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Posts tagged as “Inspiration”

Rwandan Teen Leonard Kwitonda Overcomes Obstacles And Will Graduate With Honors

By goodblacknews on February 11, 2014
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Leonard Kwitonda’s life definitely hasn’t been a crystal stair. In 1994, his father was killed in the Rwanda genocide and he was left with just his mother and siblings. At 12-years-old, he traveled with the Rwanda Jr. Basketball Team, but while traveling in California. with the team, his uncle was killed and his family fled to Uganda. He was told to stay in the U.S because of safety issues.
When he was just 15-years-old, not able to speak English, he took a two day ride to Kentucky from California. He’s already lived with two foster families, but that hasn’t deterred him.  Leonard excels not only academically, but is also a star athlete on the basketball team and soccer team. This year, he will graduate with honors.
Leornard says, “I think I’ve come a long way. I don’t like to think of myself as a person who has a lot of issues. There is a lot of people who have more than myself, than I have.”  Jeffersonville Coach Matt Pait says Leonard’s story is inspirational, a teen who has overcome so many obstacles and adversity and is still successful.  Pait says, “He brings a lot of energy, he’s always smiling. Immediately when he’s in the game, it’s constant energy and effort. He’s the kid who gives 100 percent at everything he does.”
Audrey Baines, his current foster mother couldn’t be more proud of Leonard. “Leonard, if you meet him once or you meet him a million times, he’s always going to have a smile on his face, something positive to say. He’s as much a part of Jeff. as anybody who has been here forever and he’s so much a part of my family, I can’t imagine not having him in my life.”
Leonard is planning to go to college and study international business.  To see video of this inspirational teen, click here.
article via clutchmagonline.com

Wheelchair-Bound Fashion Editor Jillian Mercado Stars in Diesel's New Campaign

By goodblacknews on January 25, 2014

Cover girl: Jillian Mercado (right), a 26-year-old fashion editor, stars in Diesel's new spring campaign
Cover girl: Jillian Mercado (right), a 26-year-old fashion editor, stars in Diesel’s new spring campaign 

Diesel’s artistic director Nicola Formichetti has cast a wheelchair-bound fashion editor and blogger in its spring 2014 campaign.  Jillian Mercado – a 26-year-old New Yorker with Dominican roots who suffers from muscular dystrophy – stars in the label’s ‘We Are Connected’ campaign.  The campaign sees her posed alongside visual artist James Astronaut in a denim dress, bright red lipstick and her signature platinum blonde hair, making it clear how Formichetti consciously decided to feature, rather than hide her electric wheelchair in the photo.
She told MailOnline that she hopes the ad “gives hope to people who are maybe saying, ‘My life is over’ because they are disabled. You can totally do it, nothing should be stopping you.”  The campaign – photographed by the acclaimed duo Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin – will run in the March issues of magazines including Vogue and Interview, and will also be displayed on the walls of every single Diesel store worldwide.
Mercado first met Formichetti through a shoot produced by We The Urban magazine, where she works as the executive editorial director.  A few months later, she saw that his assistant put out a casting call for young, culturally-representative models to join Diesel as a campaign ambassador. Miss Mercado and her friends decided to enter the lot as a ‘joke’ she said.

Model citizen: Miss Mercado says that those in similar physical situations should not let their disabilities affect their success and dreams
Model citizen: Miss Mercado says that those in similar physical situations should not let their disabilities affect their success and dreams

But then, “a few weeks later I got an email from the casting agency that said ‘Hey can you send us more pictures? We are kind of interested in having you in the campaign.'”  Out of disbelief, Miss Mercado responded with an assortment of Facebook and Instagram photos.  Following a few days of deliberation, she was chosen to star in the campaign among 23 tastemakers hailing from her own generation.

Hero Mailman Darrian Crutcher Saves Burning Home, Continues Route

By goodblacknews on October 25, 2013
Detroit postal worker Darrian Crutcher. (Photo courtesy of Facebook)
Detroit postal worker Darrian Crutcher. (Photo courtesy of Facebook)

One Detroit postal worker was on duty Tuesday when his daily routine was interrupted by an unexpected crisis. Darrian Crutcher travels the same route each day but as he made his deliveries earlier this week, he saw a house on fire while the homeowner was still inside, according to WJBK-TV.  He did a quick search around the house and found a garden hose before he ran into the home to help tame the flames until firefighters arrived.
Crutcher is now being dubbed a hero, although he wont admit it.  “I wouldn’t say a hero,” he told WJBK-TV. “It was a blessing for me to be at that spot at that particular time.”  The fire appeared to have started after the homeowner, Carolyn Patterson, lit incense.  “He was spraying [the fire] down and everything and knocked [the fire] down quite a bit,” Patterson said.  “I think this room probably would’ve burned up. I really do.”
Once firefighters arrived, Crutcher left the scene and immediately returned to his postal duties.  “He did great!” one firefighter told WJBK-TV. “I asked him after it was over, I said, ‘Hey man, you should come join us! We’re hiring right now!’”
article by Lilly Workneh via thegrio.com

14 Year-Old Thessalonika Arzu-Embry To Earn Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from Chicago State University

By goodblacknews on July 17, 2013
At just 14, Thessalonika Arzu-Embry will be graduating Chicago State University in August with a bachelor's degree in psychology. A resident of the Great Lakes Naval Base, Thessalonika plans to continue her studies in a graduate program before opening a clinic with her mother.
At just 14, Thessalonika Arzu-Embry will be graduating Chicago State University in August with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. A resident of the Great Lakes Naval Base, Thessalonika plans to continue her studies in a graduate program before opening a clinic with her mother.

