Up Close & Personal with Angela on behalf of Aspiring Authors Magazine: July 2021

Thursday, July 22, 2021

2021=#14 UP CLOSE & PERSONAL W/ MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER & AUTHOR Tajika Giles

Tajika Giles

tajikagiles26@gmail.com

Hello my name is Tajika Giles I am from Knoxville, Tn were there is 3 of my mother and father's children one son and two daughters and I am the middle child. I am a speaker were I love to speak infront of people, being a Women's Day coordinator, making sure I worship with God everyday, then spend time with family and friends. There are so many accomplishments that I have achieved and grateful for starting with being a co-author of "I Am A Woman Empowered Anthology" and "L3 movement we are the change. Also there are other groups that I love to attend on regular basis including "The SheEO District Community and Manifest the life you deserve with Life By Design Academy. My goals in life is to follow God, fulfill my purpose also to make sure I have a divine relationship with him, and help people learn, read, worship and get to know him better and except the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saver

2021-#13 UP CLOSE & PERSON W/ Author Kela Calvin

Author Kela Calvin is from a small town in Virginia with big-time aspirations. The author aims to motivate and inspire others through the art of storytelling. She accomplishes this by writing in different genres as well as under a pseudonym of pen names; Therapeutic Poet and K.C. Nightfall. Her stories and poetry will encourage readers to be a true vessel of their own living proof testaments. Since the seventh grade, she knew that she had a knack for writing. She created a story titled “Attack of the Feet Monster” for a class assignment and received an A plus. “I could hear the teacher laughing quietly as she graded my assignment. She requested that I read it aloud with my classmates as my audience. The class went hysterical!” were the author’s exact words.

Kela Calvin graduated Cum Laude from John Tyler Community College with an Associates of Applied Science in Human Services and Magna Cum Laude from Kaplan University with Bachelors of Science in Human Services Administration. She has worked in the healthcare field as well as with individuals with intellectual disabilities and serious mental illness. She is passionate about helping others. Through her stories, she continues to advocate for others. When she is not writing, she loves spending time with family and friends in person and via Facebook Portal, watching movies, listening to music and experiencing new things. You can visit her at www.livingproofstories.net.

2021-#12 UPCLOSE & PERSONAL W/ AUTHOR ROLANDA T. PYLE

ROLANDA T. PYLE is a licensed social worker in the field of aging and is the author of the books-“Grandma’s Hands” - a children's story book, “Finally” - a collection of inspirational poems; and the compiler of and contributor to “Beneath His Everlasting Wings”, a collection of devotionals.

Her work has been published in religious and community newspapers, anthologies, and journals. In April 2004, New York's Daily News named her one of the "100 Women Who Shape Our City."

She has contributed to four of the Red Penguin Collection Series and recently contributed to the anthology, “Daughters of A King”.

Her website is www.rorosrainbowcommunications.com

2021-#11 UP CLOSE & PERSONAL W/ Domo Jones

Dominique aka Dōmo

coachdomojones@gmail.com

Dominique aka Dōmo is just a girl that wants to share her story with as many people as she can hoping to help just one.

From being diagnosed with a brain tumor at age nine to going through 187 chemotherapy treatments, she realized she story wasn’t just meant for her. But people that needed to hear her journey. During the pandemic is when she decided to take that leap, using that time to make the best of it. March 2020, she self published her first autobiography called “#DamagedButNotDead.” She kept that momentum by self publishing her second book called “Selftalk...But You Can Eavesdrop Too” in August of that same year. This collection of inspirational quotes started during the hardest physical and mental times of her life, so why not share it with others.

Yes she has a disability, but a disability is not an inability. She just customizes it to fit her. After having to use a walker at age 22, I developed a business called “WalkingByDesign” which customizes medical accessories. Not stopping there, she recently opened an online store called “Salve” which promotes her motto “Don’t let the disability fool you.” During the promotion phase of interviews, Podcasting became an interest of hers but wanted to make it fit who she represents as a person.

In October 2020, she started her own Podcast titled the same motto interviewing the disabled community and essential caregivers. During her journey, she realized there was a way she could help people like her who live with disabilities, so she became a Master Certified Disability Confidence Coach in February 2021. She’s a business owner with a disability, a Master Life Coach with muscle weakness, a podcast host that breaks the stigma, and an author with a bold personality...she contradicts every rule out there!! So now that you know her, you know you’re friends forever, right?! Oh and the most important things you need to know: she loves earmuffs and she loves YOU!!

