BOLD Favor Dec 2016

Loren Lott Tamiko Lowry Pugh Is Still Standing & Stepping Out for Domestic Violence Survivors A Leading Through Living Publication Embrace Your Glamour Girl with Jackie Madison Lashone Garth is a Champion for MENTALLY Disabled Veterans 100MWII Ernest Moore & Team EMI Bring 100 Men to the Runway in STYLE! Traces of Ardre Orie's Lipstick Inspire the Atlanta Stage with Self-Love & Worth The Sleep Revolution Has a lot to be thankful for Letter from the Editor-in-Chief With elections over across the globe, mixed with uncertainty and the holiday season upon us, you still have to walk boldly into your purpose. It is not a season of doubt and fear but a season to be fierce in your boldness and your positive belief. Here at Bold Favor Magazine, we supply those types of articles and conduct interviews of the people who did just that: walk boldly into a welcoming future. Welcome to the December Edition of Bold Favor Magazine!!! 2016 is coming to an end and we thank our supporters that have been sharing posts, commenting on blogs, selling subscriptions and giving our messages in person or radio. Our readers', subscribers', writers', and advertisers' dedication to this magazine has been why we do this. We thank you !!!  Again, thank you for the continuing radio shout outs, social media plugs, and appreciation of the character of the magazine! Please continue making bold and fearless choices. Don’t let time, fear, doubt, worry or others stop you from your success. Show and tell the world your BOLDNESS in everything you do. In this issue of BOLD FAVOR, we are pleased to feature on our cover, Loren Lott. She is a grateful singer and actress with a bubbly personality who once competed on American Idol. She passionately tells BOLD about her amazing journey. This isssue also features an interview of retired veteran Lashone Garth, who took her love for the condition of fellow veterans and created her own nonprofit to assist them, by Bold Favor’s own Tinzley Bradford; a feature of entrepreneur Lavada Dale, founder of Haircredible; a series on memory, "The Good List" feature of Unity In Our Community; and our CHROME spotlights fashion designer and man of many talents, Alexander Pezo. Of course we have the "Ask Bri" segment, travel, the arts, book reviews, learning, leading, and amazing stories of surviving domestic violence, cancer, and receiving inspiration from our young people--all of which highlight having the BOLD tenacity of walking in and towards your purpose.  Thank you to the founder of Bold Favor Magazine, Lynita Mitchell-Blackwell, for being an amazing leader, lawyer, family woman, and friend. Let’s all go BOLDLY forward together. Enjoy shopping with our wonderful advertisers, and share your thoughts with us. We listen! Have a wonderful holiday season, and as the new year comes, remember: The future favors the BOLD. Be Bold, and Be Fearless!  David David Good Editor-in-Chief BOLD Favor Magazine is the Leadership Lifestyle magazine that highlights BOLD people, organizations, and causes that inspire us to live fearlessly. A subsidiary of the Leading Through Living Community, LLC, BOLD Favor has over 250K email subscribers, 16K+ Instagram Followers, and 5K+ Twitter Followers. To learn more, or to advertise with us, visit www.BOLDFavorMagazine.com, call 866-611-3753 or email us at info@BOLDFavorMagazine.com. CEO Lynita Mitchell-Blackwell Editor-in-Chief David M. Good Managing Editor Shekema Silveri Photographers Joshe Martin, Dawn Nelson, Ynette Keith Videographers Tyra Breaux Frank Spivey Ashauntae Porras MUA's Elizabeth St. John-Hall Quin Whatley Writers in this Issue A. L. Cooper Asia Wheaton Brianna D. Screen Cathy Burroughs Connie Franklin Gypsy Empress Mercedes Jackson Myesha Good Patrice Rivers Paul S. Grieve Sandy Chernoff Shana Thornton Shavonda McCaleb Tiffany Brown Tinzley Bradford Cover Photo by Joshe Martin Cover Design by Angie B. Team Haircredible Founder Lavada Dale 8 100 Men Walking II Showcase 12 The Power Grab 13 Alexander Pezo Takes His Place in Fashion 16 Book Review: Beautiful Just the Weight You Are 20 Disabled Vets Find A Voice in American Elegance 22 Embrace Your Inner Glamour Girl 49 Inside this Issue ... 38 10 28 Where's the Respect in Our Schools? 56 Still Standing Domestic Advocacy Gala BOLD Cover Loren Lott PR Maven Antoinette Ortega Shows Us How Its Done Right 50 31 In Shavonda's Tea: Help Struggling Non-profits! 33 Ask Bri: Reflections on 2016 34 Shana Thornton: Inspired by Our Children to Serve 42 A.L. Cooper: No More Excuses - Stop & Pray! 44 The Good List: Unity in the Community 46 Ardre Orie's "The Lipstick Monologues" Takes Over Atlanta 52 Memory Slippin'? Sandy Chernoff's Got You Covered 55 What's the Biz with Nikki Speakz? 57 Book Review: The Sleep Revolution 58 Journey to Switzerland for A Film Delight 59 The GEANCO Foundation Benefit in LA 27 37 60 On Sunday, November 6th, Mr. Ernest Moore of Team EMI presented 100 Men Walking II, a celebration of masculinity, male leadership, style and excellence in education. Several community leaders were recognized, including Attorney Mawuli Davis, Lyngale Agency CEO Tina Bridges, and BOLD Favor CEO Lynita Mitchell-Blackwell. The event was held at the beautiful Stone Mountain Community Center before a sold-out audience. Enjoy a few pictures captured by our photographer Dawn Nelson. Wina Holt, CEO & Founder Top right: designer Norahs Khan (middle) with two attendees. Bottom right: Comedian Tiny (middle), and Lyngale Agency CEO Tina Bridges (right). Top left: Mr. Moore , giving thanks for an exceptional evening of celebration. Bottom right: Ms. Niki NIcole McClain, escorted by on of her head scarf models. Photography By Steven Harvey Make up By: Nunu Soto The Real AO An Intimate Portrait of PR Maven Antoinette Ortega AKA The REAL AO When did you fall in love with helping others get their message out there? I fell in love with giving people a chance to be heard many years ago when I was a child. I used to work as a Child Welfare Investigator, and as I listened to the young girls talk about being abused and courageously telling their story, it made me want to continue to help people get their voices heard. As a former child who was also abused, I can relate. I want my new blog site, TheOfficialAO.com, to be that platform for people. To me, it is very important for people to feel like they've been heard in the capacity they want, because some people are so quick to find a permanent solution to a temporary situation. How did you build the courage to leave the "traditional path" and walk your faith journey to explore your passion full time?  Honestly it was when I was 18 years old and both my sister and father unexpectedly died months apart. I remember coming home from school crying to my father about choosing which college to go to. Basically he said forget what everyone says and only do what makes “Antoinette” happy. Don't do anything to please anyone else but yourself. That was one of the last passionate conversations I had with my father before he passed. Since then I have been living life for me and I don't seek others approvals like I used to. After my dad died, I felt i had the blessing from him to live MY life on MY terms and never have to apologize for it so I hope to promote that same message to people all over the world. How have relationships helped you branch out? And how did you leverage those relationships to do other things? The relationships that I have here in Los Angeles have helped me tremendously. Partnering with brands such as One West Magazine has helped me set a foundation in the Los Angeles community as a writer and I will always be appreciative of that. I always had leverage with other brands, because I had something that they wanted and that was blogs. As a writer for many online publications, I had a lot of partnership opportunities. What message do you want your audience to hear when you speak to them? I want to continue to promote “Believe in self” and always to push through the heartache and pains. Life is not always easy and was not made for the weak. Anything is possible even if you feel there is no way out. God makes a way out of no way and as a believer I have always put my faith in him to guide me. Even if you are a youth or maybe elder and don't believe in the spiritual world just know that you can do anything you put your mind to and to never let another person stop your dreams from happening. No one can take better care of you but you! Tell us a little about your website, TheOfficialAO.com and how did you feel once you realized ABC News syndicated your interview? Yes!! I was just in Awe! I had just launched my website www.TheOfficialAO.com and It was only me and my Publicist posting stories. He was able to interview Briana Issacs, Daughter to Kendu Issacs and Step-Daughter to Mary J Blige. You know the whole divorce and tabloids are currently running the story so I guess our exclusive interview got circulated in with everything else. We even had a few celebrities supporting and sharing the story on their social media pages. Honestly it was a great experience seeing everything unravel so quickly. It got so big that my site crashed from the major traffic the site was getting. My site went viral in only 3 days of launching!!! I did not expect that to happen and I was so proud of that moment. Tell me more about your community service work - how do you like to spend your volunteer time? I have served the Los Angeles Skid Row community when I used to live there at the shelter. I would work with the local church, Lady Dee Dee Wilson and Bobby Buck of Skid Row Talkz. I spoke to the skid row population about my story and how I was led to the community for a spiritual reason. I actually plan to go back there and do more work. I was taught a tremendous lesson with my short stay in Skid Row and that is not take life for granted. Who was the most interesting person you have ever worked with and why? I can definitely say it was when I interviewed Debbie Allen for a cover story of a Los Angeles Magazine. She was the biggest celebrity I would have interviewed at the time. As soon as she picked up the phone she was like, I've been expecting your call.. I was so intimidated already. I had I think 40 minutes with her on the phone and only used 22 minutes. I still have the interview recording today and sometimes listen to it to keep me humble. She challenged me and gave me pointers on how to do better on phone interviews in the future. The whole conversation was was interesting to say the least and I will never forget the lessons she gave me in such a short time. Who do you consider to be your mentor(s)? What have they taught you? I would consider Patrice Tartt to be a writing mentor of mine. She is a national writer who have been published in Huffington Post, Madame Noire, Success.com, Essence and etc. I feel like if I have a question that I can go to her with it. She is readily available and she has taught me to continue going with my dreams no matter how hard it is and that it's possible. I would always say I am a mini her and I just watch her moves and move accordingly. How did you do it, from living at a downtown Los Angeles women's Shelter to now having your own office and headed towards a success story? Honestly, It was all by the grace of the lord. I kept praying and I kept one foot in front of the other no matter how crazy life got. I can recall two times I seriously thought about moving back home with family, but I had to remember why I started all of this in the beginning. Being in a women's shelter for a month was humbling, humiliating and embarrassing, but I had to learn to embrace the struggle. I had a lot of people tell me that this journey I was walking was not unusual here and that it will just make me stronger and the success story is