Cool Soror with Rashan Ali

It’s always dope to feature Cool People on The Cool Soror Podcast and today is no different! We welcome attorney, author and actor Tiffany M. Simmons.

With a knack for creative reinvention and an unsurmountable hustle, Tiffany is determined to leave her mark on the entertainment industry. As an undefeated attorney and CEO of the Simmons Law Firm, she’s already demonstrated her prowess to exceed expectations. Therefore, adding another notch to her already impressive belt of achievementsis no surprise.

Her next move is her most challenging yet and she’s opening up to allow others a front row view of how she intends to get it done. Raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan – one of the notably worst cities for African-Americans who live below the poverty level and have the least access to quality public education – Tiffany was determined to create a new path. She became heavily involved in the arts but was equally fascinated with the jobs behind the scenes. This thirst led her to law school and the rest is history!

With a strong concentration in Entertainment Law, Tiffany remained in the thick of the industry – patiently awaiting her return to the arts as an entertainer. After completing acting classes at the world renowned Tasha Smith Acting Workshop (TSAW), she was ready and eager to get back to the world of creativity.

Not only is Tiffany building her acting resumé, but she’s also taking the literary world by storm. With the release of her fourth novel, The Plug’s Lawyer – a trap novel about a good girl with street habits – she’s also added the title, AUTHOR, to her impressive repertoire.

Tiffany is winning the fight of this life and she is continuing to make moves in the rink. She embraces every round for the win. That’s what undefeated looks like.

Social Media: Twitter: @iamsimmonslaw IG: @officialsimmonslaw @thatslawebook @theplugslawyer

FB: Simmons Law, Tiff M. Simmons

The Cool Soror Podcast welcomes Dr. Kimberly Manning a Cool Soror of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. This Inglewood, California native has a heart of gold and to be in her presence at any given moment is truly a gift. A medical physician, affectionately known as “The Grady Doc,” Dr. Manning has an innate passion for her patients and a resounding kindness that every human being should encapsulate. Her official title is Associate Professor of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Attending Physician/Clinician Educator at Grady Memorial Hospital but she is so much more.

A friend to everyone she meets, Dr. Manning describes herself as the following:

“I’m a wife. I’m a doctor. I’m a mom. I’m a thinker. I’m a doer. I’m an innovator. I’m a writer. I’m a teacher. I’m a leader. I laugh hard every day. I cry at least once every day. I live my life with intention and purpose. I try very hard to use my gifts and to be kind. “

You can see her passion in words on her blog: TheGradyDoctor.com

Dr. Manning’s zest for life has always been within her, but after the sudden passing of her older sister and soror in 2012, she has vowed to make the most of every single moment in life. She finds the good in any and all situations. We should all have just a little taste of what this good doctor orders. Her order? Kindness on a platter. Kindness personified.

Social Media:Twitter: @gradydoctor

www.GradyDoctor.com

This Cool People Episode with Ciji Townsend offers 15 minutes of power to teach you how to make the most of your busy life! Ciji Townsend, a change agent. PR specialist and corporate executive offers tangible ways to execute our days with the most effectiveness, including simply getting a watch to curve distractions.

Who is Ciji? She is a believer, wife and a friend but most importantly she is genuine and authentic on her everyday journey to live balanced not busy and provide practical solutions to others (mostly strangers) to find balance and ultimately shift from crazy busy to confident calm.

Ciji has been intrigued by the word, busy since she was six years old. Surrounded by working parents and grandparents, everyone seemed to be really really busy…ALL of the time. Ciji was initiated into her family’s secret society of busy people when she turned 13. Her over programmed social calendar, full schedule and ridiculous amount of commitments from school sports to the youth and government club was an official rite of passage.

Ciji remained in the secret society and committed to the condition of being busy in high school, college and for many years post-graduation. Until one day a light bulb went off and she no longer wanted to respond to “how are you?” with the overused response, “I’m so busy!” She will show you how to remain balanced, not busy one step at a time!

Social Medial:Instagram: @balancednotbusyFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/balancednotbusy/Twitter: @balancednotbusyWebsite: balancednotbusy.com

We are happy to have Lakeshia P. Dixon join the Cool Soror Podcast! A Cool Soror of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., this educator, activist, wife and mother has taken life by its horns and led the way. A native of Miami, Florida and mother of three, she strives to impart to her children the importance of education and always putting your best self forward. You can feel her incredible energy and zest for life with every utterance.

