 Ooooooweeeee, I've been itching to tell you this for a week. And if you are new here... Real quick... Move-In Day Mafia is my nonprofit that provides decked out dorm rooms and monthly care packages for HBCU students who have aged out of foster care, are unhoused or grapple with severe financial hardships. Now, back to our miracle. Early November last year, out of the blue, I got an email from a woman named Jackie from The Container Store. She had an offer that stopped me dead in my tracks.  Wait. What??? I had to clean my glasses to make sure I was reading right. Plus, Container Store is Mafia's interior designer, Nikki Klugh's favorite store. But get this...Follow-up emails revealed it was nearly 800 sheet sets, along with underbed storage containers and laundry bag backpacks! The exact stuff our scholars need! This kind of donation would take a massive load off our budget for years. But there was one problem. It was an answered prayer wrapped in a logistical nightmare. 🤔 Where would we store them? 🤔 How would we get them from Dallas to Atlanta? 🤔 We don’t have the budget to handle a gift this big. I didn’t want to say no. But my non-logistical butt got nauseous just thinking about it. Knowing there was no way we could handle this much, I resolved that I would just try to accept a few. That would be better than nothing. Every little bit helps, right? I reached out to a few of our Dallas volunteers and asked if they had room to store a few sets of sheets. A few said yes. Then. The holidays hit, and communication paused for a while. TURNS OUT, THAT DELAY WAS DIVINE TIMING. Fast forward to the top of this year. I was trying to set up our Adopt A Scholar wishlists on Amazon and ran into a snag. So I called our Amazon advocate, Terreta, for help. (Backstory: Amazon already gave us $10,000 last year, and they rolled in to help with move-in day at Clark Atlanta and Morehouse, too. Solid partners from day one.) Terreta introduced me to her colleague Mia, who works on Amazon’s Local Good team. I thought meeting Mia was just gonna fix my account hiccup. Mia started explaining her role, and I’ll be honest…I wasn’t tracking at first. So I asked her to break it down in real talk. She said: “Let’s say you’ve got a donor in another city who wants to give you something, and you need to get it to Atlanta. We can help with that.” I stopped cold. LaTerra, my assistant who was on the Zoom with me, saw it in my eyes the minute it registered. I repeated it slowly to Mia, just to be sure: “You mean... if The Container Store in Dallas wants to donate 1,000 sheet sets and supplies, y’all could transport them to Atlanta…for FREE?” Mia, cool as ever: “Yep.” If you know me, then you know what happened next. All professionalism went out the door, and I LOST IT! I started jumping up and down cuz I knew…I knew that if this part was solved, then there was no way God was not gonna let me see the miracle all the way through. THE HEAVY MACHINERY MELTDOWN But it still was tricky. The shipment wasn’t coming in boxes, it was coming on giant pallets.  Which meant we’d need: 🤔 A storage facility with a loading dock 🤔 A forklift 🤔 A pallet jack 🤔 And a forklift driver I didn’t have access to any of that. And I was back to wondering if this miracle was going to fall through. While I was working on the machinery, I knew it would take People Power to get the stuff up in a storage unit...a storage unit that we didn't even have at the time. Something else I had to figure out...how much storage would actually be needed? LawdHamMussyGeezus my brain. I decided...do the easy stuff and start working on volunteers. So I made a call to our Atlanta Best Buy buddy who manages the Morrow, GA store. Ed had already gone hard for us during Clark Atlanta and Morehouse’s move-in day too. So I asked if he had volunteers who could help us unload the truck if I figured out the machinery aspect. That’s all I was asking for. Volunteers. THREE MULTIBILLION-DOLLAR ORGS… ONE BIG YES Ed had bigger plans. When I explained what I was working on, in his calm, steady bass-filled voice, he goes, “Ms. TeeJ... let me work for you.” And just like that, God flipped the whole script. Ed took the wheel from there. No more of me worried about loading docks, forklifts, pallet jacks, and forklift drivers. Ed took it all and coordinated directly with The Container Store and Amazon. At one point, I was watching the email exchange in awe that not one, not two, but THREE multi-BILLION dollar orgs came together for Mafia!!! Like what??? I didn’t even know I could pray for something like this. The pallets were delivered to his Best Buy store in Morrow.  His team broke everything down and repackaged it. Then Amazon sent another truck to pick up the boxes and delivered them directly to our storage unit, unloading them too.  I was no real help to the process by then. I got to watch in awe as people did what only God could’ve orchestrated. AND THEN… A BONUS BLESSING And just when I thought that was the end of it? Ed hit me with one last miracle: “There’s a grant connected to this,” he told me. "Move-In Day Mafia will receive a $500 donation.”  Now listen. I don’t understand why Best Buy decided to pay us for letting them help... I don’t have to understand why. I just need to be grateful. We got to accept AAAAAAAALL of Container Store's generosity with Amazon's and Best Buy's help.  IN MY BRITNEY SPEARS VOICE... "Oops... y’all did it again!" Okay okay okay—I know that’s corny, and you gotta be a certain age to appreciate it, but I’m not stopping me from hollering: Y’ALL. DID. IT. AGAIN. For the second month in a row, every single Adopt A Scholar wishlist got bought out. Let me say that one more time for the people scrolling fast: 📦 TWO STRAIGHT MONTHS of every scholar covered. 💳 Gift cards sent. 📬 Needs met. 🙌 Miracles made. And this one hits extra hard because we’re in what we call Summer Survival Season—when most of our scholars are no longer on campus and many are dealing with housing instability or food insecurity. That’s why, from May through August, we switch from Amazon packages to $25 Visa gift cards so our scholars can buy what they need wherever they are. The goal? $200 per scholar, per month. And thanks to y’all, our scholars aren't missing a beat. Whether you adopted a scholar, shared the link, or just sent us good vibes, you were part of this miracle. It takes a village, but let’s be honest… It takes a Mafia to move this fast. And you handled it.  Yesterday, I found out that I didn't get an opportunity I really wanted for Move-In Day Mafia. Yet! I felt bummed all of 5 minutes, and more so because that application took me daaaaaaaays. In this season, I "win" a lot. But I'm no stranger to losing... a lot! However, I've also lived long enough to develop the spiritual maturity to know can't nobody stop ANYTHING that God has determined is mine. So I dust my shoulders off and keep it pushing. But! Get this... I opened LinkedIn right after I saw the "losing" email. Y’all, guess what... I was tagged in a post informing me I had won $500 cash ‘cause my comment was one of three favorite comments from a virtual summit I listened in on. $500 cash! For meeeeeeee... not Mafia! 😂😂😂😂 I've learned that every “no” has already been filtered through the hands of a God who loves you too much to let you settle. So stand 10 toes down in trust. If it were truly yours, you’d have it. If not? That just means better is on the way. That's it for this week! Don't forget to subscribe and like, comment and repost. As always, volunteer and donate at MoveInDayMafia.org. We've opened applications for 2025-2026 school year and we're gonna need your help!  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! |
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
January 2026
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