The Jacksonville Woman Magazine by TheJacksonvilleWoman

THE EXECUTIVE WOMAN

SABRINA MASON

www.thejacksonvillewoman.com

ELEVATE

BE YOU

BE BOLD

THE JACKSONVILLE WOMAN

DIGNITY

KINDNESS

STRENGTH AUTHENTIC HOSPITABLE EXCELLCENT

SUSTAINABLE

BE THE VOICE

BE THE FUTURE

GRACE

BE THE FUTURE

BE THE VOICE

LOVE

J A C K S O N V I L L E

WOMEN

BE BOLD

BE YOU

COMPASSIONATE

ELCOME

HOME

THE JACKSONVILLE WOMAN

Home defines us. It shapes who we are. Home is sacred. It is a place of intimacy, peace, and rest. Home equalizes us.

It minimizes our differences and elevates our similarities.

Home

is where our story begins,

we are starting our story and redefining our home.

I decided to start our inaugural issue at the place that

matters the most to us because I want you to reimagine

Home in a way you may never have thought about.

Home is You. Home is Me. It's a Healthy + Organized ME

Home is a physical dwelling place.

Home is our community.

Welcome Home Jacksonville Woman

Here is a space where you can find rest in your mind, body, and soul.

Sabrina Mason Founder + CEO The Jacksonville Woman

Photographer: Eriden Images

Editorial Managing Edither/Designher

Sabrina Mason Assistant Creative Designher

Ashantae Green symone dunlap

Photography| Cover Story: Eriden Images Photography| BEAUTY Story: Danielle I. Brown Photography |Cover story: GirlBossbranded Photography | Features: Felicia B Photography photography |Events: girlbossbanded & D. Nicole Photography Makeup: Makeup Craze Beauty uncredited images: gettyimages.com

Beauty Edither

Danielle Brown Edither Consultant

jaime hutkin Alexia Robinson

thejacksonvillewoman

ContributHers Jaime hutkin C. Jai Graham Ashantae green Sage ReEdS Katrice shorter vaneisha smith Symone Dunlap Cover

+ Feature Stories Written by Jaime Hutkin

The Jacksonville Woman Magazine is owned and published by The Jacksonville Woman, LLC No person, organization or party can copy or re-produce the content on this site and/or magazine or any part of this publication without a written consent from the editors’ panel and the author of the content, as applicable. The publisher (theJacksonvillewomanmagzine), authors and contributors reserve their rights with regards to copyright of their work. The copyright includes (and not limited to) The content syndication from the RSS feeds of this publication The content and/or images used in any of the articles of this publication The Jacksonville Woman Magazine logo and any of its derivatives The content on The Jacksonville Woman and its website are made available on the terms and condition that the publisher, editors, contributors and related parties: shall have no responsibility for any action or omission by any other contributor, consultant, editor or related party disclaim any and all liability and responsibility to any person or party, be they a purchaser, reader, advertiser or consumer of this publication or not in regards to the consequences and outcomes of anything done or omitted being in reliance whether partly or solely on the contents of this publication ands related website and products. are not responsible in any way for the actions or results taken any person, organization or any party on basis of reading information, or contributions in this publication, website or related product.

REST Throughout this issue, we are intentionally inviting rest into our homes.

HOME Cover Story of Founder Sabrina Mason Healthy + Organized Me

THE BEAUTY ROOM Inner Character + Outward Beauty Danielle I. Brown Skin Care Tips Embracing your Beauty in Different Seasons

THE EXECUTIVE ROOM Executive Woman Women Leading from Home Features AdvertisHERs

INVESTMENTS Our investments are a combination of how we operate and how we choose to spend our time wisely.

THE PLAY ROOM

#TheJacksonvilleWomanCulture Celebrating Jacksonville Women Events Food DirectHERy

THE JACKSONVILLE WOMAN

HOME IS HERE YOUR STORY BEGINS...

WELCOME HOME YOU MAY ENTER

THANK YOU TERRAWISE HOMES FOR ALLOWING US TO USE YOUR MODEL HOME TO TELL OUR STORY.

ABOUT TerraWise Homes is a home building company specializing in green-built energy efficient homes in the Jacksonville, FL area. The company is the leading builder in the city's historic Springfield neighborhood. TerraWise features a wide variety of homes styles and floor plans priced from the mid $200s.

904-800-9473 www.terrawisehomes.com @terrawisehomes TERRAWISE HOMES LIC.#CBC 057118

Photographer: GirlBossBranded

WOMEN

LEADING FROM

Home

The Theme The theme of of our inaugural issue is Women Leading from Home. Have you ever heard someone say the statement...“A woman’s place is in the home?” Well, at the Jacksonville Woman, we choose to challenge this concept and rewrite the narrative to not limit the influence of women in Jacksonville.

Written By:Ashantae Green

Our Declaration At the Jacksonville Woman, we declare that HOME is where you are…and where you want it to be. Whether that is in your house, in your community or in our city… Jacksonville. Women have shown that we are leading in all spaces and are truly critical in ensuring a thriving future for everyone. Be our Guest In this first issue, we decided to have some fun and to welcome you to our idea of “home,” into our community, and to the magazine by hosting a metaphorical housewarming party and “inviting” you–the readers–as our guests. We have also “invited” some phenomenal Jacksonville women as featured guests to share their stories of how they are leading from home, in their business, in their community, and in our city. As our guest, we invite you to enter each space and feel inspired to connect, support, and lead right where you are. Enter the Home of the Jacksonville Woman!

F O U N D A T I O N S

Collection

AVAILABLE WINTER 2021-2022 SHOP AT WWW.EDNRTEL.COM

opinion| Identity vs. Roles

Identity vs. Roles Written By: C Jai Graham

“Who are you?” Have you been lured into answering this question with all certainty and confidence? What about, “Tell me a little bit about yourself.” The same certainty and confidence are also expected as you attempt to expound on this type of statement. I have found, both from personal experience and being the one asking and probing, that it is quite difficult for many, especially women, to describe, with no fear, no guilt, and no hesitation, who they are. What’s more astounding is when they do, it’s not with the appropriate adjectives that corroborate their perspective of who they are as a person - as a woman. In my past, I had been asked to share a little bit about myself and who I am. I fumbled big time because I couldn’t provide an answer. I didn’t think the answer pertained to anything describing me as an individual. I don’t recall learning anything, anywhere about the ability to talk about myself. I think women, are often taught the exact opposite. Speaking about yourself as little as possible, seems to have been the standard. I learned very quickly, over time, that when I am asked that, I am to speak about me. Fast forward a few years, I took this concept into the classroom when I became an instructor. I would ask my student to share with me a little bit about themselves. I would get, mother, father, wife, husband, where they worked, etc. I would ask a second time, sharing with them that those descriptions were to be excluded from their explanation. I got nothing or an “I don’t know”. Why does this happen and why is it so common? I believe largely in part because people do not know that there is a difference between their identity and their role(s) as a person and in life. In recent years,

it has become a trending topic to talk about selfcare, self-love, authenticity, and anything else associated with being who you are. It sounds great, however, there is more to those things than putting it on your favorite t-shirt, marketing campaign, or IG story. So much more to it, that people just don’t put in the time and effort necessary to just “BE”. Because of the conditioning from those who came before us and their experiences, an everchanging world that will leave you behind if you don’t sprint to keep up 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and success screaming in our ears from the time we wake up until we close our eyes for sleep, we are so busy doing! As a result, the lines are blurred and in some cases flat out, gone, in terms of separation between who I am and what I do. They have become synonymous and essentially the way we describe our identity. Ok, so, are you ready for some fun and yet very important information that will hopefully transform the way you see yourself, your life, and others? Your identity is your “being” and your roles are your “doing”. Your identity stays the same. Your roles change. Identity is defined as the distinguishing character or personality of an individual. It is also defined as the state or fact of remaining the same one or ones, as under varying aspects or conditions. Role is defined as the function assumed or part played by a person or thing in a particular situation. Role can also be defined as a socially expected behavior pattern usually determined by an individual's status in a particular society. Our identity deals with our personality, character, and traits that make us uniquely ourselves. Even as we evolve during the different stages of life and function, our true and authentic selves don’t change. They may express differently, depending on the person or situation, but the foundation remains constant.

opinion| Identity vs. Roles Our identity is a state of being. Our authentic selves show up in every aspect or condition, just as the definition states. Our identity and the consistent expression of that identity is a huge contributing factor to someone’s capacity to trust or not trust another person. It doesn’t matter what the person’s tendencies are, good or bad, people will innately accept and adjust to what they perceive as consistent. You’ve probably said or heard someone say, “that’s just the way he/she is”. The person they’re speaking of has proven over time that the behavior is a part of their personality or is a character trait. Conversely, you have also probably said or heard someone say “ I just don’t know about him\her. It’s like they change who they are when they are around certain people.” These people are also called chameleons. They are inconsistent in their being which causes mistrust for those around them. This person has not identified who they are and how to express themselves authentically and consistently. Some may deal with fear of judgment or rejection if others don’t approve of who they are, so they are what they believe is to be expected and likeable. How are roles different then, from identity? They are what we do. A parent, spouse, friend, sibling, adult child, doctor, engineer, plumber, artist, author, athlete, gardener, pastor, teacher, etc., are all roles that we perform. We can also find ourselves in roles dictated by society and that are not necessarily what we desire or are able to be successful at. Conforming to behaviors such as getting dressed up in the finest clothing as we clean our homes, expecting everyone to be a size 0-2, careers and clubs that are a family tradition going back 6 generations, cooking 5 course meals every day of the week, will have many frustrated, inauthentic, and burnt out. If I work as a doctor for 25 years, retire and decide to become a full-time musician, does that mean that my identity has changed? Or what if I am a plumber from 9 to 5 and basketball coach in the evenings, does that make me have multiple identities? The answer to both is no. These roles are what one does as a multi-dimensional human being. My roles can express parts of my personality and interests, but again, they are not who I am.

When a person understands that their identity and their roles are two sides of the same coin, there will be less anxiety when a job role changes or the job changes altogether. There won’t be so much fear in writing that book or starting that business because you know you were meant to create and build. One can realize that there is quality of life after divorce and another chance at marriage, if you’ll a allow yourself to open up to it again. A parent won’t dwell in a pit of failure because a child made decisions that defy what they’ve been taught. They understand that the adult child must be set free to make their own decisions and find their own identity and quality of life. Now, for a little bit of practicality. What does my identity expression look like in my roles? Good question. I’m going to provide some identity descriptive words. You write down for yourself, if they fit you, how they show up or not, in your roles. Are you ready? Let’s Go! Kind Organized Eclectic Creative Extroverted Analytical

Risk-taker Assertive Gentle Meticulous Resourceful Dreamer

Encourager Studious Protective Introverted Compassionate Passive

This list is not exhaustive, as it only serves to give you some examples to provoke intentional reflection and gain further insight into other words that accurately describe who you are as person. Then you can connect some dots or recognize where they are missing in areas of life that you may be suppressing such attributes, creating inconsistencies in your authentic expression. I challenge all of us to discover who we are authentically, master the art of expressing ourselves genuinely in every relationship and role in life, and to be an advocate for those around us, empowering them through our courageous demonstration, to do so as well. Your roles will change. Your identity remains constant in all that you do!

THE EXECUTIVE WOMAN

SABRINA MASON

Sabrina Mason

A Conversation with The Founder of The Jacksonville Woman Changing the narrative of the Jacksonville Woman started with owning her own narrative Jaime Hutkin sat down with Sabrina Mason to learn how the Jacksonville Woman came to exist.

JH: What makes you a Jacksonville Woman? SM: I knew I had this idea that I wanted to start it - but it took me a while to kind of own it. ...that’s hard to live up to. I’m saying

That’s what makes a Jacksonville Woman. It’s really - a mural. She’s amazing because she’s us. She’s everyone. And she’s not perfect, but she’s great. She’s like this woman with all of these different faces––just a mural of the city.

that I’m the Jacksonville Woman. People are going to be looking up to me and

JH: Tell us your story.

expecting me to be perfect and I had so much anxiety around it.

SM: I’m the founder of the Jacksonville Woman, I’m a wife and a mother. I’m super

Even though I knew the mission was

driven to help women.

greater than those thoughts...what I found is the Jacksonville Woman is not perfect.

Since I was a young girl I always loved being around women. My grandmother had a huge

She’s growing, she’s the epitome of all

impact in my life, she actually passed away on

women. She’s not me, per say, but I’m

my birthday. She was so kind, so nice.

included in her, YOU'RE included in her. I just remember women coming to sit at her The Jacksonville Woman is this woman

feet just to listen to her. She always had great

that has everything - she’s a hairstylist,

advice.

she’s a business owner, she’s a mom, she’s a wife - she’s all in one. She’s a mural of women in the city. A Jacksonville Woman is someone you can go to [for friendship]. She’s someone that you can learn from. She’s someone who will help you and invest in you. She’s someone who’s kind, who’s gonna reach out to you when you’re in need. And it’s not just all me, it’s all those women that are here that carry that same mindset that want to help women, that want to be there and invest in women.

