ABIGAIL MAGAZINE

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ABIGAIL MAGAZINE

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Abigail Magazine
P.O. Box 41114
North Charleston, S.C.
29423
843
843--879
879--8352
Letter from the Editor at Large:
Greetings Readers, It is quite an honor to hold
the title of editor at large for this wonderful
issue. Over the years I have had the pleasure of
reaching out to people all over the world with
all credit being due to my media expertise, of
course. However, this by far has been my
favorite form. Hopefully you all will receive as
much joy reading as I have editing and writing.
Thank you for your continuous dedication over
the years and your loyalty. We hope that you
will subscribe to one of our two magazines
(Abigail and Geechee One) or both, and tell a
friend of all of the knowledge and
entertainment youve picked up along the way
while encouraging their readership as well. I
am privileged to share the work, words and
stories of so many dedicated and selfless
people. Please visit our website to experience

FeliciaRivers

LisaGonzalesWilliams Contributors

Publisher/C.E.O.

Sales&Marke ngManager

MyDivineFashionista

IsaacHilton,Jr.

F.KhristopherBlue

KeyshiaGreen

VicePresident

Crea veDirector

ShaneraGaymon

Pre Ladi

ChiinaCouture

TeeGoodie

EditoratLarge

AssistanttoPublisher

our virtual presence as well. Also, feel free to

leave suggestions and comments, I love hearing
from you!Again, it is my pleasure and I
appreciate your continued support as a loyal
reader and follower. With warmest thanks,
Pretti P.L. Ladi, Editor at Large

ModelsFeatured:
ErinAnderson(JanelleBarrAgency)
JohntePorter(JanelleBarrAgency)
TikimaBowers

10 Places to take your kids in Charleston page 4

DJ T.O Page 12
CoverPhotosubmi edby:

DJ Rozay Red Page 14

RedDotMediaKidModels:CheyenneGradney.Kateaux

ABIGAIL MAGAZINE

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foodmarketandotherhandsonac vi es.25AnnStreet,
Charleston,SC29403

Ofcoursetheygetonournerves,andyouwouldthinkthey'dbe
redfromgoingtoschoolallweek.No,theywanttoplay,andgo
places,andspendourmoney,andwakeupearlyonSaturday
mornings,andcomeinyourroom,andaskamillionques ons
aboutthingstheyshouldntevenknowaboutyet.Totopitallo,
theirli lemischievousselvesholdsuchasolidsacredplaceinour
heartswewouldn'ttradethemfortheworld.Ourkidsareour
greatestjoys,andyesa erworkingtheirli lebrainsallweek,
familyou ngsandplaydatesaregreatremediestokeepthese
busybodiesac veandintunewithlife.Sowe'vegotthetopten
funplacesyoucangowithyourkidsforagreat me.ifyou're
lucky,you'll rethemoutsomuchthatthey'llfallasleeponthe
wayhome.You'rewelcome.

6. SpariansatRiverBowlEnjoythishugebowlingalleyfor
adultsandkids.Billiards,videogames,aminipoolcenter&a
sportsgrill&bar.613JohnnieDoddsBlvd,MtPleasant,SC
29464
7.SkyZoneGetthebounceofyourlifeatthisindoortrampo
linepark!411WandoParkBlvd.,Mt.Pleasant,SC29464
8.MonkeyJoesHangoutwithJoeinhisbouncearena.Or
kickbackandenjoysomeotherfungames.4952CentrePointe
DriveSuite116,N.Charleston,SC29418

9.BooneHallPlanta onIfyourkidsenjoyhistory,these
1. CharlestonRushOfcourse,thereislasertagandthenthere reenactmentandliveperformancesarefunfilledandeduca on
isextremelasertagalongwithatouchofgocar ngforsome al.Learningtourssetotheirexperience.1235LongPointRd,Mt.
adrenalinepumpingfun.3550AshleyPhosphate,North
Pleasant,SC29464
Charleston,SC29418
10.CharlesTowneLandingEnjoythisoldhistoricsiteandbe
2. GloZoneEnjoysomefoggedoutlasertaginaglowinthe
surprisedbysomeofyourfavoritefurryanimalsalongtheway.
darkmaze.Ortryaroundofminigolf.5900RiversAve,North
Charleston,SC29406

