January 2021 • Winter Issue
Cindy Ayers Elliott Deborah Hunter
more inside…
Coretta Frazier
JOY BRADFORD Faith For Today
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WOMAN TO WOMAN WITH JOANNE : THE MAGAZINE • Issue 34, January 2021
Together, we have the strength.
Education
MCADV provides training sessions, special events and resource materials to all sectors of the community, including law enforcement, professional, civic groups, and services providers.
Public Awareness
MCADV conducts ongoing statewide media campaigns aimed at specific target audiences including action-oriented communications to victims and the public as well as building public awareness about domestic violence in various entities within the community at-large.
Technical Assistance
MCADV provides training, support, resources, and capacity building to member shelter programs and coordinates efforts between programs and other community service agencies to enhance the strategies and programs for victim service provision as well as provide referrals to domestic violence shelter programs and other available services.
Resource Distribution
MCADV maintains information on domestic violence resources and services including stalking, teen dating violence, domestic violence and the faith community, victims’ rights, and elder abuse.
Legal Services
MCADV conducts the coordination of legal services to victims of interpersonal violence associated with the shelter programs, such as family law matters and other non-tort legal services in civil court matters.
1-800-898-3234 SUPPORT@MCADV.ORG MCADV.ORG
WOMAN TO WOMAN WITH JOANNE: THE MAGAZINE
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contents JAN UARY 2021 In This Issue
Publisher & Editor Joanne Bell
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Assistant Editor
ones to a pandemic ...
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Layout Design
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Cover Design Ahmed Alauddin
Virtual Assistant
16 Joy Bradford
To order your shirts go to
Features 22
This Is Me A few weeks ago in my creative writing class, the teacher gave instructions to write ...
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Joy Bradford
Thyroid Awareness Month January is Thyroid Awareness Month. Most people have heard about the
Author, Certified Life Coach and Mentor
thyroid gland but may not have been taught about ...
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Christine Davis
Cover Photo by
Cindy Ayer Elliot: Foot Print Farms Foot Print Farms is Cindy Ayer Elliot’s legacy in the making. The reason Cindy started the...
Chauncey Mangum
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Website womantowomanwithjoanne.com
January is National Blood Donor Month Did you know that every two seconds someone in the United States needs blood? Or that winter months make
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it extremely difficult to collect the necessary am...
bit.ly/joannebellmag Coretta Frazier All rights reserved. No portion of Woman to Woman with Joanne may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. The management of Woman to Woman with Joanne is not responsible for opinions expressed by its writers. Woman to Woman with Joanne maintains the unrestricted right to edit or refuse all submitted material. All advertisements are subject to approval by the publisher. The production of Woman to Woman is funded by advertising and sponsorship.
Woman To Woman With Joanne T-Shirt Ad www.womantowomanwithjoanne.com
Staff Writers
Mya Bell
Mya Bell Photography Mya Bell is a 17-year-old Mississippi School of The Arts ...
Ahmed Alauddin
Staff Photographer
2020 was something wasn’t it? For some it brought sorrow because they lost loved
Dr. Brenda Wilder
Dr. Brenda Wilder Dr. Amanda Lucas Kaitlyn Anderson
Joanne’s Desk
Dr. Cindy Ayers Elliott
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Deborah Hunter: Cooking with Honey Deborah Hunter is the founder of Cooking With Honey and Friends and is affectionately known as the Cookie Lady.
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PURSUING YOUR D.A.P.P
Pursuing Your D.A.P.P is a platform
(Dreams, Ambitions, Passions / Purpose) for women entrepreneurs, who are interested in sharing their stories with other women like them. This month, I chose to...
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Recipe Beef Stew Skillet Pie
Deborah Hunter Coming next month, Woman To Woman With Joanne celebrates Black History Month
622 Duling Avenue Jackson MS 39216
COTACT WITH US 601-398-6733 woman2woman.joanne@yahoo.com
Joanne’s Desk Happy New Year and welcome to 2021! 2020 was something wasn’t it? For some it brought sorrow because they lost loved ones to a pandemic that is absolutely still among us today. Some people lost their jobs, some had business that started to flourish, some people lost their homes, and some suffered from depression and anxiety fearing the uncertainty of what their future may hold. In my own life, 2020 brought many changes, changes I have not wanted to talk about or shed a light on because of shame and embarrassment. In May 2020, I suffered a divorce after only being married for one year. This has been one of the hardest and most embarrassing things for me to say and admit to. I worried about what people would say or think of me, and I just didn’t feel like dealing with it or talking about it. It changed me and pushed me into a depression that I didn’t know that I was in. I still got up, I went to work, I cooked, I ate, but I just felt like I was going through the motions on so many things.
