Final Magazine PDF

2 ND Chance International Women of Distinction
MAGAZINE
Fight against Breast
Cancer…
Awareness across
Africa!
Juliette Lutterodt
WOMEN
Women & Drug
Addiction!!!
Dr. Cureton
The Future of
Women in Politics!
Council Woman
Debi Rose

Mission
Our mission is to use a unique globally
respected award and recognition platform,
the power of the internet, as well as print
media (such as periodical publications and
newsletters) to bring attention to all issues
that affect women and young girls
worldwide. To expose issues and highlight
successes of women in areas of business,
family, sexuality, faith, religion, politics,
health, law, and philanthropy, etc.;
irrespective of national origin, religious
affiliation, political affiliations, nationality,
creed, belief, world view, or socio-economic
Vision
Our vision is to inform the world
of all areas in society that affect
the existence and survival of
women and girls. To create a
platform not only to identify
critical issues, but
to also provide resolution through
actions, advocacy, awareness,
intervention, and dialogue. To
sustain a platform that elevates
women and spread awareness about
issues that affect them. To shine
Light on the efforts, gifts, passions,
and resources individual women
and women lead organizations are
using to improve the lives of their
fellow man.
Objectives
To ensure that our message is presented on a global media platform that will allow
the voices of all women to be heard regardless of how geographically or politically
remote those voices are. To foster and enhance networking amongst women on a
global scale.

A graduate of Curtis High School and
Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids,
Mich., she holds a doctoral degree and is
a credentialed alcohol and substance
abuse counselor (CASAC) and an
international certified alcohol and drug
counselor (ICADC).
She is also an ordained deacon, serving
with her husband, Tracy, at Mount Sinai
United Christian Church in Tompkinsville.
Known affectionately around the building
as "Dr. C," Phyllis Cureton has been a
Staten Islander since the age of 10 and
lives in Mariners Harbor, not too far from
the facility she runs.
Dr. Cureton explained to Emmanuel R.
Wheagar, CEO of the 2nd Chance Women of
Distinction Magazine the magnitude of work and
the direct involvement of President Barrack
Obama as she shares teleconference notes with
him. “He is very involved”, she stressed.
.4
Dr. Phyllis Cureton
There have been 75 drug
overdose deaths on Staten Island
this year alone according to
District Attorney Michael E.
McMahon's office; that’s 7 more
overdose deaths than was
reported in all of 2015.
Dr. Cureton is in the full front of
this battle as she handles daily
intakes at Samaritan Daytop
Village, the drug and alcohol
treatment facility in Mariners
Harbor, Staten Island, New York.
“The staff works with about 100
clients at a time, but the door is
always open for more”, she
stressed.
Dr. Cureton gave our staff a tour
of her “State of the Arts” facility
that encompasses several
functional rooms and recreational
center designed to provide
maximum support and treatment.
We were introduced to her team
which includes a Medical Doctor,
Psychologists, Social Workers,
licensed Drug Counselors, and
interns.
Heroin and opioid addicts; as
young as 12 and old as 76 have
sat across from Cureton, a
witness every day to Staten
Island's raging drug epidemic.
Strengthened by a recent merger
with the Samaritan Village
network, today's Daytop is
attacking the epidemic head-on.
In addition to drug and alcohol
treatment, the center offers
programs in anger management,
parenting,
vocational
assessment, relapse prevention,
relapse recovery, cognitive
behavioral therapy as well as
dialectical behavior therapy which
address borderline personality
disorder. The organization runs
more than 50 programs in the
New York City area serving
veterans, families, the homeless,
the elderly and those struggling
with addiction. 4

Women on Drugs
Dr. Cureton treats both Men and
Women at Daytop Samaritan
Village but she will be the first to
point out that women are more
susceptible to the devastating
effects of drug abuse than men.
According to the American Society
of Addiction Medicine (ASAM),
Women are more likely to have
chronic pain, be prescribed
prescription pain relievers, be
given higher doses, and use them
for longer time periods than men.
Women may become dependent
on prescription pain relievers more
quickly than men.
48,000 women died of prescription
pain reliever overdoses between
1999 and 2010 and the numbers
increased yearly.
Cureton and her dedicated team of professionals are working tirelessly daily to ensure that the high
mortality rate due to drug overdose in Staten Island is curved. According to Kevin Moran, a funeral
director at the John Vincent Scalia Home for Funerals on Staten Island, wakes for young overdose
victims bring in crowds and the rate of these deaths are surprisingly rising at a scary pace.
According to the National Institute
on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Women
can respond to substances
differently. For example, they may
have more drug cravings and may
be more likely to relapse after
treatment. This could be affected
by a woman’s menstrual cycle.
Sex hormones can make women
more sensitive than men to the
effects of some drugs.
Women who use drugs may also
experience more physical effects
on their heart and blood vessels.
Brain changes in women who use
drugs can be different from those
in men.
Women may be more likely to go
to the emergency room or die from
overdose or other effects of certain
substances.
Women who are victims of
domestic violence are at increased
risk of substance use.
5

Women Leading
Education
Dr. Reiss began her career
as a Physical Education
teacher in Harlem in 1975.
After participating in the
Urban Teacher Corps
program at City College I
decided to pursue a
pathway to Leadership
receiving a Professional
Degree in Administration
and Supervision from
Queens College.
At this time I became very
active in Women’s Rights as
well as the rights of
children of color. I
dedicated my entire
teaching career to the
rights of inclusiveness
for all children as well
as special needs
students. In 2004 after
27 years of serving
Manhattan and
Brooklyn High Schools, I
became the Region 10
Director of Health and
Fitness in the Department of
Education.
After the Regional positions
expired I returned to
Harlem as the Health and
Wellness Coach at
Mahalia Jackson, P.S. 123 a
Pre-K to 8 schools. I
completed my Ph.D. in K-12
Leadership in 2009. I also
completed The Emerging
Leaders Program and The
Principal’s Candidate Pool
program at the NYC DOE. I
became a Charter School
developer in 2006 while
working in Region 10, and at
that time I decided to focus
on the needs of children of
color living in Staten Island.
I have met up with much
resistance and I have been
fighting the New York State
Education Department as
well as The New York City
Department of Education to
get the Staten Island Green
Charter School opened in
September 2017.
We are in the center of a
political struggle, but I am
certain that persistence
from the community leaders
as well as parents and
community members will
get our school approved. My
struggle is not about one
person, but what is fair and
just for our community. To
this end, I will endure this
fight until we all win
together.

