 Weekend before last, I was sitting on the back row in Jackson, Tennessee, watching my mama, Ms. Thang Thang, get honored for the 50th anniversary of her graduation from Lane College. Last weekend? I was on the stage. Giving my very first HBCU commencement address. And ooooooweeeeee I’m still on Cloud 9?! I don’t even know where to begin. The moment the President of Jarvis Christian University wrapped me in a tight hug and prayed in my ear before I even sat down, I knew we were about to witness something powerful. 💫 Graduates were stopping mid-stage to thank me. 💫 Families were pulling me aside afterward to show me their notes. 💫 A pastor told me he was “stealing” my message for his Sunday sermon. 💫 And my sweet little god-niece Mazey? She watched the whole speech from her couch and was so fired up, she recited ALL SEVEN cheat codes from memory. 😭😭😭 And don't get me started with them calling me a "Distinguished Storyteller."  It was the biggest graduating class in the school’s history. And there I was, standing in my purpose, giving the grads “7 Cheat Codes” called: “Zigzag Across the Finish Line.” Because none of us got here on a straight path. We fall. We crawl. We double back. But we still finish. And it had a twist nobody saw coming at the end. People are still messaging me about it. Take a listen. It's about 20 minutes and tell me what you think. 🐘 DST. 💜 Ques. Joy & 4.0s Now let’s talk about what YOU helped make happen. Our scholars are finishing the school year strong, and their May Updates were filled with good news that made me holler. Here’s just a taste: 📣 Two scholars joined Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Here's one.  📣 Another got accepted into Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.  📣 We’ve got a scholar thrilled to be serving as event coordinator for her forensic science club. 📣 One scholar wrote: “I didn’t let something really bad that happened to me this month affect my character. I let go and let God.” 📣 One of our babies ended the form with the most casual mic drop ever: “I got a 4.0.” Just like that. Period. No notes. No emojis. I cracked up. And then… Last month, one of our scholars requested art supplies that one of you Miracle Makers, bought. And guess what… Well, here are her words…”I passed my art midterm with a 98/100. I’m not the best artist but I gave it my all.” MAFIA, IN THEIR WORDS Here’s more of what a few students had to say for their May updates. “It’s so amazing to be part of the MIDM family.” “Y’all are such amazing support.” “This year was stressful, but you made it easier. Thank you.” “This Lego has pushed me so far with the help you guys provide.” (She meant “level,” but it was so cute we’re keeping it 😅) And if you’re wondering whether what you give really matters? Let this edition be your confirmation. We’re watching these students step into leadership, ownership, purpose, and excellence -- not just because of what you gave, but because of the love it represented. 🛑 SUMMER SURVIVAL MODE Listen, Mafia family… this summer’s Adopt A Scholar Week is gonna look a little different. A lot of our scholars are facing housing instability. Some are couch surfing. Others don’t know where they’ll be staying week to week. And when you’re bouncing between places? Amazon can’t find you. That means for June through August, we’re adjusting how we show up. 🟡 If a scholar is still on campus or near their Care Package Mafioso (CPM), they’ll still have a full wishlist like usual. 🟡 If not? We’re switching to $25 Visa gift cards. That way, we can overnight the support they need—fast, flexible, and safe. Our goal is $200 in gift cards per scholar each month. That’s 8 gift cards that help them cover groceries, hygiene, transportation… whatever survival looks like for the month. If $25 isn’t doable for you right now? No worries. Just give what you can and drop “#AdoptAScholar” in the memo line so we know how to apply it. We open the summer lists on the 14th of each month and close on the 21st. We’ll be back to regular wishlists in September. But this summer? We move with flexibility and faith. Because we’re not just sending help. We’re sending dignity. We’re sending hope. We’re sending a message loud and clear: You are not alone.  Some days are “push-through” days... And some days are “tap out” days. The key is knowing which one you’re in. Because even the loudest extroverts (hi, it’s me 🙋🏽♀️) have moments where we need to power down. After weeks of “peopling,” travel, and pouring out from every corner of my spirit, I came home and felt it in my bones. Tapped. Out. And I’ve learned to stop treating rest like it’s optional. So if today is a push-through kind of day, I’m cheering you on like a marching band. But if it’s a tap-out day? Tap out with no guilt. No shame. No apology. That’s part of how we stay ready for the miracles still on the way. See you next week. Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE!  THE NAME I ALMOST MISSED Ooooooweeeee, I’ve been sitting on this for a week. I couldn’t wait to tell you. When we last spoke, I was headed home to Tennessee to celebrate my mama, Ms. Thang Thang, on the 50th anniversary of her graduation from Lane College. The ceremony was held in a church, and since my mama’s part was done, I was all the way in the back row behind her, scrolling my phone, trying to knock out some emails. I didn’t know anybody else walking that stage. Then I heard a name over the speaker. My head popped up. Out of respect for his privacy, I’ll call him C.A., but I only heard the first name, which is a common one. I paused for a second and thought, “Wait… did I just hear what I think I heard?” But all I could see from where I was sitting was just a shadow walking across the stage collecting his degree. I texted Amber, the head of our Student Support Team, just to check. No response. So I let it go. After the ceremony ended, the grads were instructed to go one way and the attendants another. I started making my way down a hallway, thinking my mom’s class would be exiting that way in their gold graduation gowns. So I stopped in a random corner, head down into my phone to wait. The 2025 grads in black gowns started filing past me. But again…I didn’t know anybody, so I went back to squeezing in some more emails. The next time I looked up, it was to see if I spotted gold gowns coming. And right there coming towards me… was C.A., my gentle giant. We locked eyes at the same time. He knew me. I knew him. And I lost it. I screamed. I cried. I jumped up and down. I vacillated between being annoyed that he didn’t tell us and hugging him like I had just watched him climb Mount Everest in flip-flops. “I SAW YOU WALK…I SAW YOU WALK…I SAW YOU GET TO THE FINISH LINE! YOU DID IT! YOU DID IT! YOU DID IT, C.A!” He wrapped me in a bear hug. He was smiling, a little shy, maybe even a little embarrassed by how hard I was jumping in a circle around him, but I didn’t care. Because this moment? This is what Move-In Day Mafia is really about. Not just move-in day. But the full journey.  