In 2021, so many amazing things are in line to happen and I can’t wait to experience the adventure God has for me and Woman To Woman With Joanne.
Through all of that, God has shown Himself faithful. His grace and mercy has kept me and us and protected us. In 2020 I started a Reading The Bible With Joanne study on Facebook live on Monday’s and Friday’s at 10pm, and I started a talk show that I had been wanting to do for years. God made a way for me to do it and He is continuing to provide. I, as well as others, could go on and on about the bad things that happened in 2020, but why? The most important thing I took from 2020 and brought over to 2021 is that God is still in charge and He is the only one true and living God. There is none other beside Him! None. I have had to choose every day to get up and fight and do the things I feel God is leading me to do. I still fall short and miss the mark, but in the end, I look to God and I trust Him through it all. He will keep me in perfect peace if I keep my mind stayed on Him. I’m standing on that. In 2021, so many amazing things are in line to happen and I can’t wait to experience the adventure God has for me and Woman To Woman With Joanne. Thank you all so much for your support throughout the years. It means more than you know. Love ya much!
Joanne
Staff Writers
Dr. Brenda Wilder
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Dr. Amanda Lucas
WOMAN TO WOMAN WITH JOANNE : THE MAGAZINE • Issue 34, January 2021
Mya Bell
Kaitlyn Anderson
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Mya Bell is a 17-year-old Mississippi School of The Arts student with a focus in Vocal, Theater and Photography. She is the daughter of Joanne Bell Wright. Schedule your photoshoot with Mya. Email MyaBellPhotography@gmail.com or call 601-398-6733.
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Cervical Health
AWARENESS MONTH Do you know how to protect yourself from cervical cancer? All women are at risk for cervical cancer. It occurs most often in women over age 30. Long-lasting infection with certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV) is the main cause of cervical cancer. HPV is a common virus that is passed
from one person to another during intercourse. At least half of sexually active people will have HPV at some point in their lives, but few women will get cervical cancer. Screening tests and the HPV vaccine can help prevent cervical cancer. When cervical cancer is found early, it is
WHAT ARE THE RISK FACTORS FOR CERVICAL CANCER? • Human papillomavirus (HPV) • Having HIV or another condition that makes it hard for your body to fight off health problems • Smoking • Using birth control pills for a long time (5 or more yrs) • Having given birth to 3 or more children • Having several sexual partners WHAT CAN I DO TO REDUCE MY RISK? Two screening tests can help prevent cervical cancer or find it early: • The Pap test (or Pap smear) looks for precancers, cell changes on the cervix that might become cervical cancer if they are not treated appropriately • The HPV test looks for the virus (human papillomavirus) that can cause these cell changes
Most insurances cover preventive services, like Pap smears and HPV tests at no cost to the patient. If you do not have health insurance, our reduced fee is available.
HPV VACCINE The HPV vaccine protects against the types of HPV that most often cause cervical, vaginal and vulvar cancers. • HPV vaccination is recommended for preteens aged 11 to 12 years, but can be given starting at age 9. • HPV vaccine also is recommended for everyone through age 26 years, if they are not vaccinated already. • HPV vaccination is not recommended for everyone older than age 26 years. However, some adults age 27 through 45 years who are not already vaccinated may decide to get the HPV vaccine after speaking with their doctor about their risk for new HPV infections and the possible benefits of vaccination. HPV vaccination in this age range provides less benefit, as more people have already been exposed to HPV. HPV vaccination prevents new HPV infections, but does not treat existing infections or diseases. This is why the HPV vaccine works best when given before any exposure to HPV. You should get screened for cervical cancer regularly, even if you received an HPV vaccine.
Visit our OBGYN page for a full list of services. Content source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
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highly treatable and associated with long survival and good quality of life.
WOMAN TO WOMAN WITH JOANNE : THE MAGAZINE • Issue 34, January 2021
Source: www.jhcvirginia.org
CLINTON MUSIC CONSERVATORY
All ages: Piano,Voice Lessons Preschool Ages: Kiddy Keys Contact Dr. Brenda Wilder, Piano & Voice 601-918-3026 brendawilder@comcast.net or Shardae McAfee, Piano 601-906-4130 shardaemcafee@gmail.com
Join the Fun!
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Woman To Woman With Joanne now offers T-Shirts. Check out our new T-Shirt Designs. To order your shirts go to www.womantowomanwithjoanne.com
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This Is Me By Kaitlyn Anderson
A few weeks ago in my creative writing class, the teacher gave instructions to write 5 poems. First thing I thought was 5?! How in the world am I going to write 5 poems, I can barely write one, let alone five? Since I must pass this class, I decided to attempt the assignment.
poetry writing is not easy, but once the writing begin, one can find herself immersed in the story being told through the poem. The first poem I will share is titled “This is me”. This poem was based from my insecurities, how I felt that I was
and new age, I thought maybe that was the best time to change, but I had no idea how. I did not want to change my values and beliefs, but at the same time, I wanted to be popular or at least accepted.
