Written by Tanisha Taylor, Financial & Life Coach
Tanisha Taylor is an inspirational leader in financial, life, and ministry wellness. Her journey, sparked by a childhood money encounter with her grandfather, has led her to a profound understanding of the impact of money on individuals' lives.
Celebrating Black history isn’t just about looking back; it’s also about recognizing and uplifting the figures making history today. Whether in activism, science, arts, politics, or business, modern Black leaders continue to break barriers, inspire change, and shape the future.
A hidden treasure in local community
The story begins in Twinsburg, Ohio, at Huntington National Bank. I met two beautiful souls, Reverend Richard and Mickey Howe, extraordinary individuals ministering at nursing homes, bringing the gospel of Jesus Christ to seniors in local facilities. One day she was telling me about the ministry and how they needed donations for some of the seniors. My family joined efforts to provide different supplies to local nursing homes for their ministry. We provided blankets, socks, slippers, coloring books, crayons, puzzles, and whatever items were needed each holiday season they were in need. Even my daughter, who loves to do creative work, has produced many coloring books or coloring items for the senior citizens at the local nursing homes.
At the end of 2023, I realized I could do more than give items. I felt in my spirit a direction to do more, so I reached out to the Howes and there is something more I need to do. Maybe I should see what you're doing at the nursing homes. It's now spring of 2024. I went to a location in Stow and next to a location in Twinsburg, which was dear and near to my heart because of my residency in Twinsburg and all the beautiful memories of different things that have happened over the 20 years in this Beautiful Twinsburg City. I was very excited, and this was wonderful. I have a great idea. I have an idea of how we can merge the youth from high school to complete their community service hours with this nursing home and this beautiful couple.
Springtime is probably not the best time to start. Students are now ready to go into summer break. It was April, and we were at the end of the school year, but we attended a couple of events to get some interest that this would be a program for the next school year. I was uncertain how to finish this because this was not part of my business model. I told the Howes, let's pause for the summer, and we'll come back in the fall when school is in session to coordinate with some of the faculty and see what we can do.
Encouraging action, not just reflection
During the summer, I had the opportunity to do a virtual session through the WIN Cleveland networking group. My topic was transitioning from career to Entrepreneurship. I spoke about the different strategies and things prepared to transition from a job to an entrepreneurial space. One of the strategies was the spiritual strategy. The strategy talks about your inner soul, how you connect entrepreneurship, and how you allow the Lord to lead and guide you through business. I did that presentation, went to our next-Win meeting, and met Ariana Del Rey.
She mentions identifying with your belief system in your business model. We began talking, and she shared her business model and what she was doing with the Write My Life book. I was overjoyed as she explained this because I knew this was the connecting piece. We needed this because I knew my business model was not to create this part, but I was a connector. Excited and joyful, I explained to her what we had been doing, what we were trying to start, and how we needed to connect and see how to get this program started.
We met with the Howes at the local Brewster restaurant to discuss our visions and goals. We had lunch, and we introduced each other and got an understanding of our visions and dreams around how we impact our community and youth as well as the senior population and this intergenerational ministry. The next step was to involve the school system and the nursing home facility.
Representation in all spaces creates community teamwork
I had some connections with Allyson Tonozzi, the Twinsburg Chamber, who connected me with Alex Popovich, a member of the Board of Education. We contacted Alex and connected with Ariana because she has a fantastic community service program. The program continues to grow with Maggie Chernick, a tenth-grade and eleventh-grade teacher who had an idea to incorporate it. The students would meet once a month at the nursing home and connect with this Write My Life Book initiative with 12 seniors.
Everything is moving along at the Canterbury facility in Twinsburg, the Twinsburg school, with 24 students ready for the program. The last and final part of the process was Write My Life Book funding for the project. I was very excited about this moment and how it was coming together for the good of all in the collaboration. I was in my prayer position and remember hearing the Lord, why can't you do it? Why can't you do what you did to get your first client in your business? I contacted my family; we have a project: let's sponsor the Write My Life Book Twinsburg project, and they agreed to do so. The following day, I contacted Ariana with the news. Let's do this. I collected friends from my family members.
Ariana went into complete project execution, connecting with all the necessary partners to create a beautiful day for the youth of Twinsburg to meet the seniors in Twinsburg. With the leadership of Maggie Chernick, the students are doing a fantastic job on the project. We're almost at the end of this incredible journey. But now, this is the kicker. We have the pleasure of meeting a hidden treasure in our community.
Living legends deserve recognition now
On this adventure, we find Angela Johnson. She could not recall this part of her life during the student interview. While speaking with the student interviewing her, they discovered that Angela Johnson is indeed the Angela Johnson who has written 40 exceptional children's books.
They immediately order some books, adding this to the piece of her life story. Almost a year ago, I didn't understand what more I had to do, but I do now. In a full circle, I need to find this hidden treasure, this hidden figure in the Twinsburg community, Angela Johnson.
Inspiration for the present and future
I want to celebrate Angela Johnson this month in our local community. Angela Johnson is the author of over 40 children's literary books featured on Amazon. Johnson has won awards for both picture books and novels.
She won the Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award for Tell Me a Story, Mama in 1991. She has won the Coretta Scott King Award three times, for Toning the Sweep in 1994, Heaven in 1999, and The First Part Last in 2004. She is also a two-time runner-up for When I Am Old With You in 1990 and The Other Side, Shorter Poems in 1999. She won the Michael L. Printz Award from the American Library Association in 2004, recognizing The First Part Last as the year's "best book written for teens, based entirely on its literary merit." In 2003, Johnson received a MacArthur Fellowship. In 2018,
Johnson was awarded the Margaret Edwards Award for her "significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature."
In 2013, the Vermont College of Fine Arts and Barry Goldblatt Literary (an organization that works to foster the careers of children's and young adult authors) announced the creation of a scholarship named after Johnson. The scholarship awards $5000 to up to two students of color attending the MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults program. Goldblatt chose to name the scholarship in honor of his first client, Angela Johnson. At Kent State University, Johnson was awarded an honorary doctorate in 2007 and received the Virginia Hamilton Literary Award in 2013. She received the 2021 Harper Lee Award. Wikipedia Angela Johnson.
Amplifying voices that need to be heard
Angela Johnson provided reading materials to share with families. We celebrate you today for being a visionary, a person with purpose, and driven to your calling. One of the main goals is to provide interesting literature to read and enjoy. Thank you for writing all the children's and young adult books. We encourage you to continue increasing efforts in reading literacy.
Angela is celebrated as one of our exceptional individuals here in Twinsburg. Who’s one modern Black history maker that inspires you? Let’s celebrate them!
Tanisha Taylor, Financial & Life Coach
Tanisha Taylor is an inspirational leader in financial, life, and ministry wellness. Her journey, sparked by a childhood money encounter with her grandfather, has led her to a profound understanding of the impact of money on individuals' lives. Her mission, 'Control your money relationship, 'is a testament to her dedication to helping others create healthy and sustainable relationships with money and business.
Other feature stories of the Twinsburg project and Angela Johnson:
