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Anetra Johnson Nee Chic Styles Hampton Roads - Nov./Dec. 2019
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There Are No If, Ands, Or Buts About It!
Your Gifts, Your Plans, And What God Says There Are No If, Ands, Or Buts About It!
A Letter Fromfrom The the Editor A Letter Editor
offrom the hardest AOne Letter the Editorthings for me to understand has been what What is my if purpose in life. I’marrive? the kind who has tomorrow didn’t Allofofindividual your plans, hopes seen lot and wouldn’t experienced a lot. I’ve to had myon. shares of if ups and andadreams have a street park What downs, both good anddecided some ones. While everything has everything that you to put off until tomorrow never What if tomorrow didn’tbad arrive? All of your plans, hopes provided me with anwould opportunity to learn, has also happened? There beano reason toitsave a made rainy and dreams wouldn’t have street to park on. for What if it day, you could spare someone thetrue trouble of making kind ofand difficult to you understand what purpose is. never everything that decided to putmy off until tomorrow promises. What your last happened? Thereif would be opportunity no reason toseemingly save for aexpired rainy today? would you do? When I What was young child, I had dreams of being a rap artist. day, and youacould spare someone the trouble of making This was wellWhat before the emergence of Hipseemingly Hop. I remember promises. if your last opportunity expired I’ve been told that I often seem like too much. attending rap concerts and mimicking theI do performers in my today? What would you do? Honestly, I feel like I am not doing enough and I’mplayer a firmfor attire and posture. My mother purchased a record inbrother, knowing that God wouldn’t put anything on me the mebeliever and and dream was when I’vemy been told that Imy often seem likefed I doeven too more much. that I couldn’t handle. I sometimes wonder how life would Honestly, likecome I am not doing enoughon and I’m anights. firm I music videosI feel would on the television Friday besure if I chose to sitmy idle and accept whatput it presented believer in knowing that God wouldn’t anything to onme. me I was that was destiny. have found that to be very boring. In my opinion, opportunity that I couldn’t handle. I sometimes wonder how life would isAsaifIblessing that isn’t to everyone. A and challenge be I chose to idle afforded and accept what presented to me. I got older, Isit began to write raps foritmyself soon to me is an adventure. What is the worst that can happen? havemyself found investing that to beinvery In recording my opinion, found my boring. dream by myopportunity songs at a If aIlocal do nothing, and if That I try to Iwas don’t, instead is blessing thatI fail, isn’t afforded everyone. A challenge few recording studios. mybut plan for mylearn life. To be something new about myself. Relinquish your pride to me isbut an adventure. What is the worst that can happen? a rapper, God had something a different in mind forand me.in return acquire life. If I do nothing, I fail, and if I try I don’t, but instead learn something newpass, aboutthe myself. pride and in As time would desireRelinquish to be a rapyour artist fizzled. I no Thewrote best advice given to and me happened whenas someone return acquire life.ever longer songs, and my walk attire changed well. tolddid meI to make myeverything tomorrowthat happen today. In doing so Little know that I applied to my rapping I have pressed mythat wayGod through doors with a placed key thatin only Thewere best advice ever given to intentionally me happened when someone career, jewels had path hope provided. I have also learned the difference between told me to make my tomorrow happen today. In doing to be used in a whole different capacity. Instead of writingsorap blesses me and what can with Iwhat haveI God pressed way through doorslife with a burden keyMagazine. thatme only songs, used thatmy gift towith begin articles for Huami as well. I compare it to knowing when to be confident and hope provided. I have also learned the difference between Instead of mimicking rap artist and attending rap concerts, when tocan be quiet, what blesses me with and what burdenbecause me I set myGod sights on being a publisher andlife entrepreneur andwith someone may get it confused as well. I compare it to knowing when to be confident and conducting myself as such. with being when to bearrogant. quiet, because someone may it confused What I had in mind get for my life as a Make youup tomorrow being arrogant. childwith didn’t line with what God happen today, mostthat did. He shared somebut things importantly make it count. Make you tomorrow I needed to learn, but He didn’t Life is but a whisper and happen today, but most allow me to get complacent while we putwe ourselves in a make it count. doingimportantly so.must In life, must learn position to hear what it Life is but a whisper and to seek God for confirmationison telling us.and we must put dreams. ourselvesIfinit’s a all our hopes position to hear what it is not connected to what God has tellingfor us.us, then it will be purposed Terry L. Watson short lived. We must always seek God’s planEditor/Founder first.
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Hampton Roads - Nov./Dec. 2019
HAMPTON ROADS
CONTENTS
NOV./DEC. 2019
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What Is On Your Mind
Dr. Terrence Graham
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On The Cover
Nee Chic Styles Anetra Johnson
M&M Educational Tutors
Marianna & Jametra
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The Reeal Power Couple
Randy and Demi
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She Loves To Write
LaKesa Cox
Also Featured
Jay L. Harris Meet the face behind Jay L. Harris Creative Werks. Atlanta, GA
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Elois Lettley Meet the owner of Occasions II Restaurant in Burlington, NC. Good food and a good time!
