TRIAD
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Nov./Dec. 2018 Vol. 5 Issue 11 FREE
Triad - Nov./Dec. 2018
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BRING IN THE NEW YEAR WITH LOVE AND FAITH CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP MONDAY, DECEMBER 31st 2018 Doors Open @ 9:00 pm
ONE POWER PACKED SERVICE IN
THE LIFE ENRICHMENT CENTER The Love And Faith Chrisitian Fellowship Mass Choir
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Bring The Entire Family
You’ll Hear A Powerful, Relevant Message By
Michael Thomas, SR. Pastor
Plus Special Musical Guest
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There Are No If, Ands, Or Buts About It!
Open Your Eyes To See What You’re Missing There Are No If, Ands, Or Buts About It!
A Letter Fromfrom The Editor A Letter the Editor
A Letternothing from theelse Editor When seems to make sense, I will find
What if tomorrow didn’t arrive? All of your plans, encouragement in the little things that life offers. I firmlyhopes and dreams wouldn’t have a street to park on. What if we believe that all things happen for a reason. With the good, that you decided toyet put off until tomorrow never What if tomorrow didn’t arrive? All the of your plans, hopes areeverything able to easily embrace it, and with bad sometimes happened? There would be no reason to save for a rainy and dreams wouldn’t have a street to park on. What if we have to dig deep to find the strength to endure it. However, day, you could someone the trouble making everything that youspare decided to put until never with all and things we should try to find theoff hand oftomorrow Godofworking. promises. What your last happened? Thereif would be opportunity no reason toseemingly save for aexpired rainy today? What would you do? day, and you spare someone the trouble making There has tocould be a message in my mess. Life canofsometimes promises. What if your last opportunity seemingly be painful. It may even seem hard and burdensome at expired times. I’ve been told that I often seem difficult like I dopoints, too much. today? What would do? most Though when things areyou at their don’t Honestly, I am not doing enough I’mthat a firm allow yourselfI feel to belike deceived into believing thisand is all life inIfknowing that God seem wouldn’t put anything on me been toldwill that I often like I doenough, too much. hasbeliever toI’ve offer. we only hang around long then will that I couldn’t handle. I sometimes wonder how life would Honestly, I feel like I am not doing enough and I’m a firm the purpose of the fight reveal itself. be if I chose to sit idle and accept whatput it presented believer in knowing that God wouldn’t anything to onme. me I haveI found that to be very boring.of In opportunity that couldn’t I sometimes wonder how life would Buried deeply inhandle. the storm clouds mymy lifeopinion, has been is a blessing that isn’t afforded to everyone. A challenge be if I chose tohas sit also idle and what itseparation, presented and to me. I freedom. There beenaccept deliverance, tobeginnings. mefound is an adventure. What isthe theprocess worst that can opportunity happen? have that beaborted very boring. In my opinion, new If Itohad and thrown in the If I do nothing, I fail, and if I try I don’t, but instead learn towel the first sign of turbulence, may not have received is a at blessing that isn’t afforded toIeveryone. A challenge something new your pride and in these things. Godabout didn’tmyself. love me, I may notthat havecan been to me is an Ifadventure. What is Relinquish the worst happen? return acquire life. granted grace and given a second chance to get it right. If I do nothing, I fail, and if I try I don’t, but instead learn something new about myself. Relinquish your pride and in In hindsight, I’ve learned that the pain had to happen in order The best advice ever given to me happened when someone return acquire life. fortold me appreciate I had to happen be denied some In things soso me to makethe myjoy. tomorrow today. doing that IThe would appreciate what I already had. I had to be knocked I have pressed myever way through doors with a key that only best advice given to me happened when someone down and even knocked out solearned I would know whatIn it felt likeso hope provided. Imy have also the difference between told me to make tomorrow happen today. doing to Iget myGod buttblesses whooped. I’ve had what to suffer and my love what and life canawatch burden me with have pressed my me waywith through doors with key that only ones suffer so that God could show me just how strong I am. as well. I compare it toalso knowing when be confident and hope provided. I have learned the to difference between I’vewhat had God to make mistakes, sometimes the same ones over when to be quiet, because blesses me with and what life can burden meand with over, just to get the message. God knows how hard my head may get it confused as well. I compare it to knowingsomeone when to be confident andis. with being when to bearrogant. quiet, because The most important thing that I have learned from trials someone may getthe it confused of life is to open my eyes. There Make youarrogant. tomorrow is with being no wayhappen possible to winbut a battle today, most if you goimportantly through it with your eyes make it count. Make you tomorrow closed.happen Don’t allow yourself to Life is but a whisper and today, but most be distracted byput themake littleitthings, we must ourselves in a importantly count. they will always be there. Instead, position what it is Life is buttoa hear whisper and focus your eyes on what you think telling us.put we must ourselves in a can’t happen or what you believe position to hear what it is is impossible, and you may see this telling us. is where your life continues.
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CONTENTS
NOV./DEC. 2018
TRIAD EDITION
Joshua and Nikki Purkett 16 GetAway Travel Group
On The Cover
A Higher of Education The Point CPLA
Greenville/Spartanburg
Making Things Happen Together Maurice and Nina Clark
Charlotte
The Car Chronicles Pastor Jameliah Young-Mitchell
Raleigh/Durham
Faith Bynum CPA, PC Faith Bynum
Raleigh/Durham
Life Changing Jennifer Scarborough
Triad The Poetry Cafe Joshephus Thompson III
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Insatiable Sweets
Tava Lynette
38 32 34 42 7
24
R & S Entertainment
Ronald Smith
Final Wishes
Loretta Jo Shaw
22
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Also Featured Milt Lauenstein
A personal investment into the future of our community.
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Nichelle Taylor
Need an interior decorator? Look no futher.
40 Cutest Baby Photo Paisley Royal Paul
21 Triad - Nov./Dec. 2018
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Are You Prepared For The Final Event of Life.......Death Information Provided By Loretta Jo Shaw Photos by Loretta Jo Shaw
People plan and prepare for most events that occur in their lives, yet few prepare for the final event of life... death. No matter if a death is sudden, or something that was a long time coming, the loss of a loved one makes others feel emotionally overwhelmed. When loved ones are in a heightened emotional state, even the most basic decisions can seem staggering. By Pre-planning and Pre-arranging, pain can be lessened and peace of mind can come to those left behind. Final Wishes has been designed and developed to help spare individuals and their families the added burden, both emotionally and financially, of having to make death decisions/arrangements without the knowledge of the deceased person’s final wishes. We want to give peace of mind to loved ones or friends, who are left behind, by assisting individuals and families in pre-planning their final wishes and ensuring that their final wishes are written, documented, and shared.
Loretta Jo Shaw
Owner & Consultant of Final Wishes
Important Questions That Need To Be Answered Who will speak for you if you are not able to speak for yourself? Who will determine what kind of care you will have at the end of life? What kind of funeral or memorial service do you want? How will your finances and possessions be handled? How will your estate be distributed? By pre-planning and pre-arranging , “YOU” can make your Final Wishes known before you die. 6
Loretta Jo Shaw, Owner & Consultant of Final Wishes, was a leader/facilitator of the GriefShare Ministry at Love & Faith Christian Fellowship in Greensboro, NC from 2007-2016. She has coordinated annual workshops on Will, Funeral and Insurance Planning as part of her duties and responsibilities in the GriefShare Ministry. Loretta is a retired professional, having worked 43 years in Non-Profit and Public/Government Human Service Agencies. She has a BA Degree in Community Services and is currently enrolled in extended studies with the Stafford Career Institute with emphasis in Funeral Education Program. She was married for thirty-one years and has been a widow since 2006. h
“One of the greatest things you can do to help others is not just to share and give what you have, but to help them discover what they have within themselves to help themselves.” Rita Zahara
Final Wishes www.finalwishes.net 336-617-4777 lorshaw50@gmail.com
Josephus III’s Poetry Café Headed to Local Television in 2019 By Alana Allen Photos by The Poetry Cafe
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Josephus Thompson III continues his efforts in bringing the power of spoken word and poetry to the masses now by the way of television. The Poetry Café, will be televised locally on WMYV (Channel 48) on Sunday evenings at 11:30 p.m., debuting February 3, 2019. Started over a decade ago, The Poetry Café is a monthly open mic event that gives artists an opportunity to express themselves through any artistic expression such as spoken word, dance and song. Held at the Triad Stage in Greensboro, the event has garnered over 10,000 attendees from across the Carolinas, Virginia, Georgia and Florida over its tenure. In January 2010, Josephus expanded the idea of The Poetry Café by launching his radio show on WNAA 90.1 FM, on the campus of North Carolina A&T State University. The show airs every Tuesday at 6 p.m. EST, and the concept is very similar to the live event that takes place monthly—allowing artists the opportunity to perform. The television show will also mirror the monthly open mic and radio show—as live shows will be taped for the series. The sequence is slated for 13 episodes, lasting 30 minutes each of original content. To ensure enough material for the series, Thompson will expand from one Poetry Café to two a month. In addition, those who want to be part of the live audience or even perform, can plan to attend shows on December 7 and 8, January 11 and 12, and February 8 and 9. Show participants can h purchase tickets online.
