Huami Magazine Triad May/June 2019

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May/June 2019 Vol. 6 Issue 2 FREE

Rafaela Thomas CaraBeautiful Triad - May/June 2019

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A good massage offers a feeling of deep relaxation and calmness. A massage prompts the release of endorphins – the brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) that produce feelings of wellbeing.

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Schedule Your Session Today! Call 336-541-2453

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

The Push, The Pull, and The Prize

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

A Letter Fromfrom The Editor A Letter the Editor

In your lifetime, there will be moments when you will be A Letter from the Editor required to ifpush.

Thesedidn’t moments happen whenplans, you get What tomorrow arrive?

All of your hopes behind your purpose, and it appears it has and dreams wouldn’t have a street that to park on.stalled What ifin theeverything middle oftomorrow the road.

You may want move on to the that you decided to put off until tomorrow never What if didn’t arrive?

Alltoof your plans, hopes next step, but you lack the enthusiasm and momentum happened? would beano reason to save a rainy and dreams There wouldn’t have street to park on. for What if needed to do so.

During these youtomorrow have to muster day, and you could someone theuntil trouble of making everything that youspare decided tomoments put off never uphappened? the strength, lower your shoulders, breathe, and push! promises. What your last Thereif would be opportunity no reason toseemingly save for aexpired rainy You must those things which appears to have died. today?

What wouldspare you do? day, andpush you could someone the trouble of making However, youWhat can’tiflet it die of the significance promises. your lastbecause opportunity seemingly expired it has in your future.

You must push the things which I’ve been that I often today?

Whattold would you do? seem like I do too much.has carried you but is like nowI am outnot of gas. have and to push Honestly, I feel doingYou enough I’m athat firmof which others have determined to be valueless, back into believer in knowing that God seem wouldn’t on me I’ve been told that I often like put I do anything too much. that I couldn’t handle. sometimes wonder how would brilliance.

You must yourself into aand position of Honestly, I feel likealso I amIpush not doing enough I’mlife a firm be if I chose to sit idle and accept what it presented to effectiveness in order that to meet needsput of others who believer in knowing God the wouldn’t anything onme. me I haveI found to be very boring. In my opinion, opportunity that couldn’t I sometimes wonder how life would depend on youthat tohandle. survive. is a blessing that isn’t afforded to everyone.

A challenge be if I chose to sit idle and accept what it presented to me. I to mefound is an get adventure.

What is worst that can opportunity happen? have thattoo to be boring.

In my opinion, When you far very ahead ofthe yourself, you may realize If I do nothing, I fail, and if I try I don’t, but instead learn is ayou blessing thatsomeone isn’t afforded to everyone.

A challenge that have left behind.

It might have gotten something new about myself.

Relinquish your pride and in to me is an adventure.

What is the worst that can happen? lost in the confusion, but now you realize that you need return acquire life.

If I doYou nothing, I fail, and if I try I don’t, but instead learn them. must reach behind and pull them to where you something new about myself.

Relinquish your pride and are. Without them, you may not be able to reach the nextin The advice given to me when someone return acquire life.ever phase of best which God has prepared forhappened you, and for them as told me to make my tomorrow happen today.

In doing so well.

I have pressed myever way given through doors with a key thatsomeone only The best advice to me happened when hopeme provided. have also the today. difference between told toor make tomorrow happen In at doing Believe it not,Imy there is a learned prize waiting for you the so what God blesses me with and what life cana burden me with I have pressed my way through doors with key that end your journey. After all of the excitement that life only as well.

I compare it toalso knowing when be confident and hope provided. learned the to difference between brings, fades away,I have and the music stops and the winds calm, whenlife tocan be quiet, what God blesses me with and what burdenbecause me with a prize awaits to be redeemed by you. The irony of it all may get it confused as well. I compare it to knowingsomeone when to be confident and is your reward was uniquely prepared and promised well with being when to bearrogant. quiet, because before your first steps were planted on the road of life. God someone may get it confused promisesMake to give each and every youarrogant. tomorrow with being one ofhappen us His very best. today, but That most is howimportantly much loves us.it count.

Your make Makehe you tomorrow decisions, both the good ones Life is but a whisper and happen today, but most and bad ones, will play a role we must putmake ourselves inasa importantly it count. to when and how the moment position toa hear what it is Life is but whisper and will happen. telling us.put ourselves in a we must position to hear what it is In the meantime, you must telling us. push your way through, pull that Terry L. Watson which has fallen behind, and Editor/Founder press on toTerry redeem prize L. your Watson that God promises.

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CONTENTS

TSR Kids Inc.

Tawana Rowland

On The Cover

CaraBeautiful

Rafaela Thomas

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Greenville/Spartanburg Author and Speaker Kevin Thornton

Scoop Zone Ice Cream

Robert & Janee

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Charlotte

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Raleigh/Durham

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Richmond (RVA)

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Hill’n Hands Massage Therapy LaToya Hill Greene’s Floor Care Akeem Greene The Making Of A Soldier Adriene Odom

Triad

MAY/JUNE 2019

TRIAD EDITION

5K Walk For Homelessness Prevention 180 Turning Point

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C&K Landscaping

Chris Hughes

Prosperity For Life Health Fair

Palmica Robinson

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Also Featured Jessica Jordan

Got a sweet tooth? Fon’s Sweets has the answer for it.

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Kendra Diggs

Allow me to introduce myself; His Masterpiece

32 Cutest Baby Photo MarqueI Wilson

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Robyn M Farrington

Chief Executive Officer & Owner

Staffing Solutions (336)398-4739 www.yourtaskmanagers.com Information by Robyn Farrington Photo by Still Shots Photography

Your Task Managers was originally founded by Fabian and Robyn Farrington in November 2010. In 2017, Your Task Managers naturally progressed to become a full time company with a multi-VA team of professional virtual assistants, each with their own special niche services that they bring to the table to better serve our clients.

There was a realization that many businesses have had to close their doors and others have had to lay off workers. Some don’t have the time to expertise to spend on crucial marketing tools like social media to bring in new business. “As an administrative assistant realized I could only help the particular business for which I was hired to work. I wanted to contribute more to business owners (large and small) by not only offering discounted services, but by introducing business owners to the longterm savings and benefits available to them through virtual assistance, corporate training, and staffing solutions, “said Robyn.

She has over 25 years of experience in the Administrative field. Additionally, she was prompted to take the leap of faith to start her own company after several business owners asked her to do small projects for their company. This upscale company provides services to clients across the country in many different areas but Robyn mainly focuses in the healthcare field offering services at a fraction of what it would cost companies to hire full time staff.

You are guaranteed individual attention to your specific needs and we will work with you by offering specific options you can choose from to move forward with your projects and goals.

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CaraBeautiful RafaelaThomas

By Yasmine Regester Photos by JLG Photography

Rafaela Thomas said her father always told her that education could take her anywhere she wanted to go.

And he was right.

Her education helped her travel the world, become a high ranking officer in the Army, a licensed Family Nurse Practitioner and the owner of her own business, CaraBeautiful, a cosmetic dermatology salon in Greensboro.

Born in Panama, Thomas recalls her family moved to Brooklyn, New York when she was 10 years old and they didn’t speak any English. The seventh of eight children, she noted that her parents stressed the importance of education and the need for them to learn the language.

“I come from parents with third and fourth grade educations, but they instilled in us that it was necessary to get an education. We all graduated from high school, and went on to be successful in our career paths. So when you come from such a strong family unit, it inspires you to strive for more,” said Thomas.

She first established her business in 2016, and in February 2019 she was ready to move CaraBeautiful into Sola Salon, Suite 110 in the Friendly Shopping Center on Pembroke Road.

“Coming here from another country, I learned that the world has so much to offer. All you have to do is strive hard and do the best you can. My father always said, ‘No matter what you end up doing in life, you do the best you can and you be the best at it.’ So that is how I’ve always lived my life,” said Thomas.

Thomas graduated from the High School of Fashion Industries in NYC, and joined the Navy in 1978, and worked as a dental hygienist and assistant. She explained how she noticed that a simple procedure, like applying braces, changed a person’s whole outlook about themselves.

“For me, teeth and smiles and faces have always been a part of medicine that I enjoyed. Seeing the smile on a patient’s face in reaction to the change they saw would make me so happy. I knew back then that I wanted to work with faces,” she said.

