Sisterspeak

ABOUT US

SisterSpeak Online Magazine is a unique, online lifestyle magazine that celebrates the lives and experiences of Black women, and all women, the world over. Our goal is to inform, inspire and empower women of all ages to live lives of boundless beauty, passion, power and purpose. In the process, we hope to build an international community of women bound together by shared experience, and a common language of purpose, strength, creativity, perseverance, healing, and unconditional love.

SisterSpeak Online is the soul-creation of Founding Editor Lisa Peyton-Caire, a gifted writer, songwriter, vocalist, educator, mother, and self-described “seeker of truth & beauty”. Lisa gave birth to SisterSpeak just a few years ago during a period of personal struggle and deep reflection which forced her to confront some of life’s most painful realities. Compelled to reach out to other women with a message of hope--and to gain strength in the process, she began by sharing weekly email “newsletters” with close friends and family. Since that time, SisterSpeak Online has grown to reach a wide audience of readers from across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, cutting across age groups, professions, and political and religious boundaries.

When asked to describe SisterSpeak’s appeal to its diverse audience, Ms. Peyton-Caire explains:

“SisterSpeak is more than an online magazine, but a community of "sisters" where our voices, our stories, our struggles, and our achievements can be shared in a spirit of love, support, understanding, and affirmation. It’s also a place where we can have a little fun, and share our many interests and concerns with one another. I think SisterSpeak’s appeal comes from the fact that we are a community of real women, everyday women of many walks of life, coming together in the same space to talk about, contemplate, and hopefully act on the things that concern and inspire us. To do this collectively in the company of sisters can be a healing, comforting, and rejuvenating experience.”

Ms. Peyton-Caire first learned of the healing nature of sisterhood as a little girl growing up in the midst of a loving matriarchy comprised of her grandmother, mother, and aunts. In one of her many memoirs, she fondly recounts the occasions in which she sat in the “warmth of melodic sisterspeak” in her grandmother’s living room:

My mother was one of four sisters, the eldest a registered nurse, and the other three (including mom) were cosmetologists, or beauticians as they called it. In the days of my fondest memories (70's-80's), nearly every beauty shop in Richmond, Virginia was closed on Mondays. So my mother and her sisters would gather in my Grandmother's living room to talk, laugh, gossip, recount the events of the last week, and to re-charge for the busy week ahead. They each worked long, grueling hours requiring that they stand and engage clients for up to 12 hours a day...sometimes more. But all were at ease in Grandma's living room. On occasion there would be tears, sometimes of joy, other times of sadness. Each woman experienced her own victories and moments of personal triumph and achievement. Likewise, each endured her measure of financial strain, marriage strife, health challenges, and other trials over the years. But whatever the circumstances, whatever the occasion, they all left Grandma's house rejuvenated having laid their burdens down in a circle of unconditional sisterly love.

Ms. Peyton-Caire’s Grandmother Bertha Ann Dandridge

Lisa Peyton-Caire,
Founding Editor

Ms. Peyton-Caire’s Mother, Roberta Ann Peyton

Inspired by her late Mother, Grandmother, and countless other heroines, Ms. Peyton-Caire offers SisterSpeak in an effort to “pay homage to the many beautiful, fiercely powerful, and determined women who have so deeply and eternally impacted each of us with their love, their wisdom, their spirit, and their beauty”. Likewise SisterSpeak is a gift to women everywhere, and stands as a testimony of the enduring strength of our foremothers, and to we, their daughters, who continue to walk in faith & purpose as we find our own way.

We welcome you to our community, and invite you to uncover and freely share your voice, your purpose, and your passions…among sisters.

--The SisterSpeak Team

OUR TEAM

Lisa Peyton-Caire is the co-founder and president of K.L. Caire Companies, a Maryland-based corporation committed to empowering children and adults to lead healthy and productive lives. K.L. Caire’s holdings include K.L. Caire Consulting, and Black Beauty Ventures which offers beauty, wellness & lifestyle products for women and girls. Most notable among Black Beauty’s projects is the SisterSpeak Online Magazine, an online publication for women of color whose readership spans the U.S., Canada, and the United Kingdom.

Ms. Peyton-Caire is a self-proclaimed alumnus of Hampton University where she attended for three years prior to transferring to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She holds a Bachelors of Science in Sociology and a Masters of Science in Educational Administration from the UW-Madison.

A gifted writer, educator, and entrepreneur, Ms. Peyton-Caire has served in a number of leadership roles over the last 15 years spanning Pre-K through post-secondary education, all while raising her own young family with husband Kaleem. The two met and married at Hampton University and have four children.

Ms. Peyton-Caire began her career as a counselor, working extensively with children and families with a particular passion for helping women, girls, and underserved youth of all backgrounds unleash their hidden potential. Regarded for her vision, leadership, and ability to impact others, Ms. Peyton-Caire has led and/or pioneered many successful initiatives that continue to enrich the lives of young people including leadership development and pre-college preparatory programs for young women and first generation college students. She is the co-founder and former director of the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s highly successful Information Technology Academy (ITA), a pre-college technology training & college access program for first generation college students; and most recently served as Assistant Head of School of the 800+ student Hyde Leadership Public Charter School in Washington, D.C., a K-12 college preparatory school.

