Huami Magazine Charlotte Jan./Feb. 2022

Jan./Feb. 2022 Volume 4 Issue 5

Get The Latest Music by Anjelah Evans

My Expectations and The Truth

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

A Letter from the Editor

I would have to say that I grew up poor by world standards. I never felt like it because my mother constantly poured unconditional love into my other siblings and me. Her love wouldn’t allow me to focus on what I didn’t have or anything I could be missing. However, as life happened, I realized that when compared to others, my experiences were more complex. Even still, I had the opportunity to overcome them.

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?

One of the most important things I learned from my upbringing is that the truth will always override my expectations. The very first car that I owned, I purchased for myself. It wasn’t a new vehicle, but it was mine. It had a few dents, and the tires didn’t match either. The heat or air conditioning didn’t work, and the exhaust pipe would shake like a leaf when I started the car, probably because it was being held in place by the wiring of a close hanger. With all of its imperfections, my car was a beauty in my sight, and I was very appreciative to own it.

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.

Though it seemed like I drove that car for all eternity, it only survived one year with me. I didn’t keep gas in the fuel tank, and I never changed the oil either. I drove it fast, and on cold mornings I didn’t allow it to warm up. Rarely did I bathe it or even provide it with routine or preventative maintenance, and before I knew it, my first and only method of transportation slowed down and shut off in the middle of the road.

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.

See, I expected my car to run forever, but the truth is I never did anything to ensure that it would. I expected my car to go when I needed it to but never considered my thoughtless and erratic treatment’s impact on it. I expected to ride forever, but the truth is I never invested in my cars’ future.

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.

I’m saying that we will only get out of life what we put into it. How will we ever expect to know God if we never spend time with Him? My goal in life is to win. For this to happen, I must be willing to do what is necessary to win and align myself with what is true, which is God’s expectations.

Terry L. Watson Editor/Founder

Terry L. Watson

CHARLOTTE EDITION CONTENTS

8 On The Cover The Confidence Coach

Brian K. McNeill

Dionne M. King

Learn more about the founder of DMK Consults LLC. Kansas City, MO

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Celia Newman

She has a passion for helping and serving others. Meet the founder of She Got Game League. Memphis, TN

Nicole McGruder

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She is all about action. Learn morea bout the Community Hero Action Group. Philadelphia, PA

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www.mykelmedia.com www.thisiswhoiam.libsyn.com

The Sales Confidence Coach

By Terry L. Watson

Brian K. McNeill of Charlotte, NC, is Brian K. McNeill is a true champion in the arena of “how to sell”. He has accumulated over 30 years of study and practice of professional selling. By his own count he has read over 700 books on Sales, Sales Management and Self Development. Brian has produced coaching programs, published several Best-Selling Books, and is committed to helping and serving others. The loving, caring husband and father is also a proud veteran of the US Army.

Brian is the founder of The Sales Confidence Academy. In this capacity, he provides training and certification for entrepreneurs. He is the current president of Virtual Team Network, a global online networking organization.

Brian exhibited signs of effectively communicating with almost anyone at an early age. He shares, “I entered the wonderful world of professional selling at the age of 23. That was 31 years ago. I soon came across some books about selling. After reading the first book, my interest grew, and before long, I had read several hundred books about sales. Some of the other topics were about Sales Management and Personal Development. The more I read, the better I became at selling. I eventually became a sales manager and my job. Sales and the knowledge and understanding of sales seemed easy to me, and soon I decided to start my own sales training company. Over the years, thousands of salespeople and entrepreneurs have benefited greatly from my sales training workshops, classes, and platform.”

Today, he is recognized as Brian K. McNeill, the Sales Confidence Coach. In this role, he teaches entrepreneurs and salespeople what to say and do, to ensure they are confident and prosperous in selling themselves and their services. His services include Sales Coaching, Sales Training, Sales Speaking, and Sales Workshops.

