Tea Time With Monica!

Thema Azize Serwa is the leading expert in the vaginal steaming industry. She has created a unique method of vaginal steaming that provides over 25 biopsychosocial health benefits that has been ranked #1 in the industry by MakMedia TV. Thema's work has also been talked about in HuffPost for its impact on women entrepreneurs. Her work has been celebrated in local publications, local and international radio, and in households of YouTubers and Facebookers worldwide who travel to get to "Thema's pot". She has also advanced her #HealEverything movement by training and certifying Womb Sauna Practitioners in 9 different countries. She is an empowerment mogul, known for her public speaking, high energy and transparency, and a best selling author who is dedicated to demonstrating to the world the value and impact of the Womb Sauna experience.

A certified Life Coach and Founder of Brunch Beauty Empowerment Network, Marsha McCray is committed to encouraging others to live intentionally.  The book Living Intentionally the Purposeful Seasons of Your Life, will take you through a journey of self discovery, and encouragement as you seek the rebirth of Spring, the beauty of Summer, the harvest of Autumn and the preparedness of Winter. 

Follow us on social media! @Teamtimewithmonica- Our Show! @Monica_thekurvydiva- Host @MickeyLeon1906-Show Producer @IamTriciaCampbell- Today's Guest   BIO  Tricia Campbell is a Plus Size SuperModel Confidence and Body Image Coach. Empowering women world is Brand Tricia Campbell. Tricia believes as women we must RECLAIM OUR INNER BEAUTY AND UNLEASH OUR UNSHAKEABLE CONFIDENCE. Helping women to achieve their unstoppable confidence. Tricia developed her 90 day Signature Coaching Program called Confidence Queens. To find out more information on this Dazzling 1 on 1 Coaching Program with TRICIA just tap on this link Calendly.com/Confidencequeensprogram. Hailing from Montego Bay, Jamaica, Tricia was surrounded by the love and support of her family who instilled in her the message that commitment, persistence and faith are unfailing keys to achieving success. Holding tightly to the wisdom she received, Tricia took bold steps towards realizing her dreams by attending The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York City. After earning a degree in Fashion Design, Tricia began working for a noted Fashion Designer. While working for the designer she was often asked to double as a Plus Size Model. Many opportunities later and Tricia became an in demand, full time Plus Size Fit Model requested by numerous fashion industry leaders. Tricia is also known for being Oprah Winfrey's Standin Model for over 7years and counting. Tricia been featured on the pages of publications like O Magazine, Essence, Glamour, and Posh Magazine. Tricia also Models as a Fit Model, Showroom Model, Print Model and Brand Ambassador for clothing and beauty brands Ashley Stewart, Bloomingdales, Macy's, American Rag, House of Dereon, Jessica Simpson, Target, American Rag, Smart & Sexy, Curvy Couture, CurvyKate, SheFit, Sol de Janeiro and many more. In addition to strutting her famous model dance walk on numerous runways in Paris, New York, UK, and Jamaica. Tricia is also one of the only “Size Sexy” Models to have been featured on BET's famous annual show Rip The Runway for 8 years in a row. Wanting to pay homage to her native land, Tricia returned to Jamaica to walk the runway of Caribbean Fashion Week in Kingston, Jamaica; her appearances were received with thunderous applause. Tricia has now made it her personal goal to spread Body Positivity worldwide. Currently Tricia has also launched her Private Facebook Group called CONFIDENCE QUEENS with over 2.3K members from all over the world. In this private FB group Tricia gives daily Tips and Tools to help empower women.