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www.thepoetrycafe.org
The Point The Point
Exceeds
NORTH CAROLINA
ACADEMIC
GROWTH
College Preparatory & Leadership Academy
2 0 1 5 -2 016
By Dr. Marrissa Dick Photos by Still Shots Photography
W
hat happens to a dream deferred? The prolific Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes asked that question in protest of racial injustice. Decades later, injustice continues to exist, and two local leaders have decided to do something about it through education. Meet Pastor Tacuma and Dr. Michelle Johnson visionary founders of The College Preparatory Leadership Academy, better known as The Point. The Point is located in Jamestown, North Carolina, and serves students from pre-kindergarten to high school. Graduates of prestigious Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Morehouse and Spelman, respectively, both Tacuma and Michelle have managed to blend their individual schools’ mantras into a transformative charter school that offers solutions to the problems of educational injustice in our country. Some have heard of charter schools but not many people are familiar with what they do for our children. Charter schools are free public schools of choice, meaning that families can choose the school they want their child(ren) to attend. Charter schools operate with freedom from some of the regulations that are imposed upon district schools which means that they are truly able to design your child’s curriculum so academic and emotional transcendence can be realized. Charter schools must maintain a high performance rating in the areas of academic achievement, financial management, and governance, all of which The Point has far exceeded these past seven years. Along with their dedicated staff of 86 employees, an independent charter school board, and 640 children from families in 6 different cities, this husband and wife team have cultivated an educational environment that brings new meaning to “No Child Left Behind.” Dr. Johnson shares how the initial seed was planted for The Point. She explains, “I was teaching at NC A&T State University and my husband, Tacuma, was pastoring and working in the healthcare industry. On one occasion my 3-year old daughter at the time joined me for one of my college lectures. I recall her little body sitting in the “big girl desk” among freshmen and sophomores. Immediately, I recognized
The student body of The Point College Preparatory and Leadership Academy is economically diverse, with families from upper middle class to working class, with some being homeless. This unique mixture of households gives all students an advantage in learning across socio-economic boundaries. The academy serves families in Lexington, Reidsville, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, High Point, Thomasville, and Archdale.
Continued on the next page
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her privilege: to be so young yet destined to be in college or even graduate school one day. With this realization came responsibility. I had to do something so that other children like her could see more and experience more in their education, starting as early as 3 years old.” O ne year later, the opportunity arose when North Carolina lifted the cap on charter schools and friends of the Johnsons continued to encourage them to start a school in the High Point-Jamestown area. That was the beginning of turning a dream into reality. Dr. Johnson recalls, “My husband and I prayed about it, first. We believe you must be called to do something like this. So, when it’s ordained the doors will open. In August of 2011 we had all of three months to complete the application, and after getting approved in March of 2012, we had five months to hire licensed teachers, acquire a facility, and enroll students on a limited budget. Around the same time, we were blessed to win a grant that afforded us startup funds. The challenges of starting a charter school are many, but with strong mentors and a capable board, we were able to overcome every obstacle thus confirming that this was clearly a God move.” Pastor Johnson lauds his wife as an educational genius due to her unique, practical system for combining structure and freedom to bring out the best in every student, no matter their learning style. He says, “This is the real thing here. Educating children is hard work--but in this system, it does work. Children grow here, and that is the bottom line. It works.”
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The Johnsons marvel in disbelief when visitors seem surprised that their scholars aren’t running all over the place and that classrooms are not unruly with children with bad attitudes. “It’s a sad commentary,” Dr. Johnson remarks while shaking her head, “when expectations are so low and people don’t see you as you really are, which is royal. We are kings and queens. Every scholar is royal. Every employee is royal. We don’t always act like it, but that doesn’t change how we see and address each other. We will speak it until we see it. When families enroll their scholars at The Point, they are enrolling in a royal culture that happens to be a school. We address our identity first, then we move on to academics.” At The Point parents can expect their child to be taught by competent and culturally rich educators in an engaging and holistic environment. A charter school has the flexibility to hire licensed and non-licensed teachers. Dr. Johnson uses this flexibility to hire “humble, hungry, and smart” educators who believe in the mission and can see the best in each scholar. Each classroom is organic, and each scholar understands exactly what is expected of him or her. Their teachers are proactive in carrying out the Academy’s mission resulting in clear and measurable outcomes. Their lessons are highly interactive, and students remain engaged in meaningful activities. Dr. Johnson shares, “Because we have amazing teachers, who believe in the mission and vision, our school has received the distinction of being identified in the Top 5% for Growth in the State of North Carolina. We don’t shy away from standardized tests; instead, we prepare our scholars to be successful regardless of the task at hand. Our early education program does an excellent job of preparing our youngest royals with an average of 90% of them scoring proficient in reading and math from kindergarten to second grade. In some cases, whole classes meet or exceed state expectations. Our research indicates that if our students remain with us, if our educators continue to use innovative and exhilarating teaching methods, and if the family adopts the culture, their child not only will be proficient but will have a royal, collegiate-focused mindset within two years. The key, however, is agreement. When the school and the family agree, anything is possible.” One of the most relevant characteristics about the scholars who attend this Academy is that they are fundamental readers and they possess strong interpersonal communication skills. Currently, the eighth graders are reading, The Other Wes Moore, which was the community read for NC A&T State University freshmen students a few years ago. Many of those 8th graders were third graders at The Point when their teacher challenged them to read excerpts from The Life of Pi. According to Dr. Johnson, “We really stretch our scholars academically. Every scholar is required to always have a book in their possession and to literally be reading that book. We set the bar high. Our books advocate a positive message and have images in them that look like the scholars who are reading them. Recently, high school scholars read The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas and viewed the movie in a private screening. The entrepreneur’s club read T.D. Jakes’ book SOAR. Middle and high school girls will read Michelle Obama’s memoir Becoming once it is released this month. What’s great about our charter school is that we can create our own culturally relevant reading lists to encourage critical thinking and self reflection. Furthermore, we are one of the few charter schools that has a fully functioning library with thousands of books that are representative of the population we serve. It’s vitally important for our children to see themselves in a positive light in literature especially since 99% of the population we serve are African American and Hispanic. We are creating a new narrative about education in our community, and reading plays a critical role in the story.” Continued on the next page
Tacuma Johnson COO and Founder
Dr. Michelle Johnson Superintendent of Schools
Marcus Brandon Founding Board Member
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Founding Parents of The Point High Point
Gustavo, Brandi, and Ellen
Brandi Johnson Founding Parent/Teacher/Coach
My initial purpose for enrolling my children at The Point was due to one of them failing at another school. My son was failing in mathematics, but after he got here, he has done a whole lot better. What I like most about this school is the message that it sends and the atmosphere that it sets. I have four children that are enrolled here and I am also a teacher, basketball, cross county, and track and field coach. I have watched my children become both self sufficient and independent, due to what they are able learn at school, of which they also apply at home. I am also impressed by the relationships that are formed between the students, teachers, and athletic coaches. Each school year, all of the students are taken on college tours, including grades K-12. This is something that doesn’t happen in other schools. As a junior, the students are eligible to participate in a dual enrollment program which allows them to earn their high school diploma and an associates degree at the same time. When the program is completed, the students are eligible to enroll at a four year university with two years already completed. There isn’t a better place for my children to learn and grow other than at The Point. The Point is unique because it helps families make this happen by providing transportation to GTCC and still providing free meals. We also walk the scholar and parent through the process and work as an advocate on their behalf. All schools don’t provide this assistance. 12
Greensboro
Gustavo Smith Founding Parent
I have two daughters that attend the Point Academy. Since enrolling them both here, I have seen a boost in their confidence and a overall improvement in their performance. A lot of the discipline they receive while at school is carried on at home. No one has to remind them to finish their assignments or homework. Instead, they are eager and excited about it. One of the challenges we had as a family was the Common Core Curriculum that is taught. When I was in school, I learned how to solve problem one way. However, my daughters are being taught several ways to solve problems. That put me at a disadvantage because I didn’t know how to help with their homework. The teachers at The Point invited me to come to the school and learn the alternative methods. I did and that actually made things a lot easier for us all. As a single parent and college student myself, I am very fortunate to have access to the support system that is available here. My family has experienced several transitions in life, but The Point has provided structure which has helped us to find a balance between home and school. In a sense, it is sort of like co-parenting. They have helped my family to overcome some huge barriers, which has also empowered us. There are great role models here and very good female examples for my daughters to follow. They are being prepared for college, as well as for life here at The Point.
