Thank you @BessieAkuba for this "Model with a Purpose" Post!

Many Moods + One Person= A Beautiful Bipolar ME

It is not that often that you have an opportunity to speak up & be heard. I was blessed with this opportunity by an amazing photographer, writer & social artist Bessie Akuba. #iAmTheChange gave me an opportunity to stare at the negative stigma that comes with having a Mental Illness & say, "YES, I AM THE FACE OF BIPOLAR! Now you deal with it!" I am working really hard to share my journey with other people so that they will not feel alone on their own path to healing.

Take a look at her post http://www.lifeandcomposition.com/?p=160

#MLKPeaceRally #50DaysofNonViolence

My daughter, my son with their friends Mani & Justin at the MLK Peace Rally



Big Tigger from V103 here in Atlanta took a pic with my kids!

Signing up for the MLK Peace Rally at the MLK Recreation Center here in Atlanta, GA



Dr. Bernice King spoke to us about how she dealt with her father's assassination

Zeta Mu chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. stepped at the MLK Peace Rally

Making the PLEDGE

Be A Role Model Org x Samaritan's Feet x Final Four = GIVING BACK TO THE HOMELESS

Signing up to Volunteer

Doing what I do best: LAUGHING & SMILING! #NCAABASKETBALL MASCOT

Be A Role Model's Founder Cristal, Co-Founder Octavia & one of our dedicated members Anastasia

The Founder of Samaritan's Feet Organization & his wife receiving an award from ATLANTA Mayor Kasim Reed's office

Some of the homeless people that came to collect food and receive new shoes today

I was able to escort some of these people inside to get their feet washed & they all were grateful to get a new pair of shoes

The Feet washing process

People with their hands up were ready for the next person who they were going to wash their feet & give them a new pair of shoes

While I was outside helping point people in the right direction, my Founder & Co-Founder were inside washing feet!

#MarchMadness: THE ROAD TO ATL

 WHO YOU WIT??

Louisville

Michigan

Syracuse

Wichita State
 

THE QUESTION: Who was DAWN ALICIA MONTGOMERY???

THE ANSWER: None of your damn business about who she WAS focus on who she IS now!

Now this goes out to those who think they know me and my past. This also goes out to those good ole folks who think they know why I left Mississippi. Let's be clear, if I wanted to move back and do what I do here in Atlanta, GA I could but I CHOSE NOT TOO! I am not downing my home state because I proudly represent where I am from to the fullest. TOO BAD NO ONE BACK HOME HAS ANYTHING POSITIVE TO SAY ABOUT ME!

So let me tell you more about who I was so that if you are ever in Hattiesburg, Petal, Oak Grove, Ellisville and Laurel and you drop my name and a stank face appears on someone's face you will understand why.

I grew up in Petal, Mississippi where it was hard for a young black female to even dream of being successful because her black peers would crucify her and her white peers would challenge her every mood.

I graduated from South Jones High school where a STD rumor started my junior year and because of a teacher and principal there listened to what was said instead of looking into the truth I had to forgo certain SENIOR YEAR ASPIRATIONS and just sit back and watch. Meanwhile, as I grew up I was active in my church and I traveled a lot within my church district. This kept me out of a lot of trouble but I still did what I wanted to do.

I was a rebel and I suffered from Middle Child Syndrome. Not only to add to that I was sexually abused by my father, date raped at 14 years old and was diagnosed with BIPOLAR/MANIC DEPRESSIVE DISORDER at age 15-16. So let's just say my single mother had a hard time with me. She pushed me academically and she saw more for than I could see for myself.

I was always about protecting my family and doing what I needed to do to get what I wanted. This was not the way I should've been at an early age but NO ONE KNEW MY STORY. No one cared to know. No one gave a damn but my family. So let's just say I was FAST and promiscuous at an early age but I was able to communicate with my mother and grandmother what was going on with me. They tried to protect me but how can they when I was putting myself in danger. I put myself in the hands of my so-called friends that turned on me and bullied me for years in high school.

The thought of a academically successful young black female was frightening to my community and to those around me but NO ONE UNDERSTOOD MY DRIVE! I wanted out! I needed to move to focus on my dreams. I DID NOT MOVE BECAUSE OF A RUINED REPUTATION OR BECAUSE I WAS LABELED A WHORE! Some folks that ran their mouths and thought they knew what they were talking about told LIES. You didn't know even a 1/3 of it all.

You thought it was okay to assume, to whisper and to gossip about me and that it would keep me from focusing on an INTERNSHIP with the Department of Education in Washington, DC and my visit to DC for PRESIDENTAL CLASSROOM. I was a SCHOLAR and you couldn't deny that.

NOW that I have moved on with my life and I am married with beautiful children I see that with my efforts of going home to help the young people there is being ridiculed. Please continue. You only making yourself look foolish. You should be thankful that I am using my resources to help the young people there that may be in the same situations that I have been in. You should be thankful that I am even addressing the ailments of my home state and I am trying to shed light on how to help my people. Mississippi ain't AFRICA and it damn sure ain't heaven.

It is so hard for the young people in Mississippi to see past their own front doors because there is no one pulling them to come out. So if it takes this reformed so-called WHORE to bring a change then I will BRING IT. No matter what others have said about me I have remained quiet. No matter what others have done against me I have remained resilient. There's nothing else that needs to be said about DAWN ALICIA MONTGOMERY other than she is a woman of her word and she truly cares about the state of Mississippi's FUTURE. Now that I have addressed your subject for the evening could you please do us all a favor and use that same tongue that you use to slander my name & use it to help your own children. Because I am the one that is helping them NOT YOU.

Everyone has a past and everyone has a future. Your past does not determine your future and your mistakes don't hinder it either. I am living in my present moment and I am happy to be who I am. Where I have come from, what I have done and who I am steadily growing to be is most important to me because it is all a part of my process. My mess has been a message that continues to profess for the greater good. What about your shit?

WATERMELON anyone???

Business of Sports Summit #atlboss

Thanks to the Atlanta Business Chronicle

I had the opportunity of being present for this

BUSINESS OF SPORTS SUMMIT

at the Hyatt Regency hotel in ATLANTA, GA.

I went to further my knowledge on the business of sports and to network with fellow peers in the sports industry.

CBS Sports Devron Edwards was on a panel

Fox Sports South Jeff Genthner was present as well

Panel on Sports Franchise Factor and the Moderator was Chuck Dowdle, Retired Sports Director, WSB-TV

Representatives from the Atlanta Braves & Atlanta Dream teams

Representatives from the Atlanta Falcons & Atlanta Hawks teams

NCAA President Mark Emmert was able to address the attendees and talk about Collegiate Sports

I got a chance to meet President Mark Emmert before he spoke and I had a small conversation with him.
He's really working to create change in the NCAA and I sure hope he will be successful.