Huami Magazine Arkansas November/December 2020 by Terry Watson

ARKANSAS

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Nov./Dec. 2020 Volume 1 Issue 2 FREE

Sister Friends United Inc.

Arkansas - November/December 2020

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

Doors Open, and Doors Will Close There Will Are No If, Ands, Or Buts About It! A Letter from the Editor

A Letter From The Editor

A Letter from the Editor

What tomorrow arrive? All of your plans, hopes To say the ifyear of 2020didn’t has been overwhelming would be an and dreams wouldn’t have a street to park on. What if understatement. For as long as I can remember, there has always that you decided to put off until tomorrow never Whatmystique if tomorrow didn’t arrive? Allabout of your beeneverything some etched in my mind theplans, year hopes 2020. happened? There would be no reason to save for a rainy and dreams wouldn’t have a street to park on. What if What will happen? What won’t happen? By now, I believe that day, and could someone the trouble of making everything that youspare decided to off until tomorrow never everyone hasyou their own version of put what the year has turned out promises. What if your last opportunity seemingly expired happened? There would be no reason to save for a rainy to be. I am hoping that 2021 will have a much better outcome. today? wouldspare you do? day, andWhat you could someone the trouble of making promises. What if your last opportunity seemingly expired With the onset of Covid 19, it’s my interpretation that many I’ve been told that I often seem like I do too much. today? What would you do? people may have taken the eventual pandemic for granted. All I feel like am not doing I’m a firm of a Honestly, sudden, and out ofInowhere, the enough way we and go about our daily believer in knowing that God wouldn’t put anything on me I’ve been told that I often seem like I do too much. lives was interrupted. Can’t go to church because of the dangers that I couldn’t handle. I not sometimes wonder how would Honestly, I feel I amSchools doing I’mlife a firm associated with thelike virus. areenough closed,and businesses have be if I chose to sit idle and accept what it presented to believer in knowing that God wouldn’t put anything onme. me I been closed and in some cases, even shut down permanently. haveI found that to be very boring. In my opinion, opportunity that couldn’t handle. I sometimes wonder how life would Everywhere I go, I must wear a mask or protective covering to is a blessing that isn’t afforded to everyone. A challenge be if I chose to sit idle and accept what it presented to me. I ensure that I do get infected or possibly infect someone else. to mefound is an adventure. What is the In worst that can opportunity happen? have that to be very boring. my opinion, ThenIfaI new word was even invented as a result of ourlearn new way do nothing, I fail, and if I try I don’t, but instead is a blessing that isn’t afforded to everyone. A challenge of living; social new distancing. Oh, how things have something about myself. yourchanged. pride and in to me is an adventure. What is Relinquish the worst that can happen? return acquire life. If I do nothing, I fail, and if I try I don’t, but instead learn Even with all of the discourse confusion, God hasand in something new about myself.and Relinquish your pride continued to show His might and power. While some have The best advice someone return acquire life.ever given to me happened whenthings beentold taken Hemy hastomorrow replaced happen them with evenIngreater ones. meaway, to make today. doing so WithI the normal, many business owners myself have pressed myever way through doors withincluding a key thatsomeone only Thenew best advice given to me happened when havetold been forced to develop new ways of how business is so done. hopeme provided. have also learned the today. difference between to makeImy tomorrow happen In doing As aIwhat result, ourblesses businesses have flourished and even and what cana become burden with haveGod pressed my me waywith through doorslife with key thatme only morehope dynamic. All that I am left with to think is, but God. as well. I compare it toalso knowing when be confident and provided. I have learned the to difference between whenlife tocan be quiet, what God blesses me with and what burdenbecause me with I’m about what is preparing everyone in someone may get it confused asexcited well. I compare it toGod knowing when tofor be confident and with being arrogant. 2021. While we are closing out the year, we must continue to be when to be quiet, because mindful of all of the things that Godsomeone didn’t allow happen, and mayto get it confused Make youarrogant. tomorrow with being appreciate what He has. What happen mostGod I continue totoday, learn isbut when importantly make it Make you tomorrow takes some things away,count. He always Life is but awith whisper and happen today, but most replaces them even greater we must put ourselves in a importantly make it count. things. When one door closes, position to hear what it Life one is butwill a whisper andis another open. Knowing telling us.put must in a and this, we we must stayourselves encouraged position to hearour what it is continue to pursue purpose. telling us. More than anything, we must Terry L. Watson always trust God.

