US Reporter

De’Andre Salter: Renowned Black Executive Leads Economic Empowerment for People of Color Through His Latest Book

brittanymeyers brittanymeyers on January 5, 2021

Known for being one of the most celebrated Black executives who inspired the largest black-owned wholesale insurance brokerage throughout the United States, De’Andre Salter has made a significant name for himself not only in the insurance arena but also in the finance industry. Today, the established entrepreneur is on a mission to pursue economic empowerment for people of color through his latest book, The Culture of Money.

De’Andre Salter is a serial entrepreneur, certified financial expert, motivational speaker, and a rising author. He was a senior-level executive for 3 fortune 500 companies, inspiring the largest Black-owned wholesale insurance brokerage in America. On top of being a renowned entrepreneur, his influence also stems from his strong faith and relentless service to the church. 

At only 21 years old, he learned the fundamentals of wealth-building and money-making. “I grew up in an area where most people I knew were the prototype for financial instability. It was a terrible setback and grace caused me to commit to breaking the cycle,” explains De’Andre Salter. The rising financial visionary obtained his degree from Drew University in only three years. Upon completion, he immediately joined the insurance industry and quickly took enormous strides, which led to professional success. He also holds a Master’s Degree in Theology from The King’s Seminary and is currently working on his Doctorate of Ministry. He was consecrated as Bishop of Administration of the Macedonia International Bible Fellowship, an association home to pastors from African and American ministries. At present, he serves as a pastor of Impact Church in New Jersey.

Today, he is most thrilled to finally launch a masterpiece fueled by his financial expertise and lifelong advocacies. His book, The Culture of Money, unlocks effective strategies for economic empowerment through sustainable wealth for people of color. In this publication, De’Andre Salter explores what he deems as one of the biggest civil rights issues today – the glaring racial wealth gap. As an author, he envisioned building a black wealth movement through community-shared values of knowing more, owning more, and passing down more to the next generation. Moreover, his powerful book highlights how black churches, organizations, and families play a significant role in attaining financial recovery and overall success.

Unlike most books tackling finances for people of color, The Culture of Money steers away from the typical financial advice that often urges readers to use emergency savings as the first step to attaining financial independence. Instead, this book dives deeper into identifying the crucial negative financial behaviors that may be holding back people from building sustainable wealth. De’Andre Salter then guides the readers into changing these behaviors into more fruitful endeavors.

Essentially, The Culture of Money serves as a wake-up call for readers. De’Andre Salter helps people understand how money has affected their past and how it serves as a driving force in their lives today. The book is a sophisticated blend of financial psychology and biblical wisdom, revealing the importance of mindset and community wealth-building. Overall, it provides a curriculum, measurement, and tools needed for readers to get involved in the black wealth-building movement.

Through his book, De’Andre Salter provides a life-changing awakening for Black Americans and other people of color who are determined to shift the financial narrative of their culture, family, and community towards a more positive light.

To know more about De’Andre Salter, please visit his official website.

Painted Citizen’s Diana Price Changing the World of Art and Fashion with Her “Art Of Empowerment”

David Peers David Peers on November 3, 2020

Supermodels Jordyn Johnson and Sydney Falkner being transformed into living masterpieces.

Supermodel Jordyn Johnson @jordynjohnsonn is lying on the studio floor, wearing nothing but a smile. With Lady Gaga booming overhead, an abstract rainbow of non-toxic paint is being meticulously applied all over her body, as a photographer captures every pose. The vibe is joyful. How does Jordyn feel?

“Liberated,” Jordyn says. “I would do this again a million times. Diana makes me feel so beautiful.” 

She’s talking about Phoenix artist Diana Price, who, at 28, is fast becoming a fashion darling who’s taking the art world by storm. Her curated street couture is designed to appeal to everyone from Kim Kardashian to kids on the corner. Because they feature one-of-a-kind works of art she creates by painting…on her clients. 

“I’m living my truth,” she says, brushing back her soft blonde hair with a paint-splattered hand. “Which is to turn people into works of art. Seeing them feel good about themselves. That’s what I love most.” 

Nude Painting…Revolutionized 

“It’s definitely spiritual,” says Diana Price, “There’s something divine in making people feel so free.” 

Clients who spend an afternoon inside Diana’s Phoenix, Arizona studio, (AKA her garage), say they love it too.

