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Welcome back to Fearless, Inspired and Free, a conversation with Dana Wright and the women she has been fortunate to connect with to discuss their life's journey…the great things they are doing, overcoming life's obstacles, navigating their work and personal businesses; becoming Fearless in their actions, Inspired to live authentically and Free to live a life they choose! Fearless, Inspired and Free Podcast endeavors to build a community of learning, appreciation, encouragement, resilience, growth, acceptance, kindness and support, one story at a time. By listening to these stories of women in our communities, we learn and we grow. We also learn how we can support women. When we support women, we support our communities! Our guest for this episode is the Village of Broadview Mayor, Katrina Thompson. The Village of Broadview and surrounding towns hold a special place in our hearts over here at Fearless, Inspired and Free, so it was a pleasure to speak to the Mayor and hear about Broadview's growth and all of the great initiatives. Mayor Thompson was the first African American Female Mayor of Broadview when first elected in 2017. She is in her second term and she walks us through her life and familial influences...mainly her mother who influenced her love of service due to her mother's unconditional love and consistent acts of kindness and support. Early in her life, and as a new mother, Mayor Thompson found that her town (Broadview) did not have programs for children that she felt were acceptable, and instead of complaining, she did something about it and ran for the Board of the Park District...won the seat and her journey to becoming Mayor began. **If you are sensitive to hearing the truths about segregation, discrimination and historical inequities be forewarned** Mayor Thompson speaks unapologetically about advocating for the Black community, but also feels like embracing diversity of culture, race, differently-abled, etc. is what makes Broadview a strong and thriving community. Her goal is to create a town where everyone is accepted, there are resources and families can thrive. Mayor Thompson has come in and has elevated a small village, bringing increased focus to Broadview, garnishing National attention. She has also leveraged relationships and has partnered with 2 other local women Mayors to work on collaborative environmental and grant focused initiatives like C4. Listen in to hear what that is about. She budgets, plans and implements and that is how she continues to ensure her village grows. Mayor Thompson does her days work, but also understands balance, self-care and the power of "no". She is in a stage of life where she knows what she wants and understands she has to be firm about boundaries. Therapy has been a gift and she encourages having someone to trust and bounce things off of. Tune in today to @fearlessinspiredandfreepodcast. Mayor Thompson has some nuggets for you. If you are looking for organizations to support, Mayor Thompson has supported Polished Pebbles, Best of Proviso Township, Westchester Food Pantry and The Answer Inc. Like, Subscribe and Share this episode. Let's build community together!! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/danafif20/message

Welcome back to Fearless, Inspired and Free, a conversation with Dana Wright and the women she has been fortunate to connect with to discuss their life's journey…the great things they are doing, overcoming life's obstacles, navigating their work and personal businesses; becoming Fearless in their actions, Inspired to live authentically and Free to live a life they choose! Fearless, Inspired and Free Podcast endeavors to build a community of learning, appreciation, encouragement, resilience, growth, acceptance, kindness and support, one story at a time. By listening to these stories of women in our communities, we learn and we grow. We also learn how we can support women. When we support women, we support our communities! In this episode we speak with Attorney Shanita Straw...again. We last spoke with Shanita in an episode called "If At First You Don't Succeed, Try Try Again" in April of 2021. Her journey and story of resilience, PERSISTENCE and determination to be who and what she wanted to be since she could remember despite "life happening" was admirable. We learned about Shanita's life and journey the first time we spoke, but she came back recently to update us on how she continues to work towards her goals AND this time she also wanted to share how important it is for us all to get our affairs together and what things we can do to protect our assets and our families as we prepare for end of life. Shanita practices law in the areas of Real Estate, Probate/Estate Planning, Labor and Employment, Corporate and Business Formations, Family Law and Bankruptcy. As she expands her practice, future endeavors will include both Criminal and Civil Rights Law When we talk, Shanita wants to have the hard conversation about all of us not being here one day because when we don't, our families are left here unprepared to deal with the hardships of probate and potential court battles. We discuss things like Estate Plans, power of attorney for property and health, wills, trusts, beneficiary designations and why it's important to review your plan regularly. You will not want to miss this episode. The information is vitally important. You can reach Shanita at 708-613-4433, [email protected] or book a consult on her website at goldenlawpc.com. Listen, Like, Comment and Subscribe to Fearless, Inspired and Free Podcast today! Follow @fearlessinspiredandfreepodcast on Instagram and Facebook for episode updates. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/danafif20/message

