Portia Powell and daughter, left; Paris Johnson, forensic scientist and entrepreneur, middle, and Andrea Cook, right make moves as millennial mothers.
It is no secret that moms get things done. From parenthood to managing careers, mothers have been juggling a delicate balance between various aspects of life. While it is a challenge, some mothers wear their hats with ease. This Mother’s Day, the Michigan Chronicle honors three mothers who are excelling in business and motherhood.
Paris Johnson, 30: forensic scientist and entrepreneur. Owner of Shooting Starr Studios, Big Fluffy Fro and PaCha Designz.
Mother to one daughter, aged 3.
Best parenting advice: To not be afraid to ask for help. Dangerous tropes such as “strong Black woman” can sometimes make women feel less adequate if they ask for help. It takes a village to raise a child, utilize your resources and don’t feel bad about it.
Most lit parental moment: My daughter is 3 years old and continues to surprise me with her intellect. We’re currently working on addition and subtraction.
Celebrity or tv mom style: I’m not sure if there’s a tv mother that qualifies.
Portia Powell, 37: CEO Good Vibes Lounge, and President, Wealth Investher Network
Mother of one daughter, aged 15.
Best parenting advice: As a single mom who had a daughter at a very young age and at the beginning of my career finding balance was always my struggle. What worked for me is being able to make working and being a mom coexist instead of treating them separately. My daughter was very visible in my corporate life and went on business meetings and attended corporate events as my guest and now that I am a full-time entrepreneur she is engaged in my business. I also treat her at events and activities the same way I would treat a meeting and make her just as much of a priority.
Most lit parental moment: My mother introduced me to real estate and it has created wealth and opportunity for me that wouldn’t have been possible, being able to introduce that to my daughter and have her just recently express interest in becoming a realtor is very rewarding. Passing something down that has been generational and continuing the legacy my mother started has been the most rewarding aspect of being a mom.
Celebrity or tv mom style: I think my parenting style would be comparable to the mom on Gilmore Girls (Lorelai Victoria Gilmore).
Andrea Cook, 32:
Mother to one daughter, aged 5.
Best parenting advice: The best advice I can give is to do your best! Be the best role model you can be for your children, but it’s okay for them to know you aren’t perfect and even “grown-ups” don’t have it all figured out. I apologize when I make mistakes, I explain myself to her so she understands the reason behind my words and I am honest when I need a break. While being a mother is incredibly rewarding, it can also be stressful so remembering to just be Andrea is important so I can juggle being as successful as possible in my career while still being a great parent.
Most lit parental moment: When my daughter told me she was proud of me after I closed on an investment property! She heard me and her dad talking and he expressed how proud he was. A few minutes later, she asked what we were talking about so I explained it to her and she grabbed me and said “Mommy, I’m so proud of you.” That literally melted my heart!
Celebrity or tv mom style: Cookie Lyon. She literally helped to build an empire, while bringing her kids along with her. Besides her shadiness at times, I can see a lot of myself in her with her tenacity, love for her children and thinking outside the box to make business deals happen.