Trendsetters To Trendsetters Magazine March April 2013

2 TRENDSETTERS TO TRENDSETTERS | MARCH/APRIL 2013 www.TRENDTOTRENDMAG.com

3 TRENDSETTERS TO TRENDSETTERS | MARCH/APRIL 2013

OFFICIAL GRAPHIC DESIGNER FOR TRENDSETTERS TO TRENDSETTERS MAGAZINE


Lukeither Willingham, President of Trendsetters to Trendsetters said, “I would just like to thank the social media team. They are all very talented, they love what they’re doing and they are happy to be part of the rebirth of the magazine.”

Trendsetters to Trendsetters wants to get the most out of your experience with the magazine by sharing it with you through the vast world of technology. What better way to lauch the new magazine than to have a social media team supporting it.

PUBLISHER T2T MEDIA GROUP, INC.

Willie Stewart / Atlanta, GA

VICE PRESIDENT/ T2T MEDIA GROUP, INC. CREATIVE ART DIRECTOR

Derek Payne / Columbus, OH

DIR. OF SOCIAL NETWORK MARKETING & WEB DEVELOPMENT

Lukeither Willingham / Atlanta, GA

ASST. TO PUBLISHER / YOUNG & TRENDY Essence Bradley /Akron, OH

FREELANCE WRITER

Lisa Earley / Atlanta, GA Sylvie Chantal Humphreys / Atlanta, GA

Ava Collier /Atlanta, GA Carol Courtney Anglin / Brooklyn, NY

EDITORS

Teri Miller Barker / Dayton, OH Tracey Farley / Nashville, TN

Cheryl L. Iszard / Woodstock, GA Sylvie Chantal Humphreys / Atlanta, GA

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Gigi McCrary / Columbus, OH Angela Thomas / Miami, FL

Dr. Linda Amerson / Arlington, TX The Weight Loss Angel / Philadelphia, PA

Joseph Booker / Baton Rouge, LA Teresa Johnson / Columbus, OH

TRENDSETTERS TO TRENDSETTERS MEDIA GROUP RESERVES THE RIGHT TO PUBLISH ANY MATERIALS RECEIVED. WE APPRECIATE ALL MATERIAL, HOWEVER, SUBMISSIONS MUST BE OF A POSITIVE AND INFORMATIVE NATURE. PLEASE MAIL OR EMAIL ARTICLES TO [email protected] | TRENDSETTERS TO TRENDSETTERS MAGAZINE, 3007 PANOLA ROAD | SUITE 283C | LITHONIA, GA 30038 (404) 437-4311 OR 1-866-958-7363.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, TRENDSETTERS TO TRENDSETTERS MEDIA GROUP, INC.

FROM THE VP/T2T MEDIA GROUP. INC.

www.TRENDTOTRENDMAG.com

TRENDSETTERS TO TRENDSETTERS STAFF Why You Must Follow Your Dreams

I feel that it is imperative that you go out into the world to get what’s yours. Your dreams could range from anything to being an Electrical Engi-neer to being Miss Amer-ica to simply finishing the largest burger at your local

gourmet restaurant! As for myself I knew that no matter what path I chose to follow, it would have to be something that involved utilizing my creative mind, like being a graphic designer with a wonderful publication, like Trendsetters to Trendsetters Magazine! Growing up I began laying out newspapers for my dad’s publication in Baton Rouge, LA. in elementary school. Selecting graphics and cleverly placing them just right to produce an advertisement for one of my dad’s clients was always the challenge of the week. Fast forwarding to the present, I guess it is evident why I love doing what I do so much.

No one is where they want to be after college. That’s pretty much a given. Even the ones who seemingly luck out with amazing jobs that brag on Facebook about it aren’t exactly content. So here’s where I think the “following your dreams” thing comes into play. You can’t be afraid to go after what you want. You can’t be shy, bashful or insecure. Oh sure, you can be that way on the inside but outside, you’ve got to project confidence, even if that involves pre-tending to know what you are doing when you aren’t totally sure. That’s one way to learn.

People like to do this thing where they complain about things but don’t do anything to change it. I do it. You do it. We ALL do it! What holds a lot of people back is fear. Fear tends to keep a lot of us from “receiving our blessings” and blocking ourselves from potential joy. Here’s how I look at it. The fear of getting what you want should outweigh the fear of getting out to get it.

Find inside yourself what you need to fuel your motiva-tion to get out there and get it done. It takes real courage to follow your dreams. Stop being a scaredy-cat and set some concrete plans in motion. Think of yourself years from now living in a sea of regret because you didn’t take advantage of the opportunities being offered to you.

This is your time. This is your life. If you aren’t going to pursue something now, then when are you?

THINK, PRAY, EXECUTE!


contents MARCH/APRIL 2013 ■ T2T MAGAZINE

what’s inside 09 Publisher’s Notes 14 Up N Coming Trendsetters 19 Education Trends 27 Awareness Trends 23 Health & Wellness Trends 37 Inspirational Trends 46 Event Trends 48 Corporate Trends 49 Lifestyles 55 Beauty Trends 57 Fashion Trends 58 Art & Entertainment Trends 65 Travel Trends

special features 12 Young & Trendy Magazine

Our young continues to shine!

16 Education Spotlight Dr. Leslie Ashlock

26 Mixing Love & Business Herchel & Tyra Yelder

28 Author’s Corner Yolanda Zellous, “The Spirit of Big-Boned Women”

39 Inspirational Spotlight Carlton McConnell

52 Fitness Spotlight LaTanya Settles

56 Beauty Profile Mz. Liza

58 Comedian Spotlight Mark Gregory

46 39 55

30 LisaRaye McCoy:

Exclusive Interview & Alluring Photo Shoot


Willie Stewart PUBLISHER

efore becoming a publisher, I was known in the city I resided as "Street King," which meant that everything and everyone with whom I associated was capable of doing illegal and downright, foolish things. At the time I thought that because I was well recognized as a "tough guy", then that was the way to be. I asked GOD to take away that way of life from me and replace it with something positive. It was then God showed me that it was the people around me – I needed to change my circle of friends and social network. I was in the streets seven days a week, sun-up and sundown for most of my adult life. I was killing myself quickly, and if I did not succeed, someone else would. I followed the wrong people and allowed the wrong people in my circle. There is a saying that goes, “If you think you are leading and no one is following... then you’re merely taking a walk." I realized that the people with whom I was affiliating myself lacked substance, and they were not going anywhere in life worth going.

Six years later God answered my prayers and put me on the road to Atlanta. Here, I am meeting people who are doing amazing things and making differences, not only in the community, but the country and even other parts of the world. The saying, "iron sharpens iron" comes to mind.

I will never forget where I have been. However, I will always know where I will never travel again. Please ensure that the people you follow know their pur-pose in life and are people who are willing to give back in a positive manner. Cor-respondingly, The "Law of Attraction" states that you are the company you keep. Therefore, I thank you Atlanta, as well as the many positive people who have al-lowed me to follow them, and in return I will allow lost souls, as I once was, to follow me.

God Bless!

The Law of Attraction: Who Are You Following?

PUBLISHER’S NOTES


Willie Stewart / Chief Executive Officer Lukeither Willingham / President

Derek Payne / Executive Vice President

Our Mission It is our mission to be the premier source for positive news and information among trendsetters around the globe and to build strong relationships among individuals, corporate companies, businesses, and organizations in the communities that we serve.

About Us Trendsetters to Trendsetters Media Group, Inc., (aka T2T Media Group and Trend to Trend Media Group) is a minority-owned, pri-vately-held, national media group headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

T2T Media Group started as a single magazine and through strategic planning has grown into a multifaceted media company which now includes a Publishing Division with three magazines (Trendsetters to Trendsetters Magazine, Trendsetters to Trendsetters La-tino Magazine and Young and Trendy Magazine); and a Digital Division which specializes in graphic design, marketing, and social media. Companies in our Digital Division include DPI Graphic Design, Lukeither Multimedia & Design (Internet and Social Net-work Marketing), and numerous interactive websites and blogs (entertainment, food, and technical).

Through our divisions and various companies, it is our goal to provide excellent returns to our shareholders, and provide support to the community and businesses where we live, work and play.

Our company motto is “Together Building Strong Relationships.” We pride ourselves in building strong business relationships and offering services that help businesses reach their target audiences. Trendsetters to Trendsetters Media Group, Inc. specializes in busi-ness to business relationships and offers strategies and solutions for every budget.

“Together Building Strong Relationships”

TRENDSETTERS TO TRENDSETTERS MAGAZINE TRENDSETTERS TO TRENDSETTERS LATINO MAGAZINE YOUNG & TRENDY MAGAZINE LUKEITHER MULTIMEDIA & DESIGN

TRENDSETTERS TO TRENDSETTERS NETWORK BUILDING TRENDSETTERS FOUNDATION DPI GRAPHIC DESIGN


12 TRENDSETTERS TO TRENDSETTERS | MARCH/APRIL 2013 www.TRENDTOTRENDMAG.com 12 www.TRENDTOTRENDMAG.com

I n an effort to better educate and prepare our youth to be productive citizens to our society, EN-RICH-MENT (ERM) was created for 5 – 18 year old under-served urban youth.

EN-RICH-MENT (ERM) was founded by Mr. S.C. (SAMSON) Toe, a music and education major at Malone University, and founder of the Canton Community Or-chestra, Raylena Dahlheimer, music education graduate from Mt. Union University, Bev Bevington, music in-structor and Betty Smith, graduate of Northeastern Illi-nois University and Host of “On Track with Betty Mac” Channel 15 in Stark County, OH.

ERM reaches out to youth in low income neighbor-hoods that would normally not have an opportunity to be involved in such a posi-tive program.

ERM provides high-level learning opportunities in all genres of music. Classes include music theory, history, musicianship and workshops. Students receive private/group lessons, rehearse and perform in ensembles. These classes are offered free of charge.

We believe that by inviting youth into active engagement in the learning process and ensemble performance of

EN-RICH-MENT (ERM) Organization in Canton, OH uses music to enrich

the lives of youths

YOUNG & TRENDY MAGAZINE

Good for You: Great Kids Doing Great Things West Des Moines Schools showcase students’ achievements in a weekly roundup of news from around the district. By Beth Dalbey

H ere’s a sam-pling of some things you’ll learn about in communica-tions special-ist Lauri Pyatt’s blog on the

West Des Moines Community School District’s web site:

Drew Henderson, a third grader at Jordan Creek Elementary, was recently chosen as a Kid of Char-acter at Jordan Creek’s all school Character Counts assembly that focused on the character pillar of responsibility.

Crestview fourth graders Eleanor Horak and Natalie Ulrich have completed reading all 21 Iowa Children’s Choice books. Both girls are in the Awesome Sparkle Readers Book Club that meets weekly with Stephanie Horak at lunch and discuss books they read. Eleanor chose the Dear America, “Like the Willow Tree” by Lois Lowry as her favorite, while Natalie enjoyed the science fiction thriller by Patricia C. McKissck. The following students were se-lected to represent Fairmeadows Elementary in the 2013 All-District Sixth Grade Honor Choir:

SOU

RC

E: w

est

de

smo

ine

s.p

atc

h.c

om

Continued on Page 13


YOUNG & TRENDY MAGAZINE

orchestral music, they will develop skills of discipline, self-direction, team work, and spiritual enrichment which will transform them, their families, and their communities.