“The experience was life-changing, empowering,” says Sydney Falkner (@sydneeliana), another supermodel who adored her day with Diana. “Diana made me feel strong, feminine, and beautiful. She made me feel ‘seen.’” 

Reviewing the latest images and video from a mid-October shoot, Diana does her best to describe the ethereal process. 

“Once I lay down a base coat, I add two or three more colors. Then I let the energy dictate what happens next. It’s extremely collaborative.” The confidence her clients feel gives her confidence, too. “There’s definitely technique involved, but there’s plenty of spontaneity too. No shoot is exactly the same.” 

So far, Diana has painted 30 clients, who all echo the same sentiments. More confidence, fewer inhibitions, total joy. “The Art of Empowerment,” Diana says, “is really all about beauty and truth.” 

Phoenix Phenom

Born and raised in Phoenix, Ms Price finds inspiration from Andy Warhol, Betsy Johnson, Jackson Pollock, and Lady Gaga. Like them, she was known to be somewhat rebellious.

“Growing up, I was a rule bender, for sure,” she says, smiling and shrugging. “Once at a high school football game, on a dare, I ran onto the field and swiped the ball. I gave the crowd a story they’re still talking about,” she laughs. The story perfectly captures her brand’s motto: make your mark.

“I want people to feel the things that I once struggled with, things I wanted to feel in my life. The need to be recognized, feel beautiful, and feel good enough. I like making clients feel seen, noticed, and adored,” Diana ponders. “I like making them know that in my studio, they really are all of those things.” 

Finding her way to Painted Citizen was not easy.

“It’s not lost on me that the word ‘pain’ is embedded in the word ‘paint,” Diana says, smiling. “It was hard, overcoming what life tossed at me,” she says, keeping the specifics private. “Coming out of my pain, all I could think of was, ‘The answer is in the paint.’ I’m fortunate I listened to my heart. That’s something I encourage in my clients. They get to carry their newfound confidence, in their hearts and in their souls, for the rest of their lives.” 

Body of Work 

Painted Citizen’s founder and Chief Empowerment Officer, Diana Price, in her work clothes.

She dreams of bringing her fashion and its message of empowerment all over the world. 

“This has become my life’s passion,” Diana says. “And it’s so rewarding. Giving clients once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and letting them relive in those moments forever, through beautiful photography and high-end street couture.” 

It’s one thing to own a work of art. But to be one? Diana confirms the spiritual side to it. 

“There’s something divine that happens,” Diana muses, “when I’m painting on someone’s body, that I didn’t plan on happening. It feels perfectly imperfect. I don’t know how it all happens in this garage, but it does. What can I say? I’m blessed.” 

Painted Citizen is accepting new clients. To book a session or purchase couture, go to PaintedCitizen.com.

The BrokenGirl Unchained Podcast Empowers Women to Live Their Best Life

David Peers David Peers on October 17, 2020

A lot of women who go through emotional, physical, and sexual trauma find it extremely difficult to move forward in life, especially if there is a repetition of the same abuse in the succeeding years. Those who are lucky enough to rebuild their lives years after the abuse took place eventually manage to make the best of their new beginning. However, there is no guarantee that the abuse will not resurface even as they brave the new season in their lives. The BrokenGirl Unchained Podcast and blog is a platform that intends to empower women to create their best lives despite their brokenness and painful past. 

Founded and hosted by Juliet Ramos, the podcast is best known for its relatable, raw, and straightforward content about marriage, parenting, surviving a divorce, overcoming betrayal, dealing with anger, and getting back on one’s feet after a hard blow. Juliet herself is a living testimony of how she chose to leave behind her unseemly past from being neglected and rejected by her mother to having to deal with a narcissistic ex-husband and a failed marriage. 

Through her podcast, Juliet Ramose hopes to empower women to take control of their lives, to pursue their own happiness, and not depend on anyone for it. All her life, Juliet struggled with rejection and abandonment. It all started with her own mother, the person that every child expects to be a refuge and source of security. In Juliet’s case, however, she was made to feel unwanted and unimportant most of the time. This made her question a lot of things and strained her relationship with her mother immensely. 