I decided to use the line, “ I would feel like an apple that has grown from a plum tree,” not only because I felt it was creative but because I truly did feel like that in middle school and going Looking in the mirror what do I see? into high school. I had no idea how I could make it work, and Flaws, flaws, and more flaws looking back at me. even though I had family telling How can I ever be happy looking how I feel? me how I unique and special Is sadness, depression, frustration is this part of the deal. I was, I still felt I needed my classmates to think of me the Walking through 9th grade hall trying to be different than who I was in middle school, same way. Honestly, I did not Maybe if I more like everyone else, they will think that I am cool. understand how being me was more important than trying to be But how can I be like them and still be me? like everyone else until later in I would feel like an apple that has grown from a plum tree. high school. Having a talk with my friends and family about why they feel I am special, One of my favorite words is Their response is because you are different and unique. the word “unique.” It sounds so Being unique does not make you weak. elegant, pretty, and classy but Looking in the mirror once again I can finally see, also different. I realize that I can be weird in a good way and that And I am happy to finally say that this is me. weirdness makes me who I am. When I share things that people When it was time to be critiqued not good enough. It gives insight on may not know about me, I feel unique. on my poems by my teacher and a time when I felt confused about When I look in the mirror I see things I class, I, of course, automatically start who I was supposed to be and how would like to fix, like my face breaking thinking the worse: that I am about to I was supposed to act. In middle out or a bad hair day, but I still have to be shredded by my classmates and school I went through a period of realize God made me the way I am for teacher! To my shock, the feedback bullying. Before going to a public a reason. I still am searching for that was not negative, it was actually good. school in the 6th grade, I had been exact reason and purpose, but there is The class was shocked about how in a private school. Things were no denying that God made me special. open and real I was in the poems. My much different compared to public poems were based on things I had school. Once I entered public school, One is never too old to read a gone through and the emotions I was I was automatically noticed as being children’s book with a beautiful feeling at that time, mixed with the different from most students there. I message. As a kid my Mom had me emotions that I currently feel. dressed different, I acted different, and read the book, You are Special, by I had this innocence that made it easy Max Lucado, which I highly suggest For the next few publications, I will to be a target. I carried the bullying reading. It’s important to let children share some poems I wrote and the comments with me into high school. know at an early age just how special meaning behind them. Many times Being in ninth grade in a new school God made them.
This is me
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WOMAN TO WOMAN WITH JOANNE : THE MAGAZINE • Issue 34, January 2021
Spread Awarness January is Thyroid Awareness Month. Most people have heard about the thyroid gland but may not have been taught about the huge importance this gland plays in our bodies. The thyroid gland is a small, butterfly-shaped gland that is located at the base of the neck. This gland influences the function of our most essential organs in the body: brain, liver, heart, kidneys and skin. The thyroid’s primary job is to make hormones that are secreted into the blood stream and carried to every tissue in our bodies. The body uses this hormone for metabolism, digestion, regulating body temperature, and much more. It is vital to ensure your thyroid gland is healthy and functioning to its proper capabilities. There are over 30 Million Americans who have been affected by Thyroid disease. There are a few types of thyroid disease that the public should be aware of: The only sure way to be diagnosed with this disease is to have a blood test performed that measures your thyroid hormone levels. It is highly recommended that if you or the individual you serve is a senior over 60 that a thyroid-stimulating hormone test be administered. This test measures if the gland is working properly or not. Anyone can develop a thyroid problem; however, it is more prominent in older women. There are various forms of treatment for this disease: medication, iodine, hormones, therapy and surgery. This all depends on the type of disease that is occurring. These treatments can help greatly improve a person’s quality of life. Caregivers and loved ones should know the signs/ symptoms of thyroid disease and contact a medical professional for assistance as needed.
THERE ARE VARIOUS FORMS OF TREATMENT FOR THIS DISEASE: medication, iodine, hormones, therapy and surgery. This all depends on the type of disease that is occurring. These treatments can help greatly improve a person’s quality of life. Caregivers and loved ones should know the signs/ symptoms of thyroid disease and contact a medical professional for assistance as needed.
