Gabriella Barthlow fell into the field of financial literacy while teaching a local workshop on employment. The daughter of a woman who owned a credit education company sat in on one of my courses and convinced me that I would do well in the world of finance and credit education. Through this education company, I spent six years working with employees of the United Auto Workers (UAW). During that time, I conducted classes on topics ranging from mortgage readiness to investment financing to credit reports to managing your money effectively. When Chrysler was bought out by Daimler, the funding for my role was eliminated, so I went on to start my own financial/credit education business: Alpha Advisory Group.
Z.A. Tambuzi, the owner and founder of Success Builders Inc. Tambuzi is a leader, a visionary, a teacher and an organizer of People. He is the Founder of Success Builders Inc. He is a man who lives with a purpose, that can be found in the mission statement of Success Builders Inc.
He is a graduate of North Carolina Central University. He did his graduate studies at Michigan State University. He has taught Math, Biology, Swahili, Cultural Development as well as a plethora of Social Science disciplines. The focus of his mission is community development, cultural restoration and developing the keys to Human Excellence.
For 25 years, he has conducted life and business planning sessions for individuals and organizations interested in achieving their personal, professional and business goals.
Z. A. Tambuzi has an endowed capacity to meet people where they are and assist in the transformation to a heightened and brighter reality. He will assist you in clearing away internal contradictions that often undermine your clarity and
capacity to maintain a bull’s eye focus towards your goals.
LaToya Early is the founder of Chase Great EnterprisesTM LLC a company that provides vision development strategies to aspiring and rising entrepreneurs. LaToya is also a wife, woman of God, mother and purpose enthusiast who has devoted her life to helping others gain authentic success through strategic planning and vision development. She utilizes her ability to help innovators express their entrepreneurial desires to its greatest potential. She maximizes her coaching gift by offering creative coaching techniques that will edify, exhort and empower both men and women who are ready to live in purpose full-time.
LaToya creates coaching programs designed to turn a part-time hobby into Full-Time Purpose™. Besides empowerment speaking and one on one vision coaching, LaToya is most known for her step-by-step business development masterclass that has helped both aspiring and rising entrepreneurs actively chase their goals and dreams by eliminating distractions and creating a clear plan for success. Her masterclass and coaching programs empower others to Write the Vision for the entrepreneurial success desired. While working in her company full-time, LaToya has also published Deliver Me from Me, Write the Vision, It’s More Than a Vision Board, and The Power of Your Purpose. She has also key-noted several amazing empowerment events, commencement ceremonies, featured on an array of inspirational women blogs, television and radio interviews.
LaToya has tackled the journey of entrepreneurship by understanding the process, recognizing her progress and persevering through adversity. Her assignment is to help entrepreneurs during the development process and to encourage the unbeliever to believe that with a strategic plan all things are possible. Through her company she enforces a challenge and encourages every believer to chase the greater within them! She offers accountability, empowerment, development strategies, vision planning and an innovative approach to a lifestyle of success in purpose on purpose.
Eva is the creator/host of Xtended Expressions and also the Street Style series exclusively for Genevieve Magazine. With over ten years of experience as a presenter/spokesmodel for global brands that include Chrysler and General Motors, Eva has presented to millions of people over the years.
Her extensive experiences in the fields of social work and business have awarded her opportunities to travel the world and encounter people from all walks of life. Eva is passionate about adding value to life of others and motivating people to maximize their potential. www.evatoby.com.
For the past thirty years Dawud Muhammad has been inspiring large and small audiences with his unique ability to speak to what he calls, “the human condition.”
He has addressed students at high schools, colleges and universities, as well as inmates at federal and state prisons. Muhammad does not consider him a motivational speaker. As he puts it, “Motivation is a very personal thing that originates deep inside the individual and is self-driven.”
He has spoken on topics as varied as Overcoming difficulty, What is leadership ,The value of arts and culture, The nature of male female relationships and Finding unity in diversity. Through the use of compelling facts, humor and good old fashioned Storytelling Muhammad has left his audiences informed and inspired.