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Arkansas - November/December 2020

CONTENTS

NOV./DEC. 2020

ARKANSAS

Power Moves Education

Rhonda Crowder

On The Cover

Sister Friends United Inc. Rhonda Aaron

Making It Happen

Germany Inke

NAO Fit Gang

Nequetta Alford

Huami Magazine Cutest Baby

Russell (Russ) Pennix

Also Featured

Alexandria Ford Meet the reigning Miss Indiana University Indianapolis, IN

Sammy Gulley Fashion must be made with a statement. Meet the founder of PaperboyFly Clothing Co. Hampton, VA

Arkansas - November/December 2020

Dmitri King He is lighting things up in the ATL. Meet the owner of D King Electric. Atlanta, GA

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Arkansas - November/December 2020

Sister Friends United Inc.

Information by Rhonda Aaron Photos by Randall Lee-Contemporary Imaging Stylist- Style Me Stephanie, MUA- Brianna Young

Rhonda Aaron of North Little Rock, AR has devoted her life to helping and serving others. She is the Founder of Sister Friends United Inc., a non-profit organization of minority women with a mission to support, uplift and empower its members to better serve the community. Sister Friends United Inc. was founded and incorporated in the State of Arkansas in October 2007. With well over a decade of service to the Pulaski County community, they have provided $30,00 in scholarships to assist young minority women in pursuing their dreams of attaining a college degree. They’ve hosted an array of workshops, conferences and luncheons for women with topics ranging from finance management to health and fitness. Rhonda’s story is quite interesting. She grew up in Dumas, a small town in southeast Arkansas. There she learned her work ethic, playing piano on Sunday’s for the New Light MBC youth choir at age 9. Growing up in church “I learned how to pray and lean on God. This foundation continues to carry me through life. I never would have imagined having my very own day in two cities, receiving awards, and being the subject of news features. I contribute my upbringing to the success I’ve achieved in life. I passionately believe in the importance of hard work and being kind to others,” she shares. She also credits her grandmother for being a good example of giving your time to serve others. Rhonda says she’s learned through the years while working for Sister Friends United Inc. on how important it is to have a solid and consistent brand that people can trust. There are so many nonprofits that don’t survive but their formula has worked for over a decade. Rhonda states, “We are a group of black women who are impacting our community. Our motto says, “United We Stand, United We Make a Difference”. Continued on the next page

Sister Friends United initially started as a means to connect women and resources within the African American community to gain financial education, healthy living information sessions and empowerment conferences and workshops that would empower attendees to be stronger citizens of the community. A few of the inaugural year initiatives were to form a community partnership to focus on health and wealth. They connected with Baptist Health and Trainer Phyllis Hodges to teach healthy lifestyle habits. They also hosted a financial education workshop on budgeting, investing and retirement plans. In 2008, the organization wanted to expand their community reach to support future minority women leaders. As a result, they created the Faith Scholarship. It was established for a female minority senior with a competitive GPA that plans to attend an Arkansas four-year college. They hosted the first formal banquet program to recognize the scholarship honorees in May 2008, at the Burns Park Hospitality House in North Little Rock, Arkansas.