Some additional products include personalized and on-demand/self-paced sales training programs. He also has the Basic Essential Sales Training (BEST), a recorded seven-session curriculum covering the basic essentials entrepreneurs must know and the seven reasons why a client will say yes to you and your services. After completing the course, the entrepreneurs will have the correct language and confidence to sell their services successfully. There is also Get Profitable/Stay Profitable (GPSP), which includes everything in (BEST) plus a curriculum that teaches the entrepreneurs what to do with their time. Then finally, there is the Sales Confidence Course, the complete and updated course on How to Sell Your Services in today’s marketplace.

One of the books that Brian has published is The Shortcut! - The Fastest route to Selling You and Your Services so that you earn more money than ever before! Another book he has published is Asking for the Money - How anyone can close more Sales, even you! Another publication is a children’s book, Why Rhinos Make Great Sales People - Featuring Mr. Randall the Rhino.

Many of Brian’s typical clients are service-based entrepreneurs, Coaches and Consultants, Insurance and Financial Services Professionals, Attorneys, Accountants, and Bookkeepers.

Brian has also founded the M.E.N (Male Empowerment Networks of Charlotte). This organization is a Support Discussion group that meets virtually twice a month and has been doing so since August 2013. “We know that men need men, and teenage men need men. So we provide a safe and transparent space for men to talk about anything.,” he says.

Brian says he loves it when people take what he teaches them and earn more money as a result. “It brings me joy. I believe that God has uniquely gifted and qualified me to help people sell themselves and their services. My work is a ministry, and I honor God by helping people sell better,” he says.

Moving forward, Brian shares he will continue to make his workshops available, especially through online courses, so that people can take the training on demand.

To learn more about Brian K. McNeill, please visit his website.

She Got Game League

By Terry L. Watson

One thing is for sure, Celia Newman has a special love for serving and helping others. She also has got game.

The Dyersburg, TN native has faced a few challenges in her life such as abuse and depression, though, with resilience, she has prevailed to be a woman who many depend on.

Currently, Celia heads the She Got Game League, an organization dedicated to empowering women in the world of sports. Their focus is to expose and encourage female basketball players, school-age to college and provide personal and career development tools to excel at the next level. “Our mission is to create a support system and platform to give them the tools necessary to be the best they can be in life,” Celia says.

Ceia launched SGG in January 2019 after noticing a lack of competitive organized women’s league in Memphis. “I wanted to give female basketball players the opportunity to not only play competitively but also provide them with a platform to gain exposure, play overseas, and acquire professional contracts. We started with six teams, and have since expanded in three years to a total of ten teams in other areas, including Chicago, IL, Nashville, TN, Huntsville, AL, and Houston, TX,” she says.

“I wanted to give female basketball players the opportunity to not only play competitively but also provide them with a platform to gain exposure, play overseas, and acquire professional contracts.”

Celia has a strong background in athletics. She was a high school standout with the 2005 State Runner-Up, Dyersburg Lady Trojans, and a former college student-athlete at Bethel University. Additionally, Celia has over ten years of experience working with athletes, both academically and athletically, in her role as an Athletic Trainer. She graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Athletic Training from the University of Tennessee at Martin and a Master’s Degree in Sports and Wellness Leadership from Austin Peay State University. She worked at the University of Memphis for two years as a Student Athlete Development Mentor for at-risk student athletes, and founded the Elite Level Prep in April 2015. She also co-founded the UpNext Sports Consulting Firm with her business partner Christian Ross-Francis in May 2020. In her career, Celia has mentored and assisted over 100 athletes.

Celia is very passionate about helping athletes succeed, not just in athletics, but more importantly life. She fuels her passion by serving others, specifically within her community. She is an active member of the Big Brother Big Sister organization and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. “I love seeing women play the game they love and have fun doing it. I get to give back to my community by helping others become the best version of themselves. The women athletes in the SGG league inspire me with their stories of triumph. That alone motivates me to continue to give them the platform and environment to compete at a high level,” she shares.

