The
July Issue 2022
C O V E R Melissa Pettignano "Destined for a higher calling”
Award Winning Recording Artist Songwriter Author and Inspirational Speaker
Girl Entrepreneur Kierra Perkins is a Sophomore at Wilson Central High School. Like most teens, she enjoys friends, family and having fun, and she’s had no problem being a successful entrepreneur. What most of her classmates and teachers don’t know is that she’s been the CEO of her own business, Kandles by Kierra, since she was 11 years old. She wanted to do something different for her dad for Father’s Day.
She researched candle making videos and made him the Chocolate Chip Cookie and Milk kandle. Her mother took a picture and posted it on social media. The response was overwhelming. People were excited with how the kandle looked and wanted one of their own. At that moment; Kierra decided she wanted to start her own business. She recently released three new Kandles, Banana Cream Pie, Watermelon, and Blueberry Cobbler.
www.kandlesbykierra.com
She was recently re-certified as a woman-owned business by the Women’s Business Enterprise Council, giving her access to larger corporations that she wasn’t privy to before. These larger retail entities have been trending toward putting local businesses on their shelves. Kierra was introduced to the nation with an appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres Show ahead of the Father’s Day weekend. She was also featured in the New York Times, the teen and her candles positioned against a backdrop that was as vibrant as their subjects.
The young entrepreneur may be shy, but she has big goals, and the motivation to move mountains. Kierra's plan is to graduate from college with a degree in business and finance. Presently her high school studies include a path to business, with the hope of opening her own brick-and-mortar store. Kierra has a mantra she offers to anyone looking to make their own creative footprint: “A young creative mind can grow a business and you do not have to wait until you’re an adult to achieve your goals.”
“You must love what you do,” she advises emerging entrepreneurs. “Believe in yourself and your own ideas. Don’t just do it for the money.”
B L A C K
M U S I C
H O N O R S
The 7th annual Black Music Honors 2022 returned to Atlanta for a live taping on May 19th at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center with co- hosts, 2-x Grammy Winner, LeToya Luckett, and Comedian DeRay Davis.
The annual star-studded two-hour event honored and acknowledged the legendary African American artists who have influenced and made significant musical contributions to African culture and American music worldwide. The 2022 Honorees included a dynamic list of phenomenal artists: The Whispers was honored with the Legends Award and Tevin Campbell received the R&B Icon Award.. Dru Hill who also gave a stunning performance accepted the Urban Music Icon Award. The gospel duo Mary Mary was honored with the Gospel Music Icon Award. Super woman Karyn White finally got her props. She received the Soul Music Award; and song bird Keri Hillson was awarded the Music and Songwriter Award.
The Black Music honors was broadcast in syndication on June 4, July 3, 2022, and Bounce TV on June 25th in recognition of Black Music Month.
The show also featured spectacular performances from some of the most magnanimous musical artists such as Eric Roberson, Raheem DeVaughn, Kevin Ross, PJ Morton, Carl Thomas, 112, Amber Riley, Tasha Page Lockhart, Jade Novah, and many more. With a special performance by Kid’ NPlay to commemorate their 40-plus years in the industry.
The show was produced by Chicago-based production company Central City Productions (CCP) the event fulfilled it’s promises to be non-stop fun and fueled with plenty of excitement. Isabelle Doll Media, International Correspondent was on the scene reporting live for The Cover Magazine Photo Credit: Carolyn Grady Rhythmic
Lights, Camera and Action! Michelle is 5'7" and weigh lbs. Michelle Jordan is a certified professional runway, commercial print and promotional model for AJE Dreamland Productions. She works with consumer brands, photographers, videographers, artists and fashion designers to advertise and promote their products. She's had the pleasure of interviewing as a Dreamland TV show host, also an intern for Dreamland Productions studios. She loves modeling, acting, comedy and showcasing her talent in her hometown, Memphis, TN, Atlanta, GA and other southern states. Michelle takes advantage of every opportunity to showcase her talent, while displaying her passion for fashion.
BOOKING & CASTING INQUIRES www.ajedreamlandproductions@gmail.com
www.ajedreamland.co
Dr. Yvonne D. Nelson "Serving the Community"
Dr. Yvonne Denise Nelson is a humanitarian community advocate whose philosophy and mission is committed to challenging racial, economic, and environmental injustice; and protecting the basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in our American society. A philanthropist who tirelessly fights for better conditions for all can be evidenced by Dr. Nelson’s commitment to being: The former CEO, Editor, and Publisher of NEWSCENE, the NEW SCENE where NEWS is SEEN, an online monthly news magazine for and about residents of Memphis and Shelby County, TN; President of the Whitehaven Community Development Organization, formerly known as the McCorkle Road Neighborhood Development Association, Inc. of Memphis for the past 25+ years; and the spokesperson for My ZIP, a newly formed nonprofit that addresses community ills.
Dr. Nelson is the author of Youthful Voices: An Exploratory Case Study of Successful Youth Intervention and Development Programs. She is a former adjunct professor who taught adult learners Managerial Marketing and Consumer Behavior at LeMoyne-Owen College and Marketing courses at Strayer University. A self-proclaimed life-long learner, prior to her injury, Dr. Nelson was pursuing a path that would eventually lead to her receiving a Juris Doctorate degree in law. Awards and Accomplishments
A few of Dr. Nelson accomplishments include: Being elected President of Class 44 of the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office Training Academy; Serving as a Commissioner with the Memphis City Beautiful commission. Being a fall 2008 Grassroots Program graduate of Leadership Memphis and she also graduated from the former Whitehaven Leadership Program in the mid-90s. Receiving an Environmental award at the third annual Harriet Tubman Living Legends Awards in 2020 Dr. Nelson’s accomplishments, skills, educational background, and training reflect a true commitment to her philosophy and mission. Prior to her injury, she was very active in the Memphis community where she occasionally hosted positive events and programs. She helped organize and lead the movement that prevented Pull-A-Part from locating on the outskirts of her neighborhood in the early 2000’s, led the fight to prevent Waste Connections, LLC of TN from expanding in her neighbor’s backyards (2019), fought and won the fight against Elvis Presley's Graceland when they put a $200,000 bid to purchase Graves Elementary School for a factory.
Dr. Nelson served as a Poll Worker at her voting location, 77-01, for approximately a decade. She successfully challenged the Shelby County Election Commission’s decision to move the polling site to Raineshaven, an elementary school that is no longer in existence, when Graves Elementary School closed in 2014. Dr. Nelson is a Certified Nonprofit Consultant who has been featured in print, on local channels 3, 5, 10, 13, and 24/30, and numerous radio talk shows on a number of occasions.
She is still active and occasionally found fighting environmental injustice issues of all types, especially those that are prevalent in inner-city neighborhoods. She is the proud mother of two adult children, Douglas (Alicia) A. Wright Jr. and Iman Zenoria D. (Terrance) Mason. She has one grandchild, Tai Mason.
Blessings: The Past, Mid, Current and Future Years
Dr. Nelson's daughter, Iman wed husband, Terrance
Dedicated to clean up the community
Dr. Nelson's son, Douglas and his bride, Alicia’s beautiful Wedding
Honoring a Whitehaven Clean-Up Legend and Community SHE-RO, Dr. Yvonne D. Nelson (L-R: Dr. Nelson and Paul Young, President/CEO/Housing and Community Development /Center: Supporters/ Dr. Nelson and Jason Sharif, Whitehaven Ambassador
Michael Harris/Greater Whitehaven Economic Redevelopment Corporation
The Current Year #2022 "God is Good!"
Remaining Steadfast
2022 The Cover Magazine