3. FireTruckMuseumTourhistoricandpresentdayfire
trucks.Letthekidshoponandpretendthey'refigh ngreal
fires.4975CentrePointeDrive,NorthCharleston,SC29418
4. SCAquariumEnjoyalargesharktankandvariousother
aqua canimals.Takeatourthroughthishugeaquariumand
alsomeetwithsomefamiliarfacesandcharacters.100
AquariumWharf,Charleston,SC29401
5. Children'sMuseumEnjoyaplayareaforinfantsandchil
drenuptoage12.Allowthemtoenjoyanartexhibit,play
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Alana Watson had it all. And every female
wanted what she had. She kept the newest
designer bags, the most expensive shoes, and if
the car she was driving wasnt foreign made, she
didnt want it. Not to mention, her boyfriend was
the biggest, most well respected hustler in the
city. Nothing moved unless it went through him.
The dudes wanted to be him and the females
wanted to be in his bed. But Alana never complained and she always got what she wanted.
Until she got something she couldnt get rid of:
HIV. The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
affects more than 1.2 million people in the United
States. But the scary part is that 1 in 7 people
dont even know they have it because there are
usually no immediate symptoms. The disease is
rampant principally in the African American
community. Gay and bisexual men are also
profoundly affected by the disease, as well as
heterosexuals and injection drug users. Being
HIV positive means that there is a possibility for
you to pass the virus to others, especially
through sexual contact. There is no cure and the
virus can lead to AIDS and ultimately death if it
is untreated. It is however manageable and many
people who have it live normal, peaceful lives.
With this it is important to know your status and
get tested at least every 6 months. Although
condoms do not prevent the disease, they reduce
the risk if used correctly. If you have been
infected with HIV, it is important to let your
partner know. Knowing could not only save
someone elses life, but your own.

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Whetheryou'recrea ngaprofessionalfashionshootorcapturing
aportrait,learninghowtoposeyourfocusesforthecamerais
oneofthemostimportantphotographyknowledgeyoucan
possess.Thesearesome pstohelpyougainabe erpose.*Be
strongfromheadtotoe.Youren rebodyneedstohavelifetoit.
Nopartofyoushouldbealimp.Startbyengagingyourcentral
areabecausethiswillhelppullyouin.*Rememberyourhands.
Possiblythemostawkwardpartofmodelingisknowingwhatto
dowithyourhands.Youdontwanttohaveyourarmshanging
awkwardly.Ifyoustayengagedheadtotoe,hopefullyyou'llfind
posesthatfeelright,thatmakesense.(SidebarNeverputyour
handsonyourface.*Belopsided.Foramoreinteres ngshot,
makesurethatyou'redoingsomethingdierentwitheachsideof
yourbody.Youcanbedrama canddosomethingtotally
dierentwitheachofyourlimbsand ltyourheadtotheside..
Beingasymmetricalcanbeassimpleasdippingoneshoulderor
hipmakingsurethatyourarmsareatdierentheights,or
bendingonelegali lemorethantheother.
MyDivineFashionistaModel
Model:TikimaBowers
email:mydivinefashion@gmail.com

