Cool Soror with Rashan Ali

It’s another “Cool People” episode of the Cool Soror Podcast and we are delighted to have ESPN’s own Cari Champion join us. This California native is the epitome of Black Girl Magic as the host of Coast To Coast one one of the world’s most popular networks. Prior to joining Coast To Coast, Cari served as the host of ESPN2’s First Take, where she shared the debate table with Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith and moderated their debate topics while offering her perspective and insight. She knew she wanted more so she set out to “knock on doors until I got a Yes!” Her ‘yes’ came in 2015. Before ESPN, Champion was an anchor and courtside reporter at the Tennis Channel. She also served as an entertainment/lifestyle reporter doing features for The Insider, Hollywood 411 and Starz Entertainment. She has spent time at WCGL in Atlanta as an anchor and reporter. While her resume and bio speaks volumes about her professional career, it’s who Cari is as a woman that rings loudly. She has a mentoring program that matches young women and girls with career guides in the field of sports journalism. With that, she has served as a mentor to our host, Rashan Ali and helped her doing a pivotal moment in her career. They talk about that moment during this in depth conversation. Cari Champion lights up the television screen talking all things sports, but her beauty resonates from within. We are all blessed to witness her simply being herself and it shows that in this world all you need is one yes. And the rest, they say, is history. Social Media: IG: carichampion Tw: carichampion FB: @carichampion

Dr. Nina Gilbert joins The Cool Soror Podcast today! A Cool Soror of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Dr. Gilbert is a Georgia native, and the daughter of two life-long educators. After working in clinical and corporate settings after college, she eventually decided to follow in her parent’s footsteps, and has now spent over 20 years as an educator and advocate for children. Dr. Nina spent ten years as an educator in the Gwinnett County School System before leaving in 2008 to open Georgia’s first single gender charter school. In four years her small school that started with 150 girls of color, grew into a network of three schools that served over 1,500 students. In 2013, Dr. Nina transitioned from the K12 sector into higher education. She has served as an adjunct professor, and Senior Advisor on Education Reform at Morehouse College, as well as Mercer University where she was a professor in the Tift College of Education. She has completed several national education fellowships, and has been profiled by Rolling Out and Essence magazines and The Root.com for her contributions to public education. She was the recipient of Maybelline’s Beauty of Education Award, and has been recognized on both CNN and Fox and Friends for her commitment to her students. In her local community, she has been recognized as an Outstanding Georgia Citizen by the Secretary of State, NAACP and the Atlanta Business League who named her as one of the 100 Most Influential Women in Atlanta. A writer, speaker, workshop facilitator and consultant who spends a great deal of her time serving as a thought leader and advisor to several organizations that support education and community engagement initiatives across the country. Currently, Dr. Gilbert the Founder and Chief Visionary Officer of EdCollab Atlanta, and is also a Senior Fellow at the Urban Education Collaborative at UNC Charlotte. Her life’s mission is to continue to press the envelope and the reason why she continues to do it: “For The Love Of Education.” Social Media: IG-NinaLGilbert1 Twitter @NinalGilbert1 Website: www.drninalgilbert.com and www.edcollabatlanta.com

In the words of our host, Rashan Ali: It’s not every day you get to sit down with a musical genius and I’m not referencing the two artists who Cole Cuchna dissects on his beautifully crafted podcast. I am directly speaking of the craftsmanship and intellect it takes to break down songs that to the regular ear simply sounds great. But after listening to the words and critical examination of Kendrick Lamar and Kanye West on The Dissect Podcast, I clearly understand their artistry and pure legend. I knew they were special, but hearing each song from two masterpieces like “To Pimp and Butterly” and “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,” I gained an understanding of how truly gifted these two are. It takes someone who has a real passion for musicianship and art to assist us in grasping the enormity that lies in such brilliance. Cole Cuchna masters this profound research like your favorite history book with each song having its own chapter. I have always been enamored of great writers and Cole’s work is to be admired. Perhaps it takes a genius to understand another. Add Cole Cuchna to the list of the brilliant music, life and lyrics of the people he DISSECTS. Social Media: Tw: dissectpodcast IG: @dissectpodcast