“I passionately believe in the importance of hard work and being kind to others.” Rhonda Aaron

As they began to gain momentum in the community by volunteering to work with and support other local nonprofit organizations, they wanted to grow their scholarship banquet to include honoring women in the community for their achievements and local community work. This idea birthed the inaugural Women of Excellence Awards and Faith Scholarship banquet. The purpose of the event was to provide a formal platform that would recognize the career achievements of African American women in their community, provide encouragement to the future leaders receiving the scholarships, and to inspire the event attendees. The honorees were recognized in five areas including Education, Media, Health/Social Service, Religion and Business. The first honorees were Dr. Katherine Mitchell (Education), Dr. Emma Kelly Rhodes (Religion), Annie Abrams (Social Service), Korto Momolu (Business) and Evangeline Parker (Media). Some of our most notable honorees included Dr. Jocelyn Elders and Honorable Lottie Shackelford. May 12, 2018 was the 10th anniversary of the Women of Excellence Awards and Faith Scholarship, which represented honoring 50 women since inception and presenting our 28th scholarship. This event has been featured in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette as a High-Profile article titled, “Women Power” as well as being broadcast on Comcast Community local TV and many other magazine features, including STAND magazine and ML Community. Sister Friends United Inc. is also committed to helping other nonprofit organizations. The Annual Hat Luncheon was created to bring awareness to and monetary support to other nonprofit Continued on the next page

organizations as well as local African American business owners. This annual event has donated $2,500 to help support the mission of several local nonprofit organizations including Sisters Living with Alopecia, Arkansas Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Sickle Cell Support Services, Timmons Art Foundation and Bearden Productions Art Studio, to name a few. The program includes local business spotlights and the notable hat contest. Their Read, Write, Get Fit and Lead & Back to School Bash is a biennial program focused on supporting the needs of girls’ ages 12-18 and teaching key fundamentals that are important to their success as future leaders. There are breakout sessions and various speakers for each topic that stress the importance of education when it comes to reading, writing, self-care and responsibilities as a leader. The 2018 event was sponsored in partnership with a grant provided by Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield through their Blue & You Foundation. One hundred and ten girls have benefited from these free summer programs. Each year, Sister Friends United Inc has provided a holiday meal and breakfast for a family in need as well as fulfilled the request of a child from the Salvation Army’s Angel tree. They have received names from and partnered with Second Baptist (John BarrowPastor Ivan Lambert) and volunteer annually with Power 92 to support the Watershed with a monetary donation and preparing food boxes to distribute to families in need. Rhonda shares that she is inspired by women winning, and others who achieve success and live their dreams. “I understand that journey and it is inspirational to see the victory,” she says. The future seems to be quite busy for the organization. They are preparing to expand outside of their home base in Little Rock, AR and opening national membership opportunities through their SFU Sister Circle, with a purpose to connect like-minded women through sisterhood and service through smaller chapters. They are also hosting their inaugural Girlfriend Conference in Orlando, Florida, on June 3-5, 2021. Its purpose is to bring together women from various walks of life to F.U.S.E “Fun, Uplift, Sisterhood and Empowerment”, They are combining a girlfriends trip with a powerful empowerment conference that will incorporate fun girlfriend activities, powerhouse motivational speakers. The three-day conference will end with a concert by Raheem DeVaughn. Rhonda has a Bachelors of Arts in Mass Communication with an emphasis in Strategic communication from UA Little Rock. She is currently the Co-owner and Chief Operations Officer for Mid State Counseling and Recovery Service, a mental health agency located in North Little Rock, AR. She currently resides in North Little Rock with her husband of 26 years, Deon. They have one adult daughter, Brianna and a feisty four-year-old grandson, Chance. You can follow Sister Friends United Inc on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, You Tube, and their website.

Rhonda Aaron Sister Friends United Inc. www.sisterfriendsunited.com

NAO FIT GANG 12

By Terry L. Watson Photos by NAO Fit Gang Nequetta Alford is the face and founder of NAO Fit Gang, a fitness apparel program whose mission is to encourage a healthy lifestyle while living wiser and being in style, at an affordable cost. Their products range from lady’s workout gear and everyday wear. They specialize in gym gear, swim gear, and everyday wear. Nequetta is an inspirational and motivational movement that specialize in mental health, health and wellness. Nequetta is a native of Pine Bluff, AR. She relocated to Philadelphia, PA in 2004 with $37,000 in savings, and a determination to attend graduate school. Today, she has set her sights on sharing her knowledge on physical fitness.