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Itsnoteverydayyougettotakehomeacrownandasashthat
representssuchadis nc ve tle.ForMichelleGrantMoncrie itwas
anhonor.BeingMissPlusSizeCharlestonnotonlyrepresents
dis nc on,butconfidence,poiseandindependence.Wehadthe
pleasureofinterviewingMissPlusSizeCharlestonandhervirtuousspirit
displayedthroughherwords.Wemustsaytherecouldnthavebeena
moredeservingcrownholder.
AbigailMagazine:Tellusali leaboutyourselfandwhereyouarefrom?
MissPlusSize:MichelleGrantMoncrie wasbornNovember30,1969
inOrlando,Florida.IamtheeighthchildofSSGTIsaiah(deceased)and
WilhelminaGrant.Iamveryfamilyoriented.Since2013Ihavebeen
raisingmyniece,(Lauryn),whichIassumedtheresponsibilitywillingly.
Laurynhasbecomeoneofmygreatestjoys.Itrytoencourageand
mo vateLaurynasmyparentsmo vatedme.Igraduatedfrom
MiddletonHighSchool,SCin1989andcon nuedmyeduca onto
receiveaProfessionalLicenseofCosmetologyattheCharleston
CosmetologyIns tutein1990.IamcurrentlyenrolledatTrident
TechnicalCollegepursingadegreeinBusinessManagement.Iamalsoa
memberoftheAMICAEFriendsoftheZetaOrganiza on.
AbigailMagazine:Howdidyougetintopageantry?MissPlusSize:Miss
PlusSizeCharlestonwasactuallymyveryfirstocialpageant.Iama
licensedcosmetologistandhavepar cipatedinmanypageantsfor
someofmyclients.Ispentalot meassis ngclientswiththeir
hairstylesandmakeuppriortomeenteringthepageant.Withthe
encouragementofsomeofmyclosefriends,Idecidedtoenterthe
pageantforMissPlusSizeCharleston.
AbigailMagazine:Isthereanyoneinpar cularwhohasbeenaninfluenceinyourlife?MissPlusSize:Myspiritualinfluenceismy
loveofGod.Myparentsandfamilyaremygreatestinfluences.IlostmyfatheratayoungagebuthealwaystoldmehowspecialI
was.Hewouldalwayscalledmehisli leprincess.Hegavemethecouragetosucceedandhelpedbuildmyselfconfidencetolove
myselfasmuchashelovedme.Mymotherwhoisnow82yearsoldiss llmyrock.Sheisalwayssuppor ngmeandcon nuesto
encouragemetolovemyselfaswellasothers.Mybrothersandsistersleadbyexampletohelpraisemetobealawabidingci zen.
Weareaveryclosefamily.Myfamilyencouragedmeeverystepofthewayinlifetobethebestpersonyoucanbe.
AbigailMagazine:Whenyouheardyournamecalledasthewinner,whatwerethethoughtsthatranthroughyourmind?MissPlus
Size:Oncethemomentaryshockworeo,Iwassohappyandthankful.IgiveallmythanksandglorytotheLordabove.Ithought
abouthowIamgoingtowearthecrownwithdignityandpride.IwaschosentorepresenttheplussizewomenofCharlestonandI
acceptedmyposi on.
AbigailMagazine:Whatdoyouthinkitwasthatsetyouapartfromtheothercontestants?MissPlusSize:IdontthinkIwasset
apartfromtheothercontestants.Theyallwereworthyopponentsandwehadfunpreparingandcompe nginthepageant.We
developedfriendshipsandbondedinoursisterhood.Ibelieveweallarewinnersandweexpressedthatonthestageinfrontof
familyandfriends.Iamverycomfortableinthecolorofmyskinandthesizeofmybody.Igave100%ofmyselftomakethispageant
asuccessnotjustformebutforallplussizewomen.
AbigailMagazine:Haveyoureceivedali lemorerecogni onmoresonowthanbeforea erwinningthe tleMissPlusSize
Charleston?MissPlusSize:Yes,Ihavebeeninvitedtomanyfunc onsaroundtheCharlestonarea.Iwasrecentlyinvitedtothe
McDonaldsShowcase.Ialsoreceivedseveralcongratula onsmessagesonFacebook.TheCharlestonChronicleNewswroteand
printedaneditorialintheirMayedi onaboutthemewinningthe2015MissPlusSizeCharleston.Mychurch,EbenezerAMEChurch,
CharlestonandJoshuaUMChurch,Strawberry,SCgavemerecogni onforwinningthe tlealso.
AbigailMagazine:Whatsnextforyou?MissPlusSize:Myplanistocon nueservingastheMissPlusSizeCharleston,andmaybe
enterthepageantforMissPlusSizeSouthCarolina.Iwanttoempowerallwomenaswellasallmyplussizesisterstoembracewho
theyareandfindtheconfidencetobethebestpersontheycanbe.
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longertrue.Cyberbullyingisjustasmeanandcruelasthe
personwhowrotethenega vecomments.Youmustfindthe
strengthwithintoovercomethenega vethoughtsandreplaceit
withposi vethoughts.Everyonewillnotagreewitheverything
thatissaid,youcannottakethenega vecommentspersonally.
Thatisonlythatpersonsopinionandthatshouldbehowyou
perceiveittobe.
AbigailMagazine:Forsomeonewholacksconfidence,whatis
onepieceofadviceyouwouldgivethem?MissPlusSize:Iwould
encouragethemtoloveGodandlovethemselves.Iwouldlet
themknowthatthebeautycomesfromwithinandtheyare
worthytobeloved.Allwomenarebeau fulnoma erwhat
yoursize,colororna onality.Iwanttobetheiconforotherplus
sizewomentostrivefor.Mygoalistohelpotherplussize
womentofeelsecureandconfidentwithinthemselves.My
mo oisBigisBeau ful.Wearebig,beau fulandloving
individuals.Wehavethecompassionandtheabilitytoloveand
beloved.Wetakeprideandhavetheconfidenceinourabili es
toachieveourgoalsinlife.
AbigailMagazine:Ifourreaderswanttocontactyou,howcan
theyreachyou?MissPlusSize:

AbigailMagazine:Whataresomeofyourotheraccomplish
ments?MissPlusSize:Amongmymanyaccomplishmentsismy
passiontogivemylifetothelord.IdedicatedmylifetotheLord
atatenderageoffiveandhavebeenpraisingtheLordever
since.Ihavebeenblessedwithavoiceofanangel.Ihavebeen
usingthistalenttosingwiththechoirsofEbenezerAMEChurch,
Chas,SCandJoshuaUMChurch,Strawberry,SC.Iamateam
memberforEbenezerPraiseDanceTeamandPraiseandWorship
team,JoshuaUMChurchVoicesofPraiseandWorshipandPraise
Team.Inmyendeavors,Ihavebeensingingandtravelingwith
theCharlestonSympathyOrchestra(CSO)andLowcountryVoices
GospelChoirinci esalloverEuropesuchasGermany,Prague,
CzechRepublicandItaly20052006.Ialsosingforlocalfunc ons
suchasweddings,funeralsandothereventswhichallowsmethe
opportunitytodisplaythegi Godhasbestoweduponme.
AbigailMagazine:Doyoufeelplussizemodelsgettherecogni
ontheydeserve?MissPlusSize:Ibelievethatplussizemodels
arefinallyge ngtherecogni ontheydeserve.Womencomein
varioussizesanditisverynicetoopenamagazinetoseeabeau
fulplussizewomanmodelingthelatestfashions.Inthefashion
world,plussizewomenwouldliketoseewhattheclotheslook
likeonplussizemodels.Theyaremoreapttorelatetoclothes
themodelsarewearing.Howcanyoujudgehowtheclothes
wouldlookonafullsizewomanorfitifthemodelisnot
displayingthepropera refortheplussizewoman?
AbigailMagazine:Howdoyoufeelaboutcyberbullying?Miss
PlusSize:Bullyingisbullyingnoma erhowitisdone.Ihave
alwaysbeentoldwordscanthurtyou.Thatstatementisno

