Huami Magazine Atlanta Sept./Oct. 2021

Sept./Oct. 2021

Volume 2 Issue 1

Old Ways Don’t Work On The Driving Course

A Letter From The Editor

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

It seems like such a long time ago. The moment had arrived for me to become a licensed automobile driver. I was only 16 years old. For the most part, just a little young guy, full of ambition and excited about driving a car. I had enrolled in a driver’s education program at school. The classes were conducted after school for six weeks and included several other soon-to-be legitimate juvenile drivers. We were all ready, but I don’t think anyone was more eager than I was.

A Letter from the Editor

What if tomorrow didn’t arrive? All of your plans, hopes and dreams wouldn’t have a street to park on. What if everything that you decided to put off until tomorrow never happened? There would be no reason to save for a rainy day, and you could spare someone the trouble of making promises. What if your last opportunity seemingly expired today? What would you do?

On the driving course, there were several cars with an automatic transmission. However, there was only one vehicle that contained a manual transmission (a stick shift). As fate would have it, I was the only student familiar with a stick shift, as I had gained prior instruction and driving experience from a few experienced drivers. I knew the gear pattern and understood how to manage the clutch and gas paddles, and knew how to keep the car powered while doing so. I would choose that vehicle to drive during class.

I’ve been told that I often seem like I do too much. Honestly, I feel like I am not doing enough and I’m a firm believer in knowing that God wouldn’t put anything on me that I couldn’t handle. I sometimes wonder how life would be if I chose to sit idle and accept what it presented to me. I have found that to be very boring. In my opinion, opportunity is a blessing that isn’t afforded to everyone. A challenge to me is an adventure. What is the worst that can happen? If I do nothing, I fail, and if I try I don’t, but instead learn something new about myself. Relinquish your pride and in return acquire life.

I appeared to be in a league of my own on the driving course amongst the other student drivers. I handled the curves well, and didn’t run over any of the cones. I managed the straight paths like a pro, and looked pretty comfortable while driving in reverse. I was good, at least that’s what I believed.

One day in class, the vehicle I was driving was at the front of the pack on the driving course. I jumped out the gate fast, and that was my first mistake. As I went around the curves, I used little brakes, and the tires on my car were screaming. “Stop!” That command was screamed through the megaphone held by the driving instructor. He made me park the car and get out for the remainder of the day. I laughed it off while trying to keep my cool amongst my classmates, but on the inside, I was embarrassed. I would eventually drive again and eventually completed the program, but it was clear that I almost jeopardized all of that from happening.

The best advice ever given to me happened when someone told me to make my tomorrow happen today. In doing so I have pressed my way through doors with a key that only hope provided. I have also learned the difference between what God blesses me with and what life can burden me with as well. I compare it to knowing when to be confident and when to be quiet, because someone may get it confused with being arrogant.

Make you tomorrow happen today, but most importantly make it count. Life is but a whisper and we must put ourselves in a position to hear what it is telling us.

At the time, I didn’t realize how I had put myself and others in danger by becoming arrogant and comfortable during a moment when I should have been learning and listening. I made the mistake of applying invalid experience in a setting where I was supposed to gain experience to be validated. God showed me on that day, when I try to do things my way and use information or instruction that didn’t come from Him, I am just an accident waiting to happen. Yet, when I do listen and obey His commands, He will qualify me to drive on the roads and highways of life.

Terry L. Watson Editor/Founder

huami.atlanta@gmail.com (336)340-7844

By Terry L. Watson

Photos Provided

by

Makeisha Melton

When you think of professional attire, one may imagine pantsuits and long sleeve shirts. It is deemed professional when the design of clothes covers the body and doesn’t remotely make you seem provocative or alluring. This kind of everyday style can condemn your thoughts. Ultimately, you begin to believe that fashion and work cannot coexist. Makeisha Melton has made it her purpose to challenge this notion.

Makeisha is the owner of Blue Gems Boutique, an online store located in Dublin, GA. Makeisha mixes vogue with sass, and comfortability with white-collar attire, assuring her clients that style and professionalism are not foreign concepts. “I have something for all body types. My collection ranges from two-piece sets to jumpsuits and casual wear, including dresses, t-shirts, and jewelry,” she says.

The idea for Blue Gems Boutique came to Makeisha mind in 2019, but the online store was launched in 2020. By doing so, it helped Makeisha to be able to express her creativity on a much grander scale. “I knew I wanted to do something with fashion. I was like, I think I can do this. I’ve always loved fashion and had an eye for colors and texture,” she shares. “I believed my eye for fashion could help women in the African American community.”

