This Baton Rouge Native Started an Award Show to Honor #WCWs

Tiffany Dickerson is a Baton Rouge native, wife, mom, friend, and small business owner who loves giving back to her community but more importantly uplifting women and nonprofits. For the past three years, Tiffany has presented The #WCW Awards, an award show honoring 10 awe-inspiring women within her area under her comedic stage name Mic Chick. The most recent annual awards took place in December 2021 at the Louisiana Art & Science Museum. Dive in below as Tiffany and I discuss the show and what’s to come.

Fancy: What inspired the #WCW Awards & Soirée?

Tiffany: My mother. I lost my mom at an early age to cancer, and while she taught me a lot in my formative years, I still didn't know a lot about life and womanhood. For years, I secretly admired women in our community and sought out mentors As I got older, I would always make sure that I never missed a moment to tell other women, how much I admired or appreciated them, because I knew all too well that life is short. My mom loved to serve and did a lot in our community, even after having her leg amputated due to the disease. I wanted to recognize women who shared this same like-minded spirit of giving back. Whether it's their business acumen, walk with Christ, motherhood skills, charm, creativity, community service, ability to multi-task, social media presence, or friendship, I wanted to acknowledge them in a small, yet meaningful way on a special evening.

Fancy: In the past three years, how has the event grown?

Tiffany: The inaugural event was held in 2019 and 12 women were honored along with two nonprofits. Jess' Bra Closet was provided with a $1,000 check, and the Junior League of Baton Rouge's Diaper Bank received over 1,000 diapers. The sold-out event included Mayor Sharon Weston Broome who assisted me in presenting the awards and First Lady Donna Edwards provided the honorees with a letter of commendation. In 2020, due to Covid-19, we held the event virtually, and more than 3,000 people from across the United States watched the ceremony. This year's event was no exception. It was hosted in a bigger venue, Louisiana Art & Science Museum, and coupled with another sold-out crowd. This biggest difference is that I allowed other businesses the opportunity to join me and my four companies, Four Brands ~ One Woman, in sponsoring the event. This year's sponsors Attorney Jim Holt of the Holt Law Firm and Realtor Katie Baron Migues of Keller Williams First Choice Realty understood the assignment and were a joy to work with.

Fancy: What was the planning process like?

Tiffany: Because I own a boutique public relations and communications firm, The Name Dropper, along with an event planning service, Universal Appeal, the planning process is second nature. Before I planned for six to eight months, but now everything is done and finalized within a month and a half. I have so many great relationships with vendors, venues, and organizations that it's really a breeze but I always have a plan a, b and c.

Fancy: How were the honorees chosen?

Tiffany: On the last Wednesday of every month, I share the names of 5-10 women via my social media platforms of those who inspire me or that I admire, hence the woman crush aspect but there are also other nominees. I ask other women in the community to share the names of outstanding women with me. From there, I work to cultivate a friendship with them. The honorees are chosen by previous honorees and myself. Selecting the honorees is the most difficult part because we have so many awe-inspiring women in our community, many of which are unsung.

Fancy: We know The Power Pump Girls were the lucky recipients of the award check. How much was the prize and how were the recipients chosen?

Tiffany: The Power Pump Girls received $1,500 to assist them in furthering their mission. Sherin Dawud and Raina Vallot were nominated by several women for the monthly recognition. As I started to research and learn more about their nonprofit work, I too was impressed with their drive and commitment to bring about change.

To date, the #WCW Awards and Soiree has provided $5,000 to three nonprofits.

Fancy: How can others participate in this year’s event?

Tiffany: The top three ways are one, by sending me the names of women who they would like to nominate. Secondly, by stepping up to serve as an event sponsor and lastly by purchasing tickets to attend. The event typically sells out quickly. This year's event will take place Wednesday, December 14, 2022. The venue, keynote speaker, and nonprofit check recipