The Recap Report Staff – Page 7

Through the Creative Lens: Meet Justina, Founder of Instagram’s Favorite Swimsuit Brand

Written by The Recap Report Staff on July 27, 2022. Posted in Business, Influential People, Lifestyle, Trending.

For the past five years, Matte Collection has been taking the swimsuit industry by storm. While the brand is an international ovation, little was known about the visionary behind the brand until now!

Meet Justina, the creative designer and founder of the insta-famous brand Matte Collection. Founded in 2017, the brand has endured immense success and after a successful Swim Week show in Miami, the creative and her sleek designs are here to stay.

Hailing from a small town in Ohio, the young designer has always had a passion for fashion. Justina grew up surrounded by entrepreneurs where she gained first and secondhand experience. She often assisted in her grandmother’s store and would later try her hand in her own clothing business. Over time, the designer noticed that her swimwear designs were a tremendous success and would birth the booming brand that we have known and come to love today.

Fast forward to 2017, Matte Collection made its impactful debut. The ‘for women by women brand’ stands on the founding idea that every woman should be able to look and feel her best without breaking the bank. Matte Collection prides itself on embracing clean, simple, minimalist clothing. The diverse brand is forward-thinking, offering a wide array of colors and designs to cater to every woman.

Inclusivity is imperative in every aspect of the design process with Justina on record as saying, “when I’m designing, if I’m using a certain color palette, animal prints, or whatever the case may be, I try to include a piece that will go across several different body types.

“[I want to give] several different body types an opportunity to buy from that collection and be happy it is fitting to their shape.”

Besides their sleek and sexy swimwear, the brand also offers fashionable swim accessories and their neutral Matte Basix Athleisure line, which includes dresses, jumpsuits, bodysuits, and more.

Some of our favorite celebrities and influencers have sported the brand, including La La Anthony, Meagan Good, Angela Simmons, and more, who have collaborated with the brand. This summer, the brand is a triple threat releasing three viral swimsuits collections- Confidence Campaign, Resort, and Island Tropics.

Justina hopes her impactful strides inspire other brands to become more inclusive in the swimwear industry. To keep up with Justina and Matte Collection’s innovative style, visit their website www.mattecollection.com and their social media @mattecollection on all platforms.

Learn about laughter yoga with the Laughing Lovebugs!

Written by The Recap Report Staff on July 26, 2022. Posted in Business, Lifestyle.

Meet the Laughing Lovebugs! Married couple Lauren and Alik Colbert, a husband and wife team of Certified Laughter Yoga Teachers. Yes, you heard right, their official title is ‘Laughter Yogis”.

You may ask yourself what is a Laughter Yogi? Lauren and Alik facilitate laughter yoga sessions virtually or in person for people of ages and all walks of life. Laughter yoga (Hasyayoga) is a unique exercise routine to improve health and well-being using prolonged voluntary laughter. They combine laughter exercises & deep breathing with childlike playfulness & movement to connect, unwind, and let go! No jokes, good mood, flexibility, yoga clothing, or even a yoga mat is needed!

This all started when the couple was facing extreme stress stemming from workplace issues. Lauren googled unique fun ways to relieve stress and found laughter yoga. After their first session together, there was no going back! The session was such a transformative experience, they decided to enroll in the course together to become certified laughter yoga facilitators.

Lauren and Alik state, “ We think helping people feel better is important because so many people are stressed, angry, lonely, or depressed. We have a passion to elevate, uplift, restore, and awaken the trajectory of joy in people. We love to assist and inspire people. We infuse each human interaction with love, peace, and laughter.”

Do you wonder what goes on in one of their sessions? Laughter Yoga involves getting together for about 20 minutes or more for the purpose of laughing to reap the health benefits. During this time you’ll practice yoga breathing techniques (Pranayama) which brings more oxygen to the brain and body. This stimulates a physiological response that helps us to feel more energetic and healthy!

