On any particular day, I can open the doors to my refrigerator and see a familiar sight. Nothing. I mean, there may be some of the usual players there, such as eggs, condiments, protiens, veggies, along with a few leftovers. Though it’s never full, and it makes sense not to be. I am a single man, and I only require the bare food essentials to survive, and if I overfill my icebox, a lot will go to waste.
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?
Again, that doesn’t make any sense. But what does is how God has still made provisions for me by supplying my needs with a resource to store and maintain food items. He knows I must eat to survive, but He leaves it up to me to select what to eat and how much. Gratefully, I often eat as I go and don’t allow much room for waste. By acknowledging the hands of God working for me in this matter, I can comprehend His works in every area of my life.
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 have experienced my share of hard times. Often I have felt as if mine were more challenging than anything in the world. Though I have once complained during my moments of lack, somehow I adjusted, and life continued. When there seemed as if there was no hope for tomorrow, and tomorrow still came, life continued. I realize that I didn’t succumb during all of this, even during the most sorrowful situations. As my faith has increased with my walk with God, I am learning the reasons why.
God has a plan for my life. That is called purpose. To fulfill my purpose, He has gone before me to ensure that everything I need is in order and available. That is called provision. I have learned that God allowed me to experience heartache and suffering as a child just so that I would be equipped to handle and thrive through anguish and suffering as an adult. He has allowed me to fall, get back up and fall down again so that I don’t become too comfortable with success and forget what it feels like to struggle and work my way up from wretchedness. God allowed me to lose; even when it appeared, I didn’t have anything left in my stable. I know He allowed it to make room for something greater. That’s provision.
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.
I am truly grateful that God doesn’t give me everything He has prepared for me all at once. I am blessed because I can’t see what is going to happen, and because I have faith in knowing that God will make it happen according to His will and purpose for my life. God has made provisions for each of us.
Terry L. Watson Editor/Founder
Terry L. Watson
www.huamimagazine.com Email or Telephone terry.editor@yahoo.com 336-340-7844
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La’Shaunda Monique Beauty Brand LaShaunda
By Terry L. Watson
Photos Provided by LaShaunda Lofton
“I love the fact that I can think outside of the box and be creative while doing so.”
It all begins with how someone feels about themselves, both inside and out. The goal is for the La’Shaunda Monique Beauty Brand to ensure that happens.
Owned and operated by Durham, NC native LaShaunda Lofton, this up-and-coming product company produces products designed to promote healthy hair. She offers cleansing, styling, and finishing products. There is also lip gloss, hair bonnets, shears, and eye masks. “I offer top-shelf hair care products for all hair textures, using clean family-friendly formulas. I believe that open communication between the stylist and client is vitally important in achieving optimum results. I make sure my clients know their opinions are valued and heard,” LaShaunda says.
LaShaunda is the daughter of Sabrina Elliott, and Dwayne Lofton. She is the mother of Da’Shawn McCallum and Emari Parker’s God-mother. After graduating from Jordan High School, she enrolled as a Cosmetology student at Durham Beauty Academy and eventually graduated. Not only is LaShaunda a licensed Cosmetologist in both states of North Carolina and Georgia, but she is also the author of “Putting Emphasis on The Basics.
LaShaunda’s dream was realized as a child. “I began doing my own hair in 5th grade. However, I didn’t launch my beauty brand until the onset of the Covid 19 pandemic in 2020. The inspiration to start my company was birthed out of necessity. The beauty industry was shut down, and my clients needed something to use while not being serviced by me,” she says.
The beauty industry is constantly changing and appears to get better as time passes. LaShaunda shares she loves the opportunity to interact with several groups of people. “I love the fact that I can think outside of the box and be creative while doing so,” she says. “I’m inspired by being able to lead others and still live my life.”
As a mother, LaShaunda realizes that everything she does is to create better opportunities for her son to succeed. “My son has impacted my life and career a great deal. He has definitely changed my life for the better. He has help me to realize that its not about me alone. Being a teenage mom was a huge challenge in itself. However, we have been successful by being strategic and with proper planning and lots of prayer. He has his own business and is an Honor Roll student. I am very proud of him,” she says.