Tasha Chen - Co-founder of Science of Getting Rich Academy  Tasha is an expert in taking businesses from struggling and on-the-verge-of-giving-up to opening their can of dreams again, having fun, and making money!  Her wildly impactful manifestation and mindset training and coaching have helped entrepreneurs around the globe generate an additional $47.5 million in revenue and growing  in the past 8 years.   She has a knack for seeing the big picture for others and also helps them see their own power. Her inspirational talks cover the magic of manifesting, mindset and developing personal superpowers, sales from the heart, and calling in abundance   Join the Money Attraction Challenge!  Use this link to join! (This is an affiliate link.  By joining via this link , Tea Time with Monica may receive compensation)  https://tashachen.com/money-attraction-challenge/?ref=25336      

As many of you have noticed, I took a break from the podcast for most of the summer. Join me as we discuss my break and why it was necessary. 

Aubrey Boyd  Educator, International Fashion & Event Producer, and Brand Consultant   Aubrey Boyd is an Educator, International Fashion & Event Producer, and Brand Consultant. He is a 2012 graduate from the Great Bethune-Cookman Universit with a Bachelor of Business Administration and Mass Communication. Aubrey is currently pursuing his Master's in Fashion at LIM College.   In 2013, Aubrey was appointed by ZaK the designer as the Senior Vice-President of Operations and Planning of Jon Marc Collection. An Award-winning International Fashion House that specializes in out of the box designs for a show-stopping piece. It was while working together with ZaK in 2015 we notice the lack of exposure and celebration of body diversity inspired them to create the 501c3, National Curves Day, Inc. It's officially a recognized day by the National Day Calendar celebrated the second Wednesday of October with the color red and body-positive hashtags to Embrace. Encourage. and Empower. the community. He has worked with some notable brands Ashely Stewart, Bandelettes, One Bond, MVP Collections, Queen Size Magazine, BTFL Magazine, FFFweek, District of Curves, Full Figured Industry Awards, BRAG, and Fashion Group International just to name a few. One concept Aubrey made known was the theory everyone has god-given attributes to make them marketable it's finding the niche to accentuate them that finds the purpose in continuous research and metamorphosing.  Aubrey is going on a continuous elevation and he has found a means of tastefully fulfilling his mission and purpose. His successes and hard work resulted in the birth of BlvK Consulting Group, a boutique firm that supports brands in Fashion & Event Management, and Brand Consulting. Aubrey leaves by this VISION WITHOUT ACTION IS JUST A DREAM; if you act upon your VISION it will no longer be a DREAM but and REALITY and that you should always BE Fearless.

Kellee Stewart is a writer, actress and self-proclaimed “egg advocate”. She is the creator and host of Warrior Wednesdays, an interactive live Instagram show featuring the truthful and empowering stories of infertility told from a Black women's experience. Each episode Kellee welcomes a special WARRIOR guest for an in depth and raw conversation tackling topics such as fibroids, endometriosis, PCOS, miscarriage, IVF, health disparities and advocating against internal bias and inequities. Kellee and her  growing village of WARRIORS leave no aspect of the infertility journey untouched with their faithful and healing words.

Alison Zupancic originally hails from North Ridgeville, OH, a small town outside of Cleveland  that’s just 10 square miles, but since graduating from the University of Toledo in 2009, she’s  been enjoying big-city life in the nation’s capital. The law enforcement professional lives in the  hip Navy Yard neighborhood — just a stone’s throw from Nationals Park, which fits in nicely with  her active lifestyle and athletic past. Shortly after moving to Washington from the Buckeye State  over a decade ago, Alison joined the all-female tackle football league D.C. Divas as an offensive  lineman. She’s since moved on, but remains active with regular sweat sessions at SoulCycle,  Solidcore, and doing CrossFit. Alison is also passionate about fashion, identifying as an ardent  body positivity and size inclusivity supporter and taking inspiration from influencers and fellow  advocates like Ashley Graham, Tabria Majors, and Katie Sturino. And, the aspiring model’s style  isn’t just limited to the newest trends either — she’s a major thrifter, hitting up vintage stores  whenever she’s on the road for work.

Jess O’Reilly (@SexWithDrJess) is a sex and relationship expert with a background in education. Her research and passion involves teacher training in sexual health and she volunteers in schools and universities to help bring better sex & relationship education to students across Ontario. Jess is also a television personality, author, podcast host (@SexWithDrJess Podcast) and international speaker who has facilitated hundreds of corporate workshops and retreats in 35 countries from Lebanon to Costa Rica.