The list of benefits from laughter yoga goes on and on. Scientific studies show that it strengthens the immune system, increases the presence of infection-fighting antibodies, alleviates pain, relieves tensions, lowers blood pressure, controls blood sugar, and keeps the heart healthy. Other proven benefits include but are not limited to boost in confidence and motivation, reduced burnout, and improved sleeping patterns. Doesn’t that sound amazing?

Being able to provide their services to others is like dreaming while being awake for the couple. They state it feels amazing to help people take their power back. Laughing Lovebugs is for everyone, from one to one hundred! Currently, Lauren and Alik offer customized laughter yoga sessions for individuals, groups, couples, workplaces, schools, mental health organizations, summits, retreats, hospitals, senior centers and more. Companies they previously provided services for are Google, Microsoft, eBay, Amazon, LYFT, Paypal, 1800 Flowers and more!

As for the rest of 2022, Lauren and Alik will be launching laughter merchandise as well as offer wellness retreats for groups that are looking to travel the world with them for a 4 day feel good getaway experience.

“Overall we will continue to celebrate the excitement of this laughter lifestyle on the path to success. Success for us is less strife and less stress so that we can continue to do our best to strive forward, progress, and achieve together for the rest of this year and beyond.”

You can keep up with Laughing Lovebugs, Lauren and Alik at @laughinglovebugs on Instagram. You can book a session with them on their website:

https://www.laughinglovebugs.com/

How a Destiny’s Child Hit and Veganism birthed America’s New Favorite Vegan Restaurant, Kale My Name

Written by The Recap Report Staff on July 7, 2022. Posted in Food, Influential People, Lifestyle.

Leading healthier lives has been a huge topic of discussion, especially since the rise of the global pandemic. People are looking to be more sanitary, active, and conscious of what they put in their bodies. One of those ways is being conscious of the foods we put into our bodies. Kale My Name is an innovative, award-winning vegan restaurant bringing culture and fun to lifestyle. Founded by Nemanja Golubovic, the restaurant became an instant success while gaining praise from some of today’s biggest stars. With two critically acclaimed locations in Chicago and Los Angeles, Kale My Name is soon to become a worldwide phenomenon.

Golubovic is a native of Montenegro and a worldly individual living in Spain, Mexico, and the middle east, to name a few places. These experiences would help him create his vegan empire. He fell into hospitality by looking for a job after immigrating to America and held many different positions. The connections he made and the responses he received from his customers would prompt him to start his independent venture in the industry. These experiences would help him create his vegan empire.

The Chicago-based Kale My Name became an immense success when doors officially opened in April 2020. The establishment got its catchy name from the hit 1999 Destiny’s Child record ‘Say My Name.’ Golubovic recalls that time saying, “I was listening to the song while creating the menu and thought, this song is catchy.” The popular restaurant chain acquired its notoriety as being “100% plant-based”. With their inclusive thinking, he adopted his brand’s mantra “vegan for the animals, for our health, and the earth”. The establishment received a neighborly welcome during the opening weekend, running through 500+ to-go bags that the CEO originally purchased assuming it would remain for a minimum of three months. Initially projecting $200 – $300 daily revenue within two years, “Kale My Name” made over 4 million dollars in sales which, landed them one of the most successful vegan restaurants in America.

When asked about the vegan component of his restaurant, Nemanja notes it was important because he is vegan. “I went vegan for many reasons, the main one being animals. I watched some things and decided they were not cool. He also had a calling to preserve life by helping the world become better, stating, “I felt like I’ve been given a bit more in life, and I felt like my life started to look good. I figured maybe this is my time to give something back and do something permanent to make a better place.” Ultimately, the goal is to be authentic to who he is.

Kale My Name separates itself through their love, joy, and compassion, not for only the animals but for humans as well. They amplify this movement with social media, allowing customers to see the innovative changes and to learn about the people behind the brand. These successful efforts have allowed patrons to feel more connected. The restaurant has success with its range of international cuisines, including its pioneering vegan mozzarella cheese sticks.

