News — women empowerment

The Bussa Rebellion was the largest slave revolt in the history of Barbados. The rebellion took its name from the African-born slave, Bussa, who led the uprising. The Bussa Rebellion was the first of the three major slave uprisings that took place in the British West Indies between the U.S. abolition of the slave trade in 1807 and general emancipation by the British in 1838. The two other rebellions occurred in the Crown colony of Demerara-Essequibo (now part of Guyana) in 1823, and Jamaica in 1831.

Enslaved people began planning the revolt after the Barbadian House of Assembly discussed and rejected the Imperial Registry Bill in November 1815, which called for the registration of colonial slaves. Believing this registration would make their lives more difficult, enslaved people began to secretly meet in February to plan the uprising in April.

The organization and leadership of the rebellion evolved on a number of sugar cane plantations, with each estate choosing its insurrection leader. The Simmons Plantation, one of the largest on the island, had three leaders: John Grigg, Nanny Grigg, and an enslaved person known only as Jackie. The Bailey Plantation uprising was led by four enslaved people: King Wiltshire, Dick Bailey, and enslaved men, Johnny and Bussa. The revolt was named after Bussa. The planning and organization of the rebellion was accompanied by a propaganda campaign orchestrated by three free literate black men: Cain Davis, Roach, and Richard Sarjeant. Davis held meetings with slaves from different coastal plantations where he coordinated the rebellion plans and shared rumors. Sarjeant played a similar role, mobilizing rebels in the central parishes. The final day of planning took place at the River Plantation on Good Friday night April 12, 1816.

The rebellion started on Easter Sunday night April 14, 1816. It broke out with cane fields being burned in St. Philip parish, signaling to other rebels in the central and southern parishes that the rebellion had begun. It quickly spread from St. Philip to neighboring parishes which also experienced cane field burnings, but as yet the local militia had not confronted the rebels.  In the first days of the rebellion, over seventy estates were affected, forcing white owners and overseers to flee to Bridgetown, the colonial capital, in panic. Despite the scope of the rebellion, only two whites were reported killed.

The rebellion was short-lived. Martial law was declared on April 15, 1816. It was suppressed by local militia and British imperial troops which ironically included slave soldiers. The governor of Barbados, Sir James Leith, reported that by September, five months after the rebellion ended, 144 people had been executed. Seventy people were later sentenced to death while 170 were deported to neighboring British colonies in the Caribbean. Alleged rebels were also subject to floggings during the entire eighty days of martial law.

Vegan entrepreneur Babette Davis proves that anything is possible at any age. The 70-year-old chef has been a vegan for over twenty-five years. Davis uses her vegan lifestyle to share powerful self-love tips that help women around the world enjoy healthier lives.

On her birthday last year, Davis posted fitness photos on Instagram to “admire, inspire and realize how incredibly intelligent the human body is and how it will ALWAYS respond to self-care and LOVE!”

The Bathing Suit Photoshoot

Davis turned 70-years-old in December. To celebrate, she decided to do a black bathing suit photoshoot.

“Well, my daughter had sent some photos of she and myself. I must have been in my early forties, maybe late thirties and I noticed that I hadn’t really changed very much aesthetically,” Davis told Yahoo Life. “I thought, well, for my 70th birthday, I’m gonna do a photoshoot in a bathing suit.”

Davis engaged more than 100,000 followers on Instagram in her “Seven at Seventy” photo series. The overwhelming responses confirmed one thing: Davis is the definition of goals for women of all ages.

“I have so much to be grateful for. I am healthier now than I was when I was thirty and my lifestyle is conducive to maintaining health! My heart is filled with love and appreciation for LIFE ALL LIFE!” Babette shared on Instagram.

Transitioning to a Vegan Lifestyle

Davis is making major moves in her career and isn’t showing signs of slowing down. She’s a fitness expert, motivational speaker, and world-class chef. Davis is embracing every moment as a 70-year-old vegan entrepreneur.