“I come from parents with third and fourth grade educations, but they instilled in us that it was necessary to get an education. We all graduated from high school, and went on to be successful in our career paths.”

Continued on the next page

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Pictured above: Frown Lines & Nasolabial Folds injections

Instead of pursing dentistry, Thomas said her sister convinced her to attend school to become a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) in 1992. She enjoyed it so much, that she went on to become a Registered Nurse (RN) in 1994 with an associate degree from Miami Dade Community College. She continued with her education and received her Bachelor’s degree in nursing in 1996 from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

She also holds a dual Master’s degree in Nursing and Family Nurse Practitioner from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and is accredited through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). She became a Nurse Practitioner in 2004 and has been a long standing member of The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.

At 59 years of age, Thomas is dubbing this next journey her ‘second chapter in life.’

“I’m calling this chapter two of my life. As I’m about to turn 60 years old, there’s nothing like being able to make people feel good with what you’re doing. I’ve spent my medical career treating inner health, everything that makes you feel good on the inside – but now I want to help people feel good about their outside.”

The name CaraBeautiful loosely translates to “beautiful face” in English, a nod to Thomas being bilingual. “In Spanish ‘cara’ means face and ‘beautiful,’well, it speaks for itself,” she said with a smile.

Pictured above: Nasolabial Folds & Foredead Creases

At CaraBeautiful, Thomas provides Botox and dermal fillers. Each product requires a different procedure that is placed in different areas of the face, and both are temporary results. Thomas ensures she provides detailed information to each client about the procedures and what to expect. “It is very important that you are truthful of your medical history, as this is a medical procedure,” she added.

“It’s important for me that I spend time educating the client when they come to see me. I like to explain the products, the techniques, and help them understand that everyone’s results will be different.

And it’s important to me that they leave here satisfied.

That they’ve received the best care they can have,” she said.

CaraBeautiful also offers free consultations.

Thomas takes appointments and walk-ins in her salon daily, from 9am – 7pm, and even makes house calls to accommodate her clients busy schedules. She also welcomes groups or individuals for a session.

Pictured above: Injections for Crows Feet 10

During her more than 18 years in the medical field, she has worked in emergency rooms, health clinics, and traveled to Arizona and California to help provide medical services to low income communities as a nurse practitioner. Her 27-year military career allowed her to take residence in Spain, Europe, Virginia, Florida, and North Carolina, where she worked at the naval hospital for seven years in Jacksonville. She now ranks as a Major in the US Army, and plans to retire soon. As a Reservist, she spends two weeks a year on active duty, and one weekend a month for training. Major Thomas was also called to duty during the Irag war.

Pictured with Rafaela is her daughter, Odessa

When she is living as a civilian, she works as a nurse practitioner in preventative medicine, but is working on transitioning CaraBeautiful into her full-time passion, which is helping people, particularly women, feel good about themselves.

“I always advise women to invest in themselves. We can have a closet full of shoes and clothes, some of it we’ve only worn once, and then we throw it away.

But we wear our faces every day. You don’t put that in the closet. That’s the difference in how we invest in ourselves,” said Thomas who shared that even she gets filler injections.

“It’s not just a matter of giving it out either,” said Thomas. “I’ve decided how I want to look. And I have no problem with that.”

Thomas sees a range of women in her practice, from 25 years of age, all the way to 75 years old. It all ranges based on a person’s needs. “As we age, we’re going to have changes. We lose volume in our face. We start to see lines and wrinkles form. We see the change in our faces and now we realize we can do something about it. I tell women all the time it’s not about looking younger, but to give a smoother, softer appearance.

That’s what I intend to give them,” she said.

While about 75 percent of her clientele has been women, Thomas noted that she is slowly starting to encounter more male clients who are interested in facial treatments.

“It all comes down to education on the topic. People aren’t sure they can have that. Or they think that it’s not acceptable. Or they are worried about what other people will think. But there is a solution. Just like there is medicine for high blood pressure or diabetes, there’s a solution. And I want women to know that we don’t have to feel guilty about it,” Rafeala stated.

A woman of faith, Thomas shares how she woke up one morning and felt the spirit of God telling her to go pursue her dreams. “Faith is the basis of everything I do and the direction that I’m going with CaraBeautiful.”

“I always tell women to invest in themselves. We can have a closet full of shoes and clothes, some of it we’ve only worn once, and then we throw it away.

But we wear our faces every day.

You don’t put that in the closet.

Continued on the next page

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In order to be a practicing aesthetician in North Carolina, one must be a medical professional and licensed by the state. She has attended multiple training courses and received certifications in Aesthetics in Botox and Dermal Fillers from Empire Medical Training and Aesthetic Medical Educators Training (AMET). These instructions assist her with keeping up with the latest techniques and products.

She first started working with family and friends and said social media has been her biggest driver for new clients. Thomas also contracts with salons and med spas who don’t offer Botox and dermal filler services. She said in the next few years she sees her business growing with a larger space, employees, and more availability for clients.

In addition to her career accomplishments, she is especially proud of her two daughters, Odessa Hancock, a small business owner, Lloyda Thomas, a teacher in Florida, and her granddaughter, Leslie Thomas. Her daughter, Odessa, designs the CaraBeautiful brochures and monitors the business web presence, under her company, Uprising, a digital marketing and consulting firm in the area. Thomas shared, “It’s important to me that we have this family unit. We are working together. I have a lot of strong family support, near and far and I wouldn’t be able to do any of this without them. We don’t have to stop because there are always goals to achieve.”

Thomas is a member the American Business Women Association of Forsyth County, the American Med Spa Association, a lifetime member of the Montford Point Marine Association and frequently attends Word of Faith Christian Fellowship in McLeansville, N.C. “My greatest accomplishments have been serving this country, reaching the rank of a Major Medical Officer, being a nurse practitioner and finding my greatest passion in life, which is CaraBeautiful.

Coming to CaraBeautiful is not work. It’s a passion to do what I do and I love it” said Thomas. h

CaraBeautiful Offers: Dermal Fillers Botox Injections Our focus areas:

Forehead Creases Marionette Lines (Smile Lines) Crow’s Feet & Nasolabial Folds Glabellar Lines (Frown Lines) Lip Fillers

Rafeala Thomas

Sola Salon Studios 704-A Pembroke Road Greensboro, North Carolina 27408 (910) 554-6856 www.carabeautiful.com Free Consultations - In Home Visits 13

For The Kids, For Her Community

By Terry L. Watson Photos by JLG Photography Tawana Rowland is a true testament to the something beautiful.

She is also a great example of what someone’s life can become once it is given to Christ. She is young, ambitious, and vivacious, and has a genuine heart to serve others.

Though she may wear many hats, she shares that it’s a pleasure to serve her community. The Greensboro, North Carolina native is a youth leader at her church, Kingdom Minded Deliverance in Greensboro and has a passion to be an example to future generations.

Tawana serves as a mentor and community activist. Her primary focus is to provide mentorship and opportunities to underprivileged families and children. She is a parent advocate for Guilford Child Development and sits on the Policy Council committee, as well as the Policy Council representative and chairperson for the parent committee at Poplar Grove Child Development. She was nominated to serve on the North Carolina Head Start Association Board by Guilford Child Development.

Tawana has also founded TSR Kids, a 501c3 based nonprofit organization that offers consultations to others who are thinking about starting a nonprofit organization. “I am committed to helping others build strong, successful nonprofit organizations. There is a need in our communities, and I believe the only way to reach the masses is by working together. It definitely takes a village,” she says. TSR Kids also provides a variety of workshops for young entrepreneurs, as well scholarships. There is also a mentor program, Pink Pearls that is designed to help children identify their talents and gifts, and build confident, strong minded young leaders.

TSR Kids was birthed from a vision Tawana experienced. She didn’t know what a nonprofit organization was initially. “I would invite friends, family and the community out to Warnersville Recreation Center on Sundays. I called the occasion ‘Funday Sunday’. We would bring board games, water bottles, popsicles, blankets, frisbees, and whatever else I could think of to interact with the kids. After three months, I started noticing the talents of many of the kids who were coming to the event. They had the gifts but were not using them.

