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Check Out Tracie Berry-McGhee’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tracie Berry-McGhee.

Hi Tracie, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I am Tracie Berry-McGhee, M.Ed., LPC a licensed therapist. I have a private practice called ImaniTherapy for Women & Girls, a non-profit called SistaKeeper/I Define Me Movement and most recently myself and Co-host Yolonda Lankford, birthed a daytime wellness show in the midst of the pandemic called the Own Your Now Show. The vision was birthed out of the need to connect with our community! It literally started with me asking our local, national, global FB community what’s in their cup? and the rest is her story.

To date, we have interviewed over a thousand guests. We have recently been picked up by the AH TV Network and our show will launch on 8/30/21 on RoKu TV, Apple TV, Fire TV and On Demand. We are a space focusing on everyday positivity! We bring a Cup of Therapy to your day with Morning Affirmations, Vibrant Vibes, and a special guest to inspire, uplift & empower you to start your day!

Our weekly lineup starts M-F at 9 a.m. Monday- Motivational Monday
Tuesday- Transformational Tuesday
Wednesday- (WE) Women Empowerment Wednesday
Thursday- Tell Me Something Good Thursday
Friday- Financial Freedom Friday

You fill up your cup with inspiring interviews. I will offer you a cup of therapy and affirmation word of the day! Co-Host Yolonda Lankford will bring vibrant vibes highlighting lifestyles, positivity, celebrations and exclusives. Our contributing host Shameem Clark-Hubbard will offer “Sippin off the Saucer” spotlighting local businesses and Spokenword Artist Justice Key will give you a little “Peace in the Streets” Literally, we empower you to Own Your Now!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Overall, anything you do in life will have obstacles and challenges. This journey has been a faith walk. The talk show wasn’t planned. It’s called Own Your Now (OYN) because it’s meant to be used as a mindfulness tool for OYNers (our audience) to take time to center themselves, connect with themselves and share with others ways to be empowered.

The Own Your Now Show has been a light in the midst of community darkness. We have taken an approach to make sure that our show stays positive and entertaining. I must admit, getting up everyday and preparing for guests, making sure technology is online, literally and staying uplifted when the world doesn’t always offer us a lighthouse can be challenging but myself and Co-host Yolonda Lankford push each other daily! Our motto is “You can do it,” and that is what we do. We just do it knowing Positivity breeds Positivity.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Tracie Berry McGhee is the Producer, Creator and Host of the Own Your Now show, a Global Speaker, Author and Licensed Therapist. She owns The I Define ME Movement LLC, ImaniTherapy Wellness Center, and is the founder of SistaKeeper/I Define Me Movement, an international nonprofit organization for girls serving local schools and various states across the US with an international presence.

She was born in STL, MO, a University of MO, STL graduate, where she received her Masters of Education. The product of teen mom, at 15 her mother poured into her the value of knowing you must break the cycle. She encountered bullying growing up. Moving to various schools allowed her to see the value of being true to self! Through her own self-reflections, she was given a journal, fell in love with poetry! Through writing, she found a space to be authentic, transparent, and resilient! She found her safe space, and as she grew up, she realized these tools could empower others! Over 20 years ago, she birthed SistaKeeper, the I Define Movement, to empower and mentor girls. She has the first I Define ME Wellness Mobile in the country that promotes literacy, body positivity, and mental health awareness. Tracie is the author of several poetry books and curricula for girls 8-18, facilitated in the US and Internationally.

Reaching over thousands of women and girls through her motivational speaking, College Summits, Girl Assemblies, Keynote, professional development, mentoring wellness circles focusing on girl empowerment, mental awareness, restorative justice, character education and increasing literacy skills, the mission is to empower girls to be whole; Mentally, Spiritually, Physically, Emotionally and Financially.

Tracie has served as host, presenter, panelist, keynote speaking at several distinguished events. She has served as an MLK Nonviolence 365 Ambassador. She was named a Delux Power STL 100, Professional Organization of Women of Distinction, Education Girls Rock, Nat’l Council of Negro Women Legacy Award, St. Louis, MO’s Hometown Champion at the 46th Annual NAACP Image Awards. A Fox 2 News Expert Therapist, Clear Channel Radio and Hallelujah 1600 consultant! She is a wife and mother of three! A Sunflower lover! Her purpose is to sows seeds globally! Tracie’s Motto is ” I Define ME”!

Yolonda Lankford is the Co-Host of the Own Your Now Show, Philanthropist, Community Director for SistaKeeper/ I Define ME Movement. Yolonda Lankford is an energetic, bold, and vibrant golden thread in the fabric of St. Louis! She is a true MC for platforms that focus on women and girl issues and her smile always radiates positivity. Her formative years were spent on a working dairy farm in Oakdale, California. Thereafter, she struck out to travel her educational journey where she received a Bachelor Degree of Public Administration from Grambling State University. Twenty-eight years ago, she decided to make St. Louis her home.

She uses her gifts to uplift girls and women in the St. Louis community through various initiatives. She is an inspirational leader with a powerful presence and an infectious personality. Yolonda has received various awards, including an Oprah Winfrey Angel Award, voted one of St. Louis’s Most Magnetic Personalities by St. Louis Magazine, and she is the recipient of the National Council of Negro Women Legacy Award.

Currently, she proudly wears two professional hats. Yolonda is the Community Director of SistaKeeper, a non-profit organization that is designed for girls to help them achieve healthy self-esteem, a sense of sisterhood, and community awareness. She enjoys the fact that she is making an impact on the world, one girl at a time. Yolonda is also blessed to be the co-host of the Own Your Now Show, a positive talk show created to uplift, inspire and empower!

Yolonda’s motto, “It is never too late to BECOME who you were CREATED to be”!

What we fill sets us apart from other shows is that we are organically defining our journey and the OYNers (our audience) get to see what it looks like for two women over fifty being transparent, being themselves but most importantly offering the community interviews of everyday people, artist, business owners and celebrities being their best selves! Owning their now as well. Simply we are filling up your morning cup!

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
This journey has been over 20 years in the making. Our advice would be:

1. Stay true to who you are, knowing I Define Me!
2. Get a Journal.
3. Write out a plan.

4. Consistency and balance is Key. Your Mental health matters.
5. Keep positive people in your space
6. Find a Mentor.
7. Do your homework, Do the research.
8. Be open to change.
9. Do not allow others to define your journey.
10.Keep God first and know that nothing happens overnight.

Contact Info:


Image Credits

Feature Pic; Latrelle Yancy

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