“People get depressed about their age, but I’m so excited about every age I am. What’s the next thing I’m going to be able to do?” Babette shares. “Am I going to be able to defy some odds? What am I going to be able to do at 75? Retire?”

Davis gives credit to her vegan food choices for the life she enjoys today. After eating a meal made by her husband, she was instantly inspired to commit to vegan foods. Now, she helps others be more intentional about their food choices through her books, online recipes, and social media motivation.

Maintaining Healthy Habits

Numerous articles prove that successful people commit to a morning routine. Davis is no different. She often shares the benefits of having an active lifestyle.

Davis wakes up at 2 am and commits to frequent workouts around 3 am. Then she starts her day at her California-based restaurant, Stuff I Eat. This restaurant specializes in vegan, organic, and eco-friendly foods.

Davis has made health a part of her lifestyle by becoming a vegan entrepreneur. She started off selling vegan items on a cart outdoors. Her food was a hit, forcing her to expand to a physical restaurant location. Over twelve years later, her restaurant is still going strong even throughout the COVID-pandemic. The combination of her nutritional foods and motivational messages have kept customers tuned in.

“We want to look good for as long as possible, but we need to care for ourselves and we need to stop comparing ourselves to other people,” says Davis.

Detroit-based entrepreneur Alison Vaughn gifted young girls with “I Could Be Next” shirts. Her inspiration: the country’s historic inauguration.

On January 20th, Vaughn hosted an intimate party for a group of girls. They watched the momentous inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. At 78, Biden is the oldest President in the nation’s history. Kamala Harris was sworn in as the first woman Vice President. She’s also the first black and Asian-American person in this role.

“I want my daughter to know anything is possible,” says Vaughn in an email interview. “Whatever you want to be you can do it. And I wanted her to watch history in the making. To see a woman of color become the first Vice President of the United States proves that dreams can become reality”

Talk Show Host Shares Lessons with T-Shirts

Alison Vaughn is a mother on the move. She helps people realize the power of their dreams every day.

Vaughn is the host of the “Alison Vaughn Show: A Ministry for Busy Mothers.”  Every week, she spends her time sharing stories and offering Christ-centered teachings. Vaughn helps busy moms overcome daily challenges by using the pages of the Bible as a source of guidance. But on inauguration day, Vaughn was able to go deeper with her teachings and reach out to the next generation.

Vaughn instilled life lessons into the next generation of female leaders as they watched history in the making. She encouraged the young girls to see themselves in the Vice President’s shoes, accomplishing anything they want in life. Then, she gifted each girl with T-shirts. The “I Could Be Next” T-shirts were a symbol of hope and possibilities for black girls who haven’t always been recognized and appreciated in society. But now, the shirts are also a reminder of what the girls can achieve every day.

A Role Model Beyond the Inauguration

Vaughn’s daughter doesn’t have to search far for inspiration. Her mother is making major moves in Detroit and using her platform to make a national impact.

Vaughn is an entrepreneur, author, blogger, and community advocate. In 2000, she founded Jackets for Jobs, Inc. The nonprofit provides professional etiquette and career training to individuals who are seeking employment opportunities. Her organization has helped over 30,000 women secure jobs.

Vaughn has spoken at the World Islamic Economic Forum in Dubai, UAE, and has shared insights on advocacy at numerous events. She served as the co-chair of the 56th Annual Detroit NAACP Fight for Freedom Dinner, drawing over 10,000 attendees.

Vaughn wears many hats in her career. But her shirts make it clear what items are at the top of her priority list: empowering girls and women to dream big.

Black women are often praised and revered for their hair. The texture of black hair is suitable for forming unique styles from the afro to braids.  Even mainstream media often imitate styles invented and catered to women with Afrocentric hair without a mention of appreciation.

Nevertheless, there was a time when black women weren’t allowed to display their hair in public. Keep reading to learn about the Tignon Laws and how it was used to fuel racial tensions in the United States.