Welcome back to Fearless, Inspired and Free, a conversation with Dana Wright and the women she has been fortunate to connect with to discuss their life's journey…the great things they are doing, overcoming life's obstacles, navigating their work and personal businesses; becoming Fearless in their actions, Inspired to live authentically and Free to live a life they choose! Fearless, Inspired and Free Podcast endeavors to build a community of learning, appreciation, encouragement, resilience, growth, acceptance, kindness and support, one story at a time. By listening to these stories of women in our communities, we learn and we grow. We also learn how we can support women. When we support women, we support our communities! Back in May of 2021, I spoke with Dr. Jennifer Matthews while she was a candidate for her PhD. We discussed her journey as it pertained to her health and how she began to question the generational beliefs her family had around food and diet. She had found a new way to live, was building community around her new lifestyle and was also finishing her studies while raising her young son. In this episode we speak with Dr. Jennifer again and she discusses her numerous recent accomplishments and how she is leaning in to all of the new spaces and places she finds herself participating in; all while building new communities of support. She shares with us how we have to continue to push ourselves to realize our gifts and contribute in a way that is fulfilling. She is clear in her vision and continues to work towards her goals. Dr. Matthews is a Subject Matter Expert in Body Cameras and Digital Media with 16 + years of hands-on and educational experience in the field of criminal justice. She is a third-generation law enforcement professional. She is a certified Women-Owned Small Business Owner with a Women's Business Enterprise private security company, Paramount Security Analytics. At Paramount Security Analytics, her company provides Armed/Unarmed professional security services for businesses, parking lots, events, VIPs, retail stores, and many more. Dr. Jennifer Matthews is a public speaker, educator, and thought leader dedicated to inspiring individuals and organizations to reach their full potential. With a unique blend of expertise in law enforcement, psychology, communication, and leadership development, Dr. Matthews captivates audiences with her dynamic presentations and empowers them with practical strategies for personal and professional growth. Dr. Jennifer Matthews is a driving force behind digital transformations to solve cases quicker, encouraging the use of body-worn cameras. Dr. Matthews recently published a book on Amazon entitled: Guardians of Transparency: Illuminating the Path of Body Cameras for a Safer Tomorrow. You can find and contact Dr. Jennifer Matthews on Instagram and Facebook, or on her website. Links are below: @drjennifermatthewsconsulting IG @djennifermatthews IG @psecurityanalytics IG psecurityanalytics FB drjennifermatthewsconsulting FB drjennifermatthews.com psecurityanalytics.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/danafif20/message

Hey there everyone!! It has been a while since we have connected and I am missing you ALL. I wanted to drop in to let you know new episodes are on the horizon for what we will call Season 3. Life happens and sometimes we veer off the beaten path, but you know what....we jump back in and create a new path. So here we are. This is a short episode with some updates about where I have been and what I have been up to. Also some lessons I have learned in our time away from each other. Time Management, Self-Love/Self-Care, Transitions in life, Circle Training and starting my own, Vulnerability and the Gift of Sharing...all things I'm discussing. Also, don't miss my shout out to Vanetta Roy as she prepares to open her new brunch spot in East Point Georgia in August 2023!! Check her out @eat_mybiscuits on Instagram. So...until we chat again. Take a listen to my check-in. Remember to Subscribe, Follow and Share. More to come! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/danafif20/message