Her creative repertoire shows through her human interest also. From hair school to constant hours of Youtube trials, her pins for fashion and designing grew to the online boutique. It also gave her a platform for what she was born to do. She took inspiration from preppy-textbook looks and IMartha, another fashion boutique, and created unique items for herself and her.

Continued on the next page

“I love when my clients feel confident in it. It means that I have reached my goal of providing comfortability, confidence, professionalism, and compassion.”

Being a relatively new small business, Blue Gems Boutique has been making big waves with women because of its versatility and various size options. It was important for Makeisha to capture the essence of women at work and in everyday loungewear. Her goal is to make her clients feel confident and happy with themselves. “I love that I see people, well women, embracing their body types,” Melton describes as she explains what her line is about. “I love when my clients feel confident in it. It means that I have reached my goal of providing comfortability, confidence, professionalism, and compassion.”

Makeisha is inspired by the kinds of women that she represents and the willingness to get better at what she does. She also loves the opportunity to engage with clients, both new and old, and to be able to show them a side of themselves that has never been seen. “My customers keep me going. The reviews get me super excited. As well as the emails, feedback, and encouraging words from people I don’t even know. It keeps me going. It keeps me level,” she shares.

Of course, every entrepreneur is perceived to be strong and courageous. Still, Makeisha’s biggest challenge was not only surviving the Covid 19 pandemic but also getting the Blue Gems Boutique name out there. “In the beginning, I was worried about being shy and quiet. I’ve never really talked to many people in my hometown, so I was a little apprehensive about networking,” she says. Still, she knew for her business to survive, she would have to talk. Even more, without proper exposure, Makeisha feared that it might not be the right time to start a brand. Her business knowledge was not so strong, but she believed that God had a plan.

In the future, Makeisha hopes to expand her boutique to a storefront. With pop-up shops, and her brand growing on social platforms like Instagram and Facebook, she believes that she will achieve her dreams. The determining factor for Makeisha is that she has a strong will to survive. I will not give up, and I can’t give in. I have to stick to the plan.”

To learn more about Makeisha Melton and The Blue Gem Boutique, please visit their website.

h

I Was Created For Greatness

By Dorjae McClammey

Malcolm Allen, better known as Mac Royals is someone you can describe as super talented. The 29-year-old musician who grew up in Wrightsville, Arkansas, is a musician, photographer, videographer, director, artist consultant, and chef.

Music has always been a part of Mac, even from birth. Everyone in his family sings; his mother, father, brother, sister, even his grandfather. He was a part of the children’s choir until his voice became so powerful that he was moved up to the adult choir.

In elementary, Mac started to dabble in different aspects of the arts. He chose to play the violin for a couple of years, with the help of one of his teachers, Mr.Crips. “I loved him to death because he was very stern. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have fallen in love with music the way I did,” he shares. From there, He started writing his own music and falling in love with it more and more.

Unfortunately, his father was incarcerated for most of his early childhood and teen years. Still, Mac kept focused with the help of his community around him, especially his guardian angel, older cousin Marcus Wilson. Marcus was a rapper himself, so he would set up studio sessions for him and his cousin. This was when Mac recorded his very first song at the young age of 13.

To say Mac is talented is an understatement. He described his style of music as “feels.” “I perceive music as power because it can shift an atmosphere any of a room, space or mood. Do you understand how powerful that is, and I have the ability to do that at will,” he says.

The road to becoming who Mac Royals is today has not always been the easiest. There were so many ups and downs, “everybody wants to be a part of the mountain, but nobody wants to be a part of the valley.” His artistry is his everything and he has to live a very transparent life, so he lets people know that it’s not easy, nor is it for the soft-hearted. Mac even states that he’s glad he did not win the American Idol competition he particpated on in 2013, because the individual he was then would not have been able to handle what was to come.

Continued on the next page

“I didn’t even know that I deserved to be in spaces like this, but I had to be so that I would understand that my creator gave me this opportunity.”

He went through a major depression once he was eliminated from American Idol because he felt that he failed to take care of his family. Once he returned home, he stayed inside for a month. No one even knew he was back. He remained in this state until someone finally sat him down and told him to think about where he came from and what he accomplished. “You won by even getting out of here. You won the moment you believed in yourself enough to try it, even though you didn’t know what was going to happen,” Mac says. He realized he was so focused on the negative that he didn’t even focus on the fact he made it to the top 20. “I didn’t even know that I deserved to be in spaces like this, but I had to be so that I would understand that my creator gave me this opportunity. Learning this allowed me to see a glimpse into what I could be if I just kept working.”

