Growing up in Indianapolis, Indiana, Gabrielle had big dreams of how her life would go. From yelling “Aggie Pride” at North Carolina A&T to pursuing acting in the Big Apple, what she thought she wanted, never came to fruition. God had other plans for her. When life got difficult, Gabrielle took to YouTube as her creative outlet, sharing her natural hair journey as a hobby. Safe to say, the rest is history. Today, Gabrielle is a proud graduate of Tennessee State University. She and her family are...

Born in Germany to military parents, restlessness was something Conrad Cooper was born into. He inherited that same spirit of traveling the world, wandering from city to city, and letting the waves of life direct him. But it wasn’t until one day his niece was getting swimming lessons in his backyard that everything changed. Now, 28 years later, Conrad is teaching 2nd generation students at his swim school, Swim to Me, changing how adults and children feel about the water and providing a sa...

Coming from humble beginnings, former NFL player, Alvin Scioneaux Jr, understood if he wanted something it was up to him to make it happen. Born in Laplace, Louisiana, and one of eight children, Alvin knew he needed to leave his small town for someplace new in order to grow and become the person he was meant to be. He left for South Carolina to play football and was drafted by the San Diego Chargers right after college. But after a major injury, he was forced to find a new path, his ...

Born in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and raised in Woodruff, South Carolina, Sandra Clark Byrd is the fourth child to Ulius and Mary Gilliam. But at only 7-weeks-old, tragedy hit after her father lost his life in a devastating car accident, leaving her mother to raise 4 children under the age of seven. Growing up, life was hard but Sandra (a.k.a. Aunt Cookie) never let it get the best of her. She later discovered her love of education and shortly after, met the love of her life. But after ...

Born in Sumter, South Carolina, Yoyo Lander remembers her earliest exposures to art with her mom making art crafts and watching her Uncle Curtis create beautiful pictures with hot ink on wood in his garage. Now, a graduate of Howard University, Yoyo is an LA-based artist whose work has been showcased all over the world, but most currently in the International African American Museum in Charleston, South Carolina. Yoyo paints people of all shapes and sizes in their truest form, both i...

She’s doing the Lord’s work. As an Oncologist, Dr. Angelique Richardson discovered her calling through tragedy. A close family member... diagnosed with breast cancer. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Angelique has always walked to her own beat. After graduating from Oakwood University with a degree in Biology, she decided to continue her education at Loma Linda University wanting to become a medical doctor, and received her PhD. Angelique understands the assignment that God has given her...

Jay Styles had big dreams of pursuing his radio and acting career under the Hollywood lights. From Atlanta to the City of Angels, it didn’t take long for Jay to realize the world of auditions wasn’t for him. It wasn’t the spotlight, but behind the scenes, where he discovered his true purpose - helping others navigate the hardships of life. He created the docu-series, Become Inspired which shared the raw and real stories of people finding inspiration in their darkest times. The series...

John Rivers is a former member of the 1955 Cannon Street All Stars Baseball Team. A team that was denied the opportunity to play in the Little League World Series because of segregation. This powerful story is finally getting the recognition it deserves as Mr. Rivers shares the impact of the oppressive Jim Crow laws during a time when he and his teammates had nothing but a burning desire to play ball. Rivers graduated in 1965 from Hampton Institute with a degree in Art and went on to...