Welcome back to Fearless, Inspired and Free, a conversation with Dana Wright and the women she has been fortunate to connect with to discuss their life's journey…the great things they are doing, overcoming life's obstacles, navigating their work and personal businesses; becoming Fearless in their actions, Inspired to live authentically and Free to live a life they choose! Fearless, Inspired and Free Podcast endeavors to build a community of learning, appreciation, encouragement, resilience, growth, acceptance, kindness and support, one story at a time. By listening to these stories of women in our communities, we learn and we grow. We also learn how we can support women. When we support women, we support our communities! Sherri S. Wick has over a decade of service as a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in addition to her experience in community counseling, non-profit, higher education - career development/counseling and entrepreneurship.  Sherri is the owner/founder of the following organizations: Holistically Divine Counseling, Moments of Mindfulness, TGOC, LLC and Simply Divine Consultant. She describes her mission as an assignment to provide a safe space where faith and mental health are explored freely and openly expressed; where unconditional love is demonstrated through listening and being present, and where clients leave with a new level of confidence and authority to change any unhealthy behaviors that are hindering their lives.  Sherri strives to empower and ignite rising and seasoned therapists, students and humans as they become the healthiest version of themselves, ensuring a successful personal and professional life trajectory.  Sherri is a mental health clinician, holistic wellness coach and as she has stated, an “overall dope hype-woman!”  Tune in this week and hear about how Sherri came to be motivated to become a licensed counselor, and why she feels counseling and therapy is so important. It is something she believes should be accessible to everyone. Sherri shares that there is power in being  seen, being present and having someone actively listen and work with you as you do the work that you've chosen to do, and who works with you on the areas you feel you need the support. These beliefs were instilled in her early in life as her mother and grandfather were her earliest examples of dedication, determination and service to others. Sherri is not only passionate about the "gift of counseling" and serving others, she is equally as dedicated to helping other clinicians on their path and paying it forward. For more information check out her business portfolio: https://sherriswick.com/  Sherri can also be found on Instagram @ssw22 and @holisticallydivineorg --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/danafif20/message

Welcome back to Fearless, Inspired and Free, a conversation with Dana Wright and the women she has been fortunate to connect with to discuss their life's journey…the great things they are doing, overcoming life's obstacles, navigating their work and personal businesses; becoming Fearless in their actions, Inspired to live authentically and Free to live a life they choose! Fearless, Inspired and Free Podcast endeavors to build a community of learning, appreciation, encouragement, resilience, growth, acceptance, kindness and support, one story at a time. By listening to these stories of women in our communities, we learn and we grow. We also learn how we can support women. When we support women, we support our communities! This week’s guest is Auristela Nunez, also known in the hip hop community as “Lady Champ”. She truly does have the heart of a Champion! She is a mother of 2 beautiful young adults and has done it all from dancing around the world, large scale performances, public speaking, event planning and fundraising for her community, music videos and magazine shoots. Break dancing since the early 90’s, Lady Champ was one of few women in a male dominated arena. She has been the subject of many publications, including a documentary called “All The Ladies Say”. After years of dancing, traveling and teaching, in 2007, Lady Champ found herself paralyzed suddenly from the waist down and doctors told her she would never walk again. Lady Champ having the Champion spirit she did, defied the odds, fought hard and overcame paralysis. She has gone on to continue to teach and organize events for youth to give them a safe space to express themselves and their creativity. You can also find Lady Champ co-hosting on Windy City Wednesdays with Miguel Arteaga on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Listen now to hear how a young woman who says she found her way out of anger as a teen and poured her energy into becoming a pioneer for women and girls in the world of break dancing and how it saved her. Listen to her story of strength and resilience as she willed herself to walk again after a mysterious illness so she could continue to do what she loves true to the Champ she is. Auristela wants everyone to know “you can make the impossible, possible”. She can be found on Instagram at @ladychampion1 and Auristela Nunez(Lady Champ) on Facebook. You won’t want to miss this episode of Fearless, Inspired and Free! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/danafif20/message