The truth is, C.A. never told us. Because when you’ve spent a life used to people not showing up, you stop expecting them to, and you stop sharing good news. And y’all… that almost happened here. But God. God made sure I was born in the right year… so my mama would be graduating in the right year… so 50 years later, I’d be standing in the exact right hallway at the exact right moment to celebrate C.A. Nobody else from my mom’s graduating class even came down that hallway. Only the new graduates did. You can’t plan that. That’s divine timing. That’s what it looks like when heaven taps you on the shoulder and says, “Look up. Don’t miss this.” And I’m telling you now… we’re building a Graduation Crew. We will not let our scholars cross that stage without celebration. No more walking alone. If I have anything to do with it, there will always be someone hollering their name, hugging their neck, and going ham over them. Because C.A. may not have told us. But God did. WHEN HARASSMENT TURNS INTO HELP Let me run this all the way back. Last year, Cisco, the tech giant, came through with a $15,000 donation to Move-In Day Mafia. And listen… that wasn’t the result of a pitch deck or some fancy strategy meeting. Nah. That miracle was born straight out of a divine setup. I was at the “A Different World” HBCU tour stop at Morehouse, just doing what I do, talking to everybody in sight. In the elevator, I started harmlessly harassing a woman, playfully, of course. Didn’t know her name. Didn’t know her title. Then, a little later during the event, I introduced myself to a man from Cisco, who had done the welcome, because Cisco was a sponsor. Scott and I got to talking, and I tell him about Move-In Day Mafia, and his eyes light up. And then he says, “I want you to talk to my colleague.” Wanna guess who it was? The same woman from the elevator. Her name? Shaunya. Yup. The woman I had been clowning moments earlier turned out to be our divine connection. Scott introduced us. Shaunya listened to the vision. And soon after, Cisco dropped $15,000 into this mission. Now fast forward to this weekend. I’m at Mama’s graduation in Jackson, TN. They hosted a beautiful luncheon to honor her class, and one of the special guests was none other than Darryl Bell. You know... Ron from A Different World.  So I texted Shaunya 'cause remember Cisco sponsored the Different World tour? “Hey! Do you happen to know Darryl personally?” She responded, and not only does she know him, but she hit me with this: “Scott’s there too!” Wait… What? Scott, as in THAT Scott, was in the room.  Only God could write this kind of script. Because not only did I get to celebrate my mama and her legacy, I got to walk right up to the man who opened the door for Cisco’s support last year and tell him face-to-face: “Our kids are thriving. Needs are getting met. Lives are changing because of Cisco’s yes.” He looked me square in the face and said, “What do you need this year?” I didn’t hesitate. I said, “Money! And lots of it!” He said, “Tell Shaunya what you need.” And baby... I did. The proposal has been written. The vision is big. The need is real. But so is the God who orchestrated an elevator joke, a Morehouse event, a 50-year graduation, a sitcom legend, and a miracle setup in a luncheon ballroom in my little hometown. So now, Miracle Makers, I’m asking you to pray with me. Pray that Cisco says yes again…this time even bigger. Pray that this next miracle carries more weight, more funding, and more futures than we could imagine. Because if God did it once... You better believe He’s ready to do it again. EVEN COUCH-SURFING COULDN'T TAKE HER JOY You might remember me mentioning H.K. before. She’s one of our freshman scholars, and before Move-In Day Mafia came into the picture, she spent her high school years unhoused, couch surfing, bouncing between places, trying to survive and still make it to class. So when she got her dorm room? It wasn’t just a place to sleep. It was her first real taste of stability. Her own space. Her own bed. Her own door to close at night. When she first interviewed for Move-In Day Mafia, she had to beg a relative just to use a bedroom so she could have a quiet space. And even then? That relative kept coming into the room, over and over, making her visibly nervous and unsettled. But she pushed through. And that same courage is what’s been carrying her through freshman year at Bethune-Cookman, where she is on scholarship. But that didn’t mean all the gaps were closed. Because H.K. was still trying to tackle college… without a laptop. You know what that means. No reliable way to write papers, join Zoom calls, or do research unless she could hustle her way into a computer lab or borrow from someone else. That’s where one of you had H.K.’s back. One of our Mafia Miracle Makers stepped up and filled the gap!  Now this resilient young woman, who’s already overcome more than most adults, has what she needs to keep pressing forward. No more borrowing. No more scrambling. No more hoping someone else will come through. This time, someone did. Because that’s what this community does. We build the bridge from surviving to thriving. And today? That bridge looks like a laptop and a bright future for H.K. I mean...look at that smile! To the anonymous donor who stepped up without hesitation, thank you for being the miracle in motion!  Last weekend, I was sitting on the back row watching my mama get honored for her 50-year graduation anniversary from Lane College. This weekend? I’ll be ON THE STAGE delivering my very first HBCU commencement address. From her arms in 1975 to holding the mic in 2025… tell me God ain’t a full-circle specialist.  When God pulled me out of Hollywood ten years ago and set me on a path as a speaker, one of my first prayers was, “Lord, will You ever let me give an HBCU commencement speech?” He heard me. He prepared me. And now? 🗓️ This Saturday, May 3rd, 2025 🎓 I’ll be giving the commencement address at Jarvis Christian University near Dallas, TX! ⏰ 8 AM PT | 10 AM CT | 11 AM ET 🎥 Watch the live stream Either https://www.jarvis.edu/ or https://www.youtube.com/@jarvischristianuniversity1969/streams My talk is called “Zigzag Across the Finish Line” because nobody I know made it without some detours. Sometimes you fall. Sometimes you crawl. But you get across that finish line, even if you have to zigzag to do it. See you next week, and if you haven't already, don't forget to subscribe!  She Worked the Factory So I Could Rock the Yard As this week’s edition lands in your inbox, I’m in the air, headed back to Jackson, Tennessee. But not for a taping. Not for a speech. This trip is personal. This weekend, my mama, Ms. Thang Thang, is celebrating 50 years since she graduated from Lane College. The same Lane College where we now have three Move-In Day Mafia scholars. Remember TK, yall surprised him with a laptop? Yeah, now lemme tell you about Ms. Thang Thang. She’s the one who raised me on HBCU pride, took me to HBCU football classics where I fell in love with the culture, and sowed seeds of legacy into my spirit without ever having to say a word. She never pressured us…my brother and I. Never pushed. Never insisted we go to an HBCU. We found that path on our own. But after I graduated from Howard and my brother graduated from Grambling, she finally told us the truth: She’d always dreamed of having a Howard Grad and a Grambling grad. She got her secret wish. 📸 And this photo right here?  My favorite one of us. It’s her graduation day from Lane. She’s in her cap and gown, holding baby TeeJ in her arms. That picture lives rent-free in my soul because it reminds me of exactly where I came from and who I came through. The woman who let me turn down full rides to PWIs (Predominantly White Institutions) so I could chase my dream and go to my beloved HBCU, Howard. She worked long, grueling hours in a factory so I could get that education. Never once asked me to reconsider. Just made it happen. That moment became full-circle when we took this portrait: me in my Howard alum gear, my brother in his Grambling colors, and Ms. Thang Thang sitting proud in the middle…her dream fulfilled.  