WOMAN TO WOMAN MARCH/APRIL

---

During Women’s History month we choose to honor women who have not only impacted our communities, but women who impact our lives. As women, no matter the race, we endure, we persevere, we do what we have to do to provide for our families and to help others in need. 

Woman To Woman With Joanne’s contribution to Women’s History Month is to honor women who have and continue to fight for our civil rights and women who impact our communities. 

This year we host our 6th Annual Mississippi Legends Ball honoring five amazing women who have done outstanding work in our communities, in our state and in our country. Our goal is to honor them and give them their flowers while they are here to enjoy them.

These amazing Mississippi Legends, Pastor Jennifer Biard, Dr. Cindy Ayers Elliott, Mrs. Ameka Coleman, Mrs. Lannie Spann McBride and Ms. Jennifer Riley Collins have given of themselves to make Mississippi and this world a better place, and it is our privilege to honor them and shower them with encouragment and praise for the amazing contributions to society they have given for us.

To our Mississippi Legends, we see you, we honor you, and we love you. Keep shining!

Love ya much!

Joanne

The month of February is a special time of the year to show appreciation to ones we love and adore. It’s a special time to recognize that special someone who makes the journey of life a bit easier and better. It is also a month that is dedicated to acknowledge and celebrate the outstanding achievements of African Americans. During this time, we reflect on how far we have come, while understanding there is still much work to be done. However, my prayer is during this month as you take the time to acknowledge others that you do not forget to simply love yourself. 

Earlier this week, I ran across a famous speech given by Malcolm X entitled "Who taught you to hate yourself?" In this speech, he asked a series of questions like "Who taught you to hate the way you look and feel about yourself? Who taught you to hate the texture of your hair or the color of your skin so much that you wish to change it? Who taught you to hate being what God created you to be?" Even though this speech was given in Los Angeles in 1962, I found myself wrestling with the same questions in 2017. It’s the answers to these questions that I found myself modeling my life around more so than that of love? If all your life you were constantly being told what was wrong with you more than what is good, how can you begin the process of loving yourself? How can you ever truly love or embrace love when you have accepted rejection as a way of life?

What I have come to understand about love is that it doesn't hide flaws nor does it constantly remind one of their shortcomings. When you truly love yourself, you accept your weakness while working towards them. You realize that you are human and you understand the humanness in others. This process gives birth to compassion. You come to the realization that you still have something great and of value despite your flaws. By loving yourself, you begin to teach others how to love you. "Until you value yourself, you won't value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it." -M. Scott Peck

Growing up, I allowed the enemy to make me believe an ugly lie that nobody loved me. I faced a lot of rejection, criticism, and ridicule for simply being me. Since love was more understood than expressed in my home, I really didn't have anything to combat the daily rejection from others. I begin to hate myself the way others did. I was so use to criticism that I didn't even know how to accept compliments. I allowed those experiences to shape me and they followed me into my adulthood. It wasn't long before I begin to perpetuate the same cycle of behavior. I too, became very critical of others and rejected anything or anyone that was different.

Most people that are not walking in love often times feel defeated. When you don't love yourself you give your power away. You subconsciously give people permission to treat you the way you treat yourself. So many times I allowed the opinions and beliefs of others to shape me. I cared more about what others thought of me than myself. I wish I could say this was something I struggled with as a child but I have wrestled with this more so as an adult. However, with each day the Lord has blessed me with, I'm learning more about God's love and through Him I'm learning to love myself. The creator of the universe has already accepted me and loves me just the way I am. Just think of the person you admire or idolize the most in the world loving you, accepting you, and is ready to help you in-spite of your flaws. This is so small in comparison when it comes to God's love. I am starting to become convicted by His word when He says I am fearfully and wonderfully made, I am first and not last. That he has given me a crown of beauty for my ashes. When you begin the process of loving yourself it will be a bit rocky. You will wrestle between two thoughts but know that love is a choice, so why not choose you? You will have to start creating new habits and recognize immediately when old patterns or beliefs about your old self begin to reoccur. It is also good to be around people who reinforce positivity. The bible clearly says for one not to "sit in the seat of the scornful." Psalms 1:1 

It is always good to admire and acknowledge the greatness in others but always remember that you have something great to offer the universe as well. There is a big difference between self-love and selfishness. I strongly believe that when you truly have accepted and love yourself, it gives you the freedom to love someone else. One of the commandments our Savior left with us was to "love thy neighbor as we love ourselves." During this month begin to answer the question "What do I love most about myself? What is my greatest accomplishment? When was the last time you tried something for the first time and enjoyed it? What do I like most about my body? How would this world be if I wasn't around? I challenge you throughout this month to fall in love with God and who He has called you to be. Remember to choose to always love yourself!