She credits former WNBA Champion and Memphis Hall of Famer Ashley Shields with believing in the vision of SGG. “ I was struggling to get people to sign up in the beginning, and she spread the word and ignited the fire of what SGG has become. I am also grateful for the great sponsors that believed in me when SGG was small. These include Grind City Kicks, For The Kingdom Memphis, Building Blocks Mentoring Program, and The Awkward Agency. Their continued support has helped SGG become the hottest semi-pro women’s league in the MidSouth and beyond.

Celia has plans to expand the SGG league but admits she can’t do it alone. She is currently in the process of building her staff and acquiring more interns. Moving forward, she plans to reach more professional athletes and entrepreneurs with her partnership with UpNext Sports Consulting and continue to be a voice for women’s sports.

To learn more about the She Got Game League, please visit their website.

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Creating An Inclusive Culture

By Ellen Richardson

Photos by Samuel Jordon Royal Photography LLC

In the same way, let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven, (Matthew 5:16, English Standard Version), so shines the inclusion work of DMK Consults.

Few people in this world live their lives to be a light in a dark place, but this principle has led to a successful career for awardwinning cultural strategist Dionne King. As the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for DMK Consults LLC, Dionne leads a national executive leadership development firm that specializes in three services: creating inclusive cultures, mediating and coaching executives across the nation. Each of these services allows her to use her gift to meet people right where they are and motivate them towards their full potential.

“I think my biggest job and role in being who I truly am has everything to do with loving people where they are,” said Dionne. This may sound corny and not what people expect as professional; however, my success path has come from identifying where people are in their lives and helping them reimagine what ‘better’ looks like for them. Better looks different for my clients, and my three firm services are designed to create greater realities. That’s called change. That’s how I’ve been able to build a practice on change.”

The ability to become a professional cultural strategist and mediator for an impressive list of companies and firms across the nation was not an easy road. Her 20 years of experience have inevitably come with hard lessons. However, Dionne has taken those hard lessons and repurposed them for strategy to champion change for her clients. “I’m able to lead change because I know what it feels like to be treated unfairly in the workplace and want change. Before starting my own firm, I served as a diversity manager at a large national firm. Over time I felt the diversity and inclusion work I provided to the firm was undervalued and unsupported,” said Dionne. “I remember being pulled into a conference room by one of my supervisors who was unfamiliar with my work and concluding that my work was ineffective. This same supervisor then reassigned a portion of my duties (that I had done for five years) to a secretary. To add further insult, this supervisor began to tell me how insignificant my work was. I felt diminished but angrier that I did not have the language to counter the vanquishing words. The anger fueled me enough to walk away from that high-salary

job and start my own firm. That experience also fueled me to learn to speak my worth. Now I know exactly what I bring to the table, and I’ve designed a career that fits. I created my own lane. There wasn’t a template for me to follow. So I created one. I redesigned my life the way I wanted, and never again would I let someone define my worth.”

Scaling down her “creature comforts” that came with her previous corporate lifestyle, Dionne made the vital decision to inspire change in this world by becoming an entrepreneur. Her target audiences were executives and large companies. “This was a tremendous life-changing experience that allowed me to take a deeper introspective look into who I was and what value I wanted to add to this world,” she said. In this experience, Dionne discovered her purpose and knows she is fulfilling the role her Creator wants her to fulfill.

Along with discovering her most genuine identity, Dionne would begin to see the path towards a brighter and more meaningful future take shape. “I was just mad enough at the situation that I endured in my previous life and career to realize that I needed to become the change that I wanted to see in the world of business,” she said. That experience would lead her to build a corporate consulting firm designed to help other businesses create workplaces that focus more on creating inclusion. If you ask Dionne what inclusion looks like, she lights up and gives us a sure-fire list of her best client tips. “Inclusion is changing repressive practices in your company and restrictive policies in its handbook. Inclusion is teaching shared language that

creates a more welcoming environment. Inclusion is smashing anything that impedes good talent, especially BIPOCs, women, and our LGBTQ leaders, from accessing key positions in their organizations. Dionne’s firm provides innovative strategic plans and training to create inclusive cultures and craft tools to discuss race and resolve conflict. “I teach people how to normalize topics on inequity in race, gender, LGBTQ, etc. Those topics that continue to impair businesses and divide our nation.” She also focuses on the development of solid leadership through executive coaching. “We help leaders identify blind spots and opportunities for growth.