Today on Tea Time, Monica is back after a little break! She’s sitting down with her mom Juanda on this very special Mother’s Day edition if Tea Time with Monica! 

Www.teatimewithMonica.com

Gwendolyn DeVoe is a former freelance plus model turned fashion event producer who devotes much of her time to mentoring and coaching women interested in plus size modeling and entrepreneurship.  In addition, in an effort to ensure that plus size fashion brands and its aficionados receive equal airtime and tasteful recognition in the fashion industry, Gwen has been instrumental in creating a number of platforms for the plus size fashion community.   One of those platforms is Full Figured Fashion Week®, an annual presentation of the fashion industry’s finest plus models, designers, retailers, boutiques and businesses with products and services for the plus community. The event, which launched in 2009, is heralded as one of the industry’s most legitimate gateways for plus fashion and a “must attend’ for anyone involved in the industry, has received both local and international press coverage ranging from the front page of the New York Times to Forbes.com to The New Yorker and everything in between. In June of 2020, Gwen successfully launched a virtual model of Full Figured Fashion Week.  The success of this virtual event coupled with the devastation that the pandemic has had on the event planning industry, has encouraged Gwen to publish her first e-book, “Pivot, Don’t Panic – How to Turn your In-Person Event Into a Successful Virtual Experience”, which will launch at the end of Fall 2020.   As an award winning event producer, industry content writer, motivational speaker and expert on the plus size fashion community, Gwen has written content for USA Today and has appeared as an industry expert on several national radio and television shows including Fox 5’s Good Day New York, OMG Insider Entertainment Tonight, and ASPIRE TV.  She has been featured in The New York Times, The Huffington Post’s Women in Business, Fortune.com, Fashion & Style, Biz Women - The Business Journal and several other business articles.   Gwen’s current project, the Silver Fox Model Camp, is an extremely popular one-day workshop that was created for aspiring mature models.  As the standard of beauty becomes more inclusive, it is Gwen’s desire that this workshop will serve as a platform for mature models to learn how to use their ageless beauty to monetize life experiences and be successful in the beauty, fashion, and acting industries.  The popularity of this workshop has led Gwen to create yet another brand, the Silver Fox Talent Agency, which is set to open in March.   For more information, please contact Gwen at:  devoe@dseventsinc.com or bookgwendevoe@gmail.com.    IG:  @GwenMogulDeVoe or @MogulMoments FB:  @DeVoeSignatureEvents or @SilverFoxModelCamp

