Choose to Awaken with the WUE Nation!

On March 29, 2020, Spirit of A Woman, LLC, launched the Wake Up Everybody (WUE) Virtual series in partnership with community healers, thought leaders, coaches, medical and mental health professionals, educators and artists from across the nation. WUE was created to provide community members, from across the country and abroad, with an opportunity to keep their mental, emotional,  physical and spiritual well beings balanced and whole as they navigated the impact of the devastating impact of the COVID-19 global health crisis. 

WUE was  originally designed as a 30 day offering that would provide “temporary” covering and support for participants until the quarantine period ended, however, the producers and community members quickly realized that the WUE journey would last much longer than they originally anticipated. 

The series was created by Shawnee Benton Gibson, CEO, of Spirit of A Woman (SOW) Leadership Development Institute, who was inspired by the lyrics of the song  “Wake Up Everybody” by Teddy Pendergrass, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes. The song, which was popular in the 70s, speaks of issues that we are still glaringly relevant today; (racism, war, poverty, sickness, political strife, corruption, etc). The WUE Virtual series was designed to “WAKE UP” the masses by providing empowering messaging, holistic healing tools, guidance for daily living and strategies for addressing the injustices, pain and imbalance that exists in the world. 

All of the “Wake Up Everybody” sessions take place 5 days a week (every Sunday, Tuesday, & Thursday from 7:00am - 8:30am EST and every Monday and Wednesday from 7:00am -7:30am EST.) over Zoom and Facebook Live. Every session is facilitated by powerful and prolific presenters from various backgrounds and areas of discipline. Each facilitator guides participants through an interactive experience that fosters education, conversation, new insights, empowerment  and expansion. 

The WUE Family invites you to join our phenomenal community so that you can share, heal and grow as part of the collective. You are free to join as a community participant, as a session facilitator and/or a member of the admin team to support the magic that happens behind the scenes. We hope to hear from you. 

Show WUE Some LOVE!

The Wake Up Everybody community space was created for us, by us — rooted in love, cultural wisdom, collective liberation, and healing. Our volunteer team and facilitators work diligently, leading from the kindness of their hearts. They share their gifts, talents, lived experiences, expertise, and — most importantly — their time for the healing and upliftment of our community.

We invite our community to pour back into this exchange of energy through love offerings and donations that help sustain and further enhance the Wake Up Everybody experience for all. We recognize that time is currency, and our volunteers and facilitators generously offer their time, energy, and wisdom to bring each session to life in service of collective healing.

Love offerings are not payments for a service. They are sacred contributions toward sustaining the ecosystem we call Wake Up Everybody (WUE) — an ongoing exchange rooted in reciprocity, care, and community.

We believe that money is energy — as our host, Shawnee Benton Gibson, reminds us:
M.O.E.Y. — My Own Energy Yields.

What we give circulates.
What we invest grows.

When we give from a place of gratitude and reciprocity, we are not simply transferring dollars. We are honoring labor. We are valuing time. We are choosing to sustain what sustains us.

Your offering helps us:

• Honor the time, preparation, and emotional labor of our facilitators

• Maintain the platforms that allow us to gather live

• Cover the costs of text messaging systems, email communications, and community updates

• Invest in new tools and advancements that help us grow

• Ensure this space remains accessible and community-centered

When you give, you are not just supporting a session. You are strengthening a movement. You are helping us maintain integrity, independence, and sustainability without relying solely on external funding or institutions.

Wake Up exists because we choose to sustain it together.

This is reciprocity.
This is community economics.
This is love in action. 💛

Upcoming Facilitators!   

Sunday, February 22nd

" Finding Purpose in Your Life's Journey"

 Facilitated By: Lawanda Banks

Lawanda Banks is a wife of 19 years, a mother of two children ages 20 and 17, an educator of over 24 years of experience, entrepreneur, lover of nature, and published author. 

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Monday, February 23rd

"Understanding Your Digital Ecosystem"

 Facilitated By: Chryssy Robinons

Chryssy Robinson is a business strategist who helps founders stop leaving money on the table.

As a strategy-first consultant specializing in offers, sales, and execution, she works with business owners who are done guessing and ready for systems that convert. Her lane is simple: clarify what you're selling, tighten how you're saying it, and create a repeatable process that generates revenue.

Through workshops, consulting, and direct feedback, Chryssy has built a reputation for cutting through complexity and delivering actionable strategy. She doesn't do theory. She doesn't do fluff. She does what moves money.

Chryssy believes the best businesses aren't built on more—they're built on clarity. Her clients walk away with sharper offers, clearer messaging, and confidence in their next move.
Connect with Chryssy at koloraddikt.com

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Tuesday, February 24th

"Built to Outlast You: Creating Systems That Carry the Vision Forward"

 Facilitated By: Athenia Rodney

Athenia Rodney is the Founder and CEO of Umoja Events, a female-owned corporate events logistics planning company based in Brooklyn, NY, and organizer of the flagship event annually known as Juneteenth NYC Festival and Summit. Umoja Events is a MWBE business and focuses on partnerships with city agencies. Athenia has a passion for travel which has led her to start Rodney Tribe Travel and Tours where she offers group travel for weddings and retreats. 

Athenia a wife, mother of 3 holds many positions in the New York City community of Brooklyn where she is currently a chair on the Family Advisory Board of United For Brownsville, an Ambassador for Brownsville Sentiment, Board member at Brookdale Hospital One Brooklyn Health, Co-chair for “Moms Who Lead With Love” a virtual advocacy support group and organizer and founder of the 13th Annual Juneteenth NYC Summit and Nationally recognized Festival. 

One of Athenia’s inspiration is her mother. Growing up in Brooklyn, Athenia’s mother faced barriers to participation as an immigrant in the educational system and that has fueled her ambassadorship with education not only for herself and family but also for others who do not have a voice. Athenia learned how critical it was to be able to access an equitable education, and recognized that the pandemic meant a gap in educational services and childhood development. Athenia acted fast with the help of her peers to put support in place for community members to improve the education, health, and wellbeing of families. 

Among other accolades, Athenia has mentored youth, married couples, and entrepreneurs to achieve their greatest potential.

Athenia, a psychology graduate of Middlebury College in Vermont and a long time lover of education continues to take certificate programs and add to her long list of recognitions that are way too many to mention here. 

Lastly, Athenia was recognized by The Robin Hood Foundation in 2020 as a New York Hero recipient for the work done with United for Brownsville. In addition, Athenia received an Entrepreneur of the Year award from New York City for her amazing organization of the NYC Juneteenth event for 12 years running and her superb outreach work with the community.

Wednesday, February 25th

"How to Be Happily Divorced"  

Facilitated By: Tirza Barnes

Tirza Barnes is the CEO of Tirza Motivates, LLC., a people development, employee training, and leadership consulting company. She also produces in-person and virtual events for women and is a frequent conference keynote speaker. Her mission is to support women on their life journeys by helping them do the inner work often overlooked so they recognize and own their power. Tirza's online course "More of Me: Embrace Your Divinity, Turn Setbacks Into Comebacks and Create the Life You Love" reinforces this mission with a five-module program designed for women to uncover their authenticity, raise their standards, and stop settling for less. Connect with Tirza on IG @TirzaMotivates and FB @ Tirza Barnes.

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Thursday, February 26th

"Soldiers in the Village of Abundance"

 Facilitated By: Prof.MarilynDJ

Marilyn Douglas-Jones is a retired college professor and a licensed financial professional. She’s an international business consultant, chamber of commerce executive, a financial coach specializing in college and retirement planning, and a philanthropist in the global African Diaspora communities.