While I accepted the position initially, something kept telling me – God kept telling me that I had unfinished business with my own non-profit organization right here in Spartanburg County. So, I returned home and began working full-time at Brothers Restoring Urban Hope, Inc.”

Thanks to following the lead of the Holy Spirit, Victor and his talented staff are celebrating 17 years of changing thousands of lives for the better in the community. “When I was in college and even when I was growing up, I was blessed to have mentors in my community that gave me hope to pursue a bright future. Knowing that my staff and I are becoming the same type of mentors who are now guiding future leaders right here in my community has meant everything to me,” he said. “We have even taken over the old community center that I spent many of my days growing up, where we now provide group mentorship, leadership and soft skills training, and spiritual guidance. We even offer free wi-fi and computers to both young adults and parents in our community who need to come by and set up professional profiles, pay bills, etc. About a month ago, during our 17-year anniversary, B.R.U.H. Mentor was awarded the first-ever Key to Spartanburg County, for our community development work, by Spartanburg County Councilman Monier Abusaft.”

Victor is surely following the purpose that God has given. To learn more about his program, please visit his website.

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MAGAZINE

Cutest Baby 46

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Wynter Rose The daughter of Christopher and Latisha

To submit photographs to be placed in the Huami Magazine Cutest Baby feature, please send a detailed email to huami.cutestbaby@gmail.com

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