Melissa St. Joy joins The Cool Soror Podcast today. A member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and Fort Lauderdale, Florida native, this extremely gifted educator has a passion for teaching students in their own unique way. She found her way into the classroom and into the hearts of children after receiving her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Florida A&M University. Taking the nontraditional route, Melissa jumped at the opportunity to join Teach For America and she has been growing students ever since. Currently, Melissa is an assistant principal in the Atlanta area. She is a focused educational leader with a proven track record of increasing student achievement. She drives the implementation of school improvement plan in collaboration with the administrative leadership team, modeling instructional leadership necessary to achieve ambitious academic goals of the school and district. Melissa does this and so much more with the type of vigor and tenacity that each parent desires for their child. As she succinctly put it, “I am the type of educator that I would want for my own children.” That type of self awareness and confidence has been proven over and over from the way students excel under her tutelage. This work is not for the faint at heart and it takes a person like Melissa who knows every child is worth the investment. When you have this type of God given ability, you know it’s a gift: it’s called the gift of teaching. Social Media: Twitter: @HeritageEagleAP IG: @stjeezy19

The Cool Soror Podcast welcomes Tiffany Porter, a dedicated member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She is groundbreaking NFL agent and an accomplished Criminal Defense Attorney. Porter has represented several NFL players throughout the NFL Draft process, and is currently representing over 200 former NFL players in the NFL Concussion Lawsuit and current NFL players. The Emory University School of Law alum is the Managing Partner at Porter Law Group and CEO of Zenith Sports & Entertainment Group in Atlanta. Porter is a proud HBCU graduate of Hampton University. She is also a devoted wife and loving mother of four. She is a sought after motivational speaker at colleges/universities, corporations and events where she shares her emotional and inspiring journey of overcoming being the child of an incarcerated parent as her mother spent half her childhood in prison and being a Breast Cancer Survivor. She speaks about both in depth in this episode. Porter has been profiled and interviewed on ESPN's TheUndefeated, HelloBeautiful, MadameNoire, NBC, Rolling Out, News One Now, Sister Circle and ESPN Radio. She is one of the few women NFL agents and even fewer Black women NFL agents. Tiffany’s life has been one that many would have given up on, but her resilience has kept her true to her belief in herself. The world is grateful she did. Social Media: www.ZenithSportsAgency.com Twitter: @AgentPorterESQ

Michelle Latrice Allen joins the Cool Soror Podcast today. A dedicated member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., this Atlanta native serves as the Infectious Diseases Section Director for the Georgia Department of Public Health. Before becoming director, Michelle’s career path was primarily in field services where she served for fourteen years. She presently oversees statewide prevention services to ensure all activities and initiatives work in unison toward the goals of the program collaboration and service integrations. Michelle also assists in the development of policies and procedures and directs planning and operational activities. She is a shining example of what it means to be a champion for public health as she continually strives to move the Georgia Department of Public Health from “Good to Great”. Michelle is an advocate for the prevention of HIV & AIDS and goes in depth about the many lives she’s been able to touch along the way. She speaks about many of these life-changing experiences not only for the people she serves, but also for herself. She knows that her life is to spread awareness about infectious diseases and continue to be at the forefront of preventative measures. Michelle can do so with ease because service is a part of her DNA. This is why she knows full well that she is blessed to be a blessing.