Dionne admits that resolving conflicts is something she loves to do as a certified mediator. “I love to sit between two people who are cussing and fussing,” she said. “It brings me joy to know that I can offer the necessary tools to help parties go from hot-tempered to cool, calm adults who want to have a healthy conversation that leads to a productive resolution.”

Thanks to her calm demeanor and gift for bringing a more satisfying workplace to leaders and employees in 17 different industries, Dionne’s work impacts people from all backgrounds. Her clientele ranges from national law and engineering firms, pro sports teams, non-profit organizations, and school districts. Dionne has also become a sought-after speaker and key strategist for national platforms. Her clients appreciate her candor and commitment to imagining a new culture and structuring a strategic plan to implement.

Pictured (l to r) are a few of Dionne’s 2021 top clients: Micheal Lawrence, CEO, Big Brother Big Sister Kansas City whose agency implemented the DMK Strategic DEI Plan, increased its diverse staff numbers, and was named 2021 Top 5 Best Non-profit to Work For in America by The NonProfit Times, the leading national business publication for non-profit managers, partnered with Best Companies Group to identify leaders who excel in creating quality workplaces. June LeBlanc, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Outreach & Engagement Coordinator, National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) worked under the leadership of Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Evelyn Boswell (not pictured) to implement the DMK 6-Week Certification Program for its national DEI leaders. Dionne also served as guest speaker for NAIC’s national inaugural DEI conference. Derrick Nelson, Senior Director, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, St. Luke’s Health System in Boise, Idaho. Derrick connected with DMK services when he formerly led the strategic DEI efforts of Commerce Bank. Derrick has remained an advisor to DMK Consults. Through his vision, Derrick created an 8-mo training program, The Women’s Leadership Boutique, with DMK Consults. The program included sessions on creative partnering and being a resilient woman leader. He is the co-founder of the National Diversity + Inclusion Consortium which is a global resource and Clearinghouse for diversity practitioners of which Dionne is a member.

As if her work is not enough, this empowered professional also uses her talent and influence to advocate for homeless mothers and children in her community. She has been awarded the Ford Motor Company’s Unsung Hero Award for her community service in Ghana, Dominican Republic, England, and the United States. She was also awarded the Black Achievers Award in Business and Industry, the Woman of Excellence In Business Award by Friends of Yates, Inc., and the Small Business Superstar Award by The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. “It is my goal in life to help us all do better at being better human beings and to achieve our goals,” said Dionne.

Please visit their website to learn more about Dionne King and DMK Consults, LLC. h

By Terry L. Watson

Kimberly Perkins of Greensboro, NC, has a creative eye for design. She is the owner of Kreative Designs By Kim, LLC an event décor and design company for all occasions. Their services include free event consultation, fresh and silk arrangements, premium draping, balloon garland, and event favors. They also offer Engagement Decor, Bridal Shower Decor, Wedding Reception and Ceremony Decor, Baby Shower Decor, Birthday Decor, Milestone Celebrations Décor, Balloon Garland & Arch Décor, and Premium Draping and Design Decor.

Kimberly has over 16 years of experience in coordinating and event planning. “I am your ideal designer. I have spent endless moments committing my time to make my dreams a reality. Now, I work to bless others with a one-of-a-kind event. With each production, I apply inspiration, creativity, and imagination to ensure the events come out unique,” she says. Kimberly’s eye for detail and her ability to fully comprehend her clients’ needs and desires help keep her booked.

Kimberly strives to match her customers’ desired creative look and feel with each event. Kreative Designs by Kim focuses on event design and event décor. They offer affordable packages while creating memorable experiences that are unique and tailored for each client.