Lindora Korlu Howard
-Diawara
Founder and Executive
Director of B4P CODEFOUND
Dear Readers, it is such a great
honor for me to use this
medium to share with you
information about myself, and
what drives me to do the things
that I do on a daily basis. While
I appreciate this opportunity, I
also look forward to meeting
many other extraordinary
people, including other women
whose voices are being
amplified through this
1 st edition of 2nd Chance’s
International Women of
Distinction Magazine.
I am a proud Liberian, and I
have been happily married for
10 years. I am a mother of three
children-two beautiful girls and
a handsome boy. I experienced
the Liberian civil war at the age
of 13; became a peace activist
at age 21, and became more of
a women’s rights and peace
activist at age 25. Working and
promoting peace in Liberia has
been enriching and fulfilling,
and I’d like to do more.
My inspiration for change
comes from the stories of
community members
specifically women and girls
who possess so much potential
for personal development and
change within their homes,
communities, and society at
large, but who need partners to
walk with. Partners who can
bring them to realize that they
can be more than who they
believe they are. I am inspired
by real life stories of
determination. Stories that not
only reflect the shifts
individuals make from victimhood
to Agency, but also those
that reflect the dignity of the
human person. I am also
inspired by the resilience of
mothers and daughters of
Liberia who still find the
courage and strength to rise
every time they fall.
With nearly 15 years of
professional experience in the
fields of Peacebuilding and
development, I have helped to
facilitate and build the
capacities of hundreds of
children, students, teachers,
women and girls in peace
education and conflict
prevention at the community
level. I have also supported
civil society capacity building
and development on issues of
gender, Peacebuilding, human
rights, and democracy as well
as on organizational leadership
and development. Additionally,
I contributed to building and
sustaining the Liberian
Women’s Peace Movement, a
Peace Advocacy Campaign led
by the Women in Peace
Building Network (WIPNET);
a program of the West Africa
Network for Peace Building
(WANEP-Liberia) from 2002
to 2011.
I have had the opportunity to
travel extensively in Africa,
Europe, and the United States
of America. Such experiences
helped shape my understanding
of women’s plight and change
initiatives amongst others.
Another benefit I now enjoy
includes the development of
cross-cultural competencies
indispensable for peace
building, shaped my work with
local, national, regional and
international organizations. I
now have a strong network of
well-meaning Liberians and
non-Liberians working in the
civil society sector, government
and the private sector.
As a social entrepreneur, I
recently established the
Business for Peace Community
Development Foundation with
acronym B4P CODEFOUND.
The Foundation will turn one
year old on December 30,
2016, and its goal is to
facilitate, accompany and
support local capacities for
community cooperation geared
towards promoting peace
building and economic
development. Two of our core
strategies include (1) the
promotion of gender equality
and women empowerment and
(2) Philanthropy. Our primary
targets are Liberian Women
and girls in Liberia and the
Diaspora.
For more information about
B4P CODEFOUND, and how
you could support our
initiatives, please contact me
@ management@b4pcodefoun
d.org or on phone number: 301-
2756443. Please visit us
at www.b4pcodefound.org.
8

Matu Saye
Gospel Artist
Song bird Matu Saye is a
Singer, Song Writer & Gospel
Recording Artist.
She’s a Social Entrepreneur
and IT professional. The artist
has two Recordings projects
under her belt including
“Complete me released in
1999 and “Let There be Light”
in 2013. Her globally
contagious sound and style of
worship encompasses a
rhythmic blend of blues,
Contemporary Christian,
Ballad, and Gospel.
For bookings:
Call (215) 667-0702

Achieving success—
whether in government,
business or the nonprofit
worlds—means dreaming
and taking risks. It took me
three tries to win a seat on
the City Council. But with
hard work and
perseverance, here I am
today, serving my second
term as a New York City
Councilwoman.
Next year, we will
celebrate the centennial of
women securing the right
to vote in the state of New
York, as well as the
100 th anniversary of the
first woman to take office
in the U.S. Congress.
Even in my generation,
many women were not
encouraged to go to
college, let alone hold
public office. But many of
us did not listen!
While I’m proud of the
great strides we have made
in recent decades, too often
I look around and realize
I’m one of few women
elected officials in the
room. This needs to
change. We have more
work to do. I tell my story
to young women all the
time, in the hopes that
they, too, will dream, take
risks and achieve.
To young women reading
this, I hope you draw some
inspiration to deepen your
civic engagement. Much of
my job as councilwoman
involves taking care of our
neighborhoods, and I know
you care about your
neighborhood, too. So if
you want to help make
your neighborhood – and
our city – a better place to
live, you might make a
good candidate for public
office someday!
In the meantime, network
with women in the field
you aspire to, become
more involved in your
communities, and never
stop advocating for a better
world for all of us!
D

