 Oooooweeee Mafia Miracle Makers!!! I'm jumping up and down cuz I've been itching for Friday to get there so I can tell you the good news that YOU are a part of. Today, we are celebrating FINISHING. Finishing through tears. Finishing through detours. Finishing through couch surfing. And finishing through a whole lot of “I don’t know how, but I'm not quitting.” Y'all! Last weekend, not one, BUT TWO MAFIA BABIES WALKED ACROSS THAT GRADUATION STAGE!!!!!!! You hear me, Miracle Maker? You screaming? You beaming? So yes...yes… this is a celebration edition. But it's also a “THIS is why Move-In Day Mafia exists” edition. Let's start with JS! Oh wait...Just in case you are new here. I'm TeeJ, founder of Move-In Day Mafia, a do-gooding outfit (nonprofit) that provides decked-out dorm rooms and monthly care packages for HBCU students who have aged out of foster care or are unhoused...and we take care of them for four years to graduation! J.S. MIRACLE AT THE FINISH LINE Last Friday, I woke up to a message that the person who had committed to covering the cap and gown for J.S., our graduating scholar at Prairie View A&M in Houston, TX, had become quiet. Unresponsive. And graduation was Saturday. 🤯 I grabbed my computer and sent out a slightly panicked email to our Mafia family email list telling them the problem, knowing J.S. was worried and stressed the day before her big day. That should not happen! But I know our Mafia family. They don't play 'bout our babies. To date, not one emergency request has ever gone unhandled (did I make up a word)...but no...never unhandled. And after everything J.S. had already survived this year, the thought that something as small as a cap and gown could keep her from walking that stage absolutely wrecked me. Depending on how long you've rocked with us, you might remember... Back in April, I had to send another emergency email about J.S. She'd reached out late at night because she had been told she had to leave from where she was couch surfing. Immediately. No warning. No backup plan. Because of you, Mafia moved fast. We got her somewhere safe. She caught her breath. And she pushed forward. So when this cap and gown situation popped up, it felt like the finish line was being dangled in front of her and then yanked away. Again. But then something beautiful happened. Y’all responded One of our admins had to put her other work on hold for several hours because so many of you hit our inbox asking to be the one to come through with the miracle. " I would be honored to buy it." “Let me handle it.” “I want to make sure she walks.” So we sent her the money. And at the very last minute, the original person came through with the money. But here is the part that will make you smile. Guess what J.S. did? She reached back out and told us she wanted to send the money back since the orginal person came through. Let that land. She did not have to do that. She could have stayed quiet. And given everything she has faced, no one would have questioned her if she had kept it. But that is not who she is. So I told her no. I wanted her to keep it as part of her graduation gift. A moment to celebrate herself. A reminder that she did not just survive this season. She finished it. J.S. GRADUAAAAAAAATED! She is officially a Prairie View A&M alum. Move-In Day Mafia has another graduate Miracle Maker. Another young woman who made it to the finish line with integrity, resilience, quiet strength… and YOU. HOW B.J. STARTED IS NOT HOW SHE FINISHED Before J.S. graced the stage on Saturday, we had B.J. take HER walk across the Savannah State University stage on Friday! And unlike some of our scholars whom we meet at the very beginning of their college journey, B.J. came to Move-In Day Mafia as a senior. We didn’t meet her at the starting line. We met her in the homestretch. And I was determined that the final miles of her race would not feel rushed, lonely, or overlooked. Because here’s the truth. B.J. has been running uphill for a long time. Her mother had her at fourteen and struggled with instability. She was placed with an aunt who battled addiction. After her aunt passed away, B.J. was left in the care of the aunt’s boyfriend. And when B.J. was twelve years old, that man began abusing her. That abuse continued for two years. TWO YEARS. Until... B.J. found the courage to tell a friend. That friend told someone else. And everything finally changed. There were foster placements. A mother in and out of prison. No relationship with her biological father. Years where consistency was rare, and safety was not guaranteed. And yet… somewhere around fifteen years old, B.J. made a decision. The world was not going to get to decide how her story ended. She leaned into school. She leaned into faith. She leaned into programs and people who could help her see past survival mode. And she kept going. She beat the odds to become a Biology major, carrying a dream of becoming an ER physician. When B.J. came to Move-In Day Mafia, she didn’t ask for extravagance. She asked for calm. Organization. Storage. Lighting. A blue blanket. A bed skirt to cover what she keeps under her bed. She said she wanted her room to feel like a sanctuary while she finished strong. And because of you, Miracle Maker, that’s exactly what she received. But more than items, she received something harder to quantify. She finished knowing she was not invisible. She walked across that stage on Friday knowing someone had been cheering for her in the last miles. Knowing she didn’t have to muscle through the ending alone. SHEEEEEE FINISHEEEEEED! SHE'S OFFICIALLY A SAVANNAH STATE ALUM!!  