Myesha Monique Collins is a native of Los Angeles, California, raised in Pomona, CA. currently residing in Chesapeake, VA with her three sons. Myesha is an Ordained Minister, Service Connected Disabled Military Veteran, Author, Speaker, Creative Strategist and Motivational Experience Coach. Myesha has a background in Administration, Human Resources, Quality Assurance, Continuous Quality Improvement, Management, Leadership, and Training.
Myesha’s first book of poetry and short stories, entitled “Poetrationâ€, was self-published in 2006 and is available through Amazon. In 2017, Myesha spearheaded an anthology, “Blue Girl Turned Goldâ€, inspired by Myesha’s non-profit organization, Blue Girls Turned Gold. Blue Girls Turned Gold is a national organization and currently host s six workshops to empower!
Myesha prides herself on her ability to use her intuition and experience to find creative strategies to turn women from BLUE to GOLD. Learn more about this beautiful spirit and author spotlight below.
Fancy: How would you describe your swagher?
Myesha: My swagher is my creative genius, my healing genius, and my intuitive genius. My internal power can’t be identified externally, the swagher in me is this natural ability to be, be me, be authentic and push others to be their best and highest self!
Fancy: What makes Myesha, Myesha ?
Myesha: What makes Myesha, Myesha? Wow, that made me reflect for a moment. I remember a time when someone would ask me this same exact question, but I would give this chewed up, soggy, surface, acceptable, coerced, normal answer, but we aren’t doing that anymore!  (Laughing) There are so many layers to me; what makes me the Myesha I love, is that I have the ability to create, and I am not afraid to share my sometimes “out of the universe†ideas. Although I prefer to stay to myself versus being in groups, I am still able to empathize, connect and understand people on a human level. I don’t get caught up into the illusions of the world and the false validations and needs for acceptance anymore. I am an onion, a gold onion now and the layers contained have so many depths. I can be so many things and yet still be myself. I am truly one of a kind, and I love that I can live with my best and highest self in mind and have no issue helping others as I see competition only within myself. I take the ups and downs and try my best to stay grounded in love and humanity. I love that I have started to realize my internal power and dismiss the false validations and the boxes people love to trap you in. This undermines your genius and highest abilities, and we can’t do that anymore!
Fancy: Your first book, “Poetration,†was poetry and short stories book that you wrote alone, but you collaborated with others for “Blue Girls Turned Goldâ€. Did you know from the conception of the idea that you would co-author this one, and why did you decide to do so?
Myesha: “Poetration†was my baby, I started writing it when I was a “baby†literally, and some of the works were from when I was 14 years old. Of course at that age I was creative, but my perceptions were limited and based on the few life experiences I was able to observe through others most times. “Blue Girl Turned Gold†on the other hand is from the Myesha that is older; she has found herself, and she is accountable. Once I started writing “Blue Girl Turned Goldâ€, I immediately knew I had to ask if others were interested. The reason this was difficult is because it’s safe to hide. It’s been drilled into our brains that things in the past should just stay in the past. So to be able to empower someone else to show their growth to the world was something I knew wouldn’t be easy, but to my surprise, I had nine  authors in a very short amount of time. I think people are ready, they are tired, we are ready to heal as a unit, and that is a blessing in itself!
Fancy: So now tell us about the book, “Blue Girl Turned Goldâ€.
Myesha: “Blue Girl Turned Gold†is a collaborative effort with the vision and mission to heal and empower. I was not healed nor empowered honestly at the time of starting the book, however I was in a pivotal point in my journey. When I moved to VA June 2016 for a new management position, I met a lady, and we had a long conversation about life and purpose. She originally was speaking to me about an employee issue, at the time, I was the manager at this particular establishment. Eventually she asked me to lunch, because she said she knew she was supposed to be talking to me, but it wasn’t work related. We never went to lunch, but every time I saw her, Dr. Algeania Freeman made it a point to let me know that my highest good was in my passion and I need to be sure I am following my purpose. What was odd about this conversation is that I didn’t know her, and months before moving my spiritual advisor told me that I would know when it was time for me to MOVE. Dr. Freeman gave me the confirmation I needed, and the universe and I pushed the book from there. The book is a vessel, it is a part of the movement of sharing, healing and empowering others as well as myself. The anthology has eight women and one man sharing their experiences in life at a time when they didn’t know how great they were. They capture and share how they transitioned into knowing their greatness, sharing in their experience of going from Blue to Gold.