Kimberly shares that her company began in 2005, simply by word of mouth. “My focus has always been assisting with weddings, birthday parties, customized gift baskets, and floral designs. I guess word got around, and soon my business took off,” she says.

Kimberly creates a comprehensive outline with her wedding planning services that offer wedding coordination and event planning. She says this gives her time to completely orchestrate what her clients want to include in their event and an opportunity to illustrate how she will make it happen.

Kimberly shares what she loves most is the opportunity to create cutting-edge events for all occasions. “I’m inspired by the opportunity to work closely with my clients to develop and construct the entire decor and make sure that everything is in its place using my ideal imagination. My desire is to create a memorable atmosphere that’s uniquely created for each client,” she says.

Moving forward, Kimberly plans to offer larger-scale events, bolder floral designs, and efficient and inspiring events. She will also be offering and launching packages for small-scaled events. To learn more about with Kreative Designs by Kim, or to book a service, please visit their website or contact them directly.

Monica Montgomery

The Happy Pen Creative Writing Services

By Terry L. Watson

Monica Montgomery

For Monica Montgomery, her life has happened by way of the right opportunities.

Writing is something that Monica realized a love for early in life. The East Saint Louis, MO native was raised by a single mother and is the youngest in the family of four. She grew up and still resides in East St. Louis and shares she was blessed to be exposed to the greatness that East St. Louis is known for.

“I come from a creative family, so writing was a natural path for me. I love reading stories about mysterious people and magical places. However, it wasn’t until I wrote my first short story for the Young Author’s contest in the 5th grade that I believed I could create those people and places. The entire class was asked to write a story for the contest. I complained to my sister that I didn’t know what to write about. Annoyed, she said the most random thing she could think of. “Write about The Backwards City of Page.” She rattled it off as if it was a real place, and I should have known where and what it was. Then she said, “It’s where everything is backward!” With her help, I wrote my first piece of fiction. I was hooked from that day on,” Monica says.

Monica is the owner of The Happy Pen Creative Writing Services. Her company offers writing seminars, coaching sessions, and commercial writing for websites and personal projects.

Monica received a scholarship to Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina. She completed her Bachelor’s of Arts, English Literature, and music minor at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, and received her MFA, Fiction Writing from Lindenwood University, St. Charles. In 2020 she was selected to participate in the East St. Louis Urban Education Teaching Residency Program. The program was an intense ten-month accelerated Master’s degree program and helped Monica earn a Master’s in Elementary Education from National Louis University.

Today, Monica works as a first-grade teacher at Wyvetter Younge School of Excellence in East St. Louis. Professionally, she has written, directed, and produced several Christian plays and skits for her church’s youth group and spent the last fifteen years volunteering and mentoring youth in dramatic arts.

Her first short story was published in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, “Chicken Soup for the African American Woman’s Soul,” in 2006. She has written her first novel series, “An Everlasting Love”. The first two books, An Everlasting Love: Concrete Soul and The Summer of Carlos, are available for purchase on Amazon. com, and the third book of the series will be released in June 2022. Additionally, she writes for I Am East St. Louis the Magazine and serves as V.P. at Top Dog Studios, a St. Louis-based independent film group.

Monica says what she enjoys most about writing is the ability to create a place of learning and escape simultaneously. “I love reading because I get to travel to far-off places and meet people from every walk of life and beyond. When I write, I don’t just want to tell a story; I want to create a space where the author, reader, and character meet in a harmonious ebb and flow. A place where one doesn’t exist without the other. The highest praise is when the reader or audience refers to a character as independent, free-thinking. I’ve had people walk up to me and say they have a love-hate relationship with one of my characters. The word that stuck out to me was relationship. As an educator, I love when a student gets it. Whether it be a first-grader learning to count by ten or someone taking up the challenge of writing, the light in their eyes is the same. It’s like a door they weren’t aware of opens, and they are breathing for the first time. It’s amazing to watch,” she says.