ABIGAIL MAGAZINE

Myemailaddressisthemoncrie s@yahoo.com.
AbigailMagazine:Isthereanythingyouwouldliketoadd?Miss
PlusSize:Ibelievethatthe tleofMissPlusSizeCharlestonisa
portraitofmyself.Iiden fywiththequalifica onsofbeinginthe
posi onofMissPlusSize.Beingaplussizeyoungwomanhasnot
hindermeinanyformorfashiontobethebestpersonIcan
be.

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Asali legirlwhatdidyouwanttobewhenyougrewup?Asa
youngblackprincessIalwayswantedtoentertainmyfamily
andfriends,tripandmakethemlaugh.Iwoulddothisbyimi
ta ngcomedianssuchasJimCarey,RobinWilliams&Mar n
Lawrencetonameafew.IwouldmakethemostGodawful
facesstraightoutthebluesobadtothepointmymomma
wouldsay,"galifyoudon'tstopyafacegonestucklikethat!"
LOLIdidn't.Ialsolovedwri ng.Ilovedwri ngpoems,and
verses.IwroteformyfriendsandI.Iwouldwritetheverses,
prac cetheverseswithmyfriendsandthenwewouldspit
themduringrecess.Wewoulddrawinpeopleandthat'swhen
Igrewtheloveforwan ngtoentertainthroughmusic.My
motherwasthewomanwhotaughtAfricandanceinour
communitysoofcoursedancecamealongalso.
communitysoofcoursedancecamealongalso.
Whatdecisionsdidyoumakeinordertogetyouwhereyou
arenow?
arenow?IgraduatedfromTheArtIns tuteofCharleston.I
receivedmybachelorsinFashionBusiness&Arts.Itwasn't
easy,butwiththehelpoftheMostHighIwasabletoconquer
thattask.Throughmy meatTheArtIns tuteofCharleston,I
releasedaMegaMixTapebytheNameofRidingRoundwith
ThatNinawhichwasaccompaniedbyavideoformyPoison
Track .CharlioFlightSociety.IwasabletogetwhereIamby
knowingwhatIwant,picturemyselfge ngitandthendothe
stepsneededtoseewhatIwantmanifested.
stepsneededtoseewhatIwantmanifested.
Wouldyouconsideryourselftobesuccessful?Ifnotwhatare
yourplanstobe?Iconsidermyselfsuccessfulatlovingmyself
andbeingcontentwithwhoIamasanindividual.Mysuccess
isnotdictatedbyanyoneelsesitisdefinedbywhoIamand
howIperceivesuccessformyself.Iamcurrentlyworkingon
buildingmybrandandpreparingmyselftobecomemoremar
ketableinthemusicworld.Thelistgoesonandonastomoves
Iintendtoshaketomakethisallhappen.
Iintendtoshaketomakethisallhappen.
Whatisyourexact tleintheentertainmentfieldandhow
manyhatsdoyouhold?IntheentertainmentfieldIamThee
ImperialQueen.NotonlydoIsing,danceandspitfirebutI
alsowritemyownmusic,createperformingartsproduc ons,
amanAfricandrum&danceinstructoratNorthCharleston
Crea veArtsElementary,aFitnessinstructor,fashionstylist
anddancecoordinatoratAdande&DeninufayDance
Companies.Myplateisveryfull,howevermysonMellieisthe
firstpriorityinmylife.
firstpriorityinmylife.
Doyoufeelthatitishardertosurvivebeingawomaninthe
entertainmentindustry?Ilearnfromthepastandfromthe
pastitshowsthatitwasharderands llishardforourwomen
tosurvive,becomesuccessfulwithoutsleepingtheirwayto
thetop,andberespectedequallyasanindividualandan
ar st.LikeJamesBrownoncesaid,"Thisisaman'sworld...but
it'snothingwithoutawomanoragirl."Ifallmencouldonly
ABIGAIL MAGAZINE