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Hampton Roads - Nov./Dec. 2019
Aubrie Tate She is the cutest, and has been selected as Huami Magazine’s Cutest Baby. Greenville, SC
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HuamiMagazine.com
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Anetra Johnson Nee Chic
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Styles
By Terry L. Watson Photos by Nee Chic Styles Anetra Johnson of Richmond, VA describes herself as a multifaceted mother who is passionate about empowering and uplifting women. Her strategy is simple. She wants women to see the beauty that they possession, internally and externally and she does this by encouraging them to be brave, bold, and unapologetic about who they are, what they want, and how they express themselves. Anetra is also passionate about encouraging everyone to invest in themselves in the areas that are most beneficial in imploring growth and accountability. Career wise, Anetra is an entrepreneur and owner of Nee Chic Styles. She is also a Personal Wardrobe Stylist that assists women with marketing and expressing themselves through their wardrobe and style. “Clothing and style are catalysts that provide confidence,” she says. “I work diligently to ensure that my clients are interested, open, and evolving along with the industry. I am always learning and listening, so that I can offer my clients the best possible service for themselves and their brands.” One of the services offered by Nee Chic Styles is a Personal In Store or Online Shopper. Anetra says this ensures her clients likes and dislikes are known through a discovery and consultation period, which allows both the provider and the client the opportunity to engage with one another, which promises a better experience and relationship. Another service is In Home Shopping. This incorporates items already within women’s closets for new, inspiring looks. An additional service is what Anetra describes as Closet Audit. It is executed through determining her clients style and body type, purging pieces that do not suit the client and her brand, then proceeding to remove those items for donation, sale, or disposal. Finally, there is the service that Anetra describes as Capsule Wardrobe. With this service she uses existing and staple items within women’s closets to create new and interesting looks. “The goal of the Capsule is to be a minimalist,” she shares “Beginning in the first quarter of 2020, I will be relaunching my brand and services to include subscriptions for clients which will incorporate my existing services, but will also expand to include services with more access to me and contributions from retailers in the Richmond area,” she said. Anetra started her business in 2014 out of her love for style and fashion. That love grew into her wanting to share her knowledge and skills with others. “When I first started, I was working with a very talented, local photographer on headshots and branding sessions for men, women, and children. It was a great experience and I met many wonderful and successful people during that time. I am grateful for that time and experience,” she says. Since then, her vision has taken her to feats she never imagined. Though her list of clients is constantly growing, Anetra finds joy in being connected to everyone who seeks her services. “Some people believe they cannot afford my services, but are amazed when they learn that is not true,” she says. Anetra shares that her life and career has been mostly impacted by her late father. “My family and I lost him suddenly two and half years ago and his absence has reshaped my perspective on what is meaningful in life. He was a successful entrepreneur for many years and I witnessed first-hand his drive, dedication, and tremendous work ethic which has
resonated with me and propelled me to be just as driven and committed. After his passing, I took about a year off. I was not in an emotional nor mental state to focus on my career. I wanted and needed to grieve and mourn the void, and adjust. I want to make him proud and hope that he is smiling from up above and nodding in approval as he sees me navigate through life and my business. He is my Guardian Angel,” she says. Moving forward, Anetra plans to grow her business both state-wide, country-wide, virtually and internationally. She also plans to have her own shoe line in the future. “I love clothing, handbags and accessories, but shoes have always been my obsession. I want to design looks that are truly inspired by me and my creativity,” she said. h
Anetra Johnson Nee Chic Styles www.neechicstyles.com 804-366-6368 7
Denise Renee
Write Your Book Tips
By Terry L. Watson Photos by Denise Renee
Denise Renee of Atlanta, Ga is somewhat of a Creative Entrepreneur. Under that umbrella, many things can be listed, but for the most part, she is a writer, musician, and teacher. She is also someone who loves using her God-given talents and time-tested skills to help others accomplish their personal or professional goals, and live their life to the fullest. Denise’s brand name is Write Your Book Tips. “I help urban professionals and entrepreneurs write books that attract clients and opportunities for their business or personal brand. I also help people realize a dream they’ve had for a while, and assist them by putting it into words and in their hands,” she shares. “I developed a love for creative writing when I was around 8-years-old and haven’t stopped.” English Literature was one of Denise’s majors in college. Throughout the course of her career, she’s done journalistic writing, editing, blogging, marketing, copywriting, and book ghostwriting and writing coaching. As a writer, it should be no surprise that Denise is inspired by other authors. “I read a wide variety of books, so I find inspiration in a variety of sources, from fiction, to self-help books, to spiritual and even marketing books,” she says. The person who as impacted her career and business the greatest she says is her ex-husband. “When we were splitting up several years ago, I challenged myself to remember who I was and recall my own personal gifts and strengths. I had to figure out what I wanted to do with my life after the marriage. As a result of the process of healing from the hurt of our split, I founded my company.”