What does it take to manage your dream? What does it take to protect your dream? I’ll answer these questions with three simple words, no distractions, limits or excuses. When you give yourself permission to birth your dreams, it requires commitment, confidence and courage to combat the feelings of devastation, despair and doubt. What does that look like? It looks like everyone rejecting your ideas, everyone telling you NO, it looks like lack of support, it looks like insufficient funding to produce product or lack of revenue. It looks like things are in disarray, it looks like everyone is doing better than you, it looks like devastation. The easiest thing to do is give up. The easiest thing to do is move on and live a life of complacency and comfort. There’s no ambition, zeal, courage, confidence or commitment.

Therefore, I admonish you when faced with adversity to give in to that moment and use those emotions as motivation. There’s a quote I live by: when you want to give up, give in! This statement means that I give myself permission to fail and make mistakes but giving up is never an option.

I remember so vividly looking in the refrigerator and there was only a stick of butter and jelly. I am a mother of four children and we have nothing to eat for dinner. How am I supposed to feed my children with no food to cook and cabinets bare? How long am I supposed to sacrifice and suffer? 

At this time, I was employed working a Part Time job, with no benefits, however I have responsibilities such as a mortgage payment, utility bills, car and insurance payments each month that are due. In addition, there’s household necessities, clothing for my kids, gas for the car, food and beverage that I am responsible for maintaining. I immediately begin to regret my decision to resign from my full-time position, with benefits that maintained my household. I chose to leave my position due to several factors in hopes of becoming a full-time employee within a certain time frame. 

Point 1: However, sometimes we create plans according to our strategy but God has another agenda in the works. God tells us in Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. The plan will not always be revealed through happiness but discomfort so you can trust God in the circumstance. Even though I was frustrated and overwhelmed with how I was going to make ends meet, God provided for my family month after month. Although my income was low, we could eat every night. We weren’t eating steak, potatoes, collard greens but we were able to eat. We weren’t starving: there were many nights we ate roman noodles, sandwiches and chips, tuna fish, hotdogs and beans but we weren’t without nourishment to our bodies.

Four months go by, I am still employed part time but I am actively looking for full time employment. I arrive to work every week on time, diligent and ready to serve my community. On the other hand, I’m eager, self- motivated and determined to impact the world with my voice. Daily I remind myself that I was created with a purpose. I tell myself I will be the head and not the Tale, I’m more than a Conquer. As God gives me strength to persevere despite my present situations and pursue my vision of entrepreneurship, I become focused on my vision, mission and target audience and empower the women in my community daily. I developed the understanding as a leader that as I empower women, I empower myself. Every day I was committed to pouring into the ladies. As I reached out, it was a reminder of the woman I use to be with no hope, confidence or purpose in 2009. 

Point 2: Sometimes when you’re faced with adversity you can lose sight of what you’ve previously conquered and accomplished through pain and hardship. I overcame emotional bondage. I conquered and found my purpose, confidence and passion through adversity before so I will conquer again.

The easiest thing to do is give up when you’re feeling stressed, overwhelmed, frustrated or depressed. We all have a purpose but the purpose will not be revealed in your life during the time things are going according to plan. Purpose is created and birthed in the moment of adversity. Adversity arises then disrupts your happiness and unsettles you to push you in assignment. Therefore, you must embrace the hardships in your life and use them as tools, life lessons, and opportunity to tell your story of victory. 

You can’t share your story unless you learn the lesson and recognize the tools used to endure. For example, I endured over four months of adversity; not knowing how I was going to provide each month for my family but I didn’t succumb to my circumstances. Once I realized and recognized my experiences were a test, it became easier to manage. God blessed me with a full-time position, with benefits. I was able to become financially stable as I pursued my purpose without allowing distractions, limits or excuses to hold me back.

Choose to LIVE!

My Weary Love, 

I see you. I truly see you. 

And I saw you. All week long, I watched you struggle and strain and strive to do all the things in your own imperfect and insufficient strength. I waited for you and even nudged you to come to Me, to cast every one of your cares on Me. I deeply care for you, and, unlike you, I have the divine capacity to carry it all. I have repeatedly assured you that in My presence, you will find fullness of joy and rest for your weary soul. 

