Team Bios
Meet these women on F.I.R.E.
TINA 'MS. JAZZI' NIXON
Highlights
- 25 years of experience with working with youth and young adults encouraging them to celebrate life, capture their dreams and goals, gain self-love and most importantly self-respect.
- Poet, actress, spoken word artist and mentor.
- Produced and wrote several cds.
- Active Member of Campaign Against Violence
- Awarded Arts at large Residency 2019
- Awarded Arts at large Residency 2020
- Awarded Neighborhood Creative in Residence Project 2019
- Named “ Shero” By Milwaukee Rep 2020
- Author of MY Sistas KeepHer “ A Journey to Heal Self & Heal her”
- 2022 Recipient of the YWCASEW IMPACT AWARD
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Professional Experience
2000-present
Artistic Director For My Sista's KeepHer
Role: Directs organization activity,events, and growth in accordance with artistic and community mission with assistance from all staff.
Workshops Co-facilitator: The Workshop focuses on recovering from the effects of trauma, learning healthy ways of expressing feelings, self-confidence building, Team Building, learning the importance of family and community in healing, and discovering your own uniqueness. Most importantly this project will promote relationship-building between girls and create a safe environment where they can practice treating others with kindness and respect!
Youth Justice Milwaukee ( Part-time) Outreach Coordinator 2019- 2020
- Develop outreach to target family members of youth in the justice system. This can range from helping small sets of individuals to organizing large-scale community-wide building projects.
Violence Free Zone Youth Advisor (Full-time, Sept 2008- May 2009)
- Empowered youth to increase their self-esteem and life skills through support groups and one-on-one interaction.
- Provided mentoring, assisting with homework and case management services to a caseload of 25-30 high school youth (male and female) ages 14-21 years of age.
- Assisted MPS school staff with assuring the overall safety of the school environment.
9/08 - 9/15
Human Development Center, Milwaukee, WI
Prenatal Care Coordinator
- To provide guidance and support to expected mothers
- To encourage expectant mothers to take active role in the health of their baby
- To improve the outcome of every pregnancy
- To give every baby a healthy start in life
- Assisting with obtaining employment, day care service and education.
2008
Self-Esteem Poetry Workshops and Dream Big Spa Day
Milwaukee, WI
Host/Facilitator
- Created for young women who attend the Milwaukee Transition High School. The young women that were chosen for this spa treatment have faced many challenges due to incarceration, expulsion, and/or truancy.
- The Self-Esteem Spa Day is an inspirational guide for young women of all ages. It provides inspiring activities that physically take the women through a journey of self-discovery. The ultimate goal is to enable each participant to celebrate life, capture their dreams and goals, gain self-love and most importantly self-respect.
- The spa day includes: poetry, motivational speaker, round table discussion, spa treatments, lunch and Bracelet (New Beginnings) ceremony. The Spa services are rendered by licensed professionals including: facials, massages, pedicures, manicures, personal hygiene and hair care.
2007-2008
Sister Pride Poetry Workshops, Milwaukee, WI
Facilitator
- Conducted poetry workshops for 20 high school freshmen, reaching over 100 girls using poetry as a tool for expressing themselves and using real life issues to inspire.
2002 through 2008
Flood the Hood With Dreams Poetry Workshops
Milwaukee, WI
- Facilitated poetry workshops urban underground 50 teenage teaching spoken word, deliver, stage present, and storytelling
2004-2006
My Window Production Poetry workshops
Milwaukee, WI
Facilitator
- Taught poetry to UWM upper bond program/ free verse writing
2000-2001
"Spirit of My Sister " Support Group at the Kuji Center
Milwaukee, WI
Facilitator
- Facilitated (groups of 30 women each week) workshops on self-esteem, and domestic violence
Keynote Speaker
- Running Rebels (Dream Keepers camp) 7/17
- Transition High School Graduation commencement 6/17
- Malakai Learning Center (Muffins for Moms) 2015, 2016, and 2017
- Women B Whole Women’s Conference 2016 ( Houston TX)
- Western University (Beyond Beauty Conference) Illinois
Education/ Professional Training
Paul Roberson High School, Chicago, IL 1983
Gately/Poole Conservatory “The Acting Intensive” acting technique-script analysis- scene study- film acting- comedy technique- improvisation-voice/speech, movement/physical technique-character work-audition skills (on-going) 2017
Certified Wraparound Milwaukee 2014
The Human Development Center, Inc
Mentoring Youth of Incarcerated Parents/ Documentation and Best Practice 8/2015
Mentoring Job Description, Mentoring Code of Ethics, Provider Do”s and Don'ts 8/2015
Gender Specific Mentoring Approaches, Mentoring LGBTQ youth, Mentoring Program Design & Documentation 8/2014
Utilizing Cultural Diverse Methods for Mentoring 8/2014
Certified Political Organizer
Midwest Academy 2019
Certified Intersectionality of Trauma & Substance Abuse in Youth 2019
Suicide prevention Certification 2022
References Provided Upon Request
SHELLY CONLEY
Highlights
- 24 years of experience managing, training and developing leaders in a retail sales environment.