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From the
2 nd Chance International
Women of Distinction
Awards
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Vera Tolbert; 2015 recipient of the 2 nd Chance International
Women of Distinction Awards is a Ph.D. graduate with records
of success in clinical and research laboratory supervisory and
management roles. Tolbert has published up to a dozen
publications, published presentations and abstracts.
As Senior Policy Research Analyst at Independence Blue Cross,
Vera conducts research evaluations on new and emerging
medical devices, drugs, biologicals and procedures, safety and
efficacy, while ensuring the integrity of sound research design
and analytical methods. She drafts technology assessments
reports in accordance with internal department policies and
procedures, summarizes and interprets results of research
findings as her contribution to the field of medical research.
Scientist &
Research
Sp ecialist
At Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich; Munich,
Germany, she supervised the infectious disease laboratory
division, department of Gynecology, at the university’s teaching
hospital. She conducted molecular, biological, and
immunological analysis. Coordinated research projects on
polymorphisms of cytokine genes. Supervised and managed the
clinical and research laboratory. Monitored and analyzed
research projects of over twenty medical students. Tolbert
trained students in laboratory skills and development of new
approaches necessary to design effective programs. Identified
and addressed all problems, organizational, budget related, and
technical.
Dr. Vera Tolbert
Organized and participated in laboratory courses for private
doctors and medical scientists, and national and international
scientific conferences; prepared laboratory courses, gave
presentations, and provided technical assistance.
At WEILL CORNELL MEDICAL COLLEGE – New York, NY,
Tolbert served as Senior Research Specialist where she
supervised laboratory testing of clinical samples; coordinated,
and participated in research projects at all levels. Conducted
quality control to meet state regulations and contributed to the
preparation of scientific papers. Major accomplishments
included the improvement of laboratory working conditions and
increased turnover time.
Advice to young girls: This previously male dominated
discipline has been made achievable by women of color;
emulating examples set by Tolbert and other females leading
medical research. “Always follow your dreams and stop at
nothing until they are realized”.
13

Africa’s First
Female Head of State
Liberia’s President - Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
14

Sirleaf is the first elected female head of
state in Africa. Born on October 29, 1938,
Madame Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is the 24th and
current President of Liberia, in office since
2006.
After a 14-year war and removal of warlord
turned President Charles Taylor, Ellen Johnson
Sirleaf won the 2005 presidential election and
took office on January 16, 2006. After her first
6-year term, Sirleaf re-elected in 2011.
Before her election, Sirleaf served as Minister
of Finance under President William
Tolbert from 1979 until the 1980 coup d'état,
after which she left Liberia and held senior
positions at various financial institutions. She
placed second in the 1997 presidential
election won by Charles Taylor.
Sirleaf was jointly awarded the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize with Leymah Gbowee of Liberia
and Tawakkol Karman of Yemen. The women were recognized for their non-violent
struggle for the safety of women and for women's rights to full participation in peacebuilding
work. In June 2016, she was elected as Chair of the Economic Community of West
African States, making her the first woman to occupy that position since it was formed. The
country’s general election will be held in 2017; which will end her 12-year; two-term reign
of the African nation.
Gaining its independence on July 26, 1847, Liberia is Africa’s first republic. Liberia was
founded by freed slaves from America in 1822 in an effort of the American Colonization
Society (ACS) to resettle freed American slaves in West Africa. ACS contended that the
emigration of blacks to Africa was an answer to the problem of slavery and the
incompatibility of the races.

This column explores the ever-evolving challenges,
views/perspectives, and lives of women. From Eve, in the Garden
of Eden, to today, the journey from girlhood to womanhood is
indeed, an extraordinary one! Women: Love, Religion and Politics
explore historical facts and modern day perspectives of the
remarkable achievements of women, their effect on the world, in
relationships, family, community and government. Their challenges
and landmarks throughout history, from Biblical times, to wars in the
new common era, from nation-building and leadership,
entrepreneurship endeavors, to home and family matters, distinctive
women have made their mark on the world as we know it.
Women of power and authority are often plagued with difficulty, crisis,
scandal
and even inner turmoil. From the day of Roman rule to those of Margaret
Thatcher, women have always had a place of significance in love, religion and politics. Women are
routinely thought of as homemakers without giving thought to Joan of Arc, Mary the Mother of Jesus,
Queen Victoria and The Queen of Sheba. Our foremothers are, in fact, women of power, authority
and distinction. Yet, for many their notary may b e better be termed infamy. Margaret Thatcher for all
her strength, dignity and grace was also referred to the Iron Lady. Joan of Arc a saint but also burned
at the stake. Even in our current dispensation women continue to struggle to successfully exist
between two worlds one dominated by their heart and cultural expectations the other their drive and
determination to live life on their own terms.
Every year in the month of March we celebrate Women’s History Month. As women, however, we
need to go from celebrating who we are and highlighting our accomplishments once a year to taking
every opportunity and when necessary making the opportunity to let who we are be made known. We
are mothers, daughters, sisters, cousins, aunties, and friends. But we are also more. We are CEO’s,
executive directors, COO’s, CFO’s, business owners, doctors, lawyers, professors, heads of state
and policymakers, church leaders and Bishops. We are movers and shakers. We are Women! We
continue to strive to find what many have deemed impossible; balance. This journey begins here.
Where ever you may find yourself as a woman; whether you work in the mailroom or the boardroom.
If you are married, single, divorced or wish you were anywhere in the world rather than where you
find yourself reading this article. Our foremother once found themselves in impossible situations
oddest impossible odds. This column will explore their journeys and how they overcame and that
through their stories you will have renewed hope, inspiration and passion for your own journey.
Women: Love, Religion and Politics is written by Minister Maisha Surgeon; A graduate of Moravian
Theological Seminary with a Masters in Pastoral Counseling. Minister Surgeon has worked for the
last decade in issues of social justice on the behalf of juvenile offenders. She is passionate and
driven that the voice of women must not only be heard on issues of social justice but that the voices
of women must make a difference in the home, the community, and our country and across the globe.