The programs offer youth an opportunity to play with the Canton Community Or-chestra and acquire enough experience to audition for the Canton Youth Symphony. From the Youth Symphony, they will have many options available to perhaps play with a major Symphony. ■

Diamond Shakoor Wins 9th National Title! Gets 3 Trophies in New Orleans

Congratulations to Ms. Diamond Shakoor, 6th grade Student at Grand Center Arts Academy. Diamond just returned from New Orleans from playing in the Susan Polgar National Open for Boys and Girls Chess. Diamond won 1st place in the Girls K-6th Grade Division. Diamond won 2nd place in the Puzzle Solving Competition U-1500 category. Diamond won 2nd place in the Bughouse Team Competition. Diamond won 3rd place in the Main Event Girls 6th-8th Grade category. She now prepares for Supernationals in Nashville, TN April 3-7, 2013 and The All-Girls Nationals in Chicago, IL. April 25-28! Fundraising goal for the two trips is $900. Spon-sors are needed for hotel and travel to these events!! TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE! Thank you to all previous sponsors and friends! Diamond Shakoor Chess Fund 2000 Madison Street Apt. B222 St. Louis, MO 63106

Jordan Andrus, Emily Bartusek, Hanna Boeckenstedt, Noan Colby, Karsen Duve, Lexi Falco, Garrett Gallagher, Annie Grob, Cassie Larick, Sidney Mays, Skye Merrell, Lauren Munoz, Evan Pflughaupt, Linh Pham, Olivia Rainey-Madonia, Rylie Tu, Morgan Tyma, Skylar Van-den Bosch and Bailey Whitso. These musicians begin rehearsals March 29 and will be perform-ing as part of the Honors Festival at Valley High School Audito-rium on Tuesday, May 7 at 7 p.m. Also performing in this Honors Festival will be our Honor Handbell representatives, Garrett Gallagher,Jack Basart-Morse and Olivia Rainey-Madonia.

More great news about great kids doing great things is found on the web site. westdesmoines.patch.com

Great Kids Continued from Page 12

Drew Henderson, a third grader at Jordan Creek Elementary School,

was named a Kid of Character. Credit Beth Dalbey


Maxie McClintock 1950's Glam Shoot By PRO-ARTS

UP & COMING TRENDSETTER

T h e t e a m at PRO-ART took time out to pay hom-age to a very g l a m o r o u s

era, the 1950′s. With the Creative Direction of Stephen Philms and the Photographic Eye of Breland Warren they were to capture some very intimate and elegant mo-ments of actress Maxie McClintock. She gave an excellent portrayal of a star actress from that time. Maxie is a member of the actress group The Cinema Dolls, a collection of super talented actresses striving for success in the film and television industry. She has been fea-tured in several films and commercials and she's also in PRO-ART's upcoming f i l m ' L o v e o n t h e Rocks' Check out the behind scenes video with interviews of all involved. The creative process for the shoot was amazing, so sit back, relax and scroll back to the 50′s! ■


I n today’s society, we need more role models who will carry the torch and help ignite our generation. One way to successfully train and equip our youth is through mentorship. A prominent uprising organiza-

tion with pinnacle results with building character and establish-ing rich and healthy relationships is Motivated Adults Develop-ing Excellence (M.A.D.E.)

M.A.D.E is a group mentoring program that focuses on middle and high school students. The program is designed to change the complete paradigm and mindset of our youth by exposing them to resourceful connections and opportu-nities of empowerment. M.A.D.E sup-ply members with college students and young professionals who desire to give back in the form of mentorship. Its’ motto is “we supply mentors who are young enough to connect, but old enough to respect.” M.A.D.E’s main focus is on restoring, stabilizing, and strength-ening family values in our communities. M.A.D.E believes in bridging the gap that has developed due to the unfortunate re-structuring of the common family by discovering purpose and illuminating their inner passion. The four major components exhibited are community service, positive entertainment, pro-grams/curriculums, and field trips.

Eldredge E. Washington is the Founder and Executive Di-rector of M.A.D.E. He is known as an efficacious entrepreneur and well-known prolific motivational speaker of our time. Due to his unique tactics and ongoing success, Eldredge, also known as Made Mann, is now predicted to be one of the youngest and most innovative youth development specialists to hit the scene. Eldredge is on a mission to help his generation progress by coaching them on how to live the M.A.D.E lifestyle. In 2012, at the age of 22, Eldredge wrote his first book “Become M.A.D.E it’s a Lifestyle,” a self-help motivational book considered to be the young adults guide to discovering their purpose.

Eldredge has also traveled domestically and internationally with the message of Become M.A.D.E. He believes, if you see more and want more, you will even-tually do more with the support from the people in your life. When asked about the uncannily behav-ior of his generation, Eldredge stated a

quote from author Stephen Covey, “If you want to change someone’s behavior, you change their title.” Instead of com-plaining about the high school drop outs, teen mothers, gang members and drug dealers, Eldredge has decided to change their title to the leaders of tomorrow. Eldredge encourages eve-ryone to become M.A.D.E. It’s a lifestyle worth living. ■

UP & COMING TRENDSETTER

Eldredge E. Washington: GIVING BACK THROUGH M.A.D.E

“We supply mentors who are young enough to connect, but old enough

to respect.”

M.A.D.E. MOTTO


EDUCATION SPOTLIGHT

D r. Jackson-Hammond has built a distinguished career in higher educational lead-ership. Under her guidance

as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Coppin State University, she guided six prominent initiatives: the refor-mation of the General Education core cur-riculum; establishment of the Center for Un-dergraduate Research; 2010 strategic plan-ning; development of the First Year Experi-ence program; a successful effort to secure external funding for the Advisement and Retention Center for the School of Educa-tion; and development of tenure criteria. Most recently, Dr. Hammond was a lead consultant for H&H Educational Consult-ants, specializing in strategic planning, cur-riculum design, accreditation, and standards-based assessments. She began her career in higher education in 1987 as an instructor/coordinator of devel-opmental reading at the University of Louisi-ana, Monroe. She advanced to assistant pro-fessor in the Department of Education; also served as director of Developmental Educa-tion; and was appointed director of Student Development.

She also was a tenured faculty member at California State University Dominguez Hills and wrote the first Upward Bound applica-tion for federal funding for CSUDH. She served while there as the director of Upward Bound and director of Adult Education. Dr. Jackson-Hammond later moved to Delaware and served in multiple leadership positions at Delaware State University: ten-ured faculty; assistant dean for School of Education and Professional Studies; and director of the Center for School Change. She wrote the academic proposal for estab-lishing a separate division for the School of Education and Human Performance, for which she served as the founding dean. Dr. Jackson-Hammond was recruited to the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, where she served as assistant dean for the College of Education with responsibilities for budget, grant management, and commu-

President Dr. Cynthia Jackson-Hammond CENTRAL STATE UNIVERSITY




EDUCATION SPOTLIGHT

W hen Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum became the ninth president of Spelman College in 2002, she set an expectation that the institution would be recognized as one

of the finest liberal arts colleges in the country – a place where young women of African descent could say, “This place was built for me and it is nothing less than the best!” With her crea-tive energy focused on five strategic goals – Academic Excel-lence, Leadership Development, Improving our Environment, Visibility of our Achievements, and Exemplary Customer Ser-vice (collectively known as Spelman ALIVE), Spelman College has experienced great growth. Spelman is now widely recognized as one of the leading liberal arts colleges in the nation. Applications have increased more than 40% during her tenure, making it one of the most selective women’s colleges in the United States.

In 2004, the Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement (LEADS) was created and its annual Women of Color Leadership Conference estab-lished as a national professional development re-source. The curriculum has expanded to include Chinese language instruction, and in 2008, the Gordon-Zeto Fund for International Initiatives was established with a gift of $17 million, increasing opportunities for faculty and student travel, and providing financial aid for international students. Overall, scholarship support for Spelman students has doubled since 2002, and opportunities for fac-ulty research and development have expanded sig-nificantly. Through the Every Woman, Every Year Initia-tive launched in 2006, alumnae support of the an-nual fund grew in 2011 to 41%. Campus improvements include the award-winning renovation of three historic buildings and the 2008 completion of a new “green” residence hall, increasing on-campus housing capacity by more than 25% and establish-ing the campus commitment to environmental sustainability for the 21st century. The college is a participant in The American College & University President’s Climate Change Commit-ment, and has been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Pro-tection Agency with the Green Key Award. These recognitions and improvements serve as the founda-tion for the next phase of development, Strengthening the Core: The Strategic Plan for 2015, which focuses on global engage-ment, expanded opportunities for undergraduate research and internships, alumnae-student connections, leadership develop-ment and service learning linked to an increasingly interdisci-plinary curriculum. In addition to being an accomplished administrator, Dr. Tatum is widely recognized as a scholar, teacher, race relations expert and leader in higher education. The recipient of numer-

ous honorary degrees, in 2005 Dr. Tatum was awarded the pres-tigious Brock International Prize in Education for her innova-tive leadership in the field. Her best-selling titles include Can We Talk About Race? And Other Conversations in an Era of School Resegregation (2007) and Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? And Other Conversations About Race (1997). She is also the author of Assimilation Blues: Black Families in a White Community (1987). Actively involved in the Atlanta community, Dr. Tatum is a member of several boards including the Executive Committee of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, the Woodruff Arts Center, the Community Foundation of Atlanta, and the Atlanta Regional Consortium for Higher Education, where she

serves as vice chair. In addition, she co-chaired the Early Edu-cation Commission of the United Way. Dr. Tatum is also a member of several national non-profit boards such as the Institute for International Education, Council of Independent Colleges, Carnegie Foundation for the Ad-vancement of Teaching and Teach for America. Appointed by President Obama, she is a member of the Advisory Board for the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. She also serves on the Georgia Power corporate board of directors. Dr. Tatum earned a B.A. degree in psychology from Wesleyan University, and M.A. and Ph.D. in clinical psychol-ogy from University of Michigan. She also holds a M.A. in religious studies from Hartford Seminary. She has served as a faculty member at the University of California at Santa Bar-bara, Westfield State College, and Mount Holyoke College, where she also served as dean and acting president. President Tatum is married to Dr. Travis Tatum, a retired college professor; they are the parents of two adult sons. ■

President Beverly Daniel Tatum, Ph.D. SPELMAN COLLEGE


EDUCATION TRENDS

B ishop Darius and Dr. Leslie Ashlock re-ceive an OZ Award from An Eye Open-ing Production for their community ser-

vice at the Awareness Benefit Dinner on February 16th, 2013 from 6:30pm to 11:00 pm at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, 265 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, Georgia 30303. The benefit will high-light some of Atlanta’s positive fig-ures that exemplify excellence through means of community service, talents, skills, determination and awareness throughout the community. (AEOP) is a collaboration of profes-sional business owners who share the same aspirations and desire to teach awareness in our “at risk” communi-ties that will improve on its quality of life and give the necessary tools to make a healthy lifestyle change. Their mission is to foster culturally diverse, healthy and a positive lifestyle through entertainment, media, nutri-tion and arts streams. Dr. Leslie C. Ashlock is the Foun-der and CEO of Solid Foundation Christian Academy, a non-traditional educational program accredited through the Georgia Accrediting Commission. The private school and Christian fellowship (church school) was birthed out of the hearts of Bishop Darius and Dr. Ashlock's desire to

meet the needs of bright energetic students whose individual learning style may not be complemented in traditional learning environments. The school is going into its 10th successful year of operation, but not without challenge, tenacity, and sweat equity. The school serves youth all over the Atlanta area and has several collabora-tive partnerships that help to target students from the public school sys-tem that may benefit from the services that Solid Foundation provides. Solid Foundation Christian Acad-emy (SFCA), our Students are bright, energetic, creative thinkers that have a unique style of learning. Our Students face a variety of challenges that often act as roadblocks in traditional schools. A few of these roadblocks include, difficulty in reading or writ-ing words or numbers, problems trans-ferring thoughts to paper, trouble with organization and time management, failure to turn in homework, inability to concentrate in class, and /or a his-tory of falling behind classmates aca-demically. Therefore, our students may be above, at or below grade level for any subject areas. Solid Founda-tion works with each child, transform-ing obstacles and weaknesses into strengths. For more information about our program, calls can be made to (770) 469-3211 or visit our website. ■

Christian School Rocks OZ Award By Celestine Cooper, Solid Foundation Christian Academy

www.solidfoundationchristianacademy.com

Photo by Dream Photography Group

nity outreach. She was later recruited to Winston-Salem State University, where she served as professor and dean of the School of Education and Human Performance.

Dr. Jackson-Hammond is well known for her expertise in accredita-tion self-study and curriculum and program review, and for her commit-ment to retention of males in higher education. She initiated a trademarked program called Real Men Teach, which supports the development of male students as teacher-leaders. She is a member of the Board of Examin-ers for the National Council of Ac-creditation for Teacher Education (NCATE) and has served on Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA) com-mittees.

Dr. Jackson-Hammond received a doctorate degree in education from Grambling State University in dual cognate areas: Curriculum and Instruc-tion and Student Personnel Services; an Education Specialist degree in Counseling Education from the Uni-versity of Louisiana-Monroe; a mas-ter’s degree in Communications from the University of Louisiana-Monroe, and a bachelor’s degree from Gram-bling State University. She is a gradu-ate of the Harvard University Summer Institute for Educational Management, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Millennium Leadership Institute, and a Fellow of the Nissan and the National Associa-tion for Equal Opportunity Leadership Institute for Academic Deans.

She is a sought-after speaker on issues related to cultural competency, the unique contributions of HBCU’s, and global education. She also has a number of publications to her credit and is a 1987-89 Louisiana State Board of Regents Fellow. Dr. Jackson-Hammond is the recipient of many state and national recognitions. A native of Monroe, Louisiana, she is married to Dr. James Eric Hammond Sr. The couple has three children: James Eric Jr., who is mar-ried to Sylvia Woodard; Christopher Adam, and Er in Jenea. The Hammonds are the proud grandparents of Alexander, 6, and Franchesca, 2. ■

JAC

KSO

N-H

AM

MO

ND


HEALTH & WELLNESS

First: Let us begin with Alopecia Alopecia is the medical term for hair loss. Alopecia is a very broad umbrella which includes over 75 categories of hair loss for men, women and children of all ethnicities. Some of these categories may include hair breakage, hair thinning, patchy areas, bald-ness, marginal Alopecia, banded Alopecia, and Trichotillomania just to name a few. In addition, there are scalp conditions which cause discomfort to millions of consumers. Included are: dry scalp, oily scalp, itchy scalp, flaky scalp, scalp lesions, cysts, bacterial infections, fungal infections and on goes the list. Many consumers have suffered with Alopecia from chemical relaxers, brazillian hair smoothing systems, excessive heat, hair coloring, etc, and decided to go natural from all chemical services. Furthermore, many consumers have ex-perienced severe scalp conditions which prohibits them from enjoying chemical services. Some con-sumers press/flat iron their hair or choose to wear it natural. Secondly: Natural Hair Meetups There are numerous ‘Natural Hair Groups’ whom have organ-ized around the world in support of the others wanting to make the transition to natural hair. Most groups began in the home of the organizer. Attendees are instructed to bring their own comb and a towel and would style one another’s hair. Information is shared about new products, techniques, etc. In my opinion, sanitation and sterilization practices are not followed, in com-parison to having your natural hair styled in a hair salon or natural salon environment. Sanitized containers and solutions are mandatory by the State. In a home environment, consumers are at a higher risk for contagious scalp conditions when a per-son does not know what it looks like. Unknowingly, when a person allows pets in their home and shots and hygiene is not maintained, the consumer is at a higher risk for communicable disease. Scary isn’t it! On a positive note, I must give kudos to Founder Dee Johnson of The Nappiology Natural Hair Group, for inviting me to speak to her group about Trichology, Healthy Hair and Scalp Care in 2009 at a library facility. Thirdly: New Legislation: The Certified Natural Hair Stylist The Natural Hair Specialist was created in 1993, with education hours ranging from state to state. On June 14, 2006, TDLR offered a specialty certificate in braiding requiring a short 35 hour course, under the Texas Occupations Code # 1602.002(b). Braiders may not shampoo, condition or dry hair, or use glue when adding extensions.

At this time there are a few states who are currently exempt from a braiding license which include: Arizona, California,

Conneticut, Georgia, Kansas, Maryland, Minne-sota, Mississippi, and Washington. Furthermore, the status is unclear for the following states: Mas-sachusettts, Maine, Kentucky, Hawaii, Idaho, Delaware, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Da-kota, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin. Since 2011, new legislation is in place in five states for natural hair consumers to become a “Certified Natural Hair Stylist”. The new law not only targets unlicensed hair braiders, but unli-censed manicurists. This certification has become available to increase education about sanitation and sterilization and decrease communicable scalp diseases to consumers. States which have this cur-riculum in place include: Tennessee requiring 300 hours, North Carolina requiring 300 hours, New

York State requiring 300 hours, Michigan requiring 400 hours, and Ohio requiring 450 hours. Students must pass the curricu-lum and exam provided by the Board. More states are yet to come. Natural Hair Facts Shampooing your hair and scalp is vital for healthy natural hair. A cold water rinse then applying a hair conditioner is not recommended. ALWAYS cleanse your hair and scalp first, then condition it. If you have a scalp condition, a twist style that you leave up for 3 weeks or longer is not a wise choice. Address the scalp con-dition first, then the trendy style may be done. Although not publicized, Alopecia and scalp conditions affect natural hair consumers. The ‘sulfate’ shampoos, which include the ingredi-ent sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, and sodium laurate sulfate are lather ingredients used in shampoos, bath and shower gels, bubble bath and toothpaste. They are non-toxic to the skin, scalp and mouth when rinsed off and out, and has a degreasing ability. This degreasing, lathering ingredient is re-quired to remove heavy buildup of scalp oils/pomades, scalp odor, product buildup from scalp and hair, and oral cleansing of food particles. Check your toothpaste for this ingredient. Three agencies: OSHA, NTP, and IARC have all rated SLS and SLES as being non-carcinogenic. In closing, the laws have changed for the unlicensed hair braid-ers and unlicensed manicurists. Protecting the public from communicable diseases is a priority for most Boards. If you would like to become “Certified” as a natural hair stylist, you must go back to school. ■

The Certified Natural Hair Stylist Dr. Linda Amerson

Most consumers have heard about the Natural Hair Movement transitioning thousands across the globe. There is new legislation enforced and available in five states for natural hair persons to become a Certified Natural Hair

Stylist.

All questions may be directed to Dr. Linda Amerson, world re-nowned Doctor of Trichology, (817) 265-8854 www.hairandscalpessentials.com

Dr. Linda Amerson


GOING GREEN PLEDGE 2013

TAKE THE CHALLENGE

2013 Go Green Pledge

Recycling Programs Best Buy

Best Buy's recycle program recycles electronics, including TVs, DVD players, appliances, cameras, camcorders, computer monitors, audio, cell phones, and more. For the complete list and to check for your local area you can go to (www.bestbuy.com)

Crayola has a National CRAYON RECYCLE PROGRAM: Crayola's recycle program melts down old crayons and reforms them into new ones. Send crayons to the National Crayon Recycle

Program (www.crazycrayons.com) TIP: Leave the wrappers on so can tell the colors apart (colors like black, blue, and purple are hard to tell apart).

Catherine's Closet

Looking for a way to recycle Formal wear and accessories? Old prom or bridesmaid dress in mint green or purple? Give it to a Catherine's Closet and they give it to a girl who can’t afford one (www.catherinescloset.org).

St. Jude's Ranch for Children

Has a year-around Recycled Card Program. They accept used cards for all-occasions. The cards are then given a new life by the children and sold (www.stjudesranch.org).

Gazelle

Trade in your Smartphone, iPad or Mac and get paid with an Amazon gift card or PayPal (www.gazelle.com) Mailing tip: To mail large quantities in the least expensive way, use the United States Post Office in a Flat Rate Box

(available at the Post Office), which holds up to 70 pounds

This list will grow as we find additional sources and information to share with our readers. Please come back often and share your tips with us.

We're depending on you to take the challenge with us and leave the world better than we found it.

Get educated. 1. Support companies who are green friendly. 2. Find out where and how to recycle products. 3. Identify ways to save, just makes good cents.


HEALTH & WELLNESS

Thrive and flourish with our 90 For Life Healthy Start Pak True health and wellness is only possible if it radiates from a solid, fundamentally sound center. Although the human body’s systems are complex and multi-dimensional, there ex-ists a core group of nutrients that have the greatest influence in support of vibrant health.

These 90 essential nutrients are at the very center of Youngevity’s commitment to im-proving lives through science-based, high quality nutrition. The 90 essential nutrients form the basis for Youngevity’s signature Healthy Start Pak™, a set of supplements specially selected for their excellent nutrient content, quality, and efficacy. It includes Be-yond Tangy Tangerine®, Osteo-fx Plus™ and Ultimate™ EFA Plus™. Beyond Tangy Tangerine® This proprietary multi-vitamin/mineral complex contains our famous Majestic Earth® Plant Derived Minerals™ blended with fruits and vegetables to provide comprehensive and balanced support for the whole body’s nutritional needs.*

Osteo-fx Plus™ Osteo-fx Plus™ complements the nutrient profile of Beyond Tangy Tangerine® and is formulated to target the body’s physical frame-work. Osteo-fx Plus™ offers en-hanced support for strong bones and healthy joints.*

Ultimate™ EFA Plus™ Strong scientific evidence has

documented the beneficial effects of essential fatty acids, from heart health to cognition to eye health.* Ultimate™ EFA Plus™ goes further by offering an organic and truly balanced formula that includes Omega 3, 6, and 9 fatty acids.

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administra-tion. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Most health related issues can be Prevented, Reversed and CURED! By Derek Payne, Independent Consultant

Affordable dental Coverage is here…

For less than $1 per day

One sentence has killed more people than all the wars in American history…

“You get all the nutrition you need from the four food groups.”

~ Dr. Joel Wallach; BS, DVM, ND

Dr. Wallach has been involved in biomedical re-search and clinical medicine for 30 years. He received his B.S. Degree from the Univer-sity of Missouri with a major in animal hus-bandry (nutrition) and field crops; a D.V.M.

(veterinarian) from the University of Missouri; a three year post doctoral fellowship from the Center for the Biology of Natural Systems, Washington University; and an N.D. from the Na-tional College of Naturopathic Medicine, Portland, Oregon.

