ENTREPRENEURS women in the community . Often she had to sacrifice the bakery to help those who were in crisis situations . It seemed Antonia ' s passion for Neet ' s Sweets would have to be set aside for MYM to thrive , that was until she met Chandler .
Antonia shares , " Chandler is a young woman who is very special to me . Over the last eight years , I have worked with over 200 women and out of these , I have to say , Chandler is the epitome of a leader . Chandler was the first young woman to understand my struggles with the bakery and how much I cared and wanted to support MYM . When I was feeling burnt out , she took it upon herself to take ( the MYM ) girls to school and teach them how to bake and cater events . Working her way to becoming a lead baker at Neet ' s Sweets , it was this accountability that made me see she was definitely a leader ."
Here is an excerpt from the article : " The majority of victims of ( DMST ) Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking are African-American girls . According to the FBI , African-American children comprise 59 % of all prostitution arrests for those under 18 years - more than any other racial group . In a two-year review , of all suspected human trafficking incidents , 40 % of victims of sex trafficking were African-American ."
This is one of the reasons why Market Your
Mind is so close to Antonia ' s heart . She says , " MYM is the only survivor-lead service provider in North Carolina and has first-hand knowledge of the struggles survivors face , therefore we follow a unique philosophy : We treat survivors of DMST and CSEC not as victims , but as displaced entrepreneurs who are our protégés and apprentices , preparing to become emerging leaders of tomorrow ."
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“ There is someone out there that may be going through a lot of challenges and they need to hear what you ' ve been going through . You never how you may inspire someone else ...”
As Chandler helped to support Antonia ' s dream , they spent a lot of time talking and getting to know one another . It became therapeutic for both ladies . " Chandler reminded me of myself when I was her age , and even though she still had her own struggles , she recognized it wasn ' t just about her , it was about a bigger movement to prove we can overcome our situations and challenges , and pursue our passion ."
Young Black Girls and Human Trafficking
Tirelessly working as an advocate for victims , Antonia encourages the readers of DOAK TM
Magazine to read the article : African-American Girls and Trafficking , www . rights4girls . org / African-American-Girls-Human-Trafficking
Victorious to Pursue Dreams
Lastly , Antonia shares , " Regardless of where any of us are in life , it is important for readers to know , despite anything we have been through , we can still be victorious and pursue our dreams . We all have unique gifts that God specifically designed just for us . Don ' t forget about that special gift , because it is our gift to the world , to help make the world a better place , and through faith , dedication , and hard work , anything is possible . There is someone out there that may be going through a lot of challenges and they need to hear what you ' ve been through . You never know how you may inspire someone else and I am truly thankful for everything I have been through . It has made me stronger ."
Neets Sweets , LLC www . neetssweets . com
Get involved . Take Action . Support ( MYM ) Market Your Mind : www . mymcharlotte . org
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ISSUE 04 | WINTER 2017