CareHeart Africa provides relief items, medicine,
food, and clothes to Orphans of deceased Ebola
Victims. The organization’s Mission is to provide
relief to the poor and forgotten. The organization
serve current victims and future generations of the
kids of Liberia through disease prevention,
education, economic strengthening, while
promoting physical, spiritual and emotional health.
“When I visited this school in Peters town,
District #2b Grand Bassa County & seen how the
classes were set up, tears ran down my cheeks.
These children are eager to learn, but no help.
When rain falls heavily, classes get canceled. They
are in desperate need of help, she explained. We
are constantly seeking individuals and organization
to partner and join us in this fight.
Founder and Executive Director of CareHeart Africa; Mrs. Oretha Bestman
Yates recognized by the 2 nd Chance International Women of Distinction Awards
for Outstanding Service to Humanity.
Please visit us, make a donation or leave a
comment on our website or like us on
Facebook.
Website: www.careheartafrica.org

Juliette Mills Lutterodt
Champions Breast Cancer
Awareness in Africa
Mrs. Juliette Mills-Lutterodt, is a mother, wife, and
director of a group of her own companies. For her,
striving for success is standard, but impacting the world is
her greatest desire as is evident with her products and
services.
After surviving breast cancer and chemotherapy
treatments, Juliette Mills-Lutterodt, an industrious
personality has redefined innovation and ambition to
keep raising the bar as a self-made successful
businesswoman. She is an entrepreneur as well as a
hairstylist whose inauguration of her own brand name has
changed the way the world reckons the act of survival.
Her Jul’s Collection label, an idea which was inspired by
her chemotherapy treatment, manufactures exquisite
looking Italian leather Handbags with a blend of a multicultural
look and feel to them. A percentage of all
proceeds from the handbags go towards her breast
cancer foundation, Pink for Africa. The foundation creates
public awareness and educates women on risk factors,
symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, support systems, the
stigma attached to this disease and the need for a
positive attitude.
Mrs. Mills-Lutterodt works on average 10 hours a
week, and more if required due to upcoming events
for Pink for Africa. She is the Director for Pink for
Africa, the visionary and overseer of the
organization. She presides over all meetings of the
Board of Directors.

Our Mission
The Mission of Pink for Africa (PFA) is to provide breast cancer
awareness, education and support to women of African descent in
Africa and the US and in the process, tear down cultural and social
mores, in order to improve outcomes for women of African descent.
Studies have shown that a disproportionate number of women who
develop breast cancer in Africa fail to report to their doctor due to
economic, cultural and social mores, or do not even known how to
conduct a monthly self-breast examination. Further research has also
found a predominant aggressive triple negative breast cancer gene
among African women diagnosed with breast cancer.
“Pink For Africa” will start its mission of awareness, education &
support to women in Ghana and eventually spread to other African
countries. Our goal is to empower African women through early
detection and to help eradicate the stigma of breast cancer among
African women.
Our immediate objective is to raise funds for breast cancer
awareness and education in Africa, among women from age 12 to 99-
One Woman at a Time. This will be achieved through the
dissemination of breast self-examination pamphlets, financial
assistance to women in need of mammograms and through Pink for
Africa public speaking engagements. Through the internet and social
media, Pink for Africa will educate women about their breast health
by providing information about breast health, risks, screening,
nutrition and more, as well as ideas on how to create dialogue to
break down cultural, social, economic barriers and mores.
Contact us/ donate: www.pinkforafrica.org
,https://www.facebook.com/PinkForAfrica/ ,
https://twitter.com/pinkforafrica

The Ward Educational Fund
Programs/Projects:
‣ Women in Natural Science (WINS)
‣ Scholarships and Internships
‣ Ward Academy
‣ Chemistry Resource Center
‣ MentorSciNet
‣ Girls Empowered through Mentorships (GEMS)
‣ Youth Vacation Internships
WINS PROGRAM
The Women in Natural Science (WINS) Program is an
exciting program that empowers young women to
become leaders and productive citizens through the
power of science education. Young women with a
major in Chemistry have established a project whereby
they make visits to three high schools in Monrovia,
Liberia and meet with girls in grades 9th to 12th to
assist them with science home assignments; to talk to
them about careers in science; and to distribute
educational aids provided by the Ward Fund, including
notebooks, pens, pencils, etc. The university young
women receive a small annual stipend to help with
transportation and lunch.
SCHOLARSHIPS AND INTERNSHIPS
The Ward Fund provides scholarships to students
pursuing a degree in Chemistry. Students receive full
or partial scholarships depending on their needs and
their ability to maintain a certain Grade Point Average.
Internships are provided for first year graduates from the Department of Chemistry to help them
make the transition into the world of work. The interns return to the university campus to provide
tutoring services to students who are scoring below a passing grade in chemistry.
WARD ACADEMY
The Ward Academy hosts two programs: The Ward Academy of Science and Technology for Girls and
the Ward Early Education Program for Children between the ages of 1 and 5. The Early Education
Program serves as a feeder to our Academy for Girls. The children receive an early introduction to
language, numbers, computer technology and science. They participate in computer classes where
they use laptops to view the letters of the alphabet on the monitor and through educational CD’s and
DVD’s they learn words, songs and numbers.
THE VICTOR E. WARD CHEMISTRY RESOURCE
CENTER
The Resource Center is located on the Fendall Campus of the
University of Liberia. Educational Aids including textbooks,
scientific calculators, internet access and other supplies are
provided for students who are pursuing a degree in chemistry at
the University of Liberia. Through this program The Ward Fund
assists the Chemistry Department by providing chemistry lab
supplies and equipment on a loan basis. We also provide
notebooks and other supplies to chemistry majors at a discounted price. Chemistry students can
utilize the resources in the room to help write papers, do research on the internet and read current
magazines on topics of interest to chemists. Students and professors attend lecture series on topics
in chemistry.
We accept donations of books, chemistry journals, lab supplies and Texas Instrument calculators. To
make a donation, contact us at wardfund@hotmail.com.

