“One of the most valuable things that I’ve learned is never take time for granted. When we are young, we don’t have a lot of foresight on this, but when we are older, it’s important to not sweat the small stuff.”
Q: What are you passionate about?
A: My passions are definitely staying in the world of God. This has been really helpful in my journey with life. My interests are empowering women of all ages, educating them on healing from within and using holistic natural ingredients when it comes to skin care. [Promoting] the mindset of all women being created equally and that we are all beautiful. My current work has been my biggest platform: TikTok Skin Care Renewed LLC. This has become both a passion and a job. Currently, I’m working on content creation when it comes to skin care, gut health, and having a bit of fun at the same time.
Q: What were your younger years like?
A: Growing up on Long Island and in New York City, I had the best of both worlds. The Italians were on Long Island, while my Spanish side of the family lived in the South Bronx. I grew up attending Broadway shows, Barbizon modeling school in nyc, always taking train rides into New York City to get our hair done or to watch the Rockettes. It inspired me to watch women dress up and feel beautiful. I’ve attended Catholic schools and public schools growing up.
Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?
A: One of the most valuable things that I’ve learned is never take time for granted. When we are young, we don’t have a lot of foresight on this, but when we are older, it’s important to not sweat the small stuff. Every day is a new day and a new beginning, and it’s never too late…whether it is trying something new or becoming a better you!
Q: What does feminism mean to you?
A: Feminism, for me, can be best described as a movement advocating for the rights and equality of women, reproductive rights, and social justices for all women. It’s definitely something I feel very passionate about.
MORE FROM ANGELMARIE: I was born in Amityville, New York…yes, where the haunted house is located! [She laughs.] I typically have that reaction from people when asked. Yes, I have that “New York sass and spice;” however, that has made me who I am today, which I am very grateful for.
“You have got to tune into your strengths and make them your superpower. In the past 8 years of my career, I have turned my understanding of my sensory world, and dived into specialising in the sensory world of animals.“
Q: What are you passionate about?
A: Wildlife! Ever since I was a little girl, I have been obsessed with animals. I grew up on the east coast of Scotland outside of Edinburgh, and I spent every holiday and long weekend on the beach by the North Sea.
Rockpooling and body boarding were my favourite activities, and I used to spend hours upon hours looking at urchins, starfish, anemones, blennies, crabs and more. We used to see sharks and whales wash up on the shore, and I think that’s where my obsession with sharks began.
Whilst everyone else was playing with dolls or Barbie’s, I just wanted to be a mermaid, so I could play with sharks. Everything I did from that point on was in preparation for studying and working with sharks. I LOVED school and studied extremely hard to pursue my dream of studying marine biology. I went to Glasgow University and not only had the best years of my life, but I qualified with my bachelors of science degree in zoology with integrated marine biology. I took some time out by going to Fiji and worked on a marine conservation project and learned to dive. Nothing was stopping me. Then I went back to university at Newcastle to do my postgraduate degree in Tropical Coastal Management.
After my university career, I landed my dream job in the Maldives working as a resident marine biologist. Living and working in the Maldives was the best time of my life. It was really hard work but so rewarding. Our clientele was some of the biggest celebrities and famous faces in the world, but my role involved teaching everyone about the marine life.
But after 8 wonderful years underwater, I got the chance to move to dry land and work in Africa. Going back to my zoological roots, I became a wildlife TV presenter for WildEarth [the broadcasting company] and worked across Africa. I have now set up my own wildlife production company called Too Wild, which is based in the Timbavati Game Reserve, which is now offering the first-of-its-kind, immersive wildlife filmmaking course to help build the next generation of wildlife filmmakers.
We offer a wildlife filmmaking course from the heart of South Africa’s Greater Kruger National Park where students will learn to capture the wild as never before. The main drive of this project is my belief that, united, we have the power to inspire change and uplift the youth in South Africa. To nurture local talent and produce the next generation of South African wildlife filmmakers, we fully sponsor a student from one of the local communities on the periphery of the game reserve through this course. This is truly where my passion lies.