Another challenge he faced was differentiating between real life and artistry. Sometimes he can get so caught up in his artistry that he forgets about real life. “I don’t know if that’s good or bad because in some of those spaces where I forgot about life, I created something so beautiful that when I came back to life, I felt a bit out of touch,” he shares.

I asked Mac what inspires him the most, and the answer was simple “life.” “My inspiration comes from life, and being a musician, I have to find inspiration in life to write about life. The heartache, the love, the anger, frustration. I have to be open enough to write and sing about it all.”

As for the future of Mac Royals, we can all expect big things. While continuing to make music, he plans to drop an autobiography along with a whole new line of products on his website. There, he has all-natural body butters and sugar scrubs, bath bombs, candles, and more available. They are made with his very own formula he calls Royal Honey. Additionally, all of these products are handmade by amazing black women, right in Arkansas.

Mac shared some advice for those who may follow a path similar to his. “On your journey, there are going to be a lot of people that tell you, what to do, how to do it, and how they believe you should do it, but never allow someone on the outside of the vision to distract you from it”.

T o learn more about Mac Royals and his music, please visit his website.

Faith ‘n’ Nevels Catering LLC

By Arielle Kilgore

by Monica Nevels

The Covid 19 pandemic shed light on the significance of interacting. In 2020, when the virus made a thunderous introduction worldwide, many of us were forced into isolation. We lost our ability to connect. This sudden interruption of traditions prevented families from coming together and enjoying the presence of each other.

One amazing thing about coming together with people is the connections you get to make. Whether it’s a family cookout, graduation party, or homecoming, you get to feel people again. See people and talk to them again. The connections are endless, but the link to food is the real reason why we all love gathering around each other. Monica Nevels understands that and devotes her catering business, Faith ‘n’ Nevels Catering LLC, to bringing everyone together again.

Faith ‘n’ Nevels Catering LLC provides food dishes for all events, but not limited to weddings, ceremonies, graduations, and professional affairs. Their menu ranges from seafood platters to soul food courses that satisfy whatever theme the occasion may call for. Their services included setting up for the event and cleaning once the party is over. Faith N’ Nevels LLC offers personal pans and dinners for families and a personal chef option for couples.

Uniquely, you would believe that Monica serves with exceptional service through culinary academic training. Her skills are homegrown from a small town where cooking was a way of life.

Monica was born in Lake Providence, Louisiana. There she would cook with her mother in the kitchen. Her love for the kitchen grew there. What started in the kitchen found its way to her dorm at Alcorn State University, where she would cook for her friends and sorority sisters from Zeta Phi Beta, INC. Later on, she and her mom moved to Fort Worth, TX, and partnered to cook for First Missionary Baptist Church, Fort Worth, TX. As her love grew even more, she started cooking delicacies like cheesecakes and Cajun Seafood recipes.

“When you eat my food, you get an old-school feel. You get a Marvin Gaye that makes you dance. I can’t even describe my style of cooking, I just know that God has blessed me with the gift to do it,” Monica shares.

Monica did not know that while servicing diligently in her faith with her friends and family from Koinonia Christian Church, it would be a platform to embark her on a new adventure. As they were like family to her, they would come to Monica’s home for many occasions to eat. These things Monica loved to do often.

As life continued to happen, a family friend asked her to cater an event. After talking with Billy Nevels, her husband of nine years (five at the time), they agreed to see where this could go. Monica said, “Yes, no problem!”

Monica created a setting using Eiffel towers with food geared towards the country of London. When her friend saw this, she was blown away, realizing that Monica had taken her skills to another level. “She asked me how I should be announced. My reply was “FAITH’N’NEVELS, Have Faith in Nevels, we’ll take care of you,” she says. That was October 21, 2017, and the stage was now set for Monica to host her first event. She catered her second event on October 21, 2019, and finally launched her business in the same year for everyone to enjoy.

While food brings us together, Covid-19 was set on keeping everyone apart. “It was two weeks after Covid started, and the demand for my food was unbelievable. I had to come up with something as opposed to doing big pan food, I had to minimize it for them and their families,” she says. Monica would soon combat this with a contactless service, making personal dishes from phone orders and setting them outside for people to come and pick them up.

One of her most memorable clients was Taylor Gabriel, a former professional football player. “He went dancing with my food and was like, “Girl, you did that”. It was an exciting experience,” she explains.