- Poet, spoken word artist with 15 years of performance, writing, collaborating with poets, singers, rappers, etc.
- 2002-2008 and 2010 member of the Milwaukee National Poetry Slam Team (NPS),
- 2004-2005, 2007 Grand Slam Champion of the Milwaukee NPS Team
- 2007 Individual World Poetry Slam (IWPS) representative for Milwaukee
- Kentucky Women’s Writing Conference Slam Winner
- Authored and self published two CDs and a chapbook
- Featured in Emmy Award Winner, Brad Pruitt's, documentary Mark My Words
- Author of A JOURNEY TO HEAL SELF HEAL HER 2020
- 2021 Recipient of MKE TREASURE AWARD
Professional Experience
2014-present
Program Director for My Sista's KeepHer
Role:This organizer (Executor) directs program activity in accordance with artistic and community mission in coordination with Artistic Director and Program Coordinator.
Workshops facilitated: The Workshop focuses on recovering from the effects of trauma, learning healthy ways of expressing feelings, self-confidence building, team building, learning the importance of family and community in healing, and discovering your own uniqueness. Most importantly this project will promote relationship-building between girls and create a safe environment where they can practice treating others with kindness and respect!
2009 Creator & Coordinator of My Sister’s Keeper Event to celebrate women & poetry for Women’s History month
2010 Creator of Renewing Her Spirit Mother’s Day Brunch to pamper and celebrate mothers and, most importantly, to start the healing between my own mother & I.
2011 Stage Manager for Hansberry Sands (Debrah K. Neal)
2012 Stage Manager for Playhouse Village (Ruben Whitmore)
2021 Stage Manager for Press Play Productions (Maniele Fowlkes-Banks)
2002 through 2013
2006
My Window Production Poetry workshops
- Facilitated poetry/free verse writing workshop to UWM upward bound students
Volunteer
2005-2006 New Concept Self Development mentor
Education/ Professional Training
Messmer HS graduate
Victoria's Secret trainings in Leadership, Franklin Covey, John Maxwell
Intersectionality of Trauma & Substance Abuse in Youth Certification 2019
Suicide prevention Certification 2022
Kashunda Brown
Highlights
- 10 years of experience in supervising and mentoring youth
- Creator and Facilitator of The Good, Bad and Ugly Social Media Workshop
- Owner of Oh So Kay Sweets
- Contributor for My Sista's KeepHer workbook A JOURNEY TO HEAL SELF HEAL HER 2020
Professional Experience
2010 - Present
Student Coordinator for My SIsta's KeepHer
Workshops Co-facilitator: The Workshop focuses on recovering from the effects of trauma, learning healthy ways of expressing feelings, self-confidence building, Team Building, learning the importance of family and community in healing, and discovering your own uniqueness. Most importantly this project will promote relationship-building between girls and create a safe environment where they can practice treating others with kindness and respect.
- Chief Operating Officer of Dream Keepers
- Supervisor of Violence Free Zone/ Running Rebels
- Youth Advisor- Violence Free Zone/ Running Rebels
- Data Entry/ Mentor - Boys Girls Club
- Mentor- House of Love
Education/ Professional Training
- Custer HS graduate 2006
- Milwaukee Area Technical College- Human Services
- Youth Mental Health First Aide Certificate
- First Aid/ CPR
- Community Building Workshop/ Training
- Trauma Informed Training