Lou Lopez Senechal; Life as an International Student

Today’s guest has a long list of accomplishments, including being the first black female to earn the Dispatcher of the Year Award in Florida.  She’s a single mother to two boys and a business owner.  Dominique Mathis is a strong, black woman that’s overcome a lot to get to where she is today.  However, her many achievements didn’t keep her from experiencing depression.  Through therapy and journaling, she’s been able to improve her mental health. She’s learned to nourish her mind and be thankful for the small things in life.  Today, she’s here to share her journey.

Jenny is a former Case Management Supervisor for people with Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities, and she served over 500+ families in the state of Indiana until about 2012.  Jenny decided to stay at home with my then 2 children (now 3). Around 2015 after her 3rd daughter was born, she needed more in my life. Jenny was then bitten by the Small Business bug and ran with it. Through her size-inclusive boutique, she now serves about 5000 women and helps them feel the best they can in the skin they are in. Through her overwhelming sales and blessings. The Finley family has collectively given back over $20k to local charities, schools, and other non-profit services in our community.  Reach out with Jenny... Insta App Connect with Mikala: Facebook

Lou Lopez Senechal is a 23 years old Senior and basketball player at Fairfield university. Recognized as the MAAC rookie of the year in 2018/2019. Also recognized  in the MAAC all championship team in 2020/2021.

Cynthia was born in Munich, Germany in 1948. She is 73 years old. Cynthia is the oldest of six children, raised and schooled in Michigan. A retired educator, she graduated from Western Michigan University, where she earned a B.A. in Education and an M.A. in Counseling and Personnel. She also studied for an M.B.A in Logistics, relocating to California two courses shy of the degree. Cynthia’s California Administration credentials were earned at Chapman and Redlands universities.   During her tenure as an educator, she served as an elementary and college teacher; middle school and high school counselor; middle and high school administrator; and finally a director at county and district levels. Cynthia worked for Kalamazoo Public Schools, Grand Rapids County Vocational Schools, Perris Union High School District, Riverside Public Schools, and San Bernardino Public Schools.   Cynthia is a mother of two accomplished daughters and a grandmother to seven. She currently resides in Shelton, Connecticut.   Connect with Mikala: Facebook

Andrea Hernangómez, from Spain she is 21 years old, and a senior student-athlete at Fairfield University. Andrea won her first award last season, and was the sixth player of the year.  -- From teen mom to creating new statistics. Mikala Brown has set numerous “out of the ‘expected’ box” goals and creates her own life/career success.  From purchasing her first home as a single mom at the age of 25, to receiving her Master’s Degree in Special Education at the age of 28, to building a 6-figure at-home business while teaching in the “public school,” system and raising 3 kids. She is on fire and ready to continue to, as she puts it, “live the new statistic” daily. She is breaking barriers and is ready to empower.  This is an invitation to shatter your own and others’ expectations and live your true success story. Mikala wants everyone to WIN and will demonstrate this through EMPOWERMENT, PERSONAL EXPERIENCES, GENERATIONAL STORY TELLING & COACHING. Dreamers and doers, LET’S GO! There is no such thing as a Dream that is too big. Let’s Dream and climb to the top TOGETHER.  How to Get Involved: Connect with Mikala: HERE

Dr. Regina Patton Stell can still remember the middle school teacher who first inspired her to teach: a “strikingly beautiful,” six-foot Black woman who drove a Mustang, loved to write and dressed immaculately.    Dr. Stell has now known decades of leaving her own mark on students in classrooms and on school systems at large. For more than 30 years, she served as a special ed teacher-turned-principal and director, having been appointed the first Black assistant superintendent of her school district in Riverside, California. Later, she’d go on to hold a different office in Riverside as the president of its NAACP county branch, a position she still holds to this day.   What’s gotten her here, she says, is an unflagging sense of adventure, a hunger for autonomy and a knack for thriving under adverse circumstances. Combined, it all adds up to a spirit of perseverance that’s defined her life choices.    “I’m at my best when I’m under adversity and in a corner, because I’m coming out swinging,” she says. “And I’m going to win. The best times in my life have been when I’ve done something you told me I couldn’t do.”   On this episode of the Still Winning podcast, Mikala hears from Dr. Stell about her origin story as a child of eight growing up in 1950s and 1960s Chicago, the impact she’s made in her career, and how she learned to become her own best cheerleader.    What You’ll Learn: The advice Dr. Stell’s mother gave her that helped her pursue her doctorate degree while raising four kids Why having a “spiritual base” is a superpower, and what that’s looked like for her The morning routine that kicks her creativity into motion And much more!   Favorite Quote: “You’ve got to have a vision and you’ve got to have a dream, or you’ll perish. That’s biblical.” — Dr. Regina Patton Stell   How to Get Involved:   Connect with Dr. Stell:    NAACP Riverside   [email protected]   Connect with Mikala:   Facebook  