Welcome back to Fearless, Inspired and Free, a conversation with Dana Wright and the women she has been fortunate to connect with to discuss their life's journey…the great things they are doing, overcoming life's obstacles, navigating their work and personal businesses; becoming Fearless in their actions, Inspired to live authentically and Free to live a life they choose! Fearless, Inspired and Free Podcast endeavors to build a community of learning, appreciation, encouragement, resilience, growth, acceptance, kindness and support, one story at a time. By listening to these stories of women in our communities, we learn and we grow. We also learn how we can support women. When we support women, we support our communities! This week we circle back with Connie B. Tate, inventor of the all new 3-in-1 hairstyling finger comb, Kwik Fingers. Last episode we spoke with Connie and heard her amazing life's story and how important it was for her to always persevere, listen to that inner voice and finish what she started. Although she had experienced quite a bit, she worked through it all and became a successful executive in her field. But she didn't stop there. She recently brought a product to market that she felt solved a problem for her when doing her own hair and soon found out she solved a problem...or should we say found a need for many women and men with just one small 3-in-1 comb that can assist with more than a few hairstyling needs. Connie has been able to again turn her innovative invention into a teaching tool and was now willing to sit with us for a second time to tell us about her journey of creating her comb and bringing it to life. Connie walks us through the steps she says, as a "solopreneur" she took to bring her product to market. When asked about her "why", Connie says she recognized that she is a problem solver. She saw a need, and she "had the answer". She also wanted to create generational wealth for her family. Connie says, "when I see a problem, I research and I execute". She also says "no problem or solution is too small, but you have to be willing to do the work". For those of you with a dream, or a vision in your mind about a product, listen as Connie takes us on her journey from the vision, to the drawings she made and the prototypes she created at home, all the way through to marketing and launching her product. Building a foundation, finding people she could discuss her idea with leading to NDA's. Terms like Non-Provisional Patents versus Provisional Patents, securing LLCs, creating logos, Trademarking, marketing, distribution, Connie discusses it all! This episode is full of valuable information. Connie believes that sharing all she knows plants seeds, and for her that is immensely gratifying. Listen today as she encourages everyone to "see, seek and seize the moment". Find Connie B. Tate on both Instagram and Facebook @cb_tate and @kwikfingerscomb --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/danafif20/message

Welcome back to Fearless, Inspired and Free, a conversation with Dana Wright and the women she has been fortunate to connect with to discuss their life's journey…the great things they are doing, overcoming life's obstacles, navigating their work and personal businesses; becoming Fearless in their actions, Inspired to live authentically and Free to live a life they choose! Fearless, Inspired and Free Podcast endeavors to build a community of learning, appreciation, encouragement, resilience, growth, acceptance, kindness and support one story at a time. By listening to these stories of women in our communities, we learn and we grow. We also learn how we can support women. When we support women, we support our communities! This week's guest, Connie B. Tate is a Chicago native and the inventor of the all new 3-n-1 hairstyling finger comb, Kwik Fingers.  Connie attended South Suburban College and graduated from Governors State University, in Illinois, where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Health Administration. She currently directs the State of Illinois Organ/Tissue Donor Program, one of the largest in the nation with 7.2 million people registered. In her life, Connie overcame many challenges before coming to be in her current roles as director and inventor. Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, she was impacted early in life by the effects of her parents’ divorce and separation. Split custody meant living part-time with her father and mother. Connie lived with her father on Chicago’s South Side and with her mother and seven siblings in Cabrini-Green, a housing project on the city’s near north side. Trying to find stability, Connie started hanging out with the wrong crowd, became pregnant at the age of 15 and dropped out of high school. While raising her son, with the help of her parents, she began to pursue her love of music, touring with a musical group. After two failed recording contracts, Connie decided to go back to school and pursue a career in health care. She obtained her General Education Diploma and subsequently received two full academic scholarships to college and university. Connie continues to build her brand while creating opportunities to pay it forward through community service initiatives and public speaking engagements. She enjoys the work she does in helping others realize a better quality of life. Connie is married and has one son. Listen as Connie discusses trying to figure out where she belonged when she was younger. Listening to her inner voice. Her life of “divine interventions”. Being a lifelong learner and how if opportunities have presented themselves, you are ready…you must take the chance! Connie can be found on Instagram @cb_tate and @kwikfingerscomb and on Facebook @kwikfingers --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/danafif20/message