Oh, and if you remember last week’s Mafia Miracle Report… then you know that after my Sherri Show appearance, Ms. Thang Thang blew up like she needed her own glam team. Folks have been calling her like she’s got a publicist. Now she swears she needs a bodyguard and a shirt that says: “I Birthed a Boss.” I ain’t mad at it. None of this. Not the HBCU Bingo. Not the Sherri Show. Not Move-In Day Mafia. None of it would exist if she hadn’t birthed me, believed in me and bathed me in HBCU Excellence. So I just want to celebrate her like she celebrates my brother and me. 📦 WE CLEARED THE WISHLIST AND I LOST MY EVER-LOVING MIND Listen… I don’t know if it was the exhaustion, the joy, or the fact that y’all truly outdid yourselves, but when I tell you I hollered like someone told me Kirk Franklin, my favorite gospel artist, was in the lobby?! April makes four months since we’ve been doing Adopt A Scholar for months now. Every single list is full of real needs--things like snacks, school supplies, hygiene products, art tools, clothes, and groceries and more! But we’d never experienced this before. The entire list… GONE. Every item… BOUGHT. Every need… MET. And the best part? It wasn’t some big corporation. It was YOU. Our Mafia Miracle Makers. You showed up with your whole chest, your whole wallet, and your whole heart, and said, “We’re not letting these scholars go without.” I could’ve kept it cute and quiet. I could’ve sat there and smiled like a dainty little flower. But c’mon. You already know…I AM cute, but “dainty” and “quiet” have never been used to describe me. I danced. I screamed. I sang you an original song. Because I’m not about to downplay a full-blown miracle, okay?! That video is what it looks like when faith meets fulfillment. Go watch it, laugh at me, then send it to somebody who needs to see what community love really looks like. .📱 A SIMPLE PHONE. A MAJOR MIRACLE. You ever stop and realize how much we take for granted? A quick scroll. A phone call. A text to check in. Most of us don’t even think twice. And if our kid’s phone breaks? We run to the store, tap our app, or hit up the repair shop. But JS? A Prairie View A&M scholar? She didn’t have that luxury. Her phone was on its last leg. She could text, but couldn’t hear a thing on calls. That meant: ❌ No mentor check-ins ❌ No job interviews ❌ No emergency help So she asked. Not for something excessive. Not for the latest and greatest. She asked for an older iPhone 13, not fancy but functional. And y’all? One of our Mafia Miracle Makers came through.  Now listen. JS is quiet. When Misty, one of our Care Package Mafiosos, first started making deliveries to her, she could barely get a smile. But now, Misty tells me she smiles AND hugs! Because what our miracle makers do is help us take care of these scholars like we’re their aunties, uncles, godparents, and bonus grandparents. And one of y’all looked at that quiet request and said, “I got her.” No fanfare. No spotlight. Just love. That’s Mafia. That’s family. That’s the kind of miracle that doesn’t make headlines but makes everything better.  Remember what I told you up top about my mama? About how she worked long, backbreaking hours in that factory so I could turn down full rides to PWIs and chase my dream at Howard? Well, here’s the rest of the story. We didn’t have the money. We only had enough for that first year. That’s it. I couldn’t see the finish line. I didn’t have a backup plan. But I had one thing going for me: faith. To this day, I still can’t explain how I made it through all four years. I can't map the math. I can't count the coins. But what I can do is trace every step back to faith. God provided. And He’s been doing it ever since. 📍 When I left Tennessee and moved to LA to build a Hollywood career. 📍 When I started Move-In Day Mafia with just $3,500 and a prayer to move in 13 students. 📍 Every miracle y’all read about in these newsletters. All of it happened because I trusted the assignment, even when the numbers didn’t add up. So hear me clearly, Miracle Maker: What God ordains, He provides. If He told you to do it, He will equip you to finish it. If He planted the seed, He will water the harvest. And if you’re standing at the edge of your own “I don’t have enough,” I dare you to leap. Provision doesn’t wait for perfection. It responds to obedience. Now go on and move, even if you don’t have it all figured out. Because the same God who covered my Howard tuition… is still out here doing miracles for you, too. If you enjoyed this week’s edition, can you gimme a like, a comment, or share…or all three if you feeling generously spicy? See you next week! Oh...And you have about two more weeks to grab your SUPER Early Bird tickets for Thee HBCU BINGO EXPERIENCE live in Atlanta on July 12, 2025. Don't say I didn't encourage you BEFORE we start dropping surprises. MoveInDayMafia.org/HBCUBingo  You ever have one of those moments where life feels so full you just have to sit back and soak it in? That’s where I’ve been. Thank y’all for giving me a minute to catch my breath last week. Between my daughter Dot’s 19th heavenly birthday and the whirlwind of what I’m about to share… whew. My spirit needed a beat. But now? I’m back in full effect, with stories to tell and miracles to celebrate. Because this edition? This one is all about what happens when a village shows up. From Dorm Rooms to Daytime TV – Mafia Made It to the National Stage Let’s start with this: I went national, y’all! I packed up my joy, my Mafia spirit, my blinged-out Chucks, and a brand-new custom fit from my longtime friend and designer Neva Bryant, and headed to NYC I’ve done tons of media, but this hit different becaaaaaause… It was in-studio. It was national. It was LIVE! And it was with my friend of over 25 years! The “She’s the Boss” segment on The Sherri Show is usually six to eight minutes. But babyyyyy... they gave us nine minutes and twenty-two seconds of pure Mafia magic on daytime television. And the wildest part? I didn’t even know we had that much time. I was just flowin’, telling our story, and doing what I do best -- and God said, “Let my daughter cook.” Check out the segment for yourself  THE MAFIA ROLLED DEEP My parents were in the audience beaming like it was their debut. My mama? The show made sure to capture her, which led to her friends calling her like, “Guuuuuurl, I saw you on TV.” LawdHamMussyGeezus, she now swears she needs a bodyguard AND a shirt that says: “I Birthed a Boss.” And honestly? She’s not wrong.  We had folks fly in from all over -- Maryland, Georgia, California, Louisiana, Tennessee, D.C., and of course, New York. Twenty-two of our miracle makers, donors and volunteers, showed up in full yellow sunshine glory. It felt like an HBCU homecoming, a family reunion, and a miracle all in one. My day-to-day Mafia crew? They were there too -- Mina Starks, LaTerra Wise, Ericka Baldwin, and Nikki Klugh of Nikki Klugh Design Group, our sponsor who designs all of our rooms. Even Terry Simmons from Orange Strategy (our Mafia video sponsor) was in the building.  FULL CIRCLE MOMENTS YOU COULDN'T SCRIPT The Sherri staff showed out with their kindness and care. Normally, I’m just visiting, hanging out with Sherri, watching the magic from the sidelines. But this time? They turned every ounce of that excellence on me…and I felt aaaaaall of it. And the cherry on top? They placed me in the Marsha Warfield Room -- the same green room where I met Kirk Franklin, my favorite artist of all time, last year. What are the odds?  