Founder Nemanja Golubovic and Tabitha Brown (Photo Credit: Kale My Name Instagram)

Their tasty menu and message have resonated with many, including renowned Actress Tabitha Brown. During the duration of her residence in Chicago, she converted into a uniformed consumer and fan of “Kale My Name”. Tabitha fell in love with the food and restaurant and developed she and Golubovic developed a friendship. Following the rapping of Brown’s show, she became disheartened to leave Chicago. Realizing she wouldn’t be eating at “Kale My Name”, Tabitha suggested Golubovic bring Kale My Name to Los Angeles, to which Golubovic agreed. The second location in Los Angeles, California, opened its doors in December 2021 with the video from the opening acquired over 1.7 million views on Tabitha’s viral TikTok handle. Nemanja, who is a fan of Brown, says, “that moment meant a lot, especially from someone I love.” Other notable names have endorsed the establishment, including Living Single’s Kim Fields, Hidden Figures’ Octavia Spencer, Claw’s Karrueche Tran, and many others!

The end goal for Nemanja is to “change the way people view plant-based food, one meal at a time.” He says people do not have to restrict themselves when becoming vegan and suggests doing things he didn’t, including researching and exploring more about veganism. Kale My Name is currently planning to work on fun projects with bigger plans coming in 2023. You can keep up with Nemanja and all the excitement from Kale My Name on Instagram @kalemyname @nekac_golubovic and Facebook: @kalemyname, @nekac_golubovic.

Skerrit Bwoy continues his “Turn up for Jesus” with release of official video for his single “Jesus Party”

Written by The Recap Report Staff on June 29, 2022. Posted in Entertainment.

Former member of the EDM supergroup Major Lazer, current creator of Electric Gospel and Christian EDM, the recording artist Skerrit Bwoy recently released his first music video for his well-received title cut off his debut album “Jesus Party Volume 1”, as well as the second Volume to his “Jesus Party” trilogy.

Endeavoring to share his faith and spread the gospel, Skerrit Bwoy takes his listeners on a musical journey with his dancehall-reggae roots mixed with Christian soul. Known for being a dynamic performer, deejay, Producer, and songwriter, Skerrit Bwoy is amassing a growing and loyal fan base. In addition, he has a reputation for being an active and philanthropic pillar of his community.

Inspired by the success of his uncle and father, who were both local deejays, he began creating mixtapes using reggae and dancehall recordings from the radio, while in Jr. high school. Skerrit Bwoy’s innovative creativity facilitated his rise as a highly sought-after DeeJay, producer, and MC, both as a member of Major Lazer and as a solo act. This success allowed him to perform around the world and to be highlighted by prominent media outlets such as CNN, Large Up, The Fader, and was the subject of a Documentary entitled ‘Temporary Sanity’, by Dan Bruun that went on to be globally featured. During this period, he continued producing music, deejaying in nightclubs and festivals throughout New York, the Caribbean, Asia, and more.

As one of the biggest acts in the world, Skerrit loved his time performing alongside his Major Lazer family (Diplo, Switch & Jillionaire), however despite his success, he felt as if his life was not fulfilled and began to embrace the teachings of Jesus Christ. One a cool November afternoon, the Bwoy decided to dedicate his life and artistry to God. Skerrit Bwoy’s mission is to convey the message of the freedom that can be found when you fully embrace the love of God.

“One day God told me, “Go Make Music!” I didn’t even know how to play an instrument… But as soon as I decided to make music, doors opened for me” – Skerrit Bwoy

The video for “Jesus Party” was directed by Lu Simmo at Tsaba Studio in Ft. Lauderdale Florida and featured several prominent Dancehall, Gospel and pop figures such as Sone G, ZekeDon, Sheni, Foody Boo, Wishbone, HQ Squad, Far Charles, Whitey (CEO of Reggae Pop Records) and many others – some who flew from across the country to celebrate with Skerrit Bwoy and “Join in the Jesus Party.” The music video captures the essence of Skerrit Bwoy and serves as a portal into Skerrit Bwoy’s world of Christian EDM.