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The only thing Denise says she would change about her journey is that she wish she would have started sooner. “It is also not a good practice to stay stuck in hurtful situations for more than one day,” she says. Currently, Denise is putting the finishing touches on a e-book that she plans to release in 2020. The focus will be to encourage more people to release their inner writer. She is also working on a 2020 launch of a self-study course that gives people a step-by-step outline of how to write their own book. “My hope is that I have the opportunity to hear everyone’s amazing testimonials as a result of working with me,” she says.
Find us on Facebook and Instagram @WriteYourBookTips You can learn more about my story at http://WriteYourBook.tips/DeniseRenee
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By Terry L. Watson Photos by Jay L Harris Jay L Harris of Atlanta, GA is an author, blogger, and shepreneur. Her works include the highly successful romance novel, Unlikely Love. She is the owner of the global brand, Jay L Harris Creative Werks, a digital branding firm that specializes in graphic design and social media management.
Jays shares that she is inspired by many things, but mostly her family. “I am fortunate to be surrounded by people who are very supportive and love me,” she says. Additionally, she admits that everything that has happened along her journey has provided her with an opportunity to learn. “If we don’t make mistakes, how can we ever expect to grow,” she said. In the future, her plans are to eventually assemble a small staff that will allow her to help more people. She would also like to live abroad and work with entrepreneurs globally. h
Coming from a family of educators, spiritual leaders and entrepreneurs, Jay is ready to inspire others through teaching and creating workshops. She has created a series of workshops to help aspiring writers, bloggers and entrepreneurs get started on their journey as well as speak on topics such as Expanding the Bandwidth of Your Imagination, Beyond Writing, Social Media Content Writing, Personal Branding, and I Can Do That! Jay L Harris Creative Werks started in March 2017. “It started as a fluke. I began blogging in 2013 to not much success. I felt as if people loved my social media posts and blog designs more than the enjoyed reading my blog. After a year of people asking me to manage their social media, I finally agreed to give it a go. I booked three clients in one month. However, it took me another year to feel confident enough to offer graphic design services to others,” she says. Some of the services offered by Jay L Harris Creative Werks include Graphic Designs (Stationery, Websites, Lead Magnets) Social Media Branding/Management/Strategy, Email Marketing, and Recruitment Marketing (specializing in Non-Profit recruiting). “I typically work with restaurants, hair salons, coaches, comedians, consultants, solopreneurs, authors and creative entrepreneurs,” she says. Jay said she loves everything about her career and business. “I love getting the opportunity to use my imagination to create beautiful things as well as help others see their vision come to life. It is nothing like seeing my clients post their new logo on social media, share their branded social media posts, or see my work in magazines.” Most new entrepreneurs struggle with how to price their services. When Jay first started, she wasn’t very confident in herself. As a result, she underpriced her services. “I was afraid to charge too much for fear of losing my clients. I was beyond frustrated and often contemplated quitting my business. After doing some research and becoming more confident in my skills, I unapologetically raised my rates,” she says. “My advice to others may be in a similar situation is to research your industry for the current going rates and do a proper evaluation of the time it takes to perform each service. Most importantly, don’t undervalue your skills and knowledge. Don’t rush the process. Success doesn’t happen overnight and there will be plenty of times when you will not do the right thing. Don’t be discouraged but keep going. Through much failure comes much success.”