Nequetta has overcome several challenges in business but recognizes them for being steppingstones along her path to success. “The biggest challenge I face in business is collaborating with like minds. I only want to work with women and men in business that have business skills. I want to build more long-lasting connections and collaborations to grow and partner with, internationally,” she says. She credits her mother and daughter for both being mentors who pour into her vision. She is also thankful for Dovie Burl, Dr. Reginald Banks, Dr. Ayo Gooden, Darlene Harris, Joe of Acclaim Academy, Mary Ann of Indigo Blue, and Clint of Briggs Barbecue. She says they have all played a role in her growth and has pushed and inspired her to do more and be her absolute best. h

NAO Fit Gang specializes in quality fitness products including fitness gear, detox juices, belly fat juices, teas and coffee, fitness challenges, and women and men’s empowerment. Their products range from fitness coaching to detoxes, to work out and fitness gear that assists their clients with meeting all their fitness and wellness needs Their target audience are women and men, between the ages of 18-70. Women make up over 79% of users who utilize their platform daily. They have begun to see more men join the movement as of recently. “Our products are for the woman or man that struggles with losing weight or eating healthy, or even detoxing and may need support. We specialize in helping others and our motto is, “We help women who help women who help women who,”” she shares. “We began in 2018 with our fitness challenge. This year we are on our 52nd challenge in two years. Our challenges take place in the support group on Facebook. In that group, there are over 900 members that are getting healthy, enjoying the challenges and inspiring others,” Nequetta says. Being a business owner has it shares of perks. Nequetta says there are many things that she loves about her business as well. “I love that I’m actually helping hundreds of families. I love that men are loving the products and the movement. I love that families are now joining, and we are an international brand that ships our products outside of the USA. We have six Brand Ambassadors and four Affiliates across the globe,” she says.

Nequetta Alford

NAO Fit Gang www.naofitgang.com

The Entrepreneur Guru By Terry L. Watson Photos by Todd Youngblood A unicorn. That is how she describes herself. Her body is adorned with unique tattoos and eclectic piercings. And while she is used to being prejudged for her appearance, Germany Inke is beginning to write her own story; giving people a view of the woman behind the ink. “I want people to see the real me,” Germany said. “A lot of people don’t get to see all of me because they’re afraid of me.” Originally from Ohio, Germany Inke grew up in a single mother household. With a background in psychology, she is also a masters degree student. The 41-year-old has a passion for many things that involve the mentoring of other people. “I am a mentor. I specialize in what I like to call entrepreneur guru,” she says. Germany considers herself a mentor and not a coach she shares, because sometimes, individuals don’t respond properly. She has had the opportunity to work with many coaches, and appalled their talent but considers herself as a sister or family thus her slogan she says on her podcast “I am Germany Inke; your sister, Baby Mama, cousin, best friend, boo thang) and closes the statement with a kiss, just so everyone can feel the love.” Germany wants to help business owners with low self-esteem have more confidence when it comes to their business. “My mission is to bring a message of positivity, health, and wealth to the forefront. I want to help people improve their self-esteem towards business because a lot of people are afraid of themselves. So I not only help them build their confidence but I teach them how to get their business going,” she says. Continued on the next page

Now, Germany is ready to take her own principles and apply them to herself. This involves being a steward of her own work. “Sometimes we know we have gifts and we’re just not confident enough to do it,” she shares. Germany feels that her greatest accomplishment has been the work she has done with one of her clients, MJ Footworkz. “With him I did something I called radical marketing. I told him this is what we’re going to do to boost your mental, physical, and spiritual morale to get you out there,” she says. And with Germany’s help, that’s exactly what happened. “He has been one of my biggest prodigies because he listened. The greatest compliment for me was when he called after doing a show in Atlanta and told me that if it wasn’t for me he wouldn’t be there.” But Germany says that although she is passionate about her work, she is still trying to get used to putting herself out in front of people. “I’m very much behind the scenes and I’m afraid of being misinterpreted. I feel like I’m a dying breed.” Despite Germany’s appearance, she wants people to know that she is a much different person than what people initially perceive her to be. Germany wants to create spaces for people who look like her to feel comfortable and confident. “I’m not the traditional businesswoman. I love that and I push towards that. There are lots of people out there that we know, and are successful, and will not help you. You have to create your own world. I welcome you into mine and if you like it you can stay a while,” she shares. In addition to being a mentor for entrepreneurs, Germany is also a baker, crafting tasty and unique CBD infused treats. “My desert business is called Dirty Desserts,” said Germany. “I came up with the idea because I met people during mentoring who suffered from anxiety and I personally suffered from anxiety for years.”

