Women Changemakers in the Queen City

Shameika Rhymes

A multimedia maven, Shameika Rhymes’ talents have not only been seen domestically but also internationally. Rhymes, who has a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from East Tennessee University and a Master of Science degree with a specialization in sports commerce and leisure from the University of Memphis, has put her media savvy to work across multiple platforms and demographics.

A former guest co-host on “ET Canada Live” and a regular contributor on “TMZ Live,” the former TV news producerturned-journalist has written cover stories for Studio Gannett’s USA Today Magazine and SouthPark Magazine. She has also written for Charlotte Magazine, ET Online, Essence, Ebony and JET magazines, Insider, InHerSight, the National Museum of African American Music, Shondaland, Vanity Fair, and more.

Rhymes can often be seen on camera as the creator of the entertainment show, “Check the Rhymes.” Frequently

by John Burton Jr. and Cheryl Clemmons

coined “where GenX meets pop culture,” the show’s discussions delve into the lives of media personalities and celebrities. Rhymes has interviewed such celebrities as Sean Patrick Thomas and McKinley Freeman from the TV series “Reasonable Doubt,” singer Will Downing, Nicco Annan from “P-Valley,” WWE star Bobby Lashley and others. TheMofochronicles.com is Rhymes' deeply personal passion platform where she can express her authenticity and be fully transparent. She also created the “Ladies Edition” podcast to express personal reflections. “I always try to be my authentic self and share my experiences, especially with my own health journey, because I didn’t see anyone online being open and honest about dealing with fibroids as a Black woman, so I created the “Ladies Edition” podcast for those exact conversations,” said Rhymes.

— By John Burton

Brandy Sims

Brandy Sims, a transplant from Minneapolis, has always had a passion for helping others. “My impact on the world is to do God’s will and empower and support the underserved,” said Sims, the founder and CEO of Elizabeth House Foundation in Charlotte.

The organization was founded in honor of her late mother, Ruth Elizabeth Sims, who died of breast cancer at age 54 in 2008. At the time of her mother’s diagnosis, she was already at Stage 3. Her mother’s young death ignited a passion within Sims to help underserved women get the help they need to live healthier and longer lives. She quickly learned early detection can save lives and that knowledge is key.

A graduate of Metro State University, Sims has decades of experience in nonprofit and philanthropy, dating back to the late 1990s. In Minneapolis, she worked for Pillsbury Neighborhood

Services, a nonprofit organization offering community-based support to ensure families are healthy, safe and ready to thrive.

She also worked in the outreach and advocacy department for Women and Children’s Services and assisted in the Bottoms UP campaign, which sent 10,000 diapers to the governor to advocate for quality, affordable childcare. The success of the campaign created new funding to assist single moms in the program. Sims’ goals are to continue to push the preventive health care initiative, close the gap of disparities among women of color, and provide access to critical health care. Still, she said, her happiest moments are when she can serve and “be a blessing to others.”

— By John Burton

Erica Lawrence

Currently reigning as Ms. Black International Ambassador 2022, Erica Lawrence is a beauty queen with a purpose. Lawrence said she wants to use her platform to promote causes and elevate issues.

Lawrence, the mom of a 10-year-old daughter, and a business operations and project management consultant is a fervent advocate of cancer awareness. Since 2009, cancer has been the leading cause of death in North Carolina, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This resonates with Lawrence because her mother is one of the many North Carolinians battling the disease.

To educate people about cancer and fight cancer, Lawrence founded the H.E.A.L. Initiative, which aims to enlighten the Black community on cancer prevention, promote healing and improve the quality of life for

Alesha Brown, executive director of For The Struggle

For Alesha Brown, civil rights attorney and executive director of the nonprofit organization For The Struggle, striving for racial equality and social justice “has always been a huge part" of her life. "I wanted to be part of a community and help people in need of representation,” she said.

The Charleston, South Carolina, native founded For The Struggle in 2020 to advocate for residents of the Beatties Ford Road neighborhood that is home to many of Charlotte’s African American senior residents.

Beatties Ford Road provides a direct route into Uptown Charlotte via West Trade Street and has served as a central corridor for the city’s African American community for decades with a mixture of historic properties, homes and commercial buildings. The mission of For The Struggle is to “utilize various outlets, including community outreach, policy reform, and legal action to advocate with and on behalf of communities to zealously fight systemic issues of racial and social injustice,” Brown said.