Seven years ago a
woman set out to
travel to Liberia,
West Africa, alone, never having really traveled outside of the United States.
She had with her, two large suitcases filled with supplies for orphanages and a
humble amount of finances. She was a mother, a wife, a licensed minister and
someone with a sincere heart for the needy. LaTonya McRae is the Founder
and Executive Director of Tree of Life Ministries, Inc. Her motto has always
been “At some point you have to stop thinking about doing something and
actually start doing something”.
It was early 2010 when LaTonya discovered the huge overhead and large salaries that popular charities and NGOs had. She learned that
only a tiny portion of her hard earned money and consistent contributions were actually getting to the poor, the hungry, the orphaned,
the homeless, the disaster stricken, and the war-torn. This compelled her to personally deliver her resources, funds and gifts. Now she
delivers for others too. She has been faithful to document by pictures, letters and on social media to those who support the mission
efforts so that they can see their contributions in action – boots on the ground.
LaTonya McRae is the beloved “Sis. Decontee” of Liberia who has just completed her seventh mission tour there. Her organization,
Tree of Life, conducts outreaches and programs that include food and clothing for the poor, as well as other basic needs, such as
first aide, school supplies, lights, and more. She and her small team (who cover their own expenses) travel into the interior (bush) areas
as well as the communities in Monrovia. This year they have covered, Gbarnga in Bong County, Boystown in Margibi County,
Buchanan in Grand Bassa County, and Virginia District of Montserrado County just to name a few.
LaTonya has entered into Liberia at the heart of the Ebola crisis when many were too fearful to provide support or presence. Knowing
how easily supplies could “get lost” she was determined to make sure Tree of Life items reached the interior and other regions that
were not receiving government help or support donated from large NGOs. Ebola aide was extended to Doru District of Nimba County
as well as greater Monrovia areas.
While many ministry activities take place here in the United States, for Liberia, within the past three months alone, Tree of Life has
transported over 500 copy books (composition notebooks) and pens and pencil sets, numerous amounts of brand new shoes and clothes,
and over 2,000 pounds of food for mission efforts. Dr. McRae has been to many churches of all denominations to teach, preach and
minister in various ways. She has never visited a church empty-handed and never left with an offering, strongly holding to the premise
that it is better to give than to receive. All this while building a place in Liberia from her own humble earnings called “Mission House”
that will host classes, events and programs, house more supplies, and provide lodging for international volunteers.
Domestically, Tree of Life holds a Wells Fargo Community Connections award and hosts a small Food Bank in Freehold, New Jersey at a
local church where her husband, Rev. Stephen McRae is the pastor. Tree of Life conducts various types of community and ministry events.
One in particular, PHD Women’s Retreat (Prayer-Healing- Deliverance) is going on its fourteenth year in the USA and has just completed a
second year in Liberia, which the attendees have eagerly and earnestly requested it take place annually. Tree of Life International Ministries
also gives out Mission Honors at a unique black-tie affair called the Mission Honors Gala.
On a more personal level, LaTonya McRae is an ordained elder, a youth leader, great teacher and
motivational speaker. She is a long time Clinical Member of the National Christian Counseling
Association (certified) who has also earned a Doctor of Theology and Master of Religious Education. She
sees her approach to missions as unconventional but very effective, where you get the most “bang for your
buck”. When it comes to doing mission work, she always says, “It’s very serious, but it’s not that
complicated”.
For more information, visit their website TREEOFLIFE4U.ORG, or the Facebook group
“Tree of Life Mission”. LaTonya McRae is on Facebook herself as “On a Mission”.

Kenvee
Adams
International Gospel Artist and Aspiring Politician

Amb. Kanvee Adams is an aspirant
for the House of Representative
elections 2017 Republic of Liberia,
gospel recording artist, Pan African
KORA Awards Good Will
Ambassador to Liberia on the fight
against Ebola, Charity Ambassador
in Liberia, and multiples awards
winners in and out of Liberia
including, the USA and UK. Amb.
Kanvee Adams is married with three
beautiful girls.
Advice to Young Women
I encourage young girls/ladies to be
focus, strong, persistence and move
forward with their plans to a better
future.
Contact:
Amb. Kanvee G. Adams
Founder/Music Minister
Kanvee Adams International
Ministries (KAIMI), Inc.
Gbengbar Town, Roberts field
Highway
1000 Monrovia 10, Liberia
Mobile: 001 347 339 7790/+231 880
767512/+231 886 656741
Email: kanveelazo@yahoo.com/
emmanadams2002@yahoo.com

By GJullian Flemister-King
Associate Columnist
Let’s get right to the point: it is time for the men of the world who know
better to step up and join the fight for women’s equality. More specifically,
we need to start a movement to create more male feminists; and even
more specifically than that, we need to start a movement of straight male
feminists. Now, fellow men, to become a feminist does not mean you will
suddenly adopt a bevy of female tendencies, get mocked by other guys in
the locker room, and lose out on women because we all know women
don’t like nice or effeminate guys. If that’s how you think about the subject,
please stop right there and hear me out.
Feminism is just an umbrella term used to describe people who are
involved in the advocacy of women’s rights on the grounds of political,
social, and economic equality to men. Feminism cannot change your mannerisms, it cannot change your sexual
orientation, and it cannot cause people to perceive you negatively. This is really important to understand,
because after reading the definition of feminism, a decent male human being should understand that feminism
is about standing up for what’s right, and not about forcing your identity into the mold of a woman. In fact, the
purpose of this article is to call out to the men among us who define themselves as uber-masculine: the buffedup
weightlifters, the football players, the 6’7” basketball guys, the heartbreakers, the bosses and CEO’s, bigshot
businessmen and politicians, and even just the everyday rugged men of the world. When it comes to the
ongoing fight for women’s equality, these kinds of men are notoriously missing in action.
I’m not here to lecture my fellow men on everything they’re doing wrong, or even to speculate on why we
happen to be so averse to labeling ourselves as feminists. I just hope that we begin to understand that we can
have an influential voice on the matter, and it’s important for undoubtedly straight men and also men who have
social status to speak up in support of this cause. It is high time that we normalized equality for women. One of
the best examples of a man stepping out of his comfort zone to speak on women’s equality is President Barack
Obama’s August 2016 essay published by Glamour, titled “This Is What a Feminist Looks Like”. In the essay he
speaks on a variety of subjects from how he became a feminist, to the progress the world has made, to how we
need to continue the fight for women’s equality. It really is a truly must read article - which chronicles his
perception of feminism - but perhaps the most powerful line of his essay comes before you even start reading
the main body or work. Right there, in the title, the most powerful man and leader of the free world declares
“This Is What a Feminist Looks Like” in reference to himself, a former Constitutional Law professor, legislator,
and the 44th President of the United States of America.
The biggest thing I want the reader to take away from my mentioning “This Is What a Feminist Looks Like” is the
power of declaration. Most of those reading this article can likely come to the conclusion that women deserve
rights equal to those of men, and deserve to be treated with equal respect (and if you don’t think so, I will make
a case for you later in the article). Case in point: many men will say things like “never hit a woman” or “don’t
disrespect my mother or sister”, and most have a general understanding that women should be treated with
courtesy, respect and fairness. But all too often that is where our feminism stops, as these sentiments are most
often predominately limited to women in our own families and to large generalizations. Not every woman is
your mother, sister, or wife, and large generalizations are nice but they don’t promote progress. This is why it’s
important that when you label yourself as a feminist, you go beyond mere rhetoric and let it show in your