https://www.thyroid.org/january-thyroid-awareness-month/ https://www.publicnewsservice.org/2019-01-10/health-issues/thyroid-medication-among-most-prescribed-in-u-s/a65176-1
Source: www.PCHC.org
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WOMAN TO WOMAN WITH JOANNE HONORS
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 1929-1968
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CINDY AYER ELLIOT Foot Print Farms
Foot Print Farms is Cindy Ayer Elliot’s legacy in the making. The reason Cindy started the farm was to impact the community. Foot Print Farms is an urban farm actually located in the city of Jackson, Mississippi, and is the largest urban farm in the state, with 68 acres. Cindy was born and raised in Mississippi and is the seventh generation Mississippian in her family. She moved to New York for a time but returned to Mississippi to use her knowledge and experience to make an impact. Cindy has always enjoyed her family life, going to church on Sundays, being in the church choir, and participating in dinners on the grounds. Considering herself a farmer, Cindy is the new face of farming. She likes to
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WOMAN TO WOMAN WITH JOANNE : THE MAGAZINE • Issue 34, January 2021
look at solutions to make life better for numerous people, as her grandparents and great-grandparents have done. Foot Print Farms was created to improve the Mississippi statistical data of health, such as hypertension and heart disease. Mississippi doesn’t have a successful rate in dealing with health disparities. Good health involves good food, but if people don’t have access to healthy foods or even know about them, it’s difficult to improve. Fast foods also contribute to poor health, so Foot Print Farm is an avenue to bring access to healthy foods for the community.
Foot Print Farms uses six to eight acres for farming, and the farm is buffered by thirty acres on one side and eighty acres on the other. There are plenty of trees and open land, and they are a USDA certified farm so they can sell their food anywhere. In addition, they are certifies by USDA Nutrition, which is like grocery stores in that they can accept Snap and EBT cards. Cindy is confident that their mission and focus is clear. Around 2012, the farm began working with the football team at Wingfield High School to offer healthier food to the team. The football team became a 4-H group, like future scientists of America and let them know they are important. They team leased one acre from the farm for $1.00 and grew a crop of watermelons. They learned math, science, economics, and how to save money, which are all important for daily life. The farm showed them what they can accomplish. Now some of them are in college and some are working with agricultural farming. The farm taught them how to plant seeds in the ground but also planted seeds of success in their brains. Foot Print Farms continues to present workshops to youth and schools while also working with families in the community. Foot Print Farms uses technology
as much as possible. An example is water based growing, called Aerophonics, which is self-contained. It waters itself, and the plants can be grown in a small space. Another unique tool the farm uses is Afritourism, which is basically agriculture tourism, observing and learning where food come from. Located at the farm is a cottage that visitors can rent for a few days, a week, a month, or longer. Fishing is available on the farm, and many authors come to the cottage for inspiration to write. Film companies have visited the farm in hopes of filming there. There is a group meeting space where farm to table healthy dinners are offered. The chefs are outstanding! All aspects of farming and harvesting can be viewed at the farm. Archery is offered and even a rocking chair in which people can just enjoy life. There are many farmers who help at the farm, and they all are making a difference. Cindy’s son is teaching children to fish. Further information on Foot Print Farms can be found on Instagram and Facebook.
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JOY BRADFORD Author, Certified Life Coach and Mentor
Little Reagan Bradford was diagnosed with B-Cell Lymphoma at only 21 months old. She had fever and a lump behind her ear that alerted the baby sitter to caution her mom Joy to keep a watch out for. After the fever didn’t break, Joy took little Reagan to the hospital. At the hospital, they tested for Strep throat and a few other things which all came back negative. The ER doctor thought it to be just an inflamed lymph node and that maybe she was fighting a cold. So, he prescribed antibiotics and sent them on their way with instructions to bring her back if the fever did not break, but to also follow up with the pediatrician if the lump did not go down.
they prescribed stronger antibiotics and steroids which actually caused the lump to decrease in size but, as soon as she finished all the medicine, the lump began to swell again. At this point they wanted to do an MRI and Joy nearly lost it. “My baby was just 18 months at that time and they would have to put her to sleep.” Reagan did great during the test but, the results were inconclusive so they would now have to do a biopsy on the mass. Again, little Reagan had to be put to sleep and now they had to cut the backside of her ear to get the sample. “My stomach was in knots the entire time. The doctor informed us before the procedure that if it was a cyst, they could drain it, but if it was a tumor, they would take a sample to see if it was malignant or benign.”
