Nicole Fisher is the Founder and CEO at HHR Strategies, a health care and human rights focused advising firm. She is a Senior Policy Advisor for federal and state officials and an expert on health reform. Nicole runs a Health Innovation and Policy page at Forbes highlighting and advising companies, ideas and people that are changing the health care landscape. She is currently finishing her PhD at the University of North Carolina in the Health Policy and Management Department. Nicole earned her Master’s degree in Public Policy from the University of Chicago and her undergraduate degree from the University of Missouri.
Ann Jaimi Alexander is a Tamil Canadian educator and artist living in Vancouver, B.C. She is an avid traveller who has explored 39 countries in search of cultural identity and belonging. She is passionate about food, social justice, mental health and healing through the sharing of stories. Twitter - @annjaimi
Instagram -@alotuslife
Attorney Corey Minor Smith is a thought leader on housing and poverty breaking strategies. She is also a leading social justice advocate for mental health in communities across the nation. Corey produces radio roundtable conversations with youth and community members to discuss ways to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness. She is a highly sought-after speaker earning two degrees from Bowling Green State University and her Juris Doctorate from the University of Toledo College of Law.
Chrissy Gruninger is the owner of Social [media] Wellness™, offering online business management, marketing and strategy to eco, wellness and socially conscious companies, or as she likes to say, “good people doing good things”. With a graduate degree in sustainable living along with health coaching and yoga certifications, she blends a background in conscious living with her business experience and online marketing knowledge, helping her clients bring their positive messages of well-being and harmony into the world. She lives a wild hearted life in Costa Rica with her two cats, Sunshine y Lluvia.
Kimia Khalvati
Pamela Powell
Pamela Powell is a Chicago area film critic and member of the Chicago Film Critics Association. With a master’s degree from Northwestern and a healthcare background, Pamela gravitates toward films that can better our community and world. From teaching radio broadcasting to having her own radio show on an NPR affiliated station, Pamela shares her unique perspectives about films with her audiences. Currently, Pamela writes for The Daily Journal’s Reel Talk, FF2 Media, and www.reelhonestreviews.com
Kimia Khalvati was born raised in Chicago. Her Persian and Irish roots add to the eclectic influence on lifestyle and career. Throughout her professional career as fitness training professional and health coach, she delivers a vast knowledge of sustainable living techniques. Catering to a multi-dimensional clientele base she believes in many platforms of growth. Kimia is now evolving as an actress now featured in the Netflix drama, BLACK AND privileged. Every mind deserves different avenues of growth and longevity.
Deon’s humble temperament and curiosity is what has surely made him a great creator. His films include powerful performances from prominent actresses and actors such as Hilary Swank and Michael Ealy.
Beyond film making and his previous basketball career, Deon displays a level of sureness and composure that I have learned from. Deon and I have discussed what it meant for him to be an athlete with the injuries he had endured.
“Pivoting into film was my biggest passion other than basketball so I put everything into it,” he said at one point.
I sat still, listening to the relentlessness in his tone. His unwavering voice I understand and empathize with and then I chimed in by replying, “Most of the things we find possible are only because we have put our dream and intention into practice. Our mind is so powerful that the placement of people and places we meet in life broaden our scope of what we deem capable. Our expansion of thought only increases when we value the obedience our dreams need to succeed.”
“Exactly” he responded. “When you think your life is going to go one way and then God shows you other blessings, we have no other choice than to keep going.”
“I can relate”, I said.
I then thought about how my injuries brought me to
writing, baking, and into positions I’d never been before. I thought I’d never do anything else but fitness training then there was the will to push on into something else.
During that conversation with Deon I knew I was making some of the best decisions I’d made in my entire life. With little validation from others, I felt a sense of peace and pride with my newfound friend, Mr. Taylor. If a big movie director could make new decisions about his life about what he was passionate about so could I. Later that week I called Deon and told him I quit my job.
“You did what? Wow, that’s awesome. You’re like Tupac,” he said.
Laughing, I said, “Not quite Deon, but I just wanted you to know that I appreciate you and I wanted to let you know that you empowered me.”
I had forgotten that little voice inside me that let me know when something didn’t feel right when following my heart wasn’t just enough. Above everything I learned from Deon, he made me remember my courage to stand up for myself and move forward when something wasn’t working for me anymore.
It’s in these exchanges of energy that we realize this world is not as large as we think, and we owe it to one another to have confidence in our intangibles of kindness, reassurance, and wisdom.
Thank you, Taylor.