actions so that others will know that you are serious about working for change - that you support equality for all
women and are intent on seeing progress. Let it be known that you are a feminist, that it’s okay to be a feminist
around you, and that you want to see more male feminists like yourself – not afraid of being judged. It is time to
normalize feminism, and most importantly it is time to normalize equality. That can only happen when the men
in our society, like President Obama, stand up and let the world know that it is okay to be a man, while also
being a feminist who stands for women’s rights.
Now, I do recognize that there is a problem here, namely that women, no matter what we say here, are not
men. We as men tend to be quick to point out that there are distinct biological differences that make it
impossible for men and women to function identically: we all know that hormonal differences during
developmental stages make it unlikely that women can compete with men athletically at the highest levels of
most sports, we also know that menstrual cycles add additional layer of emotional and physical issues women
have to contend with over the course of a month, and as always, there is the fact of life that only women are
capable of carrying a fetus. Needless to say, women who aspire to be in non-domestic roles are placed at a
disadvantage right from the start. This means that this woman would have to strive to be as good as or even
better than her male counterparts in spite of all of the social and biological issues she would still need to
contend with o a daily basis. And this is where we (men) need to stop and examine or prejudices against
women. Because the last time I checked, we have no problem supporting and cheering for people who are still
able to achieve difficult feats in spite of tough circumstances and/or adversity; and billions of women around the
world do just that every day. And let’s not act like we emotionality is reserved only for women – like we don’t all
know other men who we can count on to be volatile at least once a month, if that is your primary concern.
Women have proven that they can perform at high levels in various capacities, regardless of whatever
disadvantages you may perceive them as having.
For those men who already believe in women deserving equal rights and opportunities, and would like to take
the next step towards progress, the first step, as always, is educating yourself and finding your own
understanding of the issues facing women today. However, I must warn you, that being a feminist and a
champion for women’s rights does not mean that you should go around telling women how helpless they are,
and that you have come to save them. Women DO NOT need you to save them, nor do they need to be told that
equality will only come when they completely shun historically feminine roles. We need more male feminists
because it’s the right thing to do – because we are the source of most of the discrimination faced by women;
and the problems we face cannot be solved without a majority of people being on board with us. Once that is
understood, we can then begin to learn more about things like the gender-wage gaps, domestic violence, hiring
discrimination, maternity and paternity leave, and even just women in general. Half of the world’s population is
female, yet we as men tend to not even take the time understand some of the fundamental aspects of a
woman’s daily existence, such as menstrual cycles and menopause. Before we can begin to make a difference,
we first need to educate ourselves on basics of female life. Once you have done that, then it will be easy to
properly focus your advocacy – by viewing the problem from the right perspective instead of looking at it
through male-colored glasses. With the right attitude and true sense of awareness we will be able to identify
opportunities in everyday life to advocate for the rights of women, and to educate other strong trailblazing men
like you on why they too, ought to become male feminists.

LEILANI FLEMISTER-
SANDO – CEO
Events Empire, Inc.
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Rev. Dr. Terry Troia
Executive Director
Reverend Dr. Terry Troia has
held the position of Executive
Director of Project Hospitality,
an interfaith effort serving the
hungry and homeless
community of Staten Island
since 1985. A Reformed
Church in America minister,
she is also the pastor of the
New Utrecht Reformed
Church in Benson Hurst,
Brooklyn. Reverend Troia
volunteers as a member of
several city and state wide
boards including the NYC
Commission on Economic
Opportunity, the NYC
Commission on AIDS, the
NYC Temporary Commission
on Day Laborer Job Sites,
the NYC Committee to End
Homelessness, the NYC
Commission for Lesbian,
Gay, Bisexual, Transgender
and Questioning (LGBTQ)
Runaway and Homeless
Youth, NYC Inter-Agency
Task Force on Youth
.
Violence. She is also the cochair
of the NYS Department
of Health, Statewide AIDS
Service Delivery Consortium.
Reverend Troia serves on the
board of directors of El
Centro del Inmigrante, a local
day laborer organization and
as the Chair of the Staten
Island Family Health Care
Coalition and the Staten
Island Clergy Leadership, a
network of local religious
leaders committed to
upholding the biblical charism
of hospitality and justice. She
holds the leadership position
in the Port Richmond
Improvement Association,
New Brighton Coalition of
Concerned Citizens and the
Port Richmond Anti-Violence
Task Force and the Staten
Island Immigrant Council.
Since Hurricane Sandy hit
the shores of Staten Island in
October of 2012, Reverend
Troia has been at the
forefront of the relief efforts.
In immediate days following
the storm Troia ensured that
victims had the essentials –
clothing for warmth, food to
eat and shelter. She turned
Project Hospitality’s mobile
food truck into a commissary
and began its journey into the
disaster area to distribute
cleaning and household
supplies, blankets, pampers,
toilet paper, food and water.
A week later, Revered Terry
Troia was at the helm when
Project Hospitality was asked
by the Borough President to
manage the evacuation sites
at Bayley Seton Hospital and
Mt. Manresa. She is currently
serving as President of The
Staten Island Community and
Interfaith Long Term
Recovery Organization.
Reverend Troia served as
adjunct lecturer at the NYC
College of Technology and is
an ESL teacher. For fun, she
teaches scripture and plays
basketball with local youth in
the New Brighton section of
Staten Island as a volunteer
of the Eye Openers Youth
Against Violence
Organization