And this right here… this is why we do this. Not for the pictures. Not for the applause. But for moments like these, when two young women get to finish something that tried hard to stop them. There is so much pride in the Mafia family right now. I know you feel it. Now 'bout we hear...  Every month, when they send their wishlists, our babies also have to tell us what they are grateful for. Here's what J.B. said...  FROM OTHER STUDENTS...    This month marks one full year of Adopt A Scholar Week. And I don’t want to rush past that. For twelve straight months, you have shown up for these scholars when it mattered. Not when it was convenient. Not when it was flashy. But when real students needed real help. That’s why $25 gift cards matter. That’s why $10 matters. That’s why $1 matters. Because consistency is what changes outcomes. We have three days left in this month’s Adopt A Scholar Week. This round is Visa gift cards only because several of our scholars are couch surfing and need flexibility, not boxes. If you can grab a $25 gift card, please do. MoveInDayMafia.org/AdoptAScholar If that’s not in your budget, you can give any amount at: 👉🏽 MoveInDayMafia.org/donate This family doesn’t move based on equal amounts. We move based on equal commitment. What matters most is that no one carries this alone. Before I let you go… I want to thank you for walking this year with us. For reading. For giving. For caring. For showing up when it counted. As the holidays roll in, my hope is that you rest, laugh, eat something delicious, and feel surrounded by whatever “family” looks like for you. I’ll be taking a little pause to soak all of that in, too. But don’t get it twisted...we’re not slowing down. We’re just gathering ourselves for what’s next. I’ll see you in 2026, ready to keep building, loving, and moving miracles forward together. Until then… Hug yourself for me. Don't forget...by the 21st...MoveInDayMafia.org/AdoptAScholar  Hey Mafia Miracle Makers! This edition will be a little different. Usually, I try to stay scholar-focused, but this week please give me grace to go a bit off-script. Today’s edition might sound a little like I’m giving QVC energy or running a Home Shopping Network side hustle, but I promise. I just want to lift up a few folks who have held me down with Mafia. If you are new here...since 2022, Move-In Day Mafia has pulled up to HBCU campuses to provide decked-out dorm rooms and monthly care packages for students who have aged out of foster care or are unhoused. And todaaaaaaay... We are celebrating a few of the most loyal, faithful foundational volunteers this Mafia has ever seen… AND the products they've created that deserve to be wrapped under somebody’s Christmas tree. Because every single person I’m spotlighting today has known me looooooong before Move-In Day Mafia existed. They knew me when I was Hollywood TeeJ, then author/speaker TeeJ. They knew me before God tossed me into nonprofit life. They knew me when I was scared, overwhelmed, and absolutely convinced I was unqualified to create anything that didn't have anything to do with stories on TV. And they stayed. They supported. They covered me. They cheered while I evolved from a Hollywood veteran… to a woman answering a divine assignment… to the founder of an organization I still sometimes look at like, “Wait… God, you sure you meant me?” So no, this is not a self-promotion edition. This is a gratitude edition that just so happens to help you with your Christmas shopping. This is me saying: “These folks have held me down… so let me hold THEM up.” NIKKI KLUGH There are volunteers, and then there are vision carriers. And Nikki Klugh? She’s the latter.  Nikki caught the concept of Move-In Day Mafia about ten years before God ever birthed it. Back when I just had an idea for a dorm makeover TV show but knew the timing wasn’t right, Nikki said, “Whenever it becomes real, I’m in.” And baby… she meant that. When God finally gave me clarity on how Mafia was supposed to be born, Nikki didn’t hesitate. She slid right in like, “Let’s go. Let’s build this.” From day one, Nikki has been in the trenches with me. Her commitment has never wavered. Her heart has never shifted. Her excellence has never dipped. Because if you’ve ever seen a Move-In Day Mafia dorm room and wondered why it looks like a show on HGTV instead of a “bed-in-a-bag special”… it’s because Nikki Klugh Design Group designed it. Every single scholar room. Every theme. Every detail. Every moment meant to say, “This is YOUR sacred space.” That is Nikki. Her company, Nikki Klugh Design Group (NKDG), has transformed hundreds of spaces since 2003 into luxurious sanctuaries they call Sacred Spaces. Spaces created for healing, restoration, and calm. Spaces that celebrate your wins and remind you that you deserve beauty, comfort, and joy every day. NKDG is so good at what they do that they designed the National Headquarters for Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. They’ve been featured in HGTV, Home Depot, Fast Company, and more.  