DO YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW SUFFER FROM:

• Type I or II Diabetes

• Fighting Cancer

• Dementia, Alzheimer’s

• Digestive or Stomach

Issues

• Heart Disease, High Blood

Pressure

• PMS, Anxiety, Depression

• Arthritis or Other Bone & Joint

Problems

• Degenerative Disc Disease

• Other Health Related

Concerns

Learn more about Dr. Joel Wallach and 90 for Life by visiting

Derekpayne.my90forlife.com


MIXING LOVE & BUSINESS

T yra and Herchel Goodley are passionate artists. Tyra shares, "Art has always been our best friend, our expression, our ref-

uge." With a true love for designing unique conversation peices, they compliment each other by mixing love and busi-ness. Tyra shared how they first met, "We met in college, years ago, at The University of North Texas. We were both graphic design majors with a true longing to live our lives as fine art-ists. While dating in college, when time permitted, we would travel the country showing and selling our works with our men-tor, renowned black artist Frank Frazier. Later, we progressed as professionals and started our own art business, Gallery Three 3 Three (http://www.gallerythree3three.com/)" "Gallery Three 3 Three symbolizes us. The completion of us, spiritually, mentally and physically. Gallery Three 3 Three is Herchel, Tyra and our four beautiful children, Harmony, Ha-kyra, Hahmmad & Addison. Gallery Three 3 Three is a leg-acy, the pride of our family, and foundation and a reason to smile, Tyra shares with a smile. Herchel shares about his art, "My art specialty is color pen-cil. I enjoy manipulating this medium, causing it to appear like acrylic paint. I hand-craft my own wood panel, then draw on them. I love the way that the pencil meets the wood."

Tyra shares about her art, "Painting on metal is fulfilling me...I take recy-cled sheet metal, cut it, file it, twist it, paint on

it...creating art..over & over again...I love it." Both of them are busy designing projects. Herchel have a plate full of commission projects; from creating T-shirt designs for an up & coming business, to designing labels for an organic wine company, to illustrating a line of greeting cards. Tyra is preparing to donate art to American HeART Association in Lubbock, The Kansas City Affiliate of the AMA Go Red Women Campaign, and Make a Wish Foundation. Tyra shares, "Donating my custom designs is important to me. Not only is it beneficial to raise funds for diligent organizations, it is her way of saying "Thank You." Tyra shares her goals, "I have some goals for 2013: Be happier and be more appreciative. I think these two compo-nents are simple and easy ways to welcome more abundance into my life." "Create a BuZZ! Make people aware of our presence and the quality and standard of work that we produce, states Herschel. They feel blessed to partake in painting on the canvas of Life, shaping the minds & development of 4 beautiful children, enjoying the company of one another, giving the utmost grati-tude to the Creator and the Universe. ■

The Yelder’s Design Unique Art Outside the Box By Dr. Linda Amerson

Artists Herchel & Tyra Yelder www.gallerythree3three.com

Dallas, Texas


AWARENESS

H ello readers. I am only 12 years old, but the abuse I experienced at school

made me feel like I was old, ugly, and fat. The simple task of getting on the bus would start my day off in tears. The kids would all laugh as this one girl called me unpleasant names such as big fat “b....”, fog eyes, and one even said that I had a foul odor. In my heart, I knew these labels were untrue, yet my mind would repeat the horrifying words over and over, like a bad movie. Once I was in class, the negative treatment would worsen, with the girl insisting on calling me names or encouraging the other kids to laugh loudly as she knocked my books off my desk and tripped me as I walked beside hers. Also she, and perhaps others, would inscribe derogatory names on my locker. And in the lunch room, my food would always find its way to the floor, along with my drinks being spilled in my lap by “accident”.

My bully was bigger and taller than I was, and the other kids looked up to her. They did whatever

she told them to. I had become the most hated student in the school and as a result, I hated school. At the time, I wanted to tell my parents, the counselor, or even the teacher. However, I felt like they would not listen. Besides, I knew the teacher had witnessed some of the abuse and had not done anything about it; s/he just looked the other way. Then one dreadful day, my bully told me, in a quiet voice, that I should go home and kill myself. After all, no one would ever love me and the world would be better off without me. Then with stone cold eyes she said, “Do yourself a favor and go to hell before your time!” You cannot imagine how difficult it is to de-scribe the pain of believing the whole world looked down on me. But, maybe she was right. So I de-cided that I would get my father’s gun and kill myself the next day after killing all the bystanders who laughed at me, along with my bully. I did not want anyone else to ex-perience the anguish I faced during my “bullied life of hell”. However, there was a turn of events. That same day, the school had an assembly in which the guest speaker was the Tear Bear lady. Her

theme was “School’s In – Bullies Out”. She handed out the trust coins with Tear Bear on the front and the words “Trust Coin – As the Proper Authority Will You Listen…” on the back. She advised us to take them home and give them to our guardians, so that as they held it in their hand, we should honestly tell them about any secret, good or bad, and they would listen with undi-vided attention. I did as instructed and told my parents about the bully-ing. The very next day we reported the abuse to the anti-bullying pro-gram at the school. As a result, my bully was suspended and the by-standers were warned that they would be next. I am confident that the Trust Coin helped save my life, as well as those on my hit list. My bully cries were heard and action was taken. I know now that no one can make me feel less than human or unwanted and that I should not stay silent un-til it is too late. So, if you are being bullied, please tell someone! Please do not let that hurt inside of you come out to hurt others or yourself. ■ Submitted by Theresa Johnson Tear Bear, Columbus, Ohio

Learn more about Tear Bear at www.tearbear.org


AUTHOR CORNER

C asting director, producer and actress Yolanda Zellous has released her first book entitled The Spirit of Big Boned Women. This is not another weight loss program, or how to “lose it” fast and for-ever diet book, however it is an inspiring

and motivational collage of testimonials told through the stories of more than 70 big boned (plus sized) women. These storytellers are comprised of women of various shapes, sizes and styles all from different back-grounds and walks of life. In the book the women share their personal life experi-ences to provide a clear illustrated message that will cre-ate a new reflection of confidence in big boned women.

The mission of the book is much more than promoting big boned women. The Spirit of Big Boned Women will pro-mote and uplift the beauty of women from the depths of their spirit. This book will empower readers to look in the mirror and embrace the beauty that not only lies within but also the outward beauty. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Yolanda Zellous is an Atlanta based author, playwright, casting director, speaker, stage and film actress, producer and acting coach. She has also established herself as a live theatrical actor and filmmaker as well as the CEO of Star Size Studios Plus Size Talent Agency and Zellyo Produc-tions, a media, film, and casting company. She is the ex-ecutive producer of the annual “The Big Boned Fashion Show” which will be held this coming October, and also the documentary Big Boned Women, a film created and directed by Zellous.

ATLANTA, GA

The Spirit of Big Boned Women will be available for purchase at www.StarSizeStudios.com and

Amazon.com For more information about The Spirit of Big Boned Women, or to schedule an interview, please contact Amy 678-274-9108 or [email protected]


AUTHOR CORNER

AUTHOR CASTING DIRECTOR MODEL ACTRESS Photographers: Rapheal Hodges (cover photo) John Washington Big Time Images Tony Smart Brian Christian L.A. Alexander

have developed char-acters that I carry with me at all times and they are part of my performances. “My strength enables me to

deliver the best erformances to my audience, Zellous echoes.” Zellous has been an accom-plished artist on stage and someday her dream is to have a starring role in a major film. Culminating her comedy and dramatic style that overtures a blending combination of natu-ral energy, Zellous continues to write, produce, act and direct films.

YOLA

NDA Z

ELLO

US


COVER

By Sylvie Chantal Humphreys


elebrated for her prominent roles in movies such as "The Players Club," the sitcom, "All of US," a hit reality show called "The Real McCoy," and most recently, "Single Ladies," a romantic comedy series aired on VH1, among countless oth-

ers, this Hollywood bombshell needs no introduction. Nonethe-less, I would be remiss if she was not given the credit she de-serves. LisaRaye McCoy, born on September 23, 1967, is known for her sassy, sexy, and self-assured personality! With a "no holds barred" approach, LisaRaye is liv-ing life to the fullest, while raising her beautiful and talented daughter, Kai and being the former First Lady of the Turks and Caicos Is-lands. Let's just say, LisaRaye is no stranger to wearing multiple hats and making "them" look good. I had the honor of engaging LisaRaye in a one-on-one inter-view, an experience I will never forget!

Talk about "hitting the pave-ment running", Ms. McCoy waited for no formal introductions or ex-changes. She dove right into the conversation, as indicative of her confidence and comfort level com-municating in any context. She began by sharing that she was just coming in from tanning in her backyard as it was 80+ degrees in California. I, in turn, playfully ex-pressed my envy as it was only in the 50s here in Atlanta. She imme-diately charmed me with her per-sonality, and I knew right then that this was going to be an interview like no other.

LisaRaye Does it Her Way

LisaRaye has been taking it easy these days. Subsequent to

filming Season 2 of "Single Ladies," a series on VH1 that fo-cuses on sex, love, and relationships among three girlfriends, she has been at leisure. In the romantic comedy, she plays the role of Keisha, a head-strong, former video dancer who be-lieves in picking her mate the way one selects a business part-ner – intellectually, not emotionally. She further explained that her schedule entails a "6-months-on and 6-months-off" rhythm. Currently, she is enjoying the simple pleasures of life – i.e. tan-ning, hanging out, and simply having fun. "I laugh everyday," she responded when asked about her take on life. She wakes up everyday ready to take on the world with her renewed sense of

self and laid-back demeanor. Moreover, she has embarked upon a 90-day fitness chal-

lenge with Visalus, a popular weight-loss and fitness program, which employs a holistic approach, focusing on the mind, body, and spirit. Well, if anyone has ever laid eyes on LisaRaye, s/he would find it rather perplexing the need for such a venture. Af-ter all, when looking at LisaRaye, there does not seem to be any room for improvement – she is the quintessential picture of perfection! She could outshine almost any woman on any given day. However LisaRaye, though a beautiful and magnetic model, actress, and business woman, possesses an even more profound inner beauty; she is a humanitarian at heart and in

deed. She expressed that she truly loves being of service to others. She also shared information about her current projects, including Red-pro products and a hair care line, which introduces her latest sham-poo and conditioner. Furthermore, she revealed her upcoming role in a new movie called, "Kaffir Boy" – a movie featured in the South Afri-can municipality of Cape town where she plays an African teacher. Ultimately, she is all about projects with a purpose, especially those that generate money. The Holly-wood star is never afraid to express her desire to continue making enough money to maintain her life-style and leave a legacy. But her new take on life reveals a more profound journey. LisaRaye Teaches Tough Love I inquired about her relationship with her 23 year-old daughter, Kai. And when asked about the appro-priate time to leave the nest, LisaRaye expressed, almost instan-taneously, "Right now is the right time to leave the nest!" Her tough love approach made a significant

impact on me because I can also relate to having such a close relationship with my own mother. She referred to the emancipa-tion as the "Tough Love Level". She further expressed that Kai was at that age where she needed to learn to be a young lady and to become a decent person in society through gaining a strong sense of independence. She believes there are certain values parents need to teach their children prior to leaving home, especially since her daughter grew up with privileges, which became her "normal", not necessarily the experience of every young adult. For instance, Kai was raised not lacking anything, traveling on private planes, and living the high life. However, "Now is the time for her to seek these adventures on her own, without mommy… She does not like me very much right now," divulged LisaRaye. Nevertheless, she is confident that Kai would gain a deeper appreciation once she realizes the

COVER


PH

OTO

BY

D’A

ND

RE

MIC

HA

EL


purpose of her decision. She really wants her daughter to find her rightful place and as a result, know her role as a woman in society, in relationships, and among other women. It will re-quire discipline; however, "I will forever be her mother," con-firmed LisaRaye.