678-922-9482 www.jaylharris.org 9
Dr.Terrence Graham Graham Moore & Clark, LLC
By Yasmine Regester Photos by Jerry Barbry Some may wonder how one man finds time to run an outpatient counseling clinic five days a week and still manage to write, direct, and produce his own series of films and books, but Dr. Terrence Graham does it. As the co-founder and owner of Graham, Moore & Clark LLC, Addiction, Behavioral and Biblical Counseling, Dr. Graham provides individual and group therapy for adolescents and adults from 12 years old to the elderly. Some of his services include providing clinical supervision at Level III residential homes, opioid treatment, and substance abuse assessments and treatment for the NC Department of Transportation and the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). He started his private practice counseling service in his hometown of Kenansville, NC in 2008. He debuted practice with two other counselors who are based outside of North Carolina, but as the company grew, he decided to move forward on his own. “I started it because I wanted to provide counseling services that included individual and group therapy and substance abuse counseling, to adolescents and adults in the area I grew up in,” says Dr. Graham. Dr. Graham services clients in his office located on 4086 Barrett Drive in Raleigh NC, or in a clinic in Greensboro, Monday through Friday from 9 am-9 pm. Client referrals come from local government and community organizations, as well as public school districts, other therapists in the area, and word of mouth. “I travel between Raleigh and Greensboro a lot, but I see clients every day. We can work around a client’s schedule,” says Dr. Graham, who adds that he likes to be accessible to his patients. Dr. Graham holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a master’s degree in Agency Counseling from NC A&T State University, and a doctorate in Biblical Counseling from Andersonville Theology Seminary. He says that psychology was a natural passion for him. “When I was in high school, my friends would talk to me. I was a good listener. I would give words of encouragement and insight. I’ve always been interested in the study of the mind, so when it came time to choose a major in college, I naturally gravitated towards psychology.” He was also a Wake County school-based mental health therapist for 13 years where he provided addiction and behavioral counseling for adolescents. He notes that therapy can also help address conflict resolutions, anger management, anxiety disorders, depression, PTSD, and more. Dr. Graham is also a licensed clinical addiction specialist, national certified addiction counselor, masters addiction counselor, distance credentialed counselor, substance abuse professional, certified bariatric treatment specialist, and clinical certified sex offender treatment specialist. Dr. Graham shares that he originally wanted to work with children, but soon realized there was adults who also were in
need. “I counsel people dealing with substance abuse disorders. I realize there is a need. One thing about adults and substance abuse treatment is that they firmly believe that if you’ve never been a user, you can’t help them. But that is not true. I’ve never used, but I have all these tools that can help them lead successful lives of recovery,” he says. Dr. Graham explains that the process is simple when a client comes for counseling treatment. He and the client develops a treatment plan. Then they set up attainable goals. Once the client is consistently meeting their goals, he and the client can discuss decreasing the amount of treatment. Dr. Graham is currently working on expanding his biblical counseling services by connecting with churches to be a liaison to promote mental health awareness and be a resource for pastors. Biblical counseling is the process in which the Bible is used to treat addictions, behaviors and mental health.
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“I want to get in these churches and explain that mental health treatment is ok. People in the church sometimes frown on people seeking outside help for problems. You can go to church and have a strong faith, and still benefit from therapy,” he says. “It’s amazing how you can take a bible verse and apply it to a behavioral disorder. Some people really benefit from that balance of faith and practical life skills.” A longtime lover of drawing and creating, Dr. Graham initially dreamt up his film production company, 5Ft Productions as a third grader in Rose-Hill Magnolia Elementary School, in Duplin County, NC. Dr. Graham now uses his established film company to produce movies that can be used as teaching tools in his counseling practice. Each film produced is organized around a behavioral concept that he treats as a counselor. “I was in third grade making comic books for my friends. I would draw all the popular superheroes, whatever was out there, and make a comic book to sell to my peers,” he says. “5Ft productions has really been a journey for me.” 5ft Productions is Dr. Graham’s multi-media production company that produces independent films, publishes books, video, music, and curriculum writing. The company’s body of work currently consists of five movies, three published books, an album and an anti-bullying curriculum manual. Dr. Graham makes what he calls, “docu-films,” as he often draws inspiration from the people around him to address the social and behavioral issues he covers in his movies. His first published book in 2004 was, “In the Mind of Bobbee Bee The Hater,” a story about bullying based on his oldest son’s life. His most recent body of work was “The Cycle,” a 2018 film that details eight generational curses that impact the African American community. Set against the backstory of slavery, Dr. Graham uses the ABC method, a behavioral counseling model, to frame the issue. The mainstream popularity of “The Cycle” has propelled it to secure a streaming deal with Amazon Prime and Google Play.