Q: What were your younger years like?
A: I was such a tom boy and adventurous kid who loved the ocean and animals. Other than growing into my feminine self, not much else has changed.
I am hard of hearing and have been very ashamed of this my whole life. Only recently in my 30s, have I taken this perceived “weakness” and turned it into a strength that I am proud of. Not hearing well has meant that I have a super human sense of smell and really keen eyesight, I am VERY observant. Everyone has their strengths and “weaknesses.” You have got to tune into your strengths and make them your superpower. In the past 8 years of my career, I have turned my understanding of my sensory world, and dived into specialising in the sensory world of animals. It has opened so many doors for me in terms of broadening my knowledge base and adding and extra layer to my teachings about the natural world.
Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?
A: I wish I had been told this earlier in life, but a real golden nugget for me is that, in order to start your journey into thinking this way, you must remember “Compete only against yourself, not against others.” Treat everything as an opportunity for YOU, not anyone else. Stop comparing yourself to other people because you will always find someone who is better at something that you do or who is more successful at whatever career you’ve chosen. Instead, compare yourself to the person you were yesterday. Make that your only expectation…and everything is an opportunity to do that.
“After leaving a domestic violence relationship, I reclaimed my identity through fashion. It became my way of taking back my power. Now, I help other women recognize that their style can be a tool for strength, confidence, and authenticity.”
Q: What are you passionate about?
A: I’m passionate about helping women show up in their fullest capacity, especially through their personal style. I’ve been in the fashion industry for over 15 years and founded Your Style Is Forever seven years ago with the goal of empowering black and brown women entrepreneurs to align their style with their vision.
I believe fashion is a tool for building confidence and expressing identity. Right now, I’m focused on growing my virtual and in-person styling services, as well as a digital course that helps women define and enhance their personal style. It’s all about guiding women to step into their power and show up as the best version of themselves.
Q: What were your younger years like?
A: Growing up, fashion was always a part of my life, thanks to the incredible women in my family—my mom, grandma, and aunt. They taught me the importance of showing up for yourself and always being authentic. I studied fashion merchandise marketing in college, where I really got to dive into the business side of the industry. My family’s support and those early lessons about self-expression shaped my career and inspired me to start Your Style Is Forever. Fashion isn’t just about trends—it’s about how you carry yourself and express who you are.
Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?
A: One thing I’ve learned is that your style is your voice. It’s how you present yourself to the world and tell your story without saying a word. After leaving a domestic violence relationship, I reclaimed my identity through fashion. It became my way of taking back my power. Now, I help other women recognize that their style can be a tool for strength, confidence, and authenticity. It’s not about wearing what’s “in”—it’s about wearing what makes you feel like the best version of yourself.
Q: What does feminism mean to you?
A: Feminism, to me, is about having the freedom and the power to show up as your full self—without having to fit into society’s boxes. It’s about creating space for all women, especially black women, to thrive, be heard, and live on their own terms. For me, that means using fashion as a tool for empowerment.
Through style, we can take control of our narratives and express who we really are. Feminism also means breaking down barriers that hold us back, whether that’s in the workplace, in our communities, or in how we present ourselves to the world.
More about Dejeuné: One thing I always come back to is the importance of creating a life that feels authentic to you. My journey—both personally and professionally—has been about reclaiming my identity and living in a way that aligns with my values. As a single mom and entrepreneur, I’ve learned that it’s possible to build a life and business that reflects who you truly are. Fashion is just one of the tools I use to help other women do the same. For me, it’s not just about looking good—it’s about feeling powerful, confident, and at home in your own skin. That’s what Your Style Is Foreveris all about.
Q and A with Lynn from the Outer Banks, North Carolina
“When you’re struggling to say above water, it’s important to fill yourself with positive information.”
