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Supporting Women Who Do It All
MAGAZINE
Happy Holidays from
CEO
Community
Clovia on Voter Rights Restoration
We Have the Right
DECISION
2016
ONE WOMAN’S
BATTLE with
Cancer Celebrity
Chef J. Ponder’s
Delicious Collard Green Recipe for the Holidays
CONTENT PAGE
Winter Edition CEO Magazine 2016 3 4 5 6 7 9 10 11 12 13 15
CEO Publisher’s Letter CEO Home: Angela Wilson Lee CEO Home: Re-thinking Holiday Design by The Flower Guy Bron CEO Dish: You Have a Choice CEO Dish: Meet Chef Darrin CEO Author Spotlight: Teresa B. Howell We Have A Right: Women discuss voting and the meaning of citizenship CEO Mind, Body & Spirit: Rev CC on Matters of the Heart CEO Mind, Body & Spirit: Live Again – It’s Cancer CEO Business: James Alexander FRONT COVER CEO Relationships: The Perfect Gift Left to Right: Margaret Groomes, Clovia Lawrence,
Seo Kelleher Photographer: JadienJones Photography Fashion Coordinator Designer: LaKisha LelaMone Greene Hairstylist: Ingrid Riley Makeup Artist: LaKisha LelaMone Greene Location: The Flower Guy Bron
Anita
Seo Sharon
We Have The Right Have you ever thought about the power of your voice? Yes, whether it’s a shy passive voice or a thunderous commanding voice, it is still yours and you must value it. Many times, because we are afraid of what others will say, we simply opt out of having one. In a room filled with cowards and opinions, we feel as if ours won't make a difference! But today I am asking you to OPT IN! We are all uniquely made and our vocal cords have an assignment to speak for different things. It is when we lend our voice that we start to create and chart our pathway to dream, live and love with passion. So SPEAK UP and CONQUER! You have the right to own your destination. It simply starts with the
mindset of understanding that you have the right to your own perspective. Silence the negative voice in your head and listen to the small still voice that says, “I am cheering for your success.” In this issue, we will meet women like radio personality and community activist Clovia Lawrence who use their influences and voices to champion rights of others. This is Decision 2016 – we will elect our President. There is so much to consider – so much on the table. How much more important will it be for us to raise our voice and make a difference in our lives and the lives of others? Remember, you and I have the right to speak up. Enjoy your holidays and dream bigger dreams next year!
xoxoxo Publisher
Angela WILSON Lee CEO & Principal Interior Designer of Wilson Lee Interiors Think of a beautifully decorated table as a gift that you give to those who enter your space. I was thrilled to design a fall centerpiece for this dining room table (pictured above). The concept for the centerpiece was taken from the feel of the room. When I designed this room, it was important to create a space that was elegant but comfortable. The dining room has fantastic vibrant colors and textures in the rug, window treatment, and artwork. To achieve this look, here is what I did:
1. Cover the table with a tablecloth that has some texture, but is a solid color. This tablecloth has a tone-on-tone motif. I chose a lighter tablecloth because I specifically wanted the centerpiece to stand out on the table.
2. I laid a custom-made mirror on the table. Yours does not have to
be custom made, but this table required it. When choosing the size for your mirror base, use a mirror that will allow room for dining around the table. If your table is round, then you will make your arrangement round.
3. Create the fun part of the centerpiece. Choose your favorite
4 CEO Home | www.ceosofrva.com
synthetic fall foliage, fruit, vegetables, berries, etc. Notice the amount of greenery placed on top of the mirror. I used a variety of fall leaves, pomegranates, grapes, and pumpkin squash in varying colors, and an occasional pinecone because I opted for pine greenery. Discreetly use floral wire as needed to secure your arrangement. Finally, I added the client’s heirloom silver candle holders; they look stunning sitting on top of the mirror.
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By Tricia Kelly, CEO of Christine’s Place, LLC www.ChristinesPlaceRVA.com The leaves have fallen and the air has turned crisp. The holidays are vastly approaching. Time to pull out the seasonal décor and embellish the house. So much preparation goes into picking out the perfect gift for that someone special, or trying to decide what to bring to the office potluck. For a lot of us, the holiday season means creating memories and sharing laughs and of course, delicious food. It is also the season where the trend is not to worry about what we consume and have cheat wh weeks versus the balanced cheat
day. We sometimes use the holidays as an excuse to justify our poor eating habits. Guess what? You can choose to still eat clean. You don’t have to sacrifice all of your hard work you’ve been putting in for a few weeks of overindulgence. As you’re reading ov this, you’re probably saying, yes, that’s where I draw the line. I’m not sacrificing my traditional holiday dinners. Don’t forget why you started your journey. Keep your goals at the forefront. Remember how much energy you’ve gained and the results you’ve already seen
from staying disciplined with your eating lifestyle. Get creative with your recipes this year. Start some new healthy conscious traditions. Instead of salt, opt for fresh herbs and spices for flavoring. Eat whole wheat or grains that haven’t been broken down. Buy fresh and organic do vegetables and lean cuts of meat. Stay away from the convenient boxed or processed food options as they are loaded with sodium, chemicals, additives, GMO’s and preservatives. While you are celebrating this holiday season, remember that YOU are worth the sacrifice.