Although the accolades are tremendous for her business, the inspiration to keep going comes from cooking and building connections. Her peace is found in the decorative ideas God gives her and carrying out that idea. In all, Monica would choose to do this simply for the pure joy of it. “Some people might think that I spend too much money to run my business, but it’s not about the money. Don’t get me wrong, I do want to make money, but all in all, I desire for my clients to be happy.”

While Monica has enjoyed some fruits of her labor, she has also faced a few setbacks. Family and friends helped her start her business and what has kept everything together. Monica’s mom lived with her from college graduate school to the birth of Faith ’n’ Nevels. She was the backbone of her operations and a firm foundation for Monica. When her mom needed more care, family decisions were made, but her mom primarily made the decisions for herself so that Monica could pursue what she loved to do.

In the future, Monica hopes to expand into a possible storefront and eventually purchase a commercial kitchen. She also hopes to become more versatile and grow her skills and create new dishes. Everything that Monica does happens with her 16-year-old daughter in mind. “I am creating a legacy for her and hope that she will carry on this tradition,” she says.

For more information or booking with Faith ‘n’ Nevels Catering LLC, please visit their website.

Wendell White

I’m An Overcomer

By Gamal Williams

by Wendell White

“I decided right then and there I was going to sell drugs. But at 12-yearsold, you don’t understand all that comes with selling drugs. You don’t see that death, prison, and violence come with selling drugs. All you see is the money. You don’t see how you’re destroying people’s lives.”

One thing I’ve come to understand about our (African-American) community is that many of us don’t want to be held accountable. It’s normal with us living a certain type of way. Trauma has become normal in the African-American community. The incidence of murder occurs often. There is teenage pregnancy and high dropout rates. Poverty is normal, and I don’t believe that poverty defines our neighborhoods, I think we have a poverty mindset. But I know that we can’t fix this overnight. It took me thirty years to arrive to where I am today, so I have to be patient and keep working. That’s what God wants me to do so, I will do it. - Wendell White

Usually, I start my articles with a poignant quote or Bible verse that ties neatly into my interviewing subject. There was no need to find such a quote for Wendell White. His quote above speaks to the core of Wendell’s mission, to a fundamental change of perspective and purpose rooted in experience, and when it comes to experiences. He has had many.

Wendell was born and raised in the Englewood section of the South Side of Chicago, the “Wild Hundreds,” as Wendell explains. After leaving foster care, Wendell moved into the projects with his mother and family. Unfortunately for Wendell (and many children in inner city, African-American communities), he returned to a world full of drugs and violence. What made Wendell’s situation exponentially bleaker, he didn’t even have to leave his project apartment to find it. His family sold the drugs and contributed to the violence.

“When you’re a child and your watching your mom and family sell drugs, how does someone tell you to go to school and get an education? Everybody around me sells drugs and they are lucrative! My uncle was making $50-60k a day! I was twelve years old, and one day he gave me a bag with over $250,000 to hold for my auntie. He had all the cars, and everyone admired him. I wanted to be like my uncle. When he left, I went into the bathroom and saw all that money. I decided right then and there I was going to sell drugs. But at 12-years-old, you don’t understand all that comes with selling drugs. You don’t see that death, prison, and violence come with selling drugs. All you see is the money. You don’t see how you’re destroying people’s lives.”

Soon after that decision, Wendell joined a gang and quickly realized that gang life wasn’t the glitz and glamour he thought it was. Not only did he learn that he would start nowhere near the level his uncle was, but he was now a gang member in one of the most violent cities during its most violent time in history. According to the Chicago Police Department, from 1991 to 2004, there were 3,422 gang-related murders in Chicago. That’s an average of 244 murders per year. A ghastlier interpretation is this: there was a gang-related murder in Chicago every 36 hours, for 14 years straight. Yet, despite this reality (which is to say nothing of the other violent crimes, drug overdoses, and high incarceration rates), Wendell saw no other way to live. It was all he knew and taught, and turning to his family for guidance offered no respite. Even his own kidnapping didn’t turn him away.

Continued on the next page

“I started making money, big money. We were buying cars, flashing cash, but one day God decided that wasn’t the plan. I was kidnapped, beaten, and left for dead. That was the beginning of my transformation. The person that did it to me was near and dear to my heart; he set me up. But God spoke to me and told me to repent. I was in the hospital for eight weeks, but when I got out, I didn’t know anything else. I was eighteen and all I knew was selling drugs.”