Skerrit Bwoy has achieved remarkable social media and digital traction, since his debut’s release Skerrit Bwoy has been consistently booked for several live events most recently the “Memorial Gospel Fest” Presented by Caribbean HD Radio to which he rocked a crowd of nearly 1000 people in attendance with 11,000 online viewers. Jesus Party the single achieved nearly 26,000 streams. Next up, Skerrit Bwoy is set to entertain over 5,000 kids at the Life Conference in Orlando, Florida at the World Marriott. Skerrit Bwoy chose a musical path very few are willing to embark on and so far he is not only gaining the respect of his peers but the admiration of his fans.

To hear more of Skerrit Bwoy visit: www.SkerritBwoy.com

Watch Jesus Party here:https://youtu.be/u6EBEkTfD-g

Mental Health Advocate Tamika Harden on Surviving Suicide

Written by The Recap Report Staff on June 27, 2022. Posted in Business, Health and Beauty, Lifestyle.

Meet Tamika Harden, a professional fitness trainer, body makeover specialist, and coronavirus survivor. Before the global health pandemic, Harden ran a viable brick-and-mortar gym, where she easily trained 200+ women a month.

Life has been no easy journey for Tamika, she struggled heavily with mental health issues through her twenties. The pain and struggle stemmed from being physically what society would consider ‘fat’ and darkened her thoughts—sometimes to the point of self-harm.

The extra body weight and bullying in her late teens and early 20s inspired Tamika to turn fitness into a career path. Her first step to recovery was acceptance. She says the most important step to recovery was recognizing she needed help and having hope. Her “you got this” mentality was key. Fitness was her healthy outlet for recovery.

She states:

“My first fitness experience taught me the power of change. It taught me that with the right tools and support, one could accomplish goals that once seemed impossible. I wanted to help others change their lives through fitness, the way it changed mine. Fight back with a positive mental attitude and positive action through healthy living and wellness.”

As fitness became her career, she was inspired to open her very own gym. She started her business from the bottom up, essentially from scratch. As life is never a straight journey, she was blindsided by the pandemic. Surviving the pandemic was the biggest struggle she’s had to face.

“Trying to get clients to resume personal training was challenging. I felt like I was restarting my business all over again – which is frustrating and I felt like giving up. But I keep reminding myself that faith and fear cannot coexist. And I chose faith.”

She currently trains most of her clients virtually online and a small percentage in-person at a local gym. She says her purpose is to help people, and now more than ever she wants to do everything in her power to fulfill her purpose. “We can choose to take action and begin to live a healthier lifestyle.”

Keep up with Tamika on social @bodybytamika

IVA: Becoming a Musical Symbol of Hope and Healing

Written by The Recap Report Staff on May 18, 2022. Posted in Entertainment.

“Even if you think it’s your darkest hour, there is hope, and there is light.” -IVA

Operatic singer-songwriter, a genuinely fierce humanitarian, and mentor are a few words that can be used to describe the worldly, vocal talent known as IVA. She possesses the uncanny ability to move seamlessly from a pop-style vocal into full operatic singing, often within the same song. Her phenomenal talent has afforded her international recognition. IVA is universally applauded as that rare crossover artist, pop and opera singer, songwriter, bandleader, composer, and mentor – with an extraordinary career of sixteen years. As a pioneer in the male-dominated music industry, IVA is a symbol of women’s empowerment, inspiring and guiding many promising young female artists.