Hair and Makeup: Marcus Muhammad Waredrobe: Chris Adam’s Lashes: Honey Trap Beauty

Germany says that she sources CBD oil from overseas vendors as well as her Total Life Changes (TLC) business. “People are able to rest after eating my desserts. It also lowers anxiety. Sometimes all we need is a moment to calm down,” shares Germany. Her desserts are made fun and whimsical, similar to her personality. Continued on the next page

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Arkansas - November/December 2020

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Arkansas - November/December 2020

“I talk about any and everything. I have a lot of people who call me and ask can I talk about something.”

Through her podcast, Germany Inke & Co, listeners can get another taste of the entrepreneur’s personality. “I’m a free spirit for all,” she said. “I talk about any and everything. I have a lot of people who call me and ask can I talk about something. They aren’t as willing to be free and open to talk about some things.” Recently, Germany did a show encouraging listeners to detox their life. “I recently overcame COVID-19. But I realized during those two weeks that people weren’t calling for me or to check on me, they were calling to get something from me.” Germany’s biggest inspirations are of her late mother and brother. Her mother passed in 2017 from lung cancer and six months later her brother passed away. She shares how important they were to her and how their demise affected her life. “Both had big dreams. My brother was a musician and I grew up singing. But after they both passed, I lost my love for music,” she says. After losing both her mother and brother along with a friend in the same year, Germany became determined to keep pushing forward through her grief. “They always talked about how my voice was so powerful, and how I needed to stop hiding it,” she said. “At least if I wasn’t going to sing she wanted me to get my message out.”

Continued on the next page

That was how Terah Strong was born: a foundation, named after her mother, to help business owners and others gain more confidence. “My mother wanted to start a business. As she was fading daily, she kept telling me that’s what she wanted to do. She told me that I was so creative and good with people. Now I want to do it in a more big and positive way,” she said. Some of the women she works with in her community are Venah Wilson, also known as Jemini June, who is a Coach and Executive Director with Total Life Changes, Independent Group Fitness Instructor, and Singer/Songwriter. There is also Evelyn Hill who is known to many as Eve. She is an advocate for those who were formerly incarcerated and seeking to find a new way of life by restoring the relationships that were broken due to their incarceration. She also works with Pinkylee Simone-Potts, an aspiring actress, comedian, and writer who is the owner and actress on the television series, Karen in The QC. Germany also encourages other business owners to do the same. “If you woke up on this side, it’s another day and another 24 hours to get it done. Your best bet is you. The moment you think about giving up, think of someone who has it worse. I will not give up on me. Everyone else gives up on you, but do not give up on you.” Germany is also a painter and author. She is currently working on releasing her first book in the near future. h

Germany Inke & Co.

101 N. Tryon St. - Suite 607 Charlotte, NC 28246 704-534-4897 Germanyinke.co@gmail.com 20

PaperboyFly Clothing

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Arkansas - November/December 2020