It hurt me to see that and so I started working with them on the weekends, teaching them about confidence and leadership. I would have them walk up to look at themselves in the mirror and speak with confidence. Onlookers asked if we were a nonprofit organization. I didn’t know but decided to find out what it was,” she shared.

Tawana finds inspiration in her daughter Dominique and says her life reflects everything she wanted to experience for herself when she was a child. “I have five sisters and three brothers. Out of the nine of us, including our children, Dominique is the first to go to college.

My other Inspiration are the kids. They are my why. Anytime I felt like giving up or thought this journey of believing in my vision was impossible, the doubt turned into motivation when I thought about them,” she shares.

When she looks for someone to credit for the success of TSR Kids, Tawana can only think of one person. “It has never been about me.

I give God all of the glory for the program. Giving my life to God was the best thing I could have done for myself. He has given me purpose and a vision. I learned there was a purpose for my pain. I had to have the rough childhood so I could understand how to help others like me. I remember moving around a lot as a kid. My mom was single with nine kids, all one year apart and she did the best she could. I thank God for her. My Godmother, Victoria impacted my life by stepping in and helping my mom take care of me for most of

my child hood. When I got to high school, I accomplished the feat of most valuable player for Indoor/Outdoor Track, and Cross Country Track. If there had been a program like TSR Kids in place to help me while growing up, maybe the outcome would have been different. But I’m not complaining because I know that was a necessary part of the process to birth my vision and for help kids just like me,” she says.

In the future, Tawana hopes to collaborate with other programs who have a similar focus. In the meantime, she will be thinking of new and effective ways to help the youth in her community. h

229 N Greene St Greensboro, North Carolina 27406 336-987-1047

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Janee & Robert A Family of Businesses

By Dawn Cauthen Thornton Photos by JLG Photography Who said you should only have one business, when you can put your resources and ideas together and have three?

Partners in life and in livelihood, Robert Jarrell and Janee Pridgen spend their time growing their businesses and bringing joy to the community they serve. Scoop Zone, Outback Productions, and Teach Me How, keeps the couples’ heads in a daily spin but they balance each other and prosper with each endeavor.

Robert has always wanted to own a business. One day he was scrolling through Craigslist, as he likes to do regularly, and saw an ice cream truck for sale. The post reminded him of his childhood and how much ice cream trucks are loved.

He realized it had been years since he’d noticed one driving through a neighborhood, so he decided to be that one. In 2009, Robert purchased the 1978 Good Humor ice cream truck from Craigslist. The truck full of cold goodness immediately gained traction by appearing at birthday parties, school field days, church events, and the like. Soon after, Robert purchased a second truck to complete his small fleet. Though the business was going well, he decided to take a break and focus on his first love, music.

A native of Greensboro, Robert attended N.C A&T State University and graduated with a music degree. In 2013, he started teaching students to play the piano out of his home, and ‘Teach Me How’ was born. When he met Janee, a sign language interpreter for Guilford County Schools working on her master’s degree in Speech Pathology, she was ready to jump in and make it a family affair.

Cookies Sundae

“Janee would constantly bug me about purchasing a pushcart selling ice cream. After two years of putting it off and reading the material about it, we decided to think bigger,” Robert explains.

In the summer of 2018 they took a leap of faith at the thought of a brick and mortar ice cream shop. With a solid idea in mind and enthusiasm in their hearts, the pair hit the ground running, attempting to find a suitable location. After settling on one, they were denied, being told the business was too risky. They were discouraged, but not enough to quit searching. While on an outing with a client, Janee spotted an area that was in development in High Point, near the newly constructed baseball stadium. She called Robert and they jumped in their car to peruse the streets.

Rainbow Sherbet

Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwich

Homemade Vanilla

Rocket Ball

“We both already knew the High Point area, but never really looked at it for business. So, we rode around after church on a Sunday, looking for a location and saw ‘for lease’ and ‘for rent’ signs everywhere,” says Janee.

They spotted a diamond in the rough at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. and North Main Street. They quickly called the owner for a tour, collected the money to rent it, and signed a contract the next day. It was previously a barbershop which meant it needed grave remodeling. Luckily Robert’s father is a sub-contractor and knew just what to do.

Continued on the next page

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“It had checkered floors, dryer connections in the back, and pipes in the floors where the sinks used to be. That all had to be changed,” Robert says.

Pictured above with Robert and Janee are the Scoop Zone staff. From left to right are Morgan Jones, Tracy Tonkins, Zahra Jarrell, and Ryan Jarrellby.

Within a month, they had completely transformed the dusty mess into an impressive ice cream parlor with new floors, ceiling tiles, and paint. By September, Scoop Zone was ready for a soft opening to say hello to their new neighbors and share a few treats with their patrons. They still needed to do renovations to the bathroom and areas that the customers don’t see. When February rolled around and the winter season should have been wrapping up, Scoop Zone was in full swing and eager to serve. Since its grand opening, they have beefed up the menu, recently adding popcorn, cotton candy, and a small variety of beverages. A customer favorite is Janee’s own creation, the Rocket Ball.

It consists of a large puff of cotton candy filled with ice cream, candy, and other goodies, then rolled into a tight ball of heaven.

“It has been a learning experience. I’ve had to just put myself out there and not be afraid to ask questions.

I have to explain to a city worker that I’ve never done this before so please tell me what I need to know. Most have been very welcoming. We’ve had city council and board members come by and it’s really nice to have that support,” Janee admits. She recommends anyone thinking about starting their own business, do the same.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions or ask for help. And be open-minded when others offer suggestions.

The sweets shop is her baby, as she left her full-time position with the school system and spends most of her time managing and ensuring a smooth day.

Most of Robert’s time is spent in his music studio teaching children where is middle C. He started by instructing his neighbors two children in his home in 2013.

“The word got out and someone else called wanting me to teach their child and it just grew from there.”

Within a year, Robert, the music and chorus teacher at Dudley High School in Greensboro, had so many students that he needed to purchase more equipment and find a bigger space. He moved into a studio in 2014 and needed to move again in 2015 to the space he’s in currently. To add more options for the parents and students, the same year, he purchased an RV and transformed it into a mobile music studio.

“On Saturdays, parents can drop off their children for up to an hour while their parents shop or run errands,” Robert says. Currently, Robert offers group lessons, but may offer a private option in the future.

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Robert’s 11 year old daughter, Zahra, is also part of the family business. “She helps us with administrative duties. So, she makes flyers, types up letters and sends emails for us. Of course she loves being in the ice cream shop,” laughs Janee.

Zahra is a very active middle schooler who enjoys gymnastics, being a part of the track team at her school and playing the flute. She strives to one day own her own gym teaching skills needed to be a gymnast. Although, Robert and Janee have a busy schedule they dedicate themselves to never missing a beat in her life.

When the couple isn’t stretched between ice cream, music lessons, and Zahra, they’re delivering fun flicks to others with their latest venture, Outback Productions. “One day we were downtown and they were having a movie night with a big screen, projectors, and we loved it. Then we realized that we already had the same equipment, except the screen. We got the rest of the equipment we needed and started publicizing.

And it took off. The first summer we started, in 2016, we were booked every weekend,” Robert explains. With three businesses gaining steam, Robert and Janee will be looking for additional employees.

They both admit that it’s refreshing to own businesses and set the standard for what they want. Contributing to their communities and setting examples is what they aim to do.

“The entire process has been a test of our faith, but it’s all been worth it,” Janee professes. h

Pictured top left is an Outback Production family movie night event. On the right Robert is giving paino lessons at Teach Me How Studios. Lessons are offered for both kids and adults.

Teach Me How Studio 1130 W. Vandalia Road Greensboro, NC 27406 336-772-2684

Want To Advertise? Please call 336-340-7844

Scoop Zone 144 N. Main Street High Point, NC 27260

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Chris Hughes C&K Landscaping Inc.

By Juniois Smith Photos by Luguzy Atkins

For Christopher Hughes, it all started with the goal of a pair of shoes. Hughes, the owner of C&K Landscaping, said he remembered a time when he was 12 years old living in Saginaw, Mich. when his eyes were fixated on a desire.

Hughes’ father ended up giving him a piece of advice which ended up birthing his entrepreneurial skills.