JH: What is one thing you like to do just for yourself? SM: I’ve always liked to go out and eat at fine restaurants. I love a nice dining experience. I would sneak away and go eat food (laughs!!) and Darren would come back in the car and be like, "what’s that smell?!" My new favorite place is Cowford Chophouse. Their food is amazing. I love fine dining. At one time I thought I wanted to be a chef; I wanted to go to culinary school.

JH: How old were you when your grandmother passed away? SM: I was 12 years old. I was the last person to talk to her right before she passed. I think that’s so significant because I feel like I carry who she is, which is that kind-hearted woman that people love to be around because she just had so much wisdom. Also, me just growing up in the inner city and being so driven about education...I feel like that opened so many doors and opportunities for me. I’ve attended the top schools here in Jacksonville and I went off to go to college...it kind of changed my life. I thought I would be a corporate lawyer and owning a magazine was not in the cards! But I see why this is so important and necessary.

JH: Was your grandmother also born and raised here in Jacksonville? SM: Yes, she was. JH: So your family has roots here? SM: Yes, we have roots. My grandmother, my dad was born here, my mom was born here both sides of my family are from Alabama but a long time ago they came here. Both of my parents are from Jacksonville. I’m the fourth oldest of nine kids. I have two older brothers that live in Germany, two sisters here in Jacksonville, and four other brothers. One lives in LA, one is in Korea for the Air Force, and then I have another brother who lives in Japan.

JH: Big family! So you still have some family here...what made you want to come back here after college in Tallahassee? SM: Honestly, I didn’t want to come back. I wanted to move away...I didn’t want to come back. I actually didn’t like Jacksonville! I wasn’t that diehard like, I love Jacksonville, I

"I moved back in 2015 because of my family, I had a kid and they were like, you should move back. And they really wanted me to come back."

wanna move back and raise my family here. I didn’t think that Jacksonville had the capacity or the industry that I wanted. I didn’t see myself accelerating here. I feel like Jacksonville has this mindset, especially for people who don’t have the chance to go away, that they kind of get stuck. So I didn’t want to get stuck. And I had big dreams - I still have huge dreams - so I wanted to go out or move to Atlanta, New York - I love New York!

JH: Did you move back right after college? SM: I stayed in [Tallahasse] for a bit. *pause* I actually do not have my degree. I am two classes away from my degree. When I was pregnant with DJ, I had six classes and I just couldn’t concentrate. My whole body changed with pregnancy, it was a different experience. Because I didn’t pass two of my classes I couldn’t

JH: Can you share a bit more on why you didn't get my degree. So I stayed in Tallahassee for see yourself accelerating in Jacksonville: maybe a year, and then I moved back home.

SM: A lot of my friends don’t live here because they don’t believe [in] Jacksonville. They don’t better opportunities somewhere else.

JH: What changed in your time back in Jacksonville that made you so invested in this city now?

I do find that a lot of our friends move away. A lot

SM: Creating that place that I wanted it to be,

want to raise their families here or they found

of people actually stayed in Tallahassee or moved to different cities before they came home. Even going to the school that I went to, a lot of the kids [who went] there don’t stay home. They usually go off to law school or medical school. Not a lot of people graduate from Stanton and stay in Jacksonville. Even having the class reunion, there were maybe 30 people there, because a lot of people were in medical school and law school I moved back in 2015 because of my family, I had a kid and they were like, you should move back. And they really wanted me to come back.

especially with Darren. He ran for political office in 2019. A lot of people invested in us as a family. So I’ve kind of settled and said, “Okay, we're going to be here...we’re not leaving!” And you know he ran, and like, seeing people knew him, [I knew that] no time soon were we gonna leave. This is where we’re gonna raise our family, this is what’s going to happen. It took me a while to get settled in that [but] It would be crazy to start somewhere else. My family is here, they get to be around their cousins and my family and their parents and his mom.

So now that I’m going to be here, I’m gonna make it

That’s why I created The Jacksonville Woman. I

what I want it to be.

wanted to make it easy for women to get plugged in, meet new friends, connect, and thrive.

As a woman who moved here, and a young mom, I did have women that helped me, like Ingrid - I was the social media and website manager for DWIN (Democrat Women's Information Network) and ended up working for TerraWise Homes - I was the office admin and Melody, she had a heavy influence in my life.

needed as a woman, as a mom, moving back, I wanted to take all of the experiences that I didn’t and

In November 2019. I actually had an encounter with the past Editor-In-Chief of Essence. I went to an event for leaders in Jacksonville and I had an encounter with Susan L. Taylor. She was the Editor

Even being a young mom and knowing what I

have,

JH: When did this idea initially come to you?

what

needed,

and

create

the

Jacksonville Woman. Being a woman in business, I wanted to create a space where other women in business could thrive. Because Jacksonville is so big, I wanted to connect, and for it to be easier for women moving back here or moving home to have somewhere to go. If they are starting a business, they will have the resources to sustain themselves. Moving back here, all my childhood friends are gone. I made new friends in Tallahassee...I felt like all my friends were in Tallahassee.

in Chief for a long time. She had spoke words of encouragement to me. She was talking about mentoring and helping and creating a circle of wealth for people and giving back to your city. It inspired me to create a magazine for women. And also, in Tallahassee, they have a magazine called the Tallahassee Woman where they highlight different women - its not as intense as mine is but they do highlight women, they put women on the front cover and I loved it. It’s amazing, I used to read it all of the time. I wanted to bring that same concept here but also create a community where women can connect as well. Two-fold - leadership and a magazine.

I’m here, even though I’m from here, my friends are not here, so I have to make whole new friends. Darren’s in a political role, he’s finding his space, and I felt kinda left out. I don’t live where I grew up, so I wouldn’t even see the people that I grew up with. I live in Arlington, and I grew up on Dunn Avenue which is the Northside.

So I’m in an unfamiliar place in

Jacksonville too. It was hard for me to reconnect because I felt like I’m home, but my friends are not here. Jacksonville is new, I haven’t lived here forever, how do I get plugged in, how do I get connected to women?

“I wanted to make it easy for women to get plugged in, meet new friends, connect, and thrive..”

JH: Tell me more about how you came to change the narrative of the Jacksonville Woman. SM: I’m a Jack of all trades. I can do accounting, I can design, I can do branding, I can do pretty much anything, and I didn’t know how to use all my talents in one place. So, my background is in social science, I studied social science at FSU and I love solving social problems. I love how the community works and I know how important community is for people. I have a background in business as well so the Jacksonville Woman helps me take all the talents I have and use them in this one place. With that being said I remember in 2019, there were like, a lot of young people being killed...every day a young person was being killed. It was driving me insane - like ok, how is this going to change? For me, just knowing my background in social science women have a huge impact on their community. Women, we raise kids, we have a huge impact in the home. I wanted to invest in women because if I invest in women, they invest in their children, they invest in their community, they pretty much invest in everyone around us. To make a huge difference in something like homicides for young people I felt like it started with women.

"If you Google "Jacksonville woman," the stories that pop up include death, a woman being angry, a woman missing - everything is negative. Even if you look at the images, the first images that pop up are mugshots of women in Jacksonville.”

If you Google "Jacksonville woman," the stories that pop up include death, a woman being angry, a woman missing - everything is negative. Even if you look at the images, the first images that pop up are mugshots of women in Jacksonville.

JH: That's a lot of negativity. SM: That's kinda the stigma that women get here in Jacksonville. We're trying to take that narrative and change it. [There are] amazing women here. We’re not just criminals. We are business women, doctors, professionals, moms, so I wanted to make sure that we were seen in a positive light and put Jacksonville as that go-to city to meet amazing women. To highlight us, not only in Jacksonville but highlight us to the whole world so they can see who Jacksonville really is.

Just listening to women - my friends and their idea of what Jacksonville represents, and then seeing people that move here and seeing them love the city––like really love the city––cause a lot of people that live here don’t. I don’t think they really take advantage of the city. They don’t really even know Jacksonville’s history That’s how great it is. One thing I learned in Tallahassee is you have to be involved in the community to even enjoy the city. I was involved in so many things, so I took what I did in Tallahassee and just brought that same mindset to Jacksonville. If I wanted to see change, then [I had to] be the change, and do what I have to do to see the city that I desire: really connecting women and creating a space for women to thrive, no matter your income, race, whatever it is - to thrive.

“If I wanted to see change, then [I had to] be the change, and do what I have to do to see the city that I desire.” JH: The theme for your inaugural issue is is Leading From Home. What inspired that? Originally, I wanted to see how women were leading during this pandemic. For me, [before the pandemic], my goal was to stay at home, focus on my kids for the first five years of their life. It's the most critical years because you're creating a foundation for them. Once they turned 5, I felt like it was my time. They're going to school, plus we don't have to pay so much money for daycare, so we have a little bit more freedom. So DJ, first year of kindergarten was in 2019. It was exciting to have him go. It was that time where I was gonna be home with no kids. It was going to be my quiet time...my time to be free. Before the pandemic, I was already homeschooling and working from home. I was already doing something that a lot of women started to do in 2020.

So when the pandemic hit I was wondering - how are you still leading, how are you still working, how

JH: So when you think of a Jacksonville Woman, you don't think about a single woman

are you still moving at home? What does it look like? How did your schedule change? I was just interested in knowing, how are you maneuvering?

Yeah. It’s not just me. There are no rules on who you can or can't be.

For me, it started out extremely stressful. I had just

She’s not this exact thing.

started the Jacksonville Woman. Two weeks into launching the Jacksonville Woman, the pandemic hits, so everything I had planned for the year was just gone. Down the drain. I had to change my vision. I was working full time, my kids were home, Darren was working a crazy schedule. I just really wanted to know: how did they survive? I felt like I survived. That's how I feel when I think of leading from home and I just had to switch everything. I think Darren and I did a great job of transitioning the house into a school and into a workplace. I had to buy a whole bunch of stuff, changing everything to make it functional. That was the original idea of Leading from Home. Now after listening to the stories of the women, I realize Leading from Home is not just the four walls. It's leading from your community. So what is home to you? For Ashantae, home is [her] garden, sustainability - that’s how I’m leading from home. Maryanne - home is her theme - real estate, helping others. Sabrina Zinamon - I think

Because she’s helped me so much - you’re a Jacksonville Woman and you’ve helped me. Ashantae Green, she’s a Jacksonville Woman and she’s helped me. She’s so much bigger than one person. I encompass all the women that encouraged me or helped me. I am a mix of so many different women––from my grandmother, from my mom, my older sister, my mother-in-law––my mentors.

“After listening to the stories of the women [in this series], I realize Leading from Home is not just the four walls. It's leading from your community."

she’s the epitome of leading from home because

That makes me who I am. It’s really attributes of

she left home, then went home and became a

different women that I glean from that make me

pageant queen.

who I am today. So I really want that to be the story told for me. Showing how women have had a

Now I think of it leading from Jacksonville, where

huge influence in my life and what it means to truly

you are in Jacksonville. That’s what I see it as now.

invest in a woman or invest in a little girl, how

It evolved.

important that is.

JH: Can you expand a little more on your childhood and the women who really made an impact on your life? SM: My mom, of course. My mom is a Jacksonville Woman. I saw what her vision did for me. My mom’s vision was like, “education, you have to get your education.” Growing up in the inner city, we always went to schools outside our neighborhood, but really my schools weren’t outside. Even though they were in my neighborhood, they were college prep

schools,

wasn’t

kids

from

neighborhood My mom made sure that we had opportunities outside of where we lived. She made sure we were at camp every year. Like I lived in the inner city, but the kids didn’t even know me. I didn’t even go

I helped my mom a lot. I kind of stood up and was like ok, I’ll cook. I’ll make sure my brothers get dressed. I’ll make sure that the house is clean. You know cause I saw it, I mean it was a lot. I did a lot for my mom.

JH: So your grandmother was a very big part of your upbringing - dad’s mom? Yes, I have many memories of being with her as a little girl. She was disabled and couldn't leave the house often. She was a baker. She could cook anything from scratch. She taught me how to cook and that’s why I cook so well. She invested in me. She would buy me envelopes and stamps to write my best friend or gave me money to buy school supplies from Walgreens. Walgreens was our favorite store. We clip coupons every Sunday.

them.

JH: Did she have to stay in the house for health reasons?

She was very strong-minded in creating a better

Yes, her ability to walk was limited due to her back

outside, you know, she didn’t let me hang out with

life and that was her vision. And she did that. [My brothers and sisters] are all doing well. They’re all good, and so I feel like, just looking at my mom, her vision is what made me who I am today. It’s so important for women to have vision because if she didn’t have any vision––I have achievements for days––it’s because she was so adamant about making sure that we had so much more.

Because she didn’t finish high school, she wanted us to go to college. And so, even as a young child, seeing my mom––she’s a young mom–– I saw that my mom needed help. When you’re a young mom and you’re not married and you have a lot of kids you get these dirty looks and all that stuff.

condition. .

JH: How did your meet your husband? SM: We were both running late to church and he jumps out the car to approach me. He asked me if I was from Jacksonville and we had a quick conversation before racing into church. We began to get to know each other through different church outings and we have been inseparable ever since. We remained friends for a long time and our relationship grew into a romantic relationship. Now we are approaching ten years of marriage with two beautiful kids.