Coming from a deep-rooted, musical background, IVA was inspired by her grandfather at an early age to pursue music. Evelyn Swenson, a family friend, and well-known composer and conductor at OperaDelaware took the aspiring artist under her tutelage and gave her an onstage opportunity at only 9 years old. In later years, she would later go on study music at the Juilliard School and Manhattan School of Music. She even graduated from Princeton University’s world-class performance program with a music prize. Iva was later granted a Fullbright Scholarship to study her ancestors’ music in Sweden which would be a significant moment in her career. Iva explains, “I was able to live in a completely new culture and that opened up my mind and my creativity. I had a lot more free time during the Fulbright and I would go for long walks and visit with other artists. Those unscripted days gave me a chance to hear the creative voice inside of me.”

A pivotal moment in IVA’s career was when she made her first appearance on Late Night with Conan O’Brien. Her talent was undeniable with O’Brian himself stating, “She can sing so high that her voice actually goes outside the range of human hearing.” From here she received several opportunities to perform as an actress and singer making her an international talent. Some of her career highs include her international tours, releasing multiple hit albums, “Ivolution” in 2009 which was picked up by Universal Sweden, “Leap” in 2015, and more recently “Traitor,” released in 2019. Iva has also collaborated with Grammy-award-winning producers and highly acclaimed artists, Tim Sonnefeld, Jaron Olevsky, and Trey Pollard.

Perhaps one of her best moments includes when she made history as the youngest person to receive the Vasa Order’s Swedish American of the Year Award for her unparalleled career and involvement in U.S-Swedish cultural relations. This acknowledgment came at the perfect time for IVA who was then battling a crisis of confidence. When recalling this moment IVA says, “I was dumbfounded, and I truly needed that lift.” She states that upon arrival she was met with celebrations at the airport and enjoyed many beautiful days of events where she was treated with great respect. “I felt that I had been given a gift from the Universe to remind me who I was and that what I was doing was valuable to others. And I made lifelong friends with some members of the Vasa Order who now visit us in the States.”

When talking about her creative process, IVA uses psychology and self-awareness. Many of her songs come from an “aha” moment of realizing what she’s actually doing in her life and how she relates to her subconscious. She also finds inspiration from her relationships and friends who fascinate her with their stories. That is how the single ”Run” came about. This is also how her critically acclaimed single “Immense Tenderness” was born. As her career was flourishing, her personal life was withering as IVA would become a victim of domestic violence that lasted for many years. The response she would receive for sharing her song would inspire her to compose an operatic piece from “Immense Tenderness,” which will be her first libretto.

When asked about her progress, IVA stated,

“We just had the first reading of the libretto, the words of the opera, and it sparked a rich discussion about the nature of abuse and having to go into the unknown in order to leave a bad situation. We had discussions with the donors for the opera and many ideas crystallized for me about how to develop the story and the characters.”

She is also able to expand her writing skills, noting, “I’ve never written a libretto before and it’s quite different than writing lyrics. So I’m working on my process for that and may bring in a libretto to help me. In the meantime, I’m going to start writing the music!” Overall she is thrilled with the projections and her team.

Throughout her career, Iva has had many notable talents pour into her career including W. Stephen Smith, Kishti Tomita, and Don Marrazzo, who apprenticed with Celine Dion’s vocal teacher William Riley. She plans to pay it forward through her lyrics and actions stating, “I hope that my music touches many people and uplifts them. I also work with many students who I hope will love making music for the rest of their lives and pass that on to their families. I hope to make music training possible for more people both now and after I am gone.”

This year IVA plans to share more of her musical talents with the world. She states, “I hope to release “Run” to the radio while we release the video for it, directed by Camille NaRa. I also have a follow-up EP called “Nobody’s Woman” that will come afterward. I’m also planning a tour.”

To hear more of IVA visit www.ivavoice.com and join her mailing list to stay updated on upcoming events!

Be sure to keep up with IVA @ivavoice on all social platforms.

How Monica Davis Is Building A Network of Exceptional People With a New Digital Hub

Written by The Recap Report Staff on May 11, 2022. Posted in Business.

Some people call influential women powerful, others call them superheroes, we’ll do the honor of calling this leading a renaissance woman! Allow us to introduce you to the one-and-only Monica Davis.

