We hope that everyone is fired up and ready to get a jumpstart on being productive today while enjoying this beautiful weather!

This past weekend The Aero-Ba-Soul, Inc. family celebrated Black Family Day (BFD) with our Jack and Jill of America, Inc. Mid-Hudson Valley Chapter Mother Members, Auxiliary Fathers, Youth, Teens, Family and Friends. BFD Chair Dawanna Veneable and her BFD Committee Members including Technology Chair Janice Thompson did an absolutely beautiful job executing our 2021 MHVC Black Excellence Black Family Day! They are truly very special sistahfriends to our family!

Thanks to our MHVC Jack and Jill chapter for an amazing photo shoot gift. Kendall had a great time at his “Boys to Man” photo shoot at Peekskill’s Riverfront recently.

Mid-Hudson Valley Chapter Dad and Professional Photographer Herb Walton did a phenomenal job capturing the beautiful essence of our graduating mothers and teens.

You can check out Herb’s great work at www.pixbyherb.com. Just tell him that Kecia sent you. Thank you Herb for bringing out the true spirit, gentle soul and handsome genes of our son.

Our son Kyle was recognized at BFD for achieving 100% attendance this year for attending all his required meetings and chapter activities! Congratulations and great job Kyle!

Kyle recently was also recently featured as a guest journals in the April 2021 Issue of River Journal North. He did an excellent job interviewing his fellow teammates and Peekskill’s awesome Athletic Director on their thoughts on the New Torpy Field in Peekskill.

Read the April 2021 Issue of River Journal North – River Journal Online – News for Tarrytown, Sleepy Hollow, Irvington, Ossining, Briarcliff Manor, Croton-on-Hudson, Cortlandt and Peekskill

Enjoy taking a trip down memory lane and click here for highlights from Kendall’s Mid-Hudson Valley Jack and Jill Journey. Where did the time go?

Check the Jack and Jill Mid-Hudson Valley Chapter website.

Our chapter has accomplished many great things this year under the leadership of our dedicated MHVC President De-Angela Watt including 5 Star Chapter status! Each member of our chapter contributed to this achievement. Our family is thankful and appreciates your friendship and circle of sistahfriendship since 2009 when both our families joined MHVC chapter back in 2009. It has been a pleasure for Historian Kecia to serve on our MHVC’s Executive Board. I had a great time producing our annual BFD Scrapbook featuring memorable moments of each of our MHVC beautiful families!

Aero-Ba-Soul, Inc’s CEO Kecia Palmer-Cousins and her entrepreneur sistahfriend Ellen Hilton did just that last Friday.  They went to show support and love to their fellow sistahfriend Sherry Grimes Jenkins whose beautiful floral designs were showcased at the Macy’s Flower Show. Sherry is a Botanical Gardens trained floral designer and was a guest designer at the Macy’s Flower Show. Congratulations Sherry on a job well done!

Sherry Grimes-Jenkins has loved flowers since she was a kid gardening in her native Barbados. She’s cultivated that interest, learning floral & plant design at the New York Botanical Garden. Then, Sherry opened EMY Custom Flowers in 1999, where she creates beautiful bouquets for all kinds of special events & occasions with blooms from around the world.

Cities and businesses are slowly opening up after last year’s global pandemic.  Be safe, check out and do your research regarding the vaccinations and get vaccinated if you can.

Meanwhile, let’s continue to thank our essential workers including our dedicated teachers! 

Today’s Students Tomorrow’s Teachers (TSTT) was founded by Chief Executive Officer Dr. Bettye H. Perkins in 1994. With her enormous passion

to open doors for young people, Dr. Perkins established TSTT as a tax-exempt, independent 501 (c) (3) organization in 1999. TSTT is chartered by the New York State Board of Regents. TSTT is a unique school-based mentoring program that recruits and mentors culturally diverse and economically challenged high school students who are interested in pursuing a career in teaching. TSTT provides financial assistance for students to attend college, and places them as teachers and leaders who will inspire and strengthen their communities.