Chenese Lewis is the epitome of a sophisticated woman entrepreneur and entertainer who has gained international attention as a highly sought-after keynote speaker, expert commentator, as well as a positive body image and self-esteem advocate. As an emcee and host, Chenese’s ability to engage her audience, her quick wit, and relatable disposition makes her an in-demand host for major fashion and beauty events. She has hosted large-scale fashion events during New York Fashion Week, Los Angeles Fashion Week, and abroad in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Chenese’s style and eloquence help elevate events to unparalleled levels of success. Chenese made history by being the first crowned Miss Plus America in 2003 which helped give her career momentum in the plus size market. Chenese has since worked with various plus-size brands in different capacities. She has modeled for the national chain Torrid and was the Coast-to-Coast Curves Spokesperson for Ashley Stewart. A guru in the plus industry, Chenese has appeared as an expert on Dr. Phil, Huffington Post Live, and quoted in USA Today. In 2014, Ebony.com recognized Chenese as a pioneer in the plus size industry by naming her one of “The Top Six Plus Fashion Power Players in the Plus Industry” and stated that Chenese is “integral in laying the foundation for plus size fashion!” Chenese continues to make a splash in the mainstream market as well.  She graced the cover of VICE Magazine UK’s 10th anniversary issue, a mainstream publication distributed worldwide. She has also posed for the popular celebrity driven NOH8 Campaign and served as the face of Aida Cosmetics’ “Confidence and Glamour” campaign for three consecutive years. In 2015 Chenese was honored by Baton Rouge Fashion Week with the Fashion Icon Award recognizing her outstanding achievements as a fashion trailblazer from Louisiana. Along with fashion, Chenese is also a trailblazer in the podcasting field. In 2008 she introduced her podcast, The Chenese Lewis Show, the first podcast for the plus-size industry. For over a decade, the iconic podcast has featured in-depth interviews with a wide range of industry experts, including plus size influencers and national brands. In 2010, Chenese was accepted as a media correspondent for the Essence Music Festival and participated for five years interviewing mainstream celebrities during the festivities including Boyz II Men, Gladys Knight, and a host of others. As a philanthropist, Chenese has been a national spokesperson for several organizations, to help raise awareness for charitable causes and shed light on prominent issues. She served as president of the National Organization for Women Hollywood Chapter for two years, in addition to producing Hollywood NOW’s “Love Your Body Day” for six years from 2006-2011. The annual event to promote positive body image was officially sponsored by the City of West Hollywood. The 2010 Love Your Body Campaign, where she posed nude with America’s Next Top Model cycle 10 winner, Whitney Thompson went viral internationally and magnified Chenese’s role as a leading positive body image advocate. Media outlets worldwide covered the campaign, including E! News, Extra, and People.com. Chenese has also been praised as an actress for her work as a cast member on B.E.T’s “Hell Date,” which was one of the most popular shows in BET history. The show allowed Chenese to showcase her impeccable improvisational and comedic skills, and kept millions tuning in weekly. Chenese also won rave reviews for her dramatic portrayal of Connie Williams, a larger-than-life professional baseball player in the NAACP Award-winning play “The Girls of Summer,” set in the 1940s. Chenese is frequently booked for lectures at national workshops, seminars and universities around the country. The National Eating Disorder Association’s Teen Summit and University of California, Davis’ “Celebrate Your Body Week” benefited greatly from hearing her unique perspective. Chenese also served as a commencement speaker at The Art Institute of California in Hollywood. The Louisiana native is the Chief Creative Officer for Chenese Lewis Productions, LLC, a media company she established in 2007. Chenese genuinely embraces who she is, inside and out, and it shows every time she steps into the spotlight. Chenese attributes her success by not conforming to society’s ideals of beauty, but rather showing by example that you can be beautiful and confident regardless of your size. Considered an icon within the plus size industry, Chenese shows no signs of stopping her ambitious efforts anytime soon.

