Falling in Love is Easy, Staying in Love is a Challenge

Photo Credit: http://www.inc.com/michael-gerber/fall-in-love-with-your-business-again.html

Do you remember the first time you met your first love? Do you remember how it made you feel? You get those butterflies in your stomach when your eyes meet. Those moments were endless.

I remember when I first met mine. I was in the fourth grade at Givhans Elementary School. My teacher, Mrs. Burgess said, “Crystal, you’re a great writer. Would you like to join the newsletter staff?”

I agreed. I was a staff writer of my first publication. It was only four pages, but I loved it. I was a reporter. I wrote about events and interviewed teachers. I was in love with writing, and I felt like it shared the same type of love in return.

I always knew it was going to be a part of my life in some way shape or form. However, as I got older, I had to realize that although my love for writing was great and we shared many wonderful memories together, I needed to focus on some other ventures. After spending years after college working different jobs, I found myself back where I started like a teenage girl seeing her crush for the first time. My writing and I developed into a deeper relationship. Not only was I writing articles, but I was writing press releases and blogging. I was PHREA. My writing understood me even when nobody else did. Just when I think I had it all figured out, the biggest curve ball got thrown and hit me hard. It has changed my entire focus.

Photo Credit: www.goodreads.com

Now I feel like I’m back in the same position where I was after graduation, changing focus because of the roles and responsibilities of a grown up. I can feel myself losing my relationship again, but I don’t want to. However, the times I should be spending writing, researching, or planning, I am job searching or updating my resume.

So as a way to continue to write and stay in love with my purpose, I decided to balance my focus on writing and job searching. I created a personal challenge to keep me on track to my purpose, my passion, and my love for writing. It’s called the #31DaystoPHREAdom on Always PHREA. It will still include the PHREAdom Leaders, but I also want to feature information that relates closely to my audience.

I need your help in order to accomplish the challenge. I want to hear from you. Have you found your purpose? What do you do to stay focused on it when life throws you adversities?

<3 Starkey

PHREAdom Leaders: Brittany Yates

Brittany Yates, Executive Director &
Founder of Endless Dreams Foundation
http://www.endlessdreamsfoundation.org

Brittany Yates always wanted to start her own non-profit organization. Yates accomplished that goal in 2011, when she officially incorporated Endless Dreams Foundation while working on her Bachelor’s degree from Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, N.C.

“It was just in me,” the young entrepreneur said. “I love helping people.”

She is able to do so through Endless Dreams Foundation.

Endless Dreams Foundation’s mission is “to encourage the youth to set, pursue, and complete their goals.” The organization incorporates this mission by offering programs and services including mentoring, tutoring, and various workshops to help build a lasting relationship within the community.

The youth organization is based in both Charlotte and Washington, D.C. Yates lives in Washington, D.C. where she works full-time in the finance department at the Children’s National Medical Center. However, she travels often to Charlotte, N.C. She has a full team of interns, board of directors, and committee members who help with the operation of the organization.

Endless Dreams Foundation will expand its Academic Dreams program by the end of the year. The Academic Dreams will kick off in the Charlotte area to offer college tours, mentoring and tutoring year round, and parent workshops to help educate them about FAFSA and scholarships for their future college student. It will eventually expand to the Washington, D.C. area. However, both areas are currently looking for volunteers to serve as mentors and tutors.

What is Beauty

This past summer, Girl You Crazy and Endless Dreams Foundation teamed up to host the What is Beauty Campaign. The campaign featured a two month long discussion on discovering the true meaning and essence of beauty.

Yates said she started looking at statistics and realized that only one in every two girls felt like they were beautiful.

It was established to focus on self-esteem and build women empowerment as a unit and sisterhood.

During the campaign, the two organizations hosted a Women’s Empowerment Brunch which brought all women together to discuss beauty and self-esteem.

“Everyone’s definition of beauty was different,” Yates said. “It was good to see the different views.”