what people wanted to hear. I have an amazing story and I can't wait to tell it in it's right form to reach the masses. My whole goal is to inspire millions of people and motivate to live your dreams. You must believe and see your vision first before anyone else and that will make you successful in itself. If you had it all to do over again getting started in your career, what would you do differently? I wouldn't do it all over.. I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason and I am just walking my destiny as it was intended. What's coming up next for you? What's in the pipeline? Well I am still working on getting my blog off the ground and I am currently writing Television Pilots and Movie Scripts. I am in Screen Writers bootcamp in Santa Monica, CA and they help get me final draft ready to pitch to Movie/T.V producers and so forth. I am excited about investing in my career, because I know it will all pay off in the end. I am also partnered up with my Tech friend. Joshua Armah of Atlanta, GA. We are both launching a podcast together called “Prosperity Challenge”. I will be talking about all things Women Empowerment. It will be accessible on Itunes and Android Via the Prosperity Season App. How can everyone connect with you on social media? Facebook @TheRealOfficialAO Twitter @The_OfficialAO_ Instagram @The_OfficialAO_ In today's society, women do not have as prominent role as their male counterparts. It seems as if men are looked upon as born leaders who should hold power. Men look strong and confident. People feel safe that males will lead them in a strong, protective way. Women are looked at very differently. People see them as weak in heart and afraid of doing things in a forceful manner. What does it mean when someone rules in a successful or effective manner? When a ruler runs his or her empire successfully, it means that throughout his or her reign as king or queen everything ran smoothly. This means that no one would try to overthrow them and that the people were happy. Effective is very different than successful. If a ruler is effective, he or she understands what the people want. An effective ruler gives their people what they want and understands the needs of the people.Women do have a harder time with keeping power. They have to be extreme with their actions and do whatever it takes. We see this in the case of Irene of Athens and China’s Empress Wu Zhao. Wu was very extreme and deliberate in her actions. She was ruthless. She made sure that no one would stand in her way when it came down to her power. She would have people tortured and killed just to keep herself where she was. She would have her own family members tortured so that the power would never leave from her. Irene acted a little differently. She was very conniving. Irene was not always on top. She had to work if she wanted to be the leader. Irene would come up with plans and plots to overthrow and have family members poisoned just to be on top. These women wanted and needed the power and it seems through historical readings that they would do anything in their power to keep it. Extreme Measures to Keep Power by: Asia Wheaton http://bit.ly/visionlaunch2017 Ladies…Khari Toure has done it again!!! His latest book Beautiful Just The Weight You Are: From Body Shame To Beautiful is a magnificent work of art and definitely a page turner. His current book is filled with poems and affirmations dedicated to the purpose of healing and inspiring plus size women who have been hurt by the damaging views of society. In this day and time when there so many women who struggle with body acceptance and the strong desire to fit society’s definition of beautiful, Khari is right on time with his this masterpiece. Beautiful Just The Weight You Are is a magnificent work of art and definitely a page turner. I love the way Khari encourages women to look past this imaginary box society wants women to fit into and simply love who you are…curves and all!!!!! Khari uses influential poetry to empower women who have been body-shamed and inspire them to cultivate a nurturing love for oneself; while choosing not to accept the negative and one-sided views of others. Beautiful Just the Weight You Are is broken into four parts: Assault (poems that empower women who struggle with body issues and overcoming being body-shamed), Acceptance (poems that encourage women to develop self-love and stop finding fault with their bodies), Admiration (poems that celebrate curvy women’s inner and outer beauty), and Affirmations (poems and affirmations that encourage self-love and healing). One of my favorite poems is entitled, For Kissy; a poem dedicated to a young woman who committed suicide after having weight loss surgery and hating the sight of her sagging skin resulting from her excessive weight loss. I find myself reading the self-love and healing affirmations on a daily basis. Beautiful Just The Weight You Are: From Body Shame to Beautiful is an inspiration to all women….I encouraged women to add this book to their collection!!!! BOOK REVIEW Beautiful Just The Weight You Are: From Body Shame To Beautiful By Khari Toure  Review by Brianna D. Screen 4 Stars "I am a disabled Veteran living with mental illness. That is the main reason I started looking for things to do that I thought could help me cope with life every day." I am always intrigued when we stumble across triple threat people like the guest in this article. Lashone Garth is a Retired Veteran who has the title of Ms. American Elegance Lady 2016. With the recent Miss USA, Deshauna Barber who also actively serves in United States Army reserves, I wanted to jump right on this interview, and after speaking to Lashone….We can see why she’s so unstoppable! Enjoy our write up on this beauty!  BFM: Hello Lashone, thanks for joining us. This is a very exciting time for you right now. You a Retired Veteran and the current reigning Ms. American Elegance Lady 2016. What a combination. Please tell us more about you and how it all happened? Have you always pursued a career in modeling all while serving as a Veteran?  Thank you so much for having me. I guess I’ve always gravitated to the entertainment industry. Even as a young girl I loved acting. However, my path led me to the military and that was a great experience for me. However, once I retired, I was interested in doing something that I had never done before and I was at a point in my life where I felt I needed “something” to propel me forward. So, one day I was sitting on the couch with my husband and I was reading a story on Yahoo News and it featured a woman who was near my age and had lost a significant amount of weight and she competed in her state pageant and won. I looked at my husband and said “I’m going to do that” and so I did!  BFM: So you’re an actress, entrepreneur, and you have a 501 (3)c Non-profit organization for Veterans entitled “Blanket of Freedom.” Can you share more about your nonprofit?  “Blanket of Freedom” was birthed after discovering something about my own needs. I am a disabled Veteran living with mental illness. That is the main reason I started looking for things to do that I thought could help me cope with life every day. I am a 2-time suicide survivor and the only thing that has helped me is my participation in the arts. The traditional therapeutic options were not successful for me and so I begin to use acting and drama to help me and interestingly enough, it worked. My thoughts were that there had to be other veterans who had the same or similar experience, so I came up with the concept of using dramatic and expressive arts to help in the treatment of mental illness. With this program, Veterans can begin to explore their mental illness in a less confrontational way and even use skills they learn to create stories they can share through art which reduces the stigmatizing effect of seeking and being in treatment.  BFM: Did you get hit on a lot being in the service and also being this beautiful model? Ha, I’m sure you did right, but we’d like to know how you kept it together and stayed focused?  It’s funny because simply being an attractive woman in the military gets you a lot of attention. I was a military police (MP), which was a traditionally male dominated field. However, I was an officer so I generally was given the respect I deserved. However, there were times when individuals tried to color outside the lines, but you just handle those situations as they come.  BFM: Do you receive a lot of support from family and friends? I know when you become popular and your brand is doing well sometimes people can become a little distant and many times, unfortunately, a little envious. Has this happened to you? If so how do you deal with it?  I was never a person who considered myself to have a lot of friends, but the ones I do have remain to this day. I’ve only had one instance where I had a friend who ended up being someone that was not looking out for my best interest and those are people you just learn and grow from. My family and husband are very supportive of what I do and because of that, I can continue to do what I do.   BFM: You’re a model and actress with credits in TV, theater, and movies. You’ve produced a television talk show entitled "Movie Wine Down" which is set to air on a network in the near future. Tell us more about that, what is it about? “Movie Wine Down” is a talk show that reviews movies from the point of view of women. We do it while drinking wine! Think of “Siskel and Ebert” on steroids. It’s funny and talks about movies in layman’s terms.  BFM: You and your husband both live in Atlanta. Has your husband always been supportive of your visions and a fan of your work and accomplishments? I ask because too many times, people just don’t get that full support they so deserve and it can hinder them from reaching their full potential. My husband is awesome!!! I don’t know what I would do without him. He is literally my glue to keep everything together. He supports everything that I do and ensures that I’m taken care of every step of the way.  BFM: I write about relationships and dating and being settle-free, meaning not just settling for any old relationship. My goal is to empower women to make wiser dating choices and not end up in toxic abusive relationships. How were you able to weed out the guys who weren’t a good fit for you and what you were trying to accomplish? What are your views on settling in relationships?  It’s funny you ask this question because many of my friends and associates ask me this same question. The answer is I also had to work through some bad eggs to find the one. It’s all about growing, learning yourself and maturing. I think the issue with many women, or at least it was for me, we don’t understand our value and so we minimize what it is we bring to the table and therefore settle. A lot of it has to do with baggage we carry around from previous family issues or relationship issues and with each step, it makes us heavier and heavier, so we settle with whatever comes along. It was definitely a growing process for me and coming to a point where I was this completely vulnerable being, not afraid to let people see who I really was. It was at that point I was able to see clearly and the right man was able to see me.  BFM: Who inspires you? That’s a really hard question because I’m inspired by different things at different times. I am inspired by perseverance, by truth, by pain, so many things go into what propels me forward and it’s never just one thing or one moment in time.  BFM: Have you ever wanted to just quit? What keeps you going? Absolutely. I’m a 2-time suicide survivor…so I’ve wanted to do the ultimate “quit”. However, I have learned what my purpose is and if I quit, then that person that needed what I’ve been created to do won’t receive it and that means I’ve failed and I could never face the Creator with that on my heart.  