JH: Something you’d like to say to other women in Jax, younger, where you were, a few years ago, etc what would you say? SM: Do not be so hard on yourself. Give yourself time to evolve and grace for mistakes. You’re on a journey. There is a time and season for everything. Embrace the season that you are currently in. If you have kids, enjoy the them while they are young, it will go by fast. Enjoy the moment. Don't rush! Get out of your head and live! Schedule, prioritize, and plan. Take your time. Learn yourself, because if you learn yourself you’ll make the right decisions, You’ll get in the right relationships, you’ll get the right job if you just take some time to learn you. Don't about care what others think, do what feels good to you! The sky is the limit! Reach for the stars! I would tell my younger women to slow down. Spend time with yourself and invest in you! There will be a time when your me time is limited due to other responsibilities and obligations.

BENEATH THE SKIN, BEYOND THE DIFFERING FEATURES AND INTO THE TRUE HEART OF BEING, FUNDAMENTALLY, WE ARE MORE ALIKE, MY FRIEND, THAN WE ARE UNALIKE. Maya Angelou

Think Beyond The Skin by Sage Reeds Home pt. 1 /hōm/ (noun) the physical space where one resides. The community that one chooses. One’s frame of mind. The space where one’s heart is. Subject to relocation. Home pt. 2 /hōm/ (noun) the blackness, skin, body, womanhood and manhood where a black woman or man resides. Relocation impossible. Relocation impossible. Relocation impossible. Relocation impossible. Whether a house, one room or even part of a room, with our essence alone, us women tend to create home wherever we go and wherever we dwell. Sad places turn to safe spaces. Cacophony becomes choral. A stench transforms into something oh so sweet, and endangerment morphs into ease. This, my friend, is womanhood. Now imagine ‘home’ being your inescapable physical body. Does ‘divine’ along with ‘danger’ come to mind? How about ‘impeccable’ and ‘injustice’? ‘Slay’ and ‘slaughter’? ‘Fabulous’ and ‘fear’? This, my friend, is black womanhood. It’s residing in a permanent home which was divinely designed, but is constantly attacked. It’s creating a sense of safety and home for others while that feeling is elusive at times within yourself. It’s loudly and tirelessly echoing the same sentiments generation after generation: “Think beyond her skin!” “Think beyond his skin!” “Think beyond our skin!” “Think beyond the skin!”

Think about her as a woman. A wife.

A change agent.

A mother.

An investor.

A single woman.

A boss.

A businesswoman.

A mogul.

A creative.

A millionaire.

A lover.

A billionaire.

An auntie.

A midwife.

A grandmother.

A doula.

A sister.

A doctor.

A powerhouse.

A teacher.

A scientist.

….a home and a nation.

Welcome, Jacksonville Woman, to ‘Think Beyond the Skin,’ a series created to challenge what we consider home and what we hold in our hearts. As you invite our platform and this series into your home, we’d be remiss if we didn’t do the same, so come on in, sis, have a seat and let’s talk. We’re grateful to have you. We have so much to discuss. Let’s talk about and see the black woman through different lenses. Let’s feel her as she not only navigates through troubling times, but also as she gracefully leads from home. Let’s try to understand the challenges she faces not only as a woman in society, but also as a woman affected refined by the pandemic. Let’s celebrate her and most importantly, encourage her to celebrate herself, her skin, her essence and her accomplishments. In the same way that we design our physical homes and spaces with comfort, beauty and safety in mind, let’s always remember that The Jacksonville Woman was created using a replica of this formula. The Jacksonville Woman is for us by us, and The Jacksonville Woman is home. We have so much in store for you, so sit back, unwind and stay tuned. You are home now. Sage Reeds is a copywriter, ghostwriter and book blogger based in Jacksonville, Florida.

YOU LIVE IN A HOUSE, BUT YOUR REAL HOME IS INSIDE OF YOU LEONARD JACOBSON

A HEALTHY + ORGANIZED ME

You are in control of your life. You design what it looks like and how it functions.

Leading from HOME is being intentional about building a healthy and organized mind. It starts with developing these four areas.

CHARACTERISTICS

PERSONALITY

THOUGHTS

A character refers to a set of morals and beliefs that defines how we treat or behave with others and ourselves.

The organized pattern of behavorial characteristics of an individual.

The capacity or faculty of thinking, reasoning, imagining, etc.

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

Your character reveals who you are on the inside.

Honesty Kindness Creativity Resilience Emotional Intelligence Spiritual Intelligence Social Intelligence Gratitude Self-Discipline Self-control Optimism

Your personality is an creative expression of your characteristics.

Funny Extroverted Introverted Energetic Confident Negative Lazy Analytical Task-oriented Serious Thinker

. EMPOWERING

A streamlined mind is much more effective than a perpetually overloaded mind. Organize your thoughts to protect your sanity.

Direction Distraction Destruction Relational Personal Business

The rules you create to teach others how to treat you. Your rules of engagement helps to establish healthy boundaries with yourself and others.

Assertive Boundaries Consistency Direct Communication

WE ARE YOU TO BE AN INTERIOR DESIGNER THAT DESIGNS THE HOME YOU WANT.

When designing your home, know that the details matter. Your character, personality, thoughts, and rules of engagement are as important as your foundation, walls, and accents. They are the special features that make our house feel like a home. When you feel proud of your healthy and organized home, then your can REST, RELAX, and ENGAGE.

Rest comes from a HEALTHY + ORGANIZED ME

HOME Checklist

Let's get to work!

MANAGE A HEALTY + ORGANIZED ME 12 MONTHS BEFOREMIND DECLUTTER

Declutter your physical environment. physical clutter leads to mental clutter Write it down your thoughts Keep a journal Let go of the past Be decisive Limit social media ORGANIZE MIND

MANAGE HOME DECLUTTER HOUSE Remove the easiest things first. Discard larger items next. Donate items instead of selling them. Break your large space into smaller bite-size challenges. Work until your bite-size piece is completed. Physically touch each item and sort into keep, remove, or relocate. Organize

ORGANIZE HOUSE

Set a vision for your mind Write down your thoughts Make sure all your thoughts have a designated place. Take control of your emotions Sustain your focus Take breaks

Set a vision for your house Create an organization plan Make sure all your belongings have a designated place. Conduct a Nightly Tidy-Up Keep a home organization to-do list

RULES OF ENAGEMENT

Establish your boundaries Communicate your needs clearly and compassionately. Model how you'd like to be treated. Reinforce behaviors you like. Pick a role model to emulate. Have realistic expectations.

REST

Quiet your mind Go for a walk Don’t think actively Practice mindfulness

Set rules for your house Communicate your needs clearly Ask for help Set routines and schedules Delegate tasks Hold household members accountable REST

Light Candles Turn off electronic devices No work activity (cleaning up included)

HOME SHOULD BE AN ANCHOR, A PORT IN A STORM, A REFUGE,

A HAPPY PLACE IN WHICH TO DWELL,

A PLACE WHERE WE ARE LOVED AND WHERE WE CAN LOVE.

Embrace your ratchetness so you can finally walk in your righteousness

Author. Ashlee Lafavor www.ratchettorighteous.com

YOU'RE ENTERING THE

BEAUTY ROOM The Beauty Room was designed as a space to focus on our inner and outer beauty.

MAKEUP IS ART BEAUTY IS SPIRIT -Unknown

My mom has always told me that beauty fades but inner beauty is forever. There's nothing more beautiful than a woman [who] takes care of [herself]. BEYONCE KNOWLES

uty ea B er n In

s ip T REST PRAY EAT WELL MEDITATE SELF-CARE

SET BOUNDARIES SELF-AFFIRMATION

DANIELLE BROWN PHOT O G R APHER: ER IDEN IMAGES

DANIELLE I. BROWN OWNER OF MAKEUPCRAZE BEAUTY

Like a true makeup addict, my passion for artistry began long before my career did. My aspirations came to fruition when God gave me the vision for a makeup studio in May 2011. I officially launched Makeup Craze in October 2011 when I began servicing close friends and family members before landing a job with MAC cosmetics.

I worked for MAC for three years while continuing to build my Makeup Craze clientele in my spare time.

In August 2015, I resigned as an artist for MAC and began my career as a full-time makeup artist. I sought training from some of the best in the industry to continue to grow my skills and my business. Now, as an esthetician, artist trainer, and developer, I have a flourishing facial spa and makeup studio, Makeup Craze Beauty based in Historic Springfield. Building a business in the the beauty industry has taught me what beauty should really mean. I had no idea that as a make up artist I could make women feel so good about themselves. After doing their make up my clients would cry or even say they had never looked so good or felt the way they did before. It made me happy to see them happy and to feel that way but it also made me sad, to think that it took makeup to changed how they view themselves. We need to understand that true beauty starts within. It’s about being comfortable in your own skin. It is how you feel about yourself. We all have flaws and here’s a secret, you can fix them or learn to love them. I admonish you to find YOUR beauty. If not, it will only hold you back from living a confident and free lifestyle!

As I enter into the wonderful world of Imaging and becoming an Image Consultant, I see the need for women to learn how to show up everyday... no matter what their roll is as a woman. It's always said and feel that it is true that, when you look better, you feel better. Although, outside is opening up and 2020 and 2021 is sort of in our rear view mirror, we’re hanging in there and most of us are still feeling the effects though. When it comes to still feeling pretty ‘at home’, your routine may have changed from you being “beat and slayed” to you not wearing makeup at all or still having to remain polished for the webcam and work from home jobs. I know one thing for sure, the seasons keep changing and trends are too. That brings us to what 2021 Fall and Winter trends hold for us, and yes still for some of us, from home. I want to make sure you remain fashionable and stay on top of your wardrobe game. I am sure that you can still be the “IT’ girl, from home. Before we jump into some looks; let's start with some with some mask and skin care tips.

Masks Tips

Skin Care Regimen

Now y’all know as an esthetician I’m always going to be hands down all about skincare and making sure we keep our skin healthy. “This is the single most important thing you can do for yourself that will make all the difference.” On @makeupcrazebeauty Instagram story, I shared through our “Tip Tuesday” (I Hope your following, it’s great tips on there) how mask are terrorizing our skin! I shared 3 quick tips on how to combat struggles no matter your skin type is. Beneath a mask, makeup is more likely to clog your pores and lead to break outs.

So if you don’t have a regimen, here’s a few steps to get you started.

Try These Tips! 1.You have to change your mask. I know, it’s tough. Did I mention already 10xs how much I hate them.

Moisturize. Honey use it and lock it in! By moisturizing, you are building your skin’s natural protective barrier. The mask are just out here making use dry folks dryer and the normal folks dry too... I can’t.

2. If you’re a makeup wearer, you have to remove your makeup properly. I honestly stopped wearing makeup because of this. Ok, who am I kidding, I barely wore makeup before. Ohhh and this would be the perfect time for my beauties who ask for “eyes only”, lol! Whew, wearing your makeup and a mask everyday, you gotta run a tight skincare routine honey.

You can hydrate a few different ways too. Yes, I know you thought they were the same lol. One way being a toner. A hydrating toner rehydrates (duh, lol) and refreshes the skin while restoring its natural pH balance and neutralizes surface impurities. Or Hylauronic acid, a good ingredient for hydration. Use this first then your moisturizer. Now watch how you give this pesky little mask a run for its money!

3. Do the extra stuff. Extra hydration and serums at night.

*Protect. Use an SPF. Sun damage is real and you want to protect your skin. I’ve found the Black Girl Sunscreen is a great product. It doesn’t leave a cast, protects and adds a cute glow.

*Cleanse. It’s like how they say, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”, so is cleansing! Make sure to do this step daily. *Exfoliate. Coming out of winter, our skin can tend to be very dry and flaky. By exfoliating, you are scrubbing away dead skin and allowing renewed bright skin to shine through.

Go- To for Local Skin Care Products

Makeup Craze Beauty x Dermalogica can help you address your skincare needs. Makeup Craze has joined forces with Dermalogica to help clients get the healthiest skin ever! shop: makeupcrazebeauty.com

Dermalogica products are formulated very well and are free of lots of irritants that can be found in other skincare products. They contain lots of natural ingredients such as, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Seed Extracts, Salicylic Acid, and Retinol amongst others. At we have found that Dermalogica is very effective and user friendly for our beginners who are on their journey to skin health. Some of our favorites are: The Kits: They are small enough not to overwhelm the newbies and travel friendly for the busy professional who sometimes has to cleanse and treat their skin on the go. Daily Microfoliant: This is the one! It’s so gentle. I’ve never come across a “scrub” that you can use everyday. Immediately after using, you see a difference. Its even good for my sensitive skin beauties. It’s a unique rice-based enzyme that instantly leaves the skin smoother and brighter. Biolumin C: What can I say, it combats imperfections, targeting damage and restoring vitality. So if your concerns are fine lines, hyperpigmentation or dullness, this is the product for you! Special Cleansing Gel: First off, like with all of their products, a little goes a long way. It quickly eliminates surface oil and acne causing bacteria. This is the perfect cleanser for all skin types and leaves your skin feeling so refreshing, not tight and dry. All the products listed, can be found inside Makeup Craze Beauty or on makeupcrazebeauty.com for purchase. We have a full line of Dermalogica products to fit your needs.

Go- To for Local Skin Care Products Cont. Soulful Organics

Divine Glam Studio

I've also indulged in Skincare products from Soulful Organics, who offer skincare, products and grooming. They are based right here in Jacksonville Fl. The owner Amya Davis is a licensed esthetician and is committed to helping you achieve all of your skincare goals, by using raw and natural products from her product line.