Here is a delicious, healthy recipe option to consider: No Guilt Fresh Cranberry Sauce (Courtesy of TheGraciousPantry.com) 14 oz cranberries, fresh 1 sweet apple, cored and chopped into bite size pieces cup raw organic honey cup water 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely diced fresh lemon juice and zest Instructions:
Add all ingredients to a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the cranberries break down, apple softens and sauce thickens. (Sauce will continue to thicken slightly as it chills.) Stir often to prevent sticking on bottom of pan. Transfer to a serving dish or storage container, cover and chill for at least 3 hours.
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By Tiffani Hartsfield In these times of cultural tragedy, people from all walks of life are looking for a humanistic experience to renew hope and to feel powerful. Teresa Howell – educator, author, and self-publisher – believes that the church is still an option. Despite the spark she’s she had for writing since the age of 20, Teresa is an Exceptional Children’s Director in Durham, NC after working in the mental health industry for over eight years. The devastating passing of her grandmother led her to a therapeutic outlet, re-igniting the flame. “I put my writing in overdrive,” as she explains how her successful fiction novel, That Church Life, was created in July 2015. That Church Chu Life is about three girls who become women and grow apart from the church. The storyline depicts the girls going through a tug of war between the traditional practices of the church and spiritual growth. The tug of war is evidenced through personal distractions and setbacks while simultaneously showing the “not-so-good” side of the church and those who attend. Knowing that religion is a touchy subject to stand behind in literature, Howell has unapologetically made it her mission to offer ministry books, such as That Church Life, that encourages readers to acknowledge who they are and where they are on their spiritual journey. Standing up for a style of writing she calls “women’s “women contemporary” has not been an easy task in the publishing arena. After realizing that hiring a publisher would be redundant, she began to dedicate her time and income to learn the publishing business. Shortly thereafter, she founded Walking in Victory International, LLC, with That Church Life being the first book published in May 2016. With the help of her support team, That Church Life has rapidly gained national notoriety. In less than 30 days, it was on the shelves of independently owned bookstores in Indiana, Georgia, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, Texas, and even California. The novel can also be found in college library catalogs such as Piedmont Community College and the Cincinnati Ohio's Main Branch. Walking in Victory International, LLC continuously strives to offer consulting and training to create a company filled with strong writers who produce quality ministry books. “I am not afraid to be a witness,” Teresa exclaims, as she is currently on a book tour, making appearances at the libraries that support her self-owned ministry. Her mission is to spread the word to her readers that there is a space in the church for those filled with tragedy and personal struggles, insisting that “God is real and is here if you need Him.” For more information on her book tour and a list of Walking in Victory International, LLC novels, visit her website: www.teresabhowell.com
www.ceosofrva.com ] CEO Office Spotlight 9
We Have The Right 2016
Women Speak about Advocacy, Citizenship and Voting By Chaya Braxton
The Presidential election of 2016 may be one of the most controversial, polarizing races we have witnessed in our lifetime. Still, despite whom we think is more qualified to be our Commander in Chief, one fact remains: it is our choice and can we choose to exercise that right. Some women community activists and business leaders stopped by CEO Studios to reflect on citizenship and voting before Election Day. “When you don’t don vote, you are choosing incarceration over education,” says award –winning broadcast journalist of KISS FM and community activist, Clovia Lawrence. For many years, Clovia has advocated for voters’ voters restoration of rights through her non-profit, Rolling for Freedom. Rolling for Freedom (R4F) is an organization that champions voter education, restoration of rights, rolling rallies, and gubernatorial and senatorial community forums for candidates running for public office. R4F also serves as a clearing house. “We go into the prisons and the projects. We register people one house at a time.” In and out of election season, Clovia and her team have canvassed communities to registering individuals to vote. Since 2004, Rolling for Freedom has assisted 7,500 ex-offenders submit and have submitted 10,000 voter registration applications. This also includes absentee voters. There is no wonder why Clovia Lawrence is so passionate about advocating for the rights of others - it is her legacy. Clovia’s mom, Margaret Groomes, remembers a time when African-Americans did not have the right to vote. The Voting Rights Act of 1965, signed by Lyndon B. Johnson, attempted to remove barriers that prevented African-Americans from voting on state and local levels. Mrs. Groomes thinks it is important for people of color to vote. As such, she is an active volunteer for voter registration phone ban. For Mrs. Groomes, “We Have the Right,” means having the right to walk the streets of Richmond, freely, and having access to quality educatio . “No matter how old you are, you can’t stop fighting.” Fitness coach and entrepreneur, Seo Kelleher was 15 when she and her sister immigrated to the United States from South Korea. With their parents back in Korea, they had to be independent. However, Seo admits that having access to freedoms that she and her sister were denied in her country was worth the sacrifice of moving to the states at a young age.