At the pediatrician, they thought the same as the ER doctor, that Reagan was fighting an infection or cold that caused her lymph nodes to swell. About a week later, the lump continued to increase in size but, it never gave Reagan any trouble. After another visit to the ER and Pediatrician, they were referred to an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) doctor who prescribed a steroid and antibiotic which did not prove any significant change. So, they were encouraged to drive to Jackson, MS to see a Pediatric ENT. There
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“When they called our names, my heart was beating so fast I thought it would explode. He took us into a small room and told us it was a tumor and that it would take several days for the results to come back. We waited and waited and then we got the call. It was malignant. They told us to pack a bag for several days and come to Children’s Cancer Clinic in Jackson, MS. We stayed there 9 days, which
Photo Credit: Chauncey Mangum
Woman To Woman With Joanne The Magazine was so honored to sit down and talk with Joy Bradford about their faith journey through the cancer diagnosis of her daughter Reagan. Below is their story:
were the longest days of our lives. For the first several days they had not diagnosed Reagan, but we were given all types of possibilities. Maybe it was leukemia or maybe it was B-Cell or T-Cell Lymphoma.” After a lot of back and forth, it was confirmed that little
Reagan had B-Cell Lymphoma and needed to start chemotherapy and treatment immediately. “I was flooded with emotion. The questions flooded my thoughts continually and I was not ok.” So many
fears and questions flooded my mind and I needed to understand and try to wrap my brain around why this happened to us. I thought we had done something wrong, there had to be some type of explanation. But neither was true. Months later, I finally got past my fears, emotions and consuming thoughts of those worst-case scenarios and I heard God speak. He asked me where was my faith? He asked if He had ever let me down? At that moment I was shook. I began praying that my baby is healed. I fed my faith muscle daily by reciting scripture and renewing my mind. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.” Reagan began chemo and other treatments which compromised her
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this journey, there were times when Joy and T.J. had to have grace for each other. They had to be patient and understanding to grant each other the space and grace to have a moment. To be angry, to be uncertain, to question, to be afraid. But against the odds, this journey brought them closer together. “We had to choose to trust God daily. We had to choose to keep our faith strengthened, and choose to focus on the positive in the situation. We had to have Faith For Today.”
be with her all the time. They decided Joy would stay home with little Reagan. At the beginning, Reagan had treatments once a week, then every ten days, then once a month. She took chemo medications by mouth at home daily and received chemo through her port at her monthly visits.
immune system which mean she could not be around school aged children. Joy and her husband T.J. had to decide who would stay home with Reagan since she needed someone to
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After her very first set of scans, and every single scan after that, it was totally clear. No sign of Cancer. Little Reagan completed her treatments in September 2020. God is faithful! “I could see God’s hand through every step of the journey.” During
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The book Faith For Today is a devotional written for every woman, no matter her level of faith, who is seeking a daily re-focus, boost, and a reality check of their faith. To order your copy, go to www.joybradford.com or order from amazon. Joy Bradford is a Christ follower, wife, mom, Certified Life Coach, and Author. As a Coach and Mentor, Joy works alongside her clients to assist them in pursuing their God-given purposes while becoming the best versions of themselves. She believes that one’s confidence in Christ and clarity in purpose is the key to enjoying the best quality of life. Joy now resides in Starkville, MS with her husband T.J. and their 2 beautiful children, Reagan and Gabe.
January is
NATIONAL BLOOD DONOR Month Did you know that every two seconds someone in the United States needs blood? Or that winter months make it extremely difficult to collect the necessary amount of blood and platelets needed to supply hospitals? This January, the American Red Cross celebrates National Blood Donor Month and recognizes the lifesaving contribution of blood and platelet donors. National Blood Donor Month has been celebrated each January for nearly 50 years and coincides with one of the most difficult times to maintain a sufficient blood supply for patients. When it comes to blood and platelet donations, the winter season is often filled with hurdles as blood drives compete with things such as seasonal illnesses and inclement weather. A donation shortfall over the winter holidays has prompted the American Red Cross to issue an emergency call for blood and for platelet donors to give now to prevent a blood shortage from continuing throughout winter and affecting patient care. The Red Cross collected more than 27,000 fewer blood and platelet donations the weeks of Christmas and New Year’s than needed to sustain a sufficient blood supply, as busy holiday schedules kept many donors away. During this critical time of year, the Red Cross depends on donors to
continue to supply these resources in order to make sure that blood products are available at about 2,500 hospitals nationwide. Thanks to the generosity of volunteer blood donors, the American Red Cross helps patients receive the blood and platelets needed to battle illness and injury.According to the Red Cross, nearly 2.7 million people in the U.S. volunteer to donate blood and platelets every year. Blood and platelets are available for distribution to hospitals through the Red Cross 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Blood transfusions are given to patients in all kinds of circumstances, including serious injuries, surgeries, child-birth, anemia, blood disorders, cancer treatments and many others. This consistent demand makes National Blood Donor Month an integral piece of the puzzle. Each day the Red Cross must collect 13,000 pints of blood from across the country to meet the needs of patients. This makes a blood and platelet shortage during the colder months a crucial matter for the Red Cross and the hospitals they serve. Blood is a perishable product that can only come from generous volunteers. A blood donation takes about an hour from start to finish, but the actual donation itself only takes between 8 to 10 minutes. By spending an hour giving blood,