I met Esthetician and skin fanatic Latrel while teaching the makeup at FSCJ estheticians program a few years ago! Latrel is a business owner who curates natural skin care products here locally. While Brazillian waxes and vajacials are a thing of the present, she has a line specially dedicated to Yoni care.

Glow Potion Shimmer Oil: Personal favorite on set when working with models, It the perfect mixture to create the glow needed. It's where hydration and sun-kissed glowing skin collide.

Kitty Fairy Bar: It has yoni herbs and tea tree oil to help with inflammation (bumps, ingrown hairs) and Chafing.

Grooming Products for men: She has beard shampoo, tonic and even oil for the men. She’s says, “Men of color need extra moisture to keep their beards from becoming dry and brittle. It is important to use beard grooming products that hydrate the facial hair and skin. The Restore Starter Kit: This kit is an easy routine to incorporate into your daily lifestyle. It includes your essentials... cleanser, toner and moisturizer. She offers complete Skincare Kits as well! Oh and come in closer, I have a secret to tell you….The products are numbered so you know in which order to use them! Shop: www.Soulfulorganics128.com @soulfulorganics128 and @2soulfulesthetics.

Kittie Wash: A gel base wash with Lavender that doesn't leave a dry residue. Kitty Serum: created to help with uneven skin tone from dark spots left behind by bumps. Her products can be found online. Shop: www.divineglamstudio.com @_divineglamstudio

Now lets hop into some looks!!! It was my pleasure to be the Image Strategist for The Jacksonville Woman

THE EVERYDAY MOM

s a mom, who has time for dressing up everyday? Most times our kids A are so involved that most of everyday includes much of what you need to do for them. Your wardrobe will consist of casual looks and pieces but the goal is to bring them up to casual chic. If you have tons of jeans and t-shirts, consider adding a blazer and some cute flats and now you have made it chic.

THE EXECUTIVE WOMAN

INTERVIEW BY LARISSA MAE

To the executive woman, her career means

everything.

This

means

that

showing up bummy is not an option. Your closet should consist of mostly business dressy or business casual wear. A quick way to spruce it up is to get pieces that can be mixed up, but still go well together. Also, It is best to have a comfortable pair of heels, we aren't talking six inches, unless you can go all day in them. Swich it up. If you go to different meetings or

jump on a quick flight,

often is to always

good

keep

something in your car or at the office to switch into. As an executive woman, you should invest in your look, by adding something to your wardrobe every season to remain on top of your game.

Your goal is style but with all day comfort.

THE EVERYDAY WOMAN

WHAT INSPIRES YOU?

This doesn't mean basic. It means she can absolutely do what she wants with her clothing. Can I tell you a secret? You can be a mom, an executive woman AND an everyday woman, all in one. Yep! Many of us have different roles as a woman. I encourage you to also take part as an everyday woman. This woman takes her style and portrays it when the time is needed. She keeps staple items to make sure if her roles switch, she still shows up on point. She can play in prints, strappy heels, and cute WHAT'S YOUR STYLE LIKE?

shorts and skirts. She can I'm into a lotthrough of really

live free

her

comfortable clothes, flats,

clothing without adding the sneakers (cont'd on p.8) role or title to it.

THE ELEGANT WOMAN

Elegant times call for an elegant woman.

AUDREY HEPBURN

ELEGANCE IS THE ONLY BEAUTY THAT NEVER FADES.

Have you experienced instant relaxation while nourishing and revitalizing your skin? Here at Sorin Blu Aesthetics, we provide just that. Our intention is to create a client center sanctuary while providing unmatched beautifying services. Visit us online for a list of details. We look forward to serving you!

www.sorinbluaesthetics.com

Come for the experience, leave with the Glow!

YOU'RE ENTERING THE

EXECUTIVE ROOM The Executive Room is where we mean business. We are taking care of home by executing our visons.

EXECUTIVE THE JACKSONVILLE WOMAN

W O M A N

EXCEUTIVE WOMAN by Sabrina Mason

xecutive woman is a manager of her home and her beauty. She sets her priorities of Home in this order; herself, her home, and her community. She executes her roles while maintaining her identity. She is an investHER, she's intentional about her investments. She's focused on making an impact on those around her. Her success comes from being present and conquering each day. She creates sustainable solutions and has no fear of the future. The world says an Executive Woman can't have it all and that she has to choose between herself, her family, and her career. The Executive Woman believes can have it ALL...but on HER terms...she understands that having it ALL comes throughout her lifetime.

She is clothed ith strength and dignity, and she laughs ithout fear of the future. -Unknown

Proverbs 31:25

F E A TUR E

THE JACKSONVILLE MOM PHOT O G R APHER: FE LICIA V. PHOTOGRA P H Y

Mom co-founders A Conversation with Jacksonville

Megan Kilis and Vicky Lane

The Jacksonville Mom

|THE excecutive woman

As a Jacksonville Woman, being a Jacksonville Mom is just one of many roles As women, we take on so many roles, many of which

Before partnering with Kilis on Jacksonville Mom, Lane

aren’t formally recognized. We don't even recognize

attended Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in Chicago

them; we’re too busy. We’re mothers, daughters,

and worked in Enrollment Services at the University of

sisters, wives, partners, girlfriends, managers, co-

North Florida. Lane’s background managing a team

workers, heads of household, co-parents, chauffeurs,

and technical details in higher education made her

teachers, family accountants, grocery shoppers,

perfectly capable to manage a group of writers and run

assistants, maids, coaches––the list could go on for

the site, while Kilis’s background in social media and

ages.

sales made her the perfect fit to grow their social audience and pitch campaigns to local businesses.

We’re all these things and so much more, and spending more time at home has shown us just how

Jacksonville Mom started with just 2 moms

much emotional, mental, and physical work we take

In the beginning, Jacksonville Mom was run solely by

on as a female collective. We balance so much,

Kilis and Lane.

especially when we are mothers on top of everything else we do.

Today, they lead a team of 40 locally based writers offering diverse perspectives on being a mom in

Whether you’re working full-time or part-time, at

Jacksonville. Jacksonville Mom partners with countless

home or in an office, or working full-time as a parent,

businesses across the city, putting on tons of local

being a mom can be a lonely job. Especially as

events over the years and providing tons of resources

adults, it can be so hard to find a community.

for both new moms, moms who are new to Jacksonville, and any local mom looking for guidance

That’s why Megan Kilis and Vicky Lane started

and a sense of community.

Jacksonville Mom in 2012. The friends turned business partners realized that Jacksonville women

When chatting with Kilis and Lane, you can tell that

needed a way to connect with each other.

they have been friends and business partners for

Kilis was born in Jacksonville and lived throughout the south until moving to Jacksonville to start a family. After having her first daughter, Kingsley, in 2010, Kilis decided to ditch her 9 to 5 and focus on full-time parenting. After a few years working on various remote projects in sales and social media and parenting full-time, she realized that Jacksonville was lacking resources for moms. In August 2012, she asked her friend and fellow mom Vicky Lane to join her in starting Jacksonville Moms Blog, now known as Jacksonville Mom.

nearly a decade. Throughout the interview, the two Jacksonville moms were often finishing each other’s sentences “We started out as entrepreneurs with nothing,” Lane recalls. “We just had our kitchen table and the computer and the website.” Kilis chimed in, adding, “and the kids...and not always childcare.” Lane’s second child was born right around the time that Jacksonville Mom was born, and Kilis had her second child about two months in.

The Jacksonville Mom

Kilis recalls how she’d bring her 2-month-old to

|THE excecutive woman

Kilis could relate.

sales meetings. “This is your target audience,” she would say to the potential client. “I’m breastfeeding

“Our readers don’t know we have a social media

my baby in the middle of this sales meeting - this is

schedule,” she would remind herself in those

what moms are like.”

moments she would “miss” a specific post time.

This turned into an effective sales strategy––and a

The more challenging part for Kilis was all of the

relatable one for fellow moms.

“mom pleas” that would come in through the

Their business grew right alongside their kids The two moms watched Jacksonville Mom grow as

Jacksonville Mom accounts at all hours of the day. Kilis recalls getting notifications at 11:30 at night from moms desperate for help, whether it was breastfeeding or something else.

their kids grew, grateful for the flexibility of entrepreneurship and working from the kitchen table.

“I’m such a people pleaser,” she says. “I’d be about to go to sleep and I’d be like, I need to help this

“The blessing of [Jacksonville Mom] was that we

mom...[I realized] I’d have to set boundaries with

could do both,” Lane says. “Because we are the

myself.”

boss, if we couldn’t do this today, it’s gonna get done tomorrow. (maybe).”

Those boundaries paid off, allowing them to avoid burn-out while running both a business and a

(Can any fellow working moms relate?!)

family to the point where they needed to expand their team. Early on, it was a thrill to get an

It didn’t always feel easy to stray from their set

opportunity to attend a restaurant opening or

schedule for publishing content on the site and social

some other media event, but they couldn’t do it all

media, especially when it was just a business of two.

by themselves. In 2015, they were able to start bringing on staff members to help with content

“I was very hard on myself in the beginning,'' Lane says, remembering when she would feel too exhausted to edit and upload an article that was turned in at 11 p.m. for the following day. “I had to be like, ‘it’s okay. If this post isn’t going to go live tomorrow I’m not gonna get fired.”

creation and managing social media.

Growth wasn’t all sunshine, daisies, and restaurant openings As Jacksonville Mom grew, Kilis and Lane found themselves having to defend the legitimacy of their business all of the time––a challenge that still surfaces nearly 9 years later. “One of our biggest challenges is people taking us seriously as a business,” Kilis says. “People would say things like, ‘Oh that’s so cute that you’re moms doing this fun little thing on the side!’ No, this is a business. it’s our full-time jobs. It was a big hurdle for us to people to take it seriously.” “If only they knew!” Lane adds. A larger audience, along with a larger team of writers offering different perspectives on motherhood, led to more hateful comments on social media, too.

The Jacksonville Mom

|THE excecutive woman

“We could have so many people that would write us the nicest inbox messages, and there’d be like one negative comment,” Kilis recalls. Lane chimes in, remembering how those comments would make them second guess themselves and wonder if they should take the post down. They would quickly realize that it’s just not worth it. “Nothing that you say to them is going to appease them,” Kilis adds. We have almost 40 women on our team...we do not all feel the same way about a lot of different things,” Kilis explains. “Every post that we put out, I don’t necessarily personally agree with, but it doesn’t matter whether I personally agree with it or not because it’s that mom’s journey and that mom’s choice. The biggest thing is you might be able to learn something from that mom...you can learn a lot from other people and how they live different[ly] from you, because how boring would it be if we all were exactly the same?!”

The two volley back and forth, mentioning the cool foodie community, the shows, the concerts, the Beaches, the history in neighborhoods like Avondale, and the variety from one neighborhood to the next. Plus, all of the outdoor things to do through the green space throughout the city and in state parks.

What’s beautiful about Jacksonville Mom is how it amplifies the voices of many Jacksonville moms, not just one type––but not every mom understands that. “I find it very interesting how people feel personally attacked when it’s just not the same thing that they choose to do, but really it’s just a mom sharing what they’re choosing to do for their family, not saying that what you choose is wrong,” Kilis says. “I hope more people will understand in reading our posts that that’s not what any of our writers are saying.” We hope so, too!

Despite the negativity, Kilis and Lane have nothing but positive feelings about Jacksonville The negativity doesn’t keep Kilis and Lane from success, or from loving the Bold City. When asked what they love about Jacksonville, both had plenty to share. It does feel like a small town sometimes even though we are a big city,” Kilis says.

Just visit the Jacksonville Mom site, which provides plenty of family-friendly things to do in and around Jacksonville.

So, what does it mean to be a Jacksonville Woman for these Jacksonville Moms? “A beach girl with a city vibe,” Lane says. “A Jacksonville Woman has a really nice mix of a laidback, hard-working attitude where you strive to do the best but you can relax. This is a relaxing city.” Kilis couldn’t agree more. “I feel like we have a lot of strong confident women, we have a lot of pretty cool women in our city...I feel like we have a pretty good group of women that are really good about building each other up. There’s not this whole, ‘I’m better than you,’ sort of vibe.” “There’s a community of...sisterhood!” Lane adds. “Yeah,” Kilis continues. “Everybody’s looking out for one another.”

Community over competition We’re so grateful for the community that Jacksonville

Looking out for one another is what motivates us to

Mom fosters for local mothers and we honor that

share the Jacksonville Mom story in our inaugural

each one of you is defined by more than your role as

issue.

a mom.

Let’s face it: women don’t need to compete with each

“You can be a Jacksonville Woman and a Jacksonville

other. We don’t need to give off that “I’m better than

Mom,” says Jacksonville Woman founder Sabrina

you” vibe. We’re all amazing. We’re all worthy.

Mason.

While many of us are moms, motherhood is just one

Here’s to sisterhood and community over competition

facet of our identity.

for all Jacksonville women!