Then the night before my segment aired, a high school classmate sent me a pic of her TV screen. There I was: “Motivational Speaker, TeeJ Mercer” listed right next to Malcolm-Jamal Warner. Let me take y’all back for a second. In 1992, I was a sophomore at Howard, fresh off the plane from Tennessee. I landed my very first Hollywood internship at a music video production company. One day, I walked into a dark edit bay to grab a tape, turned around and completely froze. I was staring into the face of THEO. Yes, Malcolm-Jamal Warner.  The Cosby Show was still on TV. No Instagram. No selfies. Just me and one of the biggest stars in America five feet apart in silence. He'd gotten into directing and producing by this time. I couldn’t find my voice and hopefully I stammered something out to him. I don't remember anything except I was star-struck. LOL And now? Decades later, our names were on the same TV episode.  Don’t tell me God won’t spin the block for His daughters. And wanna know something funny? Somebody told me my outfit looked like a "Gordon Cantrell" from that memorable, hilarious episode. I MEANT TO GIVE HER FLOWERS...BUT THIS MOUTH BE MOUTHIN' Now you know I adore Sherri. We’ve been friends for over 25 years. So in the moment, I wanted to honor her for stepping up and playing Celebrity Jeopardy, knowing good and darn well that trivia wasn’t her lane -- but she did it anyway so Move-In Day Mafia could walk away with $30,000 for her appearance. I opened my mouth to give her flowers and instead, I blurted out: “We knew you were gonna take a hit on Celebrity Jeopardy.” Cue the record scratch. For a split second, I thought, Lord… did I just clown my girl on national TV?! You gotta see for yourself how Sherri handled it. THE SURPRISE THAT SNATCHED MY TEARS Just when I thought the moment couldn’t get better... The team at Sherri hit me with a surprise that provoked immediate waterworks. I won’t ruin it for you. But know… I wasn’t prepared.  STILL CATCHING UP--STILL MAKING MIRACLES Yes, I missed last week’s edition. And yes, I needed the pause. But the miracles didn’t stop. They never do. We’ve got supplies still landing, phones still ringing, and surprises still in transit. We’ll catch up next week with all the behind-the-scenes scholar goodness. But this week? This one was about the village. The crew. The miracle makers who’ve walked with me from dorm rooms to daytime TV -- and back again. JUST 3 DAYS LEFT: Adopt A Scholar is Still ON! Now, before I let you go grab your tissues or hit replay on the Sherri segment… Lemme softly whisper this in your ear. Adopt A Scholar Week wraps in just THREE DAYS, ON THE 21ST. That means you still have time to slide in and help one of our scholars get what they need for April. We’ve got HBCU students waiting right now--scholars who’ve been through hell and back but are still standing tall, still enrolled, still dreaming. And YOU can be the reason they keep going. Tap in right here: 👉🏽 MoveInDayMafia.org/AdoptAScholar Let’s finish April strong, Miracle Maker. You’ve got 72 hours to make a whole miracle happen.  Let me tell you a secret you probably wouldn’t expect from your loud, proud, blinged-out extrovert of a friend… I go dark sometimes. Like really dark. Not in spirit, but in solitude. After the whirlwind of national TV, travel, and ALL the feels, I needed to sit myself down. No inbox. No camera. No peopling. Because while I thrive in joy and live my life out loud, there’s a quiet part of me too -- the introvert that needs to unplug, retreat, and recharge in stillness. It’s how I protect my peace. It’s how I process my purpose. It’s how I make sure my next move is led by God -- not just driven by my to-do list. I’ve learned to trust that when He says “pause,” it’s not punishment; it’s preparation. A miracle doesn’t always happen in motion. Sometimes, it’s birthed in the quiet. So if you’re feeling stretched thin, overwhelmed, or like the world is moving faster than your spirit can keep up... 💡 Take a beat. 💡 Honor your rhythms. 💡 Trust the God who sees the whole timeline. And know this: miracles don’t just show up on the mountaintop. Sometimes they meet you in the valley... while you’re lying on the couch with no bra on and no idea what day it is. 😅 (Or maybe that’s just me.) Either way -- it’s still holy. If this edition made you smile, giggle or say "awwwwh," can you be swet and comment or at least smack that "LIKE" button. DON'T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND I'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK!  I’m kicking off this Friday cheesin' from ear to ear!...Again! If you’ve been riding the Mafia Miracle Train, you remember last week I was all hyped about a BIG surprise. I was ready. Cartwheels prepped. Confetti cued. HBCU playlist on blast. But then I had to eat a little humble pie because our delivery drivers (ahem, not naming names, but they rhyme with B-U-P-S) were moving slower than syrup in winter. Well Babyyyyyyyyy… let me tell you what finally landed on my desk: Yesssss! We got video of TK at Lane College getting his brand-new computer! Now, full transparency, this baby is so low-key. Chill to the bone. He’s not the jump-up-and-down type. But don’t miss the fact that this is a BIG deal. Because TK is a student who’s walked through fire. Both parents incarcerated. Foster care swallowing up his 7th and 8th year. Bounced around from house to house with no stability. And still, he made it to Lane, which happens to be my mom’s alma mater. This is the same young king who showed up to school with nothing but a duffel bag. No moving boxes. No cheering squad. No family trailing behind him. Just him, that bag, and a whole lotta hope. And when he saw his Mafia dorm makeover? He made a beeline for the Costco-sized box of Pringles like they were gold-plated. 😂 Priorities, right? But this computer? This is more than a machine. It’s a lifeline. It’s proof that people care. It’s proof that YOU, our Mafia family, show up every time. And speaking of showing up… WHEW, YALL SHOWED UP…AGAIN! While TK was getting blessed at Lane, I was over here doing the running man because of what happened next. Sponsors. Showing. UP. 🎥 First, my very first big ask for Bingo sponsors got a big ol’ YES! Terry Simmons and the #OrangeStrategy team locked in as our entire video production sponsor for our fundraiser, THEE HBCU Bingo Experience! And then, like the blessing cherry on top… Jennifer Jasper's God Ain't Petty, But I Am became our very first monetary sponsor! Your girl nearly did the electric slide across the living room. These aren’t just "check-the-box" sponsors. These are folks who believe deeply in what we’re building. And if you’ve been thinking about joining this miracle wave as a sponsor, now is the time. 📩 Hit us at [email protected]  WE'RE BUILDING MORE THAN DORM ROOMS, Y'ALL Let me say this loud enough for the folks in the back -- Move-In Day Mafia is about way more than dorm makeovers. ✅ We are building community. ✅ We are building belonging. ✅ We are building futures. And now, we are building an experience. 