We recently connected with Tracie Berry-McGhee and have shared our conversation below.
Tracie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
The most meaningful project to date is our I Define ME Wellness Mobile for girls! It is the first of it’s kind and my goal is to have one in every state! The I Define ME Wellness mobile(IDM Mobile) for girls is a vision that I had to represent cultural diversity, build self-esteem in girls while gifting them with essential products and tools to empower them to know they define who they are.
Growing up in my community, I didn’t often have all the resources I needed to thrive. I also dealt with bullying about my hair and my lips. As a black girl, I had to realize that society didn’t define me. Like many girls today, that deal with bullying and relational aggression I want them to have the tools to love themselves and to be able to cope with the negativity,
As a licensed therapist, speaker and founder of the I Define ME Movement, a nonprofit for girls! I felt that when girls came on the IDM Mobile they would take the I Define ME Pledge to only post positivity to social media and to define who they are knowing they are unique. Upon entering they also receive a journal to write their feelings out, a Keeper bear to hold on to and Keeper essential kit ( period pack, lip balm, body butter, mirror) with items to make them feel essential. We also have I Define ME Tshirts and books that I have written to empower girls 8 to 18!
The most important part of the wellness mobile is we focus on girl preneurs . We utilize the wellness mobile for Pop-Up Shops in the community. Our nonprofit has a IDM Movement entrepreneurial program that allows us to market products made by girls and women, for girls and women to give back to the community! The I Define ME Wellness Mobile is meaningful to me because girls enter and receive tools be nurture themselves mentally, emotionally, physically and financially! Were breaking cycles! When you see the IDM Mobile for girls you see that positive representation matters!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I am Tracie Berry-McGhee, M,Ed.,LPC , Licensed Therapist, Writer, Speaker, Executive Producer, Content Creator and Talk Show Host. A woman of many titles but one purpose. Affectionately known as Divine Tea, I’m a Empowernista for girls and women. A native of Saint Louis, MO were I founded a nonprofit called SistaKeeper Empowerment Center/ I Define ME Movement! It was a God-given mission, and the goal was to nurture inner awareness in girls and women to see themselves and be cycle breakers for issues that may impact their community! The “A” in SistaKeeper means we are all Keepers. The nonprofit has international presence in New Mexico, Ghana, Thailand, Germany and Jamaica.
Girls become social entrepreneurs and advocates against bullying, domestic violence, suicide awareness, sickle cell, HIV Awareness, heart and cancer awareness and begin to be keepers to themselves and one another. Women define their purpose knowing how to “Own Your Now”! Collectively, we are showing the world the meaning of wellness and how important it is to define your purpose.
The I Define ME Movement is about empowering girls through books, journals, t-shirts, girl assemblies, summits and speaking tours. We also promote wellness awareness through our I Define Me Wellness Mobile for Girls, the first of it’s kind in the country.
I’m also a writer , I create curriculum for mentoring circles for girls and I have written five poetry books for girls and a book for women called Own Your Now.
In the midst of the pandemic, I designed the I Define ME Wellness Mobile for Girls empowering girls and her community and also birthed an online wellness talk show with my Co- host Yolonda Lankford called “The Own Your Now Show!
I was inspired to start the show when I lost my mom, and dad in the midst of the pandemic. Realizing the world was grieving as well I took to social media to bring the world a cup of wellness and positivity!
My love for coffee and missing having cup conversations with my mom, I started asking people “What’s in Your Cup” is it full or what? After over 1000 interviews focusing on wellness, opportunity, knowledge and empowerment, the talk show joined the AH TV Network, and can now be seen live-streamed on ROKU, APPLE TV, FireTV, Youtube and Facebook.
We want people to understand that your purpose comes from within, but you must share it with the world! Yolonda and I have conversations with every day people, a few celebrities and guest from all over the world! Perhaps you too will one day be a guest .
Tracie wants the world to know that if a little black girl from STL, born to a teen mom, who overcame bullying in a inner city community, who was first generation to graduate high school/ college, to get married, have children and over twenty years ago started a private practice, non-profit, became a writer and now a talk show creator, producer, and talk show host could do all these things, so can you!
All you need to do is grab a journal and begin to define your journey! Define what is it, that inspires you to own your now?
Tracie’s cup continues to be full! She continues to reside in STL, with her husband of twenty five years, 2 daughters, 1 son, 1 grandson and the family dog Remy.
Her favorite quote is by Dr. Maya Angelou people may forget who you are, and forget what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel!
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
As a licensed therapist, I have been practicing for over 20 years. During the pandemic I lost my mother and dad. As a result of the grief I encountered, I realized I could no longer practice without taking time for myself to work through the grieving process. I also experienced finding out that my parents didn’t share important facts about their health history.
As unfortunate as this pivot was for me, It was important for me to shift from focusing on intervention to prevention and awareness! I am now an ambassador for wellness!
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
My most important goal is to continue to empower as many women and girls to define their purpose! To make sure we all know the importance of mental wellness and talking about our health history.
I am looking forward to continuing to host the Own Your Now Show, promote the I Define ME Wellness Mobile in various states and plan an I Define ME tour empower girls all over the world!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.idefinememovement.com
- Instagram: @sistakeeperstl @Ownyournowshow @soulflowersista
- Facebook: Tracie Berry-McGhee
- Linkedin: Tracie Berry-McGhee
- Twitter: soulflowersista
- Youtube: Own Your Now Show
Image Credits
Photographer: Mena Darre (Pictures of Tracie on wellness mobile) Billboard picture: Myrina Renaissance