Nerrissa J. was called by a Director of an afterschool program she had built a relationship with. The Director was having some trouble amongst nine of her young female students. She asked Nerrissa J. if she would come and speak to the students. With no hesitation she showed up and showed out. The experience she had from those girl’s reactions was amazing. Throughout her time with them three of the girls cried at different times during the group session. Nerrisssa J. asked them if she should stop and the girls said no, it was at that moment she realized what she was doing was resonating with these young girls. That was the start of her developing material to present, propose to seek contracts and execute her workshops. In 2016 Nerrissa was given her first opportunity to facilitate her workshops and she has been shaking and moving ever since.

On a spring day in March of 2016 Nerrissa J. came up with an idea to pick one day a year to celebrate her community. She chose every first Saturday in June to provide a self-esteem awareness walk in Harlem to remind individuals that they matter, they deserve to have a day to enjoy and celebrate themselves. Her goal was to have individuals join, listen to some speakers from youth to adults about a particular topic and self-esteem. To absorb the inspiration and motivation. Following the speakers Nerrissa J. would lead the crowd with a 12-block walk while chanting and having a goodtime reciting, “I am you, you are me and together we are one, what does the I stand for inspire, what does the S stand for survive, what does the E stand for execute, what does the T stand for totally and what are we going to do inspire, survive, execute, totally.

This walk allows you to be free, don’t worry about any judgement, appreciate who you are and how being apart of such a movement, makes you feel. It provides hope, give you courage that you can change anything and become a better you. “I am only one, but still I am one. I can do everything, but still can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.” Edward Everett Hale.

Ryan Clayton is Nerrissa J.’s 15 year old daughter who started her 1st clothing line at 8 years old called “Ryan’s Flowers.” Today, Ryan has elevated to a more mature clothing line called “American Me” in which she developed all designs for both clothing lines. Ryan is a hard worker in school and out and shows you through her grades and her artistic talents. She is also the illustrator for her mother’s latest project “The Realest Conversation Ever, couples deck, the card game. Ryan hopes to become an attorney when she finishes school and continue to pursue her artist crafts.