Like anyone else, Monica says she could spend hours talking about her wounds, woes, and regrets, but it wouldn’t change anything. Ultimately, it has been her trust in God that has carried her throughout her life. She shares, “In my late twenties, I was diagnosed with cancer. I have been in remission for fourteen years now, but it was a wake-up call. I could no longer wait for the life I wanted. I had to go out and get it. I never imagined myself as an author and a teacher. When I entered the Young Author’s contest in 5th grade, my teacher said she believed she had heard the story before and accused me of cheating. I knew I hadn’t, but it didn’t matter. I won second place in the district. The first prize went to a 6th grader. My teacher never apologized. and the damage was done. I have no children of my own, but I realized that my words and what I create with them are just as important to me as a child would be. Being honest meant exposing my “baby” to the world and subjecting it to public scrutiny and rejection. Any parent can tell you that hearing that your child isn’t good enough is painful, to say the least. To my surprise and excitement, readers are my writings, and I continue to trust God.”

Monica says the one thing she would have changed about her journey in life would be publishing an essay back in high school. “I believe it would have gotten me into professional writing much sooner. Then again, would I have gained the experience that I think contributed to the person I am today? Destinations are great, but life is in the journey,” she says.

“I love reading because I get to travel to far-off places and meet people from every walk of life and beyond. When I write, I don’t just want to tell a story; I want to create a space where the author, reader, and character meet in a harmonious ebb and flow.” h

The Faces Behind a Purpose for You

By Ellen Richardson

Domestic violence has been an ongoing problem in states throughout the United States for many years, including Virginia. In fact, the Virginia Department of Health has reported that over one-third of homicides occurring in the state in the last few years are related to domestic violence. While many of these victims become just another faceless statistic, some are doing their part to help bring a face to the warriors who refuse to give up and give in. One such hero is Timika Cousins-Thompson, the founder of The Faces Behind A Purpose For You. A woman who overcame years of abuse is now turning this negative experience into a positive one by providing support and encouragement to others who have or are trying to escape domestic violence.

“Although I was a victim of domestic violence, I started this organization after losing a family member to this form of abuse,” said Timika. “This loss opened my eyes to what I was going through, and while that was hard enough, it also brought about something positive – it pushed me towards my purpose.”

The purpose she speaks of involves giving birth to an advocacy organization that gives individuals who have experienced domestic violence. It also provides individuals with an opportunity to learn from their circumstances and understand they can continue to progress in positive ways and settings, despite past experiences.

Focusing on the motto “it is not about us, it is about the lives that we can save” Timika offers life skills, individual development, enrichment activities, family support strategies, and activism to improve family relations and safe environments.

“While I also had to overcome an emotionally abusive relationship, including the loss of one of my closest relatives to domestic violence, I make it a point to help others overcome. I strive to help others understand they are worth more and don’t have to endure emotional, verbal and/or physical abuse,” said Timika.

Timika and her partner, Washington D.C. native play writer, Michelle Lee have continued to follow their God-given purpose to do whatever is necessary to help those who are displaced by domestic violence. “While we don’t yet have a shelter, we offer support services such as court stewardship, legal assistance, life and job training, as well as any other services that are needed outside of housing,” said Timika. “We recently started a mentorship program for teenagers and work with schools to develop a dialogue about unhealthy relationships. Growing from pre-teen to a teen and teen to an adult has its challenges, so we decided to be that haven for them to turn to when they find themselves in an unfamiliar or dangerous situation. Before the pandemic, we were invited into Richmond Public Schools to speak and educate youth on healthy relationships, no matter their gender or sexuality, and we got a great response. Working with our local school systems is something that we want to continue.”

Timika’s organization also raised enough funds to hold a toy and food drive for needy families in the Richmond area during the holiday season. “It is interesting because we were able to share information about what we do and were surprised to have a few women ask for help during this time. I have always enjoyed helping my community and now doing so with a real purpose in mind feels very rewarding,” she says.

Timika says that domestic violence isn’t acceptable for anyone. If you are involved in an unhealthy relationship, please let someone know and speak up. To learn more about The Faces Behind A Purpose For You organization and to find out more information about the upcoming plays written by Michelle Lee about Domestic Violence scheduled for April and May 2022, please visit their website.