Hello there! Thank you for clicking here to find out more about me, Marie Denee! I am a plus size fashion and style expert. I love sharing my knowledge and experience with others to help them along their path… Experienced in retail for over ten years, working in various retail stores as a stylist, fashion expert, or manager, I lassoed my life experiences both studied and learned to bring my dream into fruition- The Curvy Fashionista®. However if you want to know more about me and the girl behind it all, keep on reading… I promise it is good and you may lean how I can help YOU! Enough about the technical- So Who am I? I am a Virgo The nerd in elementary school with those ridonk-ulous glasses that covered half my face A huge Beyonce fan (don’t hate) The hopeless romantic- I love Ever After and Love Jones A military brat. I have lived in Hawaii, Japan, England, Virginia, California (lived in both the Bay Area now back in SoCal), and now in Atlanta A great dancer- from two stepping to dropping it like it hot (I LOVE TO DANCE!) A nerd. I love words. Words with friends anyone? A big sister and PROUD AUNTIE!!! A giver I am boho Chic with a masculine edgy side to me… No glass ceiling believer I believe the cup is always half full- although I have to look at it closely every now and then I was varsity cheer captain in high school I speak Japanese I LOVE Mary J. Blige Fashion gives me joy I am the oldest grandchild My nickname in high school was “Mama” I was a girl scout for 8 years I owned a pair of coke bottle nerd glasses I absolutely adore Donna Karan Jill Scott speaks to me I am an avid reader, from James Patterson to Eric Jerome Dickey- this is my escape The Business stuff? Oh! Well… I am a plus size fashion, style expert, and blogger. Experienced in retail for over 13 years, working in various retail stores as a stylist, fashion expert, and as management, I have culminated my life experiences both studied and learned to bring my dream into fruition in 2008- The Curvy Fashionista® . From there, I have created Marie Denee LLC, culminating all of my services, expertise, and passions into one site for those looking for someone who is keenly aware of and in touch with the plus size community and the fabulous world of plus size fashion. I have  contributed as The Curvy Fashionista® on plus size fashion trends and tips for Vogue Curvy, Signature 9,Fashion and Style Editor at PLUS Model Magazine, Examiner.Com for Plus size fashion, Seventeen Magazine, Focus on Style, and The Fashionable Housewife among others. I have been featured in Black Enterprise, USA Today, In Style, People Style Watch, Cision, SF Chronicle, SF Bay Style, NBC Bay Area, MyLifetime.com, Hungry by Crystal Renn, The Style Sample, in addition to many others. Currently, I reside  Atlanta, Georgia and in addition to The Curvy Fashionista®, I fashion my skills and passion as a plus size industry insider, consultant, an advocate, and public speaker on body image and confidence. If you would like to contact me for press, interviews, to hire me for speaking engagements, brand partnerships, and collaborations or consultations, please visit my projects page and feel free to email me!

With over a decade of friendship, we decided it was time to share a podcast that keeps it real! We’re talking our journeys of going through all the hoods – womanhood, wife-hood, and motherhood – all with a glass of wine in hand. There’s nothing off the table and we talk about the real side of being a woman and trying to balance it all!

Join Monica as she discusses Polyamory! 

2021 is all about redefining who we are. This month, I decided to do the 10 Day Green Smoothie Cleanse by JJ Smith. Listen as I  recap my experience!

Can you believe it? It’s been a year since we launched Tea Time with Monica!  We are excited to bring you a whole new season in 2021!

2020 has certainly been a year to remember....or one to forget.  Monica wraps up 2020 in the final new episode for 2020. Happy Holidays to everyone!

Join us as we rewind back to our very first episode! 

“I help professional women heal from past abusive relationships, rediscover their worth, rebuild confidence and self-esteem in order to live a more prosperous and productive life”Meet Brittany HallBrittany is a Domestic Abuse Survivior who believes in personal growth and inner peace. She is the founder of BreeLee, Llc, a business designed to guide women in their journey to heal from domestic abuse and rebuild their confidence and self-esteem.Author, Speaker, and Coach, Brittany’s mission is to eliminate the stigmas surrounding domestic violence victims and uplift her sisters in their own journeys to confidence and peace.

Kylene, originally diagnosed with Diabetes Type 2 later found out she was not Type 2 but actually Type 1. This correct diagnosis came after several hospital stays and a conversation with one of the providers. Digging into further medical history and current medications the provider ordered additional testing which revealed she was in fact Type 1. Kylene is an advocate in the diabetes community who founded Blackdiabetic Girl which focuses on diversity and inclusion of Black and People of Color in the diabetic community. Making merchandise that focuses on representation. Kylene is also co-founder of Dope Diabetic Girls Club. Dope Diabetic Girls is a club for diabetic women of all types, age and race. Our mission is to provide a safe space for women to come talk about diabetes, connect with others and form those friendships within the diabetic community. We knew what it was like not having women who shared this disease to travel this journey with so we wanted to ensure that every diabetic woman has a tribe. While this might seem like alot Kylene is also pursuing her educational journey working on a degree in Social Work.Places to find KyleneIG -@blackdiabeticgirlTwitter -@blkdiabeticgirlWebsite- www..Blackdiabeticgirl.com