Her advice to others who may follow in her footsteps is to emphasize the basics. “You can go far with being your authentic, creative self, and by using the basic principles of professionalism.”
In the future, she plans to incorporate lots of family time into her schedule and start conducting educational classes on her beauty brand products. Please visit their website to learn more about LaShaunda Lofton and her company.
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Victoria McCurtis
By Terry L. Watson
It has once been said that a picture is worth a thousand words. Looking at a photograph captured by Victoria McCurtis may be an infinite experience.
The talented and breathtaking photographer is quickly making her way around the greater Detroit metro area. Born Victoria Marie Belcher, she wears many hats, none more important than being a single mother to three beautiful children, Ryann, Madison, and Dylan. She is also a worship Pastor (she loves God), book author, and entrepreneur. Victoria describes herself as a creative who is innovative and addicted to beauty and art. She is also a high school graduate and licensed life insurance producer.
She is the owner of Double Clique LLC. Victoria shares she started her company in 2014 by taking photos with her first iPhone. “I was snapping pictures of everything because the quality was so great.” Today, her camera and tools of choice are a bit more sophisticated, as well asntele list. She specializes in Inside and Outside portraits/photography. Her work is tastefully presented, validating her ability to not only capture art through her lens but having a gift to edit and enhance her images with a ‘Double Clique” signature. Additionally, Victoria offers graphic design services, including flyers and personalized T-shirt designs.
Photos by Double Clique LLC
“Being a photographer is something that I truly enjoy doing. I love seeing my clients’ responses. I actually cried at one of my latest shoots because the client was so happy with the results,” says Victoria. “Those moments are what inspires me. I’m also inspired by my mentor Stephanie J Pride. She is not a photographer but an entrepreneur and is not afraid to learn business. My best friend Christina Williams is also one who inspires me. She taught me to be focused and financially literate. I’m also inspired by Myles Munroe and the photographer, Derrick Blank.”
Victoria shares that her late father has greatly impacted her life, someone she says taught her how to remain determined no matter what. That kind of determination is needed to grow in the very challenging photography industry. “I have challenges, but I don’t view any of them negatively, but I view them as opportunities. Things like inconsistencies in finances and clientele, they both tend to fluctuate. I have dealt with disappointed customers (after having done the best I can); that can be frustrating. And not always having adequate equipment. Though these things pose a threat, they also create opportunities to become better,” Victoria shares.
Her advice to others who may follow in her footsteps would be always to have faith in God. “Have faith in yourself, and have faith in your product. Do not be afraid to be different, and don’t be ashamed to stick out like a thumb. Be determined, dedicated, committed, consistent, and most importantly, be you!”
Moving forward, Victoria has excellent plans for Double Clique LLC. She is expanding her products and servicing the public with all things branding. She states that Double Clique LLC is not just for photography alone. In addition to the graphic design services, they plan to add more resources to better meet their customer’s needs.
To learn more about Double Clique LLC, please contact them directly.
Lori & Hezekiah Something BARowed Candy Bar Stations
By Ellen Richardson -
Now that events are back in full swing, are you and your family planning some of those occasions that were canceled last year? If you answered yes to this question, you have found the article to make these events memorable. Thanks to a dream born to inspiring area business owners Hezekiah and Lori Poag, any event that you hold this holiday season can be made a lot sweeter.
The owners of Something BARowed Candy Bar Stations Sweet Shop and Party Venue in Greensboro, NC began their family business in 2013 after searching for a fun addition to their wedding.
“When we got married, my husband and I wanted a candy bar station for the guests at our wedding,” said Lori. “Back then, this kind of thing was just coming onto the wedding scene, and it was something that we were both drawn to. Unfortunately, no one in the area offered this type of service in the wedding industry, so we had to go out and find candies that matched our wedding colors, jars to hold these candies, and seek the assistance of our friends to serve guest at our reception. It became a thorn in our side and the most stressful part of our wedding day.”
