Seven women, including business owners and students from the community, received honors or scholarships for their entrepreneurial spirits and work in the community.
“The Madam CJ Walker luncheon is held in March to celebrate Women’s History Month and to recognize African American female entrepreneurs who have demonstrated excellence in their respective fields and local communities,” said Coalition President Linda B. Watson. “Our goal…is to honor women who chose to follow Madam CJ Walker’s path of entrepreneurship, and to encourage more women to do the same.”
Mildred E. Bell, founder and president of Skin Health Solutions (SHS), LLC received the Madam CJ Walker award. Bell was recognized for running a family-operated business and manufacturing skin-care products, while also working in the community for women’s rights and the arts.
Having achieved her success without a college degree, Bell said she “made every job apart of my education. I always ask myself ‘how can I do it better?’”
Dr. Colona Roberts, founder of The Smart Center of Child Development and Education was the Madam CJ Walker award first runner up. Recognized for her “community” centered childcare businesses, Roberts thanked the mothers who came to her seeking help on “why their sons couldn’t read.” Roberts has worked in education for 30 years and operates several schools and childcare facilities, including a 24-hour center.
Beverly Brown, president of Temples in Shape, LLC, was the Madam CJ Walker award second runner up. Brown was recognized for her work in educating communities about the dangers of obesity and promoting “healthy living and fitness” among African-American women.
“I have decreased blood pressure … I have decreased obesity,” said Brown. “Once I got my life together, I began to reach out to my community.”
Syreeta Scott, owner operator of Duafe Holistic Hair Care was awarded the PECO Power to the Community Award. “When I think of why I started Duafe and the Sable Collective, it was truly out of my love for Black women and my culture,” said Scott. “I had a dream and God said yes … and sisters I thank you.”
Lauryn McCray, graduating high school senior at the Agnes Irwin School and an aspiring attorney; Bria Miles, undergraduate at Winston-Salem State University and aspiring physical therapist; and Cimone S. Philpotts, doctoral candidate at the University of Delaware and aspiring Secretary of Education, were awarded $2,000 scholarships and a laptop.
In the midst of the awards, another focus of the event was self-care as the awardees’ backgrounds were centered on some type of self-preservation, whether wellness, skin care or education. The women acknowledged this in their awards. And in her keynote address, Deesha Dyer, co-founder and executive director of BeGirl.World and former social secretary for the Obama White House, advised the women to take care of themselves before looking out for others.
“I’ma need you to pray and do some work,” she said. “I have been hospitalized twice for not taking care of myself. Why do we want to go to battle saving the world when we have not prepared ourselves? Ill-equipped … we go into battles with good intentions and walk out bruised. I love us too much to continue to watch us lose ourselves over and over again. This happens right now.”
https://www.phillytrib.com/lifestyle/nd-annual-madam-c-j-walker-luncheon/article_6091e40b-33bb-5af3-8069-2c1d2430d9d5.html