🗓️ The HBCU Bingo Experience Saturday, July 12 Atlanta, just 2 miles from the airport -- so no excuses! Think sneaker ball meets HBCU homecoming, with bingo and big prizes thrown in for good measure. Early bird tickets? Yup, they’re live. But listen: there are only 52 available at this early bird rate. Get yours now! MoveInDayMafia.org/HBCUBingo  I'LL SAY IT AGAIN: MAFIA IS FAMILY This week just proves it again. We put out the call about some big-ticket needs for our scholars. And within hours -- HOURS -- y’all handled it. Fully covered. Generosity like that? It's family. And between us, I still have one more surprise that I’m waiting to be delivered. Can’t spill the beans yet, especially with scholars reading. And while you’re here, let me softly whisper this in your ear… 🛍️ April’s Adopt A Scholar list drops on the 14th. Mark your calendar, Miracle Maker. We’re keeping this momentum going! TV ALERT: I’M GOING NATIONAL, BABY! Hold up. Wait a minute. Let me put my joy in it. OMG…that was sooooo corny…But I am bringing you. I’M HEADED TO NYC to do my first IN-STUDIO NATIONAL TV interview!! 📺 Mark your calendars: Wednesday, April 9th (Check your local listings) I’ll be on “The Sherri Show” in her “She’s The Boss” segment, talking all things Move-In Day Mafia!!!!!  And I’m taking lots of my crew with me so look for a bunch of yellow shirts in the audience!  I AM A DARN GOOD FOLLOWER AND A RELUCTANT ENTREPRENEUR Listen, Miracle Makers… I never wanted this life. I loved my TV career. Loved the creativity, the collaboration, the way I could tell stories and make people feel something. I was never the "be-your-own-boss" kinda woman. I liked working for people and leaving the heavy lifting of running a business to somebody else! But life shifted. No, let me tell the truth: life shoved me. =>> There were days I begged God to send me back to the edit bay. =>> Days when the loneliness of entrepreneurship had me questioning everything. =>> Days when I wondered if I even wanted to wake up and fight another day. I didn’t feel ready. I didn’t feel worthy. I didn’t feel called. But babyyyyyy, let me tell you loud for the folks in the back -- I was wrong. Because today, I look up and see Move-In Day Mafia standing strong, 84 scholars supported, and miracles happening month after month. All because I stopped fighting. Started surrendering and started moving. So let me give you 3 keys from 10 years in these entrepreneurial streets: 1️⃣ Pivot -- even when it scares you. Your breakthrough is on the other side of surrender. 2️⃣ Listen to God more than the experts. Advice is good. Obedience is better. 3️⃣ Celebrate what you’ve built. There’s always more to do. Pause, breathe, and honor what you’ve already achieved. To every "reluctant entrepreneur" out there, I see you. I am you. This road is hard; I refuse to lie to you about that. But if you keep going, miracles are closer than you think. Now, let me go spin around my living room real quick and shout: Here’s to 10 years! Here’s to what we’ve built. And here’s to what’s still on the way. And as we celebrate these 10 years, let’s keep moving together. If you felt this one in your spirit, drop a comment and let me know you’re on this journey too. And don’t forget to subscribe! At the time of this post, we are one away from 300! Thank you!  OOOOOOOOWEEEEEEE!!! Somebody cue the Swag Surf because I’m about to lose my mind with joy and turn cartwheels…cartwheels in my imagination at least. We’re only three months into our Adopt A Scholar (AAS) campaign and every single month has gotten stronger. Y’all don’t play about your Move-In Day Mafia family because… You covered $6,000 of our scholars’ $9,000 March needs!!!!!!!!! That is wild to me! When we launched AAS, I had a goal in mind. And I’ll be honest, I was nervous. We made a bold promise to show up for our scholars every month, and I didn’t know if we could pull it off. But y’all? Y’all pulled up and showed OUT. That $6,000 means more than just bills paid. It means we can support more scholars. It means we can expand to more HBCUs. It means we can dream even bigger. So from the bottom of my cartwheel-imagining heart (because again, I’m over 50), THANK YOU. I love you for real. Now, let me remind you why your miracle-making powers are so crucial.  MEET T.K. When T.K. showed up to Lane College in Jackson, TN He had no suitcase. No “college move-in” moment with cheering family and balloons. Just a boy-turned-man, with a duffel bag, walking onto campus with nothing but hope on his back. He’d been through more by 18 than most folks see in a lifetime. Both parents incarcerated before he hit double digits. Foster care swallowed up his 7th and 8th year of life. Then came the constant bouncing from home to home, couch to couch. No stability. No safety net. No childhood to speak of. And yet... he made it to Lane. When our Mafia team finished setting up his room, we were hype. Nikki Klugh, Mafia’s designer had everything. ✅ Neon lights to make the space feel alive ✅ A custom lion art piece–reminding him that he's royalty ✅ A hand-drawn Boondocks sketch–his favorite show, made with love ✅ And yes... a Costco-sized box of Pringles, front and center on the shelf We were so excited to see what would catch his eye. Would it be the lights? The art? The bedding? Nope. TK walked in and made a straight-up beeline for the Pringles.  He didn’t glance. He didn’t hesitate. He zeroed in like his soul had found something familiar. And right then, I felt it in my chest. That box wasn’t just a snack. It was safety. It was comfort. It was proof that somebody thought about him. For a kid who’s spent most of his life just trying to get through the day, a box of chips said, “You matter.” Of course, we laughed because it was hilarious and precious and so very TK. But hours later, that moment stayed with me. Because I remembered what he said during his interview. I’d asked, “How do you stay positive with everything you’ve been through?” “I actually just keep things to myself. What’s the point of sharing when nobody’s willing to do anything about it?” Whew. That answer? That’s exactly why Move-In Day Mafia exists. That’s exactly why we keep showing up...making miracle moments. CONFESSION: I LIED. Okay okay okay…before you clutch your pearls, hear me out. Last week, I got a little excited. Like, church usher who caught the spirit and took off running down the aisle excited. I’d told you that THIS week, I was gonna reveal some big surprises that you bought for our scholars. I had my confetti ready. My captions drafted. Buuuuut… there was just one teeny tiny problem. The surprises weren’t delivered yet. 😩 That’s right. Your girl jumped the gun and forgot one very important part of the timeline. Just because YOU blessed these scholars fast... Doesn’t mean UPS shares the same urgency. So now I’m sittin’ on secrets like a kid who peeked at their Christmas presents too early. And since some of our scholars might be reading this… my lips are sealed. I can’t ruin the moment. But trust me, once these deliveries land and the reactions start rolling in? You’re gonna wanna see every second. It’s coming. Just hold tight. And maybe say a little prayer over UPS while you wait.  🎱 THEE HBCU BINGO EXPERIENCE 🎉 Let me go ahead and warn you now... This ain’t your Grandmama’s Bingo. I’ve worked my crew’s last nerve about my vision so they’ve taken to calling it “Bougie A$$ Bingo” and baby, it’s giving sneaker ball meets HBCU Homecoming with a side of cash prizes. 