Lakeshia wears many hats and the one with likely the most flair is the colorful hat of motherhood. Noticing her son, Kaiden begin to experience pain in his leg at a very young age, she dug deeper to get the answers she needed. That answer would not come until years later which resulted in her son’s leg being amputated. But what could have been deemed something completely life-altering has turned into an opportunity to educate people about children with physical differences. With that, “Kaiden The Great and the Sinister Lunch Lady” was born as well as Kaiden’s Crew, a non-profit organization that provides assistive devices to these children.

She operates an Educational Enrichment company and provides support to local schools within her community. When asked how she prevails through uncertain times, Lakeshia simply states:

“One day, TODAY, will be a long time ago. Knowing this, you can always push forward because your greater is certain to come.”

This epitomes resilence and so does she.

Social Media:IG: @keshiawrites TW: @keshiawritesIG: @kaidenthegreat_www.lakeshiapdixon.comwww.kaidenthegreat.com

The Cool Soror Podcast welcomes Chiquita Lockley, a dedicated member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

She is the producer and director of the forthcoming documentary, Eggs Over Easy: Black Women & Fertility (2018). She is also the producer of the award-winning documentary Kunta Kinteh Island: Coming Home Without Shackles (www. http://www.kuntakintehislandmovie.com/, courtesy ERoss Studios). She holds a BA in English from Spelman College and an MA in Film Studies from Emory University.

Chiquita specializes in live event production, providing creative direction and production management for artists’ tours including: Tasha Cobbs, Kierra Sheard, William Murphy, Bishop Paul Morton and others.

In 2013, she made her theatrical debut as playwright of the musical Kandi Burruss & Todd Tucker Present: A Mother’s Love. Scenes from the musical, starring Kandi, Eddie Levert, Shirley Murdock, and Porsha Williams were featured on the season finale of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta”.

Having spent the last 15+ years working in Faith-based television and media, Chiquita authored the book Creative Worship: 86 Tips for Establishing a Dynamic Worship, Media & Production Team. She is also the author of children’s book, Maggie Tales: Mommy, Where’s Heaven?, which seeks to demystify the Circle of Life for children and parents alike.

Chiquita has done so much, but her mission to spread the word about fertility issues that women of color face is at the top of the list. “Eggs Over Easy” proves to be an eye-opener for a conversation that has not been heard enough.

Social Media:www.ChiquitaLockley.com www.EggsOverEasyFilm.com IG: @QuitaWrites

The Cool Soror Podcast welcomes Dr. Candace White-Jackson to the show. She is a Cool Soror of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and is a board certified primary care physician practicing medicine in the Greater Atlanta area. She is a graduate of Nova Southeastern University School of Osteopathic Medicine with an Advanced Masters Degree in Public Health. Dr. White has a strong interest in health disparities and racial inequalities. Dr. White is a national spokesperson and medical consultant for Wholistic Growth for Generations. A non-profit organization dedicated to education and promoting healthy lifestyles for all for youth, providing substantive programs to help them attain a better quality of life.

Dr. White has also founded White Light Wellness organization. The organization is geared towards empowering and enlightening youth and adults through promotion of public health, mentorship, scholarship, education, disease prevention, fitness and recreation. Dr. White’s own personal history as a collegiate athlete, and medical professional is a uniquely qualifying attribute of her healthy living platform.

Dr. White’s list of accomplishments began prior to her career in medicine. This Gainesville, FL native attended the revered Florida A&M University on a full track Scholarship. She balanced her rigorous academic life while still making inroads on campus and having been named Miss Florida A&M University 1998-1999, was a member of the White and Gold Honor Society, FGAMP Scholars, served as captain of the Varsity Track and Field Team and was voted athlete of the year 1998-1999.

During Florida A&M University’s 2017 Homecoming, her undergraduate chapter presented a $125,000 check to assist current and future female students. As she said, “It’s about being on the FRONTLINE.” And that certainly is.