A tignon (tiyon) is a headdress used to conceal hair.  It was adorned by free and slave Creole women of African ancestry in Louisiana in 1786.  The sumptuary law was enacted under Governor Esteban Rodriguez Miró.  The regulation was meant as a means to regulate the style of dress and appearance for people of color.  Black women’s features often attracted male white, French, and Spanish suitors and their beauty was a perceived threat to white women. The tignon law was a tactic used to combat the men pursuing and engaging in affairs with Creole women. Simply put, black women competed too openly with white women by dressing elegantly and possessing note-worth beauty.

Nonetheless, black women did not despair. Instead, they abided by the rule and turned it into fashion. The women used unique colors, jewels, ribbons, and wrapping styles which accentuated their gorgeousness even more. Out of this bore the various head ties seen today on women of color using unique materials, patterns, and flair.

Tignons have been worn by women in the Caribbean islands of Martinique, Guadeloupe, and Dominica which included hidden messages. They used Madras – a popular fabric amongst slaves and free women to achieve their head ties.

Tignon law eventually went out of effect in the 1800’s yet, black women worldwide continue to use head wraps as wardrobe staples paying homage to their culture, signifying their pride, and looking stunning while doing so.

There are not many female neurosurgeons in Africa as the field is still heavily dominated by men. Dr. Salamat Ahuoiza Aliu did not let the lack of representation prevent her from pursuing her dream of becoming a neurosurgeon and now she is the first female neurosurgeon certified in West Africa and the first indigenous trained female neurosurgeon in Nigeria.

Aliu was born in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria, where she received her medical training at the University of Ilorin. After medical school, she took an interest in neurosurgeon and decided to specialize in neurosurgery at Usman Danfodiyo University under the mentorship of Professor BB Shehu. She knew very well that the training would be intensive but that did not scare her in the least bit.

She first conceived the idea when she visited the Neurosurgery Centre in Nigeria’s Sokoto State. Despite the foreseeable obstacles and challenges especially being a woman venturing into the field, Aliu still persevered and successfully completed her course.

The journey to becoming a certified medically trained neurosurgeon can take up to 15 years of schooling from the first degree right through to the end of the fellowship. To appreciate this great feat by Aliu, one must know that complex neurosurgery could take up to 15 hours in the theatre.

This specialization involves more than brain surgeries. Neurosurgeons perform spine surgeries and specialize in the diagnosis and surgical treatment of disorders pertaining to the central and peripheral nervous system which includes congenital anomalies, trauma, tumors, vascular disorders, infections of the brain or spine, stroke, or degenerative diseases of the spine.

Aliu, who is in her 40s, co-authored three publications including the well-read publication, “Knotting of a nasogastric feeding tube in a child with head injury” with seven other physicians in 2014. They discussed the complications that could arise from placing a nasogastric tube in patients that are unable to feed themselves.

She was listed as part of the top 100 persons of the year by Arewa socio-political group in 2016 for her remarkable work in neurosurgery and advocacy for more women in the neurological field.

Aliu is married with two children and is currently working at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital as a neurosurgeon. She previously worked at the National Hospital, Abuja.

Aliu and her sisters are family goals and evidence that girl-child education is a must. All five of them are medical doctors including Aliu the neurosurgeon; Halima Aliu, a plastic surgeon; Raliat Aliu, an obstetrician and gynecologist; Khadijah Aliu, a family physician, and Medinah Aliu, a public health physician.

Aliu is an inspiration to many young girls and does not want to be the only woman medically certified neurosurgeon in Nigeria and West Africa. She thus continues to mentor other women with hopes of getting more women to consider specializing in neurosurgery.

The cigar industry has traditionally been dominated by men, specifically White men. The sector has seen little participation of women. However, two Cuban sisters are changing the narrative on the participation of women in the sector.

The twin Cuban sisters, Yvonne and Yvette Rodriguez, founded their cigar line called Tres Lindas Cubanas Cigars in 2014, making them owners of Miami’s first Afro-Cuban, woman-owned cigar company in the United States. They have straddled between African-American and Cuban culture since their childhood.

