Rob Love - Ready to Rise

1. Who are you and what do you do?

My name is Rob Love and I am a poet, a public speaker, mentor and, what I like to call, a spiritual activist.  I’m 28 years old and born and raised in Kansas City, Mo.  I write about spiritual acknowledgement, Love, truth, embracing the power within and our connection to all things higher.  I published my first book in 2012 entitled Ready to Rise and it is the first of many books of poetry I plan to share with the human family.  I also work with youth using poetry as a means of outreach.  I’ve done poetry workshops for school aged children and advocate for self expression among our youth because their voices are so dynamic and will inevitably spark change.   Of course there’s so much more to who I am but I count these things as the most important.

 2. Do you feel this that you do is a part of your life calling and/or purpose?

Definitely, poetry is my purpose and has ascended from the realm of something that I “do” into place where I consciously understand it as something that I am.  I know without any doubts that I was put here to speak truth and help to elevate humanity.  This is where the idea of spiritual activism arises from as well.  I was created to stand and fight for spiritual liberation.

3. Do you think by doing this you are contributing to the betterment of society? How? Why?
 

Yes I do.  I think that all creative pursuits in some way better society.  I believe that the only way society truly grows or progresses is by the people practicing love, accountability and dealing very honestly with truth.  When a society falls or begins to decline the cause, in my mind, is always disregarding of these things.  With the divine messages that are given to me, I have confidence that every word carries a commitment to love, accountability and truth and has the power to awaken that commitment in people.  This awakening puts in motion a type of revolution within the person reading or hearing my poetry.  I am supremely confident that these internal revolutions of many people will in time be reflected in the larger societal landscape.    

4. What has been your biggest struggle? If you have overcome it, how did you accomplish that?

I’d have to say my biggest struggle has always been fully accepting the truth that I was put in this realm to do something great, which I’ve come to see is a struggle for most people. On some level I knew this to be true but the full acceptance of it was always a challenge.  Frankly, I’m shy and kind of introverted.  I tend to want to fly under-the-radar or be as anonymous as possible and that kept me from embracing my gifts for fear of too much attention.  What helped me to overcome this simply was the fact that the pain I felt from repressing my gift became greater than the fear of being noticed.  Essentially my purpose was calling and I could no longer deny it knowing that keeping these words to myself not only hurt me, but was depriving the world of the impact that I’ve always been meant to make.

5. What do you want your unforgettable footprint on society to be?

That I stood for incorruptible things and fought for people to understand the wealth of power they possess inside.  My hope is that every poem I write leaves a deep, remarkable footprint.

6. If someone wants to follow your public progress or contributions how might they do that? Website? Blog? Books? Social Media?

The best way to stay tuned in is through my trio of social media accounts:

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/ReadytoRise

Twitter: @AnkhRob

Instagram: brothalove1

Also the books are available online at www.mirabooksmart.com/Ready-To-Rise_p_362.html or by google searching Rob Love ready to rise.

I currently have website under construction and once its complete I’ll have info available through these social media accounts.

7. It has been said, "Without a vision, the people perish." Do you have a vision you wish to share with us?

My vision and, the thing I am committing my life to, is the full expression of love and truth among people, the realization of oneness with our creator and one another, and the occurrence of life altering spiritual revolution.  It has been revealed to me so that I can reveal it to others.

 8. Final thoughts?

The answers to all that we seek lies within.  Commit yourself to knowing who you really are, loving what you discover and sharing what you’ve come to understand with the world.  This, in essence, is what life will always be.  Be at peace, family.

Thank you, Rob!

Jaime Rogers - TriniteOrganiques

1. Who are you and what do you do?

 My name is Jaime Rogers and I am the founder/formulator/president of Trinité Organiques. Trinité is an internet-based business. The company offers luxurious and all-natural products for intimate, hair and skin care, created without synthetic ingredients.     

The name, Trinite’ Organiques is from the French language and it means “trinity organics.” Trinity represents the two ingredients and one element associated with every one of my products. Those three are frankincense, myrrh and gold. Organic emphasizes that the ingredients are organic, natural, fair-trade, and/or wild-crafted.

My products are designed to address skin concerns from head to toe and everything in-between! The primary purpose of Trinite’ Organiques is to soothe, protect and rejuvenate skin and to accomplish this naturally. In addition, many of the products also make you feel 'oh so good' because they smell 'oh so delicious' with such aromas as burnt sugar macaroon, coconut daiquiri, and tangerine sun.

2. Do you feel this that you do is a part of your life calling and/or purpose?

Definitely.  I must admit, I have a very short attention span and can't recall anything I've stuck with like this. Trinité was born out of tragedy and it started out as a search to my own skin and hair issues, to therapy by providing an outlet for my grief, to now being able to share my creations with others and to use Trinité to bring awareness to causes close to my heart.       

Additionally, stress can affect all parts of our lives, including our skin and scalp and, in turn, skin care issues can have a harmful effect on emotional health.

I know, first-hand, that cosmetic challenges can negatively influence our sense of self and it is my goal to help men and women feel good about themselves again through my personal care products.

3. Do you think by doing this you are contributing to the betterment of society? How? Why?

 I sure hope I will.  I lost two parents and my pet, within eight months of each other.  I want very much to see Trinité contribute to the awareness and prevention of suicide, stroke, & animal cruelty.  I have promised to give 10% of our net profits to support that effort.  

4. What has been your biggest struggle? If you have overcome it, how did you accomplish that? 

Learning chemistry!  Well my opinion of chemistry anyway.  I spent three years educating myself on the properties of natural oils, butters, herbs, and extracts and how those properties work together to produce the same results that synthetic ingredients do.  At times it seemed overwhelming but as I read, researched, and started trying my first formulations, it became very exciting.  There was a significant time put in to reformulating, testing, tweaking after testing, and sometimes starting all over after receiving feedback but it has been well worth it.  I have discontinued a couple of products I launched with and have added many new ones.  I am always learning and working on new formulations to serve my customers.