thinklikethatandstartdepic ngtheirwomenasqueensand
keeptheindustryprofessional.
keeptheindustryprofessional.
Beingconsidered"darkskinneddoyoufeelthatitsharder
thanbeingupagainsta"lighter"skinnedfemaleorevenawom
anofadierentculture?IlovetheskinI'minandsoshouldyou
andeveryoneelseinthisworld.Iseenocompe ons.Idothis
fortheloveofmusic.
fortheloveofmusic.
IfyoureadtheBiblewhatisyourmostfavoritescripture?My
favoritescriptureintheBibleisnoweaponformagainstme
shallprosper.
shallprosper.
Struggle
StruggleTellusaboutastrugglethatbrokeyoudownandhow
youwereabletoconqueritifyouconqueredit?Whatadvice
canyougiveothersinthesamespotintheirlives?WhenIwas
youngIwasatomboyandalwayswantedtodowhatmyolder
brotherandoldercousinsdid.Iftheyjumpedoverfencesand
drovedirtbikesIwantedtodothesame.Iftheyballedanddid
backflipsooldma ressesIdidtoo!AsayounginIalwaysfelt
thattherewasnolimittowhatIcoulddoandonedaythat
mindsetgotmeintotrouble.Iendedupge ngmyselfintoto
somesugarIwasn'treadytotaste.Becauseofmakingwrong
decisionsandchoicesduringthisperiodofmylifeIhadtodoa
li leoveramonthinsolitaryconfinement.WhenIwasinthere
Imadeapromisetomyselftonevercomeback.Iwept,laugh,
sung,rapped,dance,cleaned,madebeats,wrotemusic,wrote
le ersandnetworkedandconnectedwithsomeofthemost
knowledgeablepeopleyouwouldevermeetinyourlife me.I
couldhavetookthatli lesetbackasacrutchtobeangrywith
theworldorotherswhoIfeltwerethereasonwhyIwent
throughwhatIwentthrough,butIdidn't.Iusedthistes mony
asasteppingstonetobe ermyself,mythinkingpa ernsand
thewayIconductedmyself.IfeelasifIconqueredthisstruggle
becauseIkeptmypromisetomyself....knocksonwood.LOL
Thatsitua ontaughtmeatanearlyagethatlife...it'sabout
choicesandknowingweandeveryoneelseinourcircleare
aectedbythechoicesweasanindividualmake.Ichooseto
growasawoman,aar st,andasaQueen.
st,andasaQueen.

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Whattheworldneedsrightnowischange.Thatchangehastostartwiththeadultsinourcommuni esthat
areableandwillingtoteachandmentoryoungergenera ons.Witheortsandorganiza onslikeGirlFlight
Inc.,thatareputinplacetoempowertheyouth,todaysyouthlearntheskillsandmannerismstheyneedto
becomesuccessfulandrespectable.InanexclusiveinterviewwithFounderandDirectorCrystalJ.Thompson
ofGirlFlightInc.,welearnali leaboutthisgreatorganiza onandtheirmission.
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5. What's a typical day like for you being the founder of this
organization? A typical day for me is waking up at 5:30
a.m. Getting myself and three daughters ready for school/
work. Making sure my husband is set for his work day. Drive
from Orangeburg to Holly Hill and drop off my children to
school/day care. I arrive at work at around 8 am. At that
time, I text my Flight Girls, email my Flight staff members
and work. I spend my lunch hour taking care of Girl Flight
business. Once I get home, Im in mommy mode. Doing
homework, dinner, cleaning and preparing for the next day. I
spend at least another hour at home preparing for upcoming
Girl Flight events and mentoring sessions.
6. How do you intend to impact the world/community by
this? Girl Flight, Inc. is here to start a movement so great that
it will shake the country and change the way our young ladies
are regarded and how they view themselves. It is time to take
a stand for our future and provide a safe haven for our girls. I
always tell people that Im here for the girls. They need all the
positively that they can get and Im here to do that. My staff
has the same passion that I do. I want girls to know that they
are fearfully and wonderfully made by God and that they
should be so in love with themselves because God loves them.
7. What has been some of your biggest hardships in putting
this all together? One of the biggest hardships is getting
people to believe the mission of Girl Flight Inc. Being that
were new, people are hesitant about who we are what we
stand for but Im confident that with time, they will lend us
their support. Another hardship is getting girls who I know
really need the assistance to actually accept it.
8. Any success stories? As of today, we have 20 members of
Girl Flight Inc.! That is so awesome to me. And more girls
are inquiring about joining us. Also, weve had our very first
mentoring session in March called Write the Vision and
Make it Plain. Dr. Michelle Myers presented on the subject
and we ended the day with a Vision Board Party. We had a
very great time and the girls left very inspired.
9. What events do you have coming up? In an effort to
promote the mission of Girl Flight Inc. and to raise funds for
our cause, we, along with Togetherness of Cross, will be
hosting a Community Prayer Walk at Lake Marion High
School in Santee, SC on Saturday, May 16, 2015 beginning at
9:00 a.m. During this event, we want our community to come
together so we can request the Lords blessings upon our
neighborhoods, schools, businesses, churches and our young
people. As a result of the walk, we hope to bring the
community closer together and give our residents security in
knowing that a community that prays together stays together.
In addition, the walk will allow all attendees to experience a
spiritual and physical workout by combining faith and fitness.
10. If anyone wants to be a part of this organization or help
out, who do they contact? They can contact us by vising our
website at www.girlflight.org, email us
at girlflightinc@gmail.com or call us at 803-310-4433.