One of Atlanta’s top lifestyle, fashion and travel blogs, NikkiFreeStyle.com is a repository for all things fun, fabulous and fashionable. I created NikkiFreeStyle.com to document my personal style, and to inspire and encourage ladies considered plus size to disregard antiquated fashion rules often imposed on our community. I also wanted the blog to be an outlet to connect with others who share my passion for fashion, beauty, travel and LIFE!I love sharing my life and the things I truly love with others, and my goal is to become an even more trusted source of all things fabulous. Throughout this journey, I have discovered some fascinating finds, met some wonderful people, and worked with many unbelievable brands, including Walt Disney World and Delta Airlines.I am a plus size curvy fashionista who totally owns her body, her curves and her style with cool confidence. I launched NikkiFreeStyle.com to showcase her individual style and personal taste with the masses. Since launching the blog, I've graced the cover of Redbook Magazine as a winner of the publication’s Real Women Style Awards. The groundbreaking 2015 issue was the first national magazine to feature non-celebrity, non-models on the September cover.I've been named by several fashion magazines and websites as an up and coming blogger to watch and has been featured in several publications including Plus Model Magazine, TheCurvyFashionista.com, bustle.com and Fashion Bomb Daily. I'moften invited to speak at various events about fashion, beauty and style, and has styled several professional women in various industries. I pride herself in promoting fun fashion for women of all ages and all sizes.I am a former news reporter and spokeswoman for a number of government agencies and corporate entities. I earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism for Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (FAMU). I am married and has a Shitzu named Petey.

LaTarah works as a full-time administrative assistant for a local government agency and is a small business owner. LaTarah spent nearly two years homeless before starting Love Matters. Her continual life journey of discovering the greatness of God, healing, and what love is inspired her to want to help other women discover the immeasurable, unconditional love of God which she believes to be the foundation for loving ourselves and others.LaTarah is a proud graduate of Trident Technical College in North Charleston, South Carolina, where she earned her Associates in Applied Sciences in Administrative Office Technology. She currently resides in the Queen City of Charlotte, North Carolina, and delightfully serves as the chief executive officer of her home that includes three amazing, intelligent boys: a 10-year-old and twin 7-year-olds.

Yasmine Owoolabi is a 30 year old, born in Benin and raised in Washington. DC. Her Blog is about sharing captivating content on fashion, fitness and finance topics for urban millennials. She pulls from her diverse background to share personal and inspirational stories with the world. By day She is a Property Management professional with a B.S. in Business Administration from Florida A&M and a MBA from UMUC.

Cora Harrington is the Founder and Editor in Chief of The Lingerie Addict, the world's leading lingerie magazine, as well as the author of In Intimate Detail: How to Choose, Wear, and Love Lingerie. She is an internationally-recognized expert in the area of intimate apparel, having been quoted in or written as a columnist for publications like The New York Times, Elle, Allure, Glamour, The New Yorker, NPR, The Wall Street Journal, Teen Vogue, The Root, and Jezebel. Her mission is to make the intimidating world of lingerie accessible, understandable, and fun for people of all sizes, shapes, races, and gender identities. Cora is currently planning her second book, a more intensive "deep dive" into the lingerie industry.