The Value of Time

The 23-year-old has a busy schedule, but her motto is that “everything can be done” with time management. Between Endless Dreams and working full-time, Yates is also working on her Master’s in Business Administration from Trinity College to become a well-rounded business woman. She blocks off time in her schedule to make sure she is able to accomplish everything she needs to do on a daily basis including her social life.

Passion to Serve

Yates is passionate about serving in different aspects of life. She loves serving her community and helping people out in general. She explained that if she meets someone or one of her friends are working on a new venture or project, she is always willing to lend a hand. 

"I always want to help," she insisted. 

Hope to Inspire

The business woman hopes to inspire other aspiring entrepreneurs by reading her story as an entrepreneur, leader and Endless Dreams.

She wants them to realize that they can do the same thing, she said. "I want to change the lives of others."

Respect in the Non-Profit

For anyone familiar with non-profit organization, they receive the majority of their funding through donations, sponsors, and mostly grants. However, Yates explained for non-profits you have to earn respect from the community in order to secure any funding especially grants. 

"You have to prove yourself," Yates said. "Nobody will give you money if they don't know you or respect you."

Most people are aware of the larger names like United Way and the American Red Cross versus smaller non-profits, she said. 

Endless Dreams works to build respect by consistently reaching out to the community and schools. They are making their presence known in both the Charlotte and Washington, D.C. areas.

Empowered to Do More

"When I get to see other people succeeding, it empowers me to do more," Yates said. The success of the others instills a self-empowerment for her to keep pushing and keep doing more.

One of her friends is a journalist, it empowered her to consider the idea of writing as well, she explained. Although her schedule is quite busy, she doesn't feel like she is doing as much. She feels like she can always do more. 

Ambition to Fulfill Goals and Dreams

Endless Dreams Foundation focus on helping the youth achieve their goals, therefore, it is quite fitting for the executive director to have similar ambitions. While Yates is ambitious about the community and helping people especially those who want to help themselves, setting and achieving goals and dreams are just as important. 

Yates' vision board sits above her desk at work so that she is able to look at the goals and vision as well as look at what she already accomplished. 

The vision board has two sides, she said. Goals and vision on one side, and what was accomplished on the other side. 

"I work towards it every day," Yates said. 

She always leaves room for another venture to add onto her vision board. 

"I wasn't planning on getting my MBA," she explained, but she added it to her board once the decision was made.

Yates is a true definition of an entrepreneur. She takes risks. She sets goals and work towards achieving everything she wants to do. 

For more information about Endless Dreams Foundation, you can visit their Web site here, follow them on Instagram at Endless Dreams Foundation or Twitter at @NoEnd2Dreaming, and like them on Facebook here. 

PHREAdom Leader: Curtis Walls

Curtis Walls is more than what meets the surface. As one looks at Walls from the inside out, it is easy to realize that he is much more than a wide receiver and businessman. Does he love football? Yes, but it’s not his life. Is he a businessman? Yes, but he also loves reading philosophical books. In fact, the Charlotte native always had a passion for changing the world.

“I always wanted to influence the masses,” Walls said.

As a man of God, his ability to do so became evident through his leadership roles and experiences on the field and in life.

While studying at the North Carolina Agriculture & Technology, Walls wanted to do three things which were to play football, join Alpha Phi Alpha which is the first black fraternity within the National Pan-Hellenic Council and become the Student Government Association’s president. By senior year, Walls accomplished all, but one thing on his Aggie goal list.

He served as a leading wide receiver and captain of the Aggie team. He received a NCAA leadership award for his involvement in sports. He also gained the opportunity to play for the Black College All Star Football game. He became a member of Alpha Phi Alpha serving leadership positions in his fraternity. Walls’ senior year in college, he ran for the president of the Student Government Association. Walls won the popular election by 49%, but loss the re-election by three unique votes.

However, an opportunity opened for Walls to serve as the president of the National Pan-Hellenic Council. The National Pan-Hellenic Council was the second largest body of student government on the campus. He was able to meet great leaders and sat in meetings with other prominent leaders on the campus including the Student Government Association’s president.