🗓️ Saturday, July 12 📍 Atlanta, Georgia – just TWO miles from the airport (Yes, that means you can land, pull up, and still look cute.) And guess what? We’ve secured a celebrity powerhouse to serve as BOTH the honorary chair and emcee. One name. All the star power. And nope, I’m not spilling who it is just yet... but trust me, it’s gonna be worth the wait. This is a party with a purpose, a fundraiser in full glam, and a celebration of culture, community, and care. And right now? Early bird tickets are LIVE. Only 52 available. Once they’re gone, you’ll have to catch it in your Insta Stories and wish you were there. 🎟️ Grab yours before they vanish: MoveInDayMafia.org/HBCUBingo We’re making miracles, making memories, and making noise. You coming or what? If you want to be a sponsor or have prizes you want to donate, shoot an email to [email protected]  This week, I was catching up with one of my Howard classmates who used to live in L.A. with me. We’re laughing, reminiscing, talking about the good ol’ days--and she casually says, “TeeJ, remember when you used to throw those game nights?” And baby, it unlocked a whole memory bank I forgot even existed. I did throw game parties. All the time. Folks would come over, eat, act a fool, play Taboo like it was a contact sport, and LAUGH until we couldn’t breathe. One couple even met at one of those nights. They’re still married to this day. And in that moment, it clicked. I’ve always loved creating environments where people laugh, connect, and feel joy. In fact, I still love games. So much so that just last year, I convinced my cousin to play Heads Up with me for so long that the sun came up! So no, when we were trying to decide what would be our signature fundraiser, I’m not surprised that I vetoed a gala and insisted on a bougie bingo. (They have their place. But bougie bingo with a DJ, trash talk, and real connection? That’s more my ministry.) It reminded me of something I want you to hold close too: 💡 Nothing you’ve done is random. 💡 Every joy, every detour, every “this doesn’t make sense” moment--it’s all building blocks. 💡 You might not see how it connects right now. But trust, it’s preparing you for what’s next. So if you’ve been questioning your past or downplaying what comes naturally to you… Don’t. God wastes nothing. And everything you’ve ever done might just be training for your biggest miracle yet. Now--speaking of joy-filled spaces I was born to host… Again, don’t miss your chance to grab one of the 52 early bird tickets for THEE HBCU BINGO EXPERIENCE. This is the party I was made for--and YOU need to be in that room. 🎟️ MoveInDayMafia.org/Bingo Let’s make memories. Let’s make moments. Let’s make miracles. Whew. If this story hit you like it hit me, drop a comment and let me know which part got you in your feelings. Especially if you helped make March’s miracles happen, please say somethin’ so I can love on you properly. Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to this newsletter! See you next week.  See...What had happened was… Never in a million years did I imagine that I’d be standing on a stage, holding one of those iconic oversized checks like I was a recipient of a Publisher's Clearing House surprise. But last month, that’s exactly what happened... And it STILL doesn’t feel real. Lemme back up though. At the end of last year, I was honored with the My Joy Award at the HBCU Film Festival, which was already special because the event was held on the campus of my alma mater, THEE Howard University. Miracle Maker, just when I thought my heart couldn’t take another surprise… My friend of over 20 years, Sherri Shepherd, walked out to present me with the award. *Side note...I had just texted her 5 minutes before this moment. I had no idea that she was backstage.  I. Was. Floored.  In my acceptance speech, I shared something that has carried me through every twist, every leap, and every miracle: "The key to my success has been simple. I Obey and I move!" (Don’t worry. I’ll share the surprise and short speech with you under the Miracle Motivation section. I gave the 3 Keys To Walk In J.O.Y. I'm told it's a gamechanger.) But then… right after the speech, a woman approached me. She looked me in the eye and said: 👉🏽 "TeeJ, I’m obeying. God told me to give you $10,000 for Mafia." 🤯🤯🤯 Wait. What? I stood there completely speechless. (Which doesn’t happen often. 😂) So I did what any stunned human would do. I called over my girl Mina, who had traveled with me, and made her stand there and hear it herself, just to be sure I wasn’t hallucinating. Fast forward to last month... Mina and I made our way to Charlotte, North Carolina, to accept the FIRST installment of her promise: a $5,000 check at the Rich Auntie Brunch hosted by Rebrand Black. And let me tell you about the powerhouse behind it: Dr. Veronica Pearson. 📍 She’s a strategist. A builder. A connector. 📍 She leads with excellence and a heart for people. And she didn’t just hand me a check. She poured into me like only a real one can. I had the honor of dining with her in Atlanta last night while she was in town for a panel and Baybeeeee, the wisdom she dropped had me locked in barely able to eat.  Do yourself a favor and connect with her brilliance: 🔗 Dr. Veronica Pearson on LinkedIn And just like that Miracle Maker... the first $5,000 was in hand. But let me tell you something. This wasn't just about a check. It was a commitment. A stake in the ground. A real one saying, “I see the vision, and I’m in for the long haul.” Because after that first installment? She committed to being a monthly contributor. BAM! Exactly what we need. See, Move-In Day Mafia isn’t just about showing up once...we walk with these scholars for four years. And we need partners who get that. Who know that miracles aren’t just one-and-done moments, but a steady, unwavering presence that makes sure these kids have what they need every single month. And babyyyyy, the way things kept unfolding after this? Whew. Let’s just say… this wasn’t the only miracle on the move. M.C. Had a Dream. And the Mafia Said, "Not On Our Watch." We noticed that one of our Move-In Day Mafia scholars, a Morehouse College freshman, I'll call him M.C., did not turn in his monthly request form. So his Mafia mentor checked in. And what we learned? It made my blood BOIL. M.C. is at Da House on a partial scholarship, but due to a financial aid mess-up, he found out at the last minute that the money he was counting on for books? GONE. So he asked us something that hit me in my core. "Can I get cash instead of my necessities this month? I need to buy course materials." Wait. What?! This baby thought he had to choose between his monthly essentials and being able to do his coursework?! 🛑 NOT ON OUR WATCH. 🛑 No scholar should EVER have to choose between surviving and thriving. Let me tell you about M.C. 💡 His dad is incarcerated. 💡 He’s known homelessness firsthand. 💡 And despite ALL of that, when I asked him during his interview what his dream was, this young king didn’t miss a beat… 🎓 "I want to graduate as a Morehouse man." And I’ll be DARNED if we let a financial hiccup block that dream. So I did what I always do. I put the call out to the Mafia. And BOOM. Ivan answered. ✅ No hesitation. ✅ No back-and-forth. ✅ Just "I got it." But Ivan didn’t just buy the software. He sent a message to Misty, our Head of the Care Package Mafioso team.  "Let him know I’m rooting for him, and that we serve a God who will meet his needs before he even asks!" And This? This is Why We Do It. This isn’t just about buying things. It’s about showing up. It’s DaVona dropping off care packages and knowing she’s part of her scholar’s journey.  