By Terry L. Watson Photos by Sammy Gulley Sammy Gulley can be described as modest. He is a humble guy from Meridian, MS by way of Yonkers, NY. He’s a husband, a father of two, a wine aficionado, and so much more. He was raised by his mother along with his two sisters. There, he learned valuable life lessons that prepared him for life. After finishing high school, he enlisted in the US Navy and served his country for eight years. After he got out of the Navy, he began working as a civilian over in Okinawa Japan. After leaving Okinawa he moved back to the United States to Virginia and got a job working at the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth. He started as a trainer/ SA (System Administrator) for DOD EHR Essentris, and was later promoted to the leading System Administrator. Today, Sammy is the owner of PaperboyFly Clothing, a fashion apparel line of T-shirts, sweaters, crop tops, sweater dresses and more. He will be adding suits and other items down the road to make his catalog more well-rounded and give customers that full fledge PaperboyFly experience. Sammy started to get more into fashion shortly after leaving the military. “I couldn’t wear a uniform anymore so I had to put more effort into what I wore. I would always get compliments on how I dressed and the combinations I put together. Once I got to Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, the compliments kept coming and I thought maybe I can turn this into something. People would ask if I ever thought about having my own clothing line and I would respond “no”. However as time went on the idea began to grow on me. I would always wear paperboy hats from years ago and so I thought the way I dressed was fly that I put two and two together, and came up with PaperboyFly,” he says. As the owner of a fashion apparel company, Sammy says he loves being able to see his ideas come to life. “Seeing others excited about my brand and the possibilities that we have in front of us, and being able to show my children that they can also be owners of their own companies is what it’s all about,” he says. “I find that I get inspiration from so many sources. Whether from my family, friends, colleagues, or neighbors. I’m inspired by other fashion icons and brands Continued on the next page Arkansas - November/December 2020

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such as Sean John, Roca Wear, Gap, Ralph Lauren, Karl Kani, and Tommy Hilfiger. I also try and find inspiration from within and make my style fit my mood, or the day or the season of life I’m in,” Sammy says. Sammy has faced a few challenges in business. One is getting a consistent footing on the marketing and making consistent sales and exposing himself to a broader market. Others he says are finding manufactures that have the quality and scalability that can support the needs of an upstart company like the one he has. “Honing in on that customer base that will support your product and vision not just at the beginning but be repeat customers can be quite challenging,” he also says. “We are always trying to expand our range of products while maintaining our quality and service to customers.”

“I couldn’t wear a uniform anymore so I had to put more effort into what I wore. I would always get compliments on how I dressed and the combinations I put together.”

The journey that Sammy has experienced with PaperboyFly Clothing has helped him to become a more well-rounded businessman. He says if he could have done some things differently, he would have. “One would be doing more market research before my initial launching. Having a better marketing plan I’ve learned is so important. I would have hired a professional to make my website or at least consult with them on the overall aesthetics and functionality of it. I also wished I would have learned more about drop-shipping,” he says. Moving forward, the focus of PaperboyFly Clothing is to expand their customer base. They will also continue to improve the overall experience for their clientèle and ensure that customer service is provided at its best. Sammy also offers some advice to others who may follow in his footsteps. “If you can find a mentor, study them and get advice. Do your research and find your niche. Most importantly, do not give up if this is something you believe in and are passionate about. Stay with it and remember that it’s a marathon, not a sprint,” he says. To learn more about Sammy or PaperboyFly Clothing, visit their online store to checkout their latest line of apparel and fashion. h

Sammy Gulley

PaperboyFly Clothing www.paperboyflyclothing.com 24

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Arkansas - November/December 2020

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Making Power Moves 26

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Arkansas - November/December 2020