“I remember seeing these Dr. J Converse tennis shoes in a store window,” Hughes said. “My dad said he didn’t have the money because he was raising six of us and if I wanted to get the shoes, I needed to go out and make money. I got a lawnmower and did my first yard for $6, and it started from there.” Hughes continued into the landscaping business as an adult, eventually starting up his Greensborobased company in 2010. As his website states, Hughes has “over two decades of experience serving the triad area with quality service in mowing, aerating, shrubbery, tree cutting, leaf removal and clean outs.”

Hughes, a North Forsyth High graduate, said he takes pride in his work. “I like to beautify properties, similar to a hairdresser does hair or manicurists do nails,” Hughes said.

“The goal is to make the grass and shrubbery accentuate the properties of the house. It’s a way to show expression and creativity, as different houses and lawns have separate ways of looking, whether they need pine needle, flowers, mulch, rock or flower beds.”

The additional pride in Hughes work comes from what his father did, which also fueled his drive. “My father was a Methodist minister, and he would go across the country building up churches and congregations,” Hughes said.

“I lived in places like Birmingham, Ala., New Orleans and Saginaw while he worked. Every morning, I was able to see him get up and build congregations that went from a few members to the church reaching capacity.

Pictured below, The C&K Landscaping Team

“Through it all, he drove me to have ownership and accountability toward what I wanted instead of looking for a handout.” As a result, Hughes decided to travel a route unconventional to others, but has worked for him. “I was working with another company, but felt it was better to do this on my own,” Hughes said. “I started C&K with a friend in 2010 and he sold his half in 2018, but I wanted to honor him by keeping the name.

Entrepreneurship to me is about freedom and independence. There’s the idea of knowing I put my own price on work and no one else can value it for me. There are plenty of benefits to entrepreneurship, including the feeling of ownership.”

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Greene’s Floor Care

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By Yasmine Regester Photos by Pharenheit Photography

Being able to provide for his family and building a legacy of generational wealth is what fuels Akeem Greene’s purpose behind his floor and carpet cleaning business.

Established in September 2018 in Akeem’s hometown of Goldsboro, North Carolina, Greene’s Flooring provides expert floor and carpet cleaning services to both residences and businesses, which includes stripping and waxing floors, floor scrubbing and carpet cleaning. “My passion is floors. I love taking dirty floors and transforming them into something new. I take pride in what I do for my customers,” says Akeem.

He attended community college for a year, but wasn’t sure what he wanted to do but knew he liked helping people. He became a certified CNA in 2009, and worked at a hospital for five years before he ever touched a floor buffer.

In his full-time job as a nursing assistant for the past 10 years, Akeem says that helping people has been his calling in life. “I feel like giving is the best gift in life. That’s when you get your blessings from God -- when you freely help another person. God is a part of me. I try hard to treat people right. You have to have faith and positive people around you,” says Akeem.

Although located in Goldsboro, Greene’s Floor Care has provided floor stripping, waxing, buffing, scrubbing and carpet cleaning services in Mebane, Kinston, and Wilson, and is willing to travel. “After you strip the floor, and then you add a few coats of wax and that shine starts to come through – it’s a beautiful thing. People don’t really understand all you have to do when stripping and waxing floors. Floor care can be very time consuming,” says Akeem.

He has experience working on an array of surfaces in barbershops, salons, homes kitchens and carpets. As a small business owner, Akeem says his model is to charge his customers fairly and deliver good, honest work. “I don’t want to cheat my customers or myself. I just want to be fair and I want people to want to come back,” he says. “Your floors say a lot about you. When people go into places like nursing homes, hospitals, daycares, they will look at your floors to determine what type of establishment you have. So how your floors look plays an important role,” says Akeem. “Quality will always open doors.”

His future goals for Greene’s Floor Care are to secure more long-term contracts with repeat clients and add more employees. He notes that the best way to promote his business has been on social media where he shares photos of his work and DIY cleaning tips. Another goal is to run his floor care business full-time that can provide jobs or internships for marginalized groups that may not get the chance otherwise.

When he first found employment as a floor tech, it started as a part-time gig to supplement his income. Akeem shares that at first he didn’t like the job. But he worked with an older man he affectionately refers to as Mr. Perry, and says that he encouraged him to take pride in his work, no matter what it is.

“Always take pride in your work, because your work reflects who you are as a person. It was like he lit a fire in me,” says Akeem, adding that from that day forward he developed a passion for cleaning floors. After three to four years learning his way around a floor, he shares he asked his manager for a raise, but didn’t get it.

“I thought to myself, ‘why not be my own boss? Why not empower myself to start my own company?’” says Akeem.

So he went online to search for equipment and found a slow-speed buffer for sale in Hope Mills, N.C. Akeem says he told the seller about his plans to start his own business, and the seller also threw in a floor stripper and wax pads – at no extra charge. The next step was to obtain a business license. Then he moved onto creating a logo and business cards. “I wanted to be a young entrepreneur, be my own boss and do something to advance myself,” he says.

From there, Akeem says he made sure to purchase just one more thing for his floor care business with every paycheck from his fulltime job. After about two months of getting the business set up, he was ready to accept his first job.

Now at age 30, Akeem said he’s focused on creating something he can pass on to his three-year old daughter, Faith Anne Miles.

Raised by a single mother, Akeem says he now understands why his mother worked so hard. He recounts walking miles with her, in the snow and the rain, to her job at a nearby daycare. “Once I got older, I understood what she was doing. She was doing what was needed for her to provide. That’s where I get my hustle and grind from. I want to make my momma proud,” he says.

Akeem credits the tenacity he witnessed in his mother, and the tough love his grandparents gave him to the creation of the man he is today. “What they taught me is that nobody is going to hand anything to you. You have to grind and work hard,” says Akeem.

“I want to help the next guy up. We need more Black businesses, ready to give back to their communities. I know that if I can do it so can someone else,” he notes. The young business owner says that it is a struggle being an entrepreneur, but what counts is how you stand up to hardships. In addition to being the owner, he is also his own marketing team, spending time passing out flyers and business cards, and receptionist, adding that he’s even had appointments cancel on him.

“You have to keep pressing on. Another phone call will come and you have to be ready for them,” he says.

Akeem advises people to never stop learning and perfecting your craft.

He says that through Greene’s Floor Care, he is trying to show people that you can start at the bottom and get to the top. “I don’t necessarily want to be rich; but I want to be stable and successful. My biggest accomplishment will be able to provide employment for people who wouldn’t otherwise get the opportunity. And provide them with a job they can be proud of,” he says. h

Greene’s Floor Care 919-394-7921 greenfloorcare@mail.com

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Will

Juke

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Open 7 Days Per Week monday by appt. only Walk-ins Are Welcomed

FADES TAPERS SHAVES & MORE Located in Downtwon Greensboro Just minutes from NC A&T, UNC-G Guilford College, GTCC Greensboro College

602 S. Elm Street - Greensboro, NC 27406

336-500-8750

Jessica

Jordan Fon’s Sweets

By Dawn Cauthen Thornton Photos by Donald Wilson Photography

As a child, Jessica Jordan watched family members bake cakes, pies, and other sweets. It was her mother, LaFondra Jordan who baked so much that there was a different dessert on the kitchen counter at least once a week. She loved sniffing the sweet smells and seeing her mom bounce around happy and content during the process.

“One year, in middle school, I decided to bake my mother a cake for Mother’s Day. Even though I loved doing it and the cake was really good, for some reason, I didn’t keep it up,” says Jessica. Fast forward 20 years; she dusted off an old family recipe and baked a cake for a holiday event. A friend sampled it and wanted to purchase it. The reaction shouldn’t have surprised her, considering a love for food runs in her family. In addition to her mother, her father also bakes, and two great aunts had a restaurant and owns a catering business, respectively.

On March 18, 2019, Jessica realized she was on to something. She launched ‘Fon’s Sweets’, named after her mother, who succumbed to breast cancer a few years prior. It was fitting that she opened on the anniversary of her passing.

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Using recipes passed down from the beloved matriarch of the Jordan family, Jessica was confident that her desserts would be wellreceived. “After my mom passed, I had been looking for a way to honor her and thought ‘This is perfect!’” To Jessica, it just felt right. It was something she knew she had to do.

