Huami Magazine Raleigh Durham September/October 2016 by Terry Watson

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Mistakes Can Make You Better

There Are No If, Ands, Or Buts About It! A Letter From The Editor A Letter from the Editor

One of the hardest things for me to do is to admit that I made a mistake. It is not because I think that I’m perfect; it’s because I try real hard to get things right the first time. If only I hadarrive? listened I was instructed What if tomorrow didn’t Allwhen of your plans, hopesto slow down and take my time, chances are I would be blemish free. and dreams wouldn’t have a street to park on. What if Yet, how much fun would that have been? It would deny from the experience everything that you decided to put offme until tomorrow never of making mistakes and learning from them, and the challenge of developing happened? There would be no reason to save for a rainy methods to prevent them from happening again.

day, and you could spare someone the trouble of making promises. What your last opportunity When we can admit toifour shortcomings, it saysseemingly a lot aboutexpired our today? What would you do? character. It reveals that we are not too prideful or ashamed. It also helps us to let loose of the burdens that can often consume us when we allow I’ve been told that I often seem like I do too much. tough situations to become perpetual.

Honestly, I feel like I am not doing enough and I’m a firm

In order for me get to this position, I had to put conduct a self on evaluation believer in to knowing that God wouldn’t anything me and identify what were my intentions and motives, and more importantly that I couldn’t handle. I sometimes wonder how life would who dobe they more. Theand exam started initially with a conversation if I benefit chose to sit idle accept what it presented to me. I with God because He knows more about me than I do of myself. have found that to be very boring. In my opinion, opportunity

is a blessing that isn’t afforded to everyone. A challenge

I learned that It isadventure. impossible to live aisfulfilling lifethat and never impact to me is an What the worst can happen? someone else’s life in a way that allows them to live greater. God told me If I do nothing, I fail, and if I try I don’t, but instead learn He doesn’t bless us just so that we can go around with our nose in the air, something new about myself. Relinquish your pride and in boasting about what we have. He does it so that others can see His work return acquire life. boy watches his father shave and prepare for through us. Just as a young work each morning, or a young girl that helps her mother prepare a meal for Thethere bestare advice ever given to me happened when someone their family, others who are watching and learning from what we told me to make my tomorrow happen today. In doing so do and how we do it.

I have pressed my way through doors with a key that only

We allhope mustprovided. be mindfulI about ourselves. Once word or sound escapes have also learned theadifference between our lips,what we can’t take them back. Our actions and how we treat our God blesses me with and what life can burden me with neighbor a precise reflection how we when really feel about them. That as iswell. I compare it toofknowing to be confident and is why it iswhen so important to be careful to be quiet, becausewith what you allow your ears and eyes to someone may get it confused receive. What we take in will eventually with being arrogant. come back out. Love and pain has equal power, but very different intentions. I Make would rather liveyou my tomorrow life, trying to find happen today, but most ways to love everyone, even those who importantly make it count. don’t give it back, than to waste an Life is but a whisper and opportunity to live and never know what we to must put ourselves in a it feels like love.

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HUAMI MAGAZINE is published 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 E-mail at terrywatson@huamimagazine.com terry.editor@yahoo.com or to Mykel Media Company, LLC P.O. Box 20102 Greensboro, NC 27420 HUAMI MAGAZINE 2016 All Rights Reserved 2014 All Rights Reserved

position to hear what it is telling us.

Terry L. Watson

Terry L. Watson Editor/Founder

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November/December 2014

On The Cover

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CONTENTS

Cutest Baby

Sept./Oct.

Kisha Mitchell

2016

Derek Armah

Also Inside

Angela Thornton

The Gem Chronicles

Surbira Boutique Fashion Meets Classy

Angelene & Perry Hill A Ray Of Hope Ministries

Antonina Griffith Stay Out Of Her Way!

Peggy Cheek

Raleigh/Durham - Sept./Oct. - 2016

Todd Walker HuamiMagazine.com

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By Terry L. Watson Photos by Jarvis Harris here are three simple things that Angela Thornton believes that someone who strives for success must acknowledge and live by. First, she says remove the word “can’t” from your vocabulary. Secondly, get rid of the dream killers in your life. Lastly, she says you must have no fear, because fear is the biggest dream killer there is.