BFM: As you continue to evolve, many times those who were once by your side tend to turn their backs on you. Has this ever happened to you? If so, how did you handle it? Yes, as I mentioned before, I had one individual that fits into that category. What I did was move on.  BFM: Do you have any up and coming artists under your production company? Do you work with a full team or are you solo? Right now I am focusing on my non-profit. However, I do have some projects that I’m working on to include some plays and a possible reality show.  BFM: So what’s next for you, what projects can we expect to see you involved in either current or in the near future? I’m always doing plays. I love the theater. Also, as I mentioned, working on the reality show.  BFM: What would you like your legacy to be? You’ve created this amazing image of yourself, not to mention you’re super talented. What do you want to be known for? "There is always an opportunity to be great. Use every waking hour and moment of your life seeking greatness…and the best way to be great is giving of yourself in service to others. There is no greater joy or gift! I want people to remember me for my contribution to the world and not just my place in it!"  BFM: It’s been a pleasure speaking to you and thanks for taking the time to let us in your world. Where can people find you to connect and stay in touch? How could people connect with you and contact you and work with you? Thank you. It’s been my pleasure and honor. Social Media Handles: FB: LaShone Garth; LaShone Garth II; MsAELady2016 Twitter: @thebword_lgarth Twitter: @bofgeorgia IG: @thebword_lgarth IG: @bofgeorgia Website: www.lashonegarth.com IMDB: http://www.imdb.me/lashonegarthNon-profit website: www.blanketoffreedom.org Interview with Lashone Garth: American, Elegant, and Champion for Disabled Veterans By Author Tinzley Bradford “The Love Mama” Glamour – The elegant, exciting, attractive quality that makes someone or something seem special. “Glamour Girl Fitness” brings out the very best qualities that make you feel special from the inside out – lifting your mind, body, and soul. There is no greater reward than lifting souls and I believe there’s a reason why many of us say fitness is soul lifting. The reward of coaching, teaching, instructing and encouraging each and every individual to bring out their full potential in body, mind, and spirit is transformative on many different levels. The power of fitness, from the inside out, is central to every element of my being and something that can’t be ignored. “Glamour Girl’s” mission and purpose is to provide you with mind-boggling thoughts to push you towards a health and wellness mindset that encourages a lasting lifestyle change. To motivate you to lose weight (if that is your goal) and focus beyond short-term achievements and more on long-term sustainability – the true essence of Glamour. Thank you BOLD Favor for the opportunity to share with the BOLD community. It is truly an honor to be able to share with you, my passion for health and wellness and I promise to provide you with only THE BEST advice, tips, guidance, support, and motivation to empower you to make a lasting lifestyle change. I have developed a lifelong habit of exercise and good nutrition and will help you reach your goals because all of my methods are sustainable if you are willing to work at it. Let’s examine one of my favorite words describing how you will feel along this journey...“SEXY”, which to me means being mentally and physically comfortable in your own skin. Believing wholeheartedly that when you look good you feel good is what true confidence and being SEXY is all about! Make a commitment to change your eating habits and make fitness a part of your life. It’s as easy as that but you must first want to do it! So let’s get started Glamour Girls…YES, ALL OF YOU! By ditching the excuses and starting to mentally prepare your mind for change (because your body will do what your mind tells it) – that’s the hardest step of them all. Declare to improve your overall health and fitness for a lasting lifestyle change, you just have to believe it. If you first BELIEVE IT…then you will SEE IT! No matter who you are or what your circumstances are, you can be the change that your body, mind, and spirit needs to live a happy and healthy life – and, maybe even lose some unnecessary weight in the process. By changing some of your lifestyle habits you have the power to improve your health and change your life. Be HAPPY! Feel SEXY! Look Great!   Jackie Madison NESTA Certified Lifestyle & Weight Management Specialist The Glamour Girl Lifestyle Discover your Distinctive Style today: www.distinctivenorahskhan.com The Convening of Iconic Women On Saturday, October 24th, Aisha Ferguson presented the second Iconic Woman empowerment conference at Morehouse College and it was phenomenal! Over 100 women from a wide range of age, profession, and region gathered to be enriched and inspired. The speakers were incredibly knowledgeable and engaging, sharing their expertise in business development, financial planning, personal growth, self-love, and wellness with women determined to take affirmative steps to change their lives for the better. Enjoy a few pictures captured by our photographer Dawn Nelson. Center: founder Aisha Ferguson. Top left speaker Careshia Scott Moore; top right speaker Tamiko Lowry Pugh;bottom left speakers Erin Baugh and Shirley Langley; seated bottom right front row from left to right are Langley, speaker Jacquese Brown, speaker Tanya Phelps, Lowry Pugh, and Scott Moore. Entrepreneurship is something that many of us only dream of. It takes a killer product, dedication, focus, great partnerships, consistency and most importantly, belief in yourself and your brand. I was very impressed when I had the opportunity to interview Lavada Dale. She is the founder of a popular new hair care product called “Haircredible.” She speaks with Bold Favor Magazine about her journey to entrepreneurship, so sit back and enjoy her story, we sure did. BFM: Hello Lavada, thanks for joining us. We spoke in great detail about your new product, “Haircredible.” I must say I was very impressed with your story. Can you tell us how “Haircredible Hair Care” was created and why? Lavada: “Haircredible” was created due to me going through a hard time in my life where I did not understand what was going on with all the major bald spots I was suffering from. The doctors told me it was Alopecia and that I would need 3 to 6 treatments for growth. Me being a single mother at the time with very little money, I paid under the table to get 1 treatment of injections, which only grew just a small fuzz in those spots. The doctors told me that they needed more money in order for my hair to grow and that NO hair care line will help me. So that’s when I took it upon myself to create one! BFM: I’m sure it has to be a lot of work, long days and sleepless nights, not to mention you’re a mom and expecting more little ones. How do you balance all of this and still keep your sanity? Lavada: Yes! I go crazy! (Laughing) But overall, I have major love and support from my family. My fiancé is right on my side every step of the way with the kids. Having that support system is everything and I wouldn’t know where I would be in my business career without them.  BFM: Are your products available online only or can they be purchased in stores? If so, where can people find “Haircredible?” Lavada: Currently, they are available online as well a salon here in Jersey City, NJ. However, we are currently working with retailers, so be sure to subscribe to our website to get updates on if we placed “Haircredible Hair Care” in your location.  BFM: Outside of your immediate family, do you receive a lot of support from family and friends? I know when you become popular and your brand is doing well, sometimes people can become a little distant and many times a little envious. Has this happened to you? If so how do you deal with it?  Lavada: Yes, I actually lost all my friends and lost a lot of family members when it comes to my peers. I used to be so hurt but I now look at it like, I outgrew their friendships and those relationships with those family members. I can only have people in my life that will be supportive and have no ill will towards me and my success. Anybody that’s against me does not belong around me; however, I can still love you from a distance. Positive vibes only!  BFM: What inspired the name “Haircredible?” It’s very catchy.  Lavada: Well I look at women as Superheroes and one day I was watching the movie “The Incredibles” with my kids and said….THATS IT!!! HAIRCREDIBLE!!! (Laughs) BFM: Has being a business owner been a long life dream for you? Or was it something you fell into once you realized many people including you needed this product? What can you tell others who want to follow their dreams but seem to be struggling?  Lavada: No, I always wanted to own my own business. I just didn’t know what was it that I wanted to own. So I started different businesses that never went anywhere because it wasn’t my purpose. It took me having to go through something for me to be like… Oh my God, this is it! It took for someone to tell me nothing will work for me and that I needed them in order for me to grow my hair back. Like they always say, if something you need doesn’t exist…CREATE IT!   BFM: I write about relationships, dating and being settle-free, meaning not just settling for any old relationship. My goal is to empower women to make wiser dating choices and not end up in toxic abusive relationships. With that said, how’s your love life? (Laughing) Don’t be shy, I know this may be one of those unexpected questions but I think it’s important to have positive support from not only your friends but from that special someone in your life as well. Would you say your significant other is supportive of you and your business? What are your views on settle-free relationships? Lavada: My love life is great… FINALLY! But it took me going through a lot to appreciate and know what I have now. I’ve been through the physically abusive and mentally abusive relationships, the cheating, ugh…. I’ve been through it all. Now, I am planning my wedding. He is such a big support in my life for not only my business but for my kids, even the two that is not his. He plays a major role in their lives and he understands the struggle and grind behind my brand. He knows the hard work and struggle because he is a professional boxer who went through his trials and tribulations as well. So we actually are supportive of one another and have goals to be very successful in not only business but putting God first and being successful with our family. BFM: What has been some of your biggest challenges and what has been one of your biggest accomplishments while branding “Haircredible?” Has it been a rough journey? Lavada: Whoooooooo!!! VERY ROUGH! When I started “Haircredible,” I only had money to take care of my kids and our cost of living. So I pretty much tried to learn people positions so that I wouldn’t have to pay them because I didn’t have it. I was founder, PR, brand manager, promoter, and model… just tiring myself out. I also got robbed a couple of times from different companies because the one job I forget to be is my lawyer, (laughing), So I lost money, about 3 or 4 times, I’m talking thousands. I have been through it all but you know what? I appreciate it all because when it’s my time to hold my seminars to empower women, I can tell them what NOT to do and the better way of doing it. My greatest accomplishment is finally having a great team and we are really starting to be all over now. I’m so appreciative. Also, I love that I inspire and empower people to pursue their dreams. It’s the greatest feeling in the world.   