Kaylee Christie still has a note saved on her iPhone from January 31, 2019 that simply says: “Why can’t I talk? When will I be able to talk again?”   During her senior year of high school, now-19-year-old Kaylee was diagnosed with Hemiplegic migraines, a variant of migraines that produces stroke-like symptoms. She was at school early in the morning practicing with her volleyball teammates when the first episode struck; Kaylee’s dream was to become a Division 1 volleyball player, and she’d fit in pre-school workouts each morning after waking at 5:30 a.m. to finish her AP homework.    The recovery process, as she remembers it, was slow and painful.    “I had to learn how to read, write, talk and walk all over again,” she says. “It was a battle every single day, just learning how to be myself again. And without the mobility and physicality to function as a regular person, I wasn’t able to play volleyball.”    Kaylee wasn’t prepared to give up on her dream, though — not even close. Despite suffering from chronic Hemiplegic migraines and never knowing when the next attack would hit, she relentlessly pursued and achieved her goal, receiving a full scholarship to Fairfield University as a member of its D1 volleyball team.   But the episodes continued. And then COVID hit. After being sent home for virtually classes alongside the rest of her classmates, Kaylee received a phone call from her volleyball coach: she was being medically disqualified from the team.    It was a punch to the gut. And yet, thanks to some spot-on words of wisdom from her mother, Kaylee overcame the setback and went on to identify a new purpose, continuing her education at Fairfield. On this episode of the Still Winning podcast, Kaylee tells Mikala what it was like to receive her diagnosis, have certain dreams taken away from her, and find the perseverance to create even better ones.   What You’ll Learn: How Kaylee developed mental toughness, despite experiencing Hemiplegic migraine episodes every 2-4 weeks as a college freshman in brand new surroundings  How she’s reshaped her dreams while still keeping her love of volleyball alive — and how she found the courage to do that The way Kaylee plans to change the world through data analytics (and specifically change the world for African American women and African American mothers) And much more!   Favorite Quote:   “I think the biggest thing is that I never rethought my decisions. I was never like, ‘Oh, I don’t want to do this anymore. And that’s what kept me going. I never doubted.” — Kaylee Christie   How to Get Involved:   Connect with Kaylee:    LinkedIn   Connect with Mikala:   Facebook  

Have you ever heard that powerful quote from Nancy Kerrigan? “Part of being a champ is acting like a champ. You have to learn how to win and not run away when you lose.   Sabrina embodies this mindset and philosophy. Sabrina is a 35-year-old,  single mother of three children, and she is an American Sign Language interpreter. Sabrina’s story is unique, she is part of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community. Both of her parents were deaf. Sabrina’s recalls some of the struggles she faced when she was young with speech and pronunciation. Sign language was her first language.    The reality is “sometimes life is messy,” Sabrina gets raw and real while discussing real life situations that she faced. Don't miss this powerful, heartfelt episode.    What You’ll Learn:   How Sabrina faced the challenges of being different from the other children.    How she was her parent's ears, and was responsible for the safety of her siblings.   How to face everything is your life and rise to the top.   And much more!   Favorite Quote:   Your life is what you make it, your Paradise.    How to Get Involved: Connect with Mikala: HERE

Mikala Brown knows what it’s like to be undervalued and underestimated.   At 18, Mikala was a teen mom who’d changed high schools six times, often living in hotels and feeding herself at food pantries in the process. She heard, on more than one occasion, that her past was all that could be expected of her, and that, really, she had no future.   “I was told to my face more than once that I was nothing but a statistic, and that I was doing what everyone expected African American females to do: get pregnant as a teenager,” she says. “I know what it feels like to be all alone, pregnant and all by yourself.”   But beneath rock bottom, she learned, is fertile soil. Mikala went on to turn statistics and stereotypes on their heads, purchasing her first home as a single mom by the age of 25 and going on to receive her Master’s Degree in Special Education by 28. And that was just her getting started.    On this episode of the Still Winning podcast, Mikala shares where she comes from, where she’s going, and how she’s bringing you to the top right alongside her.   What You’ll Learn: How Mikala went from teen mom to building a six-figure business at home, all while teaching in the public school system and raising three kids Why it’s never too late to start your climb from the bottom Who all you’ll be hearing from on Still Winning, from entrepreneurs and living legends to other empowered women And much more!   Favorite Quote:   “I’m proof that it’s okay to be from the bottom and work your way all the way up to the top. If I can do it, you can, too.” — Mikala Brown   How to Get Involved:   Connect with Mikala: HERE      

From teen mom to creating new statistics. Mikala Brown has set numerous “out of the ‘expected’ box” goals and creates her own life/career success.    From purchasing her first home as a single mom at the age of 25, to receiving her Master’s Degree in Special Education at the age of 28, to building a 6-figure at-home business while teaching in the “public school,” system and raising 3 kids. She is on fire and ready to continue to, as she puts it, “live the new statistic” daily. She is breaking barriers and is ready to empower.    This is an invitation to shatter your own and others’ expectations and live your true success story. Mikala wants everyone to WIN and will demonstrate this through EMPOWERMENT, PERSONAL EXPERIENCES, GENERATIONAL STORY TELLING & COACHING. Dreamers and doers, LET’S GO! There is no such thing as a Dream that is too big. Let’s Dream and climb to the top TOGETHER.