DETROIT — Southfield Mayor Brenda L. Lawrence and Vice Chancellor Dr. Omobonike Odegbami of Wayne County Community College District along with concerned citizens will speak at a rally at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 10th 2014 to demand the return of more than 200 abducted Nigerian school girls to their families. Agents of Hope, a Detroit-based non-profit committed to education freedom and financial literacy, is also a key supporter of the rally and movement.
The rally, open to the public at Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, 315 East Warren Ave – in Detroit, hashtag #Detroit234BBOG – is designed to send a positive global message calling for an end to violence, commodification, oppression and of course abductions against women and young girls worldwide.
Demonstrators will wear crowns, headwraps, and caps to symbolize solidarity and freedom for the 270-plus schoolgirls who were kidnapped from their boarding schools in Northeastern Nigerian, and a second recent abduction on May 7 of eight school girls in Borno State, to prevent them from attending school. Boko Haram claims responsibility for the crime and allegedly refers to the young women as “slaves.” They have alleged to have actually sold several of the young girls into forced marriage. The group actions are depriving many young people from the required education and knowledge needed to excel in their societies.
“Women and young girls are not commodities. No human being is a commodity,” said Detroit community activist and African dancer Fatou-Seydi Sarr. “We are hosting this rally to show support for all women and young girls around the world. All have the right to equal rights and it is unfathomable that in 2014 there are still women who are viewed as property. This is not acceptable and the world cannot accept, ignore, or look away. We demand the young girls be released to their parents and protected while they continue their education.”
Rally demonstrators will gather on the outside Patio of the Museum Cafe Latimer.
MAKOKO, NIGERIA: Over 400 hungry young elementary students were given food HopePacks in this joint charity campaign by Agents of Hope and FoodClique. The children were so excited by the surprise visit and both schools also received whiteboards and dry erase markers to aid in their learning. Agents of Hope founder, Mr. Shola Salako, and the charming volunteers from FoodClique were greeted with glorious songs and applause. It was quite a hope-filled day indeed.
Foodclique founder and co-founder, Mr. Bolajoko Fadipe and Mr. Akintunde Akerele respectively, had recruited a passionate team of locally-based volunteers for this successful effort. The support and approval of the Makoko community was received through the diligence of Mr. Paul Aworetan, Youth Development Leader for the Makoko community.
Agents of Hope would like to specially thank its donors for generously funding this campaign. Agents of Hope would also like to express deep gratitude to FoodClique Nigeria and all volunteers for their selfless service in giving hope.
DETROIT, MI — Agents of Hope gave holiday gifts of toys to 70 happy kindergarteners at Thirkell Elementary School in Detroit. Led by Shola Salako, founder of Agents of Hope, volunteers delivered the gift-wrapped toys — colorful red for girls and navy blue for boys — as they greeted the wonderful students in holiday cheer.
“A lot of these kids are very needy and own very little. These gifts would mean a great deal to them and it is very nice to know that there are people in the community who care. I am sure their parents would be deeply appreciative,” said kindergarten teacher, Ms. Montee Clay, as she ushered the children into the school’s cafeteria.
Mr. Salako says the charity project is very much needed especially with the recent tragedy at the Connecticut Sandy Hook Elementary School where young children where killed. The collective consciousness of Detroit needs to be lifted up to a highly positive level in order to effect great change, he added.
Special thanks to the young angels at Thirkell Elementary School, school teachers, principal and our passionate helpers, Shola Adedugbe, Julia Capobianco, Opeoluwa Anifowoshe, Tanisha Clay-Oloyede and Ola Salako.
Thirkell Elementary School Thirkell Elementary School
The elegant evening of fashion, arts and culture featuring Vogue Afrik and a host of other fashion designers concluded with major success on Friday August 17th, 2012 at The Silver Garden in Southfield, Michigan. The evening started on time at 6:30 PM with a red-carpet reception and networking session with interviews and photography. Living art statues by Rozenia Johnson (MDUBA Associates) and Simbala Desilles decorated the reception area. Agents of Hope partner vendors were also present including Joi Taylor of Joi Jewelry, Edythe Ford of Walker Miller Energy Services, LLC, Folasade Egbedoyin of DavFolFun Quilts and Pillows, Victoria Wiley of Organo Gold, Rita Coleman of Pontiac Discount Pharmacy, and Ola Salako of AVON Products.
