Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to LaDonnia Cole. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi LaDonnia, thanks for joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?
My mission is to be of service to those in need. In my current profession I work with at risk youth and incarcerated individuals who have faced struggles in life and need the resources and support in order to be productive members of society. However, having a criminal conviction further complicate matters for people in these situations because they do not qualify for financial aid with certain criminal convictions and the employers who conduct background checks may deny work based on the criminal history. This creates a situation for recidivism in prisons. My role here has been to provide hope, guidance, tools, and resources to put these people in a position to be successful. In addition, I have taking my compassion and my desire to help others and created a community outreach program called Tru Harmony Network for teen moms. Tru Harmony provides mentorship services and care packages, along with local resources. This is a meaningful mission to me because I was a teen mom so I understand what lies ahead for these young women, as mom is still growing in life, yet she now has a huge responsibility of caring for someone other than herself so the more help the better the outcome for both mom and new baby which I am happy to assist with.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Tru Harmony Network was constructed based off of my personal experience of becoming pregnant as a young teen and seeing so many others around me in the same situation. I realized that babies are a huge responsibility that takes a collective effort, from childcare to being able to provide the basic essential needs for the arrival of a new baby. There are some young women who do not have any support. This is where Tru Harmony Network can be of service. We provide mentor sessions and some essential needs for mom and baby. As a grassroot community outreach program we rely on donations and the support of the community to assist in our efforts. I am most proud to give back in this manner as I can recall so vividly how some people stepped up to help me or guided me in the right direction so that I could make it through some challenging times.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
I can recall still being in high school while living on the South Side of Chicago. I had to take public transportation in the form of a bus or train and sometimes both in order to reach my destination. There were times during the winter months that I would have to bundle my growing baby up to take him with me so that I could first drop him off at daycare before I could even head to school. This means I was carrying my baby, his baby bag, and my book bag on the bus and train during the cold, snowy winter months. Needless to say by the time I made it to school my back ached and I was tired. I told myself I would not go through that for long, I would rather work and save my money to buy a car. I vowed to myself that I would make it out some how some way. Although I struggled with one baby I knew I would not go through this again with two and three babies. I pushed myself past the pain, and I never gave up, so I am pleased to announce that it has been almost fifteen years since I had to take public transportation in that manner. And my advice to anyone who may find themselves in the midst of a similar situation, reassess what is going on around you, decide what you want out of life and follow through and don’t give up.
Have you ever had to pivot?
In the early years of my twenties (maybe 22) I became more focused and driven. I grew up eating bacon for breakfast, a ham sandwich or something of that nature was lunch and dinner may consist of porkchops. As a child I grew accustomed to eating what was given to me, which I believed was tasty at the time. When I became an adult and had my first apartment my diet changed completely. First, I had to shift my mindset and realize there were healthier alternatives. Secondly, I was sure this was the cause of my digestive issues. As I continued to study, grow, and mature as a young woman some people whom I thought were close to me at the time, began to falsely accuse me of “thinking I’m better than them,” or “I think I’m all of that.” When the realty was, I wanted better for myself and it had absolutely nothing to do with anyone else. Which brings me to another pivotal moment where I had to change the people I associated myself with. The lesson I learned here is everyone will not go to the next stage in life with you, you must leave them where they are and do the work that is necessary for you to elevate.
Contact Info:
- Website: truharmon35.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lady_d_35/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaDonnia1
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donna-c-49594a44/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TruHarmony-35
- Other: https://linktr.ee/legacy888
Image Credits
One of the images displays me, working with juvenile females within the Department of Corrections as displayed on the Netflix Series Girls Incarcerated Season 2. The other images are professional Photos by – Jeron Thompson (JT The Photographer) J Terre Imaging which I have rights/ ownership to use.