Shari’ Nycole joins the show today representing  The Cool Sorors of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.  A Calumet City, Illinois native, she was a collegiate athlete playing basketball at The University of Wisconsin-Madison and Northern Illinois University.  A communications major with a minor in journalism, this creative has always had the desire to make magic happen in front of and behind the television screen.  Following her undergraduate experience, Sharí Nycole's interest in journalism grew stronger and she chose to leave the hardwood for good.  In August 2011, she earned a Master of Science in Broadcast Journalism from The Medill School at Northwestern University.   ​ Shortly after receiving her master’s degree, Shari’ Nycole began her career in journalism as an associate producer for Towers Productions in Chicago, IL.  While at Towers Productions, she gained a solid docu/reality foundation, working on television series such as, “Find Our Missing” and “Parole Diaries” for TV One and also “Mobsters” for the Biography channel.   ​ In October 2013, Sharí Nycole relocated to Washington, DC and joined a production team at TV One to launch the first black daily news program in broadcast history, “News One Now.”   While at “News One Now,” Sharí Nycole also explored the freelance world, producing for a PBS talk show, “The Rock Newman Show.”   In May 2017, Sharí Nycole stepped out on faith and resigned from her positions at “News One Now” and “The Rock Newman Show” to explore other creative avenues.  Less than one month later, she was offered and accepted a position in Atlanta as a segment producer for a new talk show, “Sister Circle Live,” which airs on TV One and select Tegna stations.     She is living her life with direction and purpose that will ultimately land her where she desires to be: telling people’s stories with unapologetic impact. Social Media: IG / TW: @shari_nycole FB: Shari Nycole www.sharinycole.com

Shari’ Nycole joins the show today representing The Cool Sorors of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. A Calumet City, Illinois native, she was a collegiate athlete playing basketball at The University of Wisconsin-Madison and Northern Illinois University. A communications major with a minor in journalism, this creative has always had the desire to make magic happen in front of and behind the television screen. Following her undergraduate experience, Sharí Nycole's interest in journalism grew stronger and she chose to leave the hardwood for good. In August 2011, she earned a Master of Science in Broadcast Journalism from The Medill School at Northwestern University. Shortly after receiving her master’s degree, Shari’ Nycole began her career in journalism as an associate producer for Towers Productions in Chicago, IL. While at Towers Productions, she gained a solid docu/reality foundation, working on television series such as, “Find Our Missing” and “Parole Diaries” for TV One and also “Mobsters” for the Biography channel. In October 2013, Sharí Nycole relocated to Washington, DC and joined a production team at TV One to launch the first black daily news program in broadcast history, “News One Now.” While at “News One Now,” Sharí Nycole also explored the freelance world, producing for a PBS talk show, “The Rock Newman Show.” In May 2017, Sharí Nycole stepped out on faith and resigned from her positions at “News One Now” and “The Rock Newman Show” to explore other creative avenues. Less than one month later, she was offered and accepted a position in Atlanta as a segment producer for a new talk show, “Sister Circle Live,” which airs on TV One and select Tegna stations. She is living her life with direction and purpose that will ultimately land her where she desires to be: telling people’s stories with unapologetic impact. Social Media: IG: shari_nycole / TW: @shari_nycole FB: Shari Nycole www.sharinycole.com

Jessica Laine joins The Cool Soror Podcast today. A member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., this fitness model, on-air fitness personality, boxer and health advocate is on a mission to change how people look at wellness. A Decatur, Georgia native, Jessica attended Spelman College where she majored in English and Comparative Women’s Studies. She is currently studying for a Master’s in Public Health in Nutritional Sciences from George Washington University. During her tenure as a student, many of her peers struggled with obesity. Jessica took an immediate interest in health literacy and began using her talents to help her peers. She became the Student Ambassador for the Wellness Revolution and incorporated fitness boot camps and group sessions along with her personal training to make an impact. Once she began to realize how many lives she touched, her passion only grew. Jessica founded her company, Fight For Your Life, while she was preparing and training as an amateur boxer for the Olympics. Defeated in her final fight, she pressed forward to continue to share her love for the sport and fitness. She realized that so many people were fighting obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and many other chronic illnesses. She knew the job had to be done. Through this company, she birthed her nonprofit organization, Beyond The Body, Inc. This young woman is a pillar of strength for her peers and so many more. Her vibrant spirit and sincere desire for each of us to live healthier lives are evident in this episode. It is only apropos that we name it, “Fight For Your Life” because she is fighting so that we all can be better. Social media: www.fightforyourlife.org IG: itsjessicalaine TW: itsjessicalaine FB: @itsjessicalaine