High Point
Ellen Williams
Founding Parent
Many years ago, while looking for adequate education for our children, my husband and I realized there wasn’t really anything available that provided exactly what we were looking for. We were traveling 45 minutes to a school in Winston Salem. The Johnson’s referred us to another school, QEA. We realized there was a need for a higher quality of education in the High Point and Jamestown area and eventually shared our views and interests with them. They listened and the concept of The Point College Preparatory & Leadership Academy began. As a founding parent, I was honored to walk the streets, knock on doors, and volunteer my time in the school. It takes all of us to make this work. I am a committed parent and I am happy my sons get to see people they know walking in faith and doing something that merely began as a dream. What I like most about being a part of The Point is the message that it sends; character, courage, and determination. Our motto is “Start Early, Start Strong”. When the kids are initially enrolled, the college mentality is instilled into their minds. Scholars from all grade levels are able to participate in field trips and attend universities. We want them to understand their experience here at the Point is a 16 year journey. Locating this model early on in our search for higher education for our boys was not available years back. Thanks to the Johnson Family, our children now have an opportunity to soar to levels never seen before! Continued on the next page
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Alyssa, Maurice, and Bryce
“
Students of The Point
I have been a student at The Point for seven years now. Before coming here, the school setting that I was in didn’t really challenge me. As an advanced student, my teachers there would use me to teach other students. My parents wanted something more challenging for me and that is why I came to The Point.
“
Now I am in the Honors Academy and all of my classes are advanced. I am enrolled in Early High School classes. The Point is also preparing me for a Early College program. Here I feel pushed and encouraged to be the very best I can be.
Alyssa Jordan - 7th Grade
Activities: Cheerleading, Volleyball, Honors Academy, Community Service, Church Youth Ministry, And Girl Empowerment Club, Battle Of The Books
“
I have been a student at the Point for five years now. What I love most about our school is that is helps me and everyone else to grow academically, educationally, and physically. I am provided with everything that I need to grow.
“
My career goal is to be an Allergist. As a student, the Point has connected me with programs and internships to help me achieve my goals. I am being prepared for life outside of school and the real world.
Activities: Tutor, Mentor, Track, And Entrepreneurship Club; Ranked #1 In His Class And 99Th Percentile In The State For Math Maurice Furet - 10th Grade
“
I think we have the best educators. Everyone is loving and always positive. As a student at The Point, I am always encouraged to be my best “me’. I lived in Arkansas before coming to North Carolina. I have been a student here for 6 years, and since I came here, I have become an all (A) student.
“
What I love most about being a student at the Point is that no one is left behind. We have pullout groups for students who may not grasp everything as fast as others. The pullout groups allow us to work with each other until everyone gets it. The Point makes learning fun. Activities: Radio Broadcasting, Podcast Host, Honors Academy, Battle Of The Books Bryce Kirkwood - 5th Grade 14
Pastor Johnson believes that The Point is a place where parents can find comfort in sending their child(ren) because it’s their school of choice. He asserts, “I believe in school choice—until you have a choice, you are not truly free. We understand that one school doesn’t fit all children’s needs and so you should have a choice as to where you want your child to be educated but sometimes that’s difficult simply because of transportation. Another thing parents can appreciate is that if they have more than one child, we can meet every grade level, so parents don’t have to run in opposite directions trying to get from one school to another.” The Point welcomes visitors and anyone interested in their educational model. Dr. Johnson, when speaking about her school, makes clear that “we aren’t a perfect school, and our mission and philosophy doesn’t fit every family. Similar to the traditional county school system we deal with disgruntled parents, staffing and leadership challenges. Every school has its issues because people have issues. However, for every family who comes to us, we have one goal in mind, to produce future college graduates who are dynamic student leaders with exceptional intelligence and a strong sense of who they are and what they can achieve. That’s our mission.” What’s on the horizon for The Point? A state-of-theart athletic center, more classrooms, and an expanded library and computer center. More students will be able to take advantage of the Early High School Program for advanced seventh and eight graders, the College and Career Promise Program, and the arts and media programs. The Point is currently accepting lottery applications for 2019. Apply before the January 31st deadline, so your family can join a community of Royal Families at The Point: College Preparatory and Leadership Academy. h
Met/Exceeded NC Academic Growth Award
The Point
College Preparatory & Leadership Academy 5700 Riverdale Dr. Jamestown, NC 27282 336-884-0131 www.thepointcollegeprep.org
Currently Enrolling For 2019
2013-2014 2015-2016 2016-2017 2017-2018 Top 5% Growth Performance in the State of NC 2017-2018 Triad - Nov./Dec. 2018
HuamiMagazine.com 15
Joshua and Nikki
GETAWAY TRAVEL GROUP
F
By Dr. Marrissa Dick Photos by Still Shots Photography
all is here and it’s a welcoming season for those who enjoy the winter months. The crisp air and the beautiful autumn colored leaves dancing with the wind provides comforting thoughts for those who anticipate sitting in their favorite chair before a fire place, eating homemade soup, drinking warm coco with melted marshmallows, and binging on their favorite television series. But what about those who happen to live in a seasonal climate and don’t take comfort in the winter months? What about the people who crave constant sunshine, humidity, warm clear water, and white sandy beaches? What do they do? They contact a travel agent that’s what they do. Meet Joshua and Nikki Purkett owners and operators of GetAway Travel Group, LLC. Planning your trip with this team provides you the luxury of having an actual person with whom you have built a trusted relationship with. This husband and wife team has set the bar high when it comes to providing unmatched accommodations for their clientele. According to Joshua, “My wife and I started this business almost ten years ago. We’re both engineers. Nikki is a chemical engineer and I’m a civil engineer. In those roles we were able to travel all over the world and we both loved it. Whenever we were able to vacation, we would really travel and discover the ends out of the places we visited. So, one day a good friend of mine put me on to the business. I worked with him part-time for a while and then business started picking up. Once I saw the increase, I put a business plan together and put some marketing behind it. In our third year we really got our big break when we began working with David’s Bridal. Within the next three months’ business went from working at home to having to get an office space in downtown Greensboro. That’s when we had to decide to let our day jobs go because we couldn’t manage the travel business as fast as it was growing and perform our careers, too. So, we made the decision to go all in and it’s a decision that we don’t regret making.” So, what can a travel agent do for you that you can’t do for yourself? For starters, travel agents are invested in their clients’ happiness and satisfaction, first. They can alleviate the stress of planning a trip especially if you’re traveling in groups of five or more. Also, a professional travel agent travels for a living looking at everything from the size of the rooms at hotels, resorts, and cruise ships to the dining options that are available both on and off site. They know the hidden gems in each destination because they’ve seen it for themselves. A travel agents’ primary goal is making sure that you receive unparalleled courtesy with every trip, so you can have positive memories long after you’ve returned from your destination. Like a marriage your personal travel agent is with you before, during and after your trip. Speaking of marriages let’s look at their signature romance line, Say I Do Travel. Joshua shares, “We offer two different brands of travel. The GetAway Travel brand focuses more on individuals, groups and incentive trips for corporations. Then there’s our romance line and that’s our Say I Do Travel brand. It’s here where we put together travel packages for weddings, vow renewals, and bachelor or bachelorette destination trips. We can even coordinate your wedding at the destination or aboard a ship if necessary. Anything to do with romance we have it covered here. Our focus is to give exemplary customer service to our clientele no matter how much they’re spending. All of our clients receive the same level of service and that’s a service that they can’t get anywhere else. Honestly, our service and our commitment to delivering what we say we’re going to deliver are our signature pieces.” Some people may wonder why they should pay a fee to the middle man when they can go online and schedule a trip for themselves. Did you know that travel agents can save you
“ We offer two different brands of travel. The Get Away Travel brand focuses more on individuals, groups and incentive trips for corporations. Then there’s our romance line and that’s our Say I Do Travel brand. It’s here where we put together travel packages for weddings, vow renewals, and bachelor or bachelorette destination trips. “ Continued on the next page
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money on airline tickets, hotel reservations and on cruise ships? So even if your travel agent charges a fee, the value you receive and the money you save will far exceed what you’ve paid in any fee. “What we ask our customers to do is to trust us and to take the price off the table. You can’t compare thirty, forty or fifty dollars to a life-time of happy memories. Also, to buffer that cost we have formed solid partnerships with our suppliers and we can offer a price match guarantee which an individual person can’t do. If you find a similar package that we’ve given you, we are going to beat that price. One thing we do for our clientele is allow them to follow us live while we’re touring the different properties, so they can see it for themselves. They can see what their hotel room or cabin or estate is going to look like in advance. There’s nothing worse than looking at a wonderful brochure and having that expectation but when you get to that property it’s doesn’t look anything like the brochure. We go to these properties on a regular basis, so we know they’re well-kept facilities. We know that the management team there is professional. We know everything we need to know about that resort or destination because we have people on the ground there. We can even organize personal tours at those destinations. And when you book with us early, especially on a cruise we can get you those free perks like spa and drink packages, on board cash credits, and excursions. That leaves the cash in your pockets. You can’t ever lose with us.” GetAway Travel Group understands that the world is constantly changing, and their travel agents are on the ground experiencing it, so you don’t have to. In particular, the recent natural disasters have devastated some of the Caribbean islands and many of the coastal communities. GetAway Travel is updated on the renovations of all-natural disaster locations. They are aware of what countries are friendly to Americans opposed to those who aren’t. Since they have agents on the ground, they receive current information from a possible social unrest to what time the parade or carnival will begin. Another thing they understand is that now a day’s people are traveling alone.