1. Tell me a little about your organization. Girl Flight,

Incorporated is a faith-based, non-profit organization that
was founded in 2014 with the goal to inspire and mentor
young ladies between the ages of 10-24 as they grow from
girls to women in Holly Hill, SC and surrounding
communities. As part of our model, women volunteers will
serve as mentors for the participants. Our organization is
open to all girls regardless of race, religion or social economic
background. Our vision is to shape the lives of young ladies
as they journey to womanhood by instilling knowledge,
promoting self-empowerment and teaching self-worth while
building a strong relationship with God. Our primary focus is
to expose and educate the young ladies about some of the
most prevalent issues that face their generation through fun,
exciting and informative sessions.
2. What influenced its development? I was influenced to
develop Girl Flight Inc. after speaking with some of my kids
from church. Im the Young Peoples Department Director
and Im also an advisor of the youth choir. One night at
church, we were waiting to start choir rehearsal. I noticed
some of the kids looking at something on a cell phone and I
asked what they were looking at. They stated that it was a
fight that happened at school today. I briefly looked at the
video and noticed that it was two girls fighting like animals
and using some very offensive language. I asked what they
were fighting about and the kids said they were fighting over a
boy. I was so upset because the kids that Im so close to at
church witness fights like this on too many occasions. The
fight that I witnessed really bothered me to the point that I
couldnt even fall asleep. Then all of a sudden, I heard a small
voice that said Do something about it! I knew it was God
and I asked him What can I do? Then all of these ideas
came to mind and Girl Flight, Inc. was born.
3. When you created Girl Flight, what goal did you have in
mind? When I created Girl Flight, the goal that I had in mind
was to mentor young girls who may be in need of guidance
and positive support. In this community, there are so many
negative ways females are being viewed and as a result of that,
our young ladies are not conscious of their self-worth. We
will be teaching the girls of Girl Flight, Inc. to respect
themselves and others around them. In addition, we want to
build and increase the self-esteem and self-confidence in the
young ladies we mentor and encourage the ladies to dream
big and maximize their potential for success.
4. Who are some of the key players in your organization? My
two older sisters are my partners with Girl Flight Inc. and
together, we know a lot of influential women in our
community who are successful in their own right. I also work
in a school district where a lot of women hold leadership roles
as well, so Ive been reaching out to them for assistance as
needed. We have a lot of women ranging from lawyers,
college professors and medical professionals who support our
mission.

ABIGAIL MAGAZINE

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DefinitelynotyouraveragefemaleDJandunarguablyoneofthe
bestfemaleDJsintheCarolinas,thisshejayisle ngyouknow
thatshesallaboutherbusinessandsecondtononewhenit
comestoturningupandturningoutanyevent.Beingasixyear
noveltyintheDJgame,shesalreadyreachedsomepre y
honorableaccolades,fromdjingontheRickeySmileymorning
showtobeingbookedbysomeofthetoppromotersinthecity,
shesdoneitall,inaddi ontothenewbeginningsinherpersonal
life.Andofcourse,wecangoonabouthowgreatsheis,but
wellletherdoit!

challengesyou'vefaced?

DJT.O.:ItisverydicultbeingaDJinthisdayand mebuttobea
femaleDJhastobeoneofthehardestthingsIcouldhaveever
chosetodoinmylife.Itisntdicultasinskillandtheabilityto
learnbutitisamaledominatedindustryandyouaretreatedunfair
insomanyways.OneofthechallengesthatIvefacedsinceIstart
edwastheclubandmajoreventsbookingIwouldsay.Unfortunate
lyalotofthepromoterswillbookafriendoftheirsorjustanyguy
beforetheythinktobookme.Iamprobablybe erthanalargeper
centofthemaleDJsinSCbutitsalmostlikeasamanyouarent
goingtoadmitthatafemaleisbe erthanyouoryourfriend.Idid
Abigail:WhoisDJT.O?
ntapproachthegameasamodelortryingtobebestfriends
DJT.O.:Iamanentrepreneur.ThatmaybethesimplestwayIcan
withalloftheseguystogetbookedandIdependstrictlyontalent
summyselfup.InallaspectsIamabusinesswoman.IamCarolinas
soIwasneverthepromotersfavorite.Mybrotherusedtotravel
#1FemaleDJandprobablyoneofveryfewfemaleDJsthroughout
everywherewithmeandwhenwewouldwalkintowork,everyone
theen reCarolinasandevensoutheast.AlongwithbeingaDJ,I
wouldautoma callygostraighttohimasifhewastheDJandig
ownDuplicateEverything,whichisaprin ng,duplica on,graphic
noremelikeIwasthegroupieandthenhavethebigeyesassoonas
andwebdesigncompanycateredtogrowingsmallbusinessesand
hewouldsayNo,shestheDJ.
thefellowentrepreneur.
Abigail:Howlonghaveyoubeendjingandhowdidyougetstarted?
Abigail:Whereareyoufrom?
DJT.O.:IhavebeenaDJforalmost6yearsnow.IstartedatUSC
DJT.O.:IamfromRidgeland,SouthCarolinabornandraised.Ispent
becauseIwasalwaysthepersontoprovidethemusicformyfriends
severalyearsbackandforthlivinginRidgelandandPhiladelphia,PA.
andSororityevents.IwantedtoDJinhighschoolbutnoonewould
Abigail:Beingafemaleintheindustry,whataresomeofthe
helpmegetequipmentsoItookthoserefundchecksandpre y
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muchmadethemworkforme.Istarteddoingcollegeeventsand
linkedupwithafewDJswhowerewellknowntogivemesome
pointersbackin2010.
Abigail:Whattechniquesdoyouusewhenyouspin?
DJT.O.:Ineverhaveasetplaylistandthe meswhereIvetriedto
getreallypreparedIneverstucktoit.Iplayforthepeopleand
whatsgoingtokeepthemmovingandhavingfun.Iambigonskill
aswellsoItakethe metoprac ceandimprovesothatIalways
soundgoodanditsnotjustagimmick.Iscratchali le,Iblenda
lot,Iuseveryli lesoundeects,andIjustliketohavefunand
makeothershavefun.
Abigail:Doyouthinkthear stryofdjingislongforgo enordoyou
thinkpeoples lldoitforitsartform?