We are happy to welcome Stephanie Mitchell Hughes to the show. A Cool Soror of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Stephanie is a servant to the community. Born into a family of educators, Stephanie has had a passion for children her entire life. She works as an attorney and showcases her social activism in the areas of child advocacy, domestic violence, and empowering women and girls. Stephanie has represented children who are abused, neglected and dependent, advocated on behalf of children with learning differences, worked on local, state, and national initiatives in support of victims of domestic violence, and supported other programs to empower and educate women. In February 2006, Stephanie became a single parent, with few resources, and no support. At the time, Stephanie had a law practice devoted to representing children in the child welfare system and older women in need of assistance with managing end of life issues. Despite all of her experience and education, Stephanie found it difficult to transition back into the traditional practice of law. In the midst of parenting, running a household, and a fledgling law practice, Stephanie disconnected from the community and allowed all of her professional contacts to grow stale. However, Stephanie also realized that her difficulties as a single working mother stood in stark contrast to the challenges experienced by other single mothers with less education, even fewer resources, and no support. Stephanie openly shares her personal story so that other single mothers will learn from her many mistakes and to encourage them on their journey. In October 2013, Stephanie talked about her journey as a single parent at TedxColumbus 2013. It is there that she spoke at length about growing in the valley and she goes even deeper in this episode aptly named, “No Longer Unraveling.” Her story will allow you to have a better understanding of the journey, particularly your own. Social Media: Facebook: Stephanie Mitchell Hughes Instagram: @stephaniemitchellhughes Twitter: @srmhughes Website: www.stephaniemitchellhughes.com

Our host, Rashan Ali reveals the 11 things she is most thankful for in this moving episode. Hear how she has changed her thoughts physically and mentally and how her closeness to God has evolved. Instagram @rashanali

It’s our first ever Cool Couple episode with Darrell & Tacoma Perry. Darrell - A Cool Bruh of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. and Tacoma - A Cool Soror of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. both attended Indiana University but their paths did not cross until well after their undergraduate years. They have been concurring the journey of love ever since and helping other couples along the way. Tacoma is a television personality turned stay-at-home mother and Darrell Is a corporate executive at a Fortune 500 Company. Together, they have found their passion outside of these roles. Soulmates Over Soul Food is a vlog soon to turn video podcast dedicated to having real conversations with real married couples. The premise and purpose of SOS is to yield a lifetime of wisdom over a beautiful dinner. They talk with couples about what makes their marriages work as well as what lessons they have learned along the way. Hearing couples’ stories of love, loss, triumph and togetherness reaffirms what it means to be committed to another individual. The Perry’s have a love story that is uniquely their own and continuing to spread the love they share is a true testimony to the type of people they are. Hearing them together personifies what real love should feel like. Their union is special and that is why it is essential that we meet them. You will be glad you did. Social Media: www.soulmatesOverSoulFood.com FB: Darrell Perry TW: @D_PerryJr IG: Tacoma Perry TW: @TacomaPerry