A native of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Angela moved to North Carolina at a very young age. After high school she received her bachelor’s degree in mathematics from North Carolina Central University in Durham and her master’s degree in computer science from North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro. She has over 20 years of IT corporate experience while working in various roles as a software engineer, business systems analyst and project manager. However, her true gratification comes from being a mother to her 13-yearold son and athlete. When she is not working, she can be found traveling, painting, working out or playing flag football with the Durham Lady Bulls flag football team. Earlier this year, she completed her first mini-triathlon. She is the owner of three very dynamic businesses. Adella Creative is a web design, graphic design and IT consulting business that provides full-service, website development. She also specializes in customized websites, WordPress sites, Wix.com and SquareSpace platforms. “We also provide graphic services such as logo design, business card designs, flyers, booklets and more. Adella Creative can also assist with social media set up and management, as well as other IT related services,” she says. As a web applications developer for many years in the corporate world, Angela also developed a love for website and graphic design. After successfully completing a website for a friend many years ago, she realized there was something else she was good at doing and more gratifying than her corporate job. “I love working with graphics and layouts. What’s tedious to most is fun for me,” she states. Her graphic design business has grown by leaps and bounds, mainly due to the support of repeat customers and referrals. It was because of this growth that she felt it was time to introduce her business to a much larger audience and thus, Adella Creative was born.

Angela Thornton Three Roads To Success

Her second venture is Sunrise Escapes Travel, an independent host travel agency specializing in cruises, destination weddings, group travel and tours. While being certified with Sandals, Disney and Royal Caribbean, they can book any cruise, resort or tour that their clients may desire. They are capable of producing custom travel packages for their clients, while working with them to understand their destination desires, such as adding zip-lining adventures with their kids in the rain forests, or a romantic relaxing get-a-way with their significant other at an all adult, all-inclusive resort. From 2013 - 2014, Angela was involved with a marketing business in the traveling industry. “Although I enjoyed the travel aspect of the business, the networking marketing side of the business didn’t appeal to me as much,” she says. While on a Sandals trip for travel agents in December 2014; she met a lady who had her own home based travel agency. This lady was kind enough to tell Angela how she started her agency. Fully enlightened by the information that was shared with her, she decided to start an agency of her own, Sunrise Escapes Travel was born in January 2015 and currently has seven independent agents who book travel under the agency’s name.

Continued on page 9

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Angela’s third venture is North Carolina Staged Interiors, a home staging and interior design business focusing on the Raleigh/ Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary, Apex, Garner and Morrisville areas of North Carolina. “We understand the buyer demographic and real estate market for each of these areas,” she says. North Carolina Staged Interiors’ styling and redesign services connects their client to each space in their home, so that it’s organized, beautiful, stress-free and the perfect reflection of them. She already possessed a natural talent for creativity and design, whether it be architecture, art, graphics or interior design. She was accepted to Hampton University to pursue a degree in architecture upon graduating from high school, but instead found herself following a different path towards engineering and received a degree in computer science. Over the years she has enjoyed decorating her own homes as well as those of friends and family. Having been a part time real estate agent since 2001, she realized that a home staging business would blend well with her real estate practice, while giving her the opportunity to live her passion. In 20 years of working as an IT professional in corporate America, Angela says she has been laid off four times. “I remember the first time I was laid off, my mother was in shock and disbelief. I told my mom that’s how corporate America works. My mother grew up in a generation where someone could work for a company for 30 plus years and then retire. You got pensions, retired somewhere and lived a good life in your golden years. That’s not the case anymore. When I was laid off the second time, I knew I had to have a “plan b”. Well now I have three of them.” Angela is mostly inspired by her mother who she also describes as her hero. “She raised three kids alone and had a phenomenal career in academics as an administrator, dean and nurse educator. She didn’t understand why I wanted to leave such a good paying corporate job to start my own business but before she passed, I think she realized that I was doing what was necessary and was also proud of my tenacity to make it happen,” she says. Additionally, she credits her grandfather with paving an entrepreneurial path for her, as he owned a barbershop and sold hair care products himself. More than anything, Angela loves to help others. That is another reason why she wanted to get out of the cubicle and connect with others. “I’m a people person and my businesses have allowed me to make so many friends and meet some of the most interesting and accomplished people,” she says. Moving forward she says she hopes to add more agents to her travel business and employ others. “I want to provide jobs to our community and internships to our young, African American students so that they can have some experience when they graduate and not just a piece of paper,” she said. h

Adella Creative www.adellacreative.com 919-600-7299

NC Staged Interiors www.ncstagedinteriors.com 919-424-1934

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Sunrise Escapes Travel www.sunriseescapes.com 855-629-4827

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Peggy Cheek A Cut Above The Rest

