Inspiring Stories from Stafford

Cheryl L. Tubbs

It started when my mom gave me my first disposable camera because she knew what most mother’s know-that I had potential and could do great things one day. Between living life, getting married, becoming a mother, the passion I once had for photography became an after thought, especially when both my parent’s health started to slowly fail them and becoming my grandmother’s caretaker. Sadly, I lost my father in the winter of 2017 and my mother 15 months after in 2019. Grief is a funny thing. It forces you to look at your life and what you’re doing with it and how you should make the most of the time that you are blessed to have here on earth. I wish I could say the passing of my parents sparked something in me, but to be quite honest, it was my husband. He asked me, ‘Cheryl, what’s your passion? What is one thing that makes you happy? Whatever that is, do it! You have my support. I want you to be happy again.’ With a lot of prayers, my husband, family, and great friends, I ignited that love I had with telling someone’s story from behind a camera lens. Read more>>

Ilea Green

Premium Vibrations is an extension of my heart and my genuine passion for helping others see their potential, align themselves to their vision, and do the work to make things happen… I began this business just before COVID 19 shut the world down, and as the pandemic arrived, I was forced to shift my plans, pivot a bit and decide how I wanted to continue building my brand. I chose all the things that make any business succeed in this highly digital world. Premium Vibrations offers business coaching, digital branding and marketing, social media management, content and website development as a means to assist new and current businesses in ways that nurture their plans, helps them meet their goals and more importantly, solidify avenues of income that allows them to build businesses and lives that exceed their wildest dreams. Read more>>

Kimberly M. Cebrero

The first time I ever got my hands on Adobe Photoshop was somewhere around the age of 10. My older brother Dave is also a graphic designer. When he would go out, I would sneak onto his computer to download images off the internet and create collages. Sometimes I would sit beside him and watch him work for hours at a time. I still remember the day I finally understood the concept of “layers.” He has been the greatest influence on me creatively and intellectually. Thanks to his introduction to the art and the digital world, I gained an interest that would later develop into a valuable skill that allows me to visualize and create. As I got older, I was always in an art or video production class. I was able to continue to develop and practice my skill. Graphic design has always been what I am most passionate about. Read more>>

Precious Odogwu

I’m Pizzypresh. Singer and songwriter from West Africa, Nigeria. I am an Rnb/Afropop singer but focus mainly on the Afrobeats genre. I started music at the age of 16 but put out my official song 2019, and ever since then, I have been working on my craft. Music has been a journey for me, and today I love every bit of what I create. I come from a family where music wasn’t hidden. Two of my siblings can actually sing. I just found myself listening to them and with God given talent, I began writing a lot and the feedback has always been positive. Read more>>

Cherrie Fuller

Hi, My name is Cherrie and I have been a Houston hairstylist for about ten years and a mum for about a year. I started doing hair when I was 16 yrs old. I would practice with my siblings, friends and family. In the beginning, I didn’t take my craft seriously; I would do everyone’s hair and makeup just for fun, and I didn’t charge them. Everyone would see my work and get so excited and say it looked great, but I didn’t see what they saw until one day I started to believe in myself. I started to believe I was great and I was somebody. Once I started believing in my gift and in myself, my life has become a living dream. I have come across so many great people I now consider my clients for life. I have learned so many things along the way from blood, sweat, and tears. I know I am destined to make it. I know one day I will be the stylist I desire to be, which is a celebrity stylist. I am a hard worker. Read more>>

Dominique Jones

This beautiful nugget in my life started from a comment by one of my best friends after I hosted and decorated for her baby shower. She said, “You missed your blessing. This is absolutely beautiful! “The comment stuck out and a light bulb 💡 went off! That was January 2020, right before COVID-19 took over and I only had two other events prior to March’s shut down. Thereafter, I was receiving messages and calls about providing services for drive-by and backyard parties. COVID-19 created an avenue for me to flourish while maintaining all precautions. Since March, I’ve been booked and extremely busy almost every weekend with two to five parties! I enjoy seeing the big reveal expressions from each of my clients! It keeps me busy and so rewarding! Read more>>

Tiara Mikell

Oasis:23 was a seed planted in the womb one late night in September of 2019 while I was way in Dallas, TX for a theatre educator conference for work. I remember listening to Sunday Service’s rendition of “Revelation 19:1” on loop. It started with a simple desire to provide a space for self-care. Space for people from all walks of life to connect, uplift, and encourage one another. Initially, I wanted to cater to women who were seeking to thrive authentically in all aspects of their lives, but God has shown me that what He has planned is much more than that. While seeking to create OASIS, I have found that he is my OASIS… “He offers a resting place for me in His luxurious love. His tracks take me to an oasis of peace, the quiet brook of bliss. That’s where he restores and revives my life.” Psalms 23:2-3. Read more>>

Ayah Muhammad

Born in New Orleans, Ayah Hadiyah Muhammad was born to beat the odds. On August 25, 2005, she was miraculously born days before Hurricane Katrina destroyed her family’s home and the city. Her family evacuated from New Orleans to Houston, Texas, the day that she was released from the hospital at just three days old. As a homeschooled student, Ayah excelled academically and demonstrated exceptional work ethic and desire to excel. She showed interest very early in entrepreneurship and started her first business, a designer headband line called Ayah Bands, at just nine years old. An accomplished, professionally trained dancer, Ayah managed her business ventures, school work, and rigorous training schedule throughout adolescence. At 14, she began the arduous goal of attending college and high school simultaneously while she worked her second business, Ayah’s Sweet Treats, which specialized in homemade baked goods. Read more>>

Seth Bonez

Baton Rouge, Louisiana born and raised. Then moved to Houston at 20 years old to get away from the “crab in a bucket” mentality a lot of people are in Louisiana its unfortunate but its truth. Lionhearted to me means fighting and never getting up on what it is you want no matter the obstacle. Either you have a physical disability or a mental disability. Don’t let that or no one stop you from doing what it is you want to do. I started the brand at the beginning of 2018 to get the word and knowledge out around my condition, which is Cerebral palsy. I was always told I would not walk I would not make age 12, let alone 18 years old. I have play football, I’ve run track, and now I powerlift because I was told I couldn’t do it. So the brand LIONHEARTED was started and I also branded the slogan “NEVER SAY I CAN’T.” Read more>>

Ahmad Sule

Hello, my name is Ahmad Sule, and I grew up as the chosen one in my family and their name was given to me by my cousin Delton at a very young age, I would say around 5-6 years old. I was a big Star Wars fan and he knew that and so in Star Wars and I can Skywalker, he’s displayed as the chosen one to set balance to force and hearing that at a young age as a big star wars fan, I was excited I was like I took it in proudly. So I grew up with much confidence in myself because I feel like I am the chosen one in my family. Fast forward a few years, till my sophomore year of high school, I started selling snacks like chips, juice, cookies, candy, anything of that sort influenced by my older sister who did it during her time in high school for a short time. Read more>>

Shekia Murray

A little over a year ago, I purchased a “Retro iPhone case” do you remember the old 80’s-90’s huge phones that had an antenna sticking up? Haha, well that type of phone case. I’ve always been a different individual that loves the odd thing over the norm (Hint I’m an Aquarius). This one purchase literally was changing my life the day I received my package and I had no idea at the time. Everyday no matter where I go at least 3-5 different individuals would stop me in my track just to either compliment me on my phone case, request I share the link so they too can purchase, or even just to touch it. As time goes on so does the many compliments; I probably know half of Houston by now all because of my super cool phone case, haha! Read more>>