The majority of Jessica’s orders are custom, for birthday parties, special events, or holidays. She’s creating her first wedding cake this summer. Moreover, she has designed the ‘naked’ cakes, which are layered and have less icing. Maybe those that are health conscious would prefer this new approach. Fon’s Sweets also features the ‘cake-in-a-jar’ which includes flavors like strawberry, lemon pound cake, and red velvet pound cake, Jessica’s fan base continues to grow. “I’ve just been blessed the entire time. When I tell people my story, they just want to help. Some may not even buy a cake, but they donate,’ says Jessica.

Jessica recently had the pleasure of partnering with her younger brother, Dexter Jordan, a recording artist, on creating desserts for his album release party. “Having a strong foundation is just as good as having a good product. And I’m blessed to have people around me that are knowledgeable and supportive,” says Jessica.

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“I can’t do anything without thinking of my mom and how she would do things. She was always proud of me and my siblings and made me feel like I was Superwoman.”

Since she embarked on this therapeutic journey, Jessica, who works full time as an IT specialist, spends most weekends in her kitchen and in her car delivering her goodies. Currently based in Charlotte, the Mississippi-born (Alabama raised) southern girl spent time in Greensboro during high school and college and has deliveries there occasionally. To grow her passion, Jessica plans to showcase her sweets at vendor events and will appear at the Rock Hill Galleria Mall on Mother’s Day weekend.

She will, no doubt, have her own mother in her heart that day. “I can’t do anything without thinking of my mom and how she would do things. She was always proud of me and my siblings and made me feel like I was Superwoman. I always felt courageous, like I could do anything. Even after she passed, I feel the same way. She was very smart and also worked in IT. And I know she would be proud that I’m doing the same. And that I’ve started a baking business with her recipes,” Jessica explains.

She recommends staying connected to family, especially your elders who have stories and recipes and other things to pass down. Jessica feels she wouldn’t have become interested in many of the things she’s involved in had it not been for family legacies and her mom instilling confidence in her. She’s also adopted the idea that she can’t be afraid to fail or at least try something new.

Knowing that her mother would be proud of her keeps her encouraged and her great aunt reiterates that every chance she gets. “She reassures me that my mother would be so happy for me. Her and my other aunt passed their recipes on to my mother and then she passed them down to me,” Jessica beams.

One day she may pursue a storefront to expand, but for right now, she’s happy being small and intimate. h

Fon’s Sweets 704-412-9911 fonssweets@gmail.com Instagram: @FonsSweets Facebook: @FonsSweets

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Kevin Thornton

1 on 1 Health and Life Coaching

By Terry L. Watson - Photos by Kevin Thornton

Kevin Thornton is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University. There he obtained a BS in Health Administration. He also has a Master’s in Organizational Psychology from Argosy University. Additionally he is a life coach, holistic health coach, author, indoor cycling instructor and internet radio personality, and someone who understands his life purpose; To inspire, educate and empower others to create the healthiest versions of themselves mind, body and spirit. Kevin uses his platforms to change the narrative of how society and the media portray black men. “I want the world to know there are more men like me than what they see and hear on TV and radio,” he shared.

Kevin is the brains behind 1 on 1 Health Coaching (which offers 60 minute session of 1 on 1 coaching), 1 on 1 Life Coaching and Group Coaching. He also produces meal plans based on the assessment he conducts. He also offers (7, 14 and 30 day) Detox. “Detoxing is a way to cleanse the body of toxins while allowing the body a chance to heal. Seven day detoxing is for someone looking to cleanse while lose a couple pounds. The 14 and 30 day detoxing is for people with medical conditions looking to create a change in their health. I also offers Juice Plus, vegan capsules with fruits, veggie and berries. These capsule should be taken daily as a supplement, and this product with help you reach the goal along with eating a healthy diet,” he said.

Kevin began life coaching in 2013 after he was coached by Iylanla Vanzant and her team in 2011. During that process, he realized his life’s purpose and the need for mens coaching. “I believe the best life coaches are people who have been coached themselves. They are able to understand the process,” he shared. He became a health coach in 2015 after graduating from Integrated Institute of Nutrition. He was already a fitness instructor and I wanted to incorporate the holistic health coaching into his program. He began detoxing as soon as he graduated from school, knowing that most people tend to have between five and 30 pounds of feces in their systems, and because he .

Once his systerm was aligned, he started offering the product from Juice Plus.

Kevin says he is inspired mostly by his father Sam Thornton. “He played a big part in my journey in holistic health and personal development. Growing up, he has always been into holistic living so he planted the seed in me. Seeing him at 77 years old and in great health without taking any medication motivates me daily to be my best self, and help others be their best self,” he says. Kevin credits Iylanla Vanzant with giving him clarity of his purpose and teaching him how to be the vessel to help black men and all people become their best self. h

www.evolutionofaman.com

Prosperity For Life Health Fair

By Terry L. Watson Photos by Palmica Robinson

Greensboro, N.C. native Palmica Robinson created the Prosperity For Life Foundation after having a life changing experience herself.

One day in 2010, she blacked out at the hospital while attending to her then, one-month old son who was sick with a fever of 104 degrees.

At the time she didn’t know what was going on. Soon she would be diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.

With her foundation, her mission is to spread awareness about her ailment, and assist others who may been dealing with it as well. “I feed people and have passed out lunch bags over the years. Because of my busy schedule I wasn’t able to do them as often as would have liked to,” she says. “Towards the end of 2011, I knew I wanted to do more but in 2012 my close uncle was diagnosed with cancer. I tried to put an event together within two months, hoping that he could be there to see the love in the room. Unfortunately, he didn’t make it.”

Determined to make good on the promise God had given to establish the foundation, Palmica is now planning the Prosperity For Life Health Fair for 2019. “God has always supplied all my needs, and for me to do nothing, is not good enough. I’ve been through some things but it’s so many others that have been through far worse in life than I. I hope to show others they too can make it.”

Her story may sound familiar to others. She hasn’t always had health insurance and is guilty of not taking time off to go to the doctor unless it was an emergency. “I thought, what can I do to put individuals as well as myself on the right track to grasp a better understanding of things like nutrition, their health, and more. I want them to know they’re not alone,” she shared. Her mission is to also involve high school teens through her foundation and allow them to volunteer and learn more about different health issues.

Palmica is a single mom who has been blessed with two kids. She has a big heart and seeks to help other. She has been a cosmetologist for over 20 years, and the co-owner of Prosperity Styles Beauty Salon in downtown Greensboro. “Family is a big part of my life. I love being with my kids, and spending time with friends, working, and attending church,” she says. The date of the health fair will be announced soon.

If you are interested in being a part the Prosperity For Life Health Fair, or if you have any questions, please contact Palmica at (336)988-0860.

Pictured with Palmica is her daughter LaDaisha, son Charles, her mom Pamela, and aunt Gloria

h

The Making Of A Soldier

By Terry L. Watson Photo by Smart Shot Photography There is one word that can effectively describe who Adriene Odom is; survivor. Even more, she is a mother, author, and soldier. With all of these attributes, God has made her perfect and unique.

Adriene, who is originally from Yanceyville, North Carolina but, migrated along with her family to Virginia when she was about nine or ten years of age. For the most part, Virginia is home for her, but the path and roads traveled along her journey in life far exceeds the common wealth state.

“Becoming an author was something I never imagined for myself. The way I told my story bought me so much more strength and empowered me.,” she says.

In 2017, the aspiring author made the decision to share a sincere and precious part of her life in the pages of her book, The Making Of A Soldier. “This is my story of surviving so many obstacles which are similar to those that women have to face daily,” she shares.

Adriene says she had to rely solely on her faith in God to carry her from a state of brokenness as a teenage mother and single mother, to becoming a soldier in the United States Army, and now disabled veteran.

As a soldier, she did one tour to duty in Afghanistan during which time she began to realize who she was and her purpose for life. “I was put here on earth to become a soldier, not just in the Army but, for women and men who are too afraid to speak out for themselves. In my book I expose my darkest and most intimate secrets so that others would be inspired to tell their stories and be set free, no longer having to live in bondage,” she shares.

Adriene’s story opens the doors of her life to the its readers, and what lies behind them are pages of pain and triumph, as well as determination and self acceptance.

“In my lifetime, I’ve faced homelessness, domestic abuse, rape, and divorce. My testimony is my story.