Welcome back to Fearless, Inspired and Free, a conversation with Dana Wright and the women she has been fortunate to connect with to discuss their life's journey…the great things they are doing, overcoming life's obstacles, navigating their work and personal businesses; becoming Fearless in their actions, Inspired to live authentically and Free to live a life they choose! Fearless, Inspired and Free Podcast endeavors to build a community of learning, appreciation, encouragement, resilience, growth, acceptance, kindness and support! This week’s guest, Jeaneen Sica is a first time published author of the novel, The Walls Begin to Crumble. She is a former English and television production teacher; and after ten years of teaching at Curie High School, she left the profession to stay home and raise her three children. However, she knew deep in her soul, she wanted to be a writer. So while home, she wrote whenever she could find the time, which was not very often. Jeaneen discusses how she used her free time to write scenes and how her process of "thoughts becoming sentences and sentences becoming pages" became her first novel. When discussing how she came to decide to write the book, Jeaneen takes us back to when she first fell in love with reading and books herself and how she had to establish her mantra of "I AM a writer". Jeaneen talks about her book's inspiration, her former students at Curie High School being just like her and how in her writing process she looked to "evoke emotion" and create an experience. Many times, quiet devoted time with music as her motivation got her through her writing sessions. Jeaneen shares tidbits about her journey to become an author and how her hard work has paid off. She reminds us all to "never give up" and to follow our passions and our paths. Jeaneen's book can be found on Amazon, and she can be reach by email: [email protected] / Phone: 630-302-2546 / Instagram: @jeaneensicaauthor / Website: jeaneensicaauthor.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/danafif20/message

Welcome back! It has been a minute, but Fearless, Inspired and Free is back with host Dana Wright to connect with more phenomenal women and to continue to build a community of learning, support, resilience and GROWTH one story at a time. By listening to these stories of women in our communities, we learn and we grow. We also learn how we can support women. When we support women, we support our communities! This episode's guest, Wey-ni Langdon, has been in the field of law enforcement for over 10 years, after a woman saw her potential and referred her to apply to her first police department. She currently serves as a police officer with the Chicago Police Department. She started her career in 2007 at the Northern Illinois University Police Department. In her career, she has served in several different capacities including Patrol, Investigations, Crime Analysis & Planning and much more. She also had the opportunity to serve as an undercover officer on a federal task force with the United States Postal Inspection Service and is also a Medal of Valor recipient from the NIU Police Department and the DeKalb Police Department. Wey-ni was instrumental in developing positive relationships between the community and the NIU police department where she contributed to creating the Community Policing Unit...all while working to implement the first NIU Citizens Police Academy.  Throughout her career, Wey-ni has been blessed with many mentors who have provided her with a wealth of knowledge and guidance. Because of these positive influences, one of which was her father, she was led to a career she loves and to start an organization to support women in law enforcement. Women in law enforcement represent a fraction of the numbers who serve in police departments across the U.S. (approx. 13%). Her passion for creating Women of the Shield was to create an event and space where women in law enforcement can be celebrated among their peers while offering support and encouragement. She also wanted to provide an opportunity for people to be educated on the struggles women have faced in the criminal justice system and celebrate their determination to overcome obstacles. Her desire to “pay it forward” constantly keeps her motivated to work with the community and encourage young women to pursue careers in law enforcement.  In her spare time, Wey-ni loves spending time with her family including her fur baby, Sir Duke Mix-a-Lot and traveling. Listen in to hear about how strongly influenced Wey-ni has been by her father as a self-proclaimed "Daddy's Girl". Her parents, a law enforcement officer and a teacher, both laid the foundation of service and were positive role models leading to her strong work ethic and desire to give back. Wey-ni created a space for women in law enforcement so that they could be supported and educated by other women. It is her desire to insure the numbers of women in law enforcement increase because she knows their value and that if women in law enforcement are strongly represented, communities can thrive. Wey-ni can be reached at [email protected]  You can also call her at 708-261-6119. To get more information about Women of the Shield email [email protected] or go to www.womenoftheshield.org / Wey-ni can also be found on Facebook and Instagram. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/danafif20/message