But you rarely paused this week to ask Me for help or relief or guidance or favor. Instead, you busily tried, unrelentingly and unsuccessfully, to control the uncontrollable.

When no one else was looking, I saw you, already weak with life traveler’s fatigue, still go all those extra miles to love, care, support, encourage, and achieve. And I saw you reach the end of those extra miles to only receive more demands coupled with criticisms of how you can be and do better, be and do more. Of course, you have been your own worst critic.

Not one single person, not even those you love most, reminded you that you, apart from what you can contribute, are ENOUGH, that you are not alone, that you matter.

Because I know your every thought, I know you pondered why you’re here and wondered if this place and these people would be better off if you weren’t. I heard you contemplating old, unhealthy ways to cope with the gravity and stress of simply being present. Lately, you’ve been hard on and unkind to you. You don’t deserve the toxic assumptions you make about yourself and your worth. 

In nearly every moment of solitude and silence, I witnessed your eyes well with tears of frustration and fear, tears of mourning the unacceptable notion to quit. ‘Cause so many are counting on you to make it, to show up. You have to keep fighting, but you don’t know how. 

You almost broke. 

But you didn’t. 

I held you together. 

And after all that, you’re still here. 

Beloved, I am here. I was there. All along. I wanted you to come to Me with an open heart to hear my words and to be transformed by their power. 

I love you with an everlasting, unconditional love. Nothing can separate you from my love.

I will never leave nor abandon you. 

I have made you the head, not the tail, above only, not beneath.

I draw near to you when your heart is broken, and I rescue you when your spirit is crushed. 

When you are weak, I am strong. My strength is made perfect in your weakness. 

I forgive you. Forgive others. Forgive yourself. 

I give you perfect peace. 

You can trust Me, even when you can’t understand. 

It’s never too late to heal. 

I am just, and my justice always prevails. 

I have a beautiful plan for your life.

With Me on your side, nothing is impossible.

If you seek me, I promise you will lack no good thing. 

[Insert your name here], I saw you this week. I heard what you could not say. I felt what you could not express. I was there then, and I am here now. Come to Me, exhale, and be restored to hope and vigor. 

Love, 

Your Heavenly Father

Praying you have a purposeful, hopeful, delightful week, Friends.

Jennifer R. Biard is the Senior Pastor of Jackson Revival Center Church, a rapidly growing non denominational, ethnically diverse congregation in Jackson, MS. She was ordained as a Minister of the Gospel in 1996, licensed in 1998, and has devoted the majority of her life to providing people with tools and resources that encourage and inspire them towards wholesome, transformational living.

Prior to her role as Senior Pastor, Jennifer served as Assistant Pastor to her father, Raymond O. Biard, the founding pastor of Jackson Revival Center. It was then that she honed her abilities as a manager and administrator, skillfully navigating multiple projects and learning the behind-the-scenes operation of the church.

Outside of the pulpit, Jennifer has spent her time philanthropically, developing multiple organizations that further accomplish the mission of transforming lives including Little Ambassadors Developmental Learning Center, a preschool for inner city children; Hearts of

Compassion Independent Living for Seniors, inspired by the vision of her mother Dorothy L. Biard; and the Corporation for Global Community Development, a nonprofit organization

designed to promote the growth and development of low to moderate income individuals and communities throughout the state of Mississippi.

With the understanding that partnership is a key to positive change, Pastor Jennifer has worked with and served on a variety of community focused boards and councils throughout the years. These relationships have been part of her goal towards finding common ground to achieve uncommon goals.

Beyond the recognition and achievements, Jennifer is simply a woman driven to love God and to love people.

Ameka Coleman is an inspiring and visionary entrepreneur who founded Strands of Faith, a clean beauty brand focused on nourishing and revitalizing textured hair using cruelty-free and rich ingredients. Her passion for clean beauty and dedication to providing high-performance products for textured hair drove her to establish the company.

Ameka's journey started on Instagram, where she built a vibrant community by showcasing her own kinky hair texture, creating stunning styles and tutorials, and empowering women to embrace their natural beauty. Recognizing the lack of effective hair care options for textured hair, she took matters into her own hands and began formulating and testing products in her kitchen in 2017.

With an impressive educational background, including double Bachelor's degrees in Biological  Sciences/Microbiology, an MS in Clinical Research Management, and an MBA, Ameka's commitment to knowledge and excellence shines through in her business.