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By Terry L. Watson Photos by Peggy Cheek

eggy Cheek is a native of Henderson, N.C., P and is the second oldest of six children. At the young age of 15, her mother was killed at the hands of her father. This was a very dramatic situation for both Cheek and her siblings. As life changed for her, she was left to be raised by her grandmother. She later moved to Chapel Hill, N.C., before settling into Birmingham, Ala. Her life continued to transform and she moved back to Henderson and started her family. Things were not ideal for her in Henderson and she decided to move her family to Raleigh while searching for better opportunities. For 25 years, Cheek worked for McDonalds, starting at the position of cashier and later advancing to the role of general manager. “The opportunity that McDonalds provided allowed me to grasp an understanding of the importance of good customer service. It also helped me to become more structured and organized as I grew into the management position,” she says. Though she progressed with McDonalds, she says there were some experiences that helped her to realize that she should be doing something else with her life. While raising her three sons Tra’Quon, Nehemiah and James, Cheek spent a lot of time at the barbershop. “I thought to myself that I could save my money if I knew how to cut their hair, and so I enrolled into Harris Barber College,” she says. There she acquired the necessary skills and knowledge to be successful in the barbering trade. After graduating from barber school, she landed her first job as a barber at GQ Cuts in Raleigh. After working there for a period of time, she moved on Mr. Groom Room, before coming to Men At Work Barber Shop. Cheek specialties include straight razor cuts, design clipper cutting, shampoo, tapers, scalp treatment and massages, and more. She also focuses on educating her clients on healthy hair and the importance of maintaining it. As a female barber in a male dominated industry, Cheek had to work harder to prove herself to her peers. “Some male clients will sit back and observe my ability before sitting in my chair. I believe that most male clients must first establish a level of comfort with me,” she says.

In the future, Cheek hopes to eventually open her very own barbershop work alongside other female barbers. She would also like to use her platform to help single mothers who may be facing similar circumstances that she did. “I had to learn how to adjust to the difficulties that life presented me, even when there were no signs of hope. I push through because there are others who are depending on my success,” she says. h

Cheek says what she loves most about being a barber is the challenges that come with it. “I was once told that I wouldn’t be a successful barber, and that this trade wasn’t for me. I didn’t allow that to discourage me, but instead I used it for motivation,” she says. “I also love the opportunities that I have to meet new people. In this industry you must be a people person,” she says.

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Peggy Cheek Men At Work Barbershop 600 W. South Street Raleigh, NC 27601 919-641-4596 (919) 832-8020

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By Terry L. Watson Photos by Mykel Media Company

poiled Rot10 is a fashion boutique for men and women featuring clothing for trendsetters in Raleigh, N.C., and throughout the nation. Their family owned business is brings fashion from the big cities of Los Angeles, New York, New Jersey, Atlanta, and even Dubai with a touch of Southern hospitality. They have become one of the premier resources for trendy fashion for men and women in Raleigh and the surrounding areas. From casual to special occasion wear, they carry it all, which is why shoppers rely on them for options not found at local department stores. Owner Todd Walker is a happily married man and father of two wonderful kids. He is the youngest of three boys, raised by a single mother, who loved and helped to raised a lot of young guys and lead them to become men, entrepreneurs and wonderful fathers. “I really enjoy being a father to my son who I see growing into a young man, preparing to take on society’s endeavors. My daughter is wildly creative and came up with the name of my business at the age of four. My wife is the nucleus of my support system and business partner who lets me know when things will work and they will not,” he says.

Todd Walker “My Business Is My Therapy”

Spoiled Rot10

Walker is inspired by other business owners such as Fashion Forward Apparel and Caps Urban Wear of Raleigh. He is also inspired by the love and support he receives from family and friends. Having worked in the corporate world and putting in 60 to 70 hour work weeks, Walker cherishes the time he is able to spend with his family. “Not being able to see my son’s football and basketball games or having to put a job in front of my daughter’s events was always a difficult choice for me to make. As a business owner now, yes I still have to make a lot of sacrifices and I still work a lot of hours, but I feel I am making decisions that will ultimately benefit them in the long run,” he says. As Walker opens his doors everyday, he realizes that being a business owner doesn’t just mean that he is there to sell clothing. He has become a help center, a community forum, and a ear to individuals, both old and young. “I have learned that many of the relationships that I have formed wouldn’t have happened had not I opened this store. It’s one of the perks that I truly enjoy of this job,” he says. h

717 E Martin St. - Raleigh, NC 27601 - (919) 648-2515 - www.spoiledrot10.com 14

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Perry & Angelene

A Ray Of Hope Ministries By Tonya Dixon - Photos by Still Shots Photography

hristianity looks different in different areas. Ministering, pastoring and preaching follows suit. If anyone knows how to navigate and relate to different people and different styles of worship its Pastors Perry and Angelene Hill. From Nebraska to Germany to Oklahoma to Georgia and Colorado then back to Germany, the two former U.S. military and federal government employees have faithfully served their country, as well as their Lord.