donors can aid their community and help save lives! Each blood and platelet donation can save the lives of as many as three people, so this January be a hero in your community and find the closest blood drive or blood donation center in your area. Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements. Blood donors can now save time at their next donation by using RapidPass to complete their predonation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, prior to arriving at the blood drive. To get started and learn more, visit redcrossblood. org/RapidPass and follow the instructions on the site. Source: www.redcross.org
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DEBORAH HUNTER Cooking with Honey By Dr. Brenda Wilder Deborah Hunter is the founder of Cooking With Honey and Friends and is affectionately known as the Cookie Lady. Her cookbook is titled My Delicious Mississippi Life. Hunter grew in West Jackson, the oldest of four children and the only girl in a household of three boys. She joked that she would trade all three brothers for one bicycle. Hunter lives by the philosophy of getting as much education as possible but also exploring the curious mind and discovering/exploring new opportunities. She is a self-taught entrepreneur and believes art is food, science, and technology. All these belong to God, and one can constantly be learning every day. Everywhere she goes, Hunter likes to bring a sample of her cooking. In 2011, Hunter bought a home with a chef kitchen. She raised her hands, closed her eyes, asked the Holy Spirit to give her the gift of cooking. She felt a sweet affirming spirit sweep across her and knew it was God. The next morning she began cooking, knowing the Biblical principle of Faith Without Action. Later she was invited by Randy Tin with Comcast to present a cooking show, which continued for two years.
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Hunter lives by the philosophy of getting as much education as possible but also exploring the curious mind and discovering/ exploring new opportunities.
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Next Mississippi Public Broadcasting invited Hunter to present a radio show, which proceeded for six years. During that time, she began freelance writing for various agencies online, one of which asked her to write a cookbook. Hunter had compiled recipes over several years. Some of the recipes were from friends and others were original, since Hunter believes time in the kitchen always adds ones’ own personality to whatever she’s cooking. Her cookbook tells a story about love and kindness, including many quotes by her grandmother. When the cookbook was introduced, it was sold out within a few hours and was one of Amazon’s best sellers within a couple of days. Hunter knows it was a God thing and is very grateful. In addition to cooking, Hunter is an artist and has a collection. She loved to sketch as a child, and when she is under pressure, God gives her something to do. She bought some paint and canvases, and painting became a joy she couldn’t stop. She began mixing color and texture and getting new ideas, crediting God for being alive and well in her life with creativity. She’s now exploring writing poetry and songs, plus sculpture. Hunter believes God wants to overflow in our lives, inspired by trusting Him and His process. One piece of Hunter’s art came from inspiration while riding through the MS Delta, seeing the ending of the harvest for cotton. She began imagining about what is was like for her ancestors and what life is like today. She thought about people of color always being beautiful, and it inspired her to paint a yellow dress symbolizing the past and present freedom. Hunter’s art can be viewed online under the Deborah Hunter Collection. At Deborah Hunter with Facebook, her Delicious Mississippi Life Cookbook can be viewed.
people. To her, being an entrepreneur is not just about producing a product or sale, but it’s really connecting heart to heart with the soul of people. She thinks about how we can change each other’s lives. The Cookie Lady idea developed in 2020. A friend requested that Hunter make some cookies for an office meeting, which were eaten
quickly. The Holy Spirit led her to bake more cookies, which has financially sustained her during a difficult year. Hunter thinks that God is an entrepreneur, and the hardest part of having a business is overcoming one’s insecurities and minding the business of the mind. God can help create a new, clean heart within us. It’s difficult to focus when one has too much on the mind.
Hunter has had the spirit of an entrepreneur throughout life. She was a cosmetologist for thirty years, which prepared her for life and where she is now, because she was given a love for WOMAN TO WOMAN WITH JOANNE: THE MAGAZINE
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When we ask for money, sometimes God doesn’t give us the money but rather gives us an idea in order to create something to make the money. God is a generous banker and will be exceedingly abundant in our lives. Hunter cooks for her parents every Sunday, her way of investing back into their lives for the loving kindness and prayer they have shown to her. They were an excellent example for Hunter to follow. During the pandemic, Hunter thinks too many are focused on what’s wrong, and the more one focuses on that, the more it will influence more wrong. She suggests giving acts of kindness to parents, friends, children,
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and even strangers. Hunter suggests trying something new for the holidays. A friend of hers had grandparents who tasted the dishes that the grandchildren had been assigned to cook. They tasted the dishes, said a prayer, and gave a blessing to each grandchild. It’s a creative way to share love. Family members can also share events with loved ones via Zoom while cooking or special family gatherings. For more information, visit her Facebook page, https://www.facebook. com/Cooking-With-Honey-andFriends-162761787161363.