The story of a teenage mother having her first child at 15 and then her second at 19. It is a story of becoming a high school drop out, and later joining the US Army, and eventually becoming a disabled veteran. It’s a story of me becoming an author, entrepreneur, and founder of Joshua’s Place, a nonprofit that helps to house, and advocate for homeless veterans,” she shares.

Coach Adriene Odom Adriene finds inspiration in being a mother to her four sons Gabriel (26), Joshua (21), Kaleb (12), and Aldarius (5). Though now divorced, that experience alone caused a great deal of hurt and pain. “It was almost like grieving for my husband, except he wasn’t dead. The hurt that he caused me has given me the strength I needed to continue to be what others needed from me to survive,” she says. “I guess in so many ways it intensified my hunger and passion to continue to help others.” Throughout her book, Adriene shares similiar experiences, all of which lead to where she is today. And that is a winner.

Moving forward Adriene plans to continue to share her story through motivational speaking with the hopes of inspiring others to tell their stories. To purchase a copy of her book, The Making of A Soldier, please visit her website. h

To learn more about Adriene Odom, and to purchase a copy of The Making Of A Soldier, please visit www.themakingofasoldier.org

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Kendra Diggs is a Greensboro native and author. Her book, His Masterpiece, was inspired by her very own life experiences. She is a domestic violence survivor and though she admits it can be frightening to tell share her stories, she understands they must be told. What makes her book unique is its rawness, uncut, and honest description of resilience and courage. “I’m the voice of many women who are silent and are afraid to share their scars of domestic violence, and losing their identity and abandonment. I just want to help people, especially women who have dealt with this, and maybe I can help save a life. I pray that people are inspired and blessed by this book and God is glorified,� she shares.

Kendra has started a movement called (#lovedoesnothurt) and has partnered with the Sherri Denese Jackson Foundation in Greensboro, North Carolina to help bring awareness of domestic violence in North Carolina and beyond.

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Kendra Diggs HIS MASTERPIECE

Book Release Party - June 29, 2019

Information Provided By Kendra Diggs Photos by Luguzy Atkins

Exerpt from His Masterpiece

“How dare you compare me to him?” He screamed. We started to fight in the bathroom and his nail dug deep in my chest as he threw me in the shower. I got up with tears in my eyes and I tasted blood. “ I’m sorry. Please stop!” I pleaded. We were fighting until we got into our bedroom. “I’m my brother, you said?” He sneered and proceeded to throw me into the wall, which left a huge hole. I fell. He kicked me in my shins. “Please stop! I’m sorry, Please forgive me.” I cried as my body laid weak on the floor. He stopped and looked at me with disgust. He gathered his things and left. I just laid there and cried. My shoulder was throbbing. I can’t believe someone I loved would treat me this way. I must’ve deserved it. Tears started to roll down my face but I cleaned them up quickly.

When I arrived at Panera Bread I sat down at the table and waited for my client. When she walked in, I put on my fake smile. We sat and talked for an hour. My shoulder and my legs were on fire. After the meeting, I sat there for another hour or so. I was just quiet.

My ears started to ring again. I stared out into blank space. Tears flowing from my eyes. Maybe I should kill myself. This will get me out of my misery. With my eyes blurry from my tears, I looked outside, it was night time. I got up and walked back home.”

“My ears were still ringing, I was still in a daze as he held me. As he was talking, I still couldn’t hear the words but I saw his mouth move, I heard a voice say, “Take his life and take yours. You won’t have to deal with him or yourself anymore. Why go through this? Do it.” Then the voice left me. That voice shook me to the core. I looked into his eyes blankly. I saw this man who I thought was supposed to love, protect, and be there for me turn into a nightmare but I could forgive him again right? I breathed in and exhaled, “I forgive you and I love you, too.” He stood up, hugged me, and kissed me. He laid me back down and started to rub my shoulder. Then he laid down beside me. “We are going to be okay.” He reassured me. I nodded my head. “I know.” It was quiet for the rest of the evening. When he fell asleep, I got up and looked out the window. Our window sill had an alarm on it. It was 2am. I walked in the bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror. I looked at my face, with heavy bags under my eyes, the scar from my chest, and my bruised up shoulder. I didn’t see myself. I didn’t see beauty. I didn’t see virtue. I saw a failure. I sat on the bathroom mat and I grabbed my head. I began to wail and cry. “There has to be more than life than this.” I said to myself. “I want to be free.”

To order your copy of His Masterpiece, please visit: www.thekweenexperience.com 33

By Dawn Cauthen Thornton Photos by Still Shots Photography Dr. Erika Hendrix is a woman of many talents. She was previously introduced to the readers as a minister, radio host, and a theology instructor. Now, she’s ready to showcase a different hat she wears as the Owner and Executive Director of Creative Management Source, Inc., a mental health agency started in 2006 with the help of her mother, Barbara Hendrix, the Program Director of Development, and friend Kimberly Perkins, the Assistant Director. The trio oversees the day-to-day operations and the 13 staff members that dedicate themselves to making life manageable for a few amazing people. They also operate Positive Connection Care, a residential group home service.

It’s no surprise that Dr. Hendrix has traveled this path in helping those negatively affected by mental health. It’s in her DNA. She grew up watching her mother give of herself as a special needs teacher with Guilford County Schools. She taught visually impaired students for 30 years, and ultimately retired from it. “Growing up, my mom would do respite in the home and we would see that every weekend. Before she retired, she told me that she wanted to start an agency. So we started making plans to do that,” says Dr. Hendrix The agency actually prospered for several years until funding was greatly slashed in 2013, so much that other agencies actually went out of business. By the grace of God, the ladies at Creative Source Management had already implemented day support services that kept them afloat.

Considering Creative Management Source, Inc. is 13 years old, Dr. Hendrix’s goal is to now reintroduce it to the community and let everyone know what is available in the light of cuts and reductions in government funding. The agency offers services to adults 18 and older on how to find employment, adult living skills, education such as obtaining their GED or diplomas, community integration, and other skills. And the entire program is nationally accredited under CQL (Council on Quality and Leadership) “Because the majority of our clients have socialization skills we help them learn how to communicate when they go out so that they don’t feel isolated. We teach them how to think and advocate for themselves. And we help them determine what independence is to them. Because everyone’s independence is different,” explains Dr. Hendrix.

The majority of their clients suffer from some form of mental illness such as schizophrenia, bi-polar, personality disorder, autism, and intellectual developmental disability which can range from mild, medium, or severe. They also serve those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury). Graciously, the staff spends time teaching each client about their disability. “You’d be surprised at how many people have heard of these labels that they’re given, but they don’t know what it is.”

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Dr. Hendrix and the team have partnered with the Greensboro Coliseum to offer many of her clients the opportunity to earn a monthly stipend by assisting at condiment stations during major events. This partnership was established nearly a decade ago and allows the clients to earn money, boost their confidence, and feel independent. They’re also in talks with other establishments to do the same. By the summer, they plan to open a sock store primarily run by their clients to earn a stipend and learn how to maintain a work/life balance.

Barbara Hendrix

Program Director of Development

“We don’t limit them here. We tell them all the time that we’re not focusing on the disability, but what they can do,” she says. One year some clients were sent on a scavenger hunt across the city. For two months, they were taught how to find their way around, including how to utilize public transportation. By the third month, they had mastered it and was able to meet their caretakers at the mall. This was a huge accomplishment and something for the clients to be proud of.

“We don’t just let our clients sit inside all day. We take them out daily so they can learn and experience things.

They love going to restaurants and we reward them with that on a regular basis,” says Dr. Hendrix.

In 2009, Positive Connection Care was added. This branch of the agency offers residential services to clients that may need someone to assist them with home skills and self-care. Some live in a group home setting while a few experience AFL (Alternative Family Living), residing directly with their caretaker.

Kimberly Perkins Assistant Director

Most recently, the ladies have been fighting for additional time for their clients to receive PSR (PsychoSocial Rehabilitation that prepares the client to live independently after a setback). Currently, only 12 months is allowed, but Dr. Hendrix feels that more time is needed for full rehabilitation. These ladies don’t just collect funding for their clients, they truly care about their wellbeing and their development.