This is not regular-degular design. This is both budget-friendly and luxury. Design that breathes. Aesthetic that hugs you back. And if you want design tips or want to start creating a Sacred Space in your own home, start here: 👉 https://nikkiklughdesign.com/ PATRICE JOHNSON If you have ever emailed Move-In Day Mafia, chances are you’ve already met Patrice… even if you didn’t know it.  Patrice is our Mafia Admin. She answers every email with patience, clarity, and a kindness that makes people say, “Whoever this is… I love her.” I've known Patrice for like 20 years, and she has stuck beside me through every evolution of me. She has been holding me down looooooooong before Mafia existed. But here’s the fun part: Patrice is also a Paparazzi Accessories Consultant… and listen… if you or your cousin or your coworker or your kid’s teacher needs some cute, affordable, “I need to look pulled together on Zoom” jewelry… Patrice is your girl. Everything is $8. Yes, eight dollars.  Here’s her site if you want to support someone who supports this Mafia with her whole heart: 👉 www.paparazziaccessories.com/381571 ANDREA HARRISON Now listen… if Patrice is the calm in the chaos, Andrea is the megaphone in my miracle moments.  This woman has been with me since BEFORE Mafia… back when I was a media coach helping her dynamo daughter prep for her Steve Harvey Show appearance. And from that day to this one, Andrea's support has been LOUD, relentless, and rooted in love. This woman has been with me since BEFORE Mafia… back when I was a media coach helping her dynamo daughter prep for her Steve Harvey Show appearance. And from that day, Andrea's support has been LOUD, relentless, and rooted in love. Andrea is the first person I call when God drops one of His wild, outlandish ideas on me. She never blinks. Never doubts. Never says, “Girl, you sure?” She just goes, “Okay, let’s go then.” She has been one of my biggest cheerleaders for nearly a decade… in my ear, in my corner, pushing me when I’m scared, reminding me who I am when I forget. And I’ve watched HER evolve too. I watched her go from slinging five-dollar jewelry on Facebook Live (which is why I nicknamed her The BlingSlinger) to now hosting daily devotionals called Shine With Andrea every weekday at 10 am ET. If you want a word, a laugh, a check-in, a holy push, or all of the above… tune in here: 👉 https://www.facebook.com/ANDREASHINEHARRISON But yall… Andrea didn’t stop there. Andrea wrote a book. A POWERFUL book. A book so strong that powerhouse Marshawn Evans Daniels (former "The Apprentice" alum) herself wrote the foreword. It’s called Show Up & Shine, and it is a guide for every woman who is tired of shrinking, tired of doubting, tired of hiding her brilliance under humility that God did NOT ask for.  This book walks women from: • Hidden to seen • Burned out to bold • Exhausted to empowered Show Up & Shine is for the woman who knows she’s called… but needs the courage and clarity to actually step into it. You can grab it and learn more about Andrea here: 👉 https://shinewithandrea.com/ MINA STARKS If you have ever seen a Move-In Day Mafia room and wondered how Nikki’s gorgeous design turned into real-life magic on a campus thousands of miles from her office, let me introduce you to the woman who makes the vision hit the floor. Mina is the boots-on-the-ground genius. The detail doula. The “I know it’s 10 pm, but let’s go to one more TJMaxx just in case” queen. When it comes to Mafia, if you see me, you can bet money Mina is somewhere near, watching my back, pushing this mission as hard as I do. She travels with me. She gets in the trenches with me. She has been on wild, “Are we lost or is this still a road” adventures with me.  We have missed flights together (plural)… And still found a way to laugh until our sides hurt. But here is what makes her special: Mina will not, under any circumstances, skimp on a scholar’s room. She will hunt down the perfect throw pillow or lamp that ties the whole thing together. She will add her creative flow to Nikki’s designs so each room feels personalized. Because Mina believes what we believe: Dignity lives in the details. And she makes sure every scholar walks into a room that whispers: “We see you.” “We thought about you.” “You matter.” But let me brag on her other lane… Mina and her husband Raymond, run Stir and Mixxes, a luxury candle company born straight outta love and ambiance mastery. Their hand-poured soy candles aren’t just pretty… they transform rooms. They shift moods. They soften your whole atmosphere like you just stepped into your own personal sacred space.  