“There is always going to be someone looking out for you checking on you to make sure you’re good whether you’re alone or traveling in a group. Our clients appreciate that safety component. We’re going to get you where you’re going with a service that can’t be matched and we’re going to make sure we bring you home happy.”
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GetAway Travel provides that solo traveler with comfort in knowing, that though they may be traveling alone, they still have representatives looking out for them at their destination and that makes all the difference in the world. According to Joshua, “You know we also provide services for that person who is traveling alone. Our clients find comfort in knowing that when they reach their destination, they’ll have a point of contact right there on site. Also, we provide our clients with an app with a feature that goes directly to your personal agent and it also allows you to contact the onsite coordinator at your destination. So yes, you’re alone, but you’re really not alone. There is always going to be someone looking out for you checking on you to make sure you’re good whether you’re alone or traveling in a group. Our clients appreciate that safety component. Other agencies don’t offer that and someone just booking a trip on line with Expedia or Travelocity doesn’t have access to that safety piece either. We’re going to get you where you’re going with a service that can’t be matched and we’re going to make sure we bring you home happy.” One additional service that GetAway Travel provides its’ clients is they are special need certified and so are the hotels and resorts they have partnered with. These facilities are certified to handle all types of special needs such as oxygen, wheel chairs, and activities for autistic individuals. They firmly believe that everyone is entitled to having fond memories that will last them a lifetime.
GetAway Travel Group recognizes that family is important, and they understand that multi-generational vacations are still very much in demand. They understand that planning travel for a multitude of people can be time consuming and extremely challenging and sometimes costly if arrangements go wrong. Remember, as an individual most often you don’t get a do-over for a vacation that has gone wrong. These travel agents can help you achieve the vacation of your dreams because they listen, suggest, adjust, and understand your expectation. “Our main focus is travel made simple because we take all of the hustle and bustle out of it. We make this process simple regardless to whether it’s one person or a group of people. We take all the worry and work out of everything for our clients. We deal with the suppliers. We deal with the airlines. If your airplane is delayed, then we make sure that airline gets that hotel room for you or you can get that car rental, so you can still get to where you’re going. Another thing we offer that most other agencies don’t is the ability to get you a passport. We have a relationship with the Guilford County where we can get your passport the same day or you can even renew it with us. Now how many other agencies do you know do that for you?”
To see how GetAway Travel can customize a trip for you stop by their office. They are BBB worthy, licensed by IATAN, and certified by Accessible Travel Advocates.
So, yes, fall is here but when you feel the need for some fun in the sun contact GetAway Travel Group. They are standing ready to customize a trip for an individual, a simple group gathering, a family reunion, a corporate event, a wedding, a friends’ GetAway or a social club GetAway. GetAway Travel Group can accommodate your group of any size for any occasion during any season. h
Triad - Nov./Dec. 2018
301 S. Greene Street Suite 16A Greensboro, North Carolina (888) 702-3339 www.getawaytravelgroup.com
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Quality Service For A Affordable Price
907 Bricker Street Greensboro, NC 27401 336-457-0958 pkawrenn@yahoo.com Special Events, Weddings and More!
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www.huamiforkids.com
huami MAGAZINE
Cutest Baby
Paisley Royal Paul The daughter of Faith Royal-Paul Photo provided by Faith Royal-Paul
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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Ronald Smith 22
By Terry L. Watson Photos by JLG Photography
R
onald Smith, aka DJ Ronnie Ron of Hip Hop Praise was once a familiar voice on the radio. For 10 years, he served the listeners in the Triad area of North Carolina at 1510 AM Big WEAL Gospel every morning, from (6:00 am – 10:00 am) Monday – Friday, and (11:00 am) on Saturday’s for Hip Hop Praise.
I’m currently seeking Gospel Artist and Talents to work with. Please contact me for more information.
Ron’s radio career has expanded over 25 years. He started in radio producing Christian Hip Hop shows in Orlando, FL, where he is a native of. His journey has taken him to North Carolina and Virginia. He currently resides in Hampton Roads, Va. “North Carolina was good to me. I met a lot of wonderful people and consider the Triad my second home,” he says. Ron has been married to Saundra Smith for the past 17 years. Sandra received her Masters in education from NC A&T State University. Together they are the Godparents to six wonderful kids. Presently, Ron is deejaying weddings and has two syndicated shows that can be heard online called “Hip Hop Praise and Grown Folk Gospel Radio”. Listeners can hear Grown Folk Gospel on NC A&T’s radio station, WNAA 90.1 every Wednesday, at 5:00 pm. Ron is also a program director for www.247praiseradio.com. Tired of attending gospel events that were “so routine”, Ron formulated the company R & S Entertainment in 2010, with the motto “Entertainment That Promotes Inner-Changement” through Radio, Television and events as well as DJ service. “We want to show that Christianity is meant to be enjoyed, not endured and is also something that will cause you to want to change for the better,” Ron says. Their past resume includes The Apple Store, The Lyrical Coffee House, Kingdom Music at Club Heaven in Greensboro. At any R & S Entertainment event, listeners will not get a church service, but rather a quality show without compromise, that also represents Christ. Now in Virginia, Ron is continuing what he was doing in North Carolina, and that is putting on events like gospel skate nights in Virginia Beach. He is also in the process of starting a Christian Night Club in Hampton. “The goal is to create a platform and provide opportunities of fellowship, while presenting Christ through non-traditional methods, and also give artist exposure for their ministries,” he says. h
DJ Ronnie Ron 336-858-8365 ronnieron2k@gmail.com www.straightministryheat.com
Follow Ron on Social Media
@ronnieron2k
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TavaLynnette Insatiable
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Sweets By TLC
By Dawn Cauthen Thornton Photos by JLG Creative Studios
M
ost people can recall who makes a particular dish the best within their family. In mine, my mother and her twin sister innocently compete with each other on who makes the best sweet potato pie during the holidays, so the children anticipate an overload of the treat every year. The verdict is still out on who takes home the trophy. Now, the children and grandchildren mimic what they’ve absorbed in the kitchen with the dessert and other popular foods. They’ve watched eggs crack for desserts, heaps of cheese sprinkled on macaroni, and oversized spoons stir steaming vegetables. With a perfect southern drawl, Tava (pronounced Tahvuh) Lynette beams when revealing how she was introduced to the kitchen. “I always baked with my grandmother when I was little. She had to entertain us so that’s kind of what we did.” All the grandchildren would gather around the kitchen and watch their grandmother mix ingredients together and would reap the benefits of her hard work later. Her kitchen was like a culinary school for kids and she allowed hands-on training. Just this past January Tava decided to share a batch of cupcakes with her coworkers that she casually baked at home. Within minutes they had all been devoured. Then she brought another batch, and another. After so many freebies, her longtime boyfriend asked her why she was simply ‘giving’ them away when she could sell them. Making money from batter and buttercream had never crossed her mind, but Tava knew her love was on to something. It didn’t take long for Tava to apply for her business license, though it took months to receive it. Since she opted to use her personal kitchen for baking, the state health department inspected and approved the space to be used. In the summer of 2018 she officially began taking orders for ‘Insatiable Sweets by TLC’, a nod to the late icon, Prince. I put a bug in her ear to consider creating some sort of Prince–inspired dessert. She celebrated the opening with a cupcake-tasting party. As the business rapidly expanded, Tava enrolled in classes to enhance her craft and build on her God-given, grandmother-grown talent. Years earlier she graduated from Guilford College and her business degree has helped with keeping the books and marketing. “I never thought I’d be a baker and neither did my family,” says Tava. They’ve been her biggest supporters, however, alongside her dedicated partner. They all hand out business cards and her boyfriend accompanies her on certain jobs, makes deliveries, and acts as her security when needed. The Mebane native has only been open a few months and has already noticed orders steadily increasing. Considering she works in the healthcare industry full-time, that only Continued on the next page
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leaves evenings and weekends to fulfill orders. Her largest order, to date, has been 100 cupcakes for vacation bible school this summer. “It’s all about time management. Make sure you plan your orders. I may bake and let the cakes cool one day, then apply icing and decorate the next,” explains Tava. Since taking a decorating course, she’s seen a decline in customers requesting extravagant cakes that call for fondant. It was all the rage a few years ago due to its pliability, but it lacks in taste. Her most popular flavors are champagne and strawberry, both with buttercream icing. To stay connected and pay homage to her late grandmother, Tava makes sure German chocolate, chocolate, and southern staple, pound cake, always have a place on the menu. During family gatherings, the same cousins that helped her grandmother in the kitchen alongside Tava as children, each have adopted a dish to serve from her personal menu. “One cousin will make the meatloaf, someone else will make her pies. It’s just like the movie ‘Soul Food’,” Tava laughs. She confesses to garnering frowns if she walks through the door without one of her sought-after desserts. But since she bakes almost every weekend, she feels she’s earned the right to take a break occasionally. Breaks don’t last long when you have a new business to breed. It’s typically the first priority, behind family and faith. Nevertheless, Tava is strategic in making her decisions. Taking on too much responsibility, too soon, often consumes her thoughts. She’s bypassing the idea of a storefront when most entrepreneurs would jump at the chance. Having a physical location adds unwanted overhead costs and time away from home. She’s currently exploring the possibility of collaborating with other business owners with similar interests that are housed under one roof. With her busy schedule, she needs flexibility. She also has her eyes peeled for any upcoming vendor fairs she can attend to showcase her sweets. She knows first-hand that using one space to work and live can be challenging, but Tava jokes that she rarely uses her kitchen to cook her own meals so it’s not that difficult. A baker who doesn’t cook much? How ironic. Nevertheless, clients keep her calendar full. Her schedule will most likely surge during the holidays, so if you’re expecting a dozen of something insatiable, you may want to make your move now.