Beginning in 1992, the Fayetteville, N.C. natives spent 15 years pastoring a military church in Germany. The ministry was under the Church of God in Christ governing body in connection with the military. Although designed and instituted especially for members of the military, local German civilians often joined the congregation. There was nothing average or typical about their assimilated congregation, but to the Hills it was an amazing testament to the universal message and power of Christianity. “It was very refreshing and encouraging. It made us aware that it wasn’t your everyday cultural church setting,” said Angelene. “We learned to accommodate different cultures and people that worshipped God in different forms. One person may raise their hands in worship while another might be more jubilant. We embraced the different cultural types of worship. It was good for the natives as well as the Americans.”

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As the senior pastor, Perry says that it took some time getting used to delivering a sermon with an interpreter if locals were involved in the service. “You had to wait for the interpretation and the interpreter had to be as enthusiastic as you were,” he said. “We learned how to deliver a message in all different forms and fashions. However, it was a great experience to see the same spirit and God move on different people even though they all didn’t speak the same language.” Nonetheless, there were military-related issues that the pair had to adjust to dealing with that wouldn’t be as prevalent in standard churches. Spouses were often left alone while their counterparts served their country in a foreign land. The associated temptations and issues were constant causes for counseling and teaching sessions. “It’s easy to introduce infidelity in that type of environment,” said Angelene. However, as a military wife herself, she was able to relate to the women and understand their unique perspectives, as could Perry with the men. While members were committed to their faith they were also committed to their country and station, which often meant, due to the rotation cycle of the military, the church experienced large amounts of families joining and leaving the ministry every three years. It seemed by the time the pastors and congregants got used to one another a rotation would occur and they had to constantly prepare themselves to minister to new people and often, new problems. Pastoring the church in Hohenfels, Germany, in addition to Angelene’s sevenmonth stent as an interim pastor of a military-only church, was training ground for the ministering duo. The Lord began preparing them for the time in which they wouldn’t be pastoring, but still preaching and teaching the Gospel. In 1997, A Ray of Hope Ministries was birthed in Nuremberg, Germany. As the Hills transitioned back to the U.S., the new ministry took root and nearly 20 years later it has grown and expanded throughout North Carolina and across the United States. “When we came back to the U.S., I pastored a church in Mooresville, N.C. for about four years. During that time God took us to another level in prayer,” said Angelene. “God would get us up early in the mornings for intercessory prayers and conference call prayers. That was 10 years ago and we still do it to this day. Bits and pieces of the ministry we do now originated during that time.” The Hills spent many years as faithful pastors and shepherds of churches, but God called A Ray of Hope Ministries beyond the four walls of a traditional church. They describe the ministry as “a bit of everything” for the Lord. “We literally take church with us. God has given A Ray of Hope Ministries a special anointing for prayer. We love doing prayer vigils or what used to be called shut-ins,” said Angelene. “We were recently called out to California to do a 72-hour shut-in. We went in at 6 p.m. on a Thursday and left at 6 a.m. on Sunday. It was beyond powerful.”

Pastors Angelene & Perry Hill A Ray Of Hope Ministries 336-290-2360 www.arayofhopeministries.org

Through the ministry, the Hills organized what they call The Prayer Chapel. Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 6:15 a.m. believers from across the country unite together in prayer for 15 minutes via conference call in order to command what the Lord has designed for that day. In fact, the prayer is called, “Divine Aligning Your Day.” The Prayer Chapel: “Where Intercessors are Developed” occurs every Sunday morning from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. Coordinated by Angelene, the goal of the prayer time is to intercede on behalf of others. Having studied intercessory prayer, the Hills believe God has revealed unto them the premise of intercessory prayer so that they can reveal it unto others. “We also spend time with those who show interest in being intercessors, teaching them and giving instruction via the prayer line. Intercessory prayer is different it’s not just about me and my four and no more,” said Angelene. “The prayers are focused on the world and society at large, political situations and whatever the Holy Spirit leads us to pray about.” Although A Ray of Hope Ministries takes the Hills across the country sharing the Gospel, they are both active members of New Dimensions COGIC in Mebane, N.C. and both lead various ministries within the church and humbly submit to leadership. A nondenominational ministry, A Ray of Hope conference call prayers are open to anyone and everyone seeking to gain a greater relationship and knowledge of God. According to the Hills, prayer is one tool that God has given unto believers to literally change situations and circumstances. “The condition of the world is why God has called for intercessors. The enemy has caused us to become so busy that typically if anything gets pushed to the side its God,” said Angelene. “However, it’s a trick; we have to get back on the wall and in prayer. The scripture says in 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If my people which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” h h