They are clean, long-lasting, mood-setting, and downright addicting. If you need a Christmas gift that says “I want my house to smell like peace and luxury,” go grab a candle at StirAndMixxes.com. LATERRA WISE Mafia Miracle Maker, I need you to pause right here and whisper a quick prayer for LaTerra. Why? Because she is the one who talks to me every single day. God bless her. She gets all sides of TeeJ. Morning TeeJ. Night-owl TeeJ. “I got a wild idea” TeeJ. “I’m overwhelmed” TeeJ. “I got this… but I actually don't.” TeeJ. And somehow… SOMEHOW… she still loves me. LaTerra is the string to my helium balloon. When my imagination takes off running full speed, she is the calm, steady “Okay, let’s make this make sense first.” She is the rationale to my glitter. The grounded to my giddy. The soft landing to my dramatic free-falls. And when she and Mina are boots on the ground together? Whew. Chile. That is a dynamic duo that deserves its own Marvel movie.  But the story I must share one day… is the time I was trying to be “helpful” on a build and worked their last nerve. Next thing I know… these two dynamos had exiled me to the hallway to guard the trash. GUARD. THE. TRASH. Since when does trash need security? I was out there like a confused bouncer for a bag of old bedding. I still cackle thinking about it. But here’s the real deal… LaTerra doesn’t just support Mafia. She LOOOOOOVES Mafia. She mothers our scholars with a tenderness that cannot be taught. She listens between the words. She notices what they didn’t say. She carries their hearts like they matter… because to her, they do. She is truly the emotional heartbeat of this organization. And when she’s not holding me together or pouring into our scholars, she’s out here helping women step out of survival mode and into purpose. Her coaching, her writing, her speaking… all of it is drenched in wisdom and compassion.  Her newest book, “Unmasked: A 31 Day Journey to Peace, Deep Healing, and True Freedom,” plus her other books and her brand-new coloring book, can be found right here: 👉🏽 Amazon Link: [LaTerra Wise Books] And listen… if you’ve got a sister-friend, coworker, mama, mentee, niece, or auntie who is stepping into a new season… One of LaTerra’s books would make the PERFECT Christmas gift. It’s encouragement. It’s healing. It’s hope… wrapped up in pages. And if you want to grab one of her coaching packages, check out https://laterrawise.com/ to learn more. So that’s my little love letter to the Day Ones who have held me up, prayed me through, built beside me, and helped turn a wild God assignment into a full-blown movement. If you still need Christmas gifts… listen… support these folks. They have poured into me, into Mafia, and into our scholars with their whole hearts. The least I can do is shine a little light back on them and invite you to do the same. And thank you… truly… for indulging me this week. For letting me brag on the people who were the backbone of this work long before there were dorm rooms, care packages, or national fundraisers. It means more than you know. Now…shifting back to the babies... #AdoptAScholar Week kicks off December 14th! December looks a lot like summer for many of our scholars. Several are couch-surfing, navigating unstable housing, or headed home to environments that aren’t safe. Therefore, this month, just like Summer Survival Season, we will be providing ONLY Visa gift cards so they can buy what they need where they are… food, hygiene, warmth, transportation… survival. Each scholar gets $200 in gift cards. Read the stories. Share the link...MoveInDayMafia.org/AdoptAScholar And if you can… pick up even one $25 gift card and help us love these students well. Hug yourself for me!  Hey Mafia Miracle Makers, In last week's edition, I told you all about heading to London with my mom to officiate the wedding of Amber and Alex. Well...it's done and the verdict is in on how I did. But first, just in case you're new here. I'm TeeJ Mercer, Hollywood veteran and founder of the nonprofit Move-In Day Mafia. We provide decked out dorm rooms and monthly care packages for HBCU students who have aged out of foster care. Move-In Day Mafia started in miracles, but before there were scholars… before there were dorm rooms… before there were care packages… There was someone God placed in my life long before I even knew I’d need her. THE MIRACLE NAMED AMBER When God moved me from Los Angeles to Atlanta in 2020, before the world locked down, He didn’t tell me what I was moving to do. I just had to have faith. He didn’t tell me a single detail for two years. He just whispered, “Everybody you need is already in position; they are just waiting to be activated.” I had no clue who He meant. Fast forward to May 2022. I finally shared on Facebook that God had given me this wild assignment of creating Move-In Day Mafia. Within minutes, I got a text from Amber.  