Born to a Cuban mother and Black Cuban father, the twin sisters grew up around their cigar-smoking grandmother, according to Miami New Times. Their signature Cigar includes “La Clarita” — which means fair-skinned — and is light-medium bodied; “La Mulata,” which means mixed black/white as is medium-full; and “La Negrita”, which means black, their strongest, full-bodied cigar.

Making cigars was not the first career path of the two sisters. After obtaining their degrees in journalism from the University of Florida, they parted ways in Miami. While Yvette took a job reporting for Channel 7, Yvonne began producing and editing programming for Telemundo. Yvette would later leave Channel 7 to create a PR firm while her boisterous twin sister continued her work with Telemundo.

The idea to go into cigar making occurred to Yvonne in a daydream. She then pitched the idea with Yvette, who found the idea intriguing. On a vacation in Costa Rica, Yvette met a Miami Cuban who owned a tobacco farm in Nicaragua.

By 2014, Yvonne and Yvette started creating their own cigar brand. “As women in a male-driven industry, it was more of a shock to the men when we would walk into a cigar shop,” Yvette told the Miami New Times. “I embrace the shock.”

Their business has since grown steadily. Their cigar brands, which have become quite popular among the Black community in Atlanta, are now sold in major shops in cities such as Chicago, Baltimore, Atlanta, among others.

Their journey in the cigar industry has not been smooth sailing. To date, some shop owners and colleagues try to discourage them. Their male counterparts even go to the extent of asking them whether they know what’s in their own cigars.

“Even to this day, they don’t think we smoke cigars, so imagine I’m trying to sell it,” Yvonne said. “We were starting not even at level zero; we were starting at level negative-five.”

In many families, individuals work two or three jobs to bring enough money home to cater for expenses such as food, fees and other bills. Mostly, side hustle jobs are pursued to complement monies made from one’s permanent job.

However, there is a growing trend where people are now turning their side hustles into their permanent jobs due to the money they are making from it and also the fulfillment it brings. Such is the story of Tiffany Grant, who was formally employed and managed side businesses.

Tiffany studied business administration and management at the university and aspired to get a good corporate job and work towards being the executive assistant to the CEO of a Fortune 500 company after university. Her first job was a receptionist but she soon found out that she had little interest in what she was doing.

It was during this period that the idea of being her own boss occurred to her. Tiffany hadn’t accumulated enough resources to start her own business and so made a shift in career path, this time, going into human resource.

“I started at a new company and I loved my work in HR, being able to tackle new challenges every day and help employees at all levels of the company make the most of their benefits. I even got to put on my financial education hat every so often,” Tiffany told grow.acorns.com.

In 2017, she decided to become a ‘dual-preneur’ by starting a side hustle while in formal employment. She started with Money Talk With Tiff, a financial education and coaching service. Today she runs five other businesses with her husband.

They include DanJai’s Natural Products, a homemade soap company, a custom tie-dye apparel company, a video production firm, and a logistics and shipping business and a rental company. Tiffany has now turned her side hustles into a full-time job which now bring in $10,000 each month.

The transition from working a full-time job to turning side hustles into a full-time job had not been easy. For the first year in business, Tiffany ran things part-time and spent more money than she earned. “I was fortunate to have my day job to fall back on and to help me cover some business basics like a web domain, tools, and software,” she says.

Tiffany says when she left the corporate world to focus on her businesses, she had saved up four months’ worth of expenses.” It was a slow start, and I ended up having to use some of those savings to cover the shortfall,” she says

However, three months in she was making enough from working with clients that she didn’t need to rely on the emergency fund.

Tiffany advises aspiring entrepreneurs not to be motivated by money alone but should have a strong foundation for why they want to start an enterprise.

“If money is your only motivation, my best advice is to not take the leap. For most entrepreneurs, cash flow is going to be rough in the early days of your business. You have to have a cause outside of the money that motivates you

“Find your ‘why’ and make sure it is a strong foundation because odds are things will get shaky. My ‘why’ is the lives and financial trajectories I have been able to help change. I personally live with anxiety and depression, and some days are harder than others,” she says.