Wendell moved to Milwaukee soon after, and though he had changed locations, his mindset hadn’t. He continued to sell drugs, yet one day, it all stopped, but not through any choice of his.

“One day, my phone just stopped ringing. I was selling drugs every day, all day, then one day, my phone just stopped ringing. I realize now that God has always been with me. HE stopped it. All my money started dwindling away. Then one day, I was coming home, stuck my key in the door, and broke down and cried. I broke, man. I cried for six months. I was depressed, but it was in that depression that I found God. It was all of these emotions and feelings that I had been feeling for years, and it all came out.”

His wife asked him to attend church with her, and though he was still depressed and drinking heavily, he decided to go. Wendell found that some church members had written books that shared their testimony. That inspired Wendell to pen his story, The Devil Thought He Had Me! He has even gone on to start his own mentorship program.

“My mentorship program started when my book came out. It was something that started when I started getting mentored. I joined my church, Unity Gospel House of Prayer, here in Milwaukee, WI. I just see the upside of having a mentor, man. We all need a mentor; we all need somebody to help us navigate through life, not really trying to control our lives, but teach us someone who can hold us accountable. If feel that I can get enough of the men and the youth, if I can just get them and talk to them. Tell them my story and the things I’ve been through. We could make such a huge impact. Not just in the city of Milwaukee or Chicago, but in the world. God gave me a testimony, and I believe God is setting up to give that testimony.”

By Tonya Dixon

Some would say that being an entrepreneur is a difficult road to travel. Natasha Jones would probably agree. But more importantly, she recognizes the blessings and fruitfulness of her 8-year journey owning and operating her own businesses. “It hasn’t been an easy road for entrepreneur’s, especially during COVID, but I can say my business actually doubled. That’s a blessing,” she said.

Credit repair has not only been her business for nearly a decade, but it has also been what she believes to be her calling. It began as a problem she was trying to solve for herself. She became so passionate about it, it was the natural next step for her to help others, including her fiancé, restore their credit, resulting in the establishment of Natasha’s Credit Services.

“I have no problem telling people that I started off with bad credit myself. I don’t teach anything that I haven’t already experienced and known it’s proven to help, ” she said.

The saying goes that experience is the best teacher; it certainly holds true for Jones. She has experienced nearly every type of devastating financial situation one can think of, including financial instability, eviction, subpar credit scores, staying in public housing, which she says is not an indication of someone’s worth, however may indicate the need for financial literacy, as well as many other difficult circumstances.

There were several tipping points, but Jones recalls going to make a significant purchase, but was told her credit wasn’t good enough. It was a gut punch and reality check all in one.

“I couldn’t believe it. I was stunned. But I tell people this all the time. Credit is not something we were told or taught,” she said. “The top three reasons people have bad credit are divorce (believe it or not), helping people (when we can’t afford to) and simply not being taught.”

Continued on the next page

In 2021, Natasha celebrates three years of being a full-time entrepreneur and ultimately following her dreams and passions, and making a real, tangible difference in the lives of other people for generations to come.

Prior to making the decision to improve her credit, Jones says she had never heard of credit agencies. She definitely didn’t know their purpose. Once she knew better, it was time to do better. She began writing letters and making the necessary changes to restore her credit. It took time, but she educated herself about the process and its necessity.

“It was as simple as taking the first step to better my own credit. I believe in being a product of the product,” she said. “Anything you do, promote or service, you should be able to experience it or go through it yourself.”

Jones worked for Apple, Inc. for years and loved her job, but her passion was elsewhere. She had a desire to help people understand their credit and become financially stable and successful and that comes with good credit.

Initially, she worked for a financial education services company. She was able to help individuals restore their credit, but her ability to be more hands-on and provide personal assistance was severely hampered because she was unable to share certain specific credit information with her clients. In a move that was probably motivated more by a sincere desire to help others than personal gain, Jones got all the knowledge she could and established her own company.

“It had gotten to the point where I realized, I was too much of a middleman and I couldn’t tell clients what they needed to know about their credit. So, I did my research and discovered software that would be more beneficial and better assist me with helping others,” she said.

Word of mouth has been Jones’ best form of advertising. Clients are seeing personal results and telling their family, friends, co-workers and basically anyone who will listen. “Recently a realtor approached me about a client who was in the middle of building a home, but basically made a late payment and experienced some [credit] issues. I often come across people who recognize me and call me ‘the credit lady.’ But that’s okay. People know when they come to me, they are getting a reliable and proven service. Again, I don’t tell people anything that I wouldn’t do or haven’t done,” said Jones.