It’s Ivan stepping up without a second thought. It’s this entire community making sure these students know... "You are NOT alone." And we’re not done. Today, Friday, the 21st, is the last day for March’s Adopt A Scholar Week, and there are more scholars waiting. Prairie View, Clark Atlanta, Savannah State, and Benedict really need your love. 📍 MoveInDayMafia.org/AdoptAScholar 💙 Pick a scholar. Click. Give. Show up. But before I go… Just know next week? I’ve got something BIG to show you. I wish I could tell you now, but if our scholars are reading this, I can’t let the surprise slip. Let’s just say… miracles are already in motion. See you next week for the reveal. 💙  At the top, I told y’all my secret to success was obeying and moving—and yes, that’s true... BUT what I actually shared during my acceptance speech at the HBCU Film Festival was something even deeper: The 3 Keys to Walking in J.O.Y. Because here’s the truth: I don’t just want success. I want JOY. The kind that doesn’t wait for perfect circumstances. The kind that carries me when the plan makes zero sense. The kind that shows up loud, proud, and backed by heaven. So when I took that stage and looked out at that room, I dropped this: J.O.Y. J – Jump to the end of your story. Decide now how you want your story to end. Speak it. See it. Move like it’s inevitable. Don’t wait for proof — walk like it's already written. O – Obey without the whole plan. If God gave you the green light, why you still sittin' at the stop sign waiting on details? MOVE. Y – Yank yourself out of your comfort zone… over and over again. Growth doesn’t happen in the cozy. Miracles don’t show up in the safe. If it’s scary, it’s probably divine. That’s how I got here. That’s how Mafia exists. I didn’t have a map. I didn’t have millions. I just had a YES. And listen, Miracle Maker—this ain’t just for me. 📌 This is your nudge to jump. 📌 This is your sign to obey. 📌 This is your push to yank yourself outta “stuck” and into “miraculous.” You ready to walk in J.O.Y.? Let’s go. See you next week. I'll share the surprise reveals and don't forget...you have until tonight, March 21st, to grab essentials for the scholars at MoveInDayMafia.org/AdoptAScholar  I know we’ve already celebrated how HUGE last month’s Adopt A Scholar Week was. Y’all came through BIG TIME for scholars at 17 HBCUs! Seventeen campuses. Seventeen places where students felt seen. And if you missed the video of a LOUD surprise, Click Here to Go "Awwwwwwh" But let me tell you something...this is more than just care packages. These are Move-In Day Mafia H.U.G.S. This is H - HOPE This is U - Unconditional Love This is G - Generosity This is S - Stability 💡 And the best way to show you? Let you hear from the scholars themselves. On this month's scholars' care package forms, I asked them to share their wins, proud moments, fears, and challenges so you can see your direct impact!
This next one had me cracking up AND cheering at the same time.  That’s right, baby! A win is a win! ✅ Academic success? CHECK. ✅ Removing distractions? DOUBLE CHECK. We love a scholar who is winning in AND out of the classroom. And there are plenty more victories where that came from. I’ll be sharing them in future editions. But you know I gotta keep it 100 with you. Because while some scholars are celebrating, others are still struggling. And if we’re gonna wrap our arms around them the way we do, we need to talk about it.
These are the fears our scholars carry every single day. This is why we show up. Because for every win, there’s still a weight. For every “I passed my midterms,” there’s an “I’m scared for what happens after graduation.” For every “I finally made friends,” there’s an “I don’t know if I’ll ever have a real home.” And then… there’s this.  This one? This one broke me. Let me tell you about this student. One of the sweetest kids you’ll ever meet. He’s been on his own his entire life. Absent parents. No safety net. But he still made his way to college. And when we revealed his dorm room? He lit up. 💙 “This is a home,” he said. 💙 And his friend? “I’ve never seen him smile like this.” This is why Mafia isn’t just about dorm rooms. It’s about dignity. It’s about belonging. It’s about proving to these scholars that they are seen, valued, and more than enough. No student should ever have to question if they are enough. Not on our watch. That’s why we keep showing up. That’s why we keep wrapping these students in love. That’s why this work will never stop. And if you want to be part of that kind of miracle… here’s how. 🚨 March’s Adopt A Scholar Week is HEEEEEERE! What is Adopt A Scholar Week? How You Can Help💡 What It Is: Every month from the 14th to the 21st, our Mafia scholars who are HBCU students in need create Amazon wish lists with essentials they need to thrive in college. 💡 Why It Matters: These are students who have aged out of foster care, faced homelessness, or have no family support. Your support helps them succeed. 💡 How to Get Involved: 📍 1. Pick an HBCU at MoveInDayMafia.org/AdoptAScholar 📍 2. Purchase an item or 20 directly from their wish list 📍 3. Deliver a miracle and change a scholar’s future Because when we show up, lives change and we send the scholars a strong message. You matter. You are worthy. You are enough.  THE $6 MILLION BANANAI typically don’t care what people spend their own money on… but whew, this one triggered a level of knee-jerk anger I had to pray through. What had happened was... A few days ago, I learned that Move-In Day Mafia’s budget for a fully thriving organization is $6 million a year. Cool. I know what we are working towards. But then... A few days later, I learned last November, someone paid $6.2 million for a piece of art. 🤯 Ask me, "What was the art?" Go ahead. Ask me. 🍌 A banana. 🩹 Duct-taped to a wall.  And then… THE BUYER ATE THE BANANA!  Poof. SIX...POINT...TWO...MILLION...DOLLARS. Gone. The same amount Mafia needs to do damage to the foster care to prison pipeline. This one got under my skin. Not because I’m mad at him, but because I know what Mafia could have done with that money. 💡 Hundreds of scholars housed, fed, and thriving. 💡 Generational cycles broken. 💡 Lives transformed. But then, I had to check myself. This wasn’t a loss. This was a lesson. There is PLENTY of money out there. People invest in what matters to them. My job is to learn how to navigate to the right people and help them see that Mafia is worth the investment. So now, my prayer isn’t for the money itself. It’s for the wisdom, strategy, and connections to find the ones who want to be part of real miracles. If someone can spend $6.2 million on ONE DARN BANANA, then surely there are people willing to invest in real impact. And that goes for YOU too. 💡 Whatever miracle you’re believing for, whatever vision you’re building, whatever mountain you’re climbing, don’t let “lack” be the thing that stops you. The resources? They already exist. The money? It’s out there. The right people? They’re waiting. Your job isn’t to question if it’s possible; it’s to keep moving until you connect with the ones who see the value in what you do. So keep pushing. Keep believing. Keep expecting miracles. What you need is already on its way. 📌 Hi, I'm TeeJ— a joy-bringing, people-collecting keynote speaker (aka ‘The Walking Exclamation Point’ and The World’s Greatest Hugger) who somehow runs Move-In Day Mafia in the spare time I don’t have. 😜 Oh, and my storytelling? It’s been watched by MILLIONS because 25 years in Hollywood taught me how to make people feel something. 