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Derek Armah Pro Intellect & Trained Sports

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By Terry L. Watson Photos by Soul2Soul Photography

rek Armah aka “Coach D” was e raised by his mother, Vida Armah in Lawnside, N.J. He attended Haddon Heights High School where he thrived as a multisports athlete, ultimately landing him in the school’s hall of fame. After graduating, he attended the University of Wyoming on a full scholarship for football. While playing the position of running back, in just four years he finished fifth all-time in rushing. He later graduated with a bachelor’s of science in healthcare administration and moved to North Carolina in 2005, where he started his family with his wife Dee, and daughter Dayla. Today, Armah is the face of Pro Intellect & Trained Sports (P.I.T.S.). They are a private sector, strength and conditioning, personal training facility whose expressed purpose is to educate and train its clients for healthy lifestyles that increase the quality and longevity of life in and outside of sports. “With P.I.T.S., it’s not only your body that is built, shaped and molded, it’s also your mind,” he says. They are a fully functioning 501(c ) 3 program whose mission is accomplished by organizing and hosting healthy living, eating, and fitness seminars and classes. These events are focused on the causes and effects of poor nutritional habits and low levels of physical activity, as well as and healthy lifestyle habits. Other topics include providing education on the types of diseases or disabilities caused by being overweight which include diabetes, and high blood pressure. Other educational services they offer focus on nutrition, the benefits of physical fitness and athletic training. “I love when a goal is accomplished on when we surprise ourselves by completing an action or a goal that we never thought we’d be able to see or do. I am inspired every day by my clients and how they work through life every day and still find a way to take care of themselves. Even on days when the world just doesn’t seem to be in your favor. They come in and trust the process,” he says. If he could change anything, he says it would be that he is not able to do provide his services for free. “You have to experience what P.I.T.S. has to offer, to be able to understand it. There are many different ways to achieve goals. We pride ourselves on being researched based and taking this approach to assist our team members in achieving their goals. We are genuine in our approach and not financially driven. More than coaching our team members and clients we also seek to educate them,” he says. h

Derek Armah 5608 - 100 Spring Ct. Raleigh, NC 27616 www.itsateamthing.com 919-368-5372

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Cutest Baby Xael Ahni Jordan The daughter of Taâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;lor L. Pinkston and Abdul Lateef Jordan Photo by Doreen Upshaw To submit photographs into the Huami Magazine Cutest Baby Photo Contest, send a detailed email to mykelmedia@yahoo.com

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I have been given the opportunity to preach and teach for twentyone years in many places and the one thing that I have observed in our congregational settings is the perpetual presence of praise. We praise not only in our sound, but in our words to those whom we fellowship with weekly. Praise and adoration was birthed out of our tradition to not give up, but to press and keep our head up high. The analogy of going low means we allow others opinion to facilitate the direction in which our lives take. The climate of fear grips us and backs us into a corner and we feel the only way to come out is to fight. Fighting from a place of confidence is good when you know who you are. But when we fight from a place of fear and lack the assurance of knowing who we are, the target is anything or anybody that will try to stop us. There are certain economic, social and political powers that have advantages over us; and when we lack these essential qualities it is hard to fight back when we do not know whom the real enemy is. The elementary fear of death is absent in Black America, because many have not found purpose to live for. I believe the family unit has suffered tremendously, because the family dynamics have changed. We now have more single families, blended families, grandparents that have become parents again raising a generation of Millennial’s. This generation is technologically advanced, but lacks the need for direct communication between each other.

Dr. Erika H. Hendrix B.S., M. Div., D.D.

The Prophetic Plight of Black America By Dr. Erika Hendrix Photos by Jarvis Harris

n the opening night of the DNC Convention

America had the great fortuity to hear our FLOTUS, Michele Obama, speak to us about how black America has evolved to this place. There where many points that she made that illuminated for black America and on in particular was the privilege to live in house built by slaves. FLOTUS also gave us insight into a life lesson that she and POTUS have taught their girls, and many of us will never forget it. The lesson simply is, “When they low, we go high.” The plight in Black America is not the absence of significance; it’s the absence of our true meaning of self. We have always been able to rise above any barrier that has been placed before us. The Millennial’s today operate from a place of fear not confidence. Dr. Howard Thurman in his book, Jesus and the Disinherited defines for us, “fear is one of the persistent hounds of hell that dog the footsteps of the poor, the dispossessed, the disinherited.” This is nothing new for black America, but we must embrace the urgency to go high when others have tired to keep us low.