BFM: So what does “Haircredible” consist of? Is it a complete line of multiple hair products or just the one product geared towards hair regrowth? For example, is there shampoo, conditioner, hair lotion, etc? Will Haircredible be expanding its brand someday, if not already?  Lavada: I have right now in the line, 10 products. It all consists of shampoos, conditioners, mousse, hairspray, leave in conditioner, and all. “Haircredible” helps aid in moisturizing, restore, volumizing, as well as regrowth and really aiming towards bringing out the greatness in [the customers] hair.   BFM: Is your product for all hair types? You know, fine hair, kinky hair, natural hair, hair with chemicals, etc?  Lavada: No harmful chemicals are in “Haircredible Hair Care” and we provide a very distinct list on the website for you to check out. We started out catering to fine hair, but lately, women that don’t have fine hair, love it. So yes we cater to fine hair, but if you’re a person that loves lightweight formulas and not all that heaviness in your hair where the product is weighing your hair down, then “Haircredible Hair Care” is for you.   BFM: So what’s next for you and “Haircredible?” Any chance you’ll be partnering with others in the business and merging someday? What is in the future of “Haircredible?”  Lavada: I am working on “Haircredible” to be at least one of the top 10 beauty brands in the country. I want my products to win awards, to empower women, give their limp fragile hair life, and even have top commercials on the TV networks. I am not stopping at “Haircredible,” next I am working on skin products and trying to tackle all things beauty. Growing a whole “Beauty Empire!”   BFM: What would you like your legacy to be? You’ve created this amazing new product for those who have been met with hair loss and hair regrowth issues, what are you hoping to see happen with this product? Lavada: The real legacy I want to leave behind is empowering beauty in a different way. A better way might I add. People look at beauty with limitations, you can’t be this weight, you can’t have this curve, or your hair has to be this way, just limits on everything. But, beauty has no limits! I want “Haircredible” to deliver the message of letting people know that, as well as working on beauty inside so they can flaunt it on the outside.  BFM: It’s been a pleasure speaking to you and thanks for taking the time to let us in your world? Where can people find you to connect, stay in touch and learn about your product?  Lavada: You can find me on any social media site from IG, youtube, facebook, and soon snapchat @LavadaLegacy ! You can also follow all things @haircredible !  Thanks so much for the interview and I can’t wait to show off my feature! Keep inspiring and empowering!!   Author Tinzley Bradford “The Love Mama”  Interview with founder of “Haircredible” Lavada Dale LISTEN UP STRUGGLING NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS By Shavonda McCaleb In Shavonda's Tea: Do you remember the day you checked your mailbox and found an envelope from the Internal Revenue Service, and inside there was a letter that read – “We’re pleased to tell you we determined you’re exempt from federal income tax under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 501 (C) (3)”? I know that must have been one of the best days of your life. So, let me ask you a question; what have you done with your 501(C) (3)? Well, if you are feeling stuck and uncertain about the next step to take, allow me to recommend the “Georgia Center for Nonprofits” (GCN). The GCN mission “is to build thriving communities by helping nonprofits succeed.” They have been serving nonprofit organizations and philanthropic communities for over 20 years and counting. The resources they offer range from Business & Strategic Planning, Finance & Accounting, Fundraising & Development, Public Policy & Advocacy, and Marketing & Communication. The GCN also focuses on Nonprofit Careers. They have a program called, “Work for Good” with a national job board and hiring resource center that’s geared towards bringing together organizations and professional in Georgia and nationwide. The Nonprofit Careers support approximately 8,000 employers and engages more than 100,000 professionals on a monthly basis. GCN offers expert series and networking events year-round to aid and assist you and your organization. For more information about the Georgia Center for Nonprofits and to jumpstart your nonprofit organization again, contact them at www.gcn.org.  The ending of a year is always a cause for great moments of reflection. I mean to really take a look at what you have experienced throughout the year….the good, the bad, and the ugly!!! As I begin to reflect I can truly say 2016 brought quite a few unexpected twist and turns…along with life lessons and a great wake up call. I lost my God-Sister, one of my Godmothers, my best friend’s sister and two very close friends of the family; a cousin was diagnosed with Stage 4 Cancer and I faced my own scare with Ovarian Cancer…all within the first six months of the year!!! The second half of the year came with another set of occurrences…I faced another health issue, and after having a heart catheterization, I was diagnosed with Nonobstructive Coronary Artery Disease. Shortly after, my sister was hospitalized for close to two months with two infections that could have been fatal while my ninety-year-old grandmother underwent surgery for a pacemaker. Not to mention during this time we had to watch my mother closely with her blood pressure and my father being tested for Colon Cancer…which, by the way, came out negative!!! Needless to say, 2016 was an eventful year and definitely one for the books!!! Through it all, I can’t help but thank God!!! For if it wasn’t for Him, I think…NO…I know, I would have lost my mind!!! God was and is forever IN CONTROL!!!! He promises to never leave nor forsake us and I stood on this truth…and it helped me and those around me do the same!!! Life can be altered or come to an end in a blink of an eye!!! Stop taking life and people for granted!!! Live each and every moment to the fullest and do not hesitate to show love to everyone…especially family and friends!!! Storms of life will come, and God has equipped us with the faith we need to weather the storms, we just have to be mindful to activate that faith!!!I challenge you to take a moment to reflect on 2016. No matter what you may have faced, guess what…YOU ARE STILL STANDING!!! Take the lessons you’ve learned along with a high level of expectancy and walk with confidence knowing that 2017 will be a great year for you!!! Ask Bri Moments of Reflection Shana with her family True Story: I Was Inspired By a 4-Year-Old By Shana Thornton Let me be as clear as possible. I had always heard that a person could be inspired by anyone. Now, it’s not that I doubted the notion completely but I had my thoughts on just how influential the words or actions of a very young child could be on an older and wiser person. I was aware that both the young and the old had much to offer. Perhaps the small child said a word and that adult would infer from the word what she wanted, right? I was convinced that most great or worthy ideas were likely generated by adults. After all, adults teach kids; children don’t teach us, right? Well, I would soon learn an enduring truth.  "Mommy, I don't want anyone hungry." Those hard-hitting words would move any parent. The insightful statement came immediately after my very own 4-year-old son saw an international commercial spotlighting hunger. He would elaborate more and eventually ask, "what can I do to really help another kid who doesn't have an afternoon snack?" I was truly shocked to hear my own kid utter those words. Now, it’s not that we hadn’t made an effort to educate him about hunger. In fact, we tell him often how fortunate he is to have certain opportunities. The option to eat is not to be taken for granted. Yet, I frequently thought that a 4-year-old couldn’t understand the importance of helping. Let’s be frank, parents are still trying to explain the value of sharing at this point. After he wanted to know how we could help, I assured him that our family would participate in a local community food drive. The eager boy responded with confidence. "Let's put our own help drive together." I was truly stunned to hear his proposal. He said it boldly with a slight smile. “We can do it, mommy!” I hesitated to speak. I was truly trying to process his request. His words were defiant and well meaning all in one. He wanted to truly help. My heart and mind were on the same accord when I said, “of course, we can do it.” Thus, the 2016 Community Holiday Food Drive was birthed. It wasn’t’ my idea at all. I had interviewed people from so many places. So many experts and advocates had moved me over the years. Yet, this curious and eager young child had sparked a much-needed community initiative. The young helper assured me that the radio show could help out. "Your show can lead the way and tell others about the food collection." When he isn't helping out, 4-year-old Treandos loves to build Legos and wear superhero capes (just like other 4-year-olds). He is excited to be named the Co-Chair of the 2016 Community Holiday Food Drive sponsored by the award-winning family radio talk show, "Let's Talk America with Host Shana Thornton." He wants to get everyone thrilled about helping others. "I'm very excited to help out. Let’s go!"  So, there you go! No farce, no fable. It’s all true. The ironic thing is that as much as I was inspired by my own young child to act, I recognize that moms and dads around the world are likely inspired constantly by their kids (if they acknowledge it or not). Children do inspire. He may not fully understand his impact, but that 4-year-old kid helps me to be a better person. I thank him dearly. Keep pushing. Keep striving.  “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” -Mahatma Gandhi  Shana Thornton is the on-air talent for the award-winning family radio talk show Let’s Talk America with Host Shana Thornton. For more information on the show, please visit www.ltaradio.com.  