When I moved to Memphis for college in the fall of 1997, one of the first events I just had to attend was the Southern Heritage Classic. At the time (and for years after), it was just an amazing gathering where I was guaranteed to see friends, make friends, eat good, and have a great […]
For most students, going to college comes with a variety of thoughts and emotions. Excitement, fear, hope, anxiety, curiousity, and uncertainty are common feelings. Those feelings are often amplified if you’re a first-generation college student or just haven’t been exposed to college and what it takes to succeed. Imagine being a first-gen student moving away […]
Have you ever connected with someone over a testimony? I’m not sure exactly how it started, but when I met Derek Ryan it seems like our first words to each other were our testimonies. Our stories. Seeing the amazing place he was in life at that time (and in an even greater place now). I […]
Who do you look up to? I’m grateful that there are several people I’ve observed and learned from over the years. This includes several women who look like me, who have modeled what I could and probably should be in many ways. One of those women is Karren Todd. Pastor Karren to me. She is […]
I love new friends! Especially those with incredible stories of strength and resilience that inspire me and so many others. Carlos Malave is one of the newest speakers in the agency that currently represents me for my college speaking. When I met him, I immediately noticed his smile and warm personality. I had no idea […]
People who give of their time and talents have a special place in my heart. LeWinfred Shack, best known as Shack, is one of those people. We met probably a decade ago at church, and I learned about his massage therapy business. When I created the Love Yourself Event, the annual fundraiser for the S.O. […]
One thing in life that we all need is SUPPORT. And that comes in different forms from different people. It’s hurtful when it doesn’t come from where you expect it, but it’s beautiful and encouraging when it comes from unexpected places. When I started selling the S.O. What! Hoodies, it was just another way for […]
Do you remember your high school Biology class? Connected to dissecting a frog is my memory of my classmate, Tanisha (Johnson) Pugh. It actually goes back to elementary school but most vivid are my memories from Biology class. When we graduated we went separate ways, but I didn’t realize how similar our journeys would be. […]
What are some of the positive moments in your life that you’ll never forget? One of those moments for me was when as a teen mother I stood on the football field at halftime during the University of Memphis homecoming game in October 2000. And I was selected Ms. University of Memphis over the other […]
