Come Be Empowered
I AM - Women's Empowerment Conference Chicago - 2015
Dress code: Summer Chic
Thank you to our event vendors and sponsors: Ms. Rita with Jamberry Nails rjammin613.jamberrynails.net/, Ms. Shaunta with Mary Kay www.marykay.com/sclemons1, Childress Group LLC www.childressgrpllc.com, YANY Boutiques yanyboutiques.com and our certified charity Honey's Ministries honeysministries.org
I AM - Women's Empowerment Conference (Chicago)
Sunday, Aug 2, 2015, 11:00 AM
East Gold Course, Chicago Heights Glenwood Rd, Chicago Heights, IL
12pm - 1:30pm: Speakers
1:30pm - 2pm: Mimosas, Networking
With Special Guests
Yaminah Childress, JD
Ms. Childress considers herself a Social Entrepreneur owning and operating three businesses that support other businesses and the public at large. Ms. Childress is the Managing Member of Childress Group LLC, a small business management, mediation, finance, and legal support firm. She is the CEO of YANY Cosmetics an online boutique where entrepreneurs and consumers can buy and sell all things natural and handmade. Ms. Childress is also the founder and President of the DREAM It Forward Foundation, a nonprofit organization supporting youth, teens, and single-mothers through mentoring, education, and art.
In her spare time, Ms. Childress loves to paint, draw, create and does Pilates regularly. Ms. Childress has three daughters SC3.
Email: iamyaminah@gmail.com
Website: www.iamyaminah.com
Facebook: facebook.com/iamyaminah
Twitter: @iamyaminah
Lori Wilcox, M.eD
Lori Wilcox the first and youngest elected City Clerk/Collector for the City of Chicago Heights, IL. She possesses a strong background in community outreach and fund development. She chairs three boards (Rotary Club of Chicago Heights, Chicago Heights Public Library and Ghanaian Chair for the Festival of Sister Cities) and has yielded and sustained millions of dollars through endowment efforts. As a community engager of organizations, she has coordinated multiple programs through various partnerships to engage residents.
Ms. Wilcox is one of a small number of African American females working with young males, and is the Founder and President of Honey's Ministries. During the summer of 2012 and 2013 she mentored over 68 youth through collaboration with UCAN’s Youth Employment Program. She actively partners with the local elementary and high schools for her annual City Sticker Design contest, MLK Essay contest, ISAT Test Prep Kits (provided to over 1500 students in district 170) and is an advocate for community outreach, collaborations, schools and libraries. She created and hosted an annual Clerk’s Association Spring into Action Education Summit 2012, 2013 and 2014 for over 50+ local municipal clerks and staff. A 12 year combat veteran of the USAR, she is actively involved in the VFW. Finally, Lori is pursuing an Ed.D. in Leadership.
Website: honeysministries.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lori.wilcox4cityclerk2011?fref=ts
Dr. Adeshola Ezeokoli - Speaker: 5 Secrets to Stress Management
Shola has practiced medicine for 14 years and worked in Nigeria and England prior to moving to the United States.
Shola is married to her college sweetheart and they have two children. Together they head the marriage ministry of KingsWord International Church, Chicago. They provide faith based relationship/marriage counseling to couples who are dating, engaged or married. Together they have co-written an e-book titled Staying Married: 7 Key Strategies You Cannot Do Without
Shola enjoys reading non-fiction and self-help books. She also enjoys writing, dancing and listening to music.
She blogs at sholashade.com on matters related to balanced living.
Website: www.sholashade.com
Sophia Ruffin - Speaker: You are a Dopechicbutholychic
Paula E Foster - Speaker: The KEYS to Purpose and Affirmations
Who is that person you ask? Paula is a visionary, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, domestic violence survivor and advocate, author, and so much more! She is the founder of Fostering Hearts. Fostering Hearts, Inc., while currently in the start up phases, will be an all in one Transitional Home for survivors and victims of Domestic Violence. This center will house and provide all the necessary essentials for a victim of Domestic Violence to reclaim her life and be who God called them to be. Paula knows this area all too well being a survivor of Domestic Violence. When God allowed her to escape she vowed she wouldn’t stop until she provided for others what she didn’t have for herself.
Yearly Paula speaks at the Red Heels in the City Empowerment Summit for young girls ages 8 and up. She speaks on her past while encouraging the young ladies to invest in a positive future. She was also a speaker at the 2014 P.U.R.S.E Foundation Domestic Violence Awareness program, 1st Annual Game Changers Women Empowerment Summit where she was awarded the 2015 Game Changer Leadership Award, and was recently debuted on Atlanta Live where she shared her story and encouraged those affected by abuse and Church hurt. Paula is the author of the Amazon best seller, “I AM: 30 Affirmations To Reaffirm Your TRUE SELF”. It is a tool women can use to reaffirm their worth that was lost when going through life’s ups and downs. Paula truly has a heart and a purpose to serve others.
When Paula has down time, she enjoys reading, bowling, skating, relaxing, volunteering, and going to concerts. She also enjoys listening to music and spending much needed time with her family. Life may have dealt her some unfortunate cards, but she definitely learned to play with what she was dealt. She is a Virtuous Woman!
Christy Cooks - Speaker: Never Giving Up
Email: christycooks61@gmail.com
Website: http://www.mschristycooks.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Never-Giving-UpThe-Power-of-True-Deliverance/1592239304325508?fref=ts
Toccara Steele - Speaker
Toccara N. Steele is a native of the Chicago area who is known for her zeal and enthusiasm about life. She has been told by many, when she enters a room, her presence is felt by everyone. She is a forward thinker and who enjoys helping others to embrace the brighter side of life. She is currently pursuing a Doctoral Degree in Management from the University of Phoenix. Her dissertation topic focuses on African American Women in leadership roles with Absentee Fathers. She received her Bachelor's Degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and her Master's Degree in Management from the University of Phoenix.
Miss Steele is an Empowerment Speaker, Life Coach, Image Consultant, Business Strategist, Author, Mentor and a dear friend to many. As an Empowerment Speaker, her audience is typically comprised of women of all ages, where she freely shares her experiences which often touch everyone, not matter what age, race, or gender. Some of the topics she expounds on include:
-Healthy Relationship
-Understanding a Woman’s Worth (The World vs. The Kingdom’s View)
-Self Image and Esteem
-Growing up as a Fatherless Daughter
-Overcoming Domestic Violence
Her most recent work, The Re-Invention Project, is a Self-Help Resource where she along with 7 experienced writers share ways of overcoming, when failure speaks.
She tends to approach each day of life as if it is the first day of the rest of her life. She is an excellent leader; however, she understands the proverb, "In order to be a good leader, you must be an excellent follower." She is no stranger to motivating and encouraging others to get the most out of life. On the horizon is VOS (Vault of Steele) International where she plans to house all of her services and offer/provide them to those at large. In the future, Miss Steele plans to launch a nonprofit organization slated to target youth who are being parented without an active father in their lives along with many other projects.
In her spare time, she enjoys reading, motivational speaking, writing, and traveling, but most importantly spending quality time with her friends and family.