The multi-talented multi-preneur Monica Davis grew up in northern Virginia, and as a young child, she often thought about positively impacting the masses but had no idea how this would take shape until later on down her life’s path. Her parents instilled in her the importance of ethics, hard work, and faith which became the foundation of her life and everything she did. For over 20 years, the well-rounded, author and media professional has dedicated herself and her platforms to educating, inspiring, and helping entrepreneurs and professionals succeed and thrive. During this time she has developed exceptional and award-winning narratives for small businesses, luminaries, Fortune 500 leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs. She continues that through her recent endeavor Exceptional People Network.

While Monica is well known as a renowned media professional, it was not her end goal. It was something she fell into after interviewing for her first book. She notes, “One day, while waiting to be interviewed in a television studio as a first-time author, I watched the production assistant work on the lighting, and that’s when the thought came to me that lighting is one of the essential elements of any show and for any photographer.” She realized that by becoming a media professional, she could reach a larger audience and shed light on all of the positive things going on in the world, which is something she enjoys. This led her down an entrepreneurial path in Media and Communications.

Over the span of her illustrious career, she also spent time as a magazine publisher, where she saw many small business owners struggling in different areas of their businesses. This would inspire her to write her best-seller titled Welcome to the Top. Welcome to the Top provides the confidence and insights entrepreneurs need to achieve success regardless of the type of business they run. The book includes personal stories and experiences and proven processes and methods aimed at educating readers on the principles, philosophies, and motivating factors behind the success of exceptional business leaders and corporate CEOs.

Monica Davis, Founder of Exceptional People Network

Monica has expanded her entrepreneurial empire to include her Exceptional People Network (EPN). The platform is a digital hub that enables entrepreneurs to gain critical insights and ideas for solving problems in different business areas and discovering better and alternative ways to solve those problems. She found that entrepreneurs are always searching for solutions to business problems, and the goal of EPN is to provide ideas and answers to critical issues that will help them avoid and eliminate wasted time, money, and effort. Her audience is B2B entrepreneurs who provide innovative products and services to their customers and clients and are seeking to move to the next level in their business. Their content and resources provide business insights, advice, and inspiration that will help entrepreneurs confidently grow their entrepreneurial endeavors, solve problems, and rejuvenate their minds and lives.

When looking over her career, Some of Monica’s favorite moments include the opportunity to support over 100 non-profits through Exceptional People Magazine, producing and hosting her TV show Extraordinary Everyday People, and the chance to help more people through the recently launched Exceptional People Network. She says, “It’s been a blessing to use my skills and creativity to encourage, enlighten, and educate people to live well, do well and impact others every day.” She plans to continue expanding the Exceptional People Network platform so that we help as many entrepreneurs as possible become successful and change the lives of the people they serve.

As a bonus to our readers, Monica shared these nuggets of wisdom:

Be willing to give more than you receive. Don’t try to sell your product or service as soon as you connect with someone. You can’t expect to receive more effort and value than you provide. When it comes to networking, you truly receive what you give. If you want to be remembered by someone, be the first to offer something of value.

Join organizations related to your industry and the people you serve. There are many online business and networking groups, making it much easier than attending live events. However, both have their pros and cons.

Use social media to your advantage. Identify the platforms on which your customers and prospects reside and build a relationship with them. Not every platform is right for you, so being effective means knowing where your prospects spend most of their time.

The key to effective networking is being persistent and consistent, which means doing it daily. However, you should be strategic about how you use social media so that it does not occupy too much of your precious time that you should be spending on other areas of your business.

Examine your current resources. Think about all of your friends, family, and your existing business contacts. Consider your entire social network and leverage those contacts.

To learn more about Monica and Exceptional People Network visit their Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

The Race Of A Lifetime: Renitta Shannon For Georgia’s Next Lieutenant Governor

Written by The Recap Report Staff on April 7, 2022. Posted in Influential People.