Welcome back to Fearless, Inspired and Free (SEASON 2), a weekly conversation with Dana Wright and the women she has been fortunate to connect with to discuss their life's journey…the great things they are doing, overcoming life's obstacles, navigating their work and personal businesses; becoming Fearless in their actions, Inspired to live authentically and Free to live a life they choose! Fearless, Inspired and Free Podcast endeavors to build a community of learning, appreciation, encouragement, resilience, growth, acceptance, kindness and support! This week’s guests are the three amazing women Founders of NoorFit. Tune in today to hear about the impressive backgrounds of Jeanne Roberts Johnson, Carla Pace and Yvette Porché Cheaney…how they met, how busy business owner moms fit it all in and why they chose to create this brand. Learn about how they poured their desire to create a community of wellness and self-care while embodying the colorful and unique spirit of every woman into their fitness apparel.  They describe NoorFit as a fitness brand that mirrors the complexity, strength and vivaciousness that lives in the soul of every woman. “Our fitness wear line is designed with vibrant colors and fun, funky prints to reflect the many facets and fashion moods of every woman's personality. We know fitness comes in all shapes and sizes and fitness looks different for everyone, so we've carefully crafted each piece with YOU in mind”. They are endeavoring to associate their brand with self-care for women and to spread the message that it is necessity that should be normalized and celebrated. What they want everyone to know is that simply put, “NoorFit is fitness wear with flair and self-care is woven into our brand. Our clothes are comfortable, functional, fashionable, flattering and they're made by women, for women”. NoorFit is black-owned, women-owned , and they proudly make all of their fitness clothes right here in the U.S.A. Finally, Jeanne, Carla and Yvette want to warmly welcome ALL to the NoorFit Family and for you to “come find your flex with us and be fit, fashionable, fabulous and unapologetically you!” NoorFit is an experience in itself!! To get additional information, see the amazing offerings or request a “pop-up” shop please visit: www.noorfit.com You can also find them on: IG - @noorfitstyle TikTok - @noorfitstyle Facebook - NoorFit Use hashtags #NoorFit and #FlexYourFit --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/danafif20/message

Welcome back to Fearless, Inspired and Free, a weekly conversation with Dana Wright and the women she has been fortunate to connect with to discuss their life's journey…the great things they are doing, overcoming life's obstacles...both triumphs and loss, navigating their work and personal businesses; becoming Fearless in their actions, Inspired to live authentically and Free to live a life they choose! Fearless, Inspired and Free Podcast endeavors to build a community of learning, appreciation, encouragement, resilience, growth, acceptance, kindness and support! This week may be a difficult story for our listeners as a mother tells the story of losing her daughter after she died from suicide. But with this being the last day of Mental Health Awareness Month, we thought the discussion was important and we wanted to support her as she continues to find her way to healing and as she becomes the voice and "fulfilled wish" for her daughter Neyla, who always chose to put others first and wanted to, as her mother says, "help the world". Our guest this week is Lisa Vargas. She is a mother of 3, a law enforcement professional and a survivor. She is a fighter and her mission is help others however she can and to bring awareness to Suicide Awareness and Prevention...pushing this difficult topic out of the darkness and into a space where it can be discussed and so that those struggling in silence can get the help they need. Lisa discusses the day she found her daughter and how her life changed from that moment forward. She talks about the process she has gone through to work on her continued healing, the reasons she had to forgive and the flood of emotions that sometimes take over. Lisa reminisces about getting to know her daughter more intimately through her beautiful art, poetry and journaling, the signs she gets from Neyla letting her know that she is near and how after getting the help she says she needed..she "picked up where Neyla left off". Tune in today to hear Lisa's story of loss and how she works everyday to keep herself moving forward and keeping strong for her two sons. She works tirelessly to continue with her healing and she has become a strong advocate for mental health awareness....ultimately becoming the voice of her daughter's "fulfilled wish".  Lisa supports organizations like The Compassionate Friends (TCF) on Facebook, Crisis Text Hotline...of which you can text 741-741 from your phone to get immediate help and someone to talk to...and she participates in the Out of the Darkness Walk each year organized by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Lisa can be reached at [email protected]. If you'd like to donate to the walk this year or participate, her team page is called "Neyla's Wallflowers" and can be found at: https://afsp.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.participant&participantID=2413913#donate  --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/danafif20/message