LisaRaye Reveals her Deepest Fear/Insecurity

When it comes to insecurities, LisaRaye is not exempt. As

much as she seems to have it altogether, the Hollywood diva is only human. She revealed that in spite of her confident nature, her greatest fear lies in the pursuit and attainment of "love". "We all want to be loved, but at the same time not wanting to get hurt," face disappointment, and so on, she expressed. There-fore, she simply braces herself for the inevitable bumps and bruises. She attributes much of that fear and ensuing courage to her divorce to the former Premier of Turks and Caicos Islands. She classifies it as her "knockdown situation", which caused her to "land on her butt" and consequently challenged her to determine her future trajectory. And as a problem-solver and positive person, she was forced to ask herself, "How do I make it out of this? Do I go back to LisaRaye, the sex-symbol or do I make a new name for myself?"

Accordingly, she returned to the drawing board and began

crossing her T's and dotting her I's in an attempt to rebuild her-self, following the blow she endured as a result of her failed marriage. Regardless of her temporary defeat, she refuses to give up on her quest for love. She is hopeful that she will find love again. Eventually, she seeks a significant other who is equally yoked and with whom she can have stability, a life part-ner to help "fight life together" and help fulfill her role as a wife. However, she is adamant about being prepared for that role in which she would bring no baggage; they can grow to-gether; and ultimately learn from past mistakes.

LisaRaye Talks about Her Spirituality/Purpose

"I just found my purpose," confessed LisaRaye. She further

purports the necessity of walking with a purpose and knowing that in this world one needs to find a balance – a deeper spiri-tual peace. She continued, "In this business, there are a lot of people who build you up and then tear you down." Therefore, she soon discovered and began to experience a deeper relation-ship with God. Her new, heightened sense of spiritual growth and awareness has given her a proverbial "Let go and let God" approach to life's occurrences. She now refuses to stress over that which she has no control. In fact, she stated, "It feels so good having God take the wheel." And when asked about the advice she would give someone who is trying to pursue their dreams, she responded that "Prayer is very key." LisaRaye rec-ommended that s/he should sit down and figure out what brings him/her pleasure, what s/he would not mind doing for free, and just do it! And "if a thank you is enough, how do I metamor-phosize that into a money-making venture?... Listen for the answer." Moreover, an intact relationship with God is a must!

LisaRaye became even more passionate when she began to talk about her true calling. She empowers young girls by speak-ing to them in various settings such as high schools, colleges, and churches, among others places. She expressed that her proudest moment was when she participated in a seminar panel at the Essence Music Festival. "I was in my element," she pro-nounced. She could feel the power within herself; it was what she does. She then proceeded to illustrate the unique connection she has with her fans, as they often refer to her role as "Diamond" in "The Player's Club." She does not perceive them to be just fans. Instead, she recognizes the mutual growth bene-fit of their relationship.

All in all, LisaRaye McCoy is ecstatic about where she is going and is not scared. She revealed that the power she feels from discovering the woman she is becoming is amazing! She said, "I stress less…If I had known, I would have done it ear-lier." And when asked if there was any authorship in the near future for her, she admitted to journaling. However, she further explained that since she currently has a lot of responsibilities, she is oblivious to the type of book, if any, and whether it would be a self-help book or not.

Therefore, LisaRaye McCoy implores her fans to "stay tuned!" After all, she is always working on a project. To remain informed, please make sure to follow her on Twitter @ thereall-raye. Trust me; you do not want to miss out on what the future holds for LisaRaye – the real McCoy! ■


INSPIRATIONAL

In the Name of Gospel The 28th Annual Stellar Gospel

Music Awards

T rendsetters to Trend-setters Magazine was pleased to witness a n o t h e r S t e l l a r

Awards weekend, January 17-19, 2013 in Nashville, TN at the Gaylord Opryland and Convention Center. Once again every event took on a separate personality built towards a common theme. Excellence is the backdrop by which these ceremonies were created. Genres of gospel music were merged together without com-promising their rightful place. The presence of foundational gospel art-ists like The Caravans; featuring Shirley Ceasar, Dorothy Norwood, and Delores Washington allowed heritage to shine while several gen-erations of offspring circled the

scene that brought inspiration to their respective audiences. This night dubbed Kurt Carr a Lifetime Achiever, Inez Andrews a Legend, and Bishop T.D. Jakes a Notable Achiever. Hosted by the dynamic

pairing of Kirk Franklin with Ericka and Tina of Mary Mary, the night was destined for a journey that would prove memorable in the minds of gospel lovers. The performances were both spirit-filled and cutting edge. One of the most notable per-formances was that of Tamela Mann singing “Take Me to the King” that ended in a call to reconciliation with the crowd standing to its feet. In con-trast, a new category of gospel initi-ated by a performance in the previ-ous year’s ceremony landed the first Stellar Award in the category of Rap/Hip Hop Gospel CD to Da T.R.U.T.H.

Stellar Weekend is categorized by several activities in and around the Nashville community. Thursday

evening ushered in the first Celebrity Basketball Tournament. Featured artists were Jason Nelson, James Fortune, Isaac Caree, and many more. This event was in sup-port of empowering youth. On Friday Opryland was mingled with gospel talents and gospel fans alike with an atmosphere of togetherness. At times it seemed like a sort of Mecca that convened each year. Displaying that togetherness was the chance meeting with David & Tamela Mann (Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns) discussing their current and future projects, like an upcoming show “Cooking with the Mann’s” coming soon. Then there were the few minutes when Amber Bullock (Sunday Best Winner Season 4) reached out and said “Hey,

Dorothy Norwood & Shirley Caesar of the Original Caravans Photographer: Joseph Booker


I remember you from last year!” What a great spirit. The eve-ning ended as Trendsetters to Trendsetters joined up with other media partners and attended the Hezekiah Walker Choir Show-case, an event co-hosted by Donald Lawrence which was not short of gospel greats. In attendance were Dr. Bobby Jones, Vashawn Mitchell, Richard Smallwood, Wes Morgan, Tye Tribett, Edwin Hawkins, and Byron Cage. On the morning of the Stellars at the noteworthy Radio Announcers reception held at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center, hosted by Tasha Smith (Actress: Tyler Perry Productions) the tone was more than set. It all led to the mountain top experience that is the main event at the Grand Ole Opry. The 28th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards is destined to be a great American insti-tution. The only way to know the experience is to be there. ■

INSPIRATIONAL

Artist of the Year Marvin Sapp

Song of the Year

Charles Jenkins - "Awesome"

James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award

Kurt Carr

Ambassador Dr. Bobby Jones Legends Award

Inez Andrews

Thomas A. Dorsey Award Bishop T.D. Jakes

Male Vocalist of the Year

Marvin Sapp, "I Win"

Albertina Walter Female Vocalist of the Year

Kierra Sheard

Group/Duo of the Year Mary Mary

New Artist of the Year

Le'Andria Johnson

CD of the Year Charles Jenkins & Fellowship Chicago

"The Best of Both Worlds"

Choir of the Year Charles Jenkins & Fellowship Chicago


Producer of the Year Isaac Carree, Eric Dawkins, Warryn Campbell, Gerald

Haddon, & Rick Robinson, Uncommon Me, Sovereign Agency/

Door 6 Entertainment

Contemporary Group/Duo of the Year Mary Mary

Traditional Group/Duo of the Year

The Williams Brothers

Contemporary Male of the Year Fred Hammond

Traditional Male of the Year

Marvin Sapp

Contemporary Female of the Year Le'Andria Johnson

Traditional Female of the Year

Vanessa Bell Armstrong

Contemporary CD of the Year Mary Mary, "Go Get It"

Traditional CD of the Year

Marvin Sapp, "I Win"

Urban/Inspirational Single or Per-

formance of the Year Mary Mary, "Go Get It"

Music Video of the Year Darren Grant, "Go Get It"

Traditional Choir of the Year

Charles Jenkins & Fellowship Chicago

Special Event CD of the Year Mary Mary, "Go Get It"

Rap/Hip Hop Gospel CD of the Year

Da T.R.U.T.H., "The Whole Truth"

Children's Project of the Year

Annointed By God

Quartet of the Year The Williams Brothers

Recorded Music Packaging of the

Year Charles Jenkins,


Praise And Worship CD of the Year Jason Nelson,

"Shifting The Atmosphere"

Congratulations to the 2013 List of Winners

Amber Bullock (Sunday Best Season 4 Winner)

and Joseph Booker, Trendsetters to Trendsetters Magazine

Photo: Courtesy of Wyneka Thomas Studios


INSPIRATIONAL SPOTLIGHT

arlton D. McConnell is a man on a mis-sion. He has been hosting family friendly events, such as plays, clean comedy shows, gospel showcases, and gospel tal-ent shows, just to name a few. The First Sunday Gospel Showcase and Dinner Buffet has grown to a standing room only, must attend event at

The Center City Grill, Arlington, TX. These talented artists are truly using their gifts to bless all who attend. He is looking to expand to accommodate the growth! Some of the past artists include: Andrea, Helms (Sunday Best Finalist), J. Spivey & Triump (5 time Rhythm Award Nominee), Lady Brenda Ellis (3 time Stellar Award Recipient & Grammy Award Winner), Norris J., Frankie Wil-son-Stellar Award Winner 2013 (past Host), Selah (Stellar Award Winner 2012-for Poetry), just to name a few. He is looking for sponsorships from busi-nesses, vendors, and other interested lo-cal talent. Carlton also shares, "In 2013 & beyond my goals and focus will be on taking our family friendly entertainment shows and events to television. And with that in mind we are positioned to launch RTC-TV "Round The Clock Television by April of 2013." Born to Leonard & Marion McConnell in Lansing, Michi-gan. He is a graduate from Eastern Michigan University where he learned a full -ride athletic scholarship for Tennis. In addi-tion, he earned his degree with a Bachelors in Business Market-ing, and is currently working on my Maters degree in Theology from University of Phoenix (online). "I have been in Dallas, Texas area for total of 15 yrs. A proud & active member of The Potter's House Church under Bishop T.D. Jakes. And equally proud member for 30 years of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity. I have always had a passion for people in general, but specifically a passion for what I charac-terize as the underdog. Particularly those individuals that are

often over looked, or passed over. These individuals not al-ways, but often are socially & or economically challenged. Whom over my 30 plus year career in PR, marketing, & promo-tions have found that these individuals have great gifts & tal-ents deep down inside of them, that just needs a little prodding, encouraging, & stirring up so that those same gifts & talents will be given the nourishment needed to grow and flourish so

that others will be blessed by them sharing their gift and be encouraged & inspired to do the same thing themselves and thus this process reciprocity will start over and over again and when my days are over this will live on... One recent success story was on January 19th, 2013 " a Dallas based Radio show I'm involved with (Inside Gospel w/ Frankie Wilson) won The Prestigious Stel-lar Award in Nashville, Tennessee for " National Radio of The Year!" Our show which had been syndicated for less than a year when originally nominated, would be a story likened to David & Goliath, where "Inside Gospel w/ Frankie Wilson....would be David! I am overwhelmed with joy to have been included as such a integral part of this organization (Vision Media)," shares Carlton. Carlton also shares, "I love many as-pects of being self-employed. One of the things I love most is being able to be as creative as I want to be and usually being

able to implement that gift of creativity into the idea, vision, or concept that was birthed inside me. Enthusiastically, we will be filming a recently successful Gospel Stage Play entitled "Church Folks...Will Send U 2 Hell." We currently have multi-ple National DVD distribution offers on this particular project under careful & prayerful consideration. There is a couple of saying's or quotes I used regularly; McConnell say's, "Say what you mean and mean what you say." The other is this, "We must do what we have to do, so that we can later do what we want to do!" ■

Carlton McConnell: Host of Family Friendly Events

By Dr. Linda Amerson

www.jtcxhange.org/roundtheclockentertainment [email protected]

Write us: Round The Clock Entertainment P.O. Box 431 * Euless, Texas 76039 Facebook: Carlton McConnell/Dallas, TX or (972) 834-5936 ext 3

Carlton McConnell



VINSON JOHNSON: PHOTOGRAPHER


INSPIRATIONAL

Love Is No Longer An Option, But A Necessity By Angela M. Thomas

ou have the power to walk in love. You have the power to do

that! No matter how you feel today, you are loved. “God is agape” (1 John 4:16). God is saying, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Your feelings may tell you otherwise, but God has loved you from the very beginning of your life and there is nothing you can ever do to change that love. He loves you uncondi-tionally just the way you are, every sin-gle day of your life. His love never changes.