Fancy: We know you have an interest in spirituality. Were you thinking of auras when you came up with the title and name of your organization?
Myesha: Yes, mood is everything. The experiences we connect our emotions to in our subconscious is extremely powerful. Not knowing how great we are even further hinders our ability to disconnect our negative emotions and feelings to experiences. This is one of the ways we lose our power within. BLUE, people relate BLUE to sad or lonely, I tagged it to mean Unknowing or not knowing. GOLD, people relate GOLD to happiness, abundance, and riches, I tagged it to mean Knowing. While the experiences shared by the authors in the book may be viewed as sad, hurtful, traumatizing and damaging, the HEALING is in the HEALING aura, power of sharing is really the point and of the highest positive aura.
In addition, I constantly have issues with my throat chakra, although it seems I say a lot I have issues with effectively communicating my feelings to those I love, and that’s something I am working on. The throat is powerful, if you have no voice (literally and figuratively) what do you have? As I was writing my experiences, I was living my own experiences, so as I wrote, I was able to share and thus healing all simultaneously with nine other people and the people they eventually will touch with these experiences.
Fancy: What branch of the military were you in, and do you think it plays any part in your work now?Â
Myesha: I was in the Navy and yes it plays a huge part in my work and in my personal life. It was LIFE for years, 12 on 12 off literally. I miss the comradery and I know that there is strength in numbers. In the military you can’t fire someone, you can’t call in for any old reason, and you got to deal, deal with multiple things in a high stress environment. You have to operate with little to no sleep, you have to push through as there is no quitting. You have to depend on others with your life literally, so it taught me to pay close attention to character. Being in the military taught me to trust those with high character. Not only do you have no control over who is standing next to you, you have to realize that when it gets real that same person will need to stand up for you. In the military, there was division, but there was no division, if that makes sense lol. Along with my personality the Navy shaped my framework for a unit, how I want and desire my unit to look and feel, whether it be friendship units, family units, or business units. I will build my organization with dedicated, loyal, passionate, courageous individuals like the ones I was able to connect with during my Naval Career.
Fancy: Share a little about the organization and the services you all offer.
Myesha: Absolutely, Blue Girls Turned Gold is a nonprofit mission based organization with a 501c3 status, whose mission is to empower women. However, we actually really empower communities. We offer six workshops currently, and we hold these workshop currently in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia and Metro Atlanta areas.
Genius is Common is one of our main workshops that we encourage all ages to attend. We recently partnered with Bruce George who is the founder of the Genius is Common Movement and also the founder of Def Poetry Jam. During our Genius is Common workshops our attendees are able to create mission statements announcing their Genius. The awesome and exciting part about this course in Hampton Roads is that we have partnered with Zeigler American Dream Theatre and they will perform their mission statements in spoken work on stage in a creative supportive environment!
Performance, Image and Exposure (P.I.E.) is a great workshop for middle school and high school students. Workshop gives the attendees insight into the world, whether they take the corporate, private, or entrepreneur route. They will learn what it means to perform at their highest levels, understand the importance of image, and what exposure means in the professional and personal realm.
Effective Communication is a workshop that identifies attendees’ communication style and preferred methods of communication. We typically learn to communicate with others based on how we wish to be communicated with, as live has dictated this doesn’t always pan out fairly After this workshop attendees will be able to identify their own communication styles and identify the best ways to communicate with others effectively. This workshop is great for all ages!
Self Esteem / Empowerment Blue Girl Painting Workshop is geared towards self-love, self-empowerment and painting. Painting is a great way to get your creative juices to flow and open up you aura. We are all different, painting gives us a way to express ourselves personally this workshop includes activities and daily journals that the attendees take home to further improve their self-esteem and allows them the ability to share with others.