While most who undertake a taxing task on the happiest day of their lives would look back and think, ‘I never want to deal with something like that again’, this was not the case for the sweetest couple in Guilford County. “After our wedding day, we had a bunch of equipment and supplies at our disposal. Instead of getting rid of them, we decided to keep everything to someday start a business. Not long after starting our lives together, my husband and I started a side hustle for other couples like us who wanted something unique at their events,” said Lori. “It was cool because our career backgrounds, mine in PR, Marketing and Advertising and Hezekiah’s in Retail Management and Merchandising, gave aid to both the creative and sales side of this business.”
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Photos by Still Shots Photography - Styled by Diedra Pettiford - Hair and Makeup by Bella Bee Beauty Bar
After their new business and “fun date night activity” continued to take off, these sweethearts would decide to turn what was once a thorn into a beautiful rose. “It is funny because we started this business setting up candy stations at events and celebrations for family and friends,” said Lori. “Our first event was a baby shower for a friend, and this led to more referrals, which made us have to learn the whole logisitics and business side of sweets.” Thanks to an overarching goal to break into the same event scene that gave birth to their entrepreneurial spirits, it would not take long before Hezekiah and Lori became one of the hottest vendors in the Triad. “We started attending Triad Wedding Shows and before long found ourselves booking weddings as much as our other events,” said Lori. “I can remember going into labor on a weekend that we had a large out-of-town wedding, and despite laying in a hospital bed and giving birth, I was on the phone with my staff trying to ensure everything was covered.” Riding high from their newfound passion and miraculously completing 82 events, the Poag family, culminated the year of 2015 with a booming new business and the birth of a little boy.
While the Poag’s were riding high from success on the wedding scene, they began to get lots of inquiries from parents on doing childrens events. That activity sparked Lori and Hezekiah’s interest in offering their candy bar stations at children’s parties. “We found that kids love our candy bar stations, but trying to transport the candies and glass candy jars while keeping things from getting broken or going missing wasn’t easy. So our new goal was to find a storefront where we could store our materials and host children’s parties,” said Lori.
“We found that kids love our candy bar stations, but trying to transport the candies and glass candy jars while keeping things from getting broken or going missing wasn’t easy. So our new goal was to find a storefront where we could store our materials and host children’s parties.”
In 2017, this sweet dream came true as the Poag family moved their operation from a guest bedroom in their home into their new storefront in Downtown Greensboro. “The best part about moving into our new location on East Market Street is that we now have a party room where customers can come to us for all types of fun events like birthday parties, baby showers, girls’ night out, etc.,” said Lori. “This space became popular for lots of families in this area, that is until the pandemic hit and shut everything down,” said Hezekiah.
Despite coming close to having to see their new family dream come crashing down, the couple who follows where their passion leads found a new way to keep things popping –Popcorn. “Once events were taken away, in March of 2020, we knew that we might have to close our doors,” said Lori. “Fortunately, we started noticing what the restaurants were doing to survive. We recognized the success that restaurants were having with their take-out service during the pandemic, so we searched for a sutiable take-out item within our existing products. Believe it or not the answer was on our shelf, staring at us in our face the whole time. Gourmet popcorn!”
Beginning with six flavors and eventually increasing to more than thirty flavors of popcorn not only saved the Poag family business but made the king and queen of sweets the newest royalty in the popcorn kingdom. “It was funny because our popcorn sales started bypassing our prepandemic space rental numbers. We were even featured on Beyoncé’s website and received a $10,000 grant along with other black-owned businesses,” said Lori. “After this, orders started pouring in and we were fortunate to be asked to travel to Atlanta and create a custom popcorn bar for hip hop celebrities T.I. and Tiny Harris.”
Popcorn also opened a new side of sweet events. “We started created mini bags with customizable stickers that said things like ‘thanks for popping by,’ which allowed families to hand out favors during drive-thru celebrations and even to send to friends and families to let them know that they are thinking about them,” said Lori. “These became very popular and even helped us increase party bookings in our event space this year.” Continued on
Today, the Poag family continues to have one of the most popular sweet shops and event addition companies in the Triad and has seen their relationship flourish alongside their family business. “We have learned each other’s strengths and weaknesses. This has helped us work well together,” said Lori. “Of course we have our arguments on the business side, and I am grateful that my husband has helped keep me grounded and tell me when to turn it off.”
