This...I...Do...For...Me: Over 50, Black and Fabulous!

Episode 43 With Lisa Thompson

Lisa Thompson received her bachelor's degree in Government from Oberlin College and her law degree from Ohio State University. She has had a multi-faceted career in the arena of law. She has a number of licenses and certifications under her belt. Lisa is Licensed in the United States Supreme Court, The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. She When I asked her what stands out about her childhood as it relates to kindness, work ethic and values, Lisa quickly recalled that it was commonplace for she and her dad to read together avidly and have discussions around what they were reading. Additionally, Lisa has very clear memories of her parents working hard, managing their funds with integrity and emphasizing the importance of honoring your word and doing your best at all times. Lisa currently serves as a Juvenile Court Magistrate at Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations and Juvenile Court Branch. As Magistrate, Lisa sits on the bench where she hears delinquency, abuse, neglect and dependency cases. Prior to her work as Magistrate, Lisa wasthe owner of The Thompson Legal Firm and a Partner with Thompson Steward, LLC. Lisa shared that she has had extensive experience in the practice areas of criminal defense, legal research and trial practice. When I asked Lisa what are some of the most important things that she would like to achieve in her personal development, she responded that she would like to really focus on completing the writing of a number of books that she has in the coiffures. She hopes to set aside uninterrupted time to devote to this. Lisa also shared that many of her topics come from dreams and other related avenues. If she weren't already busy enough, Lisa finds time to travel, and she is very proud that she has visited 30 countries since 2012. Her favorite country is Spain! Lisa hopes that African Americans will not overlook traveling to countries that are unfamiliar but have plenty to offer – history, beauty, great cuisine, friendly people and exciting excursions. Countries like Bosnia should not be overlooked. She enjoyed her travels there, and was amazed at the sophistication of the city. She plans to visit Georgia and Albania soon. When I asked Lisa what words of wisdom did she have to offer our audience, she responded "stop putting things off; do things while you can!" Lisa's email address is Lisa_Thompson@fccourts.org.

Episode 42 With Trish Williams

Trish Williams is a Fiber Artist Par Excellence. Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Trish learned early from her mother and sister that she had a special talent. Her sister would take her artwork (unbeknownst to Trish) and sell it and bring Trish the money. This is how much her family believed in her and her gifts. Additionally, Trish read voraciously about art, famous artists, African American artists, and she was particularly drawn to work that made a social justice statement. While a student in the Upward Bound Program (a college preparatory program for high school students), Trish was exposed to a myriad of art from all types of artists – American, European, Latin and women. She states the cultural offerings that were placed before her, excited her and more importantly that exposure showed her that there were no boundaries to how she could show up in the art arena. She quickly connected to other fiber artists, especially those engaged in the quilting arts. She was struck by the richness of colors, patterns and the generation of innovative ideas. The stories that she heard in these quilting circles, especially from Black women amazed her and had her so enraptured that Trish quickly became committed to showcasing her work through an African American lens. As a result of the artistry and vibrancy of her work, it became commonplace for Trish's work to be featured in both solo and group exhibits on college campuses, art galleries, museums, cultural centers and festivals. Her work is classified as "fine art" and it tends to fall into the categories of "Large Works", "Darling Divis and Friends", "Glad Bags", "Wearable Art", "Mix Media" and "Public Art". Her patrons range from the wealthy to the collector who requests a payment plan. Trish makes her art accessible. Her work has been featured in anthologies, quilt portfolios, fiber arts magazines, and her works have been the subject of lectures and trunk shows. She has also been generous with students in sharing her knowledge, wisdom and here arts manifesto. About herself, Trish says, "I bring together the rhythm of hand dyed, painted and commercially made fabrics with the syncopated lines of my quilting to tell stories about the African Diaspora and my community. While my textiles are steeped in the tradition of the story, quilt, cloth-based narratives constructed frequently from scraps of clothing and other familiar fabrics to record history at a particular time and place, they are intended to be viewed on the wall rather than to dress a bed. My tales are for all to see and know, rather than for just an intimate few. I challenge the status quo, refusing to accept the stereotypes forced upon me by society. Instead, I question the very nature of these stereotypes using familiar forms and processes to hold the viewer's attention." During the interview, I asked Trish what words of counsel would she offer African American women age 50+, and her response was "learn how to say 'no'. Accept your power and mean it when you say 'no'. You can connect with her on Facebook as Trish Williams and her website is www.handworksbytrishwilliams.com