A move by Kenyan authorities to improve the country’s tourism numbers has resulted in a backlash. Kenya’s tourism sector has taken a nosedive following the spread of the COVID-19 and lockdown measures to contain the spread of the virus.

According to a report by Kenya’s Tourism Research Institute, tourists numbers have fallen by 72% between January and October last year. “The sector hence lost over 110bn Kenyan shillings [$1bn, £738m] of direct international tourists’ revenue due to the Covid-19 pandemic,” the report noted.

To reverse the downward spiral, Kenya’s Tourism and Wildlife Ministry appointed British supermodel Naomi Campbell to become an ambassador for the industry. The 50-year-old model has 10 million followers on Instagram and Kenya is seeking to leverage this mass to revive its tourism sector.

“Supermodel Naomi Campbell has agreed to be Magical Kenya International Tourism Ambassador. She will help promote the marketing of Kenya as an ideal tourism and travel destination to the world,” a statement from the ministry read.

The agreement was reportedly reached over the weekend when the supermodel visited the East African nation. “We welcome the exciting news that Naomi Campbell will advocate for tourism and travel internationally for the magical Kenya brand,” said Najib Balala, the head of the ministry.

The appointment of Naomi Campbell has however caused an uproar that is playing out on social media. On Twitter, many Kenyans were outraged by the appointment of Campbell, saying there are Kenya celebrities who could be appointed to become ambassadors.

One Twitter user wrote: “Let’s address this because it’s clear it’s time for @tunajibu to retire..so Apparently Naomi Campbell is to become #Magicalkenya International Ambassador. #Kenya has International celebrities like Lupita, Debra Sanaipei, Christine Wawira, but he picked a Non Kenyan for this? How?”

Another user posted: “Ministry of Tourism taps Naomi Campbell, a tired model who has lost her mojo to be the Magical Kenya international Brand Ambassador and is to market Kenya as a tourism and travel destination. Why not @Lupita_Nyongo or one of our daughters of international repute? Lol”

“Lupita Nyong’o would have made a better Magical Kenya International Ambassador compared to Naomi Campbell. Well, It’s just what I think,” another Twitter user posted.

Many Twitter users did also express shock at the uproar that greeted the appointment of Campbell, particularly, comparing her with Kenyan model Lupita Nyongo.

“Look at Kenya’s International arrivals, the USA is first, contributing 12.9% followed closely by Italy with 12.0%. the UK comes in 3rd with a share of 9.5%, followed by Germany with 7.2%. Naomi Campbell appeals more to their citizens than Lupita Nyong’o does.”

“Kenyans should understand that these two top models Naomi Campbell and Lupita Nyongo pose and commands quite different niche markets when it comes to sponsor different entities,here the CS @tunajibu has something unique why he’s targeting Naomi Campbell and not otherwise!”

For her works in the creative industry, the education and training of young poets and writers, and her many other contributions towards improving the industry in Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Poet Laureate Commission, which operates under the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters, has named Dasha Kelly Hamilton as the 2021-2022 Wisconsin Poet Laureate.

Hamilton makes history as the first Black woman to hold the title of Wisconsin Poet Laureate in the 20 years since the award was instituted, TMJ4 reports.  She will hold the title for a period of two years with a $2,500 stipend and a week-long residency at Shake Rag Alley Center for the Arts in Mineral Point.

The main objective for the titleholder is to serve as state ambassador who encourages poetry throughout their tenure. A commemorative broadside and other recognition opportunities come with being the Poet Laureate of Wisconsin, including organizing and attending literary events each year.

The Milwaukee native is the ninth Wisconsin Poet Laureate, taking over from Margaret “Peggy” Rozga, the eighth Wisconsin Poet Laureate. From the inception of the award, the tenure for each Poet Laureate was four years. In 2008, it became two years after the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters took over the scheme.

Nick Demske, Chair of the Wisconsin Poet Laureate Commission, spoke about Hamilton’s appointment.  