“We have also had to stop and refocus on our relationship outside of this business to be sure that both can coexist,” said Hezekiah. “We have continued to remind each other that no matter what happens, our relationship and this family is most important and will always come first. Making this our firm foundation has made everything, including our business, thrive.
To find out more about Something BARowed and all this business’s sweet opportunities, please visit their website.
What Are Your Fitness Goals? Jennifer Anyikude
By Terry L. Watson
If you can’t hang with the bid dogs, then you might as well stay on the porch. While trying to measure or gauge the energy and enthusiasm Jennifer Anyikude exudes, that assertion is fitting. However, the fitness expert soft side and approach is usually the first impression others will have of her.
The Nigerian American is very proud of her roots. She is the owner of Jenn Fitness DC, located in Capitol Heights, MD. Her name is Jennifer, but many refer to me as Jenn, and she has worked as a certified personal trainer for over 10 years. She has a bachelors degree in Exercise Science and two masters MHA and MHEP.
JennFitnessDC was launched in 2012. Her success as a fitness expert happened rather organically. In the beginning, she discovered that her charisma helped people to trust her, eventually exposing their vulnerabilities. She started by training anywhere she could find a place available but now trains out at her home, in a space that she has transformed into a gym/shop. “I’ve trained in corporate, private, and in government spaces,” she says. Additionally, Jenn teaches health and physical education to elementary school children (pre-k - 6th grade).
“I am an exuberant certified personal trainer who is changing lives and inspiring people every day! I set the example of how adopting a balanced lifestyle (healthy diet and active lifestyle) can benefit someone mentally, physically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually. My training style incorporates HITT (High-Intensity Interval Training), calisthenics, resistance training, weight training, and sprinting. I avoid sticking to a particular style, which helps keep workouts fun, challenging, and different, and teaches clients how to adopt health and fitness beyond losing or gaining weight,” she says.
Photos by Jennifer Anyikude
Jenn’s clients are typically people looking for the continuous betterment of themselves. “I love helping people build their self-efficacy! I teach my clients how to strengthen their minds, bodies, and souls,” she says. “I am inspired by growth. That involves seeing growth in my clients and seeing myself mature over the years as well.”
One area of focus for Jenn is Cardio and Weight Loss. Cardiovascular health is critical to those both young and old. She says that if you find yourself getting winded while climbing the steps or experiencing shortness of breath, then it’s time for you to increase your daily physical activity. “One of the most difficult aspects of weight loss is a lack of daily physical activity to counteract the consumption of calories consumed. There is no magic trick or substitute for physical activity. I’m here to help guide and motivate you, so you can make steady and consistent improvements that you’ll see quickly,” she says.
Jenn also stresses the importance of proper nutrition. “Eating right is not always easy. Nowadays, there are so many temptations with easy access to unhealthy foods. Your health is the most valuable thing you have, and you should treat it as such. If you’re tired of trying new diets every few months, we can help you transform your lifestyle overall. We ensure that you combine your diet with the required physical activity to reap the most benefits and feel the most results long term.
Some advice she offers to others who may follow in her footsteps is to always be consistent. “Do your research constantly because the information is always changing and evolving.”
Moving forward, Jenn hopes to tap in more into her community. She believes the best possible way to accomplish that is through children. As a result of her belief, she hopes to host a summer camp one day.
Currently, she is offering flexible programs for one-on-one personal training and interactive group sessions. She also provides virtual Zoom classes as well. “There’s no excuse left other than for you to make up your mind to transform your life for the best,” says Jenn.
To learn more about JennFitnessDC, please visit their website.