In addition to personal credit restoration services, Jones has expanded into helping clients establish business credit as well as helping homebuyers prepare for the homebuying process. “I provide credit restoration for personal and business credit. I also offer an awesome home ownership program where I team up with local realtors and lenders and help improve their clients’ ability to purchase a home.”

“I’m a huge advocate for home ownership,” she says. “One of my favorite slogans is, if you can pay rent, you can pay a mortgage! Too often our money goes one way, when it could go toward investing in something like owning a home.”

For Jones, it’s all about education. It’s not enough to help someone improve their credit, but she is also committed to making sure they continue to grow and improve their financial health, particularly understanding how to maintain and even boost and build upon the knowledge they obtain and not having to return to rebuild credit.

“We advocate for our clients. We don’t want to see people come back into the program. We try to educate them along the way, so they won’t go backward and have to return,” she said. The more she expands her knowledge base and recognizes greater needs, Jones has also ventured into tax preparation and, more recently, assistance with Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans though the Small Business Administration.

No matter the service, she requires clients participate in a free one-on-one consultation with her to make sure they are ready for the process and required patience of credit restoration. “I always recommend doing a consultation first. I don’t take just any client. I need to know that your mindset is in the right space because credit repair is an investment,” she said. “You have to be ready, not only financially, but you have to be ready mentally. It is not an overnight process. I stress that all the time. I need people to be committed and know what they are facing. Believe it or not 65% of credit repair is you and the other 35% is me, the specialist.”

“People think it happens with the snap of a finger, but it doesn’t work that way. I want to be a fairy, I really do, but it just doesn’t work that way. That’ what makes the consultation vital. We have to make sure that we’re compatible and that we are both on the same page.”

Jones’ program requires monthly check-in meetings to make sure everyone is still committed, on the right track, transparent and accountable. She discusses areas of opportunity, makes sure the client is happy with their results and more.

“Those calls are very important. The people that have the greatest success rate in the program are the ones that do their monthly calls and they’re staying on top of their credit,” she said.

Of course, credit restoration services aren’t free and for those who bemoan paying for the service when they already have financial difficulties, Jones quickly tells them they have more resources than they know.

“I definitely come across people who say they can’t pay for the service and have reservations, but I tell them, ‘Don’t eat out for one week and that is the source and opportunity for you to begin your credit repair journey,” she said.

Being an entrepreneur hasn’t been easy, but Jones has enjoyed the ride and taken notes along the way to make sure she grows and expands just as much as her clients. This year marks three years of being a full-time entrepreneur and ultimately following her dreams and passions and making a real, tangible difference in the lives of other people for generations to come.

By Terry L. Watson

Events On Ridge

Norris

Sufficient planning must occur to pull off a successful event such as a wedding reception, banquet, retirement party, or corporate gathering. Without it, the door is left open for any mishap to take place, potentially deflating the enthusiasm and cheer from any such occasion.

Every precaution is taken for event planner Alisha Norris to ensure no such surprise appears at her production. Now in her fifth year of being a serial entrepreneur, Alisha is the owner of Events On Ridge Event Center located in Parma, Ohio. She’s also the owner and operator of Creative Indulgence Party Designs and Co-creator of Westside W.R.A.P 216, a networking group for entrepreneurs. Her Real Estate License complements her skillsets; something she utilizes to help thriving business owners find the best location for commercial property.

Events On Ridge is a 1700 square foot intimate event space that accommodates social gatherings, micro weddings, and corporate meetings. “We specialize in offering the full event planning and decorating experience from start to finish. We love to serve smaller businesses with the opportunity to utilize our space for vendor events, continuing education courses, and community outreach programs,” Alisha shares.

Events On Ridge began as an event planning business in 2016. It quickly expanded into an event space in the fall of 2020. Alisha shares she opened her center after recognizing the need for an intimate event space in the city of Cleveland that offered updated amenities and quality staffing.

Continued on the next page

Alisha says the most valuable lesson she’s learned: understanding mediocrity is not an option for life. She explains, “As an entrepreneur, you have to be excellent intentionally every day to move that needle closer to greatness. Developing this mindset has impacted how I operate in my personal life and in business. One of my mentors, Neo Davis, always says, “It has to work or it has to work””.

Alisha considers herself to be an amazing wife to her business partner and husband, Eric Norris. Together, they share two children, Ajia and Ashton. She received her BA and MBA in Business Management from Capital University in Columbus, OH. She has served for nearly 15 years in hospitality and worked for multiple hotel chains. In these roles, she discovered her passion for event planning and logistics.