 “It ended up being a blessing,” Walls continued.

Blessing in Disguise

After graduating with a degree in landscape architecture, Walls was torn between playing football and entering corporate America. The opportunity to play in the all-star game while in college became a pivotal moment in Walls’ life. His original plans after college was to begin a career as a landscape architect, but he realized the possibility of actually turning football into a career.

He chose to pursue a career in his major. He moved to Aspen, Colo., where he worked at Design Workshop. He was the first black landscape architect in the company.

In disguise, football would enter back into his life while in Aspen. In 2008, he was laid off from Design Workshop. It was at this moment, he knew this was his opportunity to pursue his dream of playing professional football.

Walls said, he left corporate America and went back to the football field.

He moved back to Charlotte and started training. He was able to play for a Canadian League football and Arena League football in Pittsburgh, Penn.

Walls as a Businessman

Walls has several titles to his name including Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of TIME as well as managing partner of both the Charlotte Greek Picnic and NXL21 Charlotte Marketing Agency.

TIME stands for Taking Initiative Moving Efficiently was created while Walls was brainstorming during his student government presidential campaign. TIME was just a theory, but it would eventually develop into much more.

TIME started while the creator was in college, he said.

There was a police incident in one of the dorms, and a group of students went to address the 21^st century students and bring awareness to the community of the different issues, Walls continued.

The young leader joined forces with the president of the Student Government Association who also had an initiative called MOVE to create a variety of platforms geared towards the men in the community. The rest is history.

TIME’s mission is to “take the initiative to provide efficient programs and solutions that will revitalize our community, social and economic value – EMPOWERMENT” (http://www.timetoempower.com/mission-vision/).

It is a service-based organization with a broad number of issues that are addressed, Walls said. There are three main concepts of TIME, which are the following: exposure of the mind, the next step and the state of.

The organization hosts YOUth EmpowHERment and YOUth EmpowerMENt Summits for middle and high school aged boys and girls annually. This September, the organization will kick off their MENtor Empowerment Network for 7 to 12^th grade boys in Charlotte to “develop a bond built on goal specific engagement and empowerment” (http://www.timetoempower.com/news-events/).

Currently, TIME is planning its inaugural Single Mother Empowerment Symposium this year.

Walls, who briefly was raised in a single family home, explained he realized the importance for a program of this caliber based on the assessments gathered from to the boys and girls empowerment summits.

“We developed a concept of hitting each family member – one at a time,” Walls said.

The event will be hosted by Yasmin Young of Power 98 and will feature a celebrity keynote speaker, dynamic panel of single mothers and a five star meal.

This is an opportunity to provide single mothers with resources for their children and for them as a woman, Walls said.

Walls’ upcoming projects with TIME are far from all that he is doing right now. He is also preparing for the annual Charlotte Greek Picnic weekend. The weekend officially begins September 5 and ends on September 7. This year, the weekend will feature a stroll-off competition in partnership with the University of North Carolina – Charlotte’s National Pan-Hellenic Council. The weekend will conclude with the picnic at Marshall Park and the finale party at Re:Public in Charlotte.

He said the overall mission of the Charlotte Greek Picnic is to revitalize the Greek culture in Charlotte and allow doors to open for everyone.

The planning committee members are expecting everyone to have a great time and leave the concept that the Charlotte Greek Picnic has arrived.

“We are officially creating our own weekend,” Walls said.

On September 29, NXL21 Charlotte Marketing Agency will host a Freestyle Comedy Show at the Comedy Zone in the Music Factory in Charlotte. Doors open at 7 p.m.

Passion for football and chasing dreams

By now, Walls’ passion for football is apparent. He loves the game of football beyond the plays, the number of touchdowns or yards, but rather because of the commitment and discipline of the game that can be used in everyday life.

“Football is life, but life isn’t football,” Walls said.

