Black History Month – Meet Dr. Kia Everett

Submitted by special guest author, Dr. Kia F. Everett, MHS,MS,LBS, who is the consultant for the Outreach and Education initiative at Voice and Vision, Inc.

Black History Month is a time set aside for reflection and learning about African American history and the historical trademarks African Americans have contributed to make us all who we are today.  As an African American Female, it becomes very humbling when I think of all the opportunities afforded to me because of the hard work and labor of my ancestors and those who paved the way before me. 

Hard work, dedication, perseverance, a love for Christ, and doing it right the first time were a few of the principles given to me by some of the strongest African American people I know, as well as the ones I have studied about and never met.  I am who I am today because of my mother who raised me as a single parent; she is one of the strongest women I know.  She instilled all the above principles in me and would never allow me to give up.  Giving up was not an option in her household and “I can’t” was not a part of mom’s allowable vocabulary.

Now as a 48 year old African American woman, I am able to say I am a Dr. in the field of Mental Health, I am a Bishop and have been consecrated for 10 years, I am a wife of 23 years and a mother of twins who are sixteen and a nineteen year old who is in college.  I am a serial entrepreneur, the owner of the first Mental Health Urgent Care Center, and I am an award-winning therapist and an international speaker.  I have authored six books and now mentor others who are new in the field.  Just to name a few of my many accomplishments.

Why am I saying all of this? I want to encourage those who are reading this blog, being African American is not an excuse to not accomplish your dreams, it is not an excuse to not work hard and do what you need to do.  Yes, the struggle is real, however hard work, dedication, perseverance, a love for Christ are the principles to be successful.  Follow the path laid by our forefathers and continue the legacy.