Insatiable Sweets by TLC
336-303-1356 www.insatiablesweetsbytlc.com
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PART FOUR
By Dr. Marrissa Dick Photos by Mykel Media Company
PURDUE PEACE PROJECT In this edition will discuss how impactful our community advocates have been towards this local peace building initiative and where they see it going in the future. It would only be fitting to conclude this series with the man who made Purdue Peace Project (PPP) possible worldwide. Meet Milt Lauenstein, founder of this philanthropic organization. He shares, “I am a 90-year-old Quaker and I am very fortunate not only to have a close, caring, and dynamic family, but I’ve also been fortunate to have enjoyed varied educational, career, and leisure experiences. I share with my family our responsibility to do what we can to promote cooperation, peace, and freedom from suffering among our fellow human beings. The principal way I do this is by devoting my time and money to reducing armed conflict in the world. Surprisingly, I have had some success, and am optimistic about new initiatives in that direction. I see Greensboro as being one of those initiatives. When I retired from the world of business in 2001, I decided to see whether I could somehow contribute to reducing the amount of war in the world. With armed conflict causing the suffering of well over 100 million people and costing around $14 trillion per year, it was clear that we needed to find better ways to promote peace. Unlikely as it was, I thought that maybe I could help.”
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After spending two years looking for evidence as to where his effort might do the most good, Milt found none. Following the advice of some senior people in the peacebuilding field, he decided to encourage and to support local citizens to prevent the violence that threatened their very own communities. Eventually, that is what led him to forming the Purdue Peace Project, which has successfully supported locally-led peacebuilding initiatives in over 20 situations in Africa and Central America. With its successful endeavors the project is now applying what it has learned abroad to address a violence in American cities. Milton believes that, “The combined efforts of government and non-government organizations have not been effective enough to prevent wars from inflicting appalling human and economic costs on mankind abroad or locally. I believe in order for us to eradicate these atrocities we need to do research and determine which peacebuilding activities produce the most results relative to resources expended; we need collaboration to establish priorities, to promote cooperation, and to attract more support for peacebuilding action from governments on all levels; and we need new and better ways to prevent and to stop wars. There is plenty of anecdotal evidence demonstrating that peacebuilding can be effective. However, efforts to reduce armed conflict have been piecemealed, with little coordination or establishment of priorities. There are others in this world who share my mind set and can put the financial backing into their beliefs. We just don’t want to put our dollars anywhere. We want to put them where they’ll be most effective and productive for the people who live there. Globally, the resources being devoted to promoting peace are pitifully small, compared to the magnitude of the problem.” In order to understand the magnitude of the problem on every platform, Reverend Yulanda Smith has volunteered her expertise in distributing and curating the initiatives of the Purdue Peace Project. She shares, “So my part in the PPP is to monetize and curate the content of what the Project is doing. I was born and raised in Greensboro and I love my city. I left for school and came back here because I love everything about it. I want to see this initiative be implemented successfully so everyone in our community can be safe. As a board member on the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro I’ve been charged with helping everyone involved in getting the message out in an accurate, compassionate, and consistent way. It’s important that we control the narrative and keep it consistent so that the public really understands this process. As a community leader I must connect and protect the infrastructure of all this great work and I do that by connecting those organizations and volunteers who are doing similar work, so it can be more effective in reaching the people. This way we can come together and make more of an impact and that’s what’s so attractive to me about PPP. It’s about bringing these great minds together who are doing great work in different areas in the community, so they can really make an impact on the quality of life for all citizens of Greensboro.” Reverend Smith has high hopes that now these conversations have been held that those conversations can now be implemented into action. “I’ve been in a lot of places where great conversations have taken place but it kind of stops there but that’s not going to happen with this initiative. I know Purdue has had success with taking it from conversation
Milt Lauenstein PPP Founder
“The combined efforts of government and non-government organizations have not been effective enough to prevent wars from inflicting appalling human and economic costs on mankind abroad or locally. I believe in order for us to eradicate these atrocities we need to do research and determine which peacebuilding activities produce the most results relative to resources expended.” Continued on page 30
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to implementation so that’s a good thing. My greatest hope is that their success will also happen right here in our city. Violence and crime happen in every city, but what’s happening here is startling when you think of our numbers. So, my greatest hope is that we can all put our heads together and make a difference in those numbers. The PPP brings hope because they’re designed to stop the violence.” Reverend Odell Cleveland, the initiator of this initiative, echoes Rev. Smith’s sentiments on the forward direction of the Purdue Peace Project. He shares, “There have been a few ideas that have been birthed from this initiative. For example, we’re not going to call it the Purdue Peace Project anymore. The community has decided to rename it Partners in Peace. The idea with this committee is to look at what’s currently working in our community like Safer Cities and Cure Violence. We can partner with these local organizations and make a difference. Another committee that came from this is Save A Life. Save A Life’s mission is to prevent recruitment of youth into violent activity and assist those causing the violence to choose a more positive and meaningful lifestyle. So, this group will really be on the ground helping a lot of people. It’s important that the entire City of Greensboro sees what’s happening in East Greensboro as a city-wide issue. People must stop thinking that what’s happening on one side isn’t important just because it’s not happening on their side of town. Everyone must buy into this idea. If it’s happening in Greensboro, then it’s happening to us all.”
Rev. Yulonda Smith Community Leader
Moving Forward I see three needs for our community. The first is recognizing that violent behavior develops at a young age and our best chance at intervention is through the public school system. Making sure every child has good nutrition, safety, and a nurturing educational experience is the first step to a safe and productive community. The second need is developing an awareness that one child’s failure is a community failure, one violent act is a violent act against the entire community, and one person’s suffering ends up being shared by many. And the third need is for belief in redemption, that mistakes and troubles are a common human experience, and that giving second chances to those who make mistakes gives each of us a second chance to be a kinder and more effective agent of change for good. I believe in the power of listening and validating the worth of other people’s experience. I believe that providing safe space is essential for people to grow wiser. I believe that Guilford County has amazing people and organizations that have the capacity to find more constructive solutions to violence than simply locking people up. I believe that giving a person a well-planned second chance gives the community a second chance. Therefore, my solution is listening to those who are desperate for change, providing a forum for those ideas to be aired and explored, and then coupling reasonable action plans with community organizations and resources to make those necessary changes.
Kurk Lauenstein PPP
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I would like our community leaders and citizens to listen to the stories of broken lives and make those stories part of our common narrative. Then I would like our leaders to listen to all the proposed solutions and do better than “lock them up”. I would like everyone to recognize that spending $5000 a year on things like better education, rehabilitation, or job training is less expensive than spending $40,000 a year on incarceration. I would like everyone in our community to recognize that one lost life in our community is everyone’s loss.