Jacksonville Mom is a locally-focused parenting resource for moms and families. Passionate about parenting and our community, Jacksonville Mom strives to connect area moms to relevant resources, local businesses, can’t-miss happenings, and most of all — each other!

www.jacksonvillemom.com info@jacksonvillemom.com

@JacksonvilleMom

“MOTHER IS THE HEARTBEAT IN THE HOME; AND WITHOUT HER, THERE SEEMS TO BE NO HEART THROB.”

Leroy Brownlowr

Footprints of Angels, Inc. Footprints of Angels is a nonprofit organization supporting women impacted by recurrent miscarriages and infertility. Pregnancy loss and infertility impacts many women, but these are difficult topics to discuss. Footprints of Angels was established to support women through their grief and pain. Issue 27 | 234

www.footprintsofangels.org

DONATE

F E A TUR E

ASHANTAE GREEN PHOT O G R APHER: FE LICIA V. PHOTOGRA P H Y

Feature

Ashantae Green What do you do? Elected official, Supervisor for Duval Soil & Water Conservation District 4 & Owner of a farm and design company.

Jacksonville was selected as one of ten environmental justice showcase communities in the country due to a large number of brownfield sites. Brownfield land is land that was previously developed

What is one thing you like to do just for yourself?

but not currently in use that may be contaminated.

“I love to be in the garden...as you know women, we are the

has one of the highest rates of food insecurity in the

creators of everything. It’s scientifically proven that

country.

gardening and soil release certain endorphins into your body to make you feel better. If you’re not feeling good, go

Despite an abundance of farms, Duval County also

“Most people know them as food deserts, which

take a handful of dirt and you will feel better eventually.”

means that families don’t have equitable access to

What makes you a Jacksonville Woman?

“Unfortunately a lot of those communities are Black

“I’m a Jacksonville woman because I embody diversity...I’m

have access to fresh food, have higher rates of

someone that is diverse in skills, in interests, and in

preexisting conditions, which is why they were more

attributes of Jacksonville. I’m a Jacksonville woman

susceptible to COVID-19, and then on top of that,

because I love the city, I have roots here, I’ve decided to

they have the highest rates of soil and water and air

raise a family here, and I’m now a part of leadership!”

contamination.”

fresh

food

their

communities,”

Green

says.

and Brown or low-income communities that don’t

Ashantae Green: Leading From Her Home City What drives Green to lead from her Ashantae Green always says, “my last name is Green and so is my life.” Green is someone who loves, as she puts it, “people and planet.” Green is a newly elected Supervisor for the Duval Soil & Water Conservation District, Group 4. Green owns a digital and architectural design company specializing in construction, sustainability, and conservation. Green is a Jacksonville native who decided to stay -- and now lead -from her home city.

Why Jacksonville needs someone like Green Green describes Jacksonville as the “trifecta of worlds -you’ve got the rural...the beach...city life.” Duval County has 15 miles of beautiful beaches. The St. Johns River flows right through downtown Jacksonville. Jacksonville is the largest city in land area in the contiguous United States - a land filled with 366 farms, 95% of which are family-owned. But Jacksonville isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Jacksonville has some of the worst contaminated land soil and water and air in the whole state and parts of the nation,” Green says.

home city

Green has lived in Jacksonville her whole life. Her family has called Jacksonville’s Eastside neighborhood home for six generations. Growing up, it was a lot rougher than it is now,” Green says. She describes Eastside as a very vibrant neighborhood with tons of culture and a strong sense of community, but it was also a community disproportionally affected by so many things, lacking equity or access to healthy food. “I literally grew up in an environment that was not green,” Green says. “I wondered why my community didn’t look like other communities or why it didn’t have nature, hy it didn’t have fresh food, why it didn’t have solar panels and people struggled to pay electricity bills. Growing up that way, although it was full of love, it was difficult.”

Growing up that way, although it was full of love, it was difficult.”

“to the point where it was great for everybody around

Green channeled her inquisitive nature, along with her creativity, to lead her to where she is now. On her campaign site, Green expands on how Eastside was not green. She notes how there were higher rates of asthma and heat stroke among children due to the lack of trees. Highways cut through the neighborhood, a few steps away from playgrounds. These factors made her neighborhood up to 10 degrees warmer than other neighborhoods.

During the stay-at-home order, Green decided to run

This issue is not unique to the Eastside neighborhood that Green called home. There are environmental issues all across Duval County - from working to keep the St Johns River and the intercoastal waterways clean, to dealing with erosion and plastic pollution on the Beaches, to problems with flooding and contaminated soil on the Northside.

me but it wasn’t necessarily great for my health.”

for a Supervisor position for the Duval Soil & Water Conservation District. It was a pretty big move for 27year-old Green. What made her decide to run - not only during a pandemic but during a presidential election cycle and a time of civil unrest in our country? I think, you know women as a whole sometimes we don't realize everything we have going for ourselves or our qualifications or that we are prepared for something,” Green says. “I thought about running for a while, a lot longer, but I officially decided to run when I saw that the window was closing and I also saw that I was the best person for the job." Due to the pandemic, Green knew it wouldn’t be the

These issues are among the reasons why people end up moving out of Jacksonville. “I’ve had so many friends, so many families move away because of the culture, because of the politics, because of the environment,” Green says. For Green, the issues are what motivates her to stay here and truly lead from home.

typical political campaign experience that an extrovert like her would love. “I decided to do it anyway, not because of the bells and the whistles, but because of the change that was necessary,” Green says. “I finally came to a point of realization that, ‘Ashantae, you can do it, and you are literally prepared, more than qualified, and more than worthy to represent and serve the people.’ So it took

“Home and Jacksonville has always been a city of potentials and possibilities,” Green says. “I feel like for us to really reach the space of true excellence, it takes people to stay and step up...I see the challenge and I just know that I have what it takes to be a part of the solution and to be a part of a better Jacksonville.”

Stepping up (from home) The pandemic helped Green discover what exactly she could do to be a part of the solution for Jacksonville.

me a moment to come to that realization during a pandemic.”

So, what exactly is the Duval Soil & Water Conservation District? The Duval Soil & Water Conservation District (or DSWCD for short) was organized by concerned citizens

Duval

County

1953

educate

landowners and land users about the smart use of land, conservation, and resources and technology that

“It really encouraged me to think more about resiliency and the idea of how to be sustainable and to bounce back and bounce back better,” Green says. “I learned that when it comes to business and life you have to be able to adapt to any type of adversity or situation that comes.”

can help conserve natural environmental resources.

Green was also able to slow down a bit. “[It] made me slow down and take an inventory of my interests and where I wanted to go,” Green says.

“The fact that you don’t know this position exists is

“I used to do a whole lot more,” Green says, laughing,

The DSWCD is led by five non-salaried, non-partisan, and locally elected public officials -- the only elected environmental officials in the entire county.

why it was very imperative to elect someone that would make sure that citizens are aware,” Green says. “If we get people elected that really care about the environment and the people there are so many resources that come through it.”

After volunteering with the DSWCD for a year, Green saw the potential of what a supervisor could do for Jacksonville. In the past, DSWCD prioritized educating grades K-12, but that leaves out the adult landowners and land users that could start making sustainable changes right now.

“Having a tribe of women that are also business owners and in leadership and moms is so important,” Green says. “We share similar challenges and we can all share experiences.”

“If we don’t educate people where they are, it won’t be healthy,” Green says. “Soil and water is life.”

I wrapped up my conversation with Green by

Soil, water, and family

share with The Jacksonville Woman community.

While soil and water is life, so is family.

Green started thinking about the pressure of New

When asked about her biggest accomplishment, Green didn’t talk about her campaign victory, but her sevenyear-old son. Green’s son was diagnosed with sickle cell disease at birth. Her son’s diagnosis meant that Green had to learn how to advocate for both herself and her son through countless hospital visits and doctor’s appointments.

A call-to-action for fellow Jacksonville women

asking her if there was anything she wanted to

Year’s Resolutions. “I would encourage women to just be their authentic selves and expound upon who they are,” Green says, “to not give in to all of those things you see in the media or what others feel that you need to do.” Green also encourages any woman with “even a slither of interest in politics” to get involved.

“Honestly, I may not have ever run for office,” Green says when thinking what her life would have been like without her son. “He’s my biggest accomplishment and my biggest motivator to change things and to positively influence this world.”

“The gender gap we have in politics is fairly substantial,” Green says. “There are still more white men in politics than women in general and minorities in politics. I would encourage women to not only walk the path that was laid before you by all of the women that fought so hard for us to be

Soil, water, family, and a tribe of women When speaking with Green, you can tell she has this fire within her that drives her to do all that she does. A big part of that drive comes from the community of women she has cultivated in Jacksonville. “Just the energy of like-minded women is one thing that will refuel you in a way like no other,” Green says. Being a woman in leadership isn’t always easy. Finding women that you connect with who will support you through not only your accomplishments but your harder moments is key.

and to lead in this country but to get up and run as well. We need more women in leadership all around.” And if you’re not sure how to get involved, Green has advice for you, too. “Be very true to who you are and what you’re interested in and rally yourself around like-minded people who care about what you care about,” Green says. “Get involved by starting with what you’re interested in, tapping into community groups and organizations that have like-minded people, and literally getting up and going.”

We are more than a farm... We are a Legacy. Green Legacy Farm is a familycommunity farm committed to increasing food secuirty and sovereignty in Jacksonville. Located at the all female Juicy Roots Farm Collective, the farm grows fresh organic produce, and offers sustainable product and gardening education to all.

www.greenlegacyfarm.com hello@greenlegacyfarm.com

@greenlegacyfarm

Sustainability is treating ourselves and our environment as if we are to live on this earth forever. ARRON WOOD

Yoga Poses to try at home

Standing Half Crescent Instructions & Benefits

2 Downward Dog Instructions & Benefits

Ori Lotus Yoga A Local Health & Wellness business founded by Vaneshia "Vee" Smith, with a mission to help the community heal through self awareness, meditation, and self love.

linktr.ee/Orilotus | orilotusyoga@gmail.com |

@orilotusyoga

FEATURE

SHALI STEPHENS

PHOT O G R APHER: FE LICIA V. PHOTOGRA P H Y

Feature

Shali Stephens Finding authenticity, and a forever home, in Jacksonville

A conversation with boss babe and fit mom Shali Stephens We caught up with Shali Stephens towards the tail end of 2020. After a game-changing year for all of us, her candid nature––and relentless optimism–– was a breath of fresh air. “2021 is gonna be a great year,” Stephens said towards the end of our Zoom call. “It’s just a feeling though, I don’t have proof.” It turns out, 2021 has been a great year for Stephens, both personally and professionally. In July, Stephens announced that she is expecting her second child in December 2021. In October, Stephens shared an exciting family milestone of buying a “want” item by purchasing her dream car. In November, after a year where her business as a real estate agent was solely sustained by referrals from happy clients, Stephens is celebrating by gifting past clients a free holiday mini photoshoot at Tillie Fowler Park. In her Instagram post about the event, Stephens says she’s “So excited to do things a little different.” That’s the thing about Stephens. She really does things “a little different,” even in the posts she shares on her Instagram account, @shali.stephens.realtor. In one post, Stephens calls on her followers to ask her anything, and she really means ANYTHING, giving examples about investment properties, new construction homes, married life, mom life, and even the hair products she uses, saying how she’s “Happy to always be a resource and will give you my version of the truth based on my experiences and nothing else. I am an advocate for growth and sharing ideas and helping the next person along the way.” Ahh. How refreshing.

Bringing authenticity and transparency to the process of homeownership Stephens’ work as a real estate agent is inspired by her passion for homeownership “across the spectrum.” On a mission to make homeownership more attainable for all, Stephens guides first-time homebuyers throughout the entire process, from understanding where they are in terms of their credit and down payment savings to helping them apply or qualify for first-time homebuyer programs. That’s not all she does. “Although that is my passion and I would say the bread and butter of my personal business, I also work with customers on new construction, building their second homes, their forever homes, understanding their equity when they sell their first home and understanding how they can use that equity into their second homes and still keeping payments fairly low and things like that,” Stephens explains.

In true transparency, Stephens shows how success didn’t happen overnight Looking at her Instagram account, you can see Stephens’ passion for homeownership and her radical authenticity as a Realtor. She offers helpful resources and advice for home buyers and sellers alongside honest and personal stories. As we all know, our lives are so much more than the highlights we share with our friends and followers on Instagram. So many little steps happen before those momentous occasions. Here’s a glimpse into Stephens’ path to where she is now.

Stephens has a unique story that she feels shaped her into the “quirky individual” you’ll meet today. Born in Germany, her parents got divorced when she was young. Stephens always felt like she was weird and different. She was made fun of a lot, which helped make her a tougher person, but it wasn’t easy.

Fast forward several years, and Stephens now has an impressive personal and professional network in Jacksonville that started from nothing. “You sell houses to people you know and trust that know and trust you and I didn’t know anybody,” Stephens says. “Having to build a network from scratch was a huge challenge, and still sometimes is, but here we are!”

After graduating from high school in Germany, Stephens grew curious about her dad’s side of the family. At 18, she decided to take the leap and move closer to him in the U.S. With broken English and a bit of culture shock, she ended up at Florida State University in Tallahassee.

