Explore the meaning of Journey from the eyes of Hollee, Tanya, Lynda, Africana, and Kirsa. We hope that through this, you think about what Journey means to you as it relates to your life and all the components within it.

As people, and especially as women, we all embark on some sort of Journey or Journeys throughout the course of our lives. According to Merriam-Webster, the word "journey" means the act or instance of traveling from one place to another. With this campaign, we wanted to push that traveling through one's journey is of course physical, but we also encounter various mental, spiritual, and emotional journeys.

Lynda Clarke, also known as a devoted mother, grandmother, sister, cousin, friend, and long term recovery survivor. After various hardships in life led her to homelessness, she found light in a new remedy, a relationship with God. In 2011, she began getting certifications in Susbstance Abuse, CRC, PRSS, and CPMC, and later founded " Our Purpose Transitional Recovery Program" November of 2012. Lynda says God gave her a redo and she uses her new Journey to evoke wisdom and lead and support others.

A former victim of herself, Honorable Tanya Gould is an advocate fighting against Human Trafficking. She often leans on survivors, as well as her family and friends for being her community who helped her transform her life. Today, she strives to impact legislative policy and raise public awareness. Anti-Human Trafficking Director for the VA Commonwealth Attorney General's Office and Governor's Commission of Human Trafficking Prevention and Survivor Support Committee are just a few a her favorite titles. In 2022, Tanya received the Presidential Award for Extraordinary Efforts to Combat Human Trafficking and served two terms on the U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking.
As a change-maker and voice for so many others, Tanya knows her Journey to lead and evoke change is far from over!

A proud Afro-Latina woman, born in Panama and raised in Virginia, Kirsa Journey began in 19999 with the fearful leap to move to Richmond to meet her father for the very first time. With minor knowledge of the native toungue, and a whole new life ahead of her Kirsa's homesick nuances allowed her to adapt to her new enviroment in a completely differnt way than she wouldve imagined. Her love for cooking began in high school and carried her through the the broke college days. Frequent calls for her most beloved receipes from her abuela formed the master chef and baker that is Kirsa today. The wife and mother of 2 beauties took a leap of faith on May 26, 2020, the day of her son's 3rd birthday when she quit her job as a home health aid and oursue her passion that became " Kocina Leona (A Lioness Kitchen). The now private chef, baker, and caterer lives by her favorite words on her new journey, "Comida es Vida" ( Food is Life)!

Africana whose name means " truthful, trustworthy, and a good friend" are characteristics that define the reality of the person she is. Her beloved Journey being the “rock” of her sister circle and the “glue” of her family and friends, has encouraged her to dedicate this new journey to her inner person, those goals, desires, and dreams of the being within. This journey has taken her far beyond the comfort zone she thought she resided in. Taking on endeavors such as Innovative Sculpting, the Afrikana Independent Film Fest and now collaborative campaign with MAE and Dress for Success, Africana finds herself evolving, shining bigger and brighter with each step. “Making life happen and not letting life happen” are the defining words Africana lives by as she continues to intentionally focus her journey inward. While she often saw herself as the biggest cheerleader for others, she’s now acknowledging that in addition to that, she is the captain of her own Journey!