A tireless advocate for educational quality and opportunity , she continues to consult in the field of education and is a founding member alongside her husband, of the Next Generation Education Foundation, a Maryland-based non-profit dedicated to the academic and social development of young men. The couple was recently honored with a Forward Under Forty Award by the University of Wisconsin Alumni Association for their contributions and acheivements in education.

Despite these and other achievements, Ms. Peyton-Caire admits that writing is her first love, and her family her first priority. The launch of SisterSpeak Online Magazine not only marks the realization of a long-held dream to create a forum that brings voice to the lives and experiences of Black women, but also an opportunity to carve a new path of purposeful creativity in her own life.

A Virginia native, Ms. Peyton-Caire currently resides in Maryland with her husband and children.

CONTRIBUTORS

Quintel M. Freeman-Allen is a technical librarian and researcher who holds dear a personal and professional commitment to self empowerment through information research, experiential learning and sustainable development. She holds a Bachelors of Arts in English from Hampton University, a Masters of Science in Library and Information Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a three-year tour of duty in Zimbabwe, Africa with the Peace Corps. She resides in the DC Metro Area with her husband and daughter.

Valarie E. Davis

Valarie E. Davis is the President of Venterprises Realty Group in Silver Spring, MD and brings over 12 years of experience in the real estate industry to help her clients achieve their goals. Ms. Davis is also a Representative with Citigroup's Primerica Financial Services subsidiary, and is a published author, professional speaker, workshop facilitator and entrepreneur for more than 15 years. Valarie earned her Bachelor of Science in Finance from Boston University, her MBA in Marketing from the University of Michigan, and her law degree from Georgetown University.

Lizette Llanos is a Mortgage Professional with AVision Residential Solutions LLC, in Maryland. 100% of her professional time is dedicated to providing her clients with various mortgage and home equity/lines of credit options, as well as strategies to meet their financial goals. She currently conducts educational seminars on protecting your credit, homeownership, budget planning, and the home-buying process in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, and the US Virgin Islands, her hometown. Ms. Llanos is a former Language Arts teacher, and has taught widely in Maryland and the District of Columbia school systems. Her work with young people continues through numerous volunteer efforts.

Nichelle Nichols is multi-talented professional and artistic soul whose gifts range from the conventional to the truly eclectic. A gifted writer and spoken word artist, Nichelle began her creative career as a trained dancer & choreographer. Her professional work has also included extensive experience in marketing and development, and youth & family counseling. A native of Madison, Wisconsin, Nichelle has traveled widely and has lived on both the east and west coasts. She is a proud alumnus of Morgan State University where she completed three years of studies prior to transferring back to her hometown. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Family & Consumer Journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Master of Science in Business Management from Cardinal Stritch University. She currently works for the Office of Multicultural Arts Initiatives at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and is the proud mother of four sons ranging in age from 5 - 14 years.

Tammy L. Lewis is a writer and child & family counselor for a non- profit organization based in Memphis, TN whose mission is to help children and families live successfully. She is also an active member in her community serving as a PTA secretary and a member of the Women’s Encouragement Ministry for her church. Tammy holds a Master’s degree in counseling and a Bachelor’s degree in psychology from Loyola University of New Orleans. She is a member of the Tennessee Counseling Association, and resides in Memphis, TN with her son.

Kamane Malvo Marshall is a newlywed with a new found wisdom about love, life, and spirituality. As a promoter of size acceptance, her boldness and honesty encourages women to be empowered to love themselves just as they are. Kamane's publications include Small World Newsletter, Double Dare Press, BlackMarket.com, Betty Magazine, The Sacramento Observer, San Francisco Independent, and The Pioneer Newspaper. She is currently working on a novel. She can be contacted at kamanemarshall@live.com .

Dorna Carrington Scott is an Organizational Development Consultant in Atlanta, Georgia. She also conducts leadership training for the Georgia Leadership Institute through the Georgia Merit System. Her company, Venus Media Group, reaches out to women of all ages, races, and socioeconomic status, in order to assist them to forge new directions in their lives. She is a divorced mother of one extraordinary son, and is an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Dorna is also a member of Sisters Loving God and Each Other Ministry in St. Croix, and attributes her enlightenment to Pastor Dianne Canegata.

Minister Stephanie Marie Graham is a multifaceted woman with a heart for service. She has served as a facilitator, workshop presenter, and coordinator for youth and women initiatives. Ms. Graham currently serves as the Program Coordinator for Powerful Beyond Measure (PBM), a non-profit organization formed to implement innovative programs and advocacy efforts focusing on youth development, aiding lower-income families and supporting goodwill initiatives. Ms. Graham is also a trained dancer, an actress, writer and certified youth development coordinator. She loves working with young people and in relationship building with women.

Stephanie grew up in Northeast, Washington, DC and was educated in the Archdiocese of Washington Catholic Schools. She attended Prince Georges Community College for a year before joining the United States Navy in 1989, after which time she relocated to Maryland to further her studies. She is currently majoring in business with plans to graduate in 2007. Stephanie is the proud mother of two daughters ages 16 and 7, and “loves the Lord and is willing to serve Him” wherever she is sent.