Celebrating an anniversary- The 15th anniversary of Life After Birth- A Memoir of Survival and Success as a Teenage Mother
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From Pain to Power: 15 Years After My Memoir, Here’s What Confidence and Resilience Created

The number 15 has defined two of the biggest turning points in my life. I was 15 when I became a mother—unprepared, afraid, but determined.And my son was 15 when I published my memoir—an unfiltered story of my…
3rd Annual S.O. What! Awards and Scholarship Soiree honorees
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A Night of Resilience, Reflection, and Scholarship Awards for Resilient Students: My Heartfelt Reflections

I’m still feeling the impact of the 3rd Annual S.O. What! Awards and Scholarship Soiree, and I can honestly say it was one of the most powerful nights of my life. Standing on that stage, looking out at a room filled with…
motivational interview on overcoming obstacles - real life inspirational stories of success - Apostle Stacy Spencer
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Overcoming Generational Trauma: Dr. Stacy Spencer Resilience in Ministry and Life

Dr. Stacy Spencer journey is a testament to the power of resilience, faith, and the ability to turn pain into purpose. Through his life's challenges—growing up in a single-parent household, experiencing trauma, and facing the struggles of…
My Grandmas
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This Black History Month: A Reflection on My Grandmas and The Importance of Celebrating This Month

I remember as a little girl being chosen by my art teacher, a beautiful and caring white woman named Mrs. Hamilton, to participate in our school's Black History Month art project. She had drawn huge outline pictures of well-known African-American…
The Love Yourself Event with the volunteer board member coordinators, Bilicia Hill and Tammy Hart with Summer Owens
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Love Yourself This Valentine’s Day: A Journey of Self-Love Through Past Experiences

Happy Valentine’s Day—a day filled with hearts, chocolates, and grand romantic gestures. For some, it’s a day of love and celebration. For others, it’s a reminder of relationships lost, love never found, or expectations that…
Grandmas - Agnes Owens and Ocie Williams at Summer Owens bridal shower
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Celebrating Grandparents Day: How I Turned Grief Into Something Grief On My Grandparents Day First Without My Grandmas

This Grandparents Day is bittersweet for me. It's the first one without my grandmothers, Agnes Idella “Dorothy” Jones Owens and Ocie Lee Woods Williams, who both transitioned this year. They were two of the strongest, wisest women…
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S.O. What! Success Stories: Cherisse Scott

Don’t you just love someone who is a fighter for others? And for justice. That’s my girl, Cherisse Scott. We met nearly 15 years ago as part of a collaborative to reduce teen pregnancy called Memphis Teen Vision (MemTV). I have admired,…
Kenneth Burnett
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Physically and Mentally Fit: Kenneth Burnett’s S.O. What! Success Story

When I held the 2nd Annual Love Yourself Event, I started to include speakers on wellness and fitness. That’s when I met Kenneth Burnett, who has been supporting the S.O. What! Foundation and the Love Yourself Event ever since. However,…
Kenneth Burnett
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100 Lessons My Centenarians Grandmas Taught Me

How do you deal with grief? Well, when I lost my girls (both of my grandmothers) five days apart last month, I had to demonstrate what I teach and practice what I preach. I had to say, "S.O. What!" and, "so NOW what?" to focus on ways…