Dr. Terrence Graham Graham Moore & Clark 4086 Barrett Drive Raleigh, NC 27609 919-710-7332
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Hampton Roads - Nov./Dec. 2019
The next movie he is working on is called “Dumpster Diving,” which is a film about toxic relationships that uses biblical stories like Cain & Abel and Adam & Eve to connect to the psycho-social issues he is working to examine. Dr. Graham is the 2017 I Have A Dream Award recipient from the MLK, Jr. Commemoration Committee in Kenansville for his film, “The Life of Rudolph Becton,” and was recognized in 2018 as a top counselor by the Worldwide Leaders in Healthcare, and was prominently featured in their publication. “I use my movies to help people. It isn’t about me. I help tell peoples’ stories, which can very therapeutic for someone. And counseling works, but it takes time. It’s not a quick fix. It’s about teaching people how to implement these coping skills in their everyday life,” he says. Dr. Graham is a proud father one daughter who attends Howard University, and two sons, both current students at N.C. A&T State University. h
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LSheaK esa Cox Writes With Love
By Terry L. Watson Photos by LaKesa Cox LaKesa Cox of Richmond, Va is a wife of 26 years, mother of three, daughter, sister and a self-proclaimed “superwoman”. She is also fond of long summer days and Caribbean vacations. She graduated from Strayer University with an Associate’s Degree in Marketing and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. While utilizing the gifts that God has blessed her with, LaKesa serves as an author, screenwriter, and content creator. She recently retired from her career that spanned 22 years in corporate America, to pursue writing full-time. “I love writing dramatic and true to life stories filled with realistic and interesting characters,” she says. “I am definitely a drama queen when it comes to writing. I’m a multi-genre writer. I write adult, young adult, and children’s books. I write something for everyone!” The journey for LaKesa as a writer hasn’t always been smooth. In 2018, she was at a crossroads. She was working a corporate job that paid well but she was no longer happy. “My passion had always been writing and when given the opportunity to take a buy-out, I prayed about it. I wanted to make the right decision for me and my family. I could’ve stayed at my corporate job for eight more years or I could take the buy-out and follow my dreams. Then, out of the blue, I received a random email titled ‘Take The Leap’. I felt like God was telling me to step out on faith to follow my dreams, and that’s what I did,” she says. As a child, LaKesa says she was one of those kids who loved reading, so much so that her family members would give her books as gifts for birthdays and holidays. As a teen, her taste in reading grew as she became interested in books by Jackie Collins and Danielle Steel. “When I discovered authors Terry McMillan and Eric Jerome Dickey, I was fascinated. Mainly because they wrote stories about characters who looked like me. It was then I realized it was time for me to put my pen to paper and start creating my own stories,” she says. LaKesa started writing her first book in 1993, right around the time she got married. However, she put the book down for a while because life got in the way. She was working full-time and had two small children, in addition to taking college courses. “I watched as the African-American literary world exploded. In 2002, I finally published my first novel, After the Storm. A year later, I followed up with my sophomore title, Water in My Eyes,” she says.
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International Houston Black Film Festival. Her comedy TV pilot script, Wait a Minute Mr. Postman won 1st place in the Best Spec/TV Script at the 2017 Urban Mediamakers Festival, and was selected as a quarterfinalist in the 2017 WeScreenplay TV Pilot Screenplay competition and was also selected for the 2017 Atlanta Comedy Film Festival. LaKesa’s second feature screenplay, social drama Black and Blue (title change pending) was recently selected for the Beautiful Soul Film Festival screenwriting competition, and was selected as a semifinalist in the 2019 WeScreenplay Diverse Voices screenwriting competition. It was selected as one of the top 50 finalist for the 2019 Your Script Produced screenplay competition. She recently completed her third and fourth feature- length screenplays, a romantic comedy titled, Christmas Hiatus and a drama titled, Purple Roses. She has completed another 30-minute comedy TV pilot titled, Oh Brother! She was named one of the top 100 African-American authors of 2017 by UBAWA.org. LaKesa’s love for writing is rooted in her ability to bring characters to life. “As a writer, I battle with the characters who take up space in my head. Often times, it keeps me up at night. I have a vivid imagination and one word or thought could spark a story idea,” she shares. She also loves talking to her readers and discussing her books with them. “It’s humbling when a person who’s never met you reaches out to you on social media to tell you how much they enjoyed your work. My readers give me the motivation to keep writing.” As an author, LaKesa shares that she faces various challenges. “Writing a book is the easy part for me. The hardest part is marketing. Getting my books into the hands of my targeted audience is the biggest challenge. I have learned to remain committed by pushing my work on every social media platform, relying solely on the impact of word of mouth. I also attend book festivals as a means to assist with marketing,” she says. Another challenge is writers block. However, she understands that writing is a self-motivating job, therefore she sets writing goals weekly, and works diligently to meeting these goals.