Balancing everything life throws at her is a “circus,” and exercise is a “key ingredient”

Life happened, and Stephens ended up meeting her husband while working in Tallahassee after college. When her husband was offered a career opportunity in Jacksonville, Stephens was hesitant to make the move to a new city with a baby. Initially I didn’t wanna move here,” Stephens recalls. “I was like no, I don’t wanna move to the city, I don’t wanna go...this is gonna be hard.” Tallahassee was where her parents lived, and it was her home since college. “I was crying and hesitant and I just didn’t wanna do it.” Still, it ended up being the right choice, so they moved their life to a new city with an 8-month-old in tow. On their very first weekend, just after the moving truck pulled away, Stephens and her family went to Fred Cotten's Landmark BBQ in the Springfield neighborhood for a much-needed dinner. Their little one was much more fussy than usual, making the process of ordering food a little hectic, but the staff could not have been more kind. “ I cannot express how kind they were,” Stephens recalls. “They brought us food out before we even ordered just to kind of keep him calm.” Fellow diners were just as nice, telling the young family how they’re going to love living in Jacksonville. “I felt like that very moment, the first one, was like...you’re home,” Stephens shares. “This is a good place to be as a family and that’s what people were telling us that very night.” And those moments just kept happening.

As a working mom, wife, and business owner, we asked Stephens how she does it all. “I would say in true transparency it is a circus,” Stephens says. “Every piece at one point is flying in the air and I feel like I just have to catch it.” Relatable, right? “I feel like if I had to describe my life, it’s probably an area of improvement that I feel like most women feel...like there are certain areas of improvement where we feel like we’re doing our best but could be doing better. Balance truly would be the tremendous amount of patience that you gain, not just with your children or child [and] husband but with yourself.” For Stephens, early morning exercise is a “key ingredient” to manage her busy days. Those uninterrupted early hours are everything. “I wake up super early to be able to just have ‘me’ time, before anybody else is awake, before any emails come in, before anything happens.”

The shift of life caused by the pandemic was just another thing to balance “I’m one of those semi-fortunate people that has made things easier for us,” Stephens explains. “With more people being at home, there was more understanding from clients and people...it shifted the perception of how women are supposed to work in general.” In fact, leading from home has been incredibly beneficial for Stephens. “I’ve been fortunate that I have still been able to actually have my best producing years just by feeling like I have gotten some of that pressure relieved.”

At the time, Stephens’ son wasn’t ready for daycare, so she was with him full-time. “My kid is with me, he’s attached to me,” Stephens explains. There’s not this expectation that we can’t work and be moms at the same time...I would've been in this situation anyway, so now I have others with me in it!”

Her childhood best friends motivate her just as much. “We’re all constantly moving each other forward,” Stephens says. “The reason why we’re connected is we have ambitions outside of motherhood that connected us to be able to think on and motivate each other.”

Since Stephens was doing so well, she was able to support her family for a few months while her husband explored new career opportunities.

Stephens has found that network of women in Jacksonville, too

“That was very empowering, I was a breadwinner before motherhood and [was] very ambitious with goals and things I wanted to do,” Stephens recalls. “Although I didn’t do them half as organized or strategized as I did before, I was still able to contribute and feel good about myself...it gave me a lot more confidence.”

“Without strong female support, it’s very hard, almost impossible, to truly be great” All of her success wouldn’t be possible without her network of women from Germany to the U.S. Stephens knows firsthand how hard it can be to ask for help. “We’ll struggle until we’re on fire and still say we’re fine,” Stephens says. Still, she has surrounded herself with a network of women that keeps her motivated, starting with her mom. With just a G.E.D., Stephens’ mother worked her way up to being a leader for energy and solar in the European market. “My mom has always been an extreme example of how you can have a career and goals and aspirations,” Stephens says.

“I moved here not knowing a soul and have met and connected with more people and businesses than I have ever in my adult life and many of these relationships are very authentic and grew organically to where I’ve just fallen absolutely in love with the city,” Stephens says. “It’s...very different. I lived in Orlando and Tallahassee and have traveled a lot to Miami and different areas and I felt like nowhere in Florida is this sort of connection between people and small business as it is in Jacksonville...I feel like one of the Jacksonville women just by having received the support of other Jacksonville women.” With all of these Jacksonville women now leading from home, Stephens points out how it has redefined us and made us rethink everything, leaving us with a refreshingly transparent question to ask ourselves: “Leading from home is really a true test to handle some of these intense changes––like are you becoming bitter? Are you happier than ever? Or are you finding your balance?” Let’s all take a deep breath and reflect on this one.

Shali Stephens Real Estate Agent shali@xpressjax.com @Shalis.Stephens.Realtor

HEALTH IS A STATE OF BODY WELLNESS IS A STATE OF BEING - J. Stanford

F E A TUR E

MARYANNE RODRIGUEZ PHOT O G R APHER: FE LICIA V. PHOTOGRA P H Y

Feature

MaryAnne Rodriguez What do you do? Owner and Broker, Root Realty

What is one thing you like to do just for yourself? “Travel has been very important to [me] as well as my family…there’s something really invigorating about being able to go somewhere and...turn off a little bit then come back to the daily grind.”

What makes you a Jacksonville Woman? “As a Jacksonville Woman, when people connect with me or any of our agents at Root, they feel like they have someone on their side...You can expect to be supported. You can expect us to help you determine your strengths if you don’t know them. We can help make up for your weaknesses if you have them. It’s not just something we promise, it’s something we truly live to do.”

Maryanne Rodriguez: Redefining The Meaning Of Home In the past year, our homes have become so much more than we could have ever imagined. In a world filled with uncertainty, our homes have become a safe space. For Maryanne Rodriguez, Broker and Owner of Root Realty, home is absolutely everything. Rodriguez co-founded Root Realty to foster a team of women who understand that home is so much more than four walls and a yard. Home is about putting down roots. Home is about connecting with your neighbors and building a network in your local community. Home is about using your privilege to help neighbors less fortunate than you.

Finding her home in Jacksonville Rodriguez didn’t always call Jacksonville home. Raised solely by her mother in Indiana, she went on to earn her Bachelor’s at DePauw University, but dreamt of living somewhere with warm weather.

Rodriguez was selected to participate in the Teach for America program and was placed in Jacksonville. She moved here in 2011, knowing only one other person. Although the program typically runs for two years, Rodriguez ended up staying for three years. “My goal was to touch all my students’ lives and help them find different solutions to challenges that they faced,” says Rodriguez.

Putting down roots During her time with Teach for America, Rodriguez met her husband, who grew up in the area and has his own local business. Together they decided that Jacksonville is a great place for kids and had a lot of things they both liked - warm weather and the beach. They also both shared an interest in being a part of the development of both the downtown and historic Springfield area. “We both just connected in a lot of ways related to that,” says Rodriguez, “so we both felt like we really

put down roots here and intend to stay here for a very long time.” During her third year with Teach for America, Rodriguez became pregnant with her first child. She realized she needed more flexibility than teaching allowed. “A lot of people argue that teachers have a lot of flexibility and that’s really not true,” Rodriguez says. “[I] did my research on what would provide that flexibility and I assumed real estate kind of did, based on everything that I knew.” But there was much more to it than that. “I felt this desire to be able to educate people in this very important decision in their life. That was a natural decision - how can I still do meaningful work that I will enjoy and feel satisfied doing but also be able to do the things I want to do for my own family? Real estate was that perfect combination.” But that flexibility didn’t just happen overnight.

business world, instead focusing on leveraging the strengths of each team member to foster a collaborative culture. That’s when Root Realty wa“I think everybody has this idea that when you start a business, you have to hustle, and I’m not saying that there’s not truth to that because you definitely have to work hard. I think in doing that a lot of people lose sight of what’s really important,” Rodriguez says. “I really try to live my business and professional life in a way of alignment, where I align those things that are most important, and you know it makes for a really interesting schedule!” Rodriguez leans on her team to fill the gaps so she can still find time for what’s really important to her: her family. One example she shared was how she has an agent to handle night and weekend showings so she can make it to family dinner or to her son’s baseball game, just like her own mother did all of those years ago.

The start of Root Realty

Still, leading both a company and a family is no easy task.

Since then, Root Realty has grown, as Rodriguez says, “both tremendously and strategically.”

“I used to feel like as the leader of the company or as the leader of my family there was a lot of

Last year was the second year in a row that they earned Void Magazine’s #1 in the 904 for real estate. Clearly, Root Realty does have a lot more lovers than haters!

pressure to be perfect,” Rodriguez says. “I think it’s really important for people to see that there are

With tremendous growth, comes a lot more responsibility -- so how does Rodriguez manage to balance it all? I really don’t believe in the world balance….there’s never a true equilibrium at any point. I think it comes with just really prioritizing those things that are important in that moment,” says Rodriguez. “One way that I’ve been able to do that is by creating and building a team and leveraging other people’s talents and skills and strengths.” Rodriguez leads the Root Realty team with a unique “alignment over hustle” mindset that goes aginst the grind culture that is often praised in the

challenges every day that I experience both professionally and personally and those are opportunities for growth...if those aren't shared then they’re not necessarily opportunities anymore.”

Helping others find their roots in Jacksonville Despite all of this, the Root Realty team still finds time to give back to the community. Root Realty started a non-profit called The Run Home. The Run Home has many initiatives throughout the year including a 5K run. All proceeds benefit two local organizations: Sulzbacher Village, the largest homeless shelter in Jacksonville that specifically helps women and children find housing, and Rethreaded, which helps local women out of human trafficking and into employment.

Helping others find their roots in Jacksonville “We are privileged to help people in and out of housing every day. That is literally what we do for a living,” Rodriguez says, “and there's a huge population in Jacksonville who don’t have that privilege. This is our Çway to be connected to them, reach them, and do something about the issue.” Over the last few years, the Root Realty team has raised over $20,000 in monetary donations, not including donations made through backpack drives and time spent building furniture for apartments at Sulzbacher.

A new perspective The privilege of housing had a whole new meaning during the pandemic. Everything about work and family life changed, and with those changes, Rodriguez decided to start a gratitude journal. “Starting my day off with three simple things that I’m grateful for and writing them down during my morning cup of coffee while my kids are chaotically running around the house has really shifted the way that my day has started both professionally and personally.” Spending those brief moments to reflect on the simple things helped Rodriguez rethink what Root Realty could do for the Jacksonville community during this challenging time. In-person events were such a key part of connecting with the community, but they were no longer a possibility.

A stronger digital presence turned out to be the answer. Rodriguez leaned on the strengths of each member of the Root Realty team, including her office manager Ellie Boline, to leverage digital channels to “stay connected with people in a different way.” Root Realty also got creative and reimagined what events could look like during a pandemic. With help from local sponsors, they organized a series of outdoor family movie nights in Memorial Park where families could have a fun and safe night out of the house.

Setting down roots somewhere new As I interviewed Rodriguez, I felt personally connected to her story. I moved to Jacksonville last summer and could count on one hand how many people I knew. I also have my own business after pivoting my career to focus on what motivates me telling stories. So I asked her - what advice does she have for people looking to set down roots somewhere new, or transition to a new career? Where do we start? “I feel like it has to be really organic,” says Rodriguez. “You’ve gotta put yourself in situations where you can have conversations with people and then find those people that have substance to them, right?” “Theres always a way to connect on things that are important and I think that’s where my friendships have really grown and thrived here in Jacksonville,” Rodriguez says. “I feel like that’s how I’ve built that system of women, where we’re able to really talk about those hard topics and navigate solutions and ideas together.”

Our mission is to empower and educate every person before, during, and beyond a transaction and to help ALL achieve their real estate goals. We value more than your home’s value: we prioritize honesty, education, organization, communication, and support every step of the way. Our unique team of strong women advocates for our customers, our community, and one another.

www.rootrealtyjax.com hello@rootrealtyjax.com

@rootrealtyjax

''AN INVESTMENT IN KNOWLEDGE

PAYS THE BEST INTEREST''

-Benjamin Franklin

Marketing

Marketing Makeover

Marketing is important because how else will you make people aware that you’re selling a product or service? Marketing drives product awareness, cultivates brand credibility, builds trust among your target buyers and provides value to your audience in the form of information, entertainment and inspiration. Put those all together, and you get sales.

BE AUTHENTIC

Authenticity inspires loyalty and engagement. People are drawn by those that exude selfconfidence, passion, and trustworthiness. Your audience, the audience that will follow you, invest in you and share your businessthat's the audience that identifies with the authentic YOU.

BE CONSISTENT Consistency develops routine and builds momentum. It forms habits that becomes almost second nature. While we're talking about consistency I know you've heard to post during peak time but that"s when most people are posting, So its best to post when your followers are coming online and activity is rising . Be sure to post at least 2-3 times a day.

BE ENGAGING Engagement creates a connection that makes people more open to receive the information or ideas that you want to share with them. When you ask questions or start a conversation with your audience, you show that you care about them.

Symone talks A multi-faceted business founded by Symone Dunlap with a mission to help clients through confidence building and clarity in content creation.

linktr.ee/Symonetalks | symonetalks@gmail.com |

@symonetalks

FEATURE

SABRINA ZINAMON

PHOT O G R APHER: FE LICIA V. PHOTOGRA P H Y

Feature

Sabrina Zinamon What do you do?

What makes you a Jacksonville Woman?

Classroom Reduction Specialist in middle

“Being a Jacksonville Woman is a positive

schools, Pageant Queen, Plus-Sized Model,

thing because you have women that surround

Mentor

you that help you go to the next level in your life.”

