We recently connected with Ladee Jay and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Ladee thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s kick things off with talking about how you serve the underserved, because in our view this is one of the most important things the small business community does for society – by serving those who the giant corporations ignore, small business helps create a more inclusive and just world for all of us.

Chemichemi Foundation Inc. is a nonprofit organization based in Maryland, dedicated to fostering community growth, youth development, and cultural enrichment. Through its innovative programs, such as the Dance to be Free initiative, The Healing Power of Cooking, Arts, Health and Wellness, the foundation seeks to empower individuals. heal trauma, and build strong connected communities, providing a sense of accomplishment, as well as connecting people to their cultural roots and memories.

Ladee, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I have worked in Law Enforcement well over 15 years and have seen a revolving door for offenders. The issue of incarcerated individuals reoffending and returning to prison, known as recidivism, is a significant concern in the criminal justice system, with studies showing a high percentage of people being rearrested after release. Our Foundation will aid in the reduction of recidivism, providing a space to foster learning, professional development and growth.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I have been a victim of sexual assault, and initially this had a strong hold on me, feeling embarrassed, scared, hurt, and most importantly extremely angry. When I started reimplementing dance which I loved doing, I felt stress reduction and increased mindfulness. I felt like my attention was shifted away from worries and promoted a meditative state of mind. This was a form of therapy, and more of us need that expressive therapeutic outlet, because it helps us become more aware of mental health issues we face daily.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn what having strength meant. I grew up thinking strength meant not expressing my own emotions and being resilient in a way where anything that I’ve gone through I had to push through. I had to learn that having strength is being in tune with my emotions and being more self aware of what I’ve gone through and how I overcame.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://chemichemifoundationinc.org/