Progress in work, life, and volunteering
on March 17, 2012
After being unemployed for a little over a year now, I have discovered the more creative side of me…MUCH MORE creative than I was before. I became a full time model and photographer. I have created A Walking Virtue, which is doing really well! I’m so thankful for all the support I have! I have been shooting a lot more and I’m proud to announce that my headshots have been agency approved at The Polygon Group and Envy Modeling Agency. This is HUGE for me! This time last year, I was so shy to be behind the camera. I wanted excellence but didn’t understand that that wasn’t an overnight thing. It came with practice…so now I’m happy! (YAY) As a model, I have been working more, and so excited to say I did a NARS Ad!(YAY again)
Along with modeling and photography, I have been volunteering my time at the Downtown Women’s Center. It’s been about 6 months. I have been teaching the fundamentals of Decoupage and Soap Making in the SET to Create Workshops. These are workshops for the women to develop unique skills to apply to their resumes. Volunteering at the Downtown Women’s Center has been a real experience. As many know, I come from a background of having extreme anxiety attacks when having to do public speaking. I have been working on this over the past several years. Being with the ladies have made me transition in such an awesome way! I can come off as really quiet and somewhat vulnerable at times. I have learned to be more assertive in a way to get respect, rather than wanting them to love their time with me. I have had times where women started arguing, crying, etc…in the class and before I would just let them sit back and let it all out. Once I got to understand the program a little more, I realized I didn’t want to just have a one on one personal relationship with the women, but I really want them to get out of the sticky situation they are in now. Now if I have to excuse a participant from class, so be it. That being said, I have become more assertive and this makes the workshops more consistent. The women know these products they make are to be sold in the MADE by DWC Store and Cafe at the Center. The past 6 months has been such a learning experience for not only me, but the ladies as well. I received this card in the mail today and it brought me to tears. 
I was recently asked where I see myself in 5 years. I wasn’t quite sure how to word the answer, but this is exactly what I want to be doing in 5 years. I think my reply was, “giving back. I want to do non-profit work.” I want to keep my creative juices FLOWING!! I know that modeling can be a short lived career. I want to master photography and I want to continue mentoring girls and women because it’s very close to my heart. I want exactly what I have now, but on a much larger scale. Watch out world…here I come!
Warmly,
Latoya Hawthorne-Founder
Deuteronomy 15:11 “There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.”
In 2009, Rihanna was assaulted by then boyfriend, Chris Brown. This opened up the issue of domestic violence to pop culture. Three years later they are collaborating on remixes together. I admit that I wasn’t shocked by it. Women usually go back to their abusive partners numerous times before they break the cycle. I know many women that have gone back to partners plenty of times before calling it quits. I went back about 6 times. When the violence became pretty unbearable, I was forced to leave with the intervention of my friends and family. You have to completely remove yourself from the situation to fully heal. The fact that both Rihanna and Chris Brown are in the music industry and have to see eachother at events makes it even harder. I’m hoping Rihanna takes precautions this time because I truly don’t believe Chris Brown has changed for the better. You can tell from his moody tweets. Maybe Rihanna’s bodyguard will keep a closer eye on her this time around. 