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PURSUING YOUR D.A.P.P (Dreams, Ambitions, Passions / Purpose) BY: Amanda Jones AKA Miss Working Masterpiece Pursuing Your D.A.P.P is a platform for women entrepreneurs, who are interested in sharing their stories with other women like them. This month, I chose to investigate the human resource industry, where I found Coretta Frazier. She is the CEO of her company, Professional Management Solutions, Read along as I discovered how Coretta put the “Human back into Human Resource�. Coretta got started in this industry in 2006, when she was 24 years old. In April, she had decided to leave her full-time job as a department manager at Walmart. She was already working part-time in the back office of her familyowned janitorial company. After leaving Walmart, her mother became ill. She was then forced to become the HR/ Payroll and Supervisor for her mother's small janitorial company that serviced over 5,000 students along with staff and administrators. After several years of managing a small business, she decided to go back into corporate American and use resources that the company offered to obtain a master's degree in Human resources. Going back to corporate America in 2012 was different; she had to work for a staffing firm before she could be hired directly to the company. Working for the staffing firm two years, while obtaining her MBA birthed a new keen sight on the workforce. After working for Nissan Manufacturing for several years, she decided to create her human resource consulting and recruitment firm Professional Management Solutions, where their solutions address the importance of
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understanding that both employees and employers are real people and each component of their business is centered around that relationships are the core to what human resource is.
Q: How did you get started in this industry?
What the world and any aspiring entrepreneur needs to understand about being an entrepreneur is, the fact you have to walk miles in some pretty big shoes before you can get out in this universe and claim to be a 6-figure chic or have billionaires status. This journey is not for the faint of heart. I know what it takes to run a business. I started my entrepreneurship journey as Director of Operations, with a small business that grossed a quarter of million in revenue every year when I was the tender age of 21. I've worked in corporate America, making over $70,000.00 a year just as well as an entry level employee making only 20,0000 a year. I have been the CEO grossing in sales of $1,000,000.00 and more. I understand what it takes in an organization from a Janitors' perspective all the way up to the CEO's perspective. To be an entrepreneur, you must have empathy but be firm at the same time. You have to enjoy what you do; you have to trust your instincts, you have to make decisions and stop waiting on someone else to pat you on your back and say good job. Lastly, you can never give up. Entrepreneurship is not as easy as it looks! You must show up every day. There are no sick days. Your business and your income depend on you and solely on you.
WOMAN TO WOMAN WITH JOANNE : THE MAGAZINE • Issue 34, January 2021
Q: What is the one thing you want the world to understand about being an entrepreneur? The hardest thing for me to face or learn is knowing what I deserve, understanding my value, and knowing what my target audience can afford. Me being an accomplished woman, I doubted for a long time my deservingness and my worth. We can't continue to confuse it with entitlement. Entitlement is about believing you have a right to something. Deservingness is about how much you believe you are worth. I've realized that doubting your deservingness is saying you're really uncertain whether or not you measure up or if you are good enough? Now that I know my worth, I don't have a problem with pricing my services. A piece of advice I can give is, just know in life, you will always create the results you believe you deserve. If you don't believe you deserve good things, you won't let yourself have them and you will neglect your worth.
Q: What has been the hardest
Q: What /Who motivates or
What has required the most courage of me in life is not just one thing. I am a risk-taker, and I'll dive in headfirst, but each of these three things has required a little more courage than I admitted to having. They each have needed the same level of courage. Raising children, standing up for myself, and learning how to swim. I had my first child in 2005, about a year after marrying my high school sweetheart and my second child 6 ½ years later. Both were wonderful experiences, but I was worried about their lifestyle, education, and how my husband and I could best provide for them from the day they were conceived up until now. It has taken a lot of courage to raise children in this day and time. Now with them being age 8 and 15, I am grateful God has led us into shaping two beautiful children.
What and who motivates and inspires me? Inspiration is something that I feel on the inside, while motivation is from the outside that compels me to do what I do. My grandmother is an inspiration to me. She birthed and raised 17 children. She is 94 years old now, and she still gets up and takes care of herself to the best of her ability. Watching her from an incredibly young age inspires me to do my best no matter what and never give up. What motivates me is my children. Leaving a legacy for them is what drives me daily. My mother is number 14 of my grandmother's children; my mother is also the first one in her family to start her own business. My younger sister is the first to obtain a Doctorate in our family. I think I must continue to build generational wealth for our family, and we all strive for better in our lives and our community. There is also one other person who motivates and inspires me at the same time. Her name is Janice Bryant Howard, who is the CEO of ActOne Group, which is rated as the largest privately owned company by a black woman in the US. Janice is recognized as the first African American Women to own a billion-dollar company. One of my favorite quotes from her recent book is, "It is not your right but your duty to do big things. You have been given gifts. It's your obligation to use them." She is so motivating and inspiring to me.
thing for you to face or learn?