TVsogetstoheareverythingfirstofcourse.LOL.Healsogetsto
hearmeventabouthowfrustra ngitistonotgetthedeserved
respectbutIdonttalkalotaboutit.Itissomewhatmoredicult
becausewhilemostcouplesareatamovieanddinneronFriday
nightweareonourwaytoapartyorclub.
Abigail:Whatsyourfavoritesettoplayintheclub?
DJT.O.:Myfavoritesetisprobablyanoldschoolsetorreggaeset.
Abigail:Whatsyourfavoritesongtospin?DJT.O.:Ihonestlydont
haveafavoritesongbecausetheychangesomuch,Ijustgooof
thevibeIgetfromthecrowd.
Abigail:Whoscurrentlythrowingtheho esteventsinyourcity?

DJT.O.:Iwouldsaymycityisonfireasfarasthequalityofevents.
DJT.O.:Idefinitelythinkthearthaslostsomuchandtherearevery TheKrewsadersprobablyhavethemostconsistentsuccessful
eventsmoresocateredtothecollegecrowd.CashofMastermind
fewpeoplewhocareaboutsavingit.WiththeDJsetupsyoucan
nowgetoutofbestbuyorradioshackandeveryonethinkingthat RecordsisoneIrespectsomuchbecausesinceIstartedhesthrow
theyshouldbecomeaDJithasdefinitelyhurttheen reindustry. successfuleventswithmajorar stsandnotjustusingonline
promo ons.Ihaveliterallyseenhimputinthefootworksoasfar
YouhaveanewDJcomingupeverymonthwhocaresnothing
aslongevityIwoulddefinitelysayCash.Thereareseveralother
aboutlearningandperfec ngthecra ,theyseeitasacomeup
promotersandpromo ongroupsandeveryoneisdoingverywell.
andmostofthepromotersdontcareaboutqualitysotheybook
themanditsbecomesomewhatastandardoracceptableiftheDJ Abigail:Doyoufeelyougettherecogni onyoudeserve?
isntreallygood.Aslongasheplayedsomeoftherightsongsthey
DJT.O.:Definitelynot.Ijusttrynottoletitbothermeandcon nue
willswearheisgreatregardlessofhowtrashitsounded.
toworkhard.IgoaboutitwiththemindframethatIhavetowork
Abigail:Seratoorturntables?
twiceashardastheguystobeonthesamelevel.Fromaward
DJT.O.:IuseSeratoandturntables.MysetupconsistsofTechnics showstobookingIdefinitelydontgettherespectorrecogni onI
1200,Ranemixer,MacbookwithSerato,anddicercontrollers.For earned.
smallereventsandquicksetupsIuseaPioneerDDJwithSerato.I
Abigail:Whenyouseethecrowdstarttothinoutatanyevent,
liketheeaseofse ngupthePioneercontrollerbutIcouldnever
whatisonewaythatyoubringthemback?
getawayfrommyturntables.
Abigail:What/wherewasoneofthemostmemorableevents
DJT.O.:Ihonestlytrynottoevergettothatpoint.Lol.Itdepends
youveeverspun?
onthecrowdbutIwilljustplaytowhatIknowtheywillmovetoo.
DJT.O.:MostrecentlyhadtobespinningontheRickeySmiley
MorningShowinOctoberandT.I.astheguestthatmorning
shou ngme.
Abigail:Whoweresomeofyourearlyinfluencescomingupinthe
djgame?
DJT.O.:SomeDJsthatIlookuptoyouareDJJazzyJe,DJSpin
darella,DJCocoaShanelle,DJDiamondKutz,andmorelocallyDJ
Frosty,DJBLord,andafewothersforvariousreasons.
Abigail:Weseeyou'verecentlygo enmarried/engaged,first,con
gratula ons,andhowdoesyourbusinessplayaroleinyourper
sonallife?
DJT.O.:Thankyou!Itrytokeepthosecompletelyseparatebuthe
isextremelysuppor ve.NormallywhenIhavetoDJheisthereno
ma erwhereitisunlesshejustabsolutelycantmakeitwhichis
rare.EvenwhenIamrecordingmixeshetakessomuchinterest
andwilllistentothemixesinsteadofclosingdoorsandwatching
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Abigail:Whatsonepieceofadviceyouwouldgivetoanupand
comingfemaledj?
DJT.O.:S cktoyourplan.Whenyoustarttherewillbeseveralob
staclesandbumpsintheroadbuthaveaplanonwhereyouwant
togoandkeeptoit.Gofortheskillandrespectthanthelook.
DontgetsocaughtupinbeingthemodelDJandjustbeagreat
DJ.Prac ce,prac ce,prac cetobecomebe erthananyoneso
youcantbeoverlooked.
Abigail:Ifsomeonewantstobookyouforanevent,howcanthey
reachyou?
DJT.O.:Icanbebookedbyemailingbookings@carolinashejay.com
orgoingtowww.carolinashejay.comorthebookingop ononmy
appCarolinaShejay.Iamontwi er@DJ_TOInstagram
@shejaytoFacebookCarolinaDJTOShejayandIhavea
smartphoneappCarolinaShejayforappleandandroidaswellas
mywebsitewww.carolinashejay.comformixesandmore.