A few years passed before LaKesa met and befriended author Nikki Turner. She offered LaKesa an opportunity to collaborate with some amazing authors for an anthology titled, Street Chronicles: Girls in the Game. It became a New York Times Best seller and was featured in Essence magazine. Throughout the years, she wrote another short story in another anthology under the Nikki Turner Presents banner and completed her third full-length novel, Fetish for a Blue Skyy. She became an award winning author as a result of a short story she wrote in an anthology, The Ex Chronicles, which was published by Brown Girls Publishing. It would receive the 2016 African American Literary Award for best anthology. LaKesa’s highly acclaimed young adult/teen novel, Mulatto Girl Aggie, 13: Name on the Ledger, was released in 2017 and her children’s picture book, Shirleen and the Shoes, was released in the spring of 2019. She plans to release her next adult novel titled, Is Love Enough in December 2019. In 2015, LaKesa decided to expand her creativity by crossing over into screenwriting. Her first feature film, I Love You to Pieces was selected for several screenwriting festivals including the 2017 Urban Mediamakers Film Festival and the 2017
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LaKesa says she is inspired mostly by her family and small circle of close friends, all of which are her biggest cheerleaders and supporters. She is also inspired by other writers. “I love the art of storytelling and I know that as long as people are still buying books, there’s still room for more of my stories,” she says. LaKesa advises others not to be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone. “Being comfortable won’t get you anywhere. Ever since I decided to step out on faith and become a full-time writer, so many doors have started to open for me and I’ve met some amazing people. As an extreme introvert, it’s a struggle talking to strangers and meeting new people but the Lord has put me in rooms with people who had the power to change my life. The one thing I can’t stress enough is you have to get uncomfortable to make progress. I’ve done a lot of that this year and it has paid off tremendously,” LaKesa shares. Going forward, LaKesa plans to write the movie scripts for her current books while continuing to release new material. She is in the process of pitching her movie scripts to networks and streaming platforms while also searching for funding to produce and direct one of the movies herself. Her goal is to see all of her books on the big screen while continuing to create more content. In her spare time, she serves as a mentor to 4th and 5th grade girls. The mentorship program provides a variety of activities that promote healthy physical, social, and emotional development to young girls. h
For more information, please visit LaKesa Cox online at www.LaKesaCox.com
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Jametra & Mariama
M & M Tutoring Service (Educational Group)
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Hampton Roads - Nov./Dec. 2019
By Yasmine Regester Photos by Jerry Barbry
A passion for teaching and a commitment to enhancing student success birthed M&M Educational Group, a tutoring and educational services company in Durham, NC. M&M Educational Group/M&M Tutoring Service is the creation of Jametra Hinton, NBCT, MBA and Mariama Moody, NBCT, MSEd. Both veteran licensed Math teachers, with a combined 30 years of experience in education, M&M was birthed out of a concern about the lack of individualized attention that students received, and the need for more support from educators with concrete experience in the field. M&M Educational Group operates at 3326 Durham Chapel Hill Blvd Suite C 120, but offers their services face-to-face or virtually in Durham, Wake, Orange, and Alamance counties, and surrounding area. Tutors work with teachers and parents to select the best learning environment for a student and are available to travel to various locations for tutoring sessions. “No matter how good of a teacher you are, sometimes it’s hard to give individual students the one on one attention they may need,” says Jametra. As classroom teachers, Jametra and Mariama say they would stay after school and help students who needed it. While they saw great progress in those students, they still felt like they could do more. When they first started in 2014, they only offered math tutoring services because that was their background. As word spread of their tutoring services, they begin getting requests for more subjects and eventually expanded operations to include three more tutors. “We started realizing people wanted more than math tutoring,” Jametra says. Mariama and Jametra each taught in Durham Public Schools for eight years and believe that their close connection to the community is what sets M&M apart from other tutoring services.
Jametra Hinton
“I think parents trust us because they know that teaching is who we are, not just what we do,” says Mariama. “Because of our reputation in the classrooms, I think parents trust us more than a typical tutoring company. I believe people see that we have a direct interest in the success of our community and they trust that. We actually have classroom experience in the same school system that we are tutoring in, so that gives us a different perspective.”
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M&M offers face-to-face and virtual tutoring in a variety of subjects, such as math, reading, science, foreign languages, and writing. Tutoring services are offered from Kindergarten through college. Students can also participate in ACT and SAT test prep classes, small group, and individual sessions, public speaking courses and math and writing labs that can offer help on specific assignments versus ongoing tutoring. They (Jametra, Mariama, and selected M&M tutors) also work with Families in Transition and non-profit organizations with after school tutoring programs as well as ACT/SAT test prep. In addition to after school tutoring, M&M also works with schools by providing supplemental instruction during the school day. Because they are former teachers of Durham Public Schools (DPS), the ladies say they have a unique understanding of how things work, what needs exist and how they can tweak their services to support each individual school or district. “Any of the programs we offer can be expanded or adjusted to the client. We do our best in catering to the specific needs of each school,” says Jametra. “It’s hard to understand the demands of a teacher until a person is in that position. I believe we have a better understanding of how flexible we need to be to offer additional support to teachers,” says Jametra. While students’ grades and classroom improvement is a good indicator of success, the M&M founders say that the feedback they get from students and parents is the main driver. “Our goal is always that students are seeing their progress in class and in their grades,” says Mariama. “But parents tell us all the time how they appreciate us being here and also being a support for them. Parents have questions and don’t always know who to reach out to for help. Having a tutor they can trust and who genuinely cares about their child and their child’s success is empowering for them.”
Mariama Moody
Mariama notes that M&M tutoring also helps improve test taking and study skills, as well as works on building students’ confidence in the classroom setting. They say teachers have reported that they see students more willing to answer and ask questions in class; and parents say that they see their children actually attempt to do their homework on their own versus just pushing it to the side and giving up. “We have learned over the years that in many cases, students don’t study because they don’t know how to do so properly; not just because they don’t want to improve. Sometimes we assume that students know what to do when we tell them to study, but in reality, they may not know what that process looks like for them,” she says. “Part of us helping students is getting them to understand that they have a stake in their own education. It’s not just about the teacher giving you information that you need to memorize.”