Social Media:

FB: Candice White JacksonIG: @Rocdocsnatural Twitter: @Rocdocsnatural

The Cool Soror Podcast welcomes Celebrity Makeup Artist Mimi J. to the show. A Cool Soror of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Having nearly 10 years of experience, Mimi J. has built a great reputation in the beauty world and is a well sought-after makeup artist and entrepreneur. She’s worked and been featured on popular television shows on networks such as Bravo, VH1, Oxygen, WEtv, Aspire, and Lifetime; services celebrity clientele including Angela Simmons, Kenya Moore and Da Brat; and has been published in major publications such as Essence, E! News, The Knot, Hype Hair, Reader’s Digest, Madame Noire, Modern Bride and Jezebel. As a beauty influencer, Mimi has a social media following of over 40,000 followers and has been a brand ambassador for companies like Colgate, Shea Moisture, Strength of Nature, and Family Dollar.

Mimi is also the owner of the beauty boutique The Glamatory located in Smyrna, GA and is the creator of GrindPretty.com. She is a graduate of Clark Atlanta University, holding a B.A. degree in Marketing. She can currently be seen on “The Graduates” on Aspire TV every Saturday night.

She epitomizes what it means to “get it done.” Mimi has the proof, one stroke at a time.

Social Media:

www.mimijonline.com

IG: @mimijonline @theglamatory @grindpretty

Grief: there is no preparation. Only those who have experienced it can try or attempt to describe it. But do you have a grief plan with your siblings, parents, family, best friend, closest sorority sister or frat brother? This episode will at least encourage you to have the conversation and possibly implement the steps I’ve used in the midst of my best friend’s grief.

The Cool Soror Podcast is excited to have Eboni K. Williams, an active and dedicated member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She is an attorney, author, and host on FOX News Channel. She also co-hosts ‘The Curtis & Eboni Show’ on WABC Radio in New York City (weekdays, 12-3 pm ET). Ms. Williams made her author debut with the national release of ‘Petty Powerful: Appearance, Substance, and Success’ in September 2017.

Prior to her role with FOX News Channel, Ms. Williams served as a CBS News correspondent, HLN contributor and talk radio host for Los Angeles’ KFI AM640, sharpening her broadcast experience while sharing her expertly analyzed views on various culturally relevant topics. She’s also had frequent guest appearances on CNN and the NFL Network.

Ms. Williams was accepted to and enrolled in The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill at the age of 16, where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree. Ms. Williams began her professional experience in Louisiana in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, where, as a law student, she clerked for the Louisiana Secretary of State and the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office. There, she also worked for various politicians, including New Orleans City Council Members, supporting efforts to rebuild the city of New Orleans. Ms. Williams received her BA in Communications and African-American Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a J.D. from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. Her career would and continues to flourish.

Now she adds author to this impressive list and chronicles the lessons she’s learned along her journey in her book “Pretty Powerful.” But DO NOT let the title fool you. Eboni K. Williams is extremely impressive from the inside and that in itself is pretty powerful.

Social Media:

IG: EboniKWilliams Twitter: EboniKWilliams FB: @EboniKWilliams

Patrice Donelson, Tiffani Davis and Ashley Worlds Gomez are three Cool Sorors from the Spring 2007 line of the Beta Alpha Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. They join the show today to talk about their line’s documentary, “A Klass Act” and their 10 acts of service during Florida A&M’s Homecoming 2017.

Their line name is H.I.D.A.Y.A. and it stands for Heroines Introspectively Defining AKAtude While Yielding AKAllence. The word Hidaya means "a precious gift". AKA is a gift for them as a line. They asked to be apart of her sisterhood and received that gift.

They created this documentary in celebration of their 10 year AKA anniversary to showcase their Service, Sisterhood and Scholarship. The documentary is called "Our Precious Gift" . In it, they talk about what 10 years of sisterhood has meant to them personally and how they are serving their communities today through their careers and at home in their personal lives.

The line’s theme for this homecoming is "A Klass Act: Then, Now, Forever.” They wanted to come up with something that spoke to the character the line embodies. Their love for Alpha Kappa Alpha and the Beta Alpha Chapter remains steadfast and true. The focus has and will always be to add to the iconic legacy the chapter holds through service and sisterhood.

Spring 2007: definitely KLASSY.

Social Media:IG: @BA_HIDAYA07