Storytelling
Yes, Leslie is a content creator, marketing & communications strategist and business development professional who’s passion and purpose are fully aligned. Yes, she is known as an expert in providing innovative, effective messaging and delivering operational strategies that increase brand awareness and engagement.
But at the heart of it all, Leslie Gordon is a storyteller.
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Sol Man & Queen Sugar Star, Dondré Whitfield Talks Acting, Purpose & Family
Dondré Whitfield is one of those incredibly principled Sol Men who lives a life of purpose. The Brooklyn, New York native has blessed us with his on-screen talent for more than three decades, bringing passion and intention to each role he plays—from Robert Foreman on The Cosby Show to Terrence Frye on the daytime soap opera, All My Children.
In 2016, Dondré was cast as Remy Newell in the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN)'s beautifully written and directed drama series, Queen Sugar, produced by Ava DuVernay and Oprah Winfrey. Queen Sugar, now in it's third season, won the top award for Television Show of the Year (Drama) during the 2018 American Black Film Festival Honors in February and we cannot wait to see how the remainder of the season—and the lives of the Bordelon family—continue to unfold and evolve.
Sure, he’s a talented actor with great screen presence but many don’t know that Dondré is one of the deepest men out here.
Seriously, there are levels to his intellect.
ESSENCE
A Love Letter To My Sister Circle
A popular quote from Oprah rings true when I think of the sisters in my life: “Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo—what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down.” This is especially true within my sister circle. I appreciate that they are with me in the very best of times and the very worst. My girlfriends have lifted me when I thought I couldn’t go higher and picked me up when I’ve fallen. They’ve loved me in the most non-judgmental way possible and told me the truth when I needed—but didn’t necessarily want—to hear it. I would not be the woman I have become without them. Period.
My sister circle is about real women supporting other real women. It’s about helping each other launch businesses, manage careers and relationships and fight through life-threatening illnesses. It’s about listening to one another’s point of view. It’s about standing in the gap and holding space for each other when life goes sideways. It’s about loving one another even when we don’t agree.
EVELYN'S KITCHEN
Defining Delicious: Ayala Donchin, Owner of Evelyn's Kitchen
Ayala Donchin is one of the finest chefs this side of Southern France. Try her red velvet cupcakes, blueberry morning cake, garlic rosemary rack of lamb, shrimp scampi, chili lime crab cakes, carrot cake sandwich cookies or fried chicken and you'll find yourself sitting outside of her kitchen before sunrise the next morning praying that she’ll feed you just one more time. And her signature blondies? Addictive.
Word on the streets of New York is that Ayala’s cooking is par excellence. Judging from the legions of loyal followers who are in on the secret of Evelyn’s Kitchen, there must be some truth to this. Since opening the business in 2009, her list of clients has grown to include Madison Square Garden, Nike, VH1, Belvedere Vodka and Momentum Worldwide. Evelyn’s Kitchen manages personal gifting for several high profile athletes and executives at the NBA and the NFL. They also provide private cheffing services to a select clientele and Evelyn’s Kitchen goodies can be purchased at several high end cafes in NYC including Lily O’Briens Chocolate Café, Resette Restaurant and Little Brown.
THRIVE GLOBAL
When Your Life Comes Calling, Answer It: Five Tips for Living An Authentic Life
You’ve made it to the end of an incredibly busy work week and you have a few moments to sit alone in your office and reflect on the month, the year… hell, the entire span of your career. You look around at the degrees and certifications hanging on your office wall and you smile. You glance at the handsomely framed photos sitting on your desk next to the computer monitor. One photo in particular catches your eye — the one of you posing with your colleagues and the industry’s most influential thought leaders at a star-studded gala. You lean back in your chair, clasp your hands behind your head and whisper to yourself, “Wow, I’ve done a lot that I’m proud of.”
As you stand up to grab your coat and turn out the lights, you sigh knowing that you’re pleased with all that you’ve accomplished, yet the familiar feeling that you haven’t even begun to discover yourself and your true purpose wraps itself around you like a straight jacket.
So many of us have been there. We earn the degrees, land the dream job our parents can brag to their friends about and steadily advance in our careers only to get to a point where we can no longer hide the truth.
This is not your purpose. This is not your life.
ESSENCE
Female Entrepreneurs Explain How Becoming Your Own Boss Can Be The Ultimate Self Care
Becoming a successful entrepreneur—with income, ideas and business flowing—is not for the faint of heart. Admittedly, everyone isn’t up for the challenge, but bringing your vision to life and having the courage and the tenacity to create wealth by providing service to others is the stuff entrepreneurial dreams are made of.
The number of women-owned businesses grew 114% from 1997 to 2017 and there were an estimated 2.2 million African American, women-owned businesses in 2017, according to the Annual State of Women-Owned Businesses report, commissioned by American Express OPEN. The surge in Black women-owned businesses is an indication that we aren’t afraid to take risks and control our destiny on our own terms. Whether starting a tech firm, a private practice or opening a franchise or bakery, Black women are increasingly charting their own professional course and embracing the idea of being your own boss as a way to enjoy more happiness and fulfillment.
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Road Warriors
The idea of traveling—whether to visit family, vacation with the one you love or seal a business deal—is enough to make the average fitness-conscious woman sweat. We often ask ourselves, how will I resist the temptation to go hard on my favorite raspberry Caipirinha cocktail at the client happy hour? Where will I find the motivation to get my workout in after devouring my uncle’s insane baby back ribs and playing spades with my cousins until 3am? What will stop me from losing complete control after tasting that first bite of my grandma’s Arroz con pollo at the family reunion?
Failing to plan ahead often means self-sabotage is at the top of the agenda but many women tell us there are other culprits that derail their ‘fit & fabulous’ game when they leave the comfort of home: “It’s too difficult to fit my workout in.” “A gym isn’t available at my hotel.” “My family isn’t into working out so it’s next to impossible to stay in track when I visit.” “I’m not in a good head space when I’m away from home so I just go with the flow and I’ll get back on track…tomorrow.” Sound familiar? We’ve all played the blame game and made excuses for not taking care of business on the road, but there are valuable lessons to be learned about staying motivated and prioritizing while you’re away. These lessons include planning, not beating ourselves up.