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Jametra adds, “The feedback we get from students, parents and teachers lets us know we’re moving in the right direction. Yes we are helping them in the classroom, but the skills they improve on can also translate to work life and giving back to the community.” M&M will celebrate their five year anniversary on November 16 with an Access to Progress parent engagement program at Hillside High School. The public forum invites all parents to come ask questions of the different educators that will be speaking. Jametra notes that a common misconception about tutoring is that it’s a last effort to learn a subject. People can also seek tutoring at the start of a class to make sure they are prepared.
Both proud HBCU graduates, Mariama attended Hampton University and Jametra attended Norfolk State University. Both started their teaching careers in the Norfolk Public School System in Virginia, but found their way to teaching in North Carolina. Longtime friends, they both taught at Durham Performing Learning Center and Hillside High School in Durham. Jametra also taught math in Indiana and is a wife, mother of two girls, and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. Mariama is a mentor, loving friend and daughter, and a member of World Overcomers Christian Church. Although they have both been out of the classroom for the last three to four years, they say the part they miss the most about leaving the classroom is the opportunity to build relationships with groups of students. “We appreciate still being able to work in classrooms and interact with students and teachers, because at the end of the day we ARE teachers...it is what we do,” says Jametra. h
“We always remind parents and students that tutoring just means you need some extra help, and we all need help at some point. Also, getting tutoring doesn’t imply paying for a service; you can get help from family or friends. Just know there is nothing wrong with reaching out for help,” says Mariama. “Asking questions doesn’t mean something is wrong with you. Asking questions is part of the learning process.” A focus on inclusion and diversity is an aspect the founders and lead tutors of M&M strive to maintain. They now have 25 tutors, some bilingual, and have served almost 500 families and a growing number of schools, school districts, and community organizations. Tutors are available to travel to homes or schools. Outside of tutoring and academic support services, M&M also offers professional development for classroom teachers in the form of seminars and workshops. “We strive to help schools and school districts improve teacher retention because experienced teachers are needed, but are not always supported depending on the experience of those around them,” says Jametra. Both Jametra and Mariama are licensed and National Board Certified teachers and are thankful for the mentorship they received that groomed them to be the educators they are today. They also continue to work on their own professional development by staying current on changing curriculums in the state. “We can serve in different roles because we both have been in the classroom long enough to have a good idea on how to work with teachers, while helping students improve,” says Mariama. “We truly want to see everyone in our community reach their full academic potential!”
M&M Tutoring Service (Educational Group) 3326 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd Ste-C120 Durham, NC 27707 984-888-0141 www.mmedugroup.org
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Elois Lettley Occasions II Restuarant 22
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By Junios Smith III Photos by TMF Photography The experience may not have been there, but the vision was. In 1998, Elois Lettley took over Occasions II Catering in Burlington. Despite having a penchant toward cooking great meals, Lettley said she was nervous because she had never done something of quite a magnitude. “I started this with no restaurant experience,” Lettley said. “I was working in a hospital and a friend of mine knew I had a passion for cooking, so he asked if I would lease a building and start this business. I didn’t know what to expect going in, but over 22 years later I’m still here.” Not only is Lettley’s organization still here, it has become a staple in Alamance County. The Burlingtondowntown based restaurant was previously a car dealership, but with the drive of Lettley, Occasions II Catering has become known as a strong staple in the area. The Caswell County native has been able to provide a great country and soul food experience in her hometown through the highs and lows. “I love what I do,” Lettley said. “It’s not as easy as people think and there are a lot of challenges. The hardest thing has been turning my mom and grandmother’s recipes from serving 20 people to 400 while keeping it perfect. I’m also dealing with budgets and payrolls for others while also trying out different recipes of my own. I’ll let my family test them out first before I put them on the menu for the customers.” Lettley and her husband, George, have been married since 1966 and while both were North Carolinians, in New York, after their two children, Fraizer and Gregory were born, a move back to the Tar Heel State was in the cards. “I moved to New York where I met my husband,” Lettley said. “We came back here to raise our children because the big city wasn’t really work for me and he’s from Wilmington, so it was easy to come back. I got a job working at a bank and then I started working in the hospital before starting the restaurant.” Continued on the next page
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While working for the Bank of Toyko in New York, Lettley also worked at a hamburger restaurant in New York, and got some experience professionally. She did grow up cooking for her family. Lettley said. “I think one of the reasons we’ve been able to stay here is because we kept the country cooking aspect. There were a lot of people in the area who wanted that and we’ve been able to provide it at an affordable rate.” Her menu has familiar staples such as fried chicken, corn bread and macaroni and cheese. “I try to change it up routinely, but the demand for some of these dishes had me keeping them on the daily menu. I also have a soul food buffet on Friday nights where there will be things like chitterlings and pig feet, along with my special barbecue sauces. I think there’s a great blend of food here that you don’t see at a lot of other restaurants in the area,” she says. It took a bit of time to build, but as the reputation grew, so did the amount of supporters. “I remember the first Sunday we opened up there were only 30 people who came and I didn’t know what to make of it,” Lettley said. “Now, there’s an average of about 500 people who come in and there have been some Sunday’s where we’ll seat about 800 people. We were open for Mother’s Day last year and had about 1,000 come in, and we’re expecting the same this year.” The restaurant is able to hold up to 400 people, with the area available for rent for private events. Numerous local organizations host monthly lunch or dinner meetings and can be done simultaneously in some cases. Besides seating in the restaurant, Occasions II Catering also lives up to its name by going out into the city and neighboring areas. Lettley said the restaurant is closed on Saturday to accommodate bookings. “We’ve done events in Burlington, Winston-Salem, Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro and Yanceyville,” Lettley said. “We’ll bring our grills and fryers out there and provide food for any event.” Lettley said there has been tremendous growth since the inception and she hopes it trends in a positive direction. “We’ve grown a lot over the last 22 years and I hope it continues. We’ve been blessed to do a lot of weddings, banquets, dinner parties and family reunions. Hopefully we can continue to grow.” Occasions II Catering is open from Tuesday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a special soul food buffet from 5:30 to 9 p.m. on Friday evenings. On Sunday, the restaurant is open from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. “Occasions is where every event is special.”