Liris Crosse, dubbed “The “Body” and “The Naomi Campbell of Plus” is a model/actress and pioneer in the fashion industry for full-figured and African American women pushing curvy women into mainstream fashion! She has graced magazines from American Vogue, Essence, British Cosmopolitan to Vibe as well as been featured in store campaigns for Lane Bryant and Ashley Stewart. Liris was named one of the “Top Ten Plus Models” in the industry by Vibe Vixen Magazine, the Huffington Post’s “Top Ten Most Popular Plus Models” and Dose.com named her one of the “Top 20 Models Destroying Traditional Beauty Standards”! Liris also made her mark in the video vixen market hailed one of the Eye Candy Models of the decade by XXL Magazine.  In 2013 in her home state of Maryland, Liris was presented with the Plus Print Model of the Year Award at the Fashion Awards MD as well as the Fashion 500 Award from The Block Association. The following year, she graced the first Black issue of Plus Model Magazine. Liris sashayed the runway for New York’s Full Figured Fashion Week and took her runway reign to British Plus Size FashionWeekend in the UK and Plus Size Fashion Days in Germany. Her popularity there led to being selected as the cover model for Daily Venus Diva, Plus Model and Volup2 magazines. It was that same year Liris launched her Life of a Working Model Boot Camp which offers numerous classes toprovide new generation of models with tips and strategies on how to break into the fashion industry and maintain and improve their craft. It has been successful series that has assisted women in signingwith major agencies, modeling in high-level runway shows and gaining self-confidence and direction.  In addition to modeling, Liris has added several acting credits to her long resume. She appeared in the films “The Best Man”, “Baby Boy” and on television series “The Wire” and Law & Order SVU.In 2015, Liris became the first Black model to race the Goddess Lingerie campaign. That same year, she was one of a few models selected to walk the runway for reality TV competition, Project Runway’s, first ever plus size collection at New York Fashion Week. That honor was followed by being chosen as one of the models for the show’s first season to include plus size models for the weekly competition premiering in August 2017. In November 2017, Liris was named one of the two model winners of Project Runway to be featured in Marie Claire magazine, a first for plus models. This year Liris was named the Model Of The Year at the 2019 Full Figured Industry Awards and an Women of Power & Transformation award honoree. She is currently the curvy ambassador for mega bridal retailer, Maggie Sottero Designs, breaking size and racial standards in that market. Liris became the first plus model to walk Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week with them!In 2016, Liris discovered a new gift in motivational speaking. She served as the feature speaker at the Flawless Conference in Washington, DC and the Softer Side Seminars in Pittsburgh. In 2017 she added a new cities to her Life of a Working Model Boot Camp tour(Huntsville, Baltimore, St Louis),was named Full-Figured Fashion Week’s Model of the Year and was a featured guest on the Steve Harvey talk show discussing curvy confidence and spreading it to 15 women who she helped inspire tolove themselves. She has since keynoted at Harvard University for AOCC, Princeton University for AtThe Well Conference and spoke twice at EssenceFest this summer in New Orleans for the EssenceBeauty Carnival & Essence Fashion House.Liris is the embodiment of her motto, “If you can think it, you can do it”. She’s proven that anyone canmake their dreams come true and is passionate about encouraging and motivating others to do so. As her career continues to move forward whether through modeling, acting or mentoring, Liris Crosse isdefinitely one to watch! She is signed to Dorothy Combs Models in Miami & IMM Models in the UK.

Black Bougie Broads featuring Kev consists of 6 friends who are bougie, shady and have a lot to say and did we mention BLACK?! This eclectic group of friends met at the illustrious North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University. Don’t let the title fool you, these business professionals let their hair down to tell you how they feel about the latest in current events and drama within their personal lives. So grab your cocktail and your edges and enjoy this bougie experience.

Join Monica this week as she opens up about Journey with therapy, healing, honesty, and self love!

Maui Bigelow discovered the power of her digital voice in 2008 — when Facebook and  Twitter ran the social media streets and Instagram was not even thought about. Now, a media juggernaut and respected voice in numerous communities, Maui’s mission is pretty simple – to create a path for women to emerge and thrive boldly, deliberately, and unapologetically.Curator of PHAT Girl Fresh, a platform that blends feminism with social, fashion, and beauty culture, the Albany State alum is known for bringing progressive, authentic conversations with southern charm, like only she can. She draws hundreds of thousands of yearly readers through her experiences in healing and personal transformations, social change work, and plus style and beauty.She has loaned her voice to numerous platforms, including MadameNoire, HelloBeautiful, and Fashionista and she has been featured in Associated Press, Buzzfeed, Yahoo, Ebony, and Seventeen Magazine, just to name a few. Maui is creator and producer of Life Styled, an annual tribute event that honors and celebrates notable female trailblazers in fashion, entertainment, activism, and empowerment. Past honorees include Tarana Burke, founder of the #MeToo Movement, and Project Runway’s model competition winner, Liris Crosse. Maui has also collaborated with many brands including Lane Bryant, Eloquii, L’Oreal, Mailchimp, Mazda, and Carol’s Daughter, amongst many more. A recognized global style authority, mentor, and boss, Maui routinely travels nationally as a motivational speaker and panelist at events, colleges, corporations, institutions, and a wide range of communities.