This is a quote he learned while playing in college.

He realized the quote could not only be applied to the field, but in life as well.

Football requires commitment and discipline and experiences in life require the same, he explained.

Walls also has a passion for coaching.

The value of coaching is developing a well-rounded man versus an athlete, he said.

He hosts various coaching camps in Charlotte for young boys and individual coaching sessions with youth athletes.

As a philosophical thinker, Walls is passionate about inspiration from a conceptual level and acting on possibilities.

“We all have dreams,” he said. However, few act on it.

Hope for a fulfilling life

Walls hopes for a satisfying life where he wakes up to do what he wants to do. He also hopes to eventually start a family.

A woman of God who is confident, doesn't have to be totally involved in his career, and he can support her dreams are the qualities Walls is looking in his future wife.

 “She knows her husband is invested in making her feel fulfilled,” he said.

Respect regardless of situations

Respect is “the value of being respectful to people regardless if they respect you or not,” Walls said. “As long as my actions are sincere, they will eventually see.”

Despite the circumstance and situations, respect can change perceptions.

Empowered by adversity

Different points in Walls’ life empower him to continue to move forward because the possibilities are limitless.

Walls explained that he’s experienced many blessings, setbacks and adversities, but they are all processes in life.

“I’m empowered by all processes,” he said.

Walls compares the instant rich person versus the person who becomes rich over time.

The person who becomes rich instantly misses the life lessons to understand how to stay rich versus the person who becomes rich over time will understand how to keep it, he said.

Walls’ calls those life lessons “moments of glory.”

Ambition to keep moving

Similar to Walls’ passion, hope and empowerment, he is ambitious to keep moving. He wants to continue to maximize his potential, which in turn equals quality.

“Quality is never an accident,” Walls said. “I never saw three years ago, I would be doing what I’m doing.”

Walls’ drive to keep moving and pushing towards his goals is what makes him the man that he is today.
Facebook: Curtis Walls
Twitter: @CurtisWalls
Instagram: @CurtisWalls
http://www.timetoempower.com
http://www.nxlevelent.com

PHREAdom Leader: John Harris III

I am extra excited to share with you all the neweest PHREAdom Leader. I heard him introduce his new project, Authentic Movements during Paul Brunson's Mentor Monday conference call. I was so impressed by his work that I had to feature him.

John Harris III is no ordinary 23-year-old. While most 23-year-olds are focused on partying, working, and living life, Harris is developing his organization, Authentic Reflection.
Harris, a summa cum laude graduate from Howard University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in community development, created the vision of a nonprofit organization before he graduated high school. One of his teachers asked him to write a letter to himself. The letter stated that he wanted to start a nonprofit organization. Prior to attending Howard University, he looked at the letter again. At the age of 18 years old, he met recognized matchmaker Paul Brunson who then was focused on his nonprofit organization while attending a workshop at the university.

Harris and Brunson met at a local restaurant in Washington, D.C. where Harris currently resides to discuss his ideas. Harris spent his entire freshman year spring break planning and creating a notebook of ideas for his dream organization. He received an opportunity to run a life skills program for a church called Creative Thought in Hazel Crest, Ill.

While spending the majority of his college career involved in community work, he started Authentic Reflection.

The focus of Authentic Reflection is identity development while using an artistic approach, Harris said. The mission is to promote “progressive leadership by encouraging lifelong identity development through artistic reflective processes” (www.authenticreflection.org). The motto of the programs offered by Authentic Reflection is “See you. Be you. Do more.”

Harris is also a writer and poet. He sends out inspirational messages called Motivation Monday.

Motivation Monday started with 80 people, but currently more than 450 people receive these messages weekly, Harris said.

After graduating college, Harris decided to focus all of his attention on Authentic Reflection. He will also be starting his first year in graduate school at the University of Baltimore. He will be receiving his Masters in Fine Arts with a concentration in Creative Writing and Publishing Arts.