Q:What has required the most courage of you in life so far?
Standing up for myself is something else that required a lot of courage for me. My personality type is defined as introverted. I am usually reserved but overly sensitive to how others feel. One of my weaknesses is having extremely high expectations for everything, which is considered a weakness with this personality type. The big one for me in this personality type is running from confrontation in efforts to try to please others. Please don't take me not standing up for myself as meaning I let others treat me poorly; that's not the case. But it took a lot of courage to say enough is enough or state my case in a given situation, especially when it involved the ones, I love the most. Setting some boundaries was the best decision I could have ever made, and it took a lot of courage. The final thing that has required courage is learning how to swim. I am 37 years old, and for the first time in my life, I took swim lessons and learned to swim. Swimming and the other two things I mentioned above took a great deal of courage for me, and I am grateful to God for giving me the wisdom and the strength to face them and gracefully do it.
inspires you?
Thus far, my biggest accomplishment is obtaining my master's degree in business after being out of college for over ten years while launching my successful recruitment agency all at the same time.
Q: Any new and exciting thing you would like to share?
Something new and exciting is baking in the oven. I am a true entrepreneur. I enjoy creating new opportunities. It's my goal to fully staff Innovative Workforce Development, a non-profit which I am the founder of and is heavily involved in. I will also be sharing my most recent and exciting business venture to launch in 2021.
Q: Any advice you would
like to give to other women entrepreneurs in your field?
Any advice that I can give to other women entrepreneurs is to never give up on yourself or your dreams!! Put yourself first so you can better take care of others. A quote by Sam Walton that I love states, "high expectation is the key to everything." Have high expectations and don't accept anything less. If I can leave you with one last thing, always remember to "lead from the front and set an inspiring example for others."
Q: What do you wish you knew when you were first starting that you know now? What I wish I knew when I first started that I know now is that everyone can't go with you. As much and as how many people you want to bring along on the ride. They just can't go. Everyone does not have the same vision as you; everyone does not have the same goals as you; everyone does not have the same tenacity or gift that God granted you. So, some will fall off at the first stop, and that's ok. I think waiting for others and waiting for approval can keep you from achieving your goals. So, if you must go by yourself, go and find some like-minded individuals on your way up.
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WOMAN TO WOMAN WITH JOANNE : THE MAGAZINE • Issue 34, January 2021
WOMAN TO WOMAN WITH JOANNE: THE MAGAZINE
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BEEF STEW SKILLET PIE INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
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• In a large resealable container, combine 3 tablespoons flour, salt and pepper. Add beef in batches; shake to coat. Invert a 10-in. cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet onto parchment; trace circle around pan 1/4 in. larger than rim. Cut out circle and set aside. In same skillet, saute beef in oil until browned. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until onion is tender. Add wine, stirring to loosen browned bits.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided 1-1/2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1 pound boneless beef round steak, cut into 1-inch pieces 2 tablespoons canola oil 1 large onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/4 cup dry red wine 2 cups beef broth, divided 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning 1/2 teaspoon dried basil 1 bay leaf 2 medium potatoes, cubed 3 large carrots, peeled and sliced 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed 1/2 cup frozen peas 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley 1 large egg, beaten
• Combine 1-1/2 cups broth, tomato paste, Italian seasoning and basil; stir into skillet. Add bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until meat is tender, about 45 minutes. Add potatoes and carrots; cook until vegetables are tender, 20-25 minutes longer. • Meanwhile, roll out puff pastry to fit skillet using parchment circle as a guide; cut venting slits in pastry. Keep chilled until ready to use. • Combine the remaining flour and broth until smooth; gradually stir into skillet. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Discard bay leaf. Stir in peas and parsley. • Brush beaten egg around edge of skillet to help pastry adhere; carefully place pastry over filling. Using a fork, press pastry firmly onto rim of pan; brush with egg. Bake pie at 425° until pastry is dark golden brown, 30-35 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts 1 slice: 473 calories, 19g fat (4g saturated fat), 73mg cholesterol, 1088mg sodium, 49g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 6g fiber), 25g protein. Source: tasteofhome.com
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WOMAN TO WOMAN WITH JOANNE : THE MAGAZINE • Issue 34, January 2021
"Fear was my Friend" addresses the disappointments in life that creates fear in our spirit. Readers will identify with the author's experiences and be encouraged to disown the fear that hinders us from accomplishing our best." Brenda Wilder WOMAN TO WOMAN WITH JOANNE: THE MAGAZINE
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WOMAN TO WOMAN WITH JOANNE : THE MAGAZINE • Issue 34, January 2021