2021-#10 UP CLOSE & PERSONAL W/ DR KIMBERLY THOMAS

Dr. Kimberly Thomas

daughterofdestinyenterprise@gmail.com

Dr. Kimberly Thomas’ involvement in the community merges both her academic accolades and spiritual reverence. As a licensed and ordained pastor, she serves as Overseer of Destiny Church of God International, Inc. in Tallahassee, where she founded Daughters and Sons of Destiny Outreach Ministries, Inc., a non-profit faith-based organization that provides assistance for the homeless and less fortunate. As a bi-vocational pastor, she also works for the Florida Department of Corrections, a job she has dedicated 25 years. Currently, she acts as the Correctional Service Administrator for the detainer section. Additionally, she works as the immigration customs enforcement coordinator, interstate agreement on detainers coordinator, and governor’s extradition coordinator.

She is in the service of helping others no matter their circumstance, and her multiple degrees highlight this intentional career path. Dr. Thomas earned her bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Florida State University, her master’s degree in Theology and Christian Counseling from Liberty University, and her Doctorate of Christian Education from Trinity Theological Seminary and has also received an honorary doctorate in Theology from Clarity University.

As her degrees make evident, her many accomplishments continue to demonstrate her role as pastor and advocate, such as her work in organizing the first “Another Cry Save Our Youth from Violence” Foundation in 2007, the foundation that continues to promote the safety of youth against gangs, violence, drugs, and HIV/AIDS. In 2014, she was appointed to the State Board of Directors for One Church One Child, an initiative that advocates for foster and adoptive homes of nearly 800 children in the Florida Foster Care System, and more recently, she co-chaired the One Church One Child Florida Christmas Toy Drive in 2016.

Awarded the 2009 Florida Council on Crime and Delinquency Distinguished Service Award in Corrections and the 2014-2015 National Association of Professional Women VIP Woman of the Year, Dr. Kimberly Thomas proves again and again that pastoring is a fulltime job even when addressed by varied professional titles, and her work towards advocacy and faith warrants her honor as a trailblazing woman.

Dr. Thomas is the author of “Freed from Broken Beginnings”, “Effective Prayer Manual”, “And What Did God Say About It, Bible Study for everyday living”, “Principles to Kingdom Living”, in addition she has also co-authored L3 Learn, Love, Lead 121 Days of Prayer Psalm 121.

Wednesday, July 21, 2021

2021-#9 UP CLOSE & PERSONAL W/ AUTHOR BLAQUE DIAMOND

Blaque Diamond is the C.E.O. of Blaque Diamond Enterprise and the author of the Stacey F. children's book series on foster care and adoption which garnered Diamond several book awards, including the 2017 Indie Author Legacy Awards Community Champion Legendary Honoree. She is also the co-author of Amazon's bestseller, Open Your G.I.F.T.S. vol II with actress-comedian Kim Coles. Diamond recently earned the Langston Hughes Excellence in Literature Award for her newly released novel 1380 Prospect Avenue “Not Another Bronx Tale” a story about youth living in an urban community in the Bronx trying to find steady footing as they journey through the foster Care System.

Diamond is working on the Grandparent Café that supports grandparents of children 0-17 years old who would like to restore their genetic lineage while learning different styles of parenting. As a self-proclaimed Perfectly Imperfect Parent, Diamond demonstrates a mindfulness journey of strength perspectives through “Unpack Your Mindfulness” for individuals and families as they identify their own strengths.

She earned her BSW and MSW degrees from Morgan State University School of Social Work. She is an International Certified Parent Coach and an advocate for children waiting for reunification. Diamond is looking forward to networking and connecting with other like-minded professionals. Diamond is the mother of twelve and lives in the DMV area with her children.

Blaque Diamond

Website: https://www.authorBlaquediamond.com

https://www.Staceyf.com

Email: blaquediamond357@yahoo.com

Twitter: blaquediamond03

Instagram Blaque434

Facebook: Author Blaque Diamond

2021-#8 UP CLOSE & PERSONAL W/ Author/Minister Carrie L Thomas

Minister Carrie L. Thomas is a wife and mother with four children, four grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. I have dedicated my life to identifying my true self. For 40 years, I have been the proud and happy wife of my best friend and husband, Leon c. Thomas, Jr.

While working at the Department of Labor for 40 years, I decided to go back to school and further my education in the field of Information Technology. In 2007, I did go back to school and obtained three degrees in seven years: Associate of Arts in Information Technology Networking (2009), Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (2011), and Master of Information Systems (2013) from the University of Phoenix.

After completing my training at Spirit of Faith Bible Institute (SOFBI). In 2008, I was licensed to the Office of Minister.

As the founder of Ministry Without Walls/MEMFTH Outreach in Clinton, Maryland, I have a loving compassion and passion to help hurting and broken people by sharing love through the distribution of baskets and the love of Jesus Christ. God called and chose me to be instrumental in the lives of men, women, children and young adults who are desperately seeking their place back into society.

I am excited to be a first-time author, co-author, prolific speaker, life coach and minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ. In 2018, I wrote and self-published my first book (Caged-In Little Girl: My Path to Deliverance and Healing). I’m living my best life now.