In 2019 when I became the president of the University of Memphis Alumni Association National Board of Directors, hosting the 40th Distinguished Alumni Awards (DAA) program was something I looked forward to doing at the end of my term. For me, it was so much more than being able to host an awards program. In […]
Homelessness, breast cancer, domestic violence, and more. Cherryl Pigues Crite has been through a lot. I can see so much in her eyes. The pain of what she’s been through, and the passion to help women. Strength, beauty, resilience. Not to mention a little feistiness and a lot of fierceness. And she’s a supporter. I […]
Cool, calm, and collected. When I think of Darrell Cobbins those are the words that immediately come to mind. In addition to professional, inspiring, and just cool. All of which I had the privilege of experiencing as a fellow University of Memphis National Alumni Association board member. Darrell Cobbins has been through challenges that many […]
You know that friend with so many gifts and talents that you’re amazed by all they are able to do? Fittingly, I met Erica Nathan at church through a mutual friend. Also, fittingly, she was stylish and her hair was laid. As an evangelist, hair stylist, multi-faceted entrepreneur and so much more, she has made […]
When I came home from school on my first day of kindergarten, my mom quizzed me about my teacher’s name. I excitedly repsonded, “Mrs. Muscles!”. Her name was actually Mrs. Armstrong, but that memory always makes me smile even through pain when I think about strength. This is us when I was in kindergarten in […]
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 […]