When she finally met her ex-husband, Juliet had high hopes for their marriage. They started a family together and had four children. Everything seemed perfectly fine until she detected red flags. When the betrayal happened, Juliet spiraled into a deep hole, asking herself what she did wrong to deserve such a blow from the man she trusted with her life. At some point, she lost all hope, felt insignificant, angry, confused, and as if life had ended. If not for her children, she would have never recovered from the pain that her marriage caused her. 

Drawing strength from the love and adoration of her children, Juliet Ramos found the courage to build her comeback story. And truth be told, everyone loves a good comeback story. She stepped out of the darkness and found her own light, pushed herself until she was as strong as she can be, and conquered the airwaves with her bold statements on her podcast. Now, Juliet Ramos is such a powerful force to contend with, and she is not one to be messed with. 

“There’s something to be said about a woman with that profound strength that comes from the unknown. And there’s no better story told about a woman that has fire in her eyes, that hunger that drives her hustle, the kind of woman that rose from the cold floor she was left on, that kind of strength is spoken for, that kind of woman will always reclaim her heart and save herself. Fear that kind of woman. Be that kind of woman,” Juliet Ramos shares.Learn more about Juliet Ramos and BrokenGirl Unchained Podcast by visiting this website. Check out the podcast’s Instagram account for updates.

Redefining Beauty Standards with Niki Srinivasa

David Peers David Peers on September 15, 2020

Women have continuously been subjected to outrageous beauty standards that some can no longer keep up with. And more often than not, these women who found themselves gasping for air while trying to stay afloat are the same people who suffered from constant bullying.

This is truly an unfortunate circumstance that no woman should ever face in her entire life. Seeing how this issue continues to plague women around the world, Niki Srinivasa seeks to get to grips with it.

Recognized for her awe-inspiring contributions to the spheres of fashion and entertainment, Niki Srinivasa exactly knew how these debilitating aesthetic stereotypes negatively impacted women in all aspects of their lifetimes. And as she continues to trailblaze the industry with her undeniable skill and unparalleled talent, Niki intends to use her platform as an instrument of change for the oppressed and the unheard.

Coming from a place of vulnerability where doubts and fears ruled its corners, Niki had her fair share of trials in the past. With media vehemently portraying beauty that is found in skinny figures and fair complexion, Niki felt out of place and slowly started to lose her self-confidence. She was persistently bullied for her looks, which made her struggle from recognizing her true worth. These circumstances immensely struck her that it subsequently discouraged her from moving forward. But when a light came knocking to her door, Niki realized that her looks and disposition were not the problems in this narrative.

Niki’s monumental recoil from darkness propelled her to become a beacon of hope for people who lost their sense of self while trying to fit into the molds of society’s expectations. With a knack for fashion and couture, Niki decided to create a path where she can showcase her mastery of the craft. But aside from being a display of talent, it is also geared towards materializing her purpose – that is, to break the barriers built by stereotypical views for women to attain self-confidence, regardless of what they look like.

As an epitome of female empowerment, Niki has made bold strides in the world of fashion and entertainment. Her masterful pieces of art have led her to participate in iconic fashion shows and events such as New York and Paris Fashion Week, Vogue Forces of Fashion, The Conscious Fashion Campaign, and BigThinx, the world’s first virtual fashion show. She has also collaborated with some fashion moguls like ModCloth and Tommy Hilfiger. Moreover, Niki’s prowess in the realms of fashion and couture has allowed her to receive a prestigious International Design Award. And proving to be unstoppable, Niki was dubbed as a “talent to watch” by Flying Solo.

But aside from showcasing her creative flair, Niki’s purpose of attaining success is far beyond self-serving pursuits. Being passionate about empowering others, Niki founded a non-profit organization built with a mission to serve women and children in marginalized communities around the world. Through its unique initiatives, Niki hopes to provide accessible educational opportunities in an effort to foster support and collaboration inside these sectors across the globe.

Looking back to the time when she felt lost and inadequate, Niki reveals that it took her some time to acknowledge her self-worth. But instead of allowing people’s perceptions of beauty to overpower her entire existence, she fortified herself. And now that Niki has reached the peak of self-development, she hopes to embolden other women to recognize that beauty is more than what society has set. It is in accepting one’s flaws that make each and every woman beautiful.

To know more about Niki Srinivasa, you may visit her website or follow her Instagram page.