P.U.R.S.E. (Partnering Under Real Situations Everyday) Foundation held its 4th Annual Bags of Love Domestic Violence Awareness Charity Event on Saturday, October 8, 2016 at the Smyrna Community Center. The purpose of the event was to bring community awareness to the issue of teen dating violence/domestic violence, healing to those who have experienced abuse & encouragement to those experiencing abuse through singing, dancing & survivor stories. The Bags of Love event was hosted by 102.5 Gospel Praise Radio Personality KD Bowe (KD), included special guest’s speakers Dr. Yamma Brown (daughter of the late James Brown, Godfather of Soul) & Grammy Nominee, R&B soul singer-songwriter & actress Syleena Johnson. The event was attended by over 200 guests surpassing attendance and fundraising expectations. This annual charity event allows P.U.R.S.E. Foundation to continue hosting free teen dating violence workshops for teens residing in foster care facilities, domestic violence shelters and schools throughout the Metro Atlanta area. The Bags of Love Charity event is P.U.R.S.E.’s largest fundraiser event, allowing the Foundation to continue to operate financially throughout the year to host several community outreach events and give back days which includes complimentary breakfast, purses, backpacks and winter apparel for shelters throughout Georgia. Enjoy a few photos compliments of Damon Peeples. Founder Erika Lee Loren Lott Our BOLD COVER A Lot to be Thankful for WOW! That’s the word that comes to mind when one meets Loren Lott. The energy that emanates from the beautiful singer, actress, and spiritual powerhouse is bombastic. And it’s no wonder why she rose to the Top 16 in the “American Idol” 2015 season… and we are honored to feature Loren as the cover of our December 2016 issue. Loren is UBER busy – she’s juggling trips back-and-forth from Atlanta to New York to keep the momentum from her “Idol” fame pumping toward her ultimate dreams of more big-time Broadway debuts, albums featuring her golden voice, and supporting young girls to value their worth… and now planning a wedding with her new fiancé Producer and Director Terayle Hill. It’s a breathtaking - and wholly pleasant - surprise that with all these wonderful things going and her wildest dreams coming to fruition, Loren is still incredibly humble – and funny! Any one of Loren’s (literally) hundreds of thousands of fans will tell you that she has a sense of humor for the ages. (Check out her Facebook page for the “Watching Sports with Bae” video – OMG!) Her mother taught her at an early age that “you’ve gotta be happy because the world is super cruel.” It has been this determined face to find joy in life that has enabled Loren to stay so positive through many of life’s challenges. From Cali to the ATL Loren was born and raised in San Diego, CA, by her mother and with her twin brother. They were a tight-knit crew. “I was the best friend my mother never wanted,” is how Loren described their relationship. It was a shock when her mother encouraged her to move away for college. “She told me that I had to get away to truly learn myself, to become independent. She said I wouldn’t grow up under her wing.” Loren visited colleges and universities all over the country, but there was one that stood out from all the rest – Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, GA. “I knew I wanted to go to an HBCU [Historically Black College & University], a place I’d be in the majority. And I also knew I wanted to be an actress. My visit to Clark happened to coincide with a probate [show]. I’d never seen one before” and instantly fell in love. The show was amazing – the choreography, drama, and fun of the Greek coming out show combined with the camaraderie and feeling of inclusion on campus made CAU Loren’s new home. And as the way the universe does, Loren’s “Atlanta Family” came not too long after through her new friendship with Hill. They Just Clicked Loren grew up singing and dancing – always imagining herself on Broadway featured in “The Lion King”. While at CAU, she continued perfecting her craft, participating in various productions and representing the University in shows. It was at one of these where she met Hill. “He was working PR [public relations] and helped me pick a song. He was nice and so cute.” The two got along well during the night, but the moment they knew they’d be life-long friends was when she made a joke about his looks. “He looks like Chris Brown and I overheard someone tell him that. So I said, ‘Do you know who you look like? DMX!’ He looked at me and laughed, and replied ‘You and I are going to get along just fine!’” And indeed they did. The two fearlessly pursued their dreams – she of acting and singing, he of acting and producing. They were together constantly, trying out for roles, many times as a couple. “We were kissing all the time because we were rehearsing scenes. But then one day we kissed, but there was no script.” And he and she became WE. A Challenge Diverted But the culmination of this relationship took some time. Loren is a virgin and is very serious about staying that way until she is married. “I got saved at 15,” and it was that experience that led her to know her value. “Not everyone deserves to park their car in my garage. I saw friends losing their virginity and regretting it almost immediately. I refused to settle. I knew I’d be famous one day and was not going to be ‘body count’ for some guy later.” This steadfast determination to save herself for marriage made it challenging to maintain relationships, but as one can see with her engagement to Hill, not impossible. “I even got him on board!” Loren loves the fact that she doesn’t have to worry about pregnancy scares, STD’s, or the hormonal attachments that come with sex. And she thoroughly enjoys mentoring young girls on the benefits of abstinence. “I get a lot of messages from girls about how to deal with boys who don’t want to wait. It makes me sad to see them looking outside of themselves to get the love and affection they seek. Taking off your clothes doesn’t get you that. Love comes from within.” Amazingly, Loren personally responds to these messages – Instagram is a bit easier to manage because she doesn’t receive as many as she does on Facebook. Yet she strives to be there for these young people. “I want to be a voice for them, to be there as a resource for them. Taking a BOLD Leap of Faith Loren likes dropping bombs – hence the description of her being “bombastic”. When she revealed that she hesitated about going on “American Idol”, I was stunned – who wouldn’t jump at the chance to push her career into overdrive using the “Idol” platform? Well, there were are other things to consider in making such a commitment. “I really feared reality shows,” responded Loren. “A good friend had a really bad experience on [another show]. They cast her in a negative light and manipulated the film to make her appear evil, changing things around to change the context and meaning of conversations. It really affected her and I didn’t want that to happen to me.” So how did Loren conquer that fear? “I had to decide to be brave. I said ‘yes’ to being brave and I allowed America to judge me. That made me VERY brave!” When pressed on what she’s doing with this newfound bravery, Loren has some surprising insight. “I’m a lot stronger, I take more risks, I have no problem competing with celebrities – I was an understudy for Diana Ross and Gladys Knight – and I had no fear.” Loren’s confidence came right on time because she debuted on Broadway one evening when the lead was not available, and the director said that was “one of the best debuts he’d ever seen”. Now that’s BOLD! Dealing with Fame But even with this bold bravery, Loren still finds fame strange. Her exact words were “weird and awkward”. “I’m not at the place where people know who I am immediately, but they stare and I’m not exactly sure why.” Do they recognize her, are they watching her be a “class clown”? “I still like being silly and acting the fool, so it’s a lot to get used to.” But not in a bad way. “I am so blessed that people want a picture [with me]. A woman once stopped and screamed in the middle of Times Square when she recognized me. Everyone stopped and stared. She came over and we took a picture. She was so happy. So was I.” What’s Next So what’s next for this soulful young woman on the rise? She’s auditioning for movies, Broadway shows, and working on making her social media sponsorships work. And of course, building her collection of music to bring to the masses. Always one to be positive, Loren’s last words were “Love yourself. God wants us to love ourselves as we love our neighbor. Make the world better.” Follow Loren on all social media platforms @LorenSharice. Loren’s Lot Is F U L L By: A. L. Cooper No Excuses My name is A.L. Cooper and I am a recovering busy body. I have been busy all of my life and unfortunately, when I realized that I needed some God time, church services were on a Sunday that I had already made plans. So, I figured God would have to wait until next week. Now I know that some of you are saying that I should be ashamed of myself and yes I was embarrassed. Mostly because I am spiritually mature enough to know the importance of daily fellowship with the Father. However, the real truth is that we’re all graduates of the University of Busy Bodies. And that truth made me ask, how would I feel if God was too busy to spend time with me? Just recently, I witnessed a Muslim man praying in the airport. When he was finished I was led by the Holy Spirit to go over and ask him why he prayed fully prostrate on the floor and bowing. My question relaxed him and he began to explain how in his religion it was required that one must prepare themselves in a certain way before they prayed. I stood there in complete silence just listening to the rigorous preparations and was consumed with conviction. Here I was, an unwavering believer and I could not recall the last time I prayed longer than 10 minutes. As I walked away, the Holy Spirit revealed to me that this lackadaisical attitude towards prayer was common amongst believers. And that we should all be utterly ashamed and have NO EXCUSES. No Excuses for not spending time with God and No Excuses for not studying the word. Just because we accept God in our lives doesn’t mean we have a guaranteed membership in the “Get Out of Hell Free Club.” It takes faith to get the card but it takes NO EXCUSES to maintain the membership. I urge all believers to take this commission seriously, stop placing God on our “To Do List” and realize that living in total life prosperity means NO EXCUSES! Now let everyone say AMEN.   COMING SOON It’s that time to see who or what made this quarter’s Good List. No matter the economy or who is in the White House, no matter who will win the Superbowl this winter in Houston and no matter what tomorrow brings, there will always be people in need. As a global community, we must all do our part to give a “hand-up” to people in need. Because of their efforts in the community by giving a “hand-up and not a hand-out,” and for connecting resources, “Unity in Our Community ATL,” founded by LaQuana “LaPink” Alexander made this issues Good List. LaQuana Alexander, a Douglasville, Georgia resident, is no stranger to the Atlanta Community. She began her journey in humanitarian work through her very own personal experiences. LaQuana once experienced being homeless, and while homeless she was helping to feed the homeless. She witnessed for herself the needs, emotions, and support that were longed for by her and others. Through her personal experience, LaQuana instantly knew that one day she would implement a support system for individuals in need, homeless, or just without the bare necessities in life. In July 2016, LaQuana started “Unity in Our Community ATL” which is a support system comprised of over 37 organizations with one common goal. That goal is to encourage and provide those in need an education, shelter, meals, clothing, personal grooming, and toiletries. “Unity in Our Community ATL” was inspired by the hard work of the organizations involved witnessed by LaQuana in Atlanta. LaQuana states that “We are a hand-up organization, designed to lift anyone up and empower them in their life journey. The organization’s vision is to ignite with the purpose to teach, train, equip, and empower individuals to function using the Keys of the Kingdom of God.” “Unity in Our Community ATL” has begun this process by starting monthly “Feeding the Homeless” projects at Renaissance Park in Atlanta. The project consist of several organizations joining the Unity in Our Community ATL movement by bringing home-cooked meals, Wellcare, HIV testing by “Recovery Consultants of Atlanta, Inc.”, clothing, phone service provided by “SafeLink”, haircuts, job resources (Job Corp.), healthcare, personal identity resources (birth certificate, social security card, etc.), and prayer. This project takes place every 4th Sunday of the month. This organization has a global initiative as well. “We have provided food and clothes for South and North Carolina, Haiti as well as making front page on Haiti's newspaper for our blessing!” Exclaimed LaQuana, who goes by the name LaPink while sporting a pink mohawk.  “The organizations involved are instrumental in providing the resources, supplies, and education to the homeless and those individuals in need. The organizations are the compilation of community outreach groups all working together to accomplish the goals set forth by “Unity in Our Community ATL.’” LaQuana is planning upcoming future projects with “Unity in Our Community ATL” to expand and take the organization to new heights. The organization’s mission is to announce and manifest as a witness the good news of God’s plan of restoration. “Unity in Our Community ATL” continues to collect donated items and embrace supporters (i.e. used clothing, books, canned goods, and educators) daily. If you are interested in supporting this movement, contact LaQuana Alexander at 678-984-9241 or by email at www.unityinourcommunityatl @gmail.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @UnityinOurCommunityATL.  “We are one force, with one goal destined to serve, empower, and educate!” By David and Myesha Good  What Made The Good List Unity In Our Community  On Saturday, October 29th, at the Balzer Theater, in downtown Atlanta, Book Publisher and Playwright - Ardre Orie presented her newest episodic stage play, Lipstick Monologues: Traces of Her Lipstick, in front of a sold out audience.   Traces of Her Lipstick, was the final installment of the Lipstick Monologuesbrand series, written and produced by Ardre Orie. The series began in 2014 with the original Lipstick Monologues, followed by Love & War (2015), A Heroine in Heels (2015), and finishing this weekend with Traces of Her Lipstick(2016).   The final installment, Traces of Her Lipstick, wove together the heart-rending story of a 20 year marriage filled with love, lies, betrayal, and lust.   Ardre Orie, created "Traces Of Her Lipstick" to reveal the inner most thoughts of women within troublesome marriages. Her hopes are to start conversations that lead to emotional healing and provide courage to women dealing with these scenarios. Continue the conversation on social media with @LipstickMonologues @IamArdreOrie and #TracesofHerLipstick #LipstickMonologues  Visit LipstickMonologues.com for updates. Enjoy a few pictures captured by our photographer Ynette Keith. Creator Ardre Orie Founder Tamiko Lowry Pugh with her husband Rev. Kenny Pugh A Night to Treasurer... The Still Standing & Stepping out Purple Affair held its Annual fundraiser on October 1, 2016, at the Charles F. Easley, Sr. Conference Pavilion located in Atlanta, GA. The Purple Affair Fundraiser was held in honor of Survivors of Domestic Violence. The event encompassed a dinner, fashion show, live entertainment and a silent auction in hopes of bridging the gap between survivors and the community. Executive Director Tamiko Lowry-Pugh graced the room wearing a beautiful purple gown, and bright smile; with warm greetings to every person she passed. Attendees (including myself) stepped onto the purple carpet to snap a few flicks, and pose for fellow cameramen and women. As I make my way off of the purple carpet, Mrs. Tamiko herself complimented my traditional African skirt, as I exchange greetings with her ENTIRE get-up from make-up to high heels! WE laugh, pose for the cameras, and made our way to the upper level of the pavilion, and mingled with the vendors comfortably nestled around the staircase. Vendors included Tina of Just me Totes, Damsel in Defense, Oui Premium Liquors, and many more! Attendees then made their way into the main event area as greeters walked each entering guest to the reserved seating. Tables lined with candles, chairs tied with purple ribbons, and jazz on the surround sound was the perfect accent to usher in the ambiance of Love and Survival. As dinner is served, and drinks are being poured; the stage comes alive with a live performance by singer Amber Lashae and a fashion show. Speakers such as Lisa Rayam of Fox 5, Benefit Auctioneer and reporter for Fox 5, Georgia Franco, and Dr. Alexcius Branch, brought laughter and warmth to the audience with their words of encouragement to survivors and listening ears. The event ends with a silent auction to raise money and awareness for the ever increasing phenomena of domestic violence and the fight to relinquish its grips on those whom seemingly believe there is no way out. To those who are dealing with the overwhelming effects of domestic violence or know someone who is….Always remember the power behind the color purple. The color purple represents ambition, dignity, independence and magic. And for you who are reading this message, I want you to know that you indeed are ambitious, dignified, independent, and magical! Wherever you see purple, remember that the Still Standing Foundation has got your back! And if decide to inquire more about the Still Standing Organization, make sure to tell them… The Gypsy Empress Sent Ya!  Muuuuuuuuuuah, The Gypsy Empress IG: @TheGypsyEmpress Since I first moved to Atlanta more than 15 years ago I had been planning to visit one of Georgia’s little-known treasures: the Etowah Indian Burial Grounds. As it turns out the Etowah Indian Burial Grounds are in Cartersville just 45 minutes away from Atlanta. We were thrilled to arrive at the impeccably serene and expansive 54-acre Etowah Burial Grounds, the social, political and religious center for several thousand Native Americans from 1000 AD to 1550 AD. Here we explored the detailed exhibits loaded with artifacts (beads, seashells, copper ear ornaments, feathers, hand carved stone effigies and more) that this ritual heavy culture used to adorn themselves with during ceremony. There's a terrific and informative film but you must actually walk the trails, the wider than a football field plaza and banks of the Etowah River to experience the powerful and pure transformative energy that permeates these grounds. By all means make your way up the 100 or so stairs to the top of the 63-foot earthen knoll, likely used as a platform for the home of the priest-chief where the sacred energy and potent gusts nearly carried us away. It's hard to believe that only nine per cent of this exceptional archaeological site with its six earthen mounds, plaza and village site with borrow pits and defensive ditch has actually been excavated, and it is remarkably the most intact Mississippian Culture site in the entire Southeast. Towering over the community is another mound where nobility in elaborate costumes were buried with objects they would, no doubt, need in the afterlife. The site makes for an exhilaratingly creative and spiritually inspiring daylong outing, with super modest entry fees. We brought along a picnic that we enjoyed at the Burial Grounds. It was too gusty for the picnic tables so we sat in the car – but super fun either way, and the entire outing made for an utterly beautiful day trip!   To find out more, please visit www.gastateparks.org or call 1-800-864-7275 or 770-389-7275. The Etowah Burial Mounds historic site is located at 813 Indian Mound Road, Cartersville, GA 20120. There are special talks, presentations and nature walks daily and nighttime hayrides, storytelling and more.  Sacred Grounds: Etowah Indian Burial Mounds An Inspiring, Spiritually Charged Day Trip from Atlanta Cathy H. Burroughs writes frequently about travel and theater for BOLD Favor Magazine and other publications. Her event and entertainment company, Psychic Solutions Entertainment, provides world class entertainers for private parties and corporate events. To learn more contact Cathy at Cathyb108@aol.com, via cell/text: (404) 543-1080, office: (404) 292-2000, or check out www.cathyburroughs.com.  Travel, Luxury and Adventure By Cathy H. Burroughs, World Travel, Luxury by Sandy Chernoff Memory is the mental activity of recalling information that you have learned or experienced. That very simple explanation defines a complex process that involves many different parts of the brain and serves us in different ways.  First of all, memory can be short-term or long-term. In short-term memory, your mind stores information for only a few seconds or a few minutes: which is basically the time it takes you to key in a phone number you just looked up or to compare the prices of several items in a store. This sort of memory is fragile, and that is because your brain would soon read “disk full” if you retained every phone number you called, every dish you ordered in a restaurant, and the subject of every ad you watched on TV. Your brain is also meant to hold an average of seven items at once, which is why you can usually remember a new phone number for a few minutes but need your credit card in front of you when you’re buying something online. Long-term memory, on the other hand, involves the information for which you make either a conscious or unconscious effort to retain; because it is personally meaningful to you. For example, data about family and friends, the material you are studying for a test, something that made an emotional impression on you like a movie that had you riveted, the first time you ever caught a fish or the day your uncle died. Some information that you store in your long-term memory requires a truly conscious effort to recall: episodic memories, which are personal memories about experiences you’ve had at specific times and semantic memories such as factual data not bound to time or place, which can be everything from the names of the planets, to the color of your child’s hair. Finally, another type of long-term memory is procedural memory, which involves skills and routines you perform so often that they no longer require a conscious recall. In addition, memory involves communication among the brain’s network of brain cells: neurons, millions of cells which are activated by brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. Just like muscular strength, your ability to remember increases when you exercise your memory and nurture it with a good diet and other healthy habits. There are a number of steps you can take to improve your memory and retrieval capacity. First, I want you to understand how we remember. There are three stages that the brain goes through in forming and retaining memories. Acquisition: New information enters your brain along pathways between neurons in the appropriate area of the brain. The key to encoding this new information into your memory is concentration. Without intent focus on the data, “it goes in one ear and out the other”. Consolidation: When you concentrate appropriately on the new information, your hippocampus sends a signal to store this in your long term memory. When you already have a basis of knowledge in this area or it triggers an emotional response, it will more likely “stick”. Retrieval: When you need to recall the information, your brain has to activate the same pattern of neurons it used to store it. The more frequently you retrieve it, the easier it will become to recall it. Besides, we remember things that are repeated! Here are some tips for memory improvements If you feel that you have a poor memory, you may just have some less-than-effective habits when it comes to taking in and processing information. Barring disease, a disorder, or a brain injury, you can definitely improve your ability to learn and retain information. Memory, like muscular strength, is a “use it or lose it” proposition. The more you challenge your brain to open new neuro-pathways, the better you’ll be able to process and remember information.  