The essence of going high means we look beyond where we currently are and see prophetically the plans that God has for us. Black America has always had a prophetic call from our ancestors. We have been able to see and overcome our plight from our low places and/or situations by trusting and believing in a God that we could not see, but believed that God was able to deliver us to our high place in Him. The plans that God has for us cannot be comprehended by the natural mind. When we have been given the gift to see it is not just for us, but it is for those who are connected to us. The high places that God will send us are not just for ourselves, but for everyone that God has assigned to us to perpetuate a season of change. The high places in our lives out weigh every low place that we have encountered. We must be grateful for the low places because it pushed us to our next level. There have been times when it was the low places that exposed my inner sight to connect with my current situation and lead me to my destiny in God. Black America has the threat of violence and the presence of it all around us, but we must go high and not low and look beyond the threat and grab hold of the opportunities that we have been afforded. In conclusion we do not owe this life anything, but we owe everything to God. The best way to leave your mark on this earth is to release those things that have attached themselves to you. The best way to release those things is to bury them and let go. Embrace this new life that God has given you, the deep calls for the deep. The Spirit of God is calling you from your low place to a high place of expectation, opportunity and purpose. There are places you will go and there are people you will meet so don’t limit your destination to where you are now. Allow the spirit of God to transform you thinking, for it was good that we have been afflicted. Affliction is not crippling, it is h freedom from what was and there is hope in what shall be.

In the book of Romans 8:12-14 (The Message Bible): 12-14 So don’t you see that we don’t owe this old do-ityourself life one red cent. There’s nothing in it for us, nothing at all. The best thing to do is give it a decent burial and get on with your new life. God’s Spirit beckons. There are things to do and places to go!

For Speaking Engagements 336-587-8876 erikahe29@bellsouth.net. Facebook @DrErika Hendrix Instagram @drerikahendrix Twitter @drerikahendrix 21

Stay Out of Her Way! By Tonya Dixon Photos by Jarvis Harris

By Tonya Dixon - Photos by Jarvis Harris tonina Griffin travels the world telling her story and promoting her business. Today she’s a highly sought after inspirational speaker n and business advisor. Some might even say she’s living the good life. However, it wasn’t that long ago that her life and everything she knew was a perfect example of the polar opposite.

By most accounts there was nothing magical or magnificent about her childhood and certainly wasn’t indicative of the blessed life she now enjoys. “I spent the first 20 years of my life in what some would call the hood, projects or low income/no-income housing,” said Griffin. “My mom passed away when I was nine years old and my father was never around. My grandmother, Ruth Barrett, did her very best at raising my younger brother and myself. Growing up in a poverty stricken environment; life was tough.” “I was molested by a close family friend. I witnessed my mom being physically abused. Violence was all around me, but so was love. My grandmother loved me dearly. She loved me all the way up until her last breath. She died when I was 18 years old.”

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When her grandmother died she felt her world ended. However, Griffin said it was her son who kept her alive. However, even that wasn’t quite enough. She couldn’t find the answers to the hard question that were constantly racing through her mind. What was she supposed to do? How could she be a good mother? With only a high school diploma, no guidance, or encouragement, what could she do? After having her son, Griffin suddenly found herself stuck. With no money, real family or friends to depend on, she began doing whatever she needed to do to survive and to maintain some semblance of a decent life, including selling drugs. The heartache that she endured as a child only compounded as she grew older. Instead of finding the love and satisfaction that she so desperately sought after, she found their counterfeit counterparts. Before Griffin knew it, she was a single mother of four children with three different fathers. She became haunted by the unsavory names people chose to call her and soon thereafter began to play the role in which she was cast. As determined as she was not to, she began repeating the cycle and lifestyle that she witnessed as a child with her own mother. Even after trying multiple times to “get her life together” by going to church like her grandmother had taught and raised her to do, she always found herself back in the same rut and engaging in her old activities and tendencies. “I started hanging out in a different project. It was there where I learned about life. And it was there where I started searching for love in all the wrong places,” she said. After a night of partying and clubbing, Griffin chose to hang out with a guy at a hotel. Once she got there her intuition told her that something just wasn’t right and she made a decision to leave, but her friend refused to accept her change of heart. In the blink of an eye her life was forever changed. It was several years later before she revealed to anyone that she was raped that night. “I kept the rape from everyone for years and the first person I told was my childhood friend of 30 years,” she said. As difficult as that night was and coupled with all the other issues she held, Griffin said, “Instead of dealing with molestation, rape, feelings of abandonment and rejection, I swept it under the rug and I looked to men more to validate me.”

