2 minute read
She glows : Sherdell Baker
she glows
SHERDELL BAKER
By Stacie Ball | Photo provided
Sherdell Baker has been beating the odds since she was born. At one pound and 13 ounces, the premature infant spent over a month in the NICU before her parents were allowed to take her home. (Fun Fact: Baker’s mother, Sherrell Mims (Baker), was featured in the January issue of GLO this past year.)
Growing up, Sherdell dreamed of becoming a debutante by the time she was in high school. The opportunity slipped through her fingers, but she refused to give up. Last year, her dreams became a reality when she became Miss Black Indiana. Now, she wants to show others that you can do anything with perseverance and hard work.
Over a year ago, Sherdell saw a need for young men in the community and established King’s Mindset.
“I founded King’s Mindset Initiative to provide African-American men between the ages of 15 and 25 with a space and the proper resources to have better mental health,” she described. The organization provides numerous workshops, mental health resources, therapy platforms, and media outlets. There is also a mental health scenario training specifically designed for those who choose to be on the team. After taking a brief hiatus over the summer, the young CEO plans to relaunch the initiative this fall.
In addition to providing King’s Mindset resources for her school, Sherdell is very involved in campus life. Knowing college is a difficult journey, she mentors numerous fellow students and assists in their journey of self-growth. The journalism student is president of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) and a digital magazine platform catered to collegiate women called Her Campus. This year she became one of the new Campus Representatives for the Victoria Secret PINK Ambassador program.
Sherdell feels her journey to become Miss Black Indiana has been an enormous blessing. She is excited to give back by sharing her knowledge and being a positive influence for all people and age groups through her platform: BUILD Our Black Men.
“My pageant platform, BUILD Our Black Men, dedicates itself to providing men within the African American community with the necessary resources to combat their mental health disparities,” she said.
How does she manage everything? “Definitely through prayer and perseverance,” she explained. “Outside of this, I utilize a planner for my schedule and list smaller tasks on my phone as reminders to keep things organized. I still implement self-care a few times a week.”
Shedell has plans to continue inspiring others in the future. She is currently preparing for the Miss Black USA Pageant. She hopes to continue storytelling across various platforms and obtain her master’s degree in Journalism within the next five years. a
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