Cool Soror with Rashan Ali

Our host, Rashan Ali, a Cool Soror of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc, takes a moment to speak about her personal journey. As a freelance tv personality, she has had some amazing highs and equally daunting lows. During the lows, she has found herself focusing on the things she does not have instead of being grateful for the blessing of life.

In this episode, Rashan draws from her conversations with other guests who have been on the show to future guests. She also talks about being bold in our thoughts and actions, not only for ourselves but for herself in her own personal walk.

Rashan’s vulnerability offers the Cool Soror Collective glimpses of who she is and the struggles she faces in her day-to-day walk. She offers three steps to “Surviving The Dip.” The dip: the time when things are not aligned properly in our lives and we find ourselves without. These simple steps will help all of us come out on the other side and be able to laugh when we look at the low place we have come from.

Social Media:

TW: @rashanali

IG: @rashanali

FB: Rashan Ali (fan page)

www.sportygirlsinc.org

www.coolsoror.com

www.rashanali.com

The Cool Soror Podcast welcomes Jessica Wilkins to the show. A Cool Soror of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Jessica hit the ground running in Brooklyn, New York with $500 and an extreme desire to make it in the fashion industry. Now a writer and fashion blogger for her own very popular site, www.notcarriebradshaw.com, she has found her voice.

Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Jessica used her Southwest Atlanta approach to life to continue to push through even when the odds were stacked against her. Being a Black woman in fashion, she learned early that not everyone is going to like you. An internship at Oscar De La Renta taught her that very quickly. She wanted to give up. A much needed push from her mother confirmed her belief that she needed to stay the course.

Jessica calls herself three things: Wordsmith, Fashion Storyteller and Social Enthusiast. Her posts on her website will make you laugh, cry and think about a myriad of topics. Her gift is truly in her ability to deliver witty and thought provoking pieces that give the reader a different approach to understanding. Jessica’s comedic timing is never late. She is truly joyous.

She is a woman who is continuing to discover new things about the life she is living, but more importantly she is discovering who she is supposed to be in it. One thing is for sure, she is “Not Carrie Bradshaw” because Jessica is more than enough.

Social Media:

FB: @notcarriebradshaw

IG: @notcarriebradshaw

www.notcarriebradshaw.com

Radio/TV personality, voice over talent and all around incredible woman, Shay Moore joins the Cool Soror Podcast today. Shay is a Cool Soror of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and has one of the most inviting and warm voices we’ve ever heard. Overcoming a severe stuttering condition at a young age, she took what could have halted her dream and made it her platform.

Her 15 year radio career in major and medium markets has afforded her the opportunity work in cities such as Atlanta, Dallas, New Orleans, Buffalo and Charlotte. She is also a voice over actor and has been featured in three cartoons including the very popular adaptation of The Walking Dead. In addition to that, she has lent her talents for national commercials including Publix and Coca-Cola.

The road to her greatness has come with much heartache which allowed her to now truly bask in self-discovery. With that, Shay offers us five things she has done to stage a comeback after a setback. After hearing her story and knowing the reason why she is always able to stand in her truth is because of her “unshakeable belief.”

Social Media:

FB: @ShayMoore

Twitter: @HeyShayMoore

IG: @HeyShayMoore

www.heyshay.com

Feel The Pain And Move Forward with Tracy Nicole

Tracy Nicole is the designer & visionary of Tracy Nicole Clothing and today is a very special day! Her line debuts in 10 Belk Stores in the Southeast. This Cool Soror of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. is the linesister, former roommate and close friend to our host. In a very personal and moving interview, Tracy Nicole does not hold back.

Born into a life of domestic violence by the hands of her biological father, Tracy believed that was what loved looked like. She almost perpetuated the cycle ending up in an emotionally and physically abusive relationship herself at a very young age. She knew that her life was not supposed to look like that. Learning to love herself through therapy, Tracy later relived her childhood in her book, “Who Said Peaches Were Perfect.” Although she hid behind fictional characters, it allowed her to face her own truth. That truth eventually allowed her to heal.

Tracy opened Tracy Nicole in 2006 and remained opened for five years. She moved her store to completely online shortly after closing her doors. But the designer Tracy was ready to give birth to her line. And she did just that.