She’s not just in a great state; she’s in greatness overdrive. Her energy has changed; her effort has changed; and her motivation has changed. Griffin is currently a national director in Total Life Changes, a natural health and wellness business that simultaneously promotes increased health options for consumers and offers opportunities for those same customers to change their socioeconomic status through a rewarding compensation plan. In fact, the plan is so rewarding and has been such a blessing to Griffin and her family, she has been able to add to her net worth by purchasing Prominence Funeral Services in Thomasville, N.C. Now a certified, legitimate businesswoman, walking in her purpose, Griffin uses every opportunity she has to not only tell her story, but help others, especially women, discover their purposes all while taking care of their health. She uses her book, “Perfectly Out of Order” as well as what she calls purposed “connections.” “My amazing mentor told me that what you go through determines the type of people you minister or talk to. So I connect with people through their struggle. I know everything I went through wasn’t for me, but it was for me to help others come out,” she said. “I don’t have a lot of “friends” that I hang out with, but I have a lot of purpose that I must fulfill. I can only fulfill my purpose by praying and asking God to connect me to the people that he wants to connect me to.” While Griffin is making purpose driven connections, she’s also looking to reach her personal goals, including opening a charter school in the very near future as well as conducting more of her “Loving My Inner Me” women’s retreats in the mountains of Pigeon Forge. However, Griffin says there’s much more to be done and she’s determined more than ever to get it done. Quoting one of her friends, she says, “I’m here for my dreams to evolve and not evaporate.” h

It took a great deal of time for Griffin to come to terms with her past, but eventually she did. However, it wasn’t something she did on her own. As a matter of fact, it took an intervention. God intervened and changed her life. “When I discovered Jesus, I discovered Antonina. I understood that it was all a part of my purpose. It was God that got me through it. The pain of life was sometimes unbearable and so I had to rely on the Word of God,” she said. “When I made the decision to stop clubbing, hustling, and devaluing myself by sleeping with men to make myself feel better, which by the way made me feel worse, and made the decision to accept Christ as my Lord and Savior, then I realized He was all the man I ever needed. That one decision changed my life for the better!” Her relationship with God not only helped mend and repair all the broken and dysfunctional areas in her life, but it paved the way for her to develop and cultivate, other functional and healthy relationships, especially with men. Today Griffin is happily married to Darin Griffin, whom she met at church. She credits her God-sent husband as the one who helped her “unpack” all of the “baggage” in her life. “God sent me a man that helped me. Some stuff I needed to hold on to like the lessons behind the pain and other stuff I needed to get rid of, like excuses that caused the pain,” she said. “Now that I understand that the pain led to my purpose I’m in a thriving state of mind. When I was trying to figure Antonina out I was a survivor because I continued to live despite the hardship and danger. However, when I started walking into my purpose I started to flourish, prosper, grow, develop, bloom, blossom, succeed and profit. I became a thriver. It wasn’t easy, but it’s safe to say I’m in a great state.”

Antonina is her husband, Darin share 8 years of marriage.

www.ItPaysToKnowAntonina.com www.ProminenceFS.com FB: Antonina L. Griffin FB: Prominence Funeral Services Instagram: @antoninagriffin Twitter: @antoninagriffin Email: antoninagriffin@gmail.com 336-628-2816

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Ursula Urrutia

The 24

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Raleigh/Durham - Sept./Oct. - 2016

By Terry L. Watson Photos by Soul2Soul Photography ique and eclectic, those are the best words to n describe Ursula Urrutia. She is comfortable with variety and change and possesses so many varied passions. From diving with sharks, serving in her community, fighting for social rights, traveling around the world, and having an obsession with the hit television shows, The Walking Dead and Glitter, it is hard to predict what she will do next.