Pictured with Elois is her husband of 22 year, George
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Occasions II Restuarant 227 N. Front Street Burlington, NC 27215 336-227-9887
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Randy and Demi What A Power Couple Looks Like
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By Terry L. Watson Photos by Randy & Demi
Randy and Demi Howell are the epitome of the phrase ‘Power Couple’. The duo shares that many people think that being a power couple only consists of success and material wealth. “Both of those attributes are only surface components of what it takes to be a true ‘Power Couple’. By creating our own blueprint and going against the grain, we have defied all of the odds in marriage, business, and parenthood,” they said. Working side by side for the last 16 years as entrepreneurs, they’ve seen it all while running three successful businesses, home schooling their daughters, and maintaining a healthy marriage. “We understand in business as well as marriage, we have to create a strategy that works for us, not the one society has in place,” they said. They are most famously known as ‘The Root With Randy and Demi’ which is a talk show platform that focuses on sensitive issues they feel need to be confronted to aid in a healthy advancement in life, business, and relationships. Certain issues that may not seem to have an impact on any of those are many times the actual root of the problem and is their mission to expose them and analyze their root and come to a conclusions through conversation that will help to eliminate them, one person or situation at a time. “As life coaches and truth coaches, we are purposed to help individuals and businesses to recognize the problem, find the source, confront the source, and derive at long lasting results via conversation with a full conclusion of understanding allowing for a more fulfilled future. We offer life, business, and relationship coaching services,” they said.
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They began in 2004 after starting on a journey as entrepreneurs. They opened their first hair salon and used that platform to erect their coaching company, Howell and Howell Coaching. “Everyday we were faced with the opportunity to help others and that led us to transition our focus to coaching. With each individual, we began to realize that there are issues that are so sensitive or dark, many believed they are better to be buried, than to be exposed. With each conversation realized that through the exposure of demons, we can exorcise them and create a better quality of life, whether in business, or a relationship. These conclusions led us to take the driver’s seat and start confronting the issues in a manner that does not expose others but gives them the information through transparency that will help them to find a certain level of blissful peace,” they shared. With all of their businesses, the couple says the love is equally shared. However, they say the feeling of joy that comes with helping someone remains the same. Like most other businesses, there are a few challenges that come along with being an entrepreneur. One of them is getting their clients to open up. “Convincing a person to realize that living in their truth is an important step to freeing themselves from the strongholds that have been a hindrance. Every person deserves the opportunity to live as free as possible, and ultimately that is the biggest challenge, helping an individual to realize just that,” Randy says.
WWW.RANDYGHOWELLJR.LIFE/RANDYANDDEMI FACEBOOK: THEROOTWITHRANDYANDDEMI INSTAGRAM: THEROOTWITHRANDYANDDEMI EMAIL: RANDYANDDEMI@GMAIL.COM YOU TUBE: THE ROOT WITH RANDY AND DEMI
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Randy and Demi are mostly inspired by the possibility of producing positive change through their works. When asked if they would change anything about their journey, their response is broad. “As cliche’ as it may sound, the world through a chain reaction starting with one person, therefore creating a new voice to promote the importance of radical change, and continuing the process until every person has the opportunity for the highest quality of life possible.” Moving forward, their plans are to have their show and speaking engagements recognized on a national platform and available around the world. This they believe will give them the ability to fulfill their purpose and help every person that seeks their services. h
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Aubrie Tate MAGAZINE
Cutest Baby
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The daughter of Aleta Tate and Darrell Tate Photo by Stacey Gardin
Hampton Roads - Nov./Dec. 2019
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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