His goal is to become a writer, educator and poet. Harris is already achieving these goals. However, for Authentic Reflection, he would like to eventually work with Jay Z to develop a curriculum in his teaching on hip-hop and its use as a storytelling technique. He would also like to create a social media school on Facebook and Google+ for people.

The Pink House

Harris lives in the pink house with his roommates. The pink house is located in the “notorious” part of the Washington, D.C. surrounding area. Harris and his fellow friends and colleagues come together to develop and implement ideas.

“Positivity doesn’t entertain negativity because positivity is always right,” Harris said.

The pink house is where they come together with positive thoughts and ideas.

Harris said the pink house is an “incubator.”

It is “Facebook in real life,” he continued.

Nearby the pink house, Harris is able to interact with the people in his neighborhood and use the information to create various blog posts. He wrote a reflection after the Zimmerman Verdict where it discusses the continued injustice of black people despite the apparent change in the society.

Next for Authentic Reflection

Today, August 27, Authentic Reflection will join in on the Conference on Civil Rights: Marching Forward by Looking Back at the Washington Court Hotel on Capitol Hill. On Wednesday, August 28, they will participate in the March on Washington 50^th Anniversary where fellow marchers will hear a speech from President Barack Obama.

This August, Harris introduced Authentic Movements, which is a new component of Authentic Reflection, on Brunson’s monthly Mentoring Mondays live stream conversation. Authentic Movements, according to Authentic Reflection’s Web site, is an opportunity to help “people to love themselves unconditionally by guiding them through the discovery of their own truths on the road to self-actualization as they navigate through oppressive systems.” The Authentic Movements combines democracy and positive capitalism.

Harris said that he recently presented a speech on Socially Responsible Entrepreneurship where he introduced the idea of music mogul and business man Jay Z as an example of positive capitalism.

Authentic Movement is a “sustainable network of mission based businesses,” he said.

It will officially be launched on September 1. Authentic Reflections will host a 90 days movement. They will have different events going on throughout the duration.

Authentic Reflection is trying to teach people how to be free, he said. They want to “give someone the freedom.”

Individuals interested in the Authentic Movement participate in a reflection activity where he or she will create a Pledge of Success to find out what they think of themselves.

“I believe everyone is amazingly special,” Harris said. “We think everyone is gifted in something.”

They are able to release those gifts through the movement.

It will conclude in December with the publishing of Harris’s book, Evolution of Love. The Evolution of Love is written in first person and it features spoken word.

It focuses on the understanding of love, Harris said.

Passion for love and writing

Harris is passionate about love, writing, and teaching. His passion for love and writing is evident through his upcoming book.

He just wants to write and help people, Harris said.

Hope for a continual legacy

Harris hopes his energy is still powerful enough to continue after he is gone. It’s about creating a legacy in the history books for his work.  

Respect goes both ways

“Respect is understanding one’s perspective to acknowledge they are human,” Harris said.

Therefore, Harris believes that the lack of respect will make individuals less human than they really are. Respect goes both ways.

Empowerment comes from energy

The energy, similar to a higher being, is what makes Harris move forward.

There are many names of it that travels throughout different people lives, but he calls it energy.

Ambition to reach one billion people

“I want to be the best writer,” he said based on his own interpretation. Harris is also ambitious to directly help a billion people. This is why Harris writes.

Harris’s mantra is “It must hurt to grow wings, but who doesn’t want to fly.”

For more information about Authentic Reflection, visit http://www.authenticreflection.org. You can follow Harris and Authentic Reflection at @AuthReflection and @JHarrisAR on Twitter.

PHREAdom Leader: Alton J. Murray

Alton Murray is a church boy from Yemassee, S.C. who enjoys educating and giving back to the community. After working a few jobs after completing his bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Winthrop University and master’s degree in Organizational Management with a Healthcare Administration concentration, he finally landed a job working at the Catawba Care Coalition as a Prevention Specialist. It was the opportunity to combine his interest in education and giving back.