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Lucas Exceptional Healthcare and Consultation, PLLC
By Ellen Richardson - Photos by Santana B. Photography
“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things, and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” NKJV (3 John 1:2)
While the pandemic brought with it a lot of loss, God also used this challenging time to open some amazing new doors of opportunity for His people. One such miraculous door opened is sure to be one of interest to those throughout the Triad who need exceptional healthcare without spending hours at a doctor’s office. Thanks to Lucas Exceptional Healthcare, this is now possible.
Owned and operated by CEO and founder LaToya Lucas, this all-new mobile healthcare company offers unique home-based health services like telehealth care for prescription refills, primary care for cold or strep throat, annual physicals, IV Hydration Therapy, and even Rapid COVID-19 testing. Their services are provided all from the comfort of your own home.
Lucas is a board-certified adult nurse practitioner and highly skilled and licensed nurse practitioner who has been in healthcare for more than 26 years. She shares, “This company was birthed out of my desire to fill a care gap for our community. During the height of the pandemic, there were a lot of people who could not get in to see their doctors or nurse practitioners in an actual office setting due to closures and delays. This resulted in many residents having trouble maintaining their proper health and nutrition or even obtaining their medication refills in a timely manner.”
Thanks to a calling to fill a serious need within her community, Lucas decided to go old school. “For anyone who was also a fan of Little House on the Prairie, you might remember Doctor Baker, who used to go around to people’s houses with his medical bag to treat people. I decided to go back in that direction to provide the personalized care that people need without ever having to leave their homes.”
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“After I obtained my license, I started working as a nurse practitioner for several different healthcare agencies, including one of the largest insurance companies in the country. I also served as a primary care practitioner in the assisted living and nursing home realm to assure that these citizens received the quality care that they so richly deserved.”
Prior to becoming a successful small business owner, this former North Carolina A&T State University graduate earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1995, after which she earned a Master of Science in Nursing with a concentration in Nursing Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and a Post Masters in Adult/Gerontological Nurse Practitioner from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Along with extensive medical education, Lucas has also worked in the medical field for over 26 years. She has served patients as one of the most talented nurse practitioners in the Triad since 2009. “I started my career in cardiac nursing at Moses Cone Hospital, where I also served as the Assistant Director of the Cardiac Unit,” said Lucas. “After receiving my master’s degree, I was allowed to become a professor at North Carolina A&T State University, where I taught nursing for eight years.”
While assisting rising nurses in perfecting their craft, Lucas went back to school to become a licensed nurse practitioner. “After I obtained my license, I started working as a nurse practitioner for several different healthcare agencies, including one of the largest insurance companies in the country. I also served as a primary care practitioner in the assisted living and nursing home realm to assure that these citizens received the quality care that they so richly deserved,” she says.
This past candy stripers’ dream came from a vision given to her by an inspiring relative who envisioned Lucas owning her own doctor’s office. That vision would eventually become a reality. Today Lucas is giving it her all to provide quality primary care to anyone in need without ever having to worry about these patients having to make it to a brickand-mortar location. “I am so thrilled to see my uncle’s vision come to pass, despite me not owning an actual office or even being a doctor,” said Lucas.
As a board certified nurse practitioner through the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, Lucas wants to assure her patients and all of those reading this story that while nurse practitioners are not MD’s they undergo rigorous training and credentialing, which allows them to assess, treat, diagnose and care for every patient. ”
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“The funny thing is when people visit their primary care provider’s office, they often do not realize that they are being treated by a nurse practitioner and not a physician (even though it is explained to them). Nurse Practitioners are highly qualified medical professionals who must be registered nurses before they complete the nurse practitioner degree. Nurse practitioners focus on illness prevention and staying well. Our abilities as a medical professional are effective because we have been educated and trained to provide full care to patients,” she says.
In the state of North Carolina, nurse practitioners are regulated jointly by The NC Medical Board and NC Board of Nursing. While there are states that allow professionals such as Lucas to practice without the collaborative supervision of a MD or physician, North Carolina is not one of these states. As a result, she has hired a collaborative physician to consult with on an as-needed basis. Still, Lucas can provide the bulk of the care without consult, including writing prescriptions. To find out more about Lucas Exceptional Health Care & Consultation or to schedule a home visit for yourself or a loved one, please visit their website.