😉 💡 Looking for a speaker who can bring energy, inspiration, and straight-up miracle-making faith to your stage? Let’s talk. [email protected] Because I don’t just talk about impact. I make it happen. If you liked this article, comment and share it please AFTER you slide over to MoveInDayMafia.org/AdoptAScholar 😜  Juliet sees her decorated dorm room for the first time OOOOOOWEEEEEE Miracle Maker, I'm in complete disbelief. I need EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU to give yourself the BIGGEST HUG EVER. Because guess what? MOVE-IN DAY MAFIA HIT 200 LINKEDIN NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBERS IN OUR FIRST WEEK. TWO. HUNDRED. I knew God told me to start the newsletter, but I did not expect us to hit the ground running like this. Y’all SHOWED UP. And let me tell you something...this is just the beginning. So to every person who subscribed, shared, commented, or donated, I need you to hear me loud and clear: YOU are somebody’s answered prayer. Now, let’s keep the miracles coming. Because this week’s story? Whew. Buckle up Miracle Maker. I've been itching to tell you this all week.  Juliet is happy about her new mini-fridge from Best Buy MEET JULIET Juliet is the definition of resilient. Born in Nigeria, she has faced more loss before the age of 12 than most of us will in a lifetime. She lost her mother. She lost her father. She lost her little brother. She lost her childhood best friend. One after the other, her world kept shattering. And yet... ✅ She refused to stop dreaming. ✅ She refused to give up on her education. ✅ She refused to let her story end in grief. Instead, Miracle Maker, she fought her way to Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee, my home state, where she is studying to be a doctor. And once she got there? She kept pushing. THEN CAME THE ASK One thing we teach our scholars is this: ASK FOR WHAT YOU NEED. Too often, these kids have been conditioned to believe that they are a burden. That they should just “be grateful for whatever they get.” That they do not have the right to want more. Not on our watch. So when Juliet's laptop started dying on her, she did exactly what we taught her to do. ➡️ She told her Mafia Mentor. ➡️ She explained the issue. ➡️ She asked if we could help. MY CRISIS OF FAITH As much as I wanted to snap my fingers and make it happen, I had a real dilemma. We have 44 scholars in our Mafia family right now. Every dollar we spend has to be strategic. Their basic needs: food, housing, school supplies have to come first. So Miracle Maker, I did not know if we had the budget to buy it. But if you know me, you also know this: ✔️ I am a woman of ridiculous faith. ✔️ I expect miracles. ✔️ I trust that God will show up. So I told Juliet’s Mafia Mentor: "Send me the exact laptop she is asking for. Let’s put it on the Adopt A Scholar list and see what happens." That laptop? It was nearly $700. I held my breath. THEN CAME THE MIRACLE A few days later, my phone buzzed. It was Misty, our Care Package Mafioso leader. Her text was short. "The laptop was bought!" Wait. Hold up. What?!? 💻 JULIET GOT THE EXACT LAPTOP SHE ASKED FOR. Not a cheaper version. Not a secondhand hand-me-down. Not some off-brand substitute. Miracle Maker, she got exactly what she asked for. Because an anonymous donor saw her worth. Our Fisk volunteer Care Package Mafiosos, Nicole and Lori, wrapped it up and delivered it like it was Christmas morning. And Juliet? Pure joy. Pure disbelief. Pure gratitude. 🎥 Watch her reaction below WHY THIS MOMENT MATTERS For their whole lives, these scholars have been told: "Take what you get and be grateful." "You do not need anything fancy." "You should be happy with whatever we give you." But for these four years, WE REFUSE TO LET THEM LIVE LIKE THAT. 💡 They deserve to dream big. 💡 They deserve to ask for what they need. 💡 They deserve to feel worthy of nice things. That is why Move-In Day Mafia exists. And that is why you...yes, YOU, Miracle Maker, are part of this miracle train. While writing this edition, I learned of another scholar at Lane College, Jackson TN, who needs a laptop as well. He showed up to school with only a backpack of clothes. If you can help make this miracle, please shoot an email to [email protected] and don't forget this month's #AdoptAScholar Week runs March 14-21, 2025! To be notified, scoot over to MoveInDayMafia.org/AdoptAScholar In the meantime... Here's this week's...  Your Life is a Sentence. Make it Worth Finishing. Every single morning, before my feet hit the floor, I ask God one thing--make me S.A.P. – Somebody’s Answered Prayer. Not for recognition. Not for applause. But because there’s always someone praying for what I take for granted. One day, people will talk about you in the past tense. I don’t say that to be morbid. I say that because you get to decide what they say. Will they struggle to find the words, or will your life be so impactful that the sentence writes itself? I don’t want a eulogy. I want a room full of voices finishing the sentence, ‘I am thankful that God used TeeJ to…’ So today, ask yourself: what will people say about how you showed up? And if you don’t like the answer, change the story while you still can. See you next week for more miracle reports. Feel free to share! 📌Hi I'm TeeJ, a joy-bringing, people-collecting keynote speaker (aka ‘The Walking Exclamation Point' and The World’s Greatest Hugger who somehow runs Move-In Day Mafia in the spare time I don’t have. 😜 Oh, and my storytelling? It’s been watched by millions because 25 years in Hollywood taught me how to make people feel something. 😉  One of our Move-In Day Mafia babies is about to experience a miracle firsthand—she’s headed to KENYA for Spring Break!
And yes, these are my babies. I said what I said. 😜 Why does this make me wanna happy cry and do the MC Hammer dance at the same time? (Oops, I just dated myself. LOL.) Because just a few years ago, this young woman’s reality looked nothing like this dream. 😞 She spent her entire life in foster care. 😞 She battled housing insecurity for years. 😞 She had no safety net, no guarantees, and no family to fall back on. But here’s the miracle… Against all odds, she made it. Not only did she become one of just 2,000 scholars (out of 40,000 applicants!) to get into my alma mater, THEE Howard University, she’s now thriving, serving as an RA, excelling academically, and about to leave the country on a Spring Break Travel Abroad program. That’s not luck. That’s a miracle! But miracles don’t happen in isolation. This moment is possible because people like YOU made sure she didn’t have to struggle through college the same way she struggled through life. ✅ Because Move-In Day Mafia showed up, she didn’t have to start school in survival mode. ✅ Because donors stepped up, she had the stability to dream bigger than just “getting by.” ✅ Because a village wrapped their arms around her, she’s now packing her bags for an experience that will change her life forever. THIS is why Move-In Day Mafia exists. THIS is why we show up. THIS is why your support creates real miracles. Right now, another scholar is dreaming of their own miracle. YOU can make it happen. Give now at MoveInDayMafia.org/Donate. |
AuthorTEEJ MERCER - TeeJ never set out to be an entrepreneur. She definitely didn’t plan to run a nonprofit. But after 25 years in Hollywood, editing and producing for major TV shows and movie studios, she saw a story that needed to be told. More importantly, she saw a PROBLEM that needed to be solved. Archives
May 2025
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