Catawba Care Coalition is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote optimal health by providing medical care and support services for people living with HIV/AIDS and by educating the community to prevent the spread of HIV.

The cause is important to him because he has friends who are living with the virus as well as family members who have died from related complications. Murray participates in the Charlotte AIDS Walk. So it was quite fitting, that he would have an interest in this position. He was referred to the position by his mentor, Telluss Good.

Murray recalled the moment he received the call with an offer for the Prevention Specialist position.

He just came back for a run. He got back into his place in Charlotte, N.C. and said, “Lord, I want it.”

He received the call ten minutes later.

“I absolutely love it [the job] because it is an opportunity to educate,” Murray said. “And dismiss the stereotypes of HIV/AIDS.”

Murray’s main goal in this position is to reach out to the community especially within the black churches.

The reality is people are having sex; therefore, safe sex education is necessary.

“Sex isn’t really talked about in the community,” he said. “Something needs to take place within the community.”

When Murray is not at work, he is either preparing to apply for University of Chapel Hill’s doctoral program in Public Health, volunteering with his chapter’s Kappa Leaguers, or coordinating Adopt-A-Highway events with this fraternity (Kappa Alpha Psi) then he is serving as a mentor to three young men.

One of his mentees was a student at Shaw University, but was bullied and treated differently.

Murray encouraged him to “channel the bad stuff,” and do something greater. He is now a student at Paul Mitchell Institute studying make-up.

One of his other mentees attends Johnson & Wales University and the other will be graduating from Rock Hill High School that volunteer at Catawba Care Coalition.

Passion to Educate

Murray has a passion for educating the black race as whole.

“I want us to reach our full potential,” Murray said. “And dismiss the judgment.”

He explained that there is a bit of a division in America and the need to really be our brother’s and sister’s keeper.

The division was evident by the George Zimmerman vs. the State of Florida verdict, Murray said. Zimmerman was found not guilty of the murder of Trayvon Martin.

Murray explained that he respected everyone’s opinions [about the verdict], but it showed the division.

Hope for a cure

As a Prevention Specialist, Murray hopes that researchers will find a cure for the HIV/AIDS virus.

“Statistics are still high,” he said.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s statistics called the “HIV in the United States: At a Glance,” said more than 1.1 million people are living with the HIV infection and blacks “face the most severe burden of HIV.”

Where is the Respect

Murray explained that he doesn’t see a lot of respect anymore in the community.

The common mannerisms of “Yes Sir” or “No Sir” are becoming so belittle in today’s society.

“It [respect] is taught in the homes,” Murray said. “If it is present, then you must live it.”

Murray believes that it is slowly getting better, but one must learn how to respect themselves.

“People will treat you, how you present yourself,” he said.

Empowered by his parents

Murray finds empowerment through his parents. His mother works as a teacher. His father is known as the Mr. Fix It Guy in Yemassee who owns a restaurant that is only open during the town’s major festivals.

Murray’s mother grew up in a household of seven brothers and sisters. She got pregnant at a young age. While she was pregnant, she was enrolled at the College of Charleston obtaining her bachelor’s degree. She didn’t let it stop her.

Murray’s father has a similar story. He was reading at ninth grade level, but he was able to go to community college.

He looks at how much his parents prevailed, and realized the situations or triumphs he faced are not that major.

“It really motivates me,” Murray said.

Ambition to educate, be successful and give back

His ambition to educate is evident in his role as a Prevention Specialist. He is able to educate individuals about safe sex, STDS, and HIV/AIDS.

Murray wants to be successful and positive in all that he does.

“It’s time out for the foolishness,” Murray said.

Murray’s ambition to give back started because of his belief that he didn’t get to where he is on his own.

“I believe if I help you, you will help me eventually,” Murray said.

PHREAdom Leader: Ashley Nash

I am so excited to feature Ashley Nash as a PHREAdom Leader! Today is her 21^st birthday! I hope everyone will enjoy this profile just as much as I enjoyed writing it. Happy Birthday Nash! Your birthday wish was accomplished. You are a published author!