Thessalonika Arzu-Embry and her mother, Wonder Embry, get up at five in the morning most weekdays to go to school together.  Unlike most 14-year-olds, however, Thessalonika isn’t off early in the morning to the local high school. She’s going to Chicago State University.

Thessalonika is putting the finishing touches on a college career that started three years ago at College of Lake County and will end next month with a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Chicago State.  “My college experience is a traditional college experience for me — it is just that I have completed it faster,” Thessalonika said. “I am very excited about joining others in having the opportunity to contribute to society in a significant way.”

After their early wake-up, Thessalonika and her mom pray and work on Bible studies, then work out at a local fitness center before starting their hour-and-a-half commute from their home at the Great Lakes Naval Station near North Chicago to Chicago State, located on the city’s South Side. Wonder Embry is a classmate of sorts at Chicago State, where she’s a graduate student in clinical psychology.

During the commute, Wonder and Thessalonika study theory together and chat about their homework assignments. Thessalonika said her mother keeps her motivated.  “My mother is a strong inspiration to my success. She is a veteran of the United States Navy, and when she finished her tour, she home-schooled my brother and I,” Thessalonika said.  Thessalonika’s mother said that for her part, she was just doing right by her daughter.  “The parents are the most influential force in their own children’s lives, and they have the power to influence them to do good and to go forward,” Wonder Embry said.

Thessalonika was home-schooled until she was 8. At age 11, after receiving the equivalent of a high school diploma through her home schooling, she passed an entrance exam to attend College of Lake County and enrolled to study psychology.  She said she chose college from such a young age because she loves studying and has an interest in psychology that goes far beyond just material knowledge. One of her ultimate goals is to help people through a clinic she hopes to establish with her mother and her brother, Jeremy.

Man And Woman Widowed By Tragedies Fall in Love, Marry Each Other

By goodblacknews on July 16, 2013

jessica and jordan marriage story

When N.Y.C. pastor Jordan Rice (pictured right) and marketing specialist Jessica Moreland (pictured left) married each other on June 22nd, they probably never guessed their union would spring forth from tragedy.  But it was grave misfortune that brought them together. Moreland’s previous husband, Jarronn, was killed in a motorcycle accident in 2009, a mere two-and-a-half months after their wedding.  “His injuries were so serious that the blood had drained out of his body,” said Jessica. “There was too much strain on his heart.”
Eventually, she began dating, unsuccessfully, for the next three years.  Jordan’s previous wife, Danielle, fell ill shortly after their wedding; doctors found she had primary cardiac angiosarcoma, a rare heart cancer. An X-ray found that she had fluid around her heart that appeared to be a virus. Danielle died in 2011, barely two years after their marriage and 10 months after the horrifying diagnosis.  “She started really getting worse very quickly,” said Jordan. “Within four days, she couldn’t walk anymore. Her resting heart rate was around 140 beats a minute — lying down.”
“I was miserable,” Jordan said. “I felt out of place … a 27-year-old doesn’t die of cancer. It was very unfair and challenging on every front.”  Eventually, Jordan began dating again, with no results.  In 2012, one of Jordan’s friends sent him a link to Jessica’s blog, One Day At A Time, where she’d posted pictures from her previous wedding and shared its tragic ending. Jordan also happened to be a blogger, and Jessica describing her former spouse reminded him of their shared experience.
“I loved how candid she was,” he told ABC News. ”She described the raw emotion that I had felt on so many occasions. … I respected her for honoring his life. How much she adored him was something very powerful to me.”
Jordan decided to “friend” Jessica through Facebook, taking special care to not appear stalkerish. ”That’s not my MO,” he said.  Jessica initially ignored his request, until she noticed they had mutual friends from Morgan State, Jordan’s alma matter. ”I smiled, but I never responded,” she said.
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A few days later, however, she had lunch with a couple who knew Jordan and vouched for him as a good guy. She decided to look up his blog and offered him consolation, knowing what he was going through.  “I was a little further along the path — I was three years out and he was only at a year and a half — and I told him you never get over it, but you learn to live with it,” said Jessica.  The two began trading text messages and eventually developed a bond. Jordan decided to visit Jessica in Washington, D.C.  Their departed spouses became an emotional talking point.

Whitney Mitchell, Ex-Dancer and Quadruple Amputee, Works to Inspire Others

By goodblacknews on June 3, 2013
Whitney Mitchell (photo via pinterest)

article via newsone.com

When Whitney Mitchell (pictured) lost her arms and legs to an illness two and a half years ago, she was pursuing a career in dance. Her life has taken a different path since then, but she continues to dream big. Mitchell just took her first steps a few weeks ago with her new prosthetic legs. Her movements were small and paced, but the young woman plans on taking giant strides in the future, reports CBS Dallas.