Leaving her successful career in Clinical Research behind, Ameka dedicated herself fully to her company, turning Strands of Faith into a self-funded multi-million-dollar enterprise through perseverance, resilience, hard work, and determination. Her faith in God and the support of her family guided her every step of the way.

Beyond her role as CEO, Ameka mentors and supports other small businesses, particularly in the hair care, e-commerce, and beauty industries, sharing her experiences and offering valuable guidance to help them flourish.

Ameka's journey is an inspiration to many. As a devoted mother and partner, she draws motivation from being a role model for her family. Her mission is to end global texturism, promote mental wellness, and encourage self-love through her brand, empowering individuals to embrace their natural hair and unique beauty.

Some of her awards and recognitions include being named the 2022 Outstanding Exporter Honoree at the Sixth National Small Business Exporter Summit, SBA Emerging leader, Kapitus Grant Finalist, and MS Top CEO 2021.

Her favorite verse, Philippians 4:13, serves as a driving force in her life and resonates in her brand messaging and product line, reminding her and others to overcome obstacles and achieve greatness through God's strength. Ameka's goal is to empower individuals worldwide to love themselves and their hair unapologetically.

In December 2023, Jennifer Riley Collins was appointed by the Biden-Harris Administration to serve as the Southeast Regional Administrator for the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. In this role Jennifer represents a vast and diverse portfolio of programs and services and over 900 employees that serve communities throughout the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, in addition to the U.S. territories in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. She works throughout the Southeast Region with congressional delegations, state and local officials, stakeholders, and HUD employees to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all.

Prior to her role as Regional Administrator, Region IV, she has served as Chief Administrative Officer and Senior Advisor to the Federal Co-Chair of Delta Regional Authority (DRA). In this role she has overseen all fiscal and operational matters as well as ensure compliance with laws and regulations as well as integration of White House initiatives with DRA programs. 

In December of 2020, she established J Riley Collins Consulting, LLC in 2020 to help good people do good work for good people. As Owner and Principal Consultant, she applies over 30 years of experiential expertise in strategic planning and critical thinking to help organizations advocate for positive and impactful change. She uses legal and business acumen to support private, public and non-profit organizations with administrative, operational, and programmatic compliance. She also provides strategic funding advisory support to philanthropic organizations who align with her desire to provide assistance to often overlooked communities.

Jennifer has led the work of civil rights organizations including the ACLU of MS and represented select governmental entities ensuring “justice for all” remains a paramount priority. She serves as an Adjunct Instructor at Alcorn State University. She instructs an array of social science courses including Introduction to International Law, Constitutional Law, Criminal Justice, Comparative Government, Problems in American Politics (a Public Policy course), State and Local Government, and Pre-Law Seminar. 

Jennifer is a Higher Heights Executive Leadership Fellow, a W. K. Kellogg Community Network Leadership Fellow, a graduate of the Congressional Black Caucus Institute’s Advocacy and Campaign Training program, a graduate of both Emerge and The Black Collective candidate training academies and an Excellence in Action Trainer certified by the Mississippi Alliance of Nonprofits and Philanthropy.

Jennifer is a 32 year military veteran. She retired from the United States Army in 2017 at the rank of Colonel. She honorably and with distinction served as a Military Intelligence Officer in various assignments twice serving as a Commander at the Company and then at the Battalion level. She served as the Command Inspector General at a power projection platform during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Her last assignment was at the Military Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Manpower and Reserve Affairs at the Pentagon. 

Jennifer Riley Collins, a native of Meridian, Mississippi, is a graduate of Alcorn State University (BA degree), Central Texas College (Masters) and MS College School of Law (JD) She is a member of several organizations including the Mississippi Bar Association, the Magnolia Bar Association, Mississippi Women Lawyers Association, the National Bar Association, the NBA Women Lawyers Division, Jackson Revival Center Church, Jackson, MS (serves as Servant Leader of the Legal Ministry), Leadership Jackson, Women for Progress of MS, the Federation of Democratic Women, AAUW, Win With Black Women. She is an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and has served as the Beta Delta Omega Chapter of AKA Connections and Social Action Committee Co-Chair. 

Jennifer is recipient of various awards and recognitions including the Mississippi NAACP’s Goodman-Chaney-Schwerner Award, the National Bar Association Women Lawyers Division Hidden Figure Award and so many others.

Dr. Cindy Ayers Elliott is the CEO of Foot Print Farms, LLC, founded in 2010. The farm spans 68 acres and  features fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Foot Print Farms also focuses on agri-tourism for community development across the nation, and especially in the City of Jackson.

