 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! |
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
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