Q: What are you passionate about?
A: I’ve always been passionate about children, and empowering women and kind of why they got into the situations they got into. My background is psychology and education. Currently, I left owning two businesses; they were two child care centers that I created a model for because it just got to be too difficult to manage my health and run the two businesses effectively.
Both centers transferred to their new owners in May 2024, but since September 2023, I have been writing novels. Currently, I’m working on completing the edits for a trilogy called Partner in Dreams. Once the edits are done, I will be looking for an agent at that point. I’ve always been creative and needed an outlet for it, and writing has always been something I had done…poems, screenplay ideas, novels, but this is a little bit different in September 2023. I can’t even describe it…some sort of download of an idea, and I wrote everything down almost in narrative as a first draft so I would be able to get everything out in time before I forgot it.
So, I had three books almost written in the span of two months. Now that I have more time, I’ve been going back and completing the edits that I received when I had a developmental review of the books. Aside from that trilogy, I also have 10 other works in progress. Some are almost complete; others not so complete. That was to be my plan B; although, I’m completely open to whatever or organically comes to me. I have a website, www.happyendingauthors.com. I’ve been fascinated with happy endings and happily ever after, although life doesn’t always hand that to us. When you’re struggling to say above water, it’s important to fill yourself with positive information.
Q: What were your younger years like?
A: I grew up rather poor in a fairly large city in Pennsylvania, the third largest city to be exact. I didn’t feel like we were poor until I realized that all of my clothing was hand-me-downs from other people in the neighborhood who were grown up, so things were not “in trend,” and that is when I noticed I was different.
That aside, I’ve always been driven to get to college I was the first and only one in my family until I had children that went to college. Education was very important to me. I remember my mom saying, “Why don’t you take typing in case the education thing doesn’t work out?” And I was like, “What?!” It fueled me to go where I wanted to, and I paid for everything pretty much by myself. I worked in the summer full-time and saved money for the school year. Once I got to year three, my parents did help me with some apartment expenses, thank goodness! But I lived with four other girls and it was an adventure. I do, however, think that not listening to others and how they wanted to take me away from where I wanted to be was a definite help. There are things, however, I wish I would have known because my family didn’t have a lot of money, so planning for retirement was just not something they did.
Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?
A: The only thing I guess that I would want other people to take away from my story is it’s all up to you. If you want it, you have to learn to be resourceful and figure it out, don’t listen to what other people are saying to you; listen to the voice inside. I can tell you countless stories of people saying that can’t be done, you shouldn’t do that, that’s not going to work, etc. If you feel like it is, you have to find a way to do it.
When my husband and I split up, I was only working a few hours, teaching at local community college, and really not making enough money to stand on my own two feet with three kids. At that point, my youngest might have been in fourth grade, my son who’s the middle child was in fifth grade, and my oldest was in seventh grade. That started the decade of horribleness; it’s the only way to put it. There’s plenty of times you feel like you hit a brick wall or it hit you, and you cry, you get frustrated, you meditate, you pray, and then you wake up the next day, and you feel better.
If it wasn’t for my ability to try to keep my head above water and figure things out and visualize where I wanted to go all at the same time, I probably would have driven off a cliff. Well, I know I would have driven off a cliff. Every morning, I would talk myself out of killing myself. Usually, the last thing that would get me out of bed was I have three kids and my ex-husband would forget to feed them and not go to their games, and I just decided I got to get up. The other thing I’d like you to take away is no matter where you are in life, put money away for retirement, even if it’s a little bit in a Roth IRA because the earlier you do it with the compounded interest, the better chance you have it taken care of yourself when you’re older and you won’t have to hustle like I do still.
Q: What does feminism mean to you?