Novelty and sensory stimulation are the foundations of brain exercise. If you alter your routine in a challenging way, you create new brain pathways. This can involve something as simple as brushing your teeth with your non-dominant hand, which activates little-used connections on the non-dominant side of your brain. Or you try to develop a “neurobic” exercise, which is an aerobic exercise for your brain that forces you to use your faculties in unusual ways. For example, like showering and getting dressed with your eyes closed, taking a course in a subject that is new to you, learning a new game of strategy, or trying out some recipes in an unfamiliar cuisine. That is the most effective way to keep your synapses (neuron messages) firing! In addition to exercising your brain, there are other basic things you can do to improve your ability to both retain and retrieve memories. Pay attention. You cannot remember something if you have never learned it, and you cannot learn something if you don’t pay enough attention to it. It takes about eight seconds of intent focus to process a piece of information through your hippocampus and into the appropriate memory center. So, no multitasking when you need to concentrate! If you distract easily, try to receive information in a quiet place where you won’t be interrupted. Tailor information acquisition to your learning style. Most people are visual learners, meaning they learn best by reading or otherwise seeing what it is they have to know. But some are auditory learners who learn better by listening. Those individuals might benefit more by recording information they need and listening to it until they remember it. Try to involve as many senses as possible. Even if you are a visual learner, try to read out loud whatever you want to remember. If you can recite it rhythmically, that is even better. You can attempt to relate information to colors, textures, smells, and tastes. The physical act of rewriting information can also help to imprint it onto your brain. Relate the new information to what you already know. Connect new data to information you already have, whether it is new material that builds on previous knowledge, or something as simple as an address of someone who lives on the same street as another friend. Organize the new information. Write things down in address books, datebooks, on calendars or just on your phone or tablet. Make notes on more complex material and reorganize the notes into categories later. Try to incorporate both words and pictures when learning new information. Understand and be able to interpret complex material. When learning more complex material, focus on understanding the basic ideas rather than memorizing isolated details. Try explaining it to someone else in your own words. Rehearse information frequently and “over-learn”. Review what you have learned the same day you learn it, and then again at regular intervals thereafter. What researchers call “spaced rehearsal” is more effective than “cramming.” If you’re able to “over-learn” information so that recalling it becomes second nature, you will have more success. Be motivated and keep a positive attitude. Tell yourself that you want to learn what you need to remember and that you can learn and remember it. Telling yourself you have a bad memory actually hampers the ability of your brain to remember, while positive mental feedback sets up an expectation of success. Mnemonics are clues of any kind that help us remember something, usually by causing us to associate the information we want to remember with a visual image, a sentence, or a word. Common types of mnemonic devices include: Visual images - a microphone to remember the name “Mike,” a rose for “Rosie.” Use positive, pleasant images, because the brain often blocks out unpleasant ones, and make them vivid, colorful, and three-dimensional so that they will be easier to remember. Sentences in which the first letter of each word is part of or represents the initial of what you want to remember. Millions of musicians, for example, first memorized the lines of the treble staff with the sentence “Every good boy does fine”, representing the notes E, G, B, D, and F. Medical students often learn groups of nerves, bones, and other anatomical features using nonsense sentences. Acronyms are initials that create pronounceable words. The spaces between the lines on the treble staff, for example, are F, A, C, and E: FACE. Rhymes and alliteration: remember learning “30 days hath September, April, June, and November”? A hefty guy named Robert can be remembered as “Big Bob” and a smiley co-worker as “Perky Pat”. You just have to come up with something that works for you. Jokes or even off-color associations using facts, figures, and names you need to recall, work because funny or peculiar things are easier to remember than mundane images. “Chunking” information means arranging a long list of data into smaller units or categories that are easier to remember. If you can reel off your Social Security number without looking at it, that’s probably because it’s arranged in groups of 3, 2, and 4 digits, not a string of 9. “Method of Loci” is an ancient and effective way of remembering a lot of material, such as a speech. You associate each part of what you have to remember with a landmark in a route you know well, such as your commute to work or a regular walk or run that you take. Healthy habits also improve memory, treating your body well can enhance your ability to process and recall information. Regular exercise Increases oxygen to your brain. Reduces the risk for disorders that lead to memory loss, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Generally releases helpful brain chemicals and protects brain cells. Managing stress Cortisol, the stress hormone, can damage the hippocampus if the stress is unrelieved. Stress also makes it difficult to concentrate. Good sleep habits Sleep is necessary for memory consolidation. Sleep disorders like insomnia and sleep apnea leave you tired and unable to concentrate during the day. Not smoking Smoking heightens the risk of vascular disorders that can cause stroke and constrict arteries that deliver oxygen to the brain. Lower oxygen levels impact negatively on rational thought and memory. Good Nutrition You probably know already that a diet based on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and “healthy” fats will provide many health benefits, but such a diet can also improve memory. Research indicates that certain nutrients nurture and stimulate brain function. B vitamins, especially B6, B12, and folic acid, protect neurons by breaking down a particular amino acid that is toxic to nerve cells. They are also involved in making red blood cells, which carries oxygen. The best sources for the B Vitamins are spinach and other dark leafy greens, broccoli, asparagus, strawberries, melons, black beans and other legumes, citrus fruits, and soybeans. Antioxidants like vitamins C and E, and beta-carotene, fight free radicals, which are highly reactive and can damage cells, but antioxidants can interact with them safely and neutralize them. Antioxidants also improve the flow of oxygen through the body and to the brain. The best sources are blueberries and other berries, sweet potatoes, red tomatoes, spinach, broccoli, green tea, nuts and seeds, citrus fruits, and liver. Omega-3 fatty acids are concentrated in the brain and are associated with cognitive function. They count as “healthy” fats, as opposed to saturated fats and trans-fats, because they protect against inflammation and high cholesterol. Best sources are cold-water fish such as salmon, herring, tuna, halibut, and mackerel; walnuts and walnut oil; flaxseed and flaxseed oil. Because older adults are more prone to B12 and folic acid deficiencies, a supplement may be a good idea for seniors. An omega-3 supplement (at any age) could be beneficial if you don’t like eating fish. But nutrients work best when they’re consumed in foods, so try your best to eat a broad spectrum of colorful plant foods and choose fats that will help clear, not clog your arteries. Your brain will thank you! Memory and aging: Several factors cause aging brains to experience changes in their ability to retain and retrieve memories. The hippocampus is especially vulnerable to age-related deterioration, and that can affect how well you retain information. There’s a relative loss of neurons with age, which can affect the activity of brain chemicals called neurotransmitters and their receptors. An older person often experiences decreased blood flow to the brain and processes nutrients that enhance brain activity less efficiently than a younger person. However, in healthy older adults, these changes represent more of a slowing in the ability to absorb, store, and retrieve new information, not a loss. The factual information you’ve accumulated over the years remains largely intact, as does procedural memory. You can make and recall new long-term memories; the process just takes a little longer. Of course, some older adults do develop more significant problems with memory that are the result of diseases such as Alzheimer’s or stroke; injury; poor nutrition; other physiological issues; or emotional problems.I hope the tips offered in this article will be helpful in improving and preserving your memory. Take care of yourself and your brain will be healthier, too! What Is Memory and How Can You Enhance Yours? Part 1 “Wake up! Pray! And Slay!” I love that phrase because it brings so much joy to what you are looking forward to when slaying your brand. How often do you work at your brand? Are you consistent with it? Do you have your ideal target audience? Are you marketing often? If so, how often? These are very important questions when you are a new business owner or if you are already in business. I have to ask myself these questions even now because there are days and times I lose focus and I sometimes get lazy. But remember why you started in the first place and remember that you are the CEO of your life! Social media marketing is of high importance in business. I absolutely love this word because I am a social media geek. It’s crazy that I have had Facebook since 2004 when I first started college! Facebook was definitely on and popping during my college years before I was even thinking about starting a business! But seven years later, social media is very important when having a business. Welcome to the business world of social media marketing! My top favorite social media platforms are Instagram, Facebook and Twitter (in that order) I’m loving Instagram even more because it’s all about the visuals and adding P.I.N.K. Magic to your posts! I was born a creative and visual individual and I truly enjoy creating content that represents my brand “I AM PATRICE RIVERS” and my business “Lil’ Woman on a Mission.” Get creative! Get social! Get visual! A lot of your potential followers love when you are posting on your business pages. If you don’t know about a website called Canva, then get quite comfortable with it! I’m talking the best creative thing that has ever happened to me! Go to www.canva.com, It’s free to sign up! Start from there and let your creativity begin! Patrice is the author and creator of her own visions, she believes that there are plenty of opportunities in life for her. She is the Founder and Owner of F.U.S.E. Magazine which serves a purpose to empower, uplift and motivate others to make a difference in lives. Visit Patrice’s website at www.patricerivers.wix.com/iampatricerivers   What’s the Biz with Nikki Speakz  Where’s the Respect?! Yes ma'am. Yes sir No ma'am. No sir. Respect for teachers and administrators. It seems as if those days are in the past. The fabric of many school environments is severely tattered and torn. It appears that the days of respect for adults and children knowing their place have escaped us. While there are countless students who are wonderful examples of appropriate behavior, unfortunately, they are often overshadowed by those exhibiting disruptive, and often disturbing behavior. The question is not what has happened to our schools, but what has happened to our children? Over the course of the last