“I really want to inspire people,” said Mitchell. “I want to tell them no matter what (their) circumstances (are) you can pull through and keep going.” The 21-year-old was celebrated at a fundraiser to cover her medical costs at the Chocolate Secrets and Wine Gardens in Dallas on Sunday night.

Her positive spirit has kept her forging ahead with new aspirations of becoming a fashion designer. Mitchell developed flu-like symptoms back in 2010, that ended up being diagnosed as sepsis, a bacterial infection of the blood. The then-aspiring dancer and performing arts university student was given a twelve percent, one week survival rate. The bacteria in her body was causing alarming levels of inflammation. In order to survive, doctors would have to amputate her arms and legs.

"Bountiful's" Cicely Tyson Moves Broadway Audiences to Sing Along to "Blessed Assurance"

By goodblacknews on May 30, 2013

Not long after the curtain rises on the second act of “The Trip to Bountiful,” the Broadway revival of the Horton Foote play at the Stephen Sondheim Theater, something unusual happens. Cicely Tyson, as Mrs. Carrie Watts, sits on a bus station bench in a small Texas town. She is on the run from her abusive daughter-in-law and henpecked son in Houston, desperate to see the family farm in Bountiful once more before she dies.

Audience members join in as Ms. Tyson sings “Blessed Assurance.”  Overcome with emotion, she begins singing an old Protestant hymn, “Blessed Assurance.”

From the first note, there’s a palpable stirring among many of the black patrons in the audience, which the play, with its mostly black cast, draws in large numbers. When Ms. Tyson jumps to her feet, spreads her arms and picks up the volume, they start singing along. On some nights it’s a muted accompaniment. On other nights, and especially at Sunday matinees, it’s a full-throated chorus that rocks the theater.

Philadelphia Grandmother Jackie Hill Earns Culinary Degree, Credits Obama With Motivation

By goodblacknews on May 26, 2013
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After 39 years of setbacks and determination, Jackie Hill’s (pictured above right) dream of becoming a chef  came true on Thursday when she graduated summa cum laude from Montgomery County Community College (MCCC) with an associate’s degree in culinary arts, reports Philly.com.  With that amazing achievement, the 55 year-old Philadelphia mother and grandmother became the first in her family of ten to receive a degree.
“I have watched Jackie grow from being very tentative as an adult returning  to school to a whole different level of poise and grace,” said Karen Stout, president of the school who spoke to Philly.com.  “Hill’s story is like that of many other adult women,” Stout continues.  “They are women needing to find themselves and build confidence.”
Growing up, Hill was daddy’s little girl and her father, a preacher, was her entire world.  He was her cheering squad and made her feel that she could do anything.  It was her father who bought her first Easy-Bake Oven and a chef was born. She fed her dad exquisite edible concoctions with that little oven and he promised to set her up in business one day.  Tragically, that was not to be. 
Hill’s world spiraled out of control quickly when her father passed away.  The 16-year-old teen, stricken with grief, began “acting out.” She dropped out of high school, ran away from home, and then wound up pregnant.  Four more children would soon follow.

Obama Morehouse Speech: President Talks Good Deeds, Race & Manhood At 2013 Commencement

By goodblacknews on May 19, 2013

Obama at Morehouse
President Barack Obama, in a soaring commencement address on work, sacrifice and opportunity, told graduates of Morehouse College Sunday to seize the power of their example as black men graduating from college and use it to improve people’s lives.
Noting the Atlanta school’s mission to cultivate, not just educate, good men, Obama said graduates should not be so eager to join the chase for wealth and material things, but instead should remember where they came from and not “take your degree and get a fancy job and nice house and nice car and never look back.”
“So yes, go get that law degree. But if you do, ask yourself if the only option is to defend the rich and powerful, or if you can also find time to defend the powerless,” Obama declared. “Sure, go get your MBA, or start that business, we need black businesses out there. But ask yourself what broader purpose your business might serve, in putting people to work, or transforming a neighborhood.”
“The most successful CEOs I know didn’t start out intent on making money – rather, they had a vision of how their product or service would change things, and the money followed,” he said.  For those headed to medical school, Obama said “make sure you heal folks in underserved communities who really need it, too.” He asked those headed to law school to think about defending the poor.

Waitress CeCe Bruce's Positive Attitude Pays Off with $446 Tip

By goodblacknews on May 17, 2013

Cece BruceCeCe Bruce, a waitress at an Indianapolis eatery, received a $446 tip on a $6 bill for her positive attitude.  Bruce has been waiting tables at Steak and Shake for two years, while attending school part time.
“Serving is our bread and butter,” Bruce told WTHR.  ”So if we’re not nice, then we don’t get tipped good.”  The hardworking waitress said she was having trouble with a table who was giving her a hard time, but she “just kept smiling and going on because that’s what you got to do.”
Shortly after, one of her regular customers, Miss Jo, left her the very generous tip.  This is the biggest tip Bruce has received and says it was just in time to pay the bills.  To see video of Bruce’s story, click here.
article by Carrie Healey via thegrio.com