What is one thing you like to do just for yourself? “I’m a reader. I love to read all different things.”

Sabrina Zinamon: Finding Home in Jacksonville From Homecoming Court to Pageant Queen “As women, we go through so much, as a wife, as a mother, as a daughter, basically as a person. We go through so much and we do so much for others that we forget about ourselves,” says Sabrina

Zinamon was raised by her grandparents in the small town of Baxley, Georgia, because her mother was unable to raise her at the time. Growing up, she experienced a lot of bullying.

Zinamon, when asked why she was willing to share her story with The Jacksonville Woman. Zinamon is, as her 30-year-old daughter says, a “busy lady.” We were lucky enough to grab an hour of her time for a Zoom interview, which she took from the car. At 53 years young, Zinamon has accomplished a

“That bullying part is something that really messes with a child’s mind,” says Zinamon about her time in grade school. “When you’re trying to connect with someone, befriend people, and you’re a little heavier than others...you try so much to acclimate yourself to certain groups and then when you get acclimated to a group the other group says certain things.”

lot throughout her life. She has been an educator for more than 15 years. She's a pageant queen

But a turning point happened during her senior year

and holds a national title. She's modeled for years,

of high school when she was voted into the homecoming court.

walking the runways of several New York Fashion Week shows. She's a mentor to children and teens. She stays active in local politics, especially as it

“I didn’t think I was popular like that,” Zinamon

relates to public education.

shares about the nomination. “When I made it to the Top 5, they were shocked. I was shocked!”

Overcoming bullying to become a mentor Zinamon had to overcome many challenges throughout her life to get to where she is now.

At that moment, Zinamon said to herself, “Okay, I can do this.”

With the support of her grandparents, she got everything needed to take part in the homecoming parade. “I wasn’t crowned the queen but I was the queen to me because I did everything the queen did. It did something to my self-esteem.”

Shortly after the divorce, Zinamon was diagnosed with a rare form of skin cancer. With these hardships weighing on her shoulders, Zinamon decided it was time for a change. She said to herself, “I gotta go, I need a change. I need to be free.”

Zinamon then became the only one of her mother’s children to graduate high school. Her experience being bullied inspired her to work as an educator and mentor to young children and teenagers. Zinamon now works as a Classroom Reduction Specialist in middle schools. The role requires Zinamon to work with the overflow of students assigned to other classrooms when they reach capacity. This role is vital, especially during the pandemic.

Finding a home (and a network of women) in Jacksonville In 1994, she decided to move to Jacksonville. The move symbolized a fresh start and a new opportunity. Jacksonville felt like a big city compared to her small hometown in south Georgia. “I took a leap of faith and I don’t regret it to this day,” says Zinamon now.

Overcoming domestic abuse and cancer

It was also a chance for Zinamon to distance both herself and her daughter from her abusive ex. “I couldn’t raise my daughter seeing a man abuse a woman thinking it was okay...” Zinamon says of her decision to move, “...even though I went through so much, I still moved.”

Bullying isn’t the only hardship that Zinamon has overcome. She’s also a survivor of domestic abuse.

Zinamon raised her daughter in Jacksonville and built her career from the ground up. She made

Zinamon’s

personal

experience

being

bullied

motivates her to connect with the students and show them the respect they deserve.

“I don’t really think about it until I start talking about it, the seriousness of it,” Zinamon says about her past. Zinamon suffered from both physical and verbal abuse by her ex-husband. While the black eye, busted lip, and other injuries were painful, the verbal abuse got to her the most. “The [verbal abuse] is what had me suppress my feelings, had me suppress me, had me suppress how I should be,” Zinamon says. “It had me suppress so much of myself that I didn’t think I was capable of doing anything.” But just like in high school, Zinamon reminded herself, “Okay, I can do this.” She divorced him in 1992 despite his many protests.

friends through her new job downtown and her church. Zinamon surrounded herself with a circle of supportive women. Her friends inspired her to open up about the hardships of her past. “They rallied around me. They wanted to see me stronger. Even when I felt weak...it was always women - encouraging me, and strengthening me...it helped me go to the next level, to believe in myself that I can do something.”

Finding a home in herself by mentoring others Back when Zinamon was diagnosed with that rare form of cancer, she was told by doctors that she wouldn’t make it past 40. Over 20 years later, Zinamon is alive and thriving despite the challenges she had to overcome.

It was thanks to her network of friends that she was given the opportunity to speak about bullying. One of her friends thought it would be great for Zinamon to tell her

Surviving and thriving at home

story at a local elementary school. While she was doubtful of her ability, she went by her motto: “Nothing

Zinamon is definitely as busy as her daughter

As an educator, mentor, model, and pageant queen, describes.

beats a failure but a try.” Zinamon touched on how busy she is when talking

The speaking opportunity went well and inspired Zinamon to continue to share her story with young

about the hardships of her past.

children and teenagers and build the career she has now as an educator and mentor.

“Even though you’re out of it, your mindset isn’t free from it,” Zinamon says, “so it’s up to you to keep your mind clear of other things. That’s probably why I stay

Bullying continues to be a theme throughout Zinamon’s work. Zinamon chose bullying as her platform in pageants, and her unique experience overcoming bullying helped her win the national title in her home

so busy.”

state.

writing.

The same home state where she was bullied for years. The same home state where she got voted to homecoming court and realized her potential. The same

“The pandemic helped me with my writing. It gave

home state where she suffered from domestic abuse and received her cancer diagnosis. All of which inspired her to find a new home in Jacksonville.

anyone else.”

But the pandemic changed that. With more time on her hands, Zinamon has channeled her energy into

me more time.” Zinamon says. “ It kind of settled me a little bit. Do some things for me that [weren’t] for

Last month, Zinamon published her first children's book about bullying: Cinnamon Zinamon Girl: What's

Zinamon’s past is what helped her find a home in

In A Name. The book is the first of five that Zinamon

Jacksonville, even getting involved in the political sphere. For several years, Zinamon served as the Chairperson for the school district’s advisory council, a hugely impactful role.

wrote since the pandemic. It also brought her closer to her 30-year-old daughter. “We came back to the table,” Zinamon says, recalling conversation-filled dinners with her

Zinamon knows how important it is for younger people to see women like her in leadership roles, and also for them to see how women like her interact with other women. “People are gonna watch us, that little girl is watching. She wants to know if we’re going to come together and encourage each other and be the positive mentors we’re supposed to be,” Zinamon says. “We want the little girl to say ‘Oh, I like that!’”

daughter while staying at home.

There’s a common theme throughout Zinamon’s life story so far: find the women around you and let them lift you up. “When as women we unite together, we make things happen. We don’t just sit there…when we put our minds together we can create so much.”

Cinnamon Girl was adopted at an early age by her Grandparents. She enjoyed going to school, a place where she could learn and make friends. She did not anticipate that the biggest bully in her school would be her teacher. She found herself looking for a way to cope with the judgement of her teacher and peers. Enjoy the first book in the Cinnamon Zinamon Girl series authored by Sabrina Zinamon.

www.cinnamonzinamongirl.com | Buy Book on Amazon

SELF CARE IS NOT AN EXPENSE IT IS AN INVESTMENT

MOBLE MASSAGE Jacksonville

(904) 419-7252 WWW.MASSAGE2LIVE.AMTAMEMBERS.COM @CHIQUITAMMT @MASSAGE2LIVE

INVESTING IN OMEN MEANS INVESTING IN THE PEOPLE HO INVEST IN EVERYONE ELSE. MELINDA GATES

PULSE The Jacksonville Woman

INVESTMENT Portfolio Written by Sabrina Mason

HOME BEAUTY BUSINESS FINANCES FITNESS HEALTH ORGANIZATION PRODUCTS PROPERTY REST RELATIONSHIPS SELF-CARE STOCKS TIME SPIRITUALITY INVESTMENTS ARE MORE THAN STOCK AND BONDS, AN INVESTMENT CAN BE IN AN AREA OF YOUR LIFE WHERE YOU'D LIKE TO SEE IMPROVEMENT. WE RECEIVE A RETURN ON WHAT WE PRIORITIZE AND INVESTMENT IN.

YOU'RE ENTERING THE

PLAYROOM The play room is where we can leave all of the adulting behind. Let's dream, have fun, and make new friends.

Celebrate Jax Women

What is success without celebrations? Here are some ideas to help you celebrate her.

Treat her to Brunch (bottomless mimosa anyone?) Plan her a relaxing spa day.

at a nice hotel. Gift her a one night stay

Take her on a day trip to a near by destination

Join us in celebrating these Jacksonville Women

Leesa Askew | Erica Willie | Michellita Taylor

Tameka Jackson the Owner of Your Signature Events(Y.S.E) and Your Signature Destinations is an event planner extraordinaire and travel business owner. She discovered her passion for event planning while working as a c-level executive assistant for a fortune 500 company. While there, one of her most important and rewarding responsibilities were to coordinate Corporate Events for upward of one thousand attendees while always providing superb and memorable experiences. After four years in her corporate role, Tameka, a supportive and loving military wife and caring mother of 3 sons made the BOLD decision to Jump! With her boss’s blessing, she resigned from the position that pushed her toward her passion. Tameka Jackson is now building her own event planning and design company, Your Signature Events.

Y.S.E specializes in Small business Corporate events, brand and product launches and retreats. Ultimately, the primary goal of Y.S.E is to elevate businesses by producing innovative events through vendor collaboration, strategic partnerships and creative branding. Her travel business, Your Signature Destinations, allows her to provide the added bonus of travel coordination and accommodations for destination events and retreats. Mrs. Jackson also serves as the financial services chair of Liam Lives Foundation Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides support services to families that experience pregnancy loss and infant death. Tameka Jackson lives purposefully and passionately doing what she loves, being an impactful service provider to her clientele while simultaneously creating fun filled memorable events!

Tameka Jackson Event Coordinator Your Signature Events IG: @yoursignatureeventsus FB: Y.S.E. - Your Signature Events

www.yoursignatureeventusa.com

s t n e v E The Jacksonville Woman

Here is a snap shot of some of our events. From our Queen of Hearts Brunch, to our Women and Wine, women had the oprotunity to network and make lasting connections and authentic friendships.

INVESTHERS The Jacksonville Woman

@ TAE ON TALBOT

Thank you to our InvestHERs. These women know the importantce of investing in themselves, in their businesses and in The Jacksonville Woman.

INSPIRED BY THE LOVE OF FOOD

CHEF VERNETTA

CHEF Chef Vernetta started her culinary career with a drive to gain knowledge. Vernetta graduated from culinary school in 2008 with an Associate's Degree in Culinary Management and an Associate's Degree in Restaurant Management. She graduated on the President's List and became Certified with the American Culinary Federation(ACF). Her culinary career began at Amelia Island Plantation in Amelia Island, FL, a Triple AAA, Four Diamond resort. She provided culinary services in all dining venues within the resort. These included: casual dining, fine dining, banquets and the bake shop. The experience and knowledge gained from the Amelia Island Plantation enabled Vernetta to open A Cook for You Catering services in 2010.

www.chefvernetta.com

VERNETTA

Vernetta Executive Sous Chef position with Ponte Vedra Inn & Club a Triple AAA Five Diamond resort, allowed her to continually hone her craft. Vernetta was invited to serve as a chef for Super Bowl XLIII 2009 in Tampa, Florida. Vernetta has a heart to help others.

Through her culinary skills, she supports local non-profit organizations in the city by providing culinary training, safety and sanitation training, meal preparations and meal delivery. She is the Executive Chef for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Jacksonville, at the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Jacksonville Vernetta works directly with meal volunteers. Her role includes meal preparation for guest, scheduling meal volunteer groups, menu planning, nutrition planned and food safety and sanitation training. Vernetta has been featured in several publications including Edible Magazine, The Buzz, Florida Times Union, Healthy Living, Food, and Southern Living. With over 12 years of culinary experience Vernetta passion for culinary continues to thrive. Vernetta is the founder of Footprints of Angels a 501c3 nonprofit supporting women impacted by infertility.

@CHEFVERNETTA

FROM A LOVE TO A CAREER DJ Tan was born in Riviera Beach, but Jacksonville has always been her home. She was a girl that loved music. This love would eventually lead her to a career of djing. After completing a Bachelor Arts degree in Mass Communications at Edward Waters College, she landed a job as a morning show radio announcer. She loved working at the radio station, but soon realized that she wanted more of two things... control of song selection and money. With a dream on pause and some time in corporate america, behind her, she received a request from her son to be a DJ at his party. That gig was what she needed to catapult her career as Dj. DJ Tan is a talented DJ that specializes in weddings, corporate events, birthdays, karaoke and more. Book her for your next event.

DJ MS TAN

PHOTOGRAPHER:

THIS

CANDID

PHOTOGRAPHY

@DJMSTAN

Balsamic Glazed Lamb Chops INGREDIENTS

10 Pieces of Lamb Chops 4 tbsp O.K Everything Good Seasoning 3 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce 1 tbsp Puree' Basil 4 tbsp Grape Seed Oil 3 tbsp O.K Himalayan Hot Salt Balsamic Glaze Honey

DIRECTIONS

1. Add all seasoning to small bowl and combine to create liquid marinade. 2. Cover lamb chops and set aside for 30 minutes. 3. Sautee in four tablespoons of grape seed oil, for 3 minutes each side. 4. Place in preheated oven on 350 degrees for 30 minutes covered. 5. Drizzle balsamic glaze and honey over lamb chops and place them back in the oven uncovered for 5 minutes. 6. Remove the lamb chops from the oven and let them rest. After 10 minutes, the lamb chops are ready to serve with any side dish.