A: Feminism started when I was very, very young, and it was just the push for us to have equal rights; that’s all we wanted was to be equal. To have equal access to opportunities and possibilities and pay equity just like men. When I was young, I couldn’t get a credit card without my husband’s signature, and that pissed me off more than anything. In the very beginning, when I was really young, there was no safe abortions or clinics where we could go when you didn’t have a lot of money for health care and OBGYN type. Thankfully, that changed as I got older, and planned Parenthood was my first clinic going there to make sure I had birth control and that I was safe when I made the decision to have sex.
I think social justice in all of its forms is important because no one voice is any more important than another. When I got out of college and I took a treatment counselor position at a women’s prison after my internship with the detention home, I found that I was getting paid the same as a man in my job. It was a set pay, no matter who you were. I felt good about that, but most every other position I have taken, with the exception of adjunct teaching, men always got paid more or they got the opportunities quicker to move up, so it’s always been my lifelong goal to do things on my own.
In 2020, finally, I purchased my own dream house without anybody else’s signature, and the keys were handed to me, and I can’t tell you how great I felt. I bought my own house; it was almost new, on water, at the beach. Exactly everything I had visualized had finally come to fruition, almost eight years later. And here I am now, with three houses on the beach; one is a long-term rental house, and the other one is an Airbnb three blocks from the beach. None of which I needed anyone’s signature or help or money! I did it my way.
“…every challenge, every late night, and every tough decision has taught me that I am stronger than I ever thought possible.”
Q: What are you passionate about?
A: I have been in the talent acquisition field for over a decade now and have been managing people from the junior level up to those who have been in the industry longer than I have. One of the most rewarding aspects of being a manager is watching your team grow and succeed.
I’m passionate about mentoring, coaching, and helping individuals unlock their potential. I find great satisfaction in identifying someone’s strengths, nurturing their talents, and guiding them toward achieving their personal and professional goals.
I believe that a positive work environment is crucial for success. I’m passionate about cultivating a culture where people feel respected, motivated, and empowered. This includes advocating for work-life balance, promoting diversity and inclusion, and ensuring open communication within the team.
Q: What were your younger years like?
A: I grew up in a close-knit family that emphasized the importance of education, hard work, and kindness. My parents were my first role models; they taught me the values of perseverance, dedication, and empathy.
Growing up, we weren’t wealthy, but we were rich in love, support, and encouragement. My parents always made sure that I had access to good education and opportunities to explore my interests.
Academically, I was always driven. I loved learning and excelled in my studies, often pushing myself to be at the top of my class. Subjects like English and Mathematics fascinated me because they allowed me to understand people and cultures, while math and science challenged my analytical skills. Education was more than just a means to an end—it was a way to explore the world and my place in it.
Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?
A: One of the most important things I’ve learned is the power of resilience. Life as a single mother can be overwhelming, and it’s easy to feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders. But every challenge, every late night, and every tough decision has taught me that I am stronger than I ever thought possible.
Resilience isn’t about never falling; it’s about getting back up every time. One of the hardest lessons I had to learn was that asking for help doesn’t mean you’re failing—it means you’re human. Whether it’s leaning on family, friends, or community resources, reaching out for support is a strength, not a weakness.
It’s easy to feel like you’re falling short when juggling so many roles, but remember that you are enough just as you are. The love, effort, and dedication you pour into your family and work are what truly matter. Your journey doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s to be valid and valuable.
Q: What does feminism mean to you?
A: To me, feminism means advocating for equality, respect, and the freedom for all individuals—especially women—to make choices that align with their values, ambitions, and needs without judgment or restriction. It’s about breaking down the barriers that have historically limited women’s opportunities and recognizing the diverse ways in which women contribute to society, both inside and outside the home.
Feminism, to me, is about embracing the full spectrum of what it means to be a woman today—strong, vulnerable, ambitious, nurturing, and unapologetically ourselves. It’s about fighting for a better world not just for ourselves, but for future generations.
MORE FROM IHRA: As I always say: Travel like there’s no tomorrow. Dance as if no one is watching. Laugh until your jaw hurts. And love as if it’s your first and last.
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