Tracy Nicole Clothing is a beautiful line for women of all shapes and sizes. Soon to launch men’s and children’s lines, the Belk partnership is only the beginning.

Tracy Nicole has overcome a lot, including breast cancer. Her diagnosis and recovery gave her life-changing perspective. The type of perspective that pushes her to keep going, despite the obstacles. Pain is a part of this life we live. But Tracy has learned to “feel the pain and move forward” anyway.

Social Media:

IG: @tracynicoleatl @tracynicoleclothing

www.tracynicoleclothing.com

www.belk.com

Mo Ivory knows how to get it done. This Cool Soror of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and alumna of Spelman College joins the show today and shares her guided journey like only she can. An attorney, professor, radio and television personality from the Bronx, New York has been seen on CNN, HLN, MSNBC, FOX & TV ONE as a political analyst and advocate.

Early on in her law career, she got the amazing opportunity to host a radio talk show. The position opened her eyes to more opportunities on the airwaves and her radio career took off. She eventually had to give up law to focus on her new life in media. In media, Mo has had some tremendous highs and some tremendous lows. But that did not stop her from continuously evolving into whatever Mo set out to do.

The world has no limits and she lives by this. She learned how to build houses and served as the President and General Counsel of Ivory Properties (2002-2007), a boutique real estate construction and development firm she founded.

In 2008, Mo moved back to New York City where she was raised, to serve as Chief of Staff to the Executive Vice President of Warner Music Group. Later that year, Mo served as a volunteer for Obama for America Campaign and raised enough money to custom outfit a coach bus, known as “Mo’s Voting Party Bus” filled it with her celebrity friends and for one week stopped at all colleges in Atlanta, GA…transporting more than 12,000 students to early voting locations. She duplicated that process for numerous political campaigns.

Recently, she was honored at the highest level when a quote of hers was chosen for display in the Smithsonian Museum of African-American History and Culture.

Mo gets it done. As with all of us, life has thrown us all some curveballs. But as we all are expected to do, we must get up and trust that a “door out leads to a door in.” Mo Ivory has lived it and doors keep opening, no matter which ones have closed.

Social Media:

Twitter:

@MoIvory

IG:

@moivoryshow

www.moivory.com

Wrapped In Color with Melissa Mitchell

Melissa Mitchell is exuberant. Melissa Mitchell lives her life in color. Melissa Mitchell is vibration. The Cool Soror Team is ecstatic to have this Alpha Kappa Alpha woman join the show for an exhilarating episode. This Miami, Florida native takes us on a journey of true discovery and you will enjoy every twist and turn that has led her to this point in her life.

As a child, she always had an affinity towards big hair, bright colors, animal print and anything that allowed her to stand out. Her love towards outward expression proved to be the perfect condition to cultivate her unique artistic interpretation and bold creations. Surprisingly though, her passion was not revealed to her until a snowstorm held the city captive. She picked up some wood and some paint and posted her painting on social media. Abeielle Creations was birthed from there.

Not only are her canvases uniquely brilliant, she takes those prints and makes them into head wraps for women, men and children as well as bowties. Much more is on the horizon for this creative who will light up any room.

This colorful queen’s artistic eye could be deemed as a human kaleidoscope. She has a knack for pulling colors together to create a harmonious cornucopia of expression. Most people are drawn to the “life source” that it brings.

Melissa boldly states that art is a special language from God and she is a vessel to speak its beautiful melodies. With a keen eye for detail, the world is better when it’s wrapped in color: one stroke at a time.

Social Media

@abeillecreations

www.melissaamitchell.com

Michelle Allen is a Cool Soror of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and joins the show today.  This educator, doctoral student, motivational speaker, podcaster, feminist, academic & DJ from Atlanta, GA.  She describes herself as the following:

“Fiya Angelou is the hypothetical love child of Carter G. Woodson and Nicki Minaj. She is the mashup of Negro Spirituals and Organized Noize.  Fiya Angelou is Nina Simone’s soul lyrics over crunk music bass lines.”