Planting Seeds of Greatness workshop is where we discuss intent and how as humans we are living creatures and need nurturing, love, and basic necessities like water to grow, similar to plant. We choose a specific seed to plant, we decorate the pots with words of intent and the attendees get to take their plants home and nurture them while simultaneously nurturing themselves.
Affirmations / Paradigm shift workshop is based on positive affirmations and viewing experiences and situations from a different perspective. This teaches attendees that the perceptions they have or that others have aren’t wrong, they are just a matter of perceptions. Perceptions are rooted in our beliefs. Once you are able to see from another perspective you may be able to strengthen you belief system is the ultimate goal of this workshop.
Our workshops are reviewed by our board annually to ensure value. We hope that these workshops provide value and a foundation for our youth as they mature and live their experiences. Our belief is that by empowering our youth younger than normal they will have less trouble handling experiences with life. They will be empowered from within, so hopefully they don’t fall victim to the outside validations that people try to live up to. 
Fancy: Do you have tips you care to share for others considering collaborating on a book?
Myesha: Yes, first and foremost only collaborate on projects that are aligned with you. Just because you are offered an opportunity doesn’t mean it’s the best for you. Know who the ignitor is as a person, see if you are in alignment with their personal mission. Collaborations are awesome, they can be used as networking tools, teaching, coaching, and sharing resources. Choose with a purpose, do your research and be sure you are comfortable with everything that will be required as part of the collaborations.
Fancy: Do you have any upcoming events or projects that you care to share?
Myesha: Well yes, yes I do. Currently I am accepting clients for my 20 Days to a Better you Experience Coaching, Coaching starts Monday April 3, 2018. Information can be found on my website, click on “Experience Coachingâ€.
Blue Girl Turned Gold Vol. 2 was announced Friday March 23, 2018 is in celebration of my mother! I am looking for anyone who is looking to share, heal and collaborate. Those interested can contact me directly at bluegirlsturnedgold@gmail.com
I am currently working on three anthologies with some spectacular authors, entrepreneurs, coaches and all around business women…
Ignited by Melony Hill, Founder of Stronger than my Struggles titled “Reclaiming my time from the 9-5 Grindâ€, is set to be released Saturday May 18, 2018.
Ignited by Andrea A. Moore, CEO of MAD about your business titled “From Grief to Grindâ€, is set to be released August 20, 2018.
I have one other anthology project that I am awaiting confirmation for. This is actually a relaunch of a previously published book by an awesome author. I’m excited, and as soon as I know, you will know!
We have 2 upcoming fundraisers, one being a Paint and Dance into Empowerment Fundraiser being hosted by Torion Harden of Be Creative Arts Center on Saturday May 12, 2018 at the Little Five Points Community Center in Atlanta Georgia. Tickets available via https://www.becreativeartscenter.com/product-page/05-12-18-paint-and-dance-fundraiser-for-bgtg-1-person
On July 5, 2018 and July 6, 2018 we will also be hosting 2 Trap and Paint fundraisers during the Essence Festival this year on July 5th and 6th at the New Orleans Brewery. We have been blessed to have New Orleans Brewery to donate the space to the organization for the fundraiser.
On Saturday May 19, 2018 I will be a panelist at a mental health awareness event “Crazy like a Foxâ€Â at the Baltimore Impact Hub, this event is hosted by Stronger than my Struggles and we will be discussing invisible mental illness for Mental Health awareness month.
https://www.strongerthanmystruggles.com/crazy-like-a-fox-black-mental-healt
Lastly, we have a current t-shirt fundraiser “I Only Rock with Goddesses and Queensâ€, shirts and other goodies can be found at www.etsy.com/shop/bluegirlsturnedgold
All proceeds go to the mission of Women Empowerment!
Follow and connect with Myesha below.
 https: www.bluegirlsturnedgold.org
 Instagram: @bluegirlsturnedgold
 Twitter: #Blueturnedgold
-Fancy