decade, there has been an uptick of violent student behavior towards both school officials, and surprisingly, their own parents. As the publicity increases, so do the number of incidents. Respect has transformed into an unrecognizable figure. Students often make the claim "he/she disrespected me," when referring to teachers or other school officials, which is often the catalyst for unruly or unacceptable behavior. Turning on the news or logging onto social media sites, it is not uncommon to hear stories or see a video of students attacking teachers. Unbeknownst to the public, these incidents are a mere glimpse into what occurs in many classrooms across the country. The level of respect for individuals in authority in the schoolhouse has diminished significantly. We live in a society where the desire for and the successful acquisition of immediate gratification is commonplace. Schools are a microcosm of society, the good, the bad, and the ugly. If it's happening in the world, it's also occurring in a school building near you. Many of today's students have the mindset that they should be able to do what they want, when they want, with no consequences. May the force be with you should you challenge that belief or worse…serve as a barrier to those wants. The education environment is compromised when instruction time is interrupted because teachers are redirecting disruptive students. While kids will be kids and occasional redirection is normal, what is not normal is the direction which some classroom situations turn. There was a time when "talking back" to a school official was a no-no and using profanity towards them was utterly unheard of. There are teachers across this country who have been verbally accosted by students with and without extremely "colorful" language because they either refused to allow them to do something or because they redirected them for something that was causing a problem. A teacher in Memphis, TN in May of 2016 was on the receiving end of a student's reaction of not getting his way. The 16-year old attacked the teacher from behind because he was told that he could not leave the classroom. In August, a teacher was slammed to the ground in a New Jersey school for confiscating his ninth grade student's cell phone. These incidents are not limited to classroom teachers. A principal in New York was recently punched by a student because the student was told to turn the volume down on his headphones. In the midst of situations like these, as well as others that may not be as extreme, in many instances, teachers are looked upon unfavorably. The act of self-defense is often scrutinized. The vast majority of educators are in the profession because they love children, they do not want to ever become physical with a student. Teachers are people, they have families, and they too want to return home at the end of the workday the same way they left home in the morning. The berating of teachers who are victimized because they have attempted to defend themselves will add to the increasing schoolhouse flight by educators. Teachers must be supported when it comes to providing an environment that is conducive to learning. That means removing students from the classroom who are a constant disruption and finding placements more appropriate for the needs of students who display potential violent tendencies. A student who curses his/her teacher today should not be back in that teacher's classroom tomorrow. There must be consequences for their actions. A stronger collaboration must be forged between schools and parents to wrangle in this problem that appears to be getting worse. Our children need us, they need mentors, and they need individuals to step in for parents who need help. Our children need adults who can provide the level of guidance that will show them the difference between behavior appropriate for real life and acceptable for television. Our children need educating and even more so, they need parenting.   By: Dr. Connie Franklin Published 2016 (Hardcover & Kindle)  Review by Paul Sean Grieve Rating: 5 Stars  Years ago, one of my friends needed my shoulder to cry on. A technician who drove a company truck, he’d been caught by his supervisor taking a cat nap in a parking garage and was fired on the spot. The reason he was napping, he explained, was that he felt drowsy and wanted to recharge for a few minutes rather than potentially fall asleep on the road. I advised him to argue his case to senior management, but his pleas fell on deaf ears. Weeks later, he informed me that the supervisor who’d fired him had been involved in a serious collision... after falling asleep at the wheel.  Death on the roads is only one potential consequence of the chronic lack of sleep endemic to industrial society, a phenomenon which Arianna Huffington, in her book “The Sleep Revolution: Transforming Your Life One Night at a Time,” claims is nothing less than a societal crisis. Health problems such as obesity, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and cancer are all made worse by sleep deprivation, as are cognitive impairments like ADD. This has been understood by medical researchers for some time and on some level, we all know it to be true, yet we insist on sleepwalking through our day-to-day lives pretending it isn’t so. And we pay a terrible price.  Huffington acknowledges that for many people, such as working mothers juggling three jobs to support a family, the simple admonishment to “get more sleep” rings hollow. Yet, pointing out that people at the lower end of the socioeconomic spectrum are at greater risk of sleep-related health and mental problems, she implores people in all walks of life to make quality sleep a top priority. If, like most people in our wired, harried world, you think you can’t afford to take Huffington’s advice, please read her book and you’ll see why you must.  The Sleep Revolution: Transforming Your Life One Night at a Time by Arianna Huffington Festival del Film Locarno Series The Festival del Film Locarno Series has been running every year since 1946. It is penned to be one of the biggest and oldest film festivals in the world, located in Locarno, which borders Italy. This festival is known to bring together young talent, lesser known filmmakers as well as established directors, showing new films from every part of the world. The Festival del Film Locarno Series is one of the biggest highlights of the Swiss cultural scene. International celebrities such as Marlene Dietrich, Quentin Tarantino and Olivia Wilde are just to name a few that have attended the festival in past years. The Festival del Film Locarno Series is held in Atlanta, Chicago and Washington D.C. Each year, the festival brings to an American audience, screenings of some of the most important films that are shown in Locarno. This year, the Atlanta Film Society collaborated with Swiss representation from the Consulate General of Switzerland in Atlanta. This year’s screenings were of three movies. O Cinema, Manoel De Oliveira e Eu by Joao Botelho (Portugal, 2016), Pescatori di corpi by Michele Pennetta (Switzerland, 2016) and Donald Cried by Kris Avedisian (USA, 2016). The festival was held on November 1-3, 2016, at one of Atlanta’s oldest cinemas—a well-known landmark (since 1939) located in the heart of “Poncey – Highlands” neighborhoods-The Plaza Theatre. On the closing night of the festival, avid festival movie-goers piled in to screen the film “Donald Cried”; funny, touching, endearing, interesting, dynamic and quirky. This film unites two childhood friends that grew up in a small town of Rhode Island called Warwick. Peter Latang (Jesse Wakeman), left Rhode Island fifteen years ago, now a banker on Wall Street, comes back to his hometown because his grandmother has passed away. Upon his arrival to Warwick, Peter begins to experience a mixture of emotions ranging from guilt, regret and stress because he realizes he left his wallet on the bus. Peter is stranded and the only person that can come to his rescue is his next door neighbor and former childhood friend, Donald (Kris Avedisian, also the director and writer of this casual comedy); who has not changed one bit. A simple favor ends up being what turns out to be the longest van ride into their past. The day is filled with funny-uncomfortable sexual insinuations, light-weight violence all covered with merriment.The film was definitely a hilarious treat. Post screening, there was a mini Q&A session lead by Producer Kyle Martin (hails from Johns Creek/Alpharetta, now residing in New York) and Christopher Escobar, Executive Director of The Atlanta Film Society. The night was capped off with a fun-filled night of fellowship with tasty finger food and spirits, compliments of The Atlanta Film Society and Sweet Auburn BBQ. ~ Tiffany Brown, Film for the Soul by Mercedes Jackson GEANCO Gala GEANCO hosted its annual 2016 Hollywood Gala in Los Angeles, California, October 21, 2016. The night was filled with beautiful people supporting a common purpose...the GEANCO Foundation’s efforts to transform the lives of those less fortunate in Africa. This years’ honoree was Oscar- nominated actor Benedict Cumberbatch for his unwavering humanitarian efforts. Cumberbatch spoke elegantly of the importance of the GEANCO Foundation, its mission and the steps they are making to save lives in Nigeria.  The GEANCO Foundation is best known for their medical and educational programs that benefit the underserved population in Nigeria. Through the Clinton's Global Initiative Project, GEANCO screens and treats vulnerable women and children in Nigeria for anemia. It is the only group of its kind to lead missions in medical prosthetic surgical hip and knee replacement and is currently developing a world class hospital to meet the needs of poverty-stricken citizens in Nigeria. GEANCO also supports Brightland Academy, a school for the underprivileged founded by celebrity Chiwetel Ejiofor's family, through its generous donations of computers, toys, and medical supplies.  In the midst of the festivities, we were able to speak briefly with HBO's hit new series "Insecure" lead supporting actress, Yvonne Orji. She informed us of the importance of the GEANCO Foundation and the many endeavors they do in Nigeria. Orji stated, "Besides the fame and spotlight, this is an opportunity for celebrities to use their platform to address issues in everyday society." Orji is also a native of Nigeria; therefore, the importance of giving back to her homeland is very prevalent and heartfelt to her.  Fashion Mania On Saturday October 15th, Keesha Rivers presented the Florida Meets Georgia Fashion Mania event to a sold out audience in Atlanta! The designs were bold, elegant, distinctive, and unapologetically unique! The evening was filled with delightful entertainment by way of singers, dangers, spoken word, and of course, a dazzling array of FASHION. Enjoy a few photos on the following pages captured by Cedric McCray AKA Mr. PTP 357. Dr. Alvin S. Perry 678-634-4752 alvin@P5designs.com P5designs.com Wendell Jean-Pierre Company: Styles by Jean-Pierre Personal email: wendelljeanpierre@gmail.com Business email stylesbyjeanpierre@yahoo.com Website: www.stylesbyjeanpierre.com Phone 941-527-7203 My Frances Renee Fashions thefrcollections@gmail.com Mara Skye Couture IG@MaraSkyeCouture Http://www.Facebook.com/ Maraskyecouture Http://www.MaraSkyeCouture.com  MaraSkyeCouture@gmail.com 6784625861 The featured designers were as follows: Mozella Malone House of NediA  321-960-9460 - Cellular www.facebook.com/houseofnedia Ms. Keesha Rivers Get On with Living... What would you do if you found out YOU were the "other" woman? How would you move on? Get your copy of the acclaimed book by Forward Guru Katherine D. Carey Forgive, Forget, FORWARD today! Available on Amazon.com Now!