One of many responsibilities I have with PPP is to identify different entities in a community and link them to the proper resources such as collaboration, funding, ways to enhance their existing programs. I also work to bring the right people to the table to assist those boots on the ground entities . We use research data from those who have been affected or indulged into violence in some capacity and share this data with these entities by saying this is the voice of a victim and this is the voice of someone who’s been victimized at some capacity. I’ll take that data hoping that it would assist them to create a better program by knowing what the problem is. We can create our own community data so we’re not using data from a different city or state but from Greensboro and allowing these entities to have this data so that they can enhance the program and assist them in finding the funding. I would love to see a stronger community collaboration and a safer city. I would love to see the power of unity manifest again in the 20th century in this historical city. We have to come together. Our willingness to come together can create a major impact if we can bring these different entities into a higher level of awareness. We must diminish the fear and intimidation of another individuals ability and widen their eyes to see no one’s there trying to replace, steal, break, or destroy. We are here to build with them, to restore and collaborate. I often ask God where is the modern-day Moses, Martin Luther King who was willing to create marches to push past the obstacles. A safer city will allow our mothers to sleep better at night, and our brothers to have a voice and be heard without being victimized for speaking the truth.
Tifanie Rudd M8d 2 Rise
Moving forward into 2019, we have to continue to work with key stakeholders (city government and community based non-profits), to reshape the distribution of resources in areas that historically have higher crime and violence. In order for this program and others like it to be successful, we must have more community involvement in decisions. There is a great need for better communication and de-escalation of conflicts. These issues are what is creating division between leaders and members of the community.
Huami Magazine would like to thank the Greensboro community for being willing to share your stories and many suggestions none of which has fallen on deaf ears. You can believe that your testimonies have been heard and implementation for building a getter Greensboro community is underway. In the words of Vernon Jordan, “You are where you are today because you stand on somebody’s shoulders. And wherever you are heading, you cannot get there by yourself. If you stand on the shoulders of others, you have a reciprocal responsibility to live your life so that others may stand on your shoulders. It’s the quid pro quo of life. We exist temporarily through what we take, but we live forever through what we give.” Don’t stop sharing. Don’t stop caring. h
Captain Nathaniel Davis Greensboro Police Department
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Jameliah Pastor
Young-Mitchell
By Dr. Marrissa Dick Photos by Todd Youngblood There are many accounts in the Bible where Jesus was criticized by the Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes for performing miracles during the Sabbath. There are also accounts of the Apostles being openly rebuked because they neglected to keep with the “traditions” of the elders by not ceremonially washing their hands to purify themselves from Gentile contamination before partaking in a meal. In Matthew 15:3, Jesus asked these groups of men why they “transgressed the commandment of God” by their “tradition.” This question has been problematic for biblical scholars for many centuries. The chief question remains, “how do you judge between the commandment of God and mere ‘tradition?’” If you ask Pastor Jameliah Young-Mitchell, she will be the first to tell you that her ministries, The Car Chronicles Movement (CCM) and Unity Church Charlotte, are anything but traditional. In fact, it is her raw and “untraditional” delivery of the Word of God that has attracted a body of Christian believers whom have expanded both her Facebook presence and has caused her to seek larger accommodations for her brick and mortar church located in Charlotte, North Carolina. In recent years, the Body of Christ has been plagued with various heartwrenching scandals carried out by prominent leaders. These accusations have caused some to turn away from the house of worship. These are the sheep whom Pastor Young-Mitchell says God has called her to lead. She views her online ministry as the “shepherds hook.” She shares, “I’m Pastor Jameliah Young-Mitchell, but you can call me MJ all my friends do. I am the pastor of Unity Church in Charlotte, NC and I’m also the Founder and Pastor of The Car Chronicles Movement on Facebook. What’s so great about my online ministry is that I’m able to pastor those sheep who no longer desire to visit a brick and mortar church for whatever reason, but they still have a desire to be a part of the Body of Christ. The Car Chronicles Movement is really making an impact on people all around the world because of the way God instructed me to deliver His Word. He said, ‘You’re an end-time pastor with an on-time word,’ so that already makes me very different. God has graced me with the gift of transparency, which many other pastors don’t have. Some people may say that I have a little bit of an edge and tradition frowns upon that, but this is who God has called me to be and I’m honored to be His obedient servant. You know you can’t always follow tradition, because when you do that you lose those from other generations who don’t understand that way of life. Jesus even teaches you that in Matthew 15:3. You can’t put God in a box and this millennial generation is a prime example of that. One thing about me and my members, especially those who attend Unity Church in Charlotte, NC, is that we’re very different and somewhat edgy. I do things there like hire a DJ who will come in and play gospel house music. Some traditionalists wouldn’t understand that and in fact would frown upon it, but that gets them in the doors and we worship God as a unified body in the spirit of unity and love.” So how is it that this native Brooklyn, New Yorker, stilettos-wearing, Bibletoting woman have the capability of possessing such a powerful anointing? How is it that she appeals to the global masses on social media when she had a father who didn’t nurture her; instead, prophesied damnation over her life by telling her that she would never amount to anything? I believe the traditional preverbal phrase would be - - “But God.” As a Prophetess, Pastor Young-Mitchell knows that people not only frown upon her preaching style, they also frown upon her nontraditional appearance, but she doesn’t allow any of it to affect her style. “God knew what I looked like when He chose me with all this hair, make-up, heels, nail polish, and personality. He chose me. It wasn’t the other way around. Who would intentionally do this unless God called you to it? You know this whole Facebook movement started one day when the Lord told me to pull my car over in Atlanta, Georgia when I was on my way to work. He told me that between the hours of 7:30 a.m. until 8:30 a.m. that a serious yoke breaking anointing is going to fall between that hour and it was going to be like being at the Pool of Bethesda, but this stirring would happen on Facebook during that hour. He told me that I would do this daily and I’ve been obedient to His Word. So, since I’ve been doing this for a couple of years, I’ve seen yokes breaking; and I’ve seen lives changing. The Car Chronicles has moved across the nation. I mean literally
one broadcast can start with 4,000 people and by the time the hour is up that number has increased to 12,000 people. You know social media really gives us the ability to reach the masses.” Her passion for preaching and teaching the Word of God doesn’t stop there. She is also passionate about helping women rediscover who God has ordained them to be. She shares, “I’m very passionate about domestic violence because I watched my mother go through it and I went through it. I want to stop women from getting into those types of relationships and help the ones who believe that they’re stuck get out of those situations. I get invigorated when I see other women being recharged by the Word of God. If God can use Mary Magdalene to preach the Gospel, then these women can do it too. They don’t have to come out of an oppressive situation and still feel like they’re a victim. I know this is the reason that God gave me this book, The Death of The Angry Black Woman. Yes, it’s different, but then again so am I. The Lord gave me this book; He told me to write it. It’s like a trance came over me, and when I came out of it, I saw all the pages and I said, I didn’t write this, and God said, ‘No you didn’t; I wrote it.’” Pastor Young-Mitchell shared that the book has become a best-seller in its category for mental health. She says that the book is already doing “great things in the earth” and it provides the revelation that both women and men need so they can learn to love themselves and have healthy relationships. “This book is a seed that I’ve planted in the Body of Christ so now it’s up to the harvesters to ‘pick’ up their copy of The Death of The Angry Black Woman, so they can reap the benefits of what God is saying and apply it to their daily lives.” Pastor Young-Mitchell is a believer in applying God’s Word in her life and knows all too well how the pages in her book can affect change. She shares, “I’m not talking anything I don’t know about. I’m a divorcee. I have two beautiful children, Dylan and Hunter Davis and I am remarried to Calvin W. Mitchell. Even in this marriage there was a level of hardship because of how I came in it. I came with daddy issues and I had an aggressive nature. Well, he didn’t know how to deal with those types of issues. What I have come to understand is that when you have an aggressive woman, she works well not necessarily with a passive man, but with a patient man. So, I entered marriage already aggressive because of what I saw in my household growing up and two aggressive people make for an explosive relationship. So, my attitude was always you won’t pee on me and tell me it’s raining - - that ain’t gonna fly. That’s how I was and I’m not afraid to say or admit that.” One of the reasons the doors of Unity Church, Charlotte NC are expanding is because Pastor Young-Mitchell isn’t afraid to speak her truth. To the traditionalist, her delivery of the Word is jaw-dropping, but her members much prefer to call them “Mic-dropping Moments.” According to Pastor Young-Mitchell, “I do something that’s called the mic-dropping moment. That’s when I break the Word of God down and they can’t believe I said it the way I said it. Most traditional or religious people don’t agree with the way I deliver the Message, but my members just say, ‘oh, she just dropped the mic!’ In truth I drop microphones all the time because I’m going to say the stuff that other pastors are too afraid or too religious to say, because they’re afraid of losing members. You know I don’t even teach from the King James Bible because most people don’t even understand it. The Word of God shouldn’t be confusing, so I use the Evangelical Heritage Version (EHV) because the translation is very simple. Anybody can understand it.” h
See Pastor Jameliah Young-Mitchell live at Unity Church of Charlotte Unity Church of Charlotte 2818 Queen City Drive Charlotte, NC 28208