By Terry L. Watson Photos by Todd Youngblood Who is Rhonda G. Crowder? When asked that question, she describes herself as someone who keeps her focus on family and career. The single mother is vibrant, creative, jovial, and hard working. She is also determined, optimistic, and someone who puts God first. “I am a mother of two wonderful children, Kaila and Jaydn. I am an alumnus of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. There, I majored in Journalism Mass Communications, with a concentration in Public Relations,” she says. Rhonda is the CEO and Founder of Power Moves Education & Consulting, and Power Moves Performing Arts Academy. “I am driven by pulling the creative out of someone who never thought they would succeed. I enjoy expounding on the greatness inside of them, bringing it to flourish it,” she shares. Power Moves Performing Arts Academy is set to personalize and develop, refine and showcase in dance, drama, musical theatre/theatre, photography, vocal and instrumental music and studio engineering while providing them with a rigorous academic curriculum. Everyone is welcomed to apply and all students must have a goal driven attitude. “We thrive on an HBCU level with creativity, allowing students to re-invent their creativity through arts,” she shares. Power Moves Education & Consulting prepares, exposes, and broadens all student’s horizons for colleges, universities, and first-generation students in either a one on one, group sessions and/or speaking engagements while building and connecting education and striving for excellence. Rhonda shares that her journalism and educational background have allotted her creativity to be cultivated in entrepreneurship. “Without God, and the vision He placed in me, none of this would be possible. GOD is my CEO!” Rhonda says she enjoys educating and bringing out the creativity in others. She is also inspired by strong women who have a story of power and strength and are willing to share how they overcame. She also finds strength in single mothers, just as she is, who are pushing to succeed and become successful. In the future, her goal is to own her own school, and have her own performing arts studio. The sky’s the limit, and Rhonda is proving that anything is possible with God. h

For more information, please contact Rhonda Crowder 336-325-8855 powermovesenc@gmail.com Follow Power Moves on Facebook and Instagram Arkansas - November/December 2020

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D KING ELECTRIC By Dawn Cauthen Thornton - Photos by Dmitri King

The trajectory of your life is usually determined by the decisions you make for yourself and the odds that may be stacked against you despite those decisions. Unsurprisingly, black men tend to face these odds at a larger rate than any other ethnic category. In high school, in Greensboro, NC, Dmitri King was traveling down the wrong path. He was hanging out with friends late at night, taking the family car without permission, and eventually ran into trouble that he couldn’t escape. After he graduated, not much changed. Things got worse even. He and his stepfather weren’t getting along due to his constant mischief and eventually he was kicked out of the house. A close friend and his family took him in and for years it seemed his life was turning around…until he got arrested and thrown in jail. While behind bars for only a weekend, King received a phone call from a close cousin that would change his life more than he could’ve ever imagined. “My cousin came and bailed me out and asked me was I ready to leave Greensboro, NC now. I knew I couldn’t keep doing what I was doing. So not only did he pay my bail, but he paid to rent a moving truck, packed up all my stuff and brought me and my son down to Buford, GA put us up, and put me to work that week,” King explains. He is beyond grateful to his cousin and freely admits that he could never repay him for giving him the career he currently has and a new lease on life almost two decades ago. Perhaps he’s reimbursing him by following in his cousin’s footsteps and being a successful businessman.

King’s cousin owned an independent electrical business and taught him almost everything he knew at the time. The New Jersey native absorbed as much knowledge as he could and moved on to another company where he worked alongside seasoned electricians who poured into him. Years later he transitioned to another cousin’s business, expanding his knowledge base even further. “I learned on three different levels and learned three different ways to run a business. They were all so smart and took their time to teach me everything about wiring and lighting and all of that,” says King. In 2010 King felt he’d had enough hands on experience to branch out and start a business of his own. He became a Certified Electrician and opened DKing Electric, LLC under the parent company Metro Atlanta Electrical, LLC. It wasn’t easy for me, but it wasn’t that difficult because I had support.” When one of his former employers changed directions to focus solely on commercial contracts, he referred two of his biggest residential clients to King because of his talent and the level of trust in his work. King met several more loyal clients who gave excellent references so it wasn’t long before his clientele began to grow. Popular nightclub owners, restaurant owners, and new construction home builders all across the area came calling and then connected him with others. Soon he had more clients than he could handle. That push only made him work harder, hire more workers, and make more money. The once troubled kid perfected his craft and is proud that he can wire an entire home by himself from ‘top to bottom’. Fortunately, he’s so busy with inspections, contracts, and clients that he doesn’t have time to do that anymore. He hires professionals whose work is just as thorough as his, so he can trust them to do a job when he’s not there. He’s currently training another cousin to one day take the rein or at the least, be his backup. “You’re only as good as the people you hire so I make sure I employ smart people who know what they’re doing.” A typical day for King consists of driving from city to city, managing projects and the variety of work that has to be done on each job. “The biggest part of my day, really, is going to a [home improvement] store several times! Easy. There isn’t a day when I’m not there at least twice. Sometimes five or six times in a day. So much that I should purchase stock!” he laughed. As busy as it is and as intricate as it can be, King can’t imagine where he would be without DKing Electric, LLC. It’s like the heart of his family. His wife lends her time to the business by handling the bookkeeping and much of the paperwork and he manages the field. His 24 year old son helps out from time to time but has his sights set on entertainment for now. His bonus-daughter watches from afar. The life-saving cousins King embarked on this journey with have now expanded to being builders and restaurant owners, and he is itching to do the same. Don’t be surprised to soon see Dmitri King’s name on something bigger and better around the Atlanta area. Whatever it is, it will be lit. Literally. h