Alisha says she is an event planner at heart. “The ultimate joy comes from seeing a client’s face light up when we have executed their vision perfectly.” Like most businesses, Events On Ridge faced some new challenges with the onset of the Covid 19 pandemic. “We often questioned if this was the right decision. However, when you believe in your purpose and truly put things in God’s hands, nothing but good can form from it,” she says. Because they were faithful, Alisha says they are now experiencing great success and are in the process of opening their next venue.

For Alisha and Eric, the adage that “teamwork makes the dream work” proves to be true. “As I work tirelessly to build our brand, he continues to work in a high-level position at a local college. He never complains about working 40 hours in the office and giving an additional 20-30 hours per week at Events On Ridge. His drive inspires me daily to keep going so that I can one day tell him it’s time to put in your two weeks’ notice,” she says.

Her advice to anyone who may be considering entering into event planning is to be consistent. “Consistency is key to operating successfully. Know your reason behind building your business because that will keep you motivated even when things aren’t looking great initially. Most importantly, do your research, understand your market, know your target demographic, set your price, and then add tax,” she says.

Alisha says her plans moving forward are to acquire multiple event spaces and related businesses throughout Ohio. She also hopes to continue to push fellow business owners to operate in the gifts. Ultimately her goal is to build generational wealth for her family and generations to come.

To learn more about Events On Ridge, please visit their website.

“I love seeing people healed in every area of their life. My love for people keeps me excited and continues to challenge me to give more. I believe in maintaining a positive mindset and watching how that creates a positive life.”

By Terry L. Watson

For some, the journey of life can be very unpredictable. Promises are not always fulfilled, and ones’ perception of life can be as isolated and individualized as a fingerprint. For Greensboro, NC native and now Houston, TX resident Shannon Frazier, those details duly describe how life was once like for him.

Today, it is appropriate to greet him as Pastor Shannon Frazier. He is the shepherd called by God to lead the flock of Abiding Faith Church of Baytown, located in Houston. He is also the Founder and CEO of Shannon Frazier Ministries. Not to be stereotyped, Pastor Frazier shares that his heart is set on saving lost souls and advancing the kingdom of God. He is the husband to Shanel Frazier and the father of two sons, Seth and Josiah.

Pastor Frazier grew up in Greensboro, attended North Carolina Central University in Durham, N.C., and majored in Music Education. He later moved to Houston and answered the call of ministry. “I believe that I was called to preach at the age of 14, however at that time, I chose not to respond to the call. As a result, I encountered many unnecessary trials and learned many life lessons that I continue to use today. I am a Black American Pastor that believes in embracing every race, creed, and culture with the love of God. I am a third-generation, extraordinary musician who has traveled worldwide playing the piano with Broadway musicals and various gospel artists. I discovered my passion and love for ministry as I traveled and experienced the different cultures and ethnicities,” he says.

Pastor Frazier grew up as a church musician. He describes himself as ardent and always striving to empowering others. That passion led him to leave the music industry and answer the call to pastor. “I love seeing people healed in every area of their life. My love for people keeps me excited and continues to challenge me to give more. I believe in maintaining a positive mindset and watching how that creates a positive life.”

Leading anything in life can be pretty daunting. To be an effective leader, one must be tried and tested. Pastor Frazier has been. “I remember when we first started our ministry, we were young and excited and full of zeal. We had very little knowledge of what we were doing. It was 2012, and God knew that we would really need help. We were setting up and breaking down chairs in a daycare center each week, and many times the only attendees would be my family. We prayed and believed God and trusted that we would have our own building. We also believed that more people would see the vision and help us bring that vision to life. One day, I heard God tell me to take a CD of me teaching to a barbershop. Out of obedience, I gave the CD to the lead barber and told him that God told me to bring this to him. He played the CD in the barbershop the next day, while a pastor of another church just so happened to be there. He heard the teaching and immediately told the barber to get in touch with me. After a few times of that pastor and I connecting and talking, he shared with me that God told him to give me his church. Naturally, I was shocked, and we both began to pray. I was then led to visit the church, and to my surprise, it was grand in structure, a 15,000 square foot building and sitting on ten acres of land. The pastor handed me the keys to the

property, all while God was blowing my mind. We prayed and believed for God to show up, but we had no idea that He would show up like that. We went from setting up and breaking down chairs for one year and three months to having a fully furnished building with over 50 active members. Having faith in God and believing when faced with doubt is how we overcame,” he shares.