Follow Pastor Jameliah Young-Mitchell and The Car Chronicles Movement
Daily from 7:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. on Facebook: Pastor Jameliah Young-Mitchell
www.carchroniclesmovement.org 33
Faith Bynum CPA, PC
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By Dawn Cauthen Thornton Photos by Pharenheit Photography When was the last time you were forced to move in a direction before you thought you were ready? Were you downsized in your position at work, did you get sick and have to focus on your health, are you and your spouse empty-nesters and must now figure out how to navigate without a little person in the middle? Well, that’s almost what happened to Faith Bynum. She started entrepreneurship rather unconventionally. Her plan was to go into business for herself when she turned 40 years of age, but as fate took over, it happened sooner than she expected. Upon receiving her CPA license in 2012 she celebrated by posting the accomplishment online. She was immediately contacted by a gentleman with whom she’d met on the political scene months prior. “He ‘inboxed’ me and asked me to do his books for the nonprofit he worked with. I tried putting him off and referred him to another accountant who was more seasoned and well-trained. He told me, ‘If I wanted others, that’s who I would’ve pursued.’ ” Faith was taken aback by his persistence and even called her dad to vent about this pushy guy who attempted to tell her what to do. Well, she didn’t get much sympathy. Her father reinforced the gentleman’s point and reiterated that she didn’t get the license just to sit on it. The involved process of obtaining a CPA license is one for the determined. Each state has their own qualifications, but first you must have at least a bachelor’s degree and/or the proper number of hours in the field. Then there is a four-part exam similar to the BAR exam that those aiming to legally practice law take. At the time, Faith was expecting and had difficulties passing the first exam. She took it 4 times with the last session landing her 4 points shy of a passing score. “I was crushed,” she admits. To come so close and not hit the mark can be devastating for anyone. But, it forced Faith to step back and analyze her next move. She decided she needed more education and preparation and enrolled in Baker College, an online school offering an MBA degree with a concentration in accounting. Soon, Faith started to have faith. She doubled-up on classes and managed to complete the program a semester early. Conviction coupled with circumstantial motivation charged her to learn more than she ever had and she ultimately passed each exam required for licensure. Finally, her upgraded status could open doors that had been closed for so long. The new CPA started gaining clients simply by word-of-mouth after the first client demanded she accept his business. “For two-and-a-half years I worked full-time and fostered my own business, until I started to feel really torn. I was building a strong passion for my business, yet I didn’t know how to step out on my own because there is no security in entrepreneurship in the first few years,” says Faith.
“For two-and-a-half years I worked full-time and fostered my own business, until I started to feel really torn. I was building a strong passion for my business, yet I didn’t know how to step out on my own because there is no security in entrepreneurship in the first few years.”
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Most jobs offer a benefits package, paid time off, and other perks that are completely dissolved when you become your own boss. Those expenses can often eat into profits and result in important corners being cut. One day Faith found herself emotional and confiding in a client, that she wanted to work with her own clients instead of someone else’s. “He told me, Faith, you’re pregnant with vision, but it’s not your time to deliver.” Her delivery date arrived in almost the same gestation period that a human child develops in a womb. In the fall of that year, she was unexpectedly laid off. At the time, she was devastated, but in hindsight she realizes that it was the best thing that could’ve ever happened. She signed a lease to her first office space three-and-a-half months later. As soon as she opened her doors, she utilized the skills her former job had cultivated. She had grown particularly close to her former supervisor as she prepared Faith in ways she was unaware. “During those years, she had me presenting at the budget and finance committee meetings, and presenting the financials to the board of directors, and meeting with the bankers.” Essentially, her mentor helped develop a presence of leadership that Faith would later apply. Her firm initially began in one simple office suite. Within months, she had to hire two assistants. The very next year Faith Bynum, CPA, PC was bursting at the seams, and transitioned to a larger space, then added another room. Just last month she signed a lease for an even larger space to house her staff of eight and the ever-growing list of clients they serve. The proud CPA has built such a strong team that she can now relinquish the bulk of her duties and focus more on growing and diversifying her business as well as take on new goals. Faith hosts a bi-weekly radio show called ‘Money-making Mondays with Faith Bynum’ where she discusses entrepreneurship and how the mental and emotional challenges can affect finances. Her words of wisdom can also be found on the pages of her book, ‘Build Faith in your Business’. It’s an inexpensive quick read, that can be found on Amazon, encouraging those with even a small idea to build on it and the steps to get it off the ground. “My belief is that our financial conditioning stems from where we are mentally and how we feel emotionally. I want to break the negative stigma that everyone has it all together.” Faith is often dubbed a financial therapist. She embodies her motto, ‘…where people matter’, even outside of the financial realm, with her clients as well as her valued staff, she believes this.
Faith Bynum CPA, PC
2609 Atlantic Ave - Suite 203 Raleigh, NC 27604 919-858-6807 www.faithbynum.com
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She is excited about the trajectory change with the new generation. “It’s now cool to invest. Or, it’s cool to buy all the houses on the block. Our culture has shifted.” Now athletes and entertainers are setting the bar higher and their fans tend to follow suit. Through the years, Faith has dedicated herself to the ups and downs of entrepreneurship. Although her firm has had steady growth, it did not come without challenges. They’ve learned great lessons from their mistakes and make a habit of self-assessing yearly to make sure they’re doing their best to serve the customer. Overall Faith is optimistic with the direction her firm is going in. Her passion for this work continues to grow and she strives to live a purposeful life in her daily walk. h
Maurice & Nina Clark Making It Happen Together
By Dawn Cauthen Thornton Photos by Bernard Smith
T
here is a long-running joke proclaiming that couples who work together often see a demise in their marriage long before a couple that works separately. There are the hours of being inseparable, the tough decision-making, and the flared tempers when an issue arises. Well, the owners of Clark Enterprises, LLC, Nina and Maurice Clark are setting an example on how the partnership should be executed successfully.
The haute couple have been married for 20 years and their parent company, Clark Enterprises, LLC, a corporation Nina describes as aiming to help and empower others to be all that God created them to be and to fulfill their purpose allowing them to walk with confidence, was started the same year. Over time, both Nina and Maurice have ventured into new territory but always found themselves in the same space. The power couple has been educating their community in Greenville, SC (and surrounding areas) on style, beauty, business, and health, and currently have big plans up their fashionable sleeves.
Now she’s lending her expertise to publications such as Sheen magazine, Masterpiece magazine, and The Greenville Link and plans to collaborate with many more soon. Maybe one day we’ll see her looks in Ebony. The St. Petersburg, FL native doesn’t just focus on outward appearance, but wants to make sure her clients are internally fit. In 2013, Nina was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. She obviously needed to make some health changes of her own and turned to nutritional supplements and a detoxifying tea that she still uses and sells today. She saw such a difference in her overall health that she became a Health and Wellness Ambassador for Total Life Change and has since become a 5-figure earner, along with her husband. Maurice has not let Nina outdo him, however. In 2012, he set out on his own journey and launched ‘Distinguished Gentleman Styling’. Nina admits that people constantly ask them both if she dresses her husband, and they both answer with a resounding ‘No.’ Next year, the duo plan to host Kings & Queens Style and Life Academy that will offer the art of tying a tie, the value in good etiquette, interview styling, closet styling, and more. In November, Nina will proudly release her first book entitled, ‘Closet Styling: Essential Pieces Every Woman Should Have in Her Closet”.
Nina, is a 25-year licensed cosmetologist but has an affinity for beautiful clothing and accessories. “One day at church, another member complimented me on my style. She admired the way I dressed and carried myself and asked if I could help her,” Nina explains. That lone interaction led to her helping others in the same way, and in 2010 ‘House of NinaAnin’ was born. Over the years, the entrepreneur has grown her baby into a well-known and respected name. In addition to being a hair stylist, she has added certified personal stylist, personal shopper, business coach, motivational speaker, and healthy lifestyle advocate to her list of titles. Though it’s not required, Nina decided to become certified through Trendimi Academy, an accredited program that offers courses in many different genres. ‘House of NinaAnin’ offers a myriad of options from which to choose. Her most requested is the closet styling, which consists of combing through a client’s closet and deciding what to keep, what to donate, and what to toss, then coordinating the pieces without spending a dime on new items. But don’t worry, she takes on clients with many different stories. “I’ve advised the stay-athome mom who’s ready to get back into the workforce, the woman who has changed careers, or someone who just wants a different wardrobe.” Simply put, she specializes in looks for the everyday woman. What sets Nina apart from many stylists, is she offers hair salon setup and decoration along with small business coaching. Majoring in Business Marketing at Claflin University not only prepared her to pursue her own passion, but qualified her to help other budding business owners fulfill their dreams. Nina solely credits the matriarch of her family as being her absolute biggest inspiration. “My mother taught me how to be a lady. She taught me how to show respect, how to have manners, good etiquette, and most importantly, the value of a good slip,” she laughs. Nina proudly admits to still wearing a slip under her garments that need it. Many women, myself included, abandoned that habit decades ago when it was considered ‘old-fashioned’. Nina fondly remembers the images of beautiful black women gracing the pages of Ebony magazine as a child and aspired to look as polished and ‘put-together’ as they did.