My Pain Is My Power
By Arielle Kilgore
According to Merriam Webster and its definition of abuse, it can be characterized as a corrupt action or custom, improper, excessive use of treatment, or physical maltreatment. It may also use language that condemns or vilifies, usually unjustly, intemperately, and angrily. Although an abuser can possess these traits, the victim does not have to carry their definition but become the opposite—the victor. By Merrian Webster’s definition, it means one that defeats an enemy or opponent, i.e. a winner. Another synonym for a victor, Tanisha Bankston.
Tanisha’s story is one of hurt and triumph. A native of Grenada, MS, and current resident of Oxford, MS, she is a survivor of rape and even incest. Her anguish also stems from domestic violence, childhood sexual abuse, and trauma from an early age. From age 14 to 23, she was abused. When she tried to escape, she was beaten and left to die, along with a child to care for. Even after finding her strength and equilibrium of being a mother and survivor, she felt silenced for 27 years by the events that ruined her life. “I overcame my hurt by breaking my silence, and I realized I needed to rediscover my voice that had been trapped,” Tanisha shares. Once I found my voice, I then decided to help other victims find theirs and speak life over the situation that could kill them.”
Tanisha is the founder of My Pain is My Power. Her business cater to victims of
abuse while shepherding them into recovery. “I started this because I had to break my silence. I wanted to help others like myself. I knew that it was time to move forward. That’s why I wrote my book. I chose to be a voice and advocate for others and take the energy back from all the trauma that I’ve gone through,” she shares.
Tanisha is the author of her self-titled book, “My Pain is My Power”. Published May 21, 2021, her book shares her story and sheds light on victims of abuse. She gives an inside look at her life and how long and hard the process of the recovery system can be. Tanish uses pieces of her ordeal and the relief methods she relied upon to serve as resources and tools for others. “Talking to other people and listening gives women the power to be heard and understood. They can talk to me, and I can help them because I can relate to what has happened to them. Being a survivor helps me understand other survivors.” she shares.
Photos by Tanisha Bankston
One of the first steps of assistance she offers is getting victims to crisis homes and shelters. There, victims can detach from their trauma in the presence of trained individuals who will direct them to further assistance. The support system for victims frequently involves other victims, and Tanisha is familiar with both roles.
She also advocates and speaks at women’s conferences and radio stations around the state of Mississippi and nationally. She serves her audience exclusively online through her website and Facebook, which will soon be Metra, seminars. Additionally, she sells merchandise such as t-shirts, pens, and buttons, items that assist in encouraging the survivors to remember how important they are and how they made it to the light.
Along with her book, Tanisha has spoken on various radio talk shows like Miss Texas Show, the Reality Series, CPS the Horror Story, Empowered Voice, a Mental Health Break, and started the first session to speak out about abuse in her area. She also holds conference calls and domestic violence meetings with survivors. The number one way to ensure better treatment and acknowledgment is to bring awareness to what is growing to be an epidemic in America.
A wave-breaking Netflix show called Maid brings to light abuse in the world of women. Tanisha agrees the production informs the viewer that abuse isn’t just physical, it can be mental, emotional, and spiritual. “Anything that could harm and change a person from who they are is abuse. It is imperative to share the different types of abuse.”
Moreover, she hopes that her business provides that light of knowing that abuse is everywhere and they are here to help. Recently, her business has received the award for Chamber and Commerce of being a new business. She hopes you expand it to have different agencies that advocate for women victims and survivors. She will shortly launch her podcast that will give advice and provide shelter for abused women.
Most importantly, Tanisha hasn’t shielded anything from her children. She wants them to grow up normal and, if at all possible, help her cause, as well. “In the future, I hope that they never have to go through the things I’ve gone through. I know they can have a successful life and business and move on with their life as well.”
Despite every battle she has faced, Tanisha doesn’t look at her life as a struggle, but instead as a mission to help others conquer. “I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I don’t have any regrets.”