Oscar Juma - Columnist
Historical
There have been many successful female leaders and
rulers throughout history; but it is very interesting to note how a lot of
these women have been remembered for all the wrong reasons.
Take the case of Catherine the great for example. In 1762,
Catherine II declared herself empress after leading a successful
coup against her purportedly insane husband Peter III, Tsar of
Russia. Catherine the Great (as she came to be known) became a
powerful ruler under whose reign Russia prospered greatly – she
saved the Kingdom from invasion and possible annexation by
stronger neighbours. Under her, the kingdom of Russia became one
of the great kingdoms of Europe – new laws were enacted, schools were
established and wars were fought and won. She was however hugely criticized for her well documented
numerous love affairs.
The empress was known to have had many lovers during her reign as Tsarina of Russia. As a result,
many rumours had been circulated about Catherine’s perceived voracious sexual appetite - to the extent that, in
spite of being one of the most renown and longest serving female rulers in Europe, this vicious and virulent
rumour has come to define her legacy. Sometime after her death, rumours (started by other women) began to
circulate that the Tsarina had died while attempting an unusual and unnatural sexual act with a horse; yes, a
horse. In the eyes of many, she has become no better than a rough woman whose primary motivation was
unbridled sex, which ultimately led to her demise. This persistent rumour, cruel and unfair as it may be, begs the
question, “Why is the world so willing to believe such heinous things about a person – especially a woman?”
better still, why would other women seek destroy another woman?
To answer this question, let us look at the position in which Catherine the great found herself. She was
a very successful female monarch who was undoubtedly very unpopular with her male counterparts for several
reasons; first simply by virtue of being a woman in a world dominated by men and because she overthrew vis-àvis
betrayed the man (her husband) whom she succeeded. Secondly she led a love life which for all intents and
purposes was very much tabooed during that era and to a large extent, even today. There may be other reasons
and happenings during her reign that could have portrayed her in a negative light, but these two facts alone are
sufficient to help one see why the rumours about her have persisted for more than two centuries. Of these two
“sins” though, the sexual sin alone was sufficient to doom her legacy for all posterity - in spite of the fact that
other male monarchs all across the world had multiple lovers, as exemplified by King Louis XIV of United
Kingdom, for example. Catherine’s purported sexual proclivity is arguably the main reason why the world has so
massively castigated her; almost to the extent of utterly destroying her legacy.
To put it all in perspective, the fact that she overthrew her husband is something that did not endear her
to most men of her time and a vast majority of women back then and even today - even if that the husband was
an insane philanderer. Also the idea of a “woman going through men” like some men typically would, caused
history to look very unkindly upon her - as this type of behaviour has almost always been deemed to be
unwomanly. Thus it is no surprise to learn that some of her fiercest critics were other female nobilities of her time
such as Princess-Abbess Maria Maximiliana von Stadion of Buchau (Germany), Joint Duchess Marie-Adélaïde
de France of Louvois (France) and Joint Hereditary Lord Great Chamberlain Lady Georgiana Charlotte Bertie of
the kingdom of Great Britain among others – some of whom may have been responsible for starting this terrible
rumour.
The story of Catherine II highlights the fact that female leaders were back then, as they are even today,
subject to a much stringent scrutiny than their male counterparts. It is also an indicator that no matter how
notable and successful a woman may become, she will never be immune to gender based biases and social