“Dasha Kelly Hamilton’s infectious energy and demonstrated history of transforming lives through the written and spoken word make her the perfect ambassador for poetry in the state of Wisconsin. Her reputation precedes her, and we know that Wisconsin residents will benefit in many ways from this outstanding poet.”

Hamilton is a poet, performer, novelist who was named artist of the year in 2016 by the Milwaukee Arts Board. She has also been part of the arts envoy for the US Embassy that teaches, performs, and facilitates community-building initiatives with people from different backgrounds under the umbrella of the creative arts. She has been working on cultural exchange programs in Mauritius, Toronto, Botswana, and Beirut.

Not only is she the Poet Laureate for Wisconsin, but Hamilton was also made the Poet Laureate for Milwaukee getting to the end of 2019. This makes her the second person to ever hold both positions after Marilyn L. Taylor.

Speaking of her appointment, Hamilton said, “My practice as a writer and cultural organizer connects me to a spectrum of conversations and communities. For twenty years, I’ve invited folks to lean into the experience of creating and sharing poems as entry points for reflection, for discovery, for celebrating truth.

Her nonprofit, Still Waters Collective, introduced literary arts programming for 20 years, building platforms for many otherwise unheard voices to be honored and heard. The work she does through her organization allows for partnerships on projects and manages a creative leadership fellowship.

“I’ve seen communities built and individuals fortified through poems and spoken word. I’m honored to continue building community across the state as Wisconsin Poet Laureate, and look forward to establishing a poetry exchange between traditional residents and writer residents in Wisconsin prisons,” she added.

Hamilton holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University and an MA in Marketing Communications from Roosevelt University and has been an assistant professor at Mount Mary University, Alverno College, Bryant & Stratton, and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

The spirits industry is a $29-billion-dollar industry. The role of women in the industry dates to the prohibition-era women bootleggers. Their untold stories have led Erin Harris & Dia Simms (HANDS) to partner with Saint Liberty Whiskey to celebrate America’s women pioneers in whiskey.

Simms is a former president at Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Combs Enterprises and her partner Harris is the senior vice president there. The two, who have over 30 years’ experience in the spirits and wines industry, are now part owners of Saint Liberty Whiskey, working together to bring to life the untold stories of the Prohibition-era women bootleggers.

Founder and Chief Historian at Saint Liberty Whiskey, Mark SoRelle, told Forbes he is excited to have the power-duo on his team. “We are so thrilled to have HANDS as partners in Saint Liberty Whiskey. With their collective 30+ years’ experience in wine and spirits and disciplined approach to the brand-building they will be an invaluable asset to our team.” 

HANDS, founded by Simms and Harris, is a boutique spirits advisory company that gives strategic guidance and invests in spirit brands. Simms and Harris are adding their voices to other women entrepreneurs in the spirits and wine industry to show their fellow women that there is always a seat at the table for them.

“Women and millennials are the customers in the spirits industry really driving the resurgence and the fast growth of whiskey in the last six years in terms of the fastest growth population. You can’t have an honest, respectful conversation with the customers who are not reflected in your leadership,” Simms told Forbes.

In the 1920s after women had fought for the right to vote, they also had to protest the ban on the manufacture, sale and distribution of alcohol. The unsung women bootlegger heroes like Bertie Brown, Josephine Doody, Mary Curley, and the likes still managed to thrive in such a tumultuous era with their alcohol trade.  

The idea of Saint Liberty Whiskey, now part-owned by Simms and Harris, is to honor each bootlegger with their own whiskey that is “proofed and bottled in the state where each woman originally resided, using the same water source they would have used 100 years ago,” according to PRNewswire.

“We are proud to honor the courage and legacy of these pioneering women bootleggers. The women in the spirits industry today owe a debt to these frontierswomen,” said Simms.

The flagship whiskey, Bertie’s Bear Gulch Straight Bourbon Whiskey, is named after Bertie ‘Birdie’ Brown, a Black homesteader from Montana who was known at the time for making the best moonshine in the country.

According to Simms, it was extremely dangerous for Black women bootleggers at the time but Birdie was resilient. Aside from making her mark with her signature moonshine, Birdie’s hospitality was what made her stand out the most.