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TherearenttoomanyfemaleDJsonthescenedoingtheirthing,
sowhenwecomeincontactwithone,youalreadyknowweshow
nothingbutlove.Andofcourse,whobe erthanustogetanex
clusiveinterview.Andlikealways,thatswhatwedid.Wegota
chancetocatchuptooneofthefiercestfemalesonthescenedo
ingtheirthing:DJRozayRediswhattheycallher.
Abigail:Forthosewhodontknowyou,introduceyourself.

howtoDJonturntablesbecausenowanddaysitsmorepopular
touseamixdeck.Timeshaschangedbutyous llneedtoknow
whereitstartedfrom.
Abigail:Whatwasoneofthemostmemorableeventsyouveever
spun?

DJRozayRed:LastmonthIwasthewarmupDJforDjShiCatthe
ChinTikiLoungeinDarlingtonandMoBeatzperformed.I'mafan
DJRozayRed:I'mDjRozayRed,mynamecamefrommyhomegirl
ofhismusicandtoseehimandtobeabletonetworkwithhim
shetoldmeeverynameIcameupwithwaswacksoatthe me
wasjustablessing.
myIGandTwi ernamewasRedRozaysheflippedandIbeen
Abigail:Whoweresomeofyourearlyinfluencescomingupinthe
rockingiteversince.
DJgame?
Abigail:Whereareyoufrom?
DJRozayRed:MyDadforstartershewasaDJandownedhisown
DJRozayRed:I'mfromColumbiabutbeenlivinginHartsvillesince
nightclubwhenIwasyounger.ButIlikeDJDimePiece,DJSpin
Iwas8.
derella,DJPennyLane.
Abigail:Beingafemaleintheindustry,whataresomeofthechal
Abigail:Whatsyourfavoritesettoplayintheclub?
lengesyou'vefaced?
DJRozayRed:YoungJeezy.YoGo .Migos.
DJRozayRed:JusttryingtoprovethatIamjustasgoodasthe
Abigail:Whatsyourfavoritesongtospin?
maleDJs.
Abigail:Howlonghaveyoubeendjingandhowdidyougetstart
ed?

DJRozayRed:Fe yWapMyWay.
Abigail:Whoscurrentlythrowingtheho esteventsinyourcity?

DJRozayRed:I'vebeendj'ingforoverayear,Istartedatmyhouse DJRozayRed:IfyouareeverinHartsvillethenLastCallistheplace
thendidacoupleofotherhousepar esandwentfromthere.
tobe.
Abigail:Howdoyoufeelabouttheartformofdjing?
DJRozayRed:Idon'tthinkitwaslongforgo enandIcantspeak
foreveryDJbutformeIfeltlikeitwasjustasimportanttolearn
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Abigail:Asafemaleinamaledominatedindustry,doyoufeelyou
gettherecogni onyoudeserve?

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DJRozayRed:I'mjustge ngstarted,everyDJImetorclubIhad tootherDJsthatbeeninthegameforaminandthatswillingto

agigalwaysshowedmelove.I'mjustgratefulforalltheoppor workwithyou.
tuni esthatIamreceiving.
Abigail:Thanksforcha ngwithus,ifsomeonewantstobook
Abigail:Ifyoumetsomeonewhohadthesameambi onasyou, youforanevent,howcantheyreachyou?
whatwouldyoutellthem?
DJRozayRed:EmailmeatBookdjrozayred@gmail.comorcallor
DJRozayRed:Juststayhungry,youcanneverbefullandlisten txt8433390385.

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