INSPIRATIONAL

M ark Gregory is one of the most unique and creative voices to-day. He loves to laugh and have fun, but thrives on engaging in in-tellectual conversations and talking about God’s word. He’s a come-

dian and he’s a man of God… he’s Mark Gregory. And yes, he’s the nephew of comedic legend Dick

Gregory, but Mark is establishing his own identity as one of the hottest up-and-coming comedians today. His re-freshing style of comedy brings audiences to their knees. Mark has the dexterity to be funny enough to perform at comedy clubs and clean enough to perform at churches.

His clever content and clean approach allows audi-ences of all types to relate to his style. “I’ve never felt any pressure to do a particular style of comedy,” Mark says. “Before I stepped on a stage to do comedy, I was a Christian, which did set limits and boundaries of what I would or would not say. But funny is funny and I’m blessed to be able to make people laugh.” Mark’s crea-tivity and talent has made way for him to open up for Mike Epps, Mark Curry, John Witherspoon, DL Hugely and Akintunde. Mark has also been featured on BET’s Gospel Comic View, Walking In Victory, and in Slap Stick Comedy Magazine and Young Brotha Online Maga-zine.

Carrying the label of a “clean” or “Christian” come-

dian sometimes can be a hindrance, which Mark feels is self imposed more than anything. Mark’s comedic set is authentic because he is a Christian and people notice that difference without the formal introduction of such. “I worked a club in Kentucky and I went on first. The head-liner, who had been drinking, came up to me after the show and said ‘man you were really funny and didn't even cuss’,” Mark enlightens. “God got glory out of that situa-tion without me saying that I was a believer. I think that a lot of Christian comedians don't think outside of the realm of church in terms of their writing and their branding.”

Mark began his com-edy journey after a career as an All-American sprinter at The University of Mississippi. While on campus he was inspired by day to day happenings and events he witnessed, so he began writing it down and within a month put together his own com-edy show. “At the time I was teaching a weekly Bible Study on campus called Wednesday Night Live. I had told them that


Angela M. Thomas is the Founder of SheerPurrfection Publishing and President

of Rise Up 4 Change Youth Program. Angela has written and published nine In-

spirational books. She has also released her audio CD titled, “Let Me Love You.” She is

a certified speaker & life empowerment coach. To book Angela,

please call (305)934-0471 or Visit: http://www.AngelaMThomas.com

Love has no limitations. If someone has hurt you deeply or mistreated you in the past, don’t allow your heart to close at a chance of experiencing love again. Open up and yield to that powerful force of love on the inside of you. Let it rise up strong in you and overtake that hurt and be healed on the inside. Love is the will-ingness to sacrifice or give one’s life for another—and have the power to heal. Love is the strongest force in the universe. When given correctly, it unifies and builds, defends and protects. Love is a matter of the heart and unconditional love never gives up.

Be bold and courageous and dare to give yourself over to love. It’s time we yield to the force of love by letting it loose and letting it go, for it does us no good to keep what God has placed within us locked inside and buried. It’s time we stripped down to bare minimal and step out of the old and live the life He has called us to live by walking in love.

1 Corinthians 13:8 says, “Love never fails.” I dare you to stand on it and not back off! If we actually un-derstood the magnitude of the blessing that walking in love brings, we wouldn’t be so quick and willing to abandon it when we encounter disappointments or strife. Don’t allow the enemy to bring confusion or disbelief into your life and harden your heart. God de-sires for us to be free and live in love and faith.

Don’t just open the door to love, take it off the hinges for however wide you open that door of love is how much of God’s favor and blessings will flow into your life. God wants to give to you. Jesus said in John 14:21 that He will manifest Himself to the person who walks in love. And He is a great One to have on your side, because when He is for you, no one can stand against you (Romans 8:31-34). Love is the real secret of our success in life.

Love is the key to God’s wisdom, power, and pro-tection. If you’re seeking to have harmony in your home, family, marriage, life and among your children, then walk in love at all cost and when you do, you will enjoy the blessings of God like never before! So, today jump into with both feet pouring out love throughout your life journey to open the door to your inheritance. Receive it. It’s yours. ■

Love… Continued from Page 41

next week I wouldn’t be teaching, but doing comedy,” Mark ex-plains. “So, my first show had about 40 people, mostly students, a few members from church and one of my professors. It was a success!”

Early influences for Mark’s jokes were people that he encountered while growing up. Neighborhood characters, community and church experiences were all factors that built his repertoire and shaped his comedic perspective. He realized at a young age that he was funny and could change an atmosphere with humor. “Growing up, my sister did hair. She would have her clients at our house and I would ‘go on stage’, Mark reminisces. “Looking back, those moments were all im-provisational and now as a comedian I think it’s vital that you have the ability to leave your script and adapt to what the situation is giving you at that moment.”

Through the years of perfecting his comedic craft, Mark’s ultimate goal is to be famous. Not for selfish reasons, but to be an influ-ence. The bible tells that "Jesus’ fame spread abroad". Many people came to Christ not knowing that He was The Messiah. Once they came to see, He preached the Gospel to them. This is the definitive lesson that fame is a blessing if handled right. “Even more important than being an influencer, I just love making people laugh,” says Mark. “I've always been a joyous person and laughter is a healing mecha-nism. Laughter is my way of sharing my joy with the world.” Mark Gregory is a funny man with an amazing gift that sets him apart. The world is looking for originality. Mark is comfortable with who God created him to be – a funny guy! It’s Mark’s gift from God and Mark’s gift to the world…Laughter. ■

45 TRENDSETTERS TO TRENDSETTERS | MARCH/APRIL 2013 45 TRENDSETTERS TO TRENDSETTERS | JULY/AUGUST 2012

INSPIRATIONAL

Email Address [email protected] Email Address [email protected]

Direct Line (612) 875-9559 P.O. Box 131974 Roseville, MN 55113

Our mission at Watch World of Minnesota and Itzadel watches is to produce uniquely designed time pieces that will give you more than just time.

• Conceived 1998 • Birthed 2005 • The 1st and only African American female Christian watch designer • The only watch on the market that we know will give you more

than just time


W hat is it in one’s life that leaves a lasting impression or makes an impact that changes the lives of others around them? Is it gener-osity, kindness or humility? Well after attending the 2013 Trumpet

Awards, I realized that all the honorees from Debra Mar-tin Chase, Chaka Khan, Alonzo and Tracy Mourning , Michael McMillan, Mayor Kasim Reed, Edward T. Welburn, Jr. and Charlie Wilson possesses all these attributes. This was a significant evening filled with pride, the stage was set with performance and appear-ances by Avant and KeKe, Fantasia, Anthony Hamilton , TV One R&B Divas, Tamela Mann and many more. In my mind this was an unprecedented event of talent. Be-ing there has left a lasting impact; I realized that life is made up of a collection of moments. Some people say that one must learn from obstacles that everyone strug-gle with. I feel that every challenge helps to achieve strength of character and self growth. In one captivating evening, it left me to understand that anyone can make a difference. ■

EVENT TRENDS

The Trumpet Awards: Unprecedented Event of Talent

By Lisa Cox Photos By Sly White

“Making one person smile can change the world, maybe not the whole world, but their world.”

(Unknown) “The difference between a successful person and

others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowl-edge, but rather a lack in will.”

–Vince Lombardi

Xernona Clayton Founder of the Trumpet Awards

Big Tigger Pastor Paula White

Chaka Khan


EVENT TRENDS

"T ogether we make a difference" was the theme and an understatement for the energy that was present at this truly legendary affair. The Fox Theater's Egyp-tian Ballroom brought together several generations and cultures to benefit the American Diabetes Asso-ciation. Attendees watched with excitement as the

2013 honorees including Brand Ambassador Teddy Riley walked the red car-pet. The photographers’ flashes were reminiscent of a 4th of July fireworks display. Soft music, cocktails, and a five-star buffet made the first part of the evening a true mixer. As we moved into the Grand Salon, we anxiously an-ticipated the evening’s entertainment. Hosts Sharon Morris-Conley and her husband David Conley were a dynamic duo on stage. All musical tastes were delighted with songs from Old-School to Hip-Hop; and unlike other super events, there was no lip syncing. Each of the honorees’ acceptance speeches was a “Pay-It-Forward” tribute to the work that the Legendary Awards bring to our community. The surprise highlight of the evening for me was the per-formance of the youth orchestra. It was refreshing to see such young people playing like seasoned musicians. I think they may have been the reason this star-studded event lasted only two hours! At the end of the program, I was equally as delighted to be able to take pictures with some of the honorees and hosts who so graciously obliged. My take away from the entire evening was this quote: “If you can’t change the people you’re around, then you need to change the people you’re around.” That night I changed the people I was around, and it was life changing. ■

LEGENDARY AWARDS:

“A Life Changing Experience”

By Yana Mosley

Rev. Bobby Jones and Demetria McKinney

Nicci Gilbert and Fantasia Alonzo and TracyMourning

John Wilkins, Executive Director and Teddy Riley


Capitol City Bank & Trust Company and North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company have created a new strategic alliance to grow business

in the financial industry nationwide. Minority-owned businesses join forces to increase profit and make comprehensive financial services available

-- a program scalable for other minority financial institutions.

C apitol City Bank & Trust Com-pany in At-lanta, GA, and North

Carolina Mutual Life Insur-ance Company in Durham, NC, two African-American businesses well known throughout the USA, have come together to grow their businesses and provide greater financial opportuni-ties for their custom-ers. The ultimate goals for this milestone relationship however, rests with the opportunities created for similar minor-ity financial institutions to do likewise and to spread this alli-ance beyond these respective cities and states, for the benefit of other minority financial institutions across this country. North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company (NCM) is the oldest and one of the most successful African American insurance companies in the United States; and Capitol City Bank & Trust Company (CCB) is a new progressive African American financial institution that sells financial services. The coming together of these two minority businesses has the po-tential to produce a conglomer-ate of minority businesses that can provides a mix of insurance and financial services under one brand. This strategic alliance enables CCB and NCM the opportunity to pursue major contracts with municipalities and major corporations; and provides the ability to offer customers any and all types of financial products and services. “Georgia is one of the states that lead the nation in banking failures. Capitol City Bank is surviving through the creative initiatives coming from within such as this alliance we have with North Carolina Mutual. Capitol City did not get any of the $770 billion dollars made available to banks by the federal gov-ernment’s TARP (Trouble Asset Relief Program); however, with the assistance of North Carolina Mutual, we have put to-gether our own TARP,” said George Andrews, President and

CEO of Capitol City Bank & Trust Company. The partnership with CCB will allow North Carolina Mu-tual Life Insurance Company to increase its distribution in markets where they have his-torically done business “We anticipate this model is scal-able and plan to duplicate it in other minority banks and com-munity financial institutions throughout the country. Our new venture with CCB will contribute to our efforts in pro-viding financial literacy infor-mation to communities across

the southeast. We are confident that other alliances will follow suit,” said James Speed, President and CEO, “North Caro-lina Mutual Life Insurance Company. While these two African-American owned institutions have joined forces in a partnership (not a merger) to become a com-petitive force to capture major group insurance opportunities

with corporate America and mu-nicipalities, it is important to note that other minority owned banks (African American) are located throughout the United States [New York, Pennsyl-vania, Tennessee, the District of Columbia, Illinois, California, Louisiana, New Jersey, Mary-land, Massachusetts, Alabama,

Missouri, Florida, Michigan, Virginia, Georgia, and North Carolina] . North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company has made a substantial financial investment in Capitol City Bank. Ac-cording to James Speed, President and CEO, “North Carolina Mutual is pleased to enter this historic partnership with Capitol City Bank & Trust Company. We pride ourselves on finding the best solutions to meet the unique needs of our commu-nity; and this strategic alliance allows both companies the op-portunity to efficiently provide best in class insurance products and services to CCB’s customer base and beyond in a cost ef-fective manner,” Speed added. ■

CORPORATE TRENDS

“We are confident that other alliances will follow suit.”