For a period of time, the agency also served children under the age of eighteen. The ladies noticed the expulsion and suspension rates of children with behavioral challenges and disabilities, increasing within classrooms and other activities. For the last eight years, they ran an inclusion summer camp for those children who may need additional attention. “We’ve attended their football games, parent-teacher conferences, birthday parties, and everything else. They have seen most of the children matriculate through high school and are now succeeding in life.

Dr. Erika Hendrix Executive Director/Owner

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Being patient, consistent, and encouraging is the key to making a difference with these special individuals.

For the last 13 years, the ladies and staff at Creative Management Source, Inc. have done just that. h

"We don't limit them here. We tell them all the time that we're not focusing on the disability, but what they can do."

Creative Management Source, Inc. 407-G West Wendover Ave. Greensboro, NC 27407 336-292-5478 www.creativemgmtsourceinc.com

Lighter Path to a Brighter Future 37

Dr. Erika Hendrix The Road To Recovery

hendrixerika@gmail.com 336-587-8876 Life has a way of pressing us with questions. Many times, the questions do not line up with or destiny. What do you do when you can’t reconcile what you have lost or is broken, and how do you reflect on what you can’t see? We have two elements that is to reconcile and to reflect. Reconcile means to bring together and to reclaim means to retrieve or recover. I question do we know what it takes to recover without the necessary steps to reach it. David asked the Lord, “shall I pursue, shall I overtake?” The Lord’s response was “Purse for you shall (promise) overtake them without fail recover all.”

It’s in us to be recovery makers, in pursuit of happiness and fulfillment. How can we recover when it looks like the life has a grip on us? Psychologist suggest that the Road of Recovery can be evident in the 12-step model that was designed to help those struggling with alcoholism to maintain sobriety, and for those recovering from addiction.

In order to recover you must be willing to walk through the steps. I love the comparison of how the Founders of Alcoholic Anonymous (AA) identified that recovery can only take place if you deal with the issues at hand. So, you may be asking yourself the question why did I focus this article around the 12 step-program? The answer is that we live in a community and attend churches that are broken, and they do not know how to reconcile to a place of wholeness. God can take broken pieces and put them back together again.

The Apostle Paul states in Acts 27:41-44. Their purpose was to make it on dry land and in order to do that they had to jump ship. They did not abandon their mission they had to make some adjustments in order to survive. Survival is about adjustment when necessary. Those who where shipwrecked wanted to live, but they could not stay in the place they where in. The same philosophy goes for the 12-step program. You may be broken when you arrive, but if you stay the course you will end up on dry land.

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Historically “Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), the first twelve-step fellowship, was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Robert Holbrook Smith, known to AA members as “Bill W.” and “Dr. Bob”, in Akron, Ohio. In 1946 they formally established the twelve traditions to help deal with the issues of how various groups could relate and function as membership grew. A singleness of purpose emerged as Tradition Five: “Each group has but one primary purpose—to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers”. The principles of AA have been used to form many numbers of other fellowships specifically designed for those recovering from various pathologies; each emphasizes recovery from the specific malady which brought the sufferer into the fellowship.”

Here are the 12 Steps as defined by Alcoholics Anonymous: 1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol–that our lives had become unmanageable.

1. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him. 4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

5. Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character 7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings 8. Made a list of persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.

9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.

11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.

12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

The recovery process is more that steps it’s a life style change. Change is an inevitable process that we cannot stop and to be present in the moment you have to know how you arrived at the place you are in. God has a plan for your life and the Prophet Jeremiah gives hope in 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” I believe we need to create a conversation that will cause us to reflect on what we cannot see and proclaim I am recovering.

The mantra to reclaim is where I see the church needs to move toward.

We have seen how the Black Church has progressed, but it has been slow.

In Facts & Trends in Hope for a Dying Churches article published on January 16, 2018 the worlds systems change every four years and the church only changes every 20 years. The basic foundation of our faith is connected to change. It is our change or lack of change that connects us to our heritage.

As a people we have an innate resiliency that is part of our DNA. We have succumbed to many frailties that have affected our churches as well as our communities; but we are overcomers and world changers.

In conclusion we must admit our own vulnerability that we are powerless to ourselves. The power of God is greater than me. The 12-step program brings us to a place of awareness that my life is not my own and I have to place my life and my issues in God’s hands. The 12 steps program is about self-inventory and self-reflection. We are reminded of this same step of reflection in 1 Corinthians 11:28-29 as it relates to the Holy Communion. The text reveals for us that before we participate in this sacrament, we must examine ourselves, if you do not recognize his body that was broken for us, we run the risk of serious consequences; the same holds true with our steps of recovery is not about you, but its about living your best life.

I have written and released my first book, “Open Letter to the Black Church, Reclaiming Our Time.” The book is designed to create a dialogue about Recovery and Reclaiming. I believe with all intentionality that we can revive the black church and reposition ourselves as a pillar and as a city that is set on a hill. h

C&K Landscaping continued from page 21

“Grass is going to grow everywhere, so it’s something I believe is a secure business. The fact that I am my own boss, president and CEO, I put into it what I give, and I help young men and women learn the trade.”

Hughes has also grown his business, going from strictly residential to adding commercial properties. “With residential, it’s basically going around through the neighborhoods and soliciting services,” Hughes said. “It’s more of a seasonal thing — if people want their lawns cut and manicured, we have the properties for it. As the company became more established, it was easier to go with commercial properties.”

He encourages others to go the entrepreneurial route, including the youth. Over time, Hughes has employed about 25 men and women in part-time positions, teaching them the ropes of the business. “To me, it’s definitely the freedom and the fact that the value we put into others’ businesses can go to ourselves,” Hughes said. “Wealth can happen through our own practices if we take our God-given talents and express ourselves through whatever abilities we have. Mine just happened to be landscaping and I do motivational speaking from time to time.

“Grass is going to grow everywhere, so it’s something I believe is a secure business. The fact that I am my own boss, president and CEO, I put into it what I give, and I help young men and women learn the trade. This way, not only can they get a look into the trade, they’ve also got a good foundation when it comes to business and professionalism.”

Hughes was able to fulfill a goal of his as a child, and never looked back from the window where those Dr. J Converses once resided. “I got plenty of those shoes now,” he said with a laugh. h

C&K Landscaping Inc. - Christopher Hughes 336-991-1237 christopherhug8@yahoo.com 39

LaToya Hill Hill'n Hands Massage

By Yasmine Regester Photos by Todd Youngblood

Finding one’s niche can be hard. Sometimes you have to try out a few different things to get to where you want to be.

That is how LaToya Hill looks at life. After a stint in law and real estate, LaToya found her passion in massage therapy.

Originally from Arapahoe, North Carolina, she is a certified paralegal with a degree from Central Piedmont Community College. She worked for a Charlotte law firm for four years, where she started off as a mail clerk, before working her way up. “I was good at it, but it really was not a passion of mine. I felt like I didn’t want to work in an office anymore,” she says.

LaToya also went to school for real estate and soon realized that wasn’t for her. So she went back to the drawing board. In order to generate an income, she continued to do some freelance legal contract work and offered her notary skills. She eventually took her current remote position as an administrative assistant for a telecommunications firm, but still felt like something was missing.

“It felt like I couldn’t find my niche. I felt I needed more.

Not an office environment, but more interaction with other people. I was looking for something that didn’t feel like a job. Something I could do and still be a mom.” She shares that part of her initial interest in massage therapy stemmed from friends and family who always complimented her on ability to give a good massage with no formal training.

“People have always told me I was good at massages. And now I believe that it’s something that I am really good at,” she says, adding that she had been interested in massage therapy for a while.

LaToya states that her biggest challenge was paying for school, but one fateful day, she visited Southeastern Institute in Charlotte and toured the institution. After speaking with a counselor, she decided to take the plunge and enroll in the massage therapy program in July 2017. But working full-time, going to school and raising a child is no easy feat. LaToya shares how grateful she is for a young lady from her neighborhood that helped her with childcare for three nights a week, the entire 16 months she went to school. She worked her full-time job during the day and attended classes at night. She recalls times she would sit in the school parking lot, determined to complete assignments for work by 5 p.m., the same time her class started. “It was hard at times. But I appreciate my job being flexible and working with me. And I appreciate all the support I received from friends and family.”