Monica Alexandra Ribero: The Transformational Coach for Overachievers

Cindy Smith Cindy Smith on September 9, 2020

Living most of her life on autopilot, jumping from one achievement to another, Monica Alexandra Ribero is all too familiar with an overachiever’s life. Through her passion and curiosity about this life, she discovered, learned, and mastered inner work. Today, she stands as a coach for core energy life and leadership with a mission of helping other overachievers transform their lives, achieve freedom, and discover more of what is inside themselves.

Born and raised in Bolivia, Monica Alexandra Ribero was a trailblazer in tennis since she was only six years old. She ranked # 1 in her country, which opened her doors to international competitions. Her successful journey in the international tennis arena landed her a full scholarship at an NCAA university in the United States, where she obtained her undergraduate degree and her graduate degree with honors from her master’s degree in business administration at only 24 years old. 

Monica Alexandra Ribero then went on to start her professional working life. She competed and thrived in the work-life arena as a marketing professional with over 15 years of experience working for and alongside multi-billion dollar corporations. 

Looking back, Monica Alexandra Ribero highlights that for most of her life, it was as if she lived on autopilot. She would receive several achievements left and right, yet she did not know what she truly wanted in life. This reality drove her to look into her energy and learn about inner work. As her curiosity grew more profound, she traveled to India several times to learn more. There, she developed a passion for yoga, and she obtained a Reiki healing certification. 

After working on improving herself for several years and mastering her skills, Monica Alexandra Ribero expanded the reach of the knowledge for inner work that she had gained in India. She started helping others find their authentic self and their true power in life. This became a professional work, and she was quickly recognized as a core energy life and leadership coach. Her ultimate focus is helping overachievers who live life on autopilot like herself in the past.

With her deep understanding of energy and life, she guides overachievers carefully in creating the life they want. She also guides multi-billion dollar corporations in discovering their true potential. She also helps in developing conscious leaders who manage these large companies. 

As a coach, Monica Alexandra Ribero seeks to transform overachievers’ lives in a more positive manner. Using the power of energy, the successful Bolivian coach helps raise her clients’ levels of consciousness. She does not provide band-aid or short-term short-solutions. Instead, she focuses on helping her clients achieve a real transformation from the core, which results in a “ripple effect” in other aspects of the clients’ lives. She helps them obtain freedom and free themselves from the limitations they have set.

She is also passionate about bringing awareness to women and helping them realize that “the best way to create equality and true empowerment is not by looking outside but by going within and doing the personal work.” In turn, this will have a collective impact and bring higher levels of collective consciousness for women. It is this transformation that will bring change.

In the future, Monica Alexandra Ribero hopes to travel to different parts of the world, running workshops and holding speaking engagements where she can empower others to find their authentic selves. She hopes to help others understand how personal work has a “collective positive impact.”

Learn more about Monica Alexandra Ribero and her coaching sessions by visiting her official website. You may also check her out on Instagram.

Dr. Velma Trayham Uses Her Voice and Experience to Empower Fellow Entrepreneurs

Cindy Smith Cindy Smith on August 18, 2020

Empathy is vital in a seemingly competitive world, such as the one people live in today. Sharing knowledge and resources is essential, and with the recently emerging mentorship platforms, there seems to be much hope for those who are willing to work hard and learn. At the forefront of this educational space is Dr. Velma Trayham—an award-winning marketing expert and entrepreneur.

Velma is the founder of a pioneering non-profit organization in Atlanta, Georgia, called Millionaire Mastermind Academy. The economic empowerment program, launched in December of 2017, aims to empower women and help them rise above poverty through entrepreneurship. Since its launch, Millionaire Mastermind Academy has spearheaded numerous entrepreneurial programs that have elevated the lives of women from poverty, helping them create a promising future for them and their families. Through the platform, Velma has coached over 5,000 women through economic empowerment conferences. Today, it hopes to continue leading impactful and innovative programs that benefit the lives of female business owners, especially those coming from economically unstable communities.

To further her reach in this mission she has set out to do, Velma has recently set in motion her own talk show called “Millionaire Mindset with Dr. Velma Trayham.” The educational show, which centers on business empowerment and entrepreneurship, airs on the AIB TV Network every Friday. It has an audience of over two million households via the cable systems of Comcast Channel 295 and AT&T U-verse Channel 6 and is available for streaming on various devices through the AIB Everywhere platform.