She lives in the neighborhood to assure that she is “up close and personal” with her neighbors’ most pressing issues, especially home repairs, such as painting, carpentry and yard work, that are expensive and unaffordable for senior homeowners. The organization also educates residents in areas of voting and the census.

“It was vital for me to see up close what the residents need and to advocate for them. People here need help and guidance with many issues,” Brown said. “For instance, there is a huge population that’s being threatened with displacement by developers who are buying land in the area, raising prices and forcing residents out. They need someone to stand up for them.”

Brown’s commitment to her community was recognized by “The Kelly Clarkson Show” when she was named “Good Neighbor of the Year for Charlotte” and appeared on an episode in November.. The organization also hosts events on traditional African American holidays such as Juneteenth and provides a senior feeding program and community response team.

For information about For The Struggle, visit forthestruggleinc.com/ or call 704-800-6628.

— By Cheryl Clemmons

current cancer patients. To do so, H.E.A.L. offers practical ways to begin healing at home through events, speaking engagements, personal visits and social media.

Lawrence, a University of North Carolina at Greensboro graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Communication Studies and a master’s degree in Business from Mercer University, said she wants to make her impact on the world purely by showing kindness and patience.

“I believe many of the world’s major issues such as crime and economic disparity could be resolved if everyone had a little more patience and a little more kindness,” she said. “I purposely go out of my way to be kind to people daily in hopes of inspiring them to ‘pay it forward.”

— By John Burton

Laksha Ramkumar, CMS School Board student advisor

Laksha Ramkumar, the 2023 student advisor for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education, has big plans for her school and for her future.

The 16-year-old Butler High School junior, whose term started in January, has set her goal to use her voice to educate fellow students on how to better understand how the Board of Education makes its decisions. She decided to run after attending a CMS School Board meeting.

“What I heard there inspired me to get involved in my education and that of my fellow students. Our high school education affects our entire future, and we need to get more involved in the process, as well as getting our parents more involved with our teachers,” she said.

“I understand how crucial this role is, especially in today’s education system. I will do everything in my power to advocate for the voice of students across CMS,” she told WBTV in November.

Her goals also include increasing scores on national and state standardized and required tests as well as in required courses like math and science that are crucial to college acceptance.

Laksha plans to become a general surgeon or earn a Ph.D. in cell biology. “Either way, I want

Judith Brown, founder of Project 70Forward

When Judith Brown tried to navigate the federal government system to apply for disability benefits, she found herself tangled in a suffocating web of office visits, phone calls, letters and indifferent government employees that was impossible to penetrate. After a long struggle, she finally received her benefits, but was also left with a determination to help others who were caught in the same nightmare.

“I had no idea what I was doing when I started applying for benefits. I also have two sons who are autistic. There was all of this red tape to get through, a lot of paperwork and phone calls. It was a battle. I promised myself after I got my situation straight, I would take what I’d learned and help others because there was no support in the community for problems like this. I know what it’s like and how hard it is to get the support you deserve.”

In 2018, Brown created Project 70Forward, which serves residents of the Grier Heights, Hidden Valley and Thomasboro-Hopkins neighborhoods. The to be a doctor,“ she said. Her target colleges are Duke University, Stanford University and Cornell University. “I’ll be honored to be accepted to any one of these schools.”

— By Cheryl Clemmons

program provides applications, resources, personal connections and contacts in the community and also acts as an advocate.

The service also provides rides to appointments, food, clothes — “just about everything we can,” she said. To increase the program’s reach, Brown has partnered with the Crisis Assistance Ministry to provide necessities like food and clothing. Also, two vans and a car were donated to the organization, and there is a volunteer team of five board members and four team members.

She is proud and grateful that Project 70Forward has grown as it nears its fiveyear anniversary, and she’s looking forward to expanding services.

“I want to do this for the rest of my life. I’ve lived through this. It can take two to four years to complete the process to receive disability payments,” she said. “It’s a crisis. I want people to know they’re not out here alone.“

Contact Project 70Forward at outreach@project70forward.org P

— By Cheryl Clemmons