Ashley Nash



Last fall, Ashley Nash,left, and Amber shared their video about their personal reflection called “Behind the Smiles, Beyond the Letters” by accident. It wasn’t supposed to go on Facebook or YouTube, but it was the easiest route to share the video for their class assignment. The video told their story about their suicide attempts and how they overcame that time in their lives. The video left the classroom dead silent. Although the classroom was silent, their phones were going crazy with Facebook notifications from friends, families, sorority sisters and classmates who were also watching the video. In a matter of weeks, the video became a hit to their community. To date, the video has more than 3500 views. Who knew words could be so powerful? They received numerous comments from people who told them their video saved their life.

In April 2013, Nash, a full-time honors student at South Carolina State University, has published her first book. Words for Warning is about a spoken word artist who commits suicide and her family tries to pick up the pieces to find the reason it happened. Her family realizes they should’ve been listening to the cries for help through the artist’s words.

Nash was working on this book for a year and a half, but living on a college income delayed the process of becoming published a bit.

It took between two to three months to publish because it cost around $800, she said.

Her birthday wish was to become a published author before she turned 21-years-old. She accomplished it.

“I ate a lot of ramen noodles and missed a lot of parties,” Nash said. “I wouldn’t take it back.”

At the age of 11 and growing up in Spartanburg, S.C., writing became Nash’s way of expressing herself and escaping from the family and self-esteem issues.

“It gave me a chance to be free,” Nash said.



Nash



Nash’s first poem got published as a teenager. Her focus is mainly poetry, but she wrote songs as well. After graduating next spring with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, Nash’s goal is to write to pay for everything else she wants to do including creating a neighborhood type environment for people of lower income. However, the likelihood of a second book is contingent of the sales of Words for Warning. She has received some support from her family, friends, but she hasn’t really received much outside support.

She usually has to re-introduce the video and then mention the video in order to get outsiders to actually help support her, Nash said.

Passion for writing and helping others

“My passion for writing and helping others is what kept me alive,” Nash said.

She explained during her suicidal phase, she remembers her parents leaving and she was forced to pretty much take care of their little brother. Her sister was pregnant at 16. Her brother who was three years younger than her had heart problems. Nash had to take on the adult role of making sure they had food on the table, homework was completed, and they went to school. She was barely a teenager herself.

She overcame her childhood through her words, service and dedication. She received a full academic scholarship at South Carolina State University. She was also awarded 2013 Bulldog of the Year, which is an award that goes to one female and one male every year.

When she isn’t working at Ryan’s, in the gym working out, or helping out with her sorority (Sigma Gamma Rho) doing community service, she is writing.

Hope is built and sometimes tested

Nash explained that she’s rediscovering hope and faith.

She said it was tested. She didn’t understand why God would put her through those tough situations.

She has tattoos of hope and faith to help her build it again.

Respect doesn’t always change with time

Nash said she’s experienced a lack of respect from some of her family members, and they would always see her as the chunky little girl with glasses.

Her relationship with her sister is much better, but her relationship with her mother and grandfather hasn’t changed much.

Empowerment happens overtime

“I never really felt empowered until joining different organizations in college,” she said.

Nash’s support was recognized and appreciated on the campus for different activities. If Nash supported the activity, others followed the bandwagon. Nash’s support helped their freshman class president win the election her first year at the university.

“It never really hit me how much of a voice I had,” she said.

Ambition to grow and not worry about mismatch socks

Nash wants to be able to give people an opportunity to get out of their situation. She plans to do it with the neighborhood which will include homes, daycare centers, jobs and schools.

Sometimes it’s hard to break free of situations, she said.

She recalls her former manager at her first job telling her the job becomes people. She didn’t see herself working at her job for the rest of her life. She wanted a career.

“I see how people forget about a career,” she said. However, she knew if she wanted to be more she had to grow as person.