Now that his position has clearly been defined, Pastor Frazier has set his sights on leading Abiding Faith Church of Baytown into the direction that God desires. One of his personal goals is to stay connected to Jesus and allow Him to teach him and show him how to continue to walk by faith and defy the odds. “One goal that we have at AFC is to connect with the city of Baytown and provide assistance for students in our community who may be behind in school because of the Covid 19 pandemic. I understand that many children need tutoring and assistance, and we are actively putting together a plan to hire teachers to create an online help center as well as using our facility for in-person learning,” Pastor Frazier shares.

The future looks bright for Abiding Faith Church of Baytown. Having a leader chasing after God’s heart and being committed to serving others is obviously what God had in mind when He chose Pastor Frazier as its leader. This shows that when you are obedient to what God calls you to do, He will make provisions to see it through. To learn more about Pastor Shannon Frazier and Abiding Faith Church of Baytown, please visit their website.

h

“Throughout my journey in life, I have put God first, and my counseling sessions have been no different. I seek God for wisdom and allow His presence to set the atmosphere to help each client.”

By Jalessa Rogers

CSAYC

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way: Psalm 37:32. That is a scripture from the Bible that Clinical Mental Health Counselors such as author Wendy Tucker use for guidance in life, education, and careers.

In the black community, counseling and therapy have been frowned upon for many years, but recently mental health has become a big topic of importance. Tucker has created two different avenues that she has successfully counseled and mentored the African American community with her company, Walk by Faith Counseling, and book series, Pennie Mae Learns.

Born and raised in Indianapolis, IN, Tucker was the second oldest of five children in a single parent household. She shares, “Family members told me ‘Wendy you won’t live to see the age of sixteen, you won’t live to see twenty-one. According to my family, I shouldn’t be here, but God had another plan for me,” stated Tucker.

Despite being what she called a “little girl that grew up in the projects,” Tucker was the first person in her family to graduate high school, the first to go to college and receive an Associates degree, Bachelors degree, and Masters degree. “I accomplished this through no goodness of my own. I felt like God ordered my steps in a way that allowed me to continue to move forward in my education,” stated Tucker.

She had dreams of becoming a judge as a child because she wanted to lock up the bad people, but she never imagined being a Clinical Health Counselor. She also wanted to be an author but thought that dream was impossible. However, what she thought was impossible, God made it possible.

After working in the behavioral health field for twelve years, Tucker thought she had seen and learned a lot. Remember, she was raised in the inner city, and has worked with inner city children, and she has a strong desire to help her community, but there was more for her to experience. Her mission is to give back to the community and break the stigma of mental health in the black community, and on July 31, 2020, Walk by Faith Counseling was created.

Walk By Faith Counseling’s first sessions were conducted virtually because of the Covid 19 pandemic. Tucker adjusted and has since grown to provide face-to-face counseling sessions, allowing her clients to engage and feel safe; she says “as if God is in the building”. One of Tucker’s goals is for people to feel that she is genuine, sincere, and understand how she is following the direction of God with her practice. “Throughout my journey in life, I have put God first, and my counseling sessions have been no different. I seek God for wisdom and allow His presence to set the atmosphere to help each client,” she shares.

In 2011 Tucker came up with the idea for the children’s book series, Pennie Mae, designed to help children learn life lessons. In July 2020, Pennie Mae Learns was birthed. On the same day that Walk by Faith came to life, Tucker created the Pennie Mae Learns interactive book series, website, and YouTube videos. The interactive series starts with the main character, Pennie Mae, going through life lessons from age three until ten years old.

“I developed The Pennie Mae book series to provide life lessons and biblical principles for kids to carry with them. The series is designed to help train our young readers up in the way they should go, and when they’re old they won’t depart from it. That is written in the word of God,” stated Tucker.

The books and the website include interactive games, coloring, knowledge tests, as well as educational stories. These stories have been utilized as a therapeutic form of counseling to interact and talk with children. The success of this series has garnered attention from the PGN television station in Cincinnati, OH, which is now airing the Pennie Mae YouTube channel every Saturday morning. They have even offered Tucker a talk show which will allow her to share mental health tips.

The future is looking very bright for Tucker, and her next big goal is to open a counseling center for her church. She desires to help individuals and families and offer group therapy with future therapists, case managers, and life coaches.

To learn more about Walk By Faith Counseling and the Pennie Mae Book Series, please visit their website.