“Freedom is a part of America and in other places it is implied and exercised.” When Seo was growing up, girls were not treated equally as boys. In South Korea where Seo went to school, girls were not allowed to run for certain positions in Student Council, for example. Although things have changed considerably since she left Korea, Seo values being able to be a citizen here where she has built a successful business and empowers other women to do the same. “It means a lot to become a citizen here,” says Seo. “Do you know that when a person goes through a naturalization process here, he/she has to make an oath to denounce any other sovereignty? This means if we are at war, we swear to protect the United States of America.” Seo is referencing Section 337 (a) of the Naturalization Oath of the Allegiance to the United States of America that requires citizens to relinquish all loyalty to their place of birth, [in Seo’s Seo case, this means South Korea] before they are subject to citizenship in their new country. This is why Seo does not understand why people talk about abandoning America during the current election. “Some people take their freedom for granted. You are not moving to Canada, you can’t NOT vote to show your frustration. You have to stay here,” says Seo passionately. From time to time, the fitness entrepreneur must gently remind people that she is an American too. “People think that because I am an immigrant that I am not an American, but this is my home country— I have spent more time here than I have in Korea. It is hard for people to make this connection. We have the right to build the life we want.”
MATTERS of the
Heart with
Rev.CC
Physiologically speaking, our heart is one of the most important organs in our body. It’s constantly working on a rhythm that pumps the nutrients necessary for survival through our body. When it ceases to work properly, some diagnoses may include arrhythmia, disease, or even a full-blown heart attack. These characteristics, albeit incomplete, help me better understand why, metaphorically speaking, we refer to emotions of love as using the organ o of our heart. Let’s take a closer look. When we speak of the effects of the emotions of love, we often refer to someone as having the keys to our heart, occupying a special place in our heart, pulling at our heartstrings, our heart of hearts and many more expression of affection. Simply put, we are stating that we have allowed this person or thing into a sacred space within our lives that has become mentally and physically vital to our existence. Many of us have learned valuable lessons on the importance of the heart and we guard it -- not allowing anyone or anything to get close to us. Then there are those of us who have let our guards down, and as a result, have learned powerful lessons of life and love.
Rev. CC is the Assistant Pastor of the Seventh Street Memorial Baptist Church in Richmond, VA, where she serves with her husband, Pastor Micah Jackson. They are the parents of Aaron, a Sergeant in the US Army, and Melanie, who is pursuing graduate studies in the field of Psychology. Re CC has earned a BS in Criminal Justice and BA in Religious Rev. Studies from Virginia Commonwealth University, a Master of Divinity from Virginia Union University and Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from South University. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Psychology at Capella University. Re Rev.CC has traveled to South America and the Netherlands preaching and teaching. Her passion in life is to help others realize their greatness and in January of 2017, will release her first book, Preserved for a Purpose.
1 1 CEO Matters of the Heart ] www.ceosofrva.com
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Here are some points to consider when letting someone into your heart space: Only allow those into your heart that are part of your life’s rhythm and won’t cause an abnormal beat or arrhythmia. Your life rhythm makes beautiful music and only those who fully appreciate the quality of the sound should be invited to hear it. When the effect of someone’s someone presence affects who you are in a negative way, disease has set in! The good news is that disease is treatable and manageable, but it’s going to require some lifestyle changes that include getting rid of some of the things that once brought you temporary joy. However, you are so valuable that you deserve the healthiest relationships in life, so when disease sets in, get rid of it! Never allow your heart to become so consumed by anything that it attacks, letting you know it is overwhelmed. An attack is an indication that holistically it’s time to think about how you think, feel and behave! Your heart is a gift and anyone who does not treasure your gift should be evaluated for their usefulness or lack thereof to your life! You are astounding, incredible, incomparable, phenomenal, priceless, spectacular, and unique. Anyone lucky enough to hold a place within your heart should be an asset in your life. Don’t allow them to be a liability! Guard your heart and check it often!
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HIS GUIDE TO HOLIDAY GIVING
Advice for Males If you are a guy, you want the special lady in your life to exclaim how she loves the gift you gave her. You want her to do a show and tell with everyone she meets. If this happens, you know you have done well and might get a little something extra out of it yourself. On the other hand, if your gift does not hit a home run, you might get a reaction for which you may not be prepared. Before the perfect gift anxiety starts on December 24th (yes, men we can tell when you shop at the last minute), we asked our CEO Beauty Expert, Abegail Taylor-Burts, for a few tips. Abegail explains that choosing the right gift for the woman in a man’s life is not that hard. She gives the following advice:
1. LISTEN‌
Women often give hints concerning what types of gifts she wants.
2. TAKE PICTURES
of items lying around such as fragrances or beauty products that you notice are getting low. Bring the pictures with you to the beauty counter.
3. ASK HER FOR A WISH LIST 4. PAY ATTENTION
to the details that mark significant milestones in your relationship.
5. LAST BUT NOT LEAST,
repeat number one. Listen to what she is saying. These little tips should help you get the right gift for your special someone without causing any headaches.
www.ceosofrva.com ] CEO Relationships 15
HAPPY HOLIDAYS
HAPPY NewYear