Promptly 7:15 PM, the main doors to the Mystic Ballroom were opened for guest admittance. The show started with Ezekiel Hosu and his talking drum from West Africa. His drum spoke of a befitting welcome and it announced the coming of the Hope Warrior King. Right on cue, Shola Salako, founder of Agents of Hope, entered the stage, captivating the audience with a warrior costume and gold body adornment painting by Rozenia Johnson. Ezekiel drummed around him and then exited the stage as Mr. Salako greeted the audience with a welcome speech. He spoke about Hope and about awakening the great power of hope within all of us. He explained that by helping others, we are actually helping ourselves.
Please scroll to the bottom of this article for photo highlights. More available on our Facebook page.
The event host, Eva Toby, was introduced by announcer Von Jour Reece and the show officially begun. She started by thanking Agents of Hope sponsors and partners including Rita Coleman of Pontiac Discount Pharmacy , Dr. Dolapo Shodipo of State Farm Insurance, Kene Monplaisir of My Solutions Diabetes and Wellness Center and Edythe Ford of Walker Miller Energy Services, LLC who presented a wonderful plan to help save energy while supporting the Agents of Hope charity. Ten dollars will be donated to Agents of Hope for every guest that registers for an energy home inspection. Next, the keynote speaker and honorable Mayor of the City of Southfield, Brenda Lawrence, delivered a powerful speech on the power of hope.
After a brief intermission for food and drinks, Dr. Olubunmi Ayo-Vaughan from Lagos, Nigeria continued the benefit show with a very touching introduction to the Agents of Hope Charity Drive video from July 31, 2012. She described the desperate and hopeless situations of very innocent children. She choked back on tears as she spoke about a new born baby girl (later named Destiny) that was abandoned in a filthy sewer in Lagos. Mosquitoes and other insects had fed on her scalp for several days before she was found and taken to Dr. Ayo-Vaughan’s hospital. She concluded with a powerful rendition of Maya Angelou’s poem, Alone.
FOX2 Detroit News Sneak Peak (air date August 10th, 2012):
To open the fashion show portion, the dance performing group, The Red Pumps (Erika Stowall, Laressa Batson and Lydia Porter) gave a sizzling dance performance in their signature red pump shoes to “Chop My Money” (P Square featuring Akon and May D.). The entire routine excited the audience as The Red Pumps did its mesmerizing number. The fashion show commentator, Ms. Vinetta Lloyd, was introduced and the Vogue Afrik fashion clothing (event sponsor) was displayed by fabulous models. All jewelry accessory complements were displayed by Classical Beads. It was indeed a unique experience watching the theatrics of the king, queen and gracious royal attendants bringing to life a rich African cultural heritage. This finale held the entire attention of the viewers.
To close the show, Hope Alive, a musical group dedicated to spreading the power of hope delivered its strong musical message to the world. Detroit-based saxophonist, Adeboye Adegbenro, was featured delivering an awesome sax solo. Singers included Augustine Agwegwe, Isioma Agwegwe and rappers Marx Ojemudia and Olanre Adewole. Agents of Hope founder, Shola Salako, and event sponsor Rita Coleman of Pontiac Discount Pharmacy thanked all guests and participants, and the show adjorned to the after-party. The Invincible DJ Ayoo entertained everyone in this rare annual party. It was indeed a show never-to-be-forgotten in the minds of many.
Lagos – July 31, 2011. With FoodClique’s help and guidance, Agents of Hope recently visited and fed 200 hungry children at the Oko Baba Destitute Home in Lagos, Nigeria. It was a joy distributing food and gifts to helpless kids even for one day. We look forward to great charitable opportunities in the near future. Special thanks to all the volunteers from Food Clique. Mr. Bolajoko Fadipe of FoodClique and his team were so awesome. Your passion gives us great hope and it warms our souls. Let’s spread hope. Let’s spread love.
I have always believed that hope is that stubborn thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us so long as we have the courage to keep reaching, to keep working, to keep fighting.