With the support of school districts, colleges, corporations and communities, TSTT has grown from seven students in one Westchester County, New York high school to nearly 1,150 participants, including: 478 high school students in four states, 390 college students across the United States and over 250 teachers in nine states who serve as role models in their communities. We have 23 partnering colleges that have agreed to assist in supporting TSTT students throughout their college education with a minimum 50% tuition scholarship.

Congratulations and a very, special thank you to Dr. Perkins for all that she and her amazing TSTT team has done to assist so many youth as their pursue

their dreams of becoming teachers.

Kecia and Kevin’s sons Kendall and Kyle have been student tutor members of TSTT for the past few years. Kendall will receive The Lois Bronz Award at today’s ceremony from Lois Bronz’s daughter Francine! Congratulation again Kendall!

Join us in celebrating TSTT High School and College Graduates and our TSTT Honorees. May 20th, 2021 4:00 pm -5:30 pm. Click here to register. Once registered, a zoom link will be sent to you before the event.

Below are some networks and resources that Minority Women Owned Business Enterprises and small business owners can connect with to help them get through these challenging times. We’ve got your back!

Many minority and women business enterprise entrepreneurs use their local, County and State Agencies to stay current and tap into potential resources and procurement opportunities for their businesses and their communities. Getting MWBE Certified and procuring government contracts can help MWBEs build their businesses! Grants and loans are also parts of MWBEs portfolios to grow their businesses.

If you'd like assistance determining eligibility or understanding different requirements before applying for a grant, contact Pace University to schedule a no-cost, 1:1 business counseling session with a business advisor.

The Village Recovery Grant Program will provide $10,000 of working capital to at least ten (10) storefront businesses who have been impacted by COVID-19 and are located in the Greenwich Village, East Village, or West Village neighborhoods. Click here for more information.

The Brooklyn Public Library’s Annual PowerUP! Business Plan Competition provides Brooklyn-based startup entrepreneurs with the opportunity to win seed money. Grant awards include $20,000 for the first place winner, $10,000 for the second place and $5,000 for third place. Click here for more information.

1010 WINS is partnering with Dime Community Bank to launch a Small Business $10K Challenge where the grand prize winner gets a $10,000 grant to relaunch, rebuild or expand their business. Click here for more information.

The Artwork Archives Art Business Accelerator Grant awards visual artists with cash grants of $2,500 each and educational resources to grow and manage their art careers. Click here for more information.

The Harlem Entrepreneurial Fund is dedicated to providing capital and technical assistance to ensure successful recovery for small businesses in the Bronx, Harlem, Upper Manhattan, and surrounding communities during these unprecedented times as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Hennessy Never Stop Never Settle Society Acceleration Fund invests in and empowers Black entrepreneurs who make a lasting impact on their community. Twenty recipients will receive $50k high-impact funding and membership in the Never Stop Never Settle Society.

Representation, Investment, Strength and Empowerment. These are the cornerstones of Comcast RISE, a multi-year commitment to provide marketing, creative, media, and technology services to Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC)-owned small businesses. We are committed to supporting small businesses who have been hit the hardest by the economic impact of the pandemic.

Black businesses are vital to our economy and are amongst the hardest hit by the impacts of the pandemic. Fearless Fund and Mastercard are partnering to launch the Fearless Strivers Grant Contest - aimed at helping black female business owners across the country. Together we will be awarding a total of seven lucky small businesses $10,000 each to help them continue to build and grow their business. Don’t miss your chance!

1524 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10031

212.491.9640

Have a safe and great week! Stay connected with us so you stay connected! Follow us on our social media! We will get through the year end of 2021 together! We thank each and everyone of you for your continued support and business!

Aero-Ba-Soul, Inc! We help MWBEs focus on the health and wellness of their business! Let’s get it done, in 2021! We are here for you! Just give us a call at 914-737-7237 or schedule a consultation with us at www.aerobasoul.com.

You’ll be glad that you did!

Special shout out to our parents, family and friends for your continued love and support to us!

Do something nice for someone today in honor of a Teacher today! Thank a teacher today!

You’ll be glad that you did! We thank our teachers for the dedication, support and love that they all poured into us!

You can also visit our website at www.aerobasoul.com or email Kecia at kecia@aerobasoul.com.