Frank is an influencer and advocate that looks to bridge the gap between the many disparities that men and women alike face as it pertains toclothing and opportunities for ALL sizes. As an advocate for self-care and inclusivity, Frank looks to continue to merge the idea that people shouldlook beyond the many binaries society has created and walk in their unapologetic truth. His unique mix of high street style with inspirational think-pieces crusade the message that style, much like identity, is personal and ever-evolving.

LORNA FINN, A GEORGIA NATIVE RESIDING IN D.C., IS AN INFLUENCER, MODEL, BLOGGER AND THECREATOR OF THE BLOG AND BRAND WWW.CYSTUMOFCURVES.COM. THE WORD "CYSTUM" WASDERIVED FROM THE WORD CYST, A CHARACTERISTIC OF PCOS (POLYCYSTIC OVARIAN SYNDROME); ASYNDROME THAT LORNA HERSELF SUFFERS FROM. PCOS IS KNOWN TO ATTACK THE FEMINITY OFBEING A WOMAN, & MORE IMPORTANTLY, MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE WEIGHT-LOSS.HOWEVER, INSTEAD OF LETTING PCOS GET HER DOWN.SHE DECIDED TO TRANSFORM HERSELF & USE HER SYNDROME AS A PLATFORM FOR INSPIRATION &MOTIVATION FOR OTHERS. HER FOCUS IS TO ESTABLISH A CREATIVE SPACE THAT ADDRESSESWISDOM, BEAUTY, HEALTH, FASHION, AND CURVACEOUSNESS. IN LESS THAN A YEAR, LORNA HASCREATED A BLOG, VLOGGING CHANNELS, & SOCIAL PRESENCE THAT IS GROWING RAPIDLY WITHINTHE PLUS/CURVY INDUSTRY & BEYOND. AS AN ADVOCATE FOR CHRONIC ILLNESS, HER OVERALLMISSION IS TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO LOVE THEMSELVES ENOUGH TO NEVER QUIT LIVING FORTHEIR DREAMS, NO MATTER THE OBSTACLE IS PLACED ON YOUR PATH.

B. Garrett is Mentor, Advocate , Motivational Speaker and Entrepreneur who is always pushing herself to new heights. Hailing from Harlem, New York, She has never let her circumstances define the potential of who she could be or what she could accomplish. Coined for believing that “ Broken Crayons Still Color”, She took her experiences in life and decided to create avenues that would help young women & girls become strong and confident. She is the Founder and CEO of Dear Fat Girl™️; A Brand created to Promote body positivity among women. Founded in 2015, Dear Fat Girl™️ motivates and inspires young women and girls; encouraging an unapologetic and fearless journey of self awareness and acceptance. With several years of experience as a Human Service Professional, B. Garrett, is an empowerment ambassador, a change agent for black women, and most importantly a beacon of hope for inner city troubled youth who have experience hardships on how to rise above. She is a proud member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorprated. A natural born speaker, B. Garrett obtained her Undergraduate Degree in Speech Communications from the National Treasure Morgan State University and Her Graduate degree is Human Service Administration from the University of Baltimore. B. Garrett was awarded the 2018 Innovation Award from the Eta Omega Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc for her work with Dear Fat Girl and was named #11 on the 2019 HBCU Buzz Top 30 under 30 for her contributions to the community as an HBCU alumna. She is the definition of Your Life’s Purpose is Greater than your current circumstance.