Influenced by Maya Angelou (hence her moniker), Michelle has so many beautiful layers that she shares with us during this episode.  After graduating from Savannah State University, she worked in corporate America at Exxon.  When the recession hit, she went back to school to get her MBA at Georgia Southern University but later changed her path.  A life-changing conversation with her mentor encouraged her to pursue a Master’s in Education.  She knew education was a part of her journey.

 “Educator” to Michelle looks different than the traditional word. She teaches as a podcaster for two shows: “For The Culture” and “Henn And Apple Juice.”  She teaches the importance and relevancy of Black Feminism, LGBTQ advocacy, cultural awareness and her fight to become her best self after being diagnosed with ADD in her adult life.  She  is an Enrichment Teacher for 21st Century Community Centers. These are only a few of her layers.  There are several that will intrigue you.

Michelle is very intentional.  She is a subject matter expert.  She loves herself unapologetically.  She is absolutely free because as she states in this episode, “Freedom Is Cool.”

And Fiya Angelou is just that.

Social Media:

@fiyaangelou

www.fiyaangelou.com

The Cool Soror podcast welcomes Ray Abram as our Cool Bruh feature of the week.  A member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc, Ray Abram is an experienced consultant, speaker and performance coach. He has worked with clients at Fortune 500 companies such as AT&T, Cox Media, Google, Sony and Viacom as well as smaller, more entrepreneurial ventures. He uses his consultative style and technological prowess to help you discover "your best self" and then provide tools to help maintain your new found "you". 

Ray does not stray away from talking about himself and how he was able to become the man he has become today.  He goes in depth about being so “forward focused” in his own life that he neglected to live in the abundance of now.  Because of this, he is able to channel his experiences to help his clients succeed.

In what feels like a coaching session, Mr. Abram counsels our host on resistance training in life and will power being a muscle.  He also takes an extended look into forgiving others who have wronged you and offers the action steps to ridding yourself of the pain. 

Ray has a book in the works currently, but while you wait you can read his tips for a better life on his blog at rayabram.com or in Pivot Magazine where he is a frequent contributor.

We are grateful for his insight into bettering ourselves through his own lens and therein lies the true beauty of introspection.

Social media:

@ray_abram

www.rayabram.com

As a millennial recruitment expert with experience in consulting companies on how to recruit talent, her primary focus is how they navigate themselves in the corporate setting and in the entrepreneurial space.  She has helped create a solid track record that secured interviews for talent from the Pentagon to Google.

Chandria believes that it is time for both parties to be able to coexist and get the best out of their partnerships.

Chandria Lucious Harris is exactly what corporations need to assist them in what many believe has become an antiquated system.  At the same time, the technological advances that have allowed millennials to thrive should open them up to build on their soft and personal skills development. She is the answer and has truly immersed herself in the matters of millennials.

Social Media:

@thegethiredguru

www.hirecultures.com

The Cool Soror Podcast welcomes Brian Johnson, a Cool Bruh of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

This Skipperville, Alabama native attended the University of Alabama majoring in Spanish and World Business with a concentration in International Marketing.

He has truly walked an undulated and fascinating journey throughout his 30+ years of live. His experience has impregnated his entire being to unapologetically live.

Initially starting his career in sales he knew almost immediately that the products he sold did not sit well with his far reaching purpose. He ended up leaving.

He then acquired and eventually lost a business while living in Phoenix, Arizona. But this too, gave him perspective. He knew that because he wasn’t truly connected to God’s purpose for his life, he could only reveal pieces of the dream.

He moved to Atlanta shortly thereafter.

He hit rock bottom in 2011 and his life was forever changes. Homeless and suicidal, Brian talks about the very moment he knew he had to live even in his darkest hour. 

The author of “Live Your Dreams Out Loud” has embraced faith and moved to Los Angeles where he was the assistant to Tavis Smiley.

From his affiliation with Tavis, he was able to make and foster valuable relationships that have led him to his current position. a talent booker for Apple’s Carpool Karaoke but he never let the real dream die; launching his own show.

Faithfully, The Brian Johnson Show debuted two weeks ago via Facebook Live.

He is totally in his sweet spot.

LIVING. DREAMING. OUT LOUD.

IG / Twitter: @BJTheDreamer

FB: The Brian Johnson Show