It’s another Cool People episode of The Cool Soror Podcast with the amazing violinist Ken Ford. A native of Atlanta, Georgia Ken had the innate ability to understand music by ear before he was classically trained. He got his first violin at nine-years-old and the rest is melodious history. Electric. A word that describes not only Ken Ford’s violin but aptly describes the man himself. His electrifying and deeply physical live performances have audiences up on their feet and into the aisles, feeling the music as much as he does. Far from being any quiet instrument, Ken’s infectious energy takes the violin center stage with amazing artistry and creativity, rocking out on the violin with passion and fervor. A wonder to behold on stage, Ken’s evocative playing and passion for strings on the electric violin have enthralled fans of all ages, as well as peers from diverse genres, from jazz to blues, R&B to hip-hop and more. With a soul-stirring style that highlights all the voices of the violin, from sensuous and genteel to dramatic and muscular, Ken’s talents have brought him on stage and into the recording studio with a range of superstar artists including Bruno Mars, Jill Scott, Wyclef Jean, Chaka Khan, Ledisi, Brian Culbertson, the late Barry White, Erykah Badu and more. Additionally, Ken had the pleasure and honor to play for our beloved First Lady of the United States of America, Michelle Obama! Early in his career, Ken followed his passion for violin but lived a dual life, working as an IT programmer while honing and indulging his love of music at night. He established himself on the scene with local artists and newcomers, attracting more and more fans and attention from national and international promoters and peers. From the bottom up, he has built his kingdom. It’s only right that he holds the crown of “The King of Strings.” Social Media: www.kenford.net IG @kenfordkingofstrings FB kenfordkingofstrings

It is our pleasure to welcome Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Cool Soror, Dr. Shelia D. Williams to the show! She is a life strategist, author, John Maxwell Speaker, trainer, coach and radio show host from Central Florida. She obtained her Psychology degree from The University of Central Florida and also obtained her Master’s Degreee in Mental Health Counseling from Webster University. Never limiting herself, she received her Doctorate in Leadership and Education from Barry University. Dr. Williams had always wanted to gain a better understanding of mental illness due to her own mother’s battle with clinical depression and Multiple Sclerosis. She knew that there was some different about her mother, but her illness went undiagnosed for years. This, impart, was the result of the stigma associated with mental illness in the black community coupled with continually being misdiagnosed. Her mother finally got the answers she had been looking for, but not until Dr. Williams was well into her 20’s. She knew the call on her life was to shatter the shame associated with mental illness by being vulnerable enough to share her compelling story as a witness. After years of refusal, Dr. Williams’ mother gave her the blessing to move forward with writing, “My Mother’s Keeper” days before her death. In this book, she confesses the she carried the “family secret” for over 30 years because of her mother’s embarrassment of her diagnosis. It is her goal to end the stigma associated with mental illnesses. She believes that it is important to start and continue the conversation about mental illness and understand that it is a part of our health. Dr. Shelia D. Williams is truly her mother’s keeper. And because of that, so many people are beginning to tell the secrets and find the solutions. Social Media: IG: @DrSheilaDWilliams FB: DrSheila D Williams Tw: DrSheila Site: www.DrSheilaDWilliams.com & info@JohnCMaxwellGroup.com/SheilaWilliams

We welcome Dr. Shayla Cornick to the show! A Cool Soror of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and a Decatur, Georgia native, Dr. Cornick has traveled a very unique path! She an educator, researcher and entrepreneur and has a strong passion for fitness and education with an unyielding desire to help others discover their best and be their best. Dr. Cornick is the owner of CYCLED!, an upscale boutique, indoor cycling studio with locations in Downtown Silver Spring, Maryland and the Takoma Park neighborhood of Washington, DC. She found her passion in fitness over 10 years ago, and opening CYCLED! has undoubtedly allowed her to combine her love for spinning and helping others. As a Spinning certified instructor, Dr. Cornick has devoted her life to fitness not only because of the benefits she has personally received, but also to motivate, empower and support others on their journey towards healthier, happier lifestyles. With over 14 years of experience in education, Dr. Cornick continues to fuel her passion for helping others. As an educational consultant, she’s able to identify the needs of educators and students, share information to support their growth, and provide evidence to celebrate their accomplishments. This woman embraces life and calls herself the “The Chief Happiness Officer!” Her desire is to spread happiness everywhere she goes. She is definitely getting that done through every push of the pedal at CYCLED! Social Media: www.cycledmd.com IG: @ShaylaLatrice @CYCLEDMd