5. What do you want your unforgettable footprint on society to be?

Is this the same as a legacy or what people will remember when you are dead?  If thinking about my business and where I pray it will go, I hope my footprints are:

1. That my team felt crazy appreciated
2. That I honored the Lord in my business
3. You should never stop creating
4. As we made lots of money we gave a lot away
5. My Bella knows her mommy loved her with all her heart and that she will take good care of Trinite, its customers and its people.

 6. If someone wants to follow your public progress or contributions how might they do that? Website? Blog? Books? Social Media?

 www.TriniteOrganiques.com, @TriniteOrganiq, www.Facebook.com/TriniteOrganiques

7. It has been said, "Without a vision, the people perish." Do you have a vision you wish to share with us?

To formulate superior, results-oriented products that promote balanced skin and healthy hair, encourage self-confidence, and inspire the human spirit.  In addition to formulating products that people need, I hope to have a team at Trinite that takes pride in providing awesome customer service, is engaged in all levels of the business, believes in the product we offer, and may be bitten by the entrepreneurial bug, no matter the industry.

 

Buzz on the Grapevine with Karis Kizine

1. Who are you and what do you do?

 

I am a 44 year old native of Kansas City, Missouri. I was reared in the city by a mother who was an amazing educator (an English teacher for many years and an elementary school administrator until she retired) and a father who had an entrepreneurial spirit that served as an amazing example to me to follow the dreams created by the passion that drives you. My father owned a beauty salon, several day care centers and one of the first African-American beauty schools in the city.

I graduated from Pembroke Hill and went on to attend college in Nashville, at TSU. I eventually came home and graduated from UMKC, later attending UMKC Law School. 

Through all of my educational endeavors, I never truly pursued my passion which was writing. My most powerful encounter with the pen came when I was an eighth grader at St. Peter’s Catholic School. My English teacher, Shirley Renaud, called me a “truly gifted writer”. She made the statement with no particular ceremony. No attempt at an ego boost and without any provocation. She said it as though it was simply fact. Something that she noticed, assessed and forwarded to the universe. I was affected…forever.

 

2. Do you feel this that you do is a part of your life calling and/or purpose?

 

I spent years fulfilling (sometimes failing to fulfill) the obligations that had been set for me by well-intentioned loved ones. Not fully understanding the spiritual, emotional death that comes from not living for yourself. Often we must have a catalyst for change if we find ourselves bound by the cuffs of judgment and sometimes even societal influences.

So, a wife and a mother I became. Drawn to education, but not being fulfilled. Pain placed the pen back in my hand. I picked it up again the day that my four year old son was diagnosed with cancer. I haven’t put it down since. The loss of a child has shaped me, and helped to solidify the realization of my life’s plan. That plan is to be of benefit wherever I can and to never put down the pen.

3. Do you think by doing this you are contributing to the betterment of society? How? Why?

 

Poetry, writing in general, is definitely a calling for me. It fuels me, calms me, and ignites in me that which causes me to feel that I am fulfilling my ultimate purpose. It’s what I run to and what sustains me. It brings me joy and offers a cathartic way of handling tough issues as well.

I write a lot about that which I know. I’ve had an interesting life wrought with pain, littered with confusion and ultimately enveloped by peace. My story can be seen clearly in my works. My goal is to allow others to benefit, where possible, from the mistakes that I’ve made and from the lessons that I’ve learned and possibly to share in a little frivolity at times as well.

4. What has been your biggest struggle? If you have overcome it, how did you accomplish that?

 

My greatest struggle in life has been my overwhelming desire to please. While it may sound like a fruitful burden to have…it often serves as a double edged sword. There are times when pleasing people (family, friends, and society) can be an emotionally draining hole from which escape is difficult. 

My journey (and it definitely is a process) to overcome this plight started many years ago when I realized that at the core of “people pleasing” is an often inherent dislike for one’s self. Not loving yourself enough to expect, yes, expect that others will love you. The precursor to that sentiment is that you must ensure that there is something to love. Doing the work that it took to make sure that I was the kind of woman that I wanted to be came first. Embracing her, loving her and taking care of her came second. The feeling of worth caused me to pull back from the notion that I have to “be all” to everyone. I now operate from a different place. I still love to please, but for more authentic reasons now.

 



5. What do you want your unforgettable footprint on society to be?

 

I’d like my “foot print” on society to include but one thing. That in every way needed, at whatever time is imperative…to the best of my ability, I was willing to be used. The knowledge that I have something to give strikes me daily. I want to pass no opportunity to help wherever I can. I have been the beneficiary of so many wise women and men who gave freely of their time, their knowledge, their love. They are my heroes. In their often unassuming way…from the neighbor who taught me how to seek natural remedies for illness to the Brotha that showed me how to fight for the peace that I wanted in my life.

6. If someone wants to follow your public progress or contributions how might they do that? Website? Blog? Books? Social Media?

 

I have a website karisharrington.wix.com/indigolight where I post poetry and events in which I participate.

7. It has been said, "Without a vision, the people perish." Do you have a vision you wish to share with us?

 

My vision is to fully pursue all the facets that writing can bring to my life while offering resources to women. To inspire through words. To help facilitate “healing circles” where women can come together to learn from each other without fear of judgment or condemnation.

8. Final thoughts?

 

I see so many possibilities for our city (Kansas City)…for our women. Our healing will cause the “trickle down effect” that we need to ultimately see the societal healing that we desire.