Furthermore, Velma is the CEO of several successful businesses, including Atlanta-based enterprise Thinkzilla Consulting Group. Through the said company, she and her dedicated team help numerous small businesses, government agencies, and even Fortune 500 companies in terms of marketing, branding, public relations, and corporate events, among other services. Led by Velma’s tenacity and sincere desire to be instrumental in others’ success, Thinkzilla Consulting Group has helped over 200 prominent organizations in achieving their revenue and branding goals.

Praised as one of the Nation’s Top Business Experts and one of today’s leading revolutionary thinkers, Velma has serviced notable clients, including Herozona Foundation, NASCAR, FIJI water, and Atlanta Airlines Terminal, among others. She has been awarded numerous accolades in her career as well, with the most recent ones, including the 2019 Top Leadership Award by the International Dream Team Academy and being named one of the 2019 Atlanta Business League Top 100 Women of Influence.

Velma is committed to sharing her knowledge and helping facilitate the success of others. She believes that successful leaders like herself have a duty to do so to further contribute to their communities. The entrepreneur has her sights set on using her experience in creating and marketing her businesses to aid others in doing the same for their own enterprises. She shares: “I was motivated to build my brand because I had to overcome poverty and my circumstances. When I realized how hard it was for me to do that I realized I had to help other people overcome the barriers that I had overcome. I am passionate about creating a blueprint for the next generation of leaders.”

To connect with this vibrant entrepreneur on a mission to change the world, visit her website. One may also know more about her company, Thinkzilla Consulting Group, through its webpage.

Ashley Hill on Magdalena’s Daughters’ Battle Against Human Trafficking and Exploitation

Chris Watson Chris Watson on August 11, 2020

In the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, governments from around the world have imposed lockdowns and quarantine mandates. But although staying at home can be seen as a measure of containing the coronavirus, it can also be a terrifying opportunity for perpetrators of human trafficking to carry out their grim plans. 

Ashley Hill, who is the founder of Magdalena’s Daughters, decided to use the latter as a platform of bringing awareness about sex trafficking among foster youth in San Bernardino County. 

Ashley wants to send that message that while it is true that one’s home can provide safety from the virus, it can also set the stage for an exacerbated human trafficking crisis. And stepping up to address this looming problem, she took on the challenge of looking for ways to develop a pilot program for Magdalena’s Daughters that can offer safe homes for victims. 

According to Ashley, San Bernardino County is geographically the largest county in the United States. However, it does not have any residential homes that specifically cater to the needs of commercially sexually exploited children (CSEC). And so in 2018, she created Magdalena’s Daughters as a solution to the aforementioned problem. 

As a non-profit organization that sprung from Ashley’s advocacy and passion, Magdalena’s Daughters is grounded on the mission of helping female dependents within the child welfare system to get them out of the vicious cycle of sexual exploitation. Moreover, it seeks to provide intensive therapeutic residential services and life skills to transform the lives of the victimized foster youth. 

By addressing the risk factors surrounding human and sex trafficking, Magdalena’s Daughters strives to enhance self-efficacy and create a family-oriented home. Moreover, it also promotes trauma-informed care by allowing survivors of exploitation to share their experiences and insights. 

As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Ashley has been able to identify the barriers blocking sexually exploited victims from fully recovering. Because of this, she has been devoting her life to save as many individuals as she can. And through her efforts, she hopes to give them the joy and peace they have been longing for. 

According to Ashley, individuals belonging to the foster youth community are one of the most vulnerable people to sex trafficking. And because of this, it is the objective of Magdalena’s Daughters to put an end to the victims’ sufferings by healing them from trauma. 

As the world continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, it must also not turn a blind eye to other global crises, such as human trafficking and sexual exploitation, that have intensified among the foster youth. Thus, Ashley invites everyone to walk with Magdalena’s Daughters as it moves forward in helping victims and at-risk foster youth. 

Although Magdalena’s Daughters currently does not have any homes yet, it is in the midst of providing safe housing for female foster youth who are victims or at risk of sex trafficking. It also looks forward to conducting empirical-based research to add to limited data and bring more information regarding human trafficking as well as its impact on foster youth. Moreover, the organization also plans on providing education to marginalized communities to prevent further exploitation. 

To know more about Magdalena’s Daughters, you may head on to their website.