Episode 41 With Lori Tharps

Lori Tharps is a writer, an author and a lover of all that examines culture and how it plays out in our day to day lives. She says, "I am a Black-American woman married to a Spanish man, and my life is a meltingpot of melanin, curls, accents and adventures." As an expat writer living in the south of Spain, Lori is now able to devote the majority of her time to writing – no longer squeezing it in with her former professorship at Temple University, and a multitude of other tasks, Lori is excited to be able to live the life of a writer full time. Already a prolific writer, Lori has authored the following titles "Kinky Gazpacho", "Hair Story: Untangling The Roots of Black Hair in America" (1st and 2nd editions), "Substitute Me", and "Same Family Different Colors: Confronting Colorism in America's Diverse Families". Lori has developed a palate for developing works that examine the intersection of race and real life. Lori proudly states "All my life, I've wanted to write stories that would change the world." She has done just that, especially with "Hair Story…." as it was one of if not the first book that addressed African Americans' ancestral connections to their hair. Her background as a journalist, educator, podcast host and in-demand speaker have been a perfect conduit for her laser sharp research and observations. She hails from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and in this interview, Lori shares with us the role this industrial city played in her development. Despite the fact that she noticed the inherent segregation in her birthplace, she, through the encouragement of her mother, was allowed to develop her highly creative energies. As a child, Lori wrote plays, assigned parts, and was always looking for ways to express her strong love of writing. As a student at Smith College, Lori was able to study abroad in Salamanca, Spain where she met her soulmate, who was to become her husband. After attending Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism, Lori began her public relations and journalistic pursuits on Madison Avenue at one of the top ten public relations firms, along with Vibe Magazine and Entertainment Weekly. Lori's current life in Spain is centered around affording her children the opportunity to deepen their relationship with their Spanish heritage, gracing her husband with the ability to spend time with his aging parents, and nurturing her desire to meld all of this with her desire to focus solely on her writing without the demands of a rigorous teaching career (Lori retired from her professorship at Temple prior to moving to Spain). She is an orchestral conductor of sorts! She is biking on the streets of Spain, getting lost at book festivals, and although she can conduct day to day tasks using her verbal Spanish skills, read instructions, menus and other activities of daily living, Lori is determined to learn to read literature in Spanish. She even lets us in on how she plans to strategically accomplish this feat. Lori shared in a recent post on her popular blog My American Melting Pot "I don't want to exist on the margins of society because I can't consume the written word." Because Lori is clearly living a liberal arts lifestyle, we know she will conquer this, as well! Lori's words of counsel to older women considering moving abroad is to be clear on your "why", make as detailed a list as possible of all of the logistical steps to be taken, follow the pland and DO IT! anPlease check out and follow this amazing woman on her blog MYAMERICANMELTINGPOT.COM, on Instagram @loriltharps and her podcast My American Melting Pot on the Apple Podcast platform.

Episode 40 With Joyce Barr

Joyce Barr describes herself as a serial solopreneur who took early retirement at 62, following 40+ years on the grind in both corporate and non-profit service. She now operates a unique tour service called "BLAST! Tours & Coaching". Her business is distinguished by its concierge-style personal attention combined with excellent value for those wanting to live their best life abroad. Joyce has been off the grind since March 2016, and she resigned from a successful career in affordable housing development which started with a Habitat for Humanity in 1996 – the epiphany changed her career path from a corporate ladder chaser to one driven by purpose and service. Presently, Joyce lives in Panama, as a permanent resident operating solo ventures such as a Development Consultant, Amazon Seller, Coach and Tour Operator. Since her "retirement", Joyce has put together a digital brand that allows her to employ her diverse skill set, which she keeps activated by assisting her clients to live their best life -- especially those baby boomers wanting to divest of the "American Dream." BLAST! Tours & Coaching is her latest venture that provides Panama Look-See tours, individual and group coaching, assistance, and support to transition to an expat lifestyle, living an affordable, stylist life abroad. BLAST! Helps Baby Boomers (especially single women), with post-retirement planning issues, such as options for long-term health care, affordable housing, or lack of family or community support. It's a full-service business! BLAST! provides those it serves with the confidence and a sure footing to maintain an independent lifestyle abroad.

Episode 39 With Kwavi Agbeyegbe

Kwavi is 53 years old and BOLD! She is a certified Life Coach, Author, International Retreat Creator and an in-demand Speaker. Her niche is working with illustrious groups of women who are age 50+ to inspire them to live their best life! Kwavi received her B.Sc in Informational Technology from Thames Valley University in the United Kingdom. Additionally, she obtained her master's degree in Medical Informatics from Northwestern University in Chicago. Although she was very successful in her previous careers, Kwavi is equally proud of the excellent training that she received from the Life Coach School. Her emphasis is on the whole woman age 50 and beyond and her experience in Information Technology compliments her current career trek by providing women with tools and empowering knowledge. Kwavi also reaches women through her Master Classes like "3 Simple Steps to Live Your Best Life Over 50". It is through Kwavi's commitment to motivating, encouraging and assisting women that accelerates her clients' ability to reach their maximum potential. This is a mission for her. In her exploratory work and conversations with women age 50+, Kwavi gleaned that the theme that kept permeating the dialogue was their feelings of invisibility. Kwavi in her mission to eradicate those internal feelings both within her clients and those external systems that contribute to this line of thinking became more determined to create solutions to this issue. "It is women who will make a difference in the world, says Kwavi. This is why she is adamant that it is not too late to walk into your authentic self and flourish in the way God has intended for you. "The world needs you", says Kwavi. She has created the Flourish Online Community; in her words (as highlighted on her website) you will learn to reinforce self-care in the following ways: Get a whole new outlook on life in your 50s and beyond; Make your health a top priority inclusive of proper rest/sleep, increased energy and glow from the inside out; Identify habits that keep you stuck like people pleasing, perfectionism, shaky boundaries; Take steps to create the life you truly want Kwavi instructs her group members that there are six pillars to Flourish: It's all about you Relationships Health and Wellness Sleep and Sex Style To deepen her work with her women age 50 and beyond, Kwavi has written a book entitled "50 Questions to Answer When You Reach 50". This is a guide that will help you shine and thrive! The book's aim is to get its reader to focus on answering questions that encourage you to really examine the things that are important to you. It is a non-judgmental and non-"preachy" approach to helping you pinpoint how you want to proceed on your life's journey without comparing yourself to others nor setting goals that don't serve you. You will walk away with a sense of renewal and a sense that all things important to you are conquerable. Kwavi has set a challenge to reach one million women, and she is determined to impact these women because it is them who are key to making our universe a healthier place for all. Kwavi has been featured on CBS, NBC, Best Self Magazine and the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Kwavi, who reside in Atlanta, is a prolific blogger, dedicated wife and mother of two teenage boys. You can connect with Kwavi on kwavi.com, Instagram – www.kwavi.tv/instagram1 Tik Tok -- @kwavi_tv