WORDS FORM CHEF KELSIE I didn’t know it then but as a youngster I was a “foodie”. Over the years, cooking has always given me excitement, joy, and kept me in a happy place. I truly believe that cooking is one of the gifts that GOD has given me, and I’m forever grateful. I get a sense of satisfaction when people get to enjoy my food. With 6 children, and a pandemic, it just made sense to focus on creating a legacy for my kids and having the flexibility to spend more time with my family. Over the past year and a half, I made a decision to turn my gift from GOD into a business to not only help my own family but others as well. Organic Krunch is organic food my way. My goal is to deliver the best quality ingredients for all people. Initially, I started by providing catering services and have expanded to private chef and other services as well. On October 1 2021, I further extended my business with an ecommerce website to my customers and beyond. On the site, you can book consultations, make purchases of homemade eggrolls, sauces and seasonings. I’ve been blessed with family and other mentors who’ve taken the time to speak into my life. My goal is to provide hope and to be inspirational to all women who are mothers like myself, wives, sisters, & friends.

WWW.SHOPORGANICKRUNCH.COM

Where Are We Gonna Eat? by Katrice Shorter | IG: @willworkforheels

Now that the world is opening back up, everyone is eager to get back to doing the things they love, including brunching, lunching, and dining! Whether you’re ready to hit the restaurant scene with your girls or if you just want to enjoy a nice meal at home, we’ve got you covered with some of this upcoming summer’s hottest restaurants and food offerings around town!

HOT RESTAURANT ALERT! Estrella Cocina

Photos: Vernon's Brunch

100 W. Bay Street, Jacksonville, FL (7th Floor of Vystar)

Vernon’s Sunday Brunch @ Sawgrass Marriott:

Get your colorful off-the-shoulder dresses ready for your

1000 PGA Tour Boulevard · Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082

Instagram-worthy pics on the rooftop at Estrella Cocina!

Now that weekend brunch is officially back on, Vernon’s is

Estrella is a Baja-coastal, Mexican-style, specialty

a MUST! Vernon’s First Coast Kitchen and Bar has brought

restaurant, bar and lounge slated to open at the end of

back their classic Sunday Brunch!! They’ve returned with a

May. With gorgeous views of Downtown Jacksonville,

refreshed menu that includes some farm-to-table favorites

plenty of fresh air, delicious tacos, great drinks, and good vibes, this rooftop restaurant is sure to be a new hot spot this summer.

like Chicken & Waffles and Biscuits & Gravy. In addition, they offer bottomless mimosas, the Sawgrass Bloody Mary, and live entertainment, easily making Sunday Brunch an

Silkies Chicken & Champagne Bar

unforgettable experience everyone can enjoy! Please call

1602 Walnut St. Jacksonville, FL

(904) 285-7777 or visit OpenTable to make a reservation.

Yep, you read that correctly, Silkies has chicken and champagne! Get into it!! This comfy restaurant is

The District

nestled in the heart of Springfield and specializes in

2026 Walnut St. Jacksonville, FL

creative cuisine centered around international chicken

What’s not to love about good wine, good food, and a

dishes. Whether you’re in the mood for Fried Chicken

different kind of dining experience? The District PR is one

and Biscuits or Chicken Tikka Masala, Silkies has it, but

of the newest Wine Bars in town offering great drinks,

with a twist. You can wash it all down with one of the

charcuterie boards, entrees, and Boho Yurt Lounges for a

delicious creations from their champagne cocktail

cool new dining experience. They also have a beautiful

menu, like “The Girls Night Out”. If it’s not 5 o’clock

Peacock Garden and traditional indoor table and seating

where you are, they offer traditional soft drinks and

styles. Gather 3 of your besties for brunch because they

Kool-Aid for your thirst-quenching pleasure! This

also have 3-feet tall Mimosa Towers that are not to be

restaurant is one-of-a-kind and with their outdoor Zen

missed!

Garden patio and current top 40 hits playlist, sure to be a fun, go-to this summer!

Culture | Where Are We Gonna Eat? Continued

ORDERING TO-GO

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

Prati Italia

904 Picnic Co.

4972 Big Island Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32246

https://www.904picnicco.com/

If you want to stay within the comforts of home, no

If you enjoy being one with nature, a beautiful picnic at a

worries! You can still enjoy a chef-prepared meal

local destination of your choosing would be a

without the fuss because Prati Italia has got you

memorable experience! 904 Picnic Co. specializes in

covered! From starters to family-style meals, this

creating customizable luxury and boho-chic picnics that

local Italian restaurant is offering several chef-

include set-up and take-down. You pick a date, location,

prepared packages for delivery or pick-up, with

party size, and add-ons, like grazing boards and

numerous a-la-carte and beverage add-on options!

champagne, and 904 Picnic Co. will take care of the rest.

All orders must be placed before 8:30 p.m. Sunday

All you must do is show up to a beautifully prepared

through Thursday, or before 9:30 p.m. on Friday and

picnic and enjoy! You will remember the experience for

Saturday. If you want a bottle a wine to compliment

years to come!!

you’ve got it! Just keep in mind that all alcohol purchases must be in conjunction with food. All

COOK AT HOME

items will include reheat instructions so you can

Jen & Jamey Virtual Cooking Class

heat and eat!

www.jenandjamey.com Ever wanted to make your own sushi but never knew how? Well, you can discover the joy of cooking with Jen & Jamey’s Virtual Cooking Classes. This local dynamic duo takes the stress out of cooking and truly brings the joy of cooking to your kitchen. Every month they add new and delicious cooking classes to their site and the best part is that once you sign up, they send you every single ingredient you need to follow along with the recipe as they walk you step by step, virtually. A cooking class with Jen & Jamey would be fun for the entire family! It’s the perfect option if you’re still not ready to get out and about but still want to enjoy restaurant-quality food!

DIRECTHERY

LET US HELP YOU WITH DIRECTION OF WHO CAN HELP YOU EXECUTE YOUR IDEAS AND SOLVE YOUR PROBLEMS.

Spotlighting Jacksonville women, brands and businesses

ART

BRANDING

COACHING CONT.

OLIVIA GONZALEZ

LISETTE HARRINGTON

TAJONDA BRADLEY

NICHCOL COLLINS

VICTORIA DANIELLE

CANDLES

FASHION

Business: Garage Roses Website: garageroses.com IG: @garage_roses_artstudio

BEAUTY

ANTINESE STINSON

Business: Glam Beauty Bar Spa Website: glambeautybarspa.com IG: @glambeautybar_spa FB: Glam Beauty Bar & Spa

BETHANY DETZLER

Business: Barbie’s Beauty Room Website: barbiesbeautyroom.com IG: @barbiesbeautyroom FB: Barbie’s Beauty Room

SHAQUANA MILLER

Business: Miller and Co aesthetics Website: millerandcoaesthetics.com IG: @millerandcoaesthetics FB: Miller & Co Aesthetics

DANIANN RAWLS

Business: DonnaReine Naturals Website: donnareinenaturals.com IG: @donnareinenaturals FB: DonnaReine

BLOGGER AMY WEST

Business: Amy West Travel Website: amywesttravel.com IG: @amywesttravel

JESSICA RENEE

Business: Kinky Girl Talk Website: kinkygirltalk.com IG: @kinkygirltalk FB: Kinky Girl Talk

THAMARR

Business: Musings of a Curvy Lady Website: musingsofacurvylady.com IG: @musingsofacurvylady FB: Musings of a Curvy Lady

Business: High Note Designs Website: highnotedesigns.com IG: @highnotedesigns FB: High Note Designs, LLC

Business: Creative Business Branding Website: creativebusinessbranding.org IG: @creativebusinessbranding FB: Creative Business Branding

Business: MommyTu LLC Website: mommytupostpartumbeyond.com IG: @mommytu.llc FB: MommyTu Postpartum +Beyond

Business: The Victoria Danielle Website: thevictoriadanielle.com IG: @thevictoriadanielle FB: Victoria Danielle

BREONA WASHINGTON

NICOLE BANKS

Business: Calis Light Website: calislight.com IG: @calis_light FB: Calis_Light

Business: Shop Pretty Pieces website: shopprettypieces.com IG: @shopprettypieces FB:Pretty Pieces

JASMINE ROSE

PRINCESS-NADIA JOHNSON

Business: Bold City Candle Co Website: boldcitycandle.com IG: @boldcitycandles FB: Bold City Candle Co.

RAVEN MCCALL

Business: Euphonic Scents Website: euphonicscents.com IG: @euphonicscents FB:Euphonic Scents

CLEANING KENA JACKSON

Business: Cleaning With Kena Website: cleaningwithkena.com IG: @cleaningwithkenallc FB: Cleaning with Kena

COACHING IVA BALLOU

Business: RealSophisticatedJoy IG: @realsophisticatedjoy FB: Iva Ballou

Business: The Glass Chariot Boutique Website: theglasschariotboutique.com IG: @glasschariotboutique FB: Glass Chariot Boutique

TERESA NICOLE

Business: Bling with a Twist Website: Blingwithatwist.com IG: @blingwithatwistjax FB: Bling with a Twist

FINANCE JANAE POLLARD

Business: Faithful Finances Website: myfaithfulfinances.com IG: @faithful_finances FB: Faithful Finances

TAMMY LYNCH

Business: Arlington Tax Services Website: mystore8123.samcart.com IG: @arlington_taxpro FB: Arlington Taxes

DIRECTHERY

Spotlighting Jacksonville women, brands and businesses

FINANCE CONT.

PHOTOGRAPHY

WADELENE CHARLES

THERAPY

CAMILLA SPENCER

ALAINA STANLEY

KAY KAWADA

CORNISHIA SIMMONS

Business: Grand Reve Financial LLC Website: grandrevefinancial.org IG: @grandrevefinancial FB: Grand Reve Financial LLC.

FOOD & DRINK ANDREA BRYANT-SMITH Business: Mena's Legacy Kitchen & Catering FB: Menas Legacy Kitchen

CHARMAE ALLEN

Business: Cocktails of Sweetness IG: @cocktailsofsweetness FB: cocktails of Sweetness

LELEKA LEWIS

Business: C’s Island Cuisine FB: C’s Island Cuisine

PROSPECT FIVE POINTS Website: prospectfivepoint.com IG: @prospectfivepoints Facebook: Prospect Five Points

HAIR AHARIA SUMLAR

Business: Amillion Strands Hair & Boutique Website: amillionstrands.com IG: @amillionstrands FB: Amillion Strands Hair & Boutique

WHITNEY JOHNSON Business: WhitneyJ Hair, LLC IG: @_whitneyj.hair FB: WhitneyJ Hair, LLC

MEDIA

CARLA JONES

Business: Carla Mechele Media, LLC Website: carlamechele.com IG: @carlamechele FB: Carla Mechele Media

Business: Camilla Spencer Photography Website: camillaspencer.com/connect IG: @camillaspencerphoto FB: Camilla Spencer Photography

Business: River Eight and Co. Website: rivereightandco.com IG: @rivereightandco FB: River Eight & Co

SARAH HEDDEN Business: Sarah Hadden Photography Website: sarahheddenphotography.com IG: @sarahheddenphotgraphy FB: Sarah Hadden Photography

REAL ESTATE CHELSEA SCIPPIO Business: C. Scippio Real Estate Website: chelseascippio.yourfhrm.com IG: @chelseayourlocalrealtor

SADE’ HILL

Business: Sade H. Jacksonville Realtor Website: linkin.bio/realtor_sadehill IG: @realtor_sadehill FB: Sade Hill

YASHA ALBRIGHT Business: Real Estate Mentor Website: smart.bio/yashaalbright IG: @yashaalbright

NIKKI DOUGLAS Business: Realtor at EXIT REAL ESTATE GALLERY Website: PropertyInJax.com FB: EXIT REAL ESTATE GALLERY

Business: ARS Counseling Enterprises, LLC. Website: arscounselingenterprisesllc.com IG: @arscounselingenterprisellc FB:ARS Counseling Enterprises, LLC

Business: Visions of Hope Counseling and Social Services, LLC Website: visionsofhopecounseling.com IG: @visionshopellc FB: Visions of Hope Counseling & Social Services, LLC

VIRTUAL ASSISTANT DIAMOND ANDERSON Business: All Things Diamond LLC Website: allthingsdiamondllc.com IG: @allthingsdiamondllc FB: All Things Diamond, LLC

SHIYA SCOTT

Business: A Happy Monday Va Website: ahappymondayva.com IG: @ahappymondayva FB: A Happy Monday

WELLNESS KRISTIN MURRY

Business: Authentic Witness Website: authenticwitness.com IG: @authentic.witness

JOSALYN BRINSON Business: Body Precepts Website: BodyPrecepts.com IG: @bodyprecepts FB: Body Precepts

NYNA JACKSON

Business: Emberse Website: timetoemberse.com IG: @emberseofficial FB: Emberse