The single mother says her biggest supporter -- and sometimes assistant-- is her 8 year-old daughter, Alanna Galloway. “Being a single mom, I’m away from home a lot, but I am so proud of how independent and responsible my daughter is. There have been trials and tribulations, but she and I have worked together and it all worked out.” After concluding her training, a nervous LaToya took her exit exam and passed with flying colors. She graduated October 2018 and was issued her massage therapy license 60 days later.

“Taking my test for my license was the most stressful day of my life,” she says. “But when I saw I passed, I was so happy.” This gave LaToya the last piece of the puzzle to official start Hill’n Hands Massage Therapy in December 2018. She shares that part of her social media strategy to attract clients is to share information about massage therapy and its benefits.

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Triad - May/June 2019

Hill’n Hands Massage Therapy is a mobile business that travels to the client. She is currently working on transitioning the name to Hill’n Hands Massage on the Move. When she’s not working on her own, she works part time at a chiropractic clinic in Charlotte.

LaToya offers a variety of massage techniques such as Swedish massages, deep tissue massages, and cupping therapy. She says providing education about massages and the muscles is an important part of her business model. She advises clients on daily stretches for optimal body performance and to hydrate with plenty of water to keep muscles flexible.

“Sports massage is my favorite because you are able to do so many different things with the muscles. I like to teach people about their bodies and how to get the most from their muscles when they care for them properly,” she says. “I love to share this knowledge with people because they learn so much more about their bodies that they didn’t know,” she says. Since starting her mobile business, she has been able to serve about 81 clients.

LaToya also touts massage therapy as an alternative to medicine method. “Someone can rehabilitate oneself without going through a surgery procedure or having to be on a ton of pain management medication,” she said. “There is less risk with massage therapy.”

LaToya shares that her aunt suffers from sciatica, in which severe pain is caused by a pinched nerve. Once she started giving her aunt massages to supplement the pain medication therapy, she says she witnessed significant improvement. LaToya says she understands that people may be skeptical about trying massage therapy as an alternative because most insurance companies do not cover it like medications or surgery. “I want to put more knowledge out there that massage therapy is something to consider.”

Through Hill’n Hands, she also seeks to educate people on the difference between the terms masseuse and massage therapist.

Massage therapy is an alternative medicine for relaxation and muscle rehab, versus the term “masseuse” which can be associated with negative connotations or stereotypes. Most states, including North Carolina, requires massage therapy practitioners to graduate from an accredited massage program, pass a licensing exam, pay a licensing fee, and continually earn education units in order to maintain licensure. LaToya states, “There is a difference. So I try to educate people on what I provide and how I provide my services. I am a massage therapist. I take my craft very seriously.”

Though much of her clientele has been gained through social media, LaToya recently completed what she calls a “Massage Marathon” which is a two-day massage event where she schedules six new clients each day to each receive a 60 minute massage. The ultimate massage experience at Hill’n Hands also comes with the client’s choice of oil or an organic, handmade cream that she makes herself, as well as edible treats emblazoned with her signature logo.

Hill’n Hands also travels to the client and has provided services in the cities of Charlotte, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Raleigh-Durham, Greenville, New Bern and Morehead, North Carolina. LaToya hopes to have her own mobile unit in the near future in order to provide a custom, intimate, spa-like experience. Sometimes people can’t come out to a location, but may not have a household where they can truly relax and get the full benefits of a massage. And I want to always provide a relaxing experience,” she says.

LaToya also aspires to teach her own massage therapy classes to individuals interested in the field. She also believes that in sharing her story, she can inspire other young women to go after their dreams in life. h

LaToya Hill

Hill’n Hands Massage Therapy 980-999-0480 www.hillnhands.com 41

Tim Gunter Opens Dealership in Martinsville

By Terry L. Watson Photos by Tim Gunter “I’m always pushing myself to improve. I challenge my team by using positivity and being clear about our goals,” he says. Tim is a lifetime member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Gunter Automotive became a reality in October 2018 when he decided to try to put purchase a car dealership. He’d been working in this business for 17 years, with 16 of those years with Asbury Automotive, and the other with Mills Automotive. “I was blessed with this opportunity in January when we purchased a Nissan and a Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram store in Ridgeway VA.,” he says.

Tim Gunter, the owner of Gunter Automotive in Ridgeway, Virginia knows something about hard work. The father of four (Brittanie, Timmy, Tyler and Jada) believes in teamwork and treating people just the same. He is a graduate of NC A&T State University and holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. He received his MBA from Wake Forest University.

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He credits his parents and family for pushing him to excellence.

“My mother beat it in my head for me to avoid pitfalls and remain the course. She often told me I was going to go to college and that I would be something,” he shares. He credits Damian Mills, of Mills Automotive with creating the blueprint for his business, a for being a mentor and example to follow in order. He’s also had two additional mentors, Jeff Hicks and David Jackson, who he credits for teaching him how to become a leader instead of a boss. He found even more support from friends Anthony Pass, Terry Adams, Dr. Herb McNeal, Roger Brown, Derrick Dillard, Fred Dillard, and Timothy Woods. “These guys have always pushed me to want to do better and be the best” he says.

Gunter Automotive Group’s plans are to own ten stores in ten years. “10 in 10 are the words that are spoken within the company. We’d like expand into North and South Carolina as well,” he says. h

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4760 Greensboro Rd, Ridgeway, VA 24148

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www.gunterauto.com

Turning Point 180 JMG Elite Fitness Homeless Prevention

5K Run/Walk

Information Provided By Turning Point 180 Photo by Mykel Media Company, LLC

Turning Point 180 is a non-profit organization established to provide homeless prevention services within Guilford County and surrounding areas. Every Monday-Thursday, 9am-4pm, individuals and families have the opportunity to obtain information, referral, and case management services for any housing and employment related issues such as facing eviction, utility disconnection, loss of income, and much more. GED/Adult Literacy Classes are also available Monday-Wednesdays, from 5:30pm-8:00pm. Enrollment is currently open for Summer Session I. In order for these programs to operate, Turning Point relies heavily on the generous support of community partners, volunteers, and fundraising events for sustainability. Turning Point 180 will take over northeast Greensboro for its annual Homeless Prevention 5K Run/Walk in partnership with JMG Elite Fitness. On Saturday, May 25th, at 7:30AM at Turning Point 180’s office (1606 Phillips Ave. right across from WFMY News 2), men, women and children of all ages will take to the streets of Northeast Greensboro to run/walk a race for those who sleep in the cold specifically for their Winter Emergency Women’s Shelter. Guilford County is home to hundreds of homeless men, women, and children who face the perilous conditions of winter without a roof over their heads. Each race Final Words registration and/or pledge provides a night of shelter for a single woman who would otherwise be sleeping in the cold.

I would challenge the average person, poverty and health are not that far apart. If you become unhealthy and get hurt Turning Point 180 serves more than 1,000 of these households on your job, missing one or two check, you’re just that close annually with a variety of needs. The WE Women’s Shelter alone to poverty or ending homelessness. That’s why health is is a refuge for more than 20 women on a daily basis. We hope you important. You may not be able to afford the best insurance, will join them this May as donors, volunteers, community members but if you take the basic step of eating healthy, drinking water, and Turning Point 180’s clients run side by side in the race to end and walking, you can prevent long-term health issues. h homelessness. For more information on how you can get involved, please call 336.272.1520.

Joshua Garret, Founder/CEO of JMG Elite Fitness Why is the Homeless Prevention 5K Run/Walk so important?

Building family structure from the head down to the child.

Knowing the importance of family of structure, if there is ever a break in it, now homelessness can present itself. It’s important to end poverty and homelessness.

www.turningpoint180.com

What would you say to those who’ve never ran 3 miles and feel like they cannot participate?

A 5k is 3.2 miles, you can walk it, jog it, or run it. But the most important aspect is starting and completing. Fitness and life is parallel. The hardest thing to do is start something, when you’re start it and going through the process you realize that there’s so many benefits in it. Fear itself hinders progress. In our fitness and in our life, the only way to please God is by having total faith.

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huami MAGAZINE

Cutest Baby

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HuamiMagazine.com

Marquell Wilson The son of Paul and Aisha Wilson

Triad - March/April 2019

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

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Shanna

336-933-1086 Want To Advertise? Please call 336-340-7844

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