Community Hero Action Group

By Arielle Kilgore

Photos Provided By Nicole McGruder

The phrase, “...it takes a village to raise a child,” stands true today in the life of Nicole McGruder. Most people don’t consider the foundation of that village, making sure it is sustainable and healthy for that child to grow. Nicole knew the importance of this and how her organization would be the roots of that village.

Nicole is the founder of The Community Hero Action Group. This non-profit organization educates the Black community about voting, health, and civic issues through community events such as online forums and town hall meetings. The organization also supplies resources and services to those in need.

Nicole says Community Hero is passionate about breaking the cycle of stagnancy in the African American community. The group is composed of well-trained and passionate individuals who work in underrepresented communities, especially the Black community, to close the void of progression where the community’s needs exist. “Our mission is to decrease the wealth and health disparities in the Black community utilizing education and strategic collaborations,to ensure we have a financially stronger and healthier Black community,” she says.

Nicole grew up in Philadelphia, PA but spent most of her childhood in California. Nonetheless, her adolescent years foreshadowed the various issues and topics she would be standing for. After high school, she lived in Ohio, attended Cleveland State University, and eventually graduated with a bachelor’s in English. Next, she received her Masters for Urban Planning Design and Development and relocated to Southern California. She then got engaged and moved back to Philadelphia to join her husband. This is where she says the real work would begin.

“My passion is health. If we are not healthy, really nothing else matters.”

Nicole has always desired to serve and help anyone she could. She shares her life of service began in the emergency room on the night shift at University Hospitals. When she moved to California, she was a department administrator at Kaiser, and facility administrator for Davita Kidney Care. When she moved back and got married she also worked for Davita and became caretaker for my mother-in-law. Her volunteer work has also involved her being a girl scout leader and serving on the board for Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia. Even as her life was being shaped, she knew there was still more to do.

She has served as the political action chair for the NAACP state conference of the 2020 election cycle, working on projects like voter registration, awareness campaigns, and advocating for civil unrest in communities. “It was the Golden Window. The first that ever happened in history that you could actually get your ballot, register to vote, and cast your ballot all in the same day if you wanted to,” she says. These opportunities and experiences led to the development of the Community Hero Action Group, a non-proft 510c3 focusing on community engagement and Community Hero Impact Alliance, a non-profit 501c4 which focuses on good government and advocacy.

“I didn’t realize how much I love community engagement until I started with all the work that I was doing in 2020.”

The Community Hero Action group always brought light into Nicole’s eyes. She recalls the energy that was present even in the early development stages. “From the special voting events that were held with the sounds of Public Enemy playing, to the voting rallies held for black communities. While traveling to polling stations to influence underrepresented communities to take action, to the educational forums conducted on health and living disparities of African Americans; There was always positive energy present. Even still, Nicole always thought, what more could she do to help advance her people.

Nicole has committed to not just talk about the improvement of her community. She is actively seeking and building tomorrow’s leaders. “It all starts with health. We die at a higher rate than our counterparts from diabetes, high blood pressure, and stroke. That’s not because our bodies are faulty. It is because of systemic inequities,” Nicole explains. She is seeking answers and resolutions for those directly affected by these ailments. This has included collaborating with the Medical Society of Eastern Pennsylvania to provide a scholarship fund for Black students that will assist them with taking and preparing medical exams and more.

For Nicole, she believes her work is never done. From seeing African Americans displaced on the streets living in tents, to helping young girls believe they can pursue a career as a judge, she knows that her work is more important than ever.

The PA Engage Day event held at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Nicole says, gave the youth in her community a natural look into their futures. There was a youth mock court held with the Honorable Judge Nichols as a special guest. In the end, a student’s life was changed as she saw that she could be a judge as well.

In the future, Nicole would like to increase her organization’s presence and create attainable housing for poor African American communities. She also hopes to continue serving anyone who needs her help.

For more information about the Community Hero Action Group, please visit their website.

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