This is NOT a drill!

Yes, there is a HISTORY MAKING woman who stands out in the crowd of candidates aiming for Lieutenant Governorship in the great state of Georgia!

She’s a proud Democrat, queer, progressive woman by the name of Renitta Shannon! Yup, she’s boycotted sitting Governor Brian Kemp, protested for abortion rights and you guessed it–she’s even been thrown out of the state Capital for unapologetically speaking her mind

Those who already know Renitta, call her a people’s champion! Those that don’t know her now, soon will if she makes history by being elected as the first LGBTQIA+ to hold a statewide office.

Georgia State Representative Renitta Shannon is known (virally) for using her platform to represent people in marginalized communities and this year she plans to fight unjust legislation at new heights. She also made history in her candidacy for Lt. Governor of Georgia as she is the only woman of color and only openly gay candidate to enter the race.

At 42 years old, Rep. Shannon currently serves as a state representative in Atlanta. In 2017, she was sworn into the Georgia State House of Representatives, to represent the 84th district. Since taking on a state seat, she has utilized her impactful public platform to represent and create legislation for marginalized communities. The equal and fair treatment of communities of color is central to Renitta’s legislative work. This includes tackling the systemic racial and economic biases built into Georgia’s criminal justice system, combatting voting restrictions, and advocating for better working conditions. She sponsored bills to increase police accountability and advance equal justice under the law for everyone. Renitta has also worked on Georgia’s systemic problems with mass incarceration and school-to-prison pipelines.

Her campaign support is on fire as she has secured endorsement after endorsement, showing her opponents that she–and her supporters are putting their money, voices, and voting power where their mouths are! To date, she’s received official backing from Georgia Equality, Black Male Voter Project, Elect Black Women, LPAC, Fund Her, and She the People. It doesn’t hurt that some of our favorite celebrities are posting about her–with legendary actress Jamie Lee Curtis fawning over her via her 4 million people-strong Instagram audience.

A little about this powerhouse:

Renitta was raised by her hardworking parents who often worked minimum wage-earning jobs. Her upbringing encouraged her determination to work hard and succeed. As a college student, Renitta worked as a restaurant server, earned scholarships and took out student loans to keep her educational goals on track. With the help of her parents, she graduated from the University of Florida–with a clear understanding of what the average American citizen faces.

She is known for her community organizing work around economic, racial, reproductive freedom, healthcare and gender justice. These on-the-ground challenges equipped her to serve in the Georgia State House.

In her first year as a legislator, Renitta was awarded “Most Valuable Legislator” for her work on the sexual assault policy. In 2019, Renitta was physically removed from the Georgia General Assembly’s House floor by security (we mentioned this earlier) during her dissent against Georgia House Bill 481, a bill sponsored by Georgia’s Republican party to effectively outlaw abortion in the state. In her effort to stop the bill from coming to a vote, she spoke against the bill and refused to cede the podium “I was not going to just let them pass this like some tax bill that nobody cares about.” The ruckus paid an unexpected dividend as it landed her an appearance on the Roland Martin show shortly thereafter to recount the chain of events leading up to the dramatic exit.

Renitta has been a consistent advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and in 2017 she came out as bisexual, making her the first bi-sexual legislator to serve in the Georgia General Assembly. She is continuing her fight to represent underserved communities with her campaign for Lieutenant Governor of Georgia.

Announcing her intentions to run in September 2021, we’ve been keeping an eye on her speeches and political chess moves. On March 15, 2022, she made a hugely impactful speech about voter suppression that captured the ears of civil rights juggernaut Attorney Sherrilyn Ifill and change-demanding civilians alike! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4m0wDyROFU&t=326s

Change is needed and she seems to be up to the challenge. Can this woman send another message to the state that changed their shirts from red to blue in the last presidential election? Only time will tell.

Want to contribute or learn more? Visit:https://renittashannon.com/

Author: The Recap Report Staff