In the future, Tanisha plans to continue to use her platform to serve and help others in need. “I’m looking forward to raising awareness and advocating, and volunteering in my community to bring an end to domestic violence,” she says.
For information on Tanisha Bankston’s story or to join her cause, please visit her website.
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Keyon Smith
Making A Difference Everyday
By Terry L. Watson
Provided by Keyon Smith
Keyon Smith is a native of Philadelphia, PA. He comes from humble beginnings, is the third born of a family of five, and was raised by a single mother in the project high rises of Raymond Rosen Housing projects in North Philadelphia. There were plenty of days and nights when he didn’t know where his next meal was coming from. “There were even moments when our house had no electricity or running water. I even remember as a kid fetching water from a driveway in an empty milk gallon jug.,” he says. Keyon recalls watching his mother become ill when he was 11 years old. She later died of cervical cancer in 1989, and his grandmother began to care for him and his siblings.
“The loss of my mother took a huge toll on me as a kid. My academics were affected. I endured another massive blow when my grandmother passed due to pharyngeal cancer six months later. My siblings and I then moved to live with our aunt, and we were finally on a stable path,” Keyon says.
Growing up in North Philadelphia, Keyon witnessed some pretty tough situations. “I’ve seen drug abuse, drug dealers, shootings, robberies, as well as homelessness.” He was voted class clown amongst his peers, and he soon gravitated towards entertainment. He would participate in plays at school, play the drums, and take gymnastics. Keyon was also a vocal youth and expressed his interests with speeches and mock trial competitions. After graduating from high school with honors, he took drama classes at the historical Freedom Theatre, pursued a career in film, and attended Philadelphia Community College. Life would happen, and Keyon left school and began working full-time but still pursued a career in acting. He has worked on several productions, including Cold Case, National Treasure, Annapolis, Invincible, Marley & Me, The Next Three Days, and Creed. He is currently the Assistant Director of the Independent Film Association of Philadelphia. He also received a BSBA from the University of Phoenix.
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Keyon is the founder and owner of M.A.D.E.Making A Difference Everyday. M.A.D.E. is an apparel and products company that makes and sells items suitable for all ages while bringing positive energy and liberation. Their product line includes t-shirts, hoodies, hats, mugs, tote bags, duffle bags, socks, and jackets. Portions of the proceeds and donations received by the program are given back to their community. Giving back to his community is very important to Keyon, and he has done a lot since the program’s launch. They’ve conducted a tech giveaway for middle school kids and supplied monitors and keyboards, and provided lunch boxes and masks for elementary school kids. They have donated to Y.E.S. (Youth Emergency Services) and recently provided a women’s and men’s shelter with toothbrushes, toothpaste, washcloths, bath towels, and sanitizer.
So why lauch an apparels company? For Keyon, the answer is connected to his roots. “I’ve always had a big heart as a kid and would give my last to help anyone in need. That is the primary reason I started M.A.D.E. Back in 2013, my cousin and I fooled around with t-shirt ideas. I wanted to create something that anyone could wear. My very first shirt was Dream Dreams. It was cool, but my second shirt idea was M.A.D.E., and it just took off and skyrocketed. I did not expect the demand, and I was forced to shut down because I could not keep up. I needed a plan and a team. I came back better than ever and relaunched in 2019,” he says.
With owning his company, Keyon says he loves the opportunities is offers him to connect with others. “I love being able to change the trajectory of someone’s life. If there are ten people in the room, I hope to change the life of at least one. That person may go on to change many.”
With the cause of his mothers, grandmothers, and even his aunt’s death due to cancer, Keyon uses those experiences as inspirations. The M.A.D.E. logo and colors represent them and the battles they fought., They all stepped up and showed me what family was all about. It’s the reason I need to keep paying it forward. A different decision by either of them and my life could be different. I live and give back through them,” he shares.
The future plans for Keyon and M.A.D.E. involve adding more products to their online store and giving back to it’s community. He plans to spread the word about M.A.D.E. and inspire others to become active in their community. Keyon often recites a quote by Audrey Hepburn that says, “As you get older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.” To learn more about M.A.D.E., please visit their website.