Ursula is also the owner and founder of The Gem Chronicles. The name came from her love of natural gemstones and her belief that every gem and jewelry piece helps to tell a story about the wearer’s personality. “My mission is to help add color, sparkle, and glamour to every woman’s life,” she says. Her passion for gemstones and jewelry goes all the way back to her youth in New York City, where she would enjoy spending hours in the Museum of Natural History’s Gem & Mineral Room. “I’d collect gemstones, find out everything I could about them, and then think of unique ways to incorporate them into my own personal jewelry collection. People would always ask where they could buy my pieces and after lots of encouragement from my family and friends, I decided to start my own line,” she says. So in 2012, The Gem Chronicles jewelry line was born. “My business provides me with a way to expend some of my creative energy into beautifully unique pieces,” she says. “Jewelry is a way to transform your appearance, and make a statement without saying a word. It makes the wearer feel confident, beautiful, and sexy on the inside and out. The Gem Chronicles offers beautifully handmade jewelry using high quality products and no two pieces are ever exactly alike.” Ursula says she loves being able to channel her creative energy into creating something completely new and unique. “It’s very humbling to see someone else wear something you created and love it as much as you do. I am committed to helping women find the color, sparkle, and shine in their everyday lives. Every woman has something beautiful and special inside of her, and my jewelry is an outward expression of that beauty,” she says.

Ursula gives all the credit for her success to God. “He has given me this dream and the fearlessness to pursue it. He has also blessed me by surrounding me with wonderfully supportive friends and family,” she says. Her mother also has encouraged her dreams and has never stopped her from expressing herself creatively, no matter how weird or out of the box it was. “My upbringing in New York has also influenced me, as I was exposed to lots of different cultures and styles and each was more fascinating than the next,” she says. As The Gem Chronicles continues to grow, Ursula plan is for her collection to be placed in retail locations all across the United States and to expand to a full accessory offering handbags and hair jewelry. She advises anyone that may dream as much as she does to never give up. “God plants seeds of greatness in each of us. Your seed is unique to you, and only you can make it blossom into something beautiful. The world needs your talent and voice. You have to be unapologetic about who you are and what you hope to accomplish. Decide to take that leap of faith, be diligent, do everything with excellence, and cultivate that seed and make it flourish,” she says. h

For most artists, they find inspiration in many things. This also applies to Ursula. “I get ideas from different cultures, nature, architecture, and color. I try to stay away from trends, but instead design what feels right, to create a piece that will help the GC woman stand out from the crowd,” she says. “Currently I’m working on a line of jewelry inspired by the African Maasai Warriors. I’m also in love with snakeskin patterns and have incorporated them into my line.” Ursula boasts about her products including the boutique quality lacquers that were specially formulated to perfectly match The Gem Chronicles jewelry line. They are free from formaldehyde, resin, toluene, camphor, and dibutyl phthalate (DBP). In addition to being safer than traditional nail polish or gel, these highly pigmented lacquers are never tested on animals, and dry fast, are great for long wearing, and made 100 percent in the U.S.A.

1-888-774-2604 www.thegemchronicles.com 25 25

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Raleigh/Durham - Sept./Oct. - 2016

Educator & Author

Kisha Mitchell

“Brown Girl, What Do You See?” By Terry L. Watson - Photos by Kisha Mitchell

isha Mitchell says she was inspired to write her book, B rown Girl, Brown Girl What Do You See?after starting a girl’s mentoring group for her middle school students. She noticed a trend within the 7th graders girls of how they weren’t very confident and tended to lack interpersonal skills to communicate with others due to the insecurities that they had within themselves. Her passion for writing this book was furthered even more after giving birth to her first daughter.

option of reading things that reflect them to peek his or her interest in reading,” she says. “In today’s society it is so difficult for children to gain a positive selfimage with what is presented to them in media as it pertains to brown women, girls and beauty. It is imperative that we begin speaking life into our daughters and girls in our lives at an early age and Brown Girl is a great place to start the dialogue.” As the production of this book began, it was apparent that there is a movement occurring among brown women. Many are proudly standing up realizing that they are beyond classically beautiful; they are intelligent and more than enough. This book is a perfect tool that helps young girls begin building the confidence that adult women are experiencing. h

“It was my personal mission to instill pride in my daughter from the time she was born. I told her that she was beautiful and that her hair was beautiful and she believed me,” says Mitchell. All too soon, her efforts had been undone at the age of three when someone in her daughters preschool class told her that her brown skin was not beautiful; that child challenged her daughters belief. How could this happen so early, Mitchell asked herself. “My family and I were devastated and a result we went into brown is beautiful overload,” she says. When she is upset about things, Mitchell tends to write. Brown Girl is what she wrote during her time of heartbreak. It was a love letter to her two daughters and all of her former brown students, to let them know to love themselves and that their brown skin is amazing.

www.girlinspiredinc.com

She feels that it is important to keep books in front of our children at a young age that resemble who they are. “Just as Marley Dias stated, all of the books that our children are exposed to at elementary ages are largely not about the brown girl. Diversity in reading is pertinent to the development of reading skills. It is important to the literacy of our children to have an

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