discriminations. On the positive side however, it is equally a story of how women took daring and sometimes
even controversial decisions that have gone on to empower and motivate other women for ages. Through our
complacency the world has done quite a bit to diminish this great leader in the eyes of history; but I believe it is
high time that women made some effort to give Catherine her rightful place in history. She deserves her place
among the ranks of notable and successful women leaders of all time. Nevertheless, I believe that the women of
her time should have stood behind her because successful women leaders are not easy to come – since
ascension to national leader is a much more difficult feat for women to achieve.
Present day
Two and a half centuries later, women continue to be victimized by the inequities of social justice and
millennia of cultural and religious condition that fosters a subliminal resistance to the idea of women becoming
heads of nations and kingdoms. But what’s even worse is that won=men’s
attitudes towards one of their own who si trying to make her mark in a world
dominated by men have not changed much. Don’t get me wrong, I believe that
things are a hundred times better than they were during Catherine the great’s
time. However, one cannot help but question how it is that Hillary Clinton would
lose the 2016 presidential election in USA, where there are more registered
female voters than male voters. Granted, women equally have varying interests
and political opinions as men, but where the problem lies is the fact that there
were many women who placed their support behind a professed sexual molester and abuser instead supporting
her. This election therefore will go down in the history books as a time when women had the perfect excuse and
a unique opportunity to re-write history by exercising their “Girl Power” but failed to unite behind one of their own.
While stories of how her opponent treated women as lesser humans abounded in all quarters, her fellow women
seemed not to care so much. Instead she was crucified for being complacent in her husband’s mistakes, infidelity
and for being too ambitious.
A population gender distribution demographic by Keiser Family Foundation indicates that with the
exception of North Dakota where there are more male voters (52% male to 48% female voters) the ratio in all the
other states is either a tie or favours women over men. Political analysts agree that if a bigger majority of all
women supported Hillary, she would undoubtedly have become the next president of the united states. But why
were women so willing to abandon Hilary in favour of Trump? Was it because she was this very mean, overly
ambitious and dishonest woman that the opposition portrayed her to be? Was it because she by her husband
after forgiving him of marital infidelity? Or was it because she was perceived as being untrustworthy as claimed
by the opposition? I guess the jury is still out on those questions – but most reasonable would agree that all of so
called faults and flaws are no worse than those of Donal Trump. A vast majority of women however, begged to
differ - as is evidenced by the case a 61year old lady who went viral on social media when she switched her
support from Hillary to Trump. Many women praised her for making “the right decision”.
Whether or not one agrees with the rationales highlighted above, the fact the remains that women
choosing to withdraw support from their fellow women, in the face overwhelming justification for such support.
Ana Espinosa, a Science of sustainability Student at Columbia University in New York while commenting on an
interactive empowerwomen.org piece titled "Women Don't Support Each Other" - A Stereotype or Reality? Put
quite plainly when she Said, “…this is a sad reality and in a lot of the cases we as women don't stand for each
other. But, I also think this is nothing to do with genders but with the way we are conceiving the "rules of the
game" in the society, we are always taught to be THE best, the richest, the strongest, the skinniest, the prettiest
and so on, we need to stop teaching generations to compare themselves with others but to create together, to
strive to be the best version of THEMSELVES and to aim to build better societies and places to live, because
overall we are all on the same path to achieve happiness.” It is Bad enough that we have to live with the
knowledge that playing field will probably never be even for women, but when we turn our backs each other
when it matters most history will continue to unkind to as a gender. Woman must change their attitudes towards
each other so as to positively influence their historical narrative.

Leilani Flemister-Sando
Columnist
Health issues and concerns encompass all aspects of
a person’s existence. From psychological, emotional
and mental health, to physical; a holistic approach
to health is the best strategy to maintaining a state
of well-being of the body. Health is classically
defined as a state of well-being, free from illness
or injury; according to a simple Google search. In
today’s world, questions beckon; are there
specific and crucial health considerations to be
addressed especially concerning women, girls, and
the youth? What concerns affect the cross section
of cultures, ethnicities and genders of our world
regardless of the socio-economic status of the
individual or family? What if the reality and analysis of
health are not limited to the tangible, but instead, includes
the physiological self and one’s environment?
In a review
of the definition of health, aside from illness, an injury is another angle
which must not be ignored. In fact, violence (physical and verbal) and rape interrupt the
homeostasis of the body, thereby compromising one’s health. The approach that is prevalent in
some homes, cultures, and areas of society is one of a myopic view and this is potentially
downright dangerous. For example, for some people, the injury of sexual abuse, violence of all
types, psychological abuse, and degrees of such do not necessarily bear the magnitude and
urgency of a health crisis; as compared to diseases such as breast cancer, hypertension,
diabetes and other chronic diseases, or even a simple headache. Some injuries are usually
treated as a one-time problem that a quick trip to the emergency room or clinic could fix, when
in fact; the true long-term effects of these complex health issues abound long after the physical
wounds have healed. The dictates of the approach to the attention and treatment of
physiological health issues vary by individual homes and cultures.
According to the Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual al Assault (MCASA), depending on
what a woman’s previous experience in life has been, that very experience could influence or
dictate the response or type of reaction she might have to a sexual assault situation. From,
anger, frustration, and blame, to varying levels of fear, stress, and anxiety; the nightmare
scenario could spiral into a depression that could lead to long-term health repercussions.

Depression, for example, is not just a mental health problem; it could also lead to and affect the
physical health of a sufferer. Diseases such as heart disease and insomnia just to name a
couple; are related to persons with major or clinical depression. When left untreated, just like
any illness, it could lead to a domino effect of other possible debilitating health consequences.
The facts and figures show that important approaches to potential resolutions are education
and awareness. When the approach to healthcare is a well-rounded one with the proper
perspective and is geared towards a determination of healing, outcomes are more successful.
Wellness begins with prevention; such as regular mammograms, health checkups, regular
dental appointments, and the list goes on.
These actions have been shown to lower the odds of chronic diseases becoming just
that. Another component to a successful outcome is the positive and interactive relationship
between the healthcare practitioner and the patient. Successful outcomes also occur when
individuals are encouraged to fully participate in the healthcare delivery and treatment,
especially where the healthcare environment is free and unthreatening. Get screened for
preventable cancers. Regular checkups with one’s doctor increase the odds of beating a disease
by more than 50 percent. Other helpful suggestions are; if in an abusive relationship; tell
someone. Reach out to law enforcement, even if anonymously. Seek help for a healthier you
and break the chain of ignorance and silence. As has been said, prevention is better than cure.
30

00000000000
Evang. Merlyn Valentine
Deshield – CEO
The Shabach Music Awards is an
endeavor that honors and
appreciates the ministry of praise,
worship, and all performing arts that
bring glory to the Almighty God
through music worldwide while
promoting, exposing, and honoring
Gospel and Christian artists. The
annual event is a spirit filled evening
that brings together the hardest
working artists, ministers, and
producers to a total worship
experience. This year, the first annual
Shabach Music Awards will honor
those who have contributed to
Gospel and Christian music. There
will be stellar performances from
recording artists, dancers, and
worship leaders. Proceeds from
Shabach Music Awards will support
scholarships and youth development
initiatives.
31

SEXUALITY, FAMILY, FAITH
PHILANTHROPY, LEADERSHIP...
WOMEN
2 N D C H A N C E W O M E N O F D I S T I N C T I O N
MAGAZINE
DECEMBER 3, 2016 EDITION
Copyright (C)