“When people went to her place, they felt truly welcomed. Even though she was getting harassed by the law, she was able to forge on.”

According to Harris, she and Simms navigated through the spirit industry for the last three decades with much success because they realized “that the better you treat your customer and the more you know them, the more you get that repeat business.”

Saint Liberty Whiskey seeks to create opportunities for women. Its board of directors is made up of only females, with five percent of its gross profits funding women’s empowerment issues, entrepreneurial and educational efforts.

“Saint Liberty honors women, but the liquid is made for everyone. It is incredible whiskey full of character that is made for discerning Whiskey drinkers. These women represent hustle and spirit. Their stories belong on the forefront of spirits history and the liquid belongs on the backbar of every quality bar. It’s the spirit of revolution,” said Harris.

Dr. Charis Chambers idolizes her big brother, Dr. Wesley C. Chambers. Recently, the pair finally got to perform surgery together at their family practice headed by their father, Dr. Crandall Chambers. The brother-sister duo took sibling goals to the next level as they performed a laparoscopic hysterectomy on a patient together.

An ecstatic Dr. Charis shared the moment on Instagram, saying, “Getting to do surgery on any day is an amazing experience. Getting to do surgery with my brother- even more amazing!”

The family practice, Chambers OBGYN in Columbus, GA., is where the three work. Their mother, Charlette Chambers, who passed away in 2017 from cancer, managed the office for 15 years before her passing. The family practically share the same passion and are there to support one another at work and at home.

“This week I got to perform a complex laparoscopic procedure with my brother, Dr. Wesley C. Chambers,” Dr. Charis wrote after the surgery with her brother. “His presence, partnership, and support throughout the case were literally the best gift that he has ever given me as his sister.

“I thank God for the opportunity to surgically treat my patients in need, and especially for the opportunity to do so with family by my side,”  she added.

According to BOTWC, Dr. Charis, Dr. Wesley and Dr. Crandall are all Board certified OBGYNs. Dr. Charis gives all the credit to her father for inspiring her and her brother to follow in his footsteps.

“My father was the first physician that I ever knew and he spoke to us often about his work. I loved how passionate he was about serving his patients and improving their lives with medical or surgical treatment”, she said.

Dr. Charis said this family legacy was made possible by their alma matters.

“We literally wouldn’t be here without our HBCUs. After graduating from Morehouse College, my Dad went on to attend Meharry College of Medicine. It was there that he decided to pursue a career in Obstetrics and Gynecology,” she wrote on Instagram.

As the home is the first place of socialization for every child and the formative years most often determine the outcome of the child, it is a delight to see Black families making waves for all the right reasons. Black parents ought to be the best role models for their children.  

Asha Grant grew a love for reading at a young age. Even though she loved indulging in different books, she hardly ever saw books that featured characters who look like her. Now, Grant is finally getting her wish and is opening up her own bookstore dedicated to Black women and femmes in Inglewood, California.

When the pandemic hit, Grant didn’t give up on dreams of owning a bookstore. She opted to start a GoFundMe page to crowdfund the start of her new business venture.

“When I was growing up, reading was a really huge part of how I got to understand myself,” Grant said in an interview with NBC Los Angeles.” There’s a huge disservice that our community gets when there is an entire group of people who are missing from that narrative.”

Grant established a goal of raising $65,000 to fund her start-up costs and secure her physical storefront through GoFundMe which she managed to reach and surpass her goal, gaining a total of over $83,000 to start her dream. Grant was able to open The Salt Eaters Bookshop in her hometown and shared with NBC Los Angeles that she plans to officially open its doors by February 2021.

The bookshop celebrated raising all the funds to open their storefront on the official Instagram page, thanking their supporters for bringing them this far.

“In 2020, thousands of you showed up and showed out to help secure a three-year lease for a literary sanctuary dedicated to the stories by and about Black women, femmes, and non-binary people in Inglewood, CA,” she wrote in her caption. “Thank you, thank you, thank you (!!!) for believing in the” dream.”