James Speed

George Andrews James Speed


LIFESTYLES

t a recent W i n e M a r k e t C o u n c i l presenta-tion, the growth in popular-

ity of sweet red wines was con-firmed. In wine, Americans have always been said to talk dry but drink sweet. Since the 1991 re-port on 60 Minutes dubbed for posterity as “The French Para-dox”, wine consumption in the United States has been on the rise, not declining in any year since. Over these years our sweet palate started to change as we outgrew White Zinfandel, and came of age in the realm of sublime Merlots and bodacious Cabernets. Many of us even graduated into the esoteric realm of Pinot Noir, even evolving into intrepid spirits for whom wine exploration became sport. Nonetheless, more recently, we have gone on a retreat to the sweet. In general, the sweet wines we’ve had to choose from were all pink and white. The legacy of The French Paradox, in which we learned that antioxidants from the skins of red grapes can be very beneficial to human health and even alcohol itself is good medicine taken in moderation, endures relentlessly. So we want sweet red wines now. This strikes the average wine drinker as an oxymoron, but it isn’t. You can have your antioxi-dants with a dose of sweetness, after all, a wise woman once said a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. (Surely Miss Poppins enjoyed a glass of wine after a day of looking after children all day!) Two ways to satisfy your sweet tooth The tricky thing in selecting a “sweet” red is to first define what your idea of sweet really is. There are wines that are very aus-tere. French reds, for example, tend toward the austere, espe-cially from maritime climates like Bordeaux or cooler climates like the Loire Valley and Burgundy. The alternative to austere is fruitiness, and these wines are generally not fruity enough for anyone who is thinking on the sweet side of the taste spectrum. Having said that, fruity doesn’t mean sweet, BUT a fruitier wine may deliver the goods for someone who perhaps wants something leaning towards sweet but not too much so. Red wines from hotter climates like Southern France, Central Spain, or even better still, California and some southern states in the US and Australia can pack enough fruit to satisfy and even a hearty dose of alcohol (often as high as 14-15% alcohol by vol-ume) to enhance the perception of sweetness. The other approach is to go undeniably sweet – Port, or

properly Porto (see my recent article Wine Ambition for Vintage Port recommenda-tions), and northern Italy's classic sweet reds Lambrusco and Bracquetto d'Acqui are easy go-tos. Nonetheless there are more wines appearing in stores now that

actually have some residual sugar left in them. The companies that were always known for making blush White Zinfandel have now started to market White Merlot, which is actually rather dark in color despite the name. Here are some of my top picks for sweet reds: Jam Jar Sweet Shiraz – A sweet shiraz from South Africa who’s original packaging emulated a jar of Smucker’s, is a good bottle of wine for around $9.00. It is unmistakably red, and fits the bill a pretty tasty, easy drinking party wine. Banfi Rosa Regale Brachetto d’Acqui – A fun sweet red with bubbles, Brachetto is a personal fave at around $16.00. Both of these wines are widely and happily available! More and more sweet reds are popping up, so don’t be shy about asking your local retailer for one. They know you like it, and if they’re wise they will make sure to have at least one bottle that will delight your senses! ■ Written by Rashida Veronique Fitzgerald DWS

More Delicious Red Wines for your Sweet Tooth Written by Rashida Veronique Fitzgerald DWS


FITNESS SPOTLIGHT

aTanya Settles is an Ohio Native, who is the foun-der of Forever Free Fit-ness...Fit & Fabulous Fit-ness. She started training in 2009, when she real-

ized she had developed a passion in fitness & began her quest to compete in competitive figure competition. As a figure competitor she has claimed sev-eral first-place titles with the National Physique Committee. Her fitness back-ground includes certified personal trainer, group fitness instructor, fitness blogger and social entrepreneur. She enjoys motivating her clients especially women and mothers, to live a fit and healthy lifestyle. A wife & mother of two beautiful daughters, she exudes boundless energy and love of life. ■

Photo by JM Manion


INSPIRATIONAL


* MOISTURE GEL * SCALP TREATMENT

* DEEP RICH CONDITIONERS * SHAMPOO

* REPLENISH SERUM FOR DAMAGED HAIR * LEAVE IN CONDITIONER

* SCALP HAPPY DEW MIST OF OILS FOR THE HAIR FOR SHINE * OSHEA HAIR PUDDY

* POMADE * HAIR MUDD

* FOOD OINTMENT NATURAL OIL TO MASSAGE THE SCALP

CONTACT INFO: [email protected] PATRICIA SMITH /FACEBOOK.COM

PASHELLAS ORGANIC TOUCH ETSY.COM


BEAUTY

ATLANTA – Hair enthusiasts from across the country de-scended on Atlanta for the mid-winter Bronner Bros. Interna-tional Hair Show.

The show, infamous for its colorful display of wacky and outlandish hairstyles, attract at least 30,000 visitors by the end of the four-day convention, which ended on Tuesday February 19th.

For those in the business, the event at the Georgia World

Congress Center is the place to be for new developments in Afro hair products and styling techniques.

Attendees were able to participate in over 100 classes and seminars and around 300 exhibitors showcase their products and services.

Now in its 66th year, the biannual convention has estab-lished itself as the largest beauty and trade show of its kind in the world. ■

Bronner Brothers International Hair Show 2013: Highlights from the biannual hair event

By Kunbi Tinuoye (Photography) by Jerome Dorn


BEAUTY PROFILE

MZ. LIZA She is more than just a body

M z. Liza was told that “There is a greater opportunity in this world for me.” She took this statement to heart and is pursuing

her dreams. There is more to Mz. Liza than just her body. She is educated, passionate and a classy woman. Mz. Liza was born in Cheraw, South Carolina. She is the eldest of three and a proud mother of one. Mz. Liza attended Chattahoochee Technical College to obtain a Child Development Associates (CDA). She has been working in Early Education for over 19 years and has been a part of Georgia Pre-K program since 2008. She has been blessed in sharing the lives of all children that she has taught. Children are our future so why not help build a community. Her role as a teacher is to assure that every child that enters her classroom has the opportunity to explore their own innate natural curiosity level and it is important to be able to have the chil-dren solve conflict in social settings (problem solve). Mz. Liza believes that you must identify priorities for yourself and stick to them. This will vary for everyone. For me, God comes first at the top of the list. Next, maintaining a close and growing relationship with my daughter is of the utmost importance. Mz. Liza simply enjoys living her life to the fullest! ■


gift for mom, sister, aunt, cousin, friend, yourself, or anyone else,” said Reid. “The collection is a smart solution for keeping your valuables organized, all while staying fash-ionably forward.”

Committed to making her product a “brand slam,” Reid sought mentoring from John E. Brown, co-founder of the Pepsom Group of Miami and former Revlon marketing ex-ecutive - an experience she describes as invaluable given

Brown’s expert knowledge of the beauty supply industry. “I have been selling beauty products for over 35 years, but never worked with such a deter-mined and dedicated profes-sional as Reid,” said Brown. “I have very high expectations of the new exciting Doshia® line because it serves a much needed purpose.” Brown went on to add that “women need a storage and traveling system for their wigs, hair pieces and other beauty products and that he

wishes Reid and the company much success.” Reid has taken Brown’s advice to heart and imple-

mented his suggestions including becoming a certified Mi-nority Business Enterprise (MBE) by the South Florida Mi-nority Supplier Development Council (SFMSDC). Reid formally claimed the Original HerCase® invention by filing for U.S. trademark protection.

What Makes Original HerCase® Different The Original HerCase is uniquely designed-not just another hollow case with a few pockets. It features a built-in mirror and spacious individualized storage compartments that com-fortably store a number of cosmetic and beauty essentials, including jewelry items. Each compartment has a mesh win-dow allowing the user to easily see and remove the product of their choice. Two zippered mesh pockets are located be-low the mirror for storing additional smaller essentials. The inside back panel of the HerCase has three elastic holders for securing one or more accessories.

Reid attributes her entrepreneurial success to the strong guidance and inspiration provided by her mother and men-tor, Teddie Laing, who urged Reid to “develop and bring her innovative beauty storage solution to the market.” Recogniz-ing the childhood name given to Teddie by her late parents, the Original HerCase Collection® will be sold under the Doshia® brand in retail outlets including boutiques, beauty supply stores, and specialty stores nationally, as well as online. Reid’s husband, Pierre Dorcius, has a very signifi-cant role helping oversee the family-owned business. ■

H airSaché LLC has launched the Doshia® brand Original HerCase Collection® providing women of all ages with a fash-ionably discreet, light-weight and easy-to-use “multi-storage solution” for beauty and cosmetic products ranging from

wigs, clip-ons, hair pieces, and hair extensions, to make-up, jewelry, and other personal care essentials such as combs, brushes, and satin caps.

If you’re puzzled on where to store your cosmetics, wigs, hair pieces or accesso-ries while at home or travel-ing, HerCase may be the per-fect solution. This revolution-ary product was designed by Pamela A. Reid, an avid user of various beauty and hair care products, and President and CEO of HairSaché LLC.

Reid is a Miami Dade College North Campus gradu-ate and Florida Atlantic University senior majoring in Psy-chology, who has been using fashion wigs for many years. She became “very disappointed” after she amassed a col-lection of fabulous wigs and hair pieces and found no suit-able storage products online, in boutiques, and in beauty supply stores. Her dismay led her to ask friends and repre-sentatives of major brand wig manufacturers about where to find wig storage products. After not finding a solution that met her needs, she took matters into her own hands and designed the Original HerCase Collection® which she affectionately labeled the Doshia® brand.

The Original HerCase Collection® comes in four dif-ferent eye-catching colors: Bodacious Burgundy, Chic Black, Golden Cheetah and Sassy Zebra. It has evolved into a stylishly sleek, one-of-a-kind case, combining fash-ion and convenience for the woman on the go. It is ideal for anyone who uses any beauty, cosmetic, and personal care products at home or while traveling.

The Original HerCase® was designed to discreetly store and carry beauty and cosmetic essentials ranging from wigs and hair extensions, to skin-care creams, lotions, powders, perfumes, lipsticks, nail polish, hair sprays and gels, and much more. It is also perfect for storing jewelry including brooches, rings, necklaces, earrings, and brace-lets.