“There’s no growth in comfort, and there’s no comfort in growth,” she quoted from her trainer and good friend.

Another one of her mantra’s is “Never worry about mismatch socks.” She got it from her best friend.

The idea is no one knows you are wearing mismatch socks or any other issue unless you tell them, she said.

Some issues just aren’t major to share, she said.

“It keeps me going,” Nash said.

If you are interested in purchasing Words for Warning by Nash, please visit Barnes & Nobles, Amazon, and Ebookstore by Sony. You can follow Nash on Twitter and Instagram at sincerely_nash or find her on Facebook as Ashley Nash.

PHREAdom Leaders: Shantelle Igiozee

Greetings all!

This week’s PHREAdom Leader profile is focused on Shantelle Igiozee, a May 2013 college graduate of Winthrop University. I chose Igiozee because of her experience during college as a McNair Scholar and role as a reservist in the Army National Guard. I hope you all enjoy!

While many recent college graduates are probably thinking about their next move, Igiozee,23, already knew her next step immediately after she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science – graduate school. She wants to work as a physical therapist.

Originally from Columbia, S.C., she will begin graduate school at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences where she will be obtaining a doctoral degree in physical therapy.

“This university has great facilities, wonderful faculty and is an accelerated program,” Igiozee said. “I will be able to receive my doctorate degree in about two and a half years, which is comparable to the average three or three and a half year physical therapy programs.”

Although physical therapy wasn’t her first career choice, she knew she wanted to do something that related to her love for science.

“Entering college, I wanted to study pharmacy, which derived from my love for science. I was not truly passionate about the field,” she said. “When I discovered the field of physical therapy, I quickly fell in love and this field became my new direction.”

She believes in the power of exercise and educates her peers and family about it.

“I am firm believer of exercise as a prescription over medication depending on the situation. I educate my peers and family on the medicinal effects of exercise, which has no side effects like medication,” she said.

Education is Key

The importance of education is a strong belief of her parents. Igiozee’s family serves a great support system in her life.

Igiozee served as a McNair Scholar where she conducted summer research, travel to research conferences, presented at conferences, and many more activities.

“This program prepared me for doctoral studies through involvement in research and other scholarly activities,” she said. “I conducted two years of summer research which provided me with skills including data management, statistical analysis, formulating a manuscript, oral presentation, and designing methodology that will be used in my professional career.”

Igiozee’s research as a McNair Scholar focused on food desserts and the effect of food retailer placement in disadvantage communities. She has traveled to SEACSM and SAEOPP McNair Conferences in Atlanta, G.A., Jacksonville, Fla. And Greenville, S.C. to present her research and allow her to network with people across different disciplines. She was able to learn different methods of how she could use her expertise in assisting people through rehabilitation.

Therefore, her future research will focus on the rehabilitation of soldiers and children due to her experience as a reservist.

PHREA to Igiozee

Individuals have their own perceptions and ideas of PHREA. He or she may look at passion, hope, respect, empowerment, and ambition differently depending on where they are in life. For Igiozee, those words overall share a common goal to keep pushing, don’t give up, and stay learning.

Passion – Motivating yourself to achieve highest dream and not stopping until you achieve it because are doing it because you love it.

Hope- Never allowing anyone or anything to deviate you from your dreams because you have confidence in yourself.

Respect- Always having respect for yourself by setting high standards and never allowing anyone to lower them. In addition, one must be respectful to your peers and elders because maturity comes in time, not when you hit a certain age.

Empowerment- Taking your knowledge and experiences to educate and mentor the youth of today. Individual journeys should be shared because it could help others going through a similar situation. Life is stressful enough sometimes. Therefore, being an asset in someone’s life could help them progress or even save a life.

Ambition- Having the determination to become successful without letting any obstacles obstruct your vision.

Thank you Shantelle for joining the PHREAdom Leaders train and allowing me to share a little bit about you! Good luck in graduate school!

<3 Starkey