Her popular fashion shows, dubbed, ‘Styling in the City’ have led to her hosting events like ‘Upstate Women in Business’, and a fundraising fashion show event for Miracle Hill Ministries in Spartanburg. Miracle Hill is well known for aiding the homeless and the less fortunate population. Nina praises her family and church family for helping her rise to where she is today. Most of all, she thanks God for her overall success. “I would advise others who want to step out and run a business to put God first. Then have a plan. Write down your vision.” With these words to live by, there is no wonder that Nina is blazing a trail. h
Clark Enterprises, LLC
The House of NinaAnin Distinguished Gentleman Styling Greenville, SC 864-392-5551 39
A Taylors Touch Interior Decorating By Terry L. Watson - Photos by JLG Photography
Nichelle Taylor describes herself as a person who loves to make others happy. Besides being a friend, a dedicated wife, mother, sister, and daughter, she is also a loving, caring, ambitious, outgoing, and true people’s person. She has also found time to feed her entrepreneurial appetite as an Interior Decorator. The name of her business is A Taylors Touch Interior Decorating. In addition to interior decorating (the art of adding furniture, paint, and dÊcor to bring an interior space alive) she also offers Home Staging (decorating a home to be sold for top pay), Home DÊcor (refinishing/ refurbishing old furniture and bringing it back to its original state or something new. She also offers consultations and assistance to anyone needing help with decorating.
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Watching fixer upper shows on HGTV is something Nichelle has a liking for. “I have always wanted to be an interior decorator. My interior decorating journey began shortly after the birth of my daughter in 2014. In 2015, I began taking an online course with Stratford Career institute and later received my diploma and earned a highest honors certificate on November 7th, 2016. My business became official on April 5th, 2016, and I began doing projects and eventually had a grand opening staging of my home on April 8th, 2017,” she says. Nichelle says she loves everything about interior decorating, whether it’s painting, shopping for furniture and décor, or even nailing a hole in the wall. However, the one thing she loves the most is the feedback she received from family and friends and on social media. Though she has only had two clients thus far, she’s encouraged by joy and elation of her clients after they see the transformation of their space. “It gives me a sense of accomplishment,” she says. A Taylors Touch Interior Decorating didn’t just happen overnight. Nichelle has benefited from a support system that has helped to steer her in the right direction. “My aunt Rhonda has been a huge impact on my life. She helped me come up with my business plans and gave me advice on where to start. My mother has been a so important in the process as well. She constantly reminds me to never give up,” she expresses. Nichelle is also inspired by the impact her business is having on her daughter. The experience is fresh and new to her Nichelle says, and watching her daughter grow into her own, encourages her to continue following her dreams. “She inspires me to be proud of myself. I didn’t take decorating seriously until after I had my daughter. Now, I want to teach her to never give up and do whatever she loves and makes her happy, no matter what.” Nichelle has also faced a few challenges in her business. Some have been with keeping up with the new styles and the different trends. They seem to change every season. There is also a sense of competition amongst other decorators and between well-established Interior design businesses. “The bar has been set pretty high but even though I am fairly new, I recognize I have a lot more work to do to prove that I can roll with the best and stand out,” she says. Moving forward, Nichelle plans to continue to master her craft and show the world her talents. She also plans to add style and personality to every decorating project she works with. “I have been fortunate to have had a good life and have the courage to continue living my life the way I feel God intended for me. I met my husband, got married, had a daughter. I can’t complain. I am very thankful and grateful the opportunities I have been given and I hope to continue on my journey, being successful and happy, and doing what I love,” she says. h
A Taylors Touch Interior Decorating Nichelle Taylor 336-392-5497 41
Martin Scarborough
By Dawn Cauthen Thornton Photos by Pharenheit Photography Life has a habit of creating unthinkable bends and flows. One day it delivers wonderful things and you’re surrounded by amazing people, and in a split-second these same things can change unexpectedly. When you’re experiencing this turmoil as you hit double digits, it sometimes can leave lasting trauma that can take years to unravel. Jennifer Martin-Scarborough remembers exactly when her world was turned upside down. It was at the age of 10. “I always knew I looked a little different than most people in my family. I was much darker than they were. But since my mom is part Indian, I figured that’s where it (her complexion) came from,” she explains. One day, while home with her father, who was recovering from a heart attack, she casually answered the ringing telephone. On the other end was her grandmother, who was upset about something that Jennifer can’t recall. The heartless woman on the other end simply blurted out ― the person who she thought was her sister, gave her life. Jennifer dropped the phone and began to cry uncontrollably. The man she knew as her father embraced her, called her mother, and told her she needed to come home, now. It was finally explained, that the woman Jennifer always called, ‘Mom’, was her biological grandmother. The man she knew as her father, was her grandmother’s husband (no biological relation), and the girl she thought was her sister, was actually the person who birthed her. “My biological mother was 16 when she had me. So her mother, who I’ve always called ‘mom’, adopted me and raised me as her own child.” The woman who revealed this family secret over the phone was her biological great-grandmother. It would be another three years before her biological mother revealed who her father was, in a moment of drunkenness. “My mom was very protective of me. She wouldn’t let just anyone babysit me or be around me.” Perhaps her mother knew the facts surrounding her own birth could break her. And for some time, it did. The confused child began to act out at school, hung with the wrong crowd, and gave her mother hell. She was fighting relentless internal demons. Finding out that she was biracial, that her dad was an older black man whose family lived in the same neighborhood, and being rejected by both blacks and whites, left her questioning everything she ever knew. As a result, her self-esteem suffered and she had no idea what to do with herself. By the grace of God things would begin to workout in her favor. After high school, Jennifer and her best friend dreamed of owning their own salons. They even came up with a name for it: Bayos & Co. (a combination of their nicknames Babyg’rl and YoYo). In 2000, Jennifer enrolled in the Vance-Granville Cosmetology program and completed it a year early due to her apprenticeship at a full-service salon. For several years, she worked between Graham, Burlington, and Durham. In 2006, she hosted her first hair show. Presently, she attempts to host one annually, schedule permitting. “I like to find different types of models for my shows. I want to motivate everyone to feel beautiful and to feel good about themselves,” says Jennifer. Her previous identity battle gave her the idea to be inclusive to all colors, shapes, and physical features. One evening in 2012, Jennifer woke up in the middle of the night with a vision. Within minutes she had penned five pages of the type of salon and business she wanted. Unfortunately, she wasn’t able to finance her vision at that moment, but several months later was blessed by a client with the exact dollar amount she needed to secure a location. When she received her tax refund, she invested it in equipment and tools. She tapped her God brother to do the renovations, and he poured himself into creating an entirely new space for her new venture. The year before, she received a devastating blow that almost caused her to abandon her dream; Her beloved mother passed away, leaving Jennifer empty and lost. “She gave me everything I could’ve ever asked for,” she reminisces with an unsteady tone. But instead of giving up, she brushed herself off and fueled her ideas with the immense grief she felt.
She was determined to become a business owner, just as her mother had been. She owned several restaurants over the years and even employed Jennifer’s biological father while he was serving a prison sentence (she was unaware that he had dated and impregnated her daughter at the time.) The salon flourished and allowed her to finally find her voice and build her own confidence. She attended NC Central University for Business Marketing and Communications, which helped her navigate through details some business owners may not understand. In 2017, Jennifer was dealt another unfortunate hand when both biological parents, her brother, and Godmother all passed away within months of each other. She was mentally and emotionally drained and couldn’t imagine running a large business full time. The dedicated wife and mother of two decided to downsize her salon, Image Ensemble, Inc. and reduce her workload, not wanting to let her customers down. She moved into a smaller space, brought one stylist with her. She currently enjoys a slightly less stressful lifestyle. Jennifer specializes in color and cutting, but can usually create any look her clients desire. She also travels for special events such as weddings, birthdays, and any occasion that requires a hairstyle, make up, and even nails. At times, she’ll rent booth space in another city just to service longtime clients in those areas. She believes in hard work and has vowed not to let the hard balls knock her down. With a village of support, including her husband, children, childhood best friends, and her clients that are like family, Jennifer has beat the odds and continues to win. h
Jennifer Scarborough 336-260-5740 43
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