“You’re only as good as the people you hire so I make sure I employ smart people who know what they’re doing.” D King Electric 678-791-3314 www.dkingelectric.com

Arkansas - November/December 2020

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Arkansas - November/December 2020

By Dawn Cauthen Thornton Photos by Kristen Wray Photography If ‘Just Do It’ was a person, Alexandria Ford would be the poster child. Ford is the reigning Miss Indiana University And will quite possibly go on to compete in the Miss Indiana pageant that feeds into the Miss America competition. It’s unbelievable that Ford did not grow up on the pageant circuit. She participated in a small scholarship pageant as a senior in high school that focused on networking, confidence building, and tips for success in college. She proudly took home the first runner-up accolade but didn’t enter another pageant until her mother encouraged her while in college. “My mom wanted me to do Miss IU for a while and since I was a senior, it was my last chance. Even though I didn’t have that much experience, it was really easy to understand the information to compete,” says Ford. A member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, she spent time consulting with her sorority sister, who had previously earned the crown, to ensure she was competition ready. The most important aspect of the pageant is your social impact initiative and Ford was passionate created Female Empowerment; A Seat at the Table. “It was all about empowering women, especially women of color. Because with my own experiences as a minority in business, it’s very important to instill that confidence especially at a young age.” The queen thought of the Boys & Girls Club of Bloomington and envisioned an after-school program for elementary school students. She planned to implement a mentorship and workshop opportunity to help girls learn about different careers. “Though they live in a college town, many of them never thought about attending college,” says Ford. The program would match the mentee with a mentor in the career field they wanted to explore. The senior presented her idea to the organization and they were excited to execute it. Unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic surfaced, and the program was postponed. She hopes to reignite it this fall.

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Arkansas - November/December 2020

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“ “ Another significant category in pageants is talent. What do you do when you don’t necessarily have a traditional talent? You tap into your intellect and find the best part of you to showcase. Ford decided to display her public speaking skills with her own Ted Talk. She used her minute and a half time limit to discuss her female empowerment initiative. Since winning the crown, Ford has graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Economic Consulting and International Business. She admits that economics isn’t her favorite, but it was very much needed to pursue a career in management consulting concentrating on Strategy and Operations. She had the ‘Just Do It’ mentality and she did just that. “Most people ask what my major means and it’s basically helping big businesses with strategic goals that they have. It involves modeling different market scenarios.” Soon the graduate will be relocating to Chicago to work for Deloitte Consulting, with whom she interned for previously. Being a woman of color in an industry dominated by white males is challenging, but Ford has charged herself with changing the tides once she gets to work on the recruiting team. Her main goal is to help create an environment that more minorities would want to be a part of. After serving as Miss Indiana University, Ford plans to continue her efforts while working in Chicago. She was recently accepted at the Wharton School of Business’ Advance Access Program at the University of Pennsylvania, where she will pursue an MBA, after working for 2-4 years. Her idea is to continue her mentorship with an organization with the same interests. “Hopefully I can help other young girls reach what they want to do in their life.” If she has Alexandria Ford on her team, she’ll be well on her way. h

Arkansas - November/December 2020

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