Dr. Ayers worked many years in New York as an investment banker. In 2010, Dr. Ayers traded in her high heels for a pair of work boots! Dr. Ayers worked as the CEO for the Delta Foundation for five years, a non-profit that operates in the Mississippi Delta. She participates with the United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to ensure her farm is productive and environmentally friendly. While she depends on her farms for sustenance, she also wants to use it as an educational tool to teach people learn about healthy eating and sustainable farming. 

Dr. Ayers is a founder of the Mississippi Meat Goat Producers Cooperative, a board member of the National Women in Agriculture and Mississippi Women in Agriculture, member of the Hinds County Board of Commissioners, Soil and Water Conservation District (USDA/NRCS), member of the Women for Progress, and former President of the National Alliance for Improvement in Higher Education. She was also featured on the Katie Couric show, and by comedian/actor Kevin Hart. 

Dr. Cindy Ayers Elliott,  2024 is being honored by United Way of the Capital Area Jackson MS, Women United Excellence Award, and by WOMEN TO WOMEN, magazine, Honoring Women of the Civil Rights Movement Women who has impacted our communities. 

Dr. Ayers is the recipient of the USA TODAY Women of the year 2023, Mississippi Small Farmer of the year 2022, Google Small Business Hero 2022, Mississippi Business Journal’s Top 50 Businesswomen in Mississippi, and has been honored as a member of as Who’s Who Among Black Americans. She also has been featured by the USDA/NRCS on the national level as an innovative farmer who is working to provide fresh, healthy foods within the state of Mississippi. She established the 2nd Freedom School Summer Program in Washington County, Mississippi, and is a proud member of the George Washington Carver Future Scientists of America 4-H Club.

Dr. Ayers takes great pride in being an alumnus of Jackson State University, is the proud mom of LaGrand and Eric Elliott, and grandmother of Christian, Erica, Zoe and Skylar Elliott.

When Lannie Spann McBride speaks, her voice resonates with tones cultivated by a lifetime of singing the gospel. Her message of faith has touched the hearts of her students, and the hearts of people around the world.

McBride, 63, was born in Brandon and moved to Jackson after her father, Silas Lee Spann, began ministering at several Mississippi churches when she was about 6 years old. When she was 12, her father purchased a piano and told his children they were going to help with the music ministry at St. Mark Baptist Church in Brookhaven, planting the seeds of her musical calling.

McBride, a graduate of Tougaloo College and Jackson State University, is a veteran of music education in Pre-kindergarten to college level instruction. Some assignments in music education include Minister of Music at Greater Fairview Baptist Church, adult choir director and music class instructor of The General Missionary Baptist State Convention of Mississippi, USA, and Adjunct Music Education Instructor/Lecturer at Jackson State University.

Successful music tasks in school, church, and community have helped to establish her as a reputable teacher, writer, publisher, and friend to music education through-out the United States of America. She often serves in ministry as solo vocalist, speaker, lecturer, consultant, and clinician in both academic and faith-based school, church, and community projects.

McBride is founder and CEO of F & S Music KC Publishing LLC of Jackson, MS. F & S Music is an online web store housing her original works in sheet music, recordings, faith books, and academic music teaching resource books for use by both schools and churches. Some of her most recent publications include an Inter-disciplinary songbook for grades K-8th entitled Singing What We Know and two new children’s choir sheet music packets entitled, Kingdom Melodies IV and Kingdom Melodies V. (There are four other faith-based children’s choir packets; some with lyrics sheet and performance or demonstration CDs. 

Among her most rewarding experiences are: composing, arranging and recording with Headstrate Entertainment of Hampton, Virginia, Greater Fairview Baptist Church Choirs; both Mississippi Mass and Mississippi Children’s Choirs, Kingdom Connection Community Choir, Evangelist Temple COGIC Sanctuary Choir, and Mississippi Youth Choir of the General Missionary Baptist State Convention of Mississippi, USA (soon to be released in 2015) in Jackson, Mississippi. McBride was music consultant, choir director, actor, and soloist in the movie MISSISSIPPI BURNING. She has also ministered in international Gospel Music presentations in the Bahamas, Jamaica, and Spain (toured as guest vocalist with The Black Heritage Choir USA through Malaco Records).

At the center of McBride's being is her life-long and powerful faith in God. "Everything I do is faith based," she says. "If I speak, if I sing, it's God working through me. I try to free myself so that he can flow through me."