“The Original HerCase ® is about the size of a note-book computer case. It is discreet, light-weight, easy to-use and requires no assembly - making a perfect any occasion

FASHION (B

PRW

)

HairSaché LLC Makes Her Case Available for Sale One-of-a-Kind Storage Case for Keeping Beauty Secrets Fashionably Discreet


ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Kebomusic is…Derrick Pryce By Beverly Hill Shelley, Writer

eyboardist Derrick Pryce is the man behind Kebomusic. He is originally from Ottawa, Canada with roots in Jamaica. Derrick has spent the last

several years in Atlanta crafting his own personal sound and playing keyboards for various bands and artists. As a pro-ducer, he started shopping his tracks to artists for placement on their projects. This endeavor proved successful in that he pro-duced 4 songs for the Atlanta-based R&B artist Yen on his sophomore project. He also collaborated with jazz saxophonist Derwin Daniels on his 2007 CD titled Journey. The next logi-cal step for Derrick was to release his own material under the banner of his music production company - Kebomusic. In the summer of 2010 Kebomusic Presents: The Soul Prototype was released as a digital extended play (EP). It was inspired from influences such as jazz, R&B, hip-hop and gospel. The project received extremely positive reviews domestically and in Europe while receiving steady airplay on online radio stations. For the last two years, Derrick was busy in the studio com-pleting the full-length album Kebomusic Presents: The Experi-ence. This album rounds out what was started on the debut EP, featuring an array of top-notch vocalists hailing from such places as New York, Atlanta, California and Washington D.C. These tightly produced grooves coupled with strong vocals make this a surefire recipe that will definitely make your head

nod. Kebomusic presents: The Experience was released Febru-ary 19, 2013. A few years ago, the name Kebomusic came to Derrick at 3 o’clock in the morning. He didn’t have a name at that point and all of a sudden the name came to him. It started out as a production company, with the aim of collaborating with differ-ent artists to establish him as a talented producer. “I started establishing a brand for the music I make which is positive, soulful, and funky, for lack of a better term. I incorporated all the music I love into it, namely jazz, hip-hop, R&B and neo-soul. I try to incorporate a lot of emotion in my music.” Hip-hop has influenced Derrick’s drum programming in trying to get that hip-hop sound for the rhythm section of his tracks. He is also very influenced by gospel. Playing in church has definitely inspired his playing. Since he plays the keys, he has admired artists like Brian McKnight because of his techni-cal skills. Producers like Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, The Neptunes, Timbaland and Pete Rock were all inspirational to him because of their music production. Other artists in general that inspired Derrick are The Roots, A Tribe Called Quest, Mary J. Blige, Anita Baker, Kirk Franklin, Fred Hammond, Loose Ends and Babyface to name a few. He says that any artist that is creative with their music and not following the crowd is definitely inspirational. Derrick is drawn to good beats with flowing grooves, and also music that has lots of emotion. At about six years old, Derrick says he remembers starting to play. His parents enrolled him and his siblings in classes to take music lessons. With lessons, he started playing classical



music. It wasn’t until later on that he started getting into playing other types of music. Derrick has cousins that are very talented instrumentalists and vocalists. His father plays the piano and his mother sings a little. Most people in his family are musically inclined in one way or the other. When asked if he plays other instruments Derrick states, “I play a little bit of drums and fiddle around a little on the bass as well. On the album, I am pretty much playing all the in-struments myself via my keyboard. Sometimes I will bring in other instrumentalists like a bass player or saxophone player, depending on the song.” Derrick did not have one particular mentor that guided him along the way. He mainly learned from the people he was in contact with, whether it was family, friends, other vocalists or musicians. If he didn’t know how to do some-thing, he just learned how by doing his own research. For example, he taught himself how to do such things as use mu-sic production software, online marketing, graphics and vocal mixing. Due to technological advances, it is very easy for someone to get started making music. He says to aspiring artists, “The best thing to do is create some music and put it online to see what kind of response you get. From there you can see if the public responds to your music or not. It’s great that the barriers to entry are low enough now that budding artists can really take a shot at pursuing their dreams. As far as promotion, establishing an online fan base is key. Staying connected and constantly interacting with fans is very impor-tant.” When asked if he had other interests, Derrick says he likes to travel, ski and stay in shape. He has a technical background in software and is very interested in hi-tech en-

trepreneurships and startups. He is passionate about helping minorities start businesses in the tech space, and wants to be involved with that in some capacity in the future. He plans on remaining in Atlanta for the foreseeable future; however, he is definitely open to any opportunities that may come his way in the next few years. His future goals are to continue to make music that inspires him and his followers. He continues to build the Kebomusic brand as a place where people go to listen to good quality music. ■ Kebomusic Is…Derrick Pryce. Beverly Hill Shelley, lyricist, writer Hits On The Hill© [email protected]


Check out the exclusive one on one. Kirby: Tell me about yourself? Lakyle: I’m tall dark and handsome (laughs). Kirby: What is it that attracts you to acting? Lakyle: You can truly come out of yourself you have the power to be whoever you want to. Its really exciting! Kirby: Was it hard to give up football, do you still miss it all? Lakyle: Yes, I miss it very much but I love what I do, I don’t regret my decision. Kirby: I know you’ve appeared in numerous television shows such as Single Ladies, Necessary Roughness, and BET’s the game, what is your most memorable experience from working with these shows and why? Lakyle: Man, there are so many! I remember when I was work-ing on Necessary Roughness, we shot at the Georgia Dome. I really enjoyed that because I got to combine both of the things I enjoy. Kirby: I noticed a lot of the shows you've appeared in tape

in GA. Many people feel that Atlanta, is the new Holly-wood, do you agree or disagree and why? Lakyle: I definitely agree. The revenue in Atlanta is just as much as Hollywood and NY, Atlanta is on the rise! Kirby: What else are you working on? Lakyle: I have three auditions coming up, I’m working on a short film, a TV series, and this week I’ll be hosting a red carpet. Kirby: Now I have to ask, if you could give a piece of advice to an individual thinking about pursuing a career in acting what would it be? Lakyle: I would definitely say get some training. If you have the chance to take classes or major in fine arts I recommend it. Experience and education are equal and they both are neces-sary. The last thing you need is no training in this business! Lakyle makes it very obvious that he is a passionate individual and a hard-worker. Keep an eye out for his future projects, a comedic pilot called “Side by Side” "5 Reasons a Man Won't Marry You" and “Complicated Melody”. To keep up with socially, add him on facebook @LaKyle Tho-mas and follow him on twitter @ActorLakyle ■

Lakyle Thomas: MODEL AND

ACTOR By Kirby Carroll


I had a phone interview with model and actor Lakyle Thomas. Lakyle is a Georgia native, origi-

nally from Lagrange but now he happily resides in Atlanta. He has been acting since the young age of five. Today, he can be seen in many popular television shows such as Single Ladies, BET’s the Game, Necessary Roughness and as a past model for the popular brand, Sean Jean. However, there is another passion that held his attention for quite awhile. LaKyle was quite a football star in the past and was awarded a full scholarship to Fort Valley College. One could still hear his love for the sport as he jokingly explained how he almost cried when he saw that the Ravens had won the Super Bowl! To get a better idea of his laid back per-sonality and strong sense of work ethic.



T erry MILLA aka MILLA - Terry (formerly Mr.E / Longshotti) is a veteran Atlanta hip-hop recording artist with a sound that is both new and classic. Terry MILLA has been featured in

Source Magazine (Unsigned Hype / Independent's Day), Black Beat Magazine, & Trace Magazine, has toured with the AND-1 basketball team, and has written and performed jingles for the Star & Buckwild Morning Show (formerly on HOT 97.5 New York). He has traveled across the United States and internation-ally to perform live and showcase his talents for large audi-ences. Being one of Atlanta's original grassroots lyricists gave him a unique perspective of its music scene. It is a music busi-ness and he understands that but he views his music and talents as a true expression of creativity which is his gift to the World. Being able to create great music that is still commercially mar-ketable is a sign of a true artist. Terry MILLA is such an art-ist. He can go from spiritual warfare songs like "Die By Tha Sword", to a relationship song like "Fallen for a G.", to a hood

anthem like "I Might Ack Up". His sound has a wide range and he has the ability and freedom to adapt to any topic. Following a stint with Noontime Music and many subsequent offers, he decided to start his own entertainment company, Mob General Muzik, to release his own music and create his own destiny. Terry MILLA states: "We live in a different world now. With the internet and sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and iTunes, the fans have direct access to the artists. It's a global market that we can run locally." Shouts out to Terry Milla! You can catch him and download at www.terrymilla.com, iTunes and Youtube. ■

TERRYMILLA: New And Classic Flow


Poetry Writing Contests with No Entry Fees (for 2013)

Source: Creative Genius - Brian Scott

Why pay to enter a poetry contest? You can find plenty of poetry writing competitions that allow you to submit your collection of poems for free for a chance to win cash prizes between $1,000 and $100,000 dollars, plus publication of your poetry, nationwide distribution, and tons of publicity. As a passionate poetry writer myself, I have compiled my favorite list of poetry writing contests in the United States that have NO entry fees! They all offer very LARGE cash prizes, and they are sponsored or underwritten by well-known colleges and universities. If you find my Hub useful, please "LIKE IT" and share it with your friends. For a list of poetry contests, visit Creative Genius’ site at: http://creativegenius.hubpages.com/

INTERNET MARKETING MANAGER & STRATEGIST www.lukeithermd.com


TRAVEL TRENDS

Florida’s Keys To Culture

ow would you like to take an underwater stroll, meet the world’s tallest man and experi-ence nearly two centuries of Afro-Caribbean life in one day? It’s all in the Florida Keys, a chain of islands off Florida’s southern coast. The major cities of the Keys are connected through a single highway. If you want a place to start, you can begin your trip at the north-

ern point of the Keys, Key Largo. Key Largo is renowned for its underwater scuba diving and snorkeling activities. The John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is known as “America’s First Undersea Park.” Visitors can explore one of the few living coral barrier reefs in the world in crystal-clear, shallow water. If you prefer to stay dry, there are glass bottom boat tours that give you the same close-up view of the Keys’ unique wildlife. As you travel south to Bahia Honda Key, you will come across Bahia Honda State Park. This is a more conventional park with opportunities for snorkeling, kayaking, fishing and swimming. Key West is not only the final stop in your journey down the Keys, it is the southernmost point in the continental United States. In Key West, you can visit the Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum. The Ripley’s franchise operates museums worldwide specializing in unusual facts, customs and people. You will meet an 8-foot-11-inch man, see a coin-covered car, and brave your way through a vortex tunnel. If you get hungry afterwards, Key West is the place to pick up some key lime pie and conch….anything! If you want conch fritters, conch salad or conch chowder, just name it and they’ve got it. Conch – both the meat and the shell – is practically the official symbol of the Florida Keys. Keys residents have nicknamed the region the “Conch Republic” and themselves as “Conchs.” Many Key West residents are descendants of Bahamian immigrants. The neighborhood of Bahama Village is named for the original Bahamian community. Today, it is a tourist attraction with shops, restaurants and the Lofton B. Sands African-Bahamian Museum. This museum chronicles Key West’s black community past and present with pictures, arts and crafts, and other memorabilia. Whichever point you start at, you can unlock a fantastic vacation in the Florida Keys. ■

Trendsetters To Trendsetters Magazine March April 2013

Documents

Transcript of Trendsetters To Trendsetters Magazine March April 2013