Local leaders share their journeys in new book

DENTON — “Leadership: Our Journey and Culture” is a new 300-page anthology edited by Savannah Winston.

This Preston resident and third year doctoral student has taken her own entrepreneurial journey, and she invited 19 other leaders to talk about their values and strategies for the book.

The book is already an Amazon best seller, with electronic sales for ebooks doing well. The printed version will be available for purchase this week.

There are several Eastern Shore locals among the 20 leaders in the book, including Kathleen Brenton, Angel Perez, Cheryl Beulah, Stefanie Johnson, Cathy Cassell, Victoria Weaver and Michelle Boulden Hammond. The forward author is Bishop Dane A. Coleman.

Winston, the book’s visionary and president of Preston Town Commission, said, “Part of my research is cross cultural competency. With this book, my vision was to bring together leaders of various backgrounds and cultures and have them share their stories. As a visionary, my chapter is entitled ‘Embrace Your Journey.’”

Some of the local leaders sat down at the Culinary Center in Denton to talk about their paths to make an impact.

“My momma used to call me headstrong all the time. If I can have an impact on someone, that is what it is all about. I want to help them bridge the gap,” said Beulah, executive director and owner of Aaron’s Place and a licensed mortician.

She listens to people as part of her leadership style.

“People come into the food pantry and want to tell their stories. They automatically assume, ‘You don’t know what you are talking about.’ I say. ‘You don’t know me. You don’t know my journey. So let’s not assume. Let’s see if we can help each other and build each other up,’” Beulah said.

Strength is a part of being able to keep going.

“I want to focus on how to be a strong leader. What gives you your strength. If it doesn’t break you, it is going to make you. Take those battles turn them upside down and draw strength from them,” Beulah said.

Another contributor showed that her leadership was based in her spirituality and a message passed down through generations.

Boulden Hammond, representing community and behavioral health, said, “You have to have a servant’s heart. As leaders we have to understand that we are dealing with community. If you are a leader, show forth with your servitude. I love serving.”

Perez, Caroline Pride CEO, also finds his strength in helping others. His chapter is titled “Purpose in Life.”

“The satisfaction of the work we do and seeing how you can change people’s lives in the positive way. It is worth more than money,” Perez said.

He uses his challenges to connect with people.

“I was homeless, and how I get out of that moment in life and how to use that moment to help others. The work you do out there, you do it because you want to make a difference out there. Not the recognition. The satisfaction of helping someone do better and know you did your part for that to happen is better than a paycheck,” Perez said. “It is not about power. It is not about influence. It is about service.”

Benton, owner and broker of Brenton Realty Group, said “I wanted to be a back up dancer for Tina Turner. I didn’t want to be the lead, I wanted to be in the back. But seriously I lived through the crash, when the whole country crashed. I went from steaks to hotdogs in one year. I had to reinvent myself from six digits down to two. My chapter is called ‘Resilience,’” Brenton said.

Winston said she was very happy the way it all came together and that she was honored to be a part of telling the empowering stories.

The book can be purchased online at amazon.com/Leadership-Journey-Culture-Savannah-Winston-ebook/dp/B0DJH39M24.