And just like that, God revealed one of the people He’d promised. From day one, Amber has been right beside me. Not behind me… beside me. Helping me build systems… policies… procedures… structures… all the things my right-brain creative heart never cared to do. Mafia would not be what it is today without her. Periodt. So when my phone buzzed one day and Amber said, “Hey… I need a favor,” it was an instant yes. No questions asked. But then she hit me with, “Hold on… You might need to pray about it.” Ma’am… why would you say that? Now my nerves are tap dancing. Because what kind of favor needs PRAYER? =>> A transplant? =>> An alibi? =>> Somebody need to disappear? =>> Do I need to bring bail money? Then she dropped the bomb: “Alex and I want you to officiate our wedding.” I’m sorry… Say what now? WHAT in dee entire hell?! Have you MET me? Where in my résumé does it say “l can marry humans”? What wedding have I EVER attended where someone walked out saying, “You know who should do THIS next time? TeeJ.” ME??? And that kicked off six months of me texting her like clockwork: “Hey sis… yall come to your senses yet?” And baby… let me tell you… First time officiating a wedding. In London.  And the reviews? Straight fire. “Best officiant ever.” “Absolutely brilliant.” “This couldn’t be your first time.” “I loved every minute.” And yes, I am absolutely about to pimp myself out to bring in money for Move-In Day Mafia. If you want your wedding blessed, laughed through, AND on schedule… call your girl. London Adventures: Two Dreams Unlocked Officiating a whole wedding in London was wild enough, but I had two missions while I was there. Non-negotiable missions. Mission One: 221B Baker Street. Yall… I cannot stress this enough. I have been OBSESSED with the Benedict Cumberbatch Sherlock Holmes series. The man got me in a chokehold with that coat flip and that fast-talking brilliance. So the SECOND my black cab turned the corner and I saw that iconic black door, I swear something in my spirit LEAPT. I squealed. Out loud. Like somebody was handing me front-row Prince tickets. It was surreal. The energy. The nostalgia.  Mission Two: See the horses from TikTok that bite people. The horses that guard the royals… the ones who warn hard-headed tourists who get too close with one side-eye before they snap like they’re saying, “Didn’t I tell you don’t touch me?” I just needed to see them in real life. Tall. Regal. Unbothered. Giving, “Try me if you want to… I bite.”  Checked the wedding and both missions off the list. My cup of joy was full with seeing the love of Amber and Alex Aziza Hewitt culminate in this moment.  GOOD NEWS  CHALLENGES  You know what London taught me, Miracle Maker?  Sometimes you say yes to something that makes ZERO sense, simply because someone you trust believes in you.
Amber believed I could officiate her wedding before I ever did. So I borrowed her faith until mine caught up. And here’s the thing… I knew she didn’t choose me to be some cookie-cutter, stand-there-and-whisper officiant. She chose ME. TeeJ. The woman who walks loud and laughs louder. So I showed up as myself. Not the “proper” officiant version. Not the “maybe-I-should-tone-it-down” version. ME. And baby… the moment she picked “Let’s Get It Started” as my entrance song? Game over. That was my confirmation that what was required… was authenticity. Here’s the encouragement for you: When a dream calls you higher, don’t shrink to fit the moment. Expand. Rise. Be fully you. Borrow someone else’s belief if you need to. Hold their faith until yours gets legs. But step. Move. Start. Because on the other side of your YES… is a version of you that you didn’t even know you could meet. And before I leave you this week… A little heart talk. Earlier this week, we kicked off our #KeepTeeJOffThePole campaign, and the love that started coming in reminded me of something I say all the time… Mafia moves differently. We don’t wait for the perfect moment or the perfect headline. We show up because that’s who we are. And we are marching boldly toward the goal that will change everything for our scholars… 1,000 monthly donors by Move-In Season 2026. Why does that number matter? Because when 1,000 people give every month… Students who grew up counting losses will finally get to count on something. Kids who’ve had more caseworkers than birthday candles will have a safety net they can actually feel. And Mafia will be able to say YES to scholars without hesitation. And here’s the part that matters most… It does not matter if someone gives $1 or $100. Family is family. Impact is impact. And when we all pull together according to our own budgets, our scholars get to breathe easier. So if this mission moves you… If these stories stir something in you… If you’ve ever whispered “somebody should help these babies”… I’m asking you to be that somebody today. 💛 Set up a monthly contribution at any level that fits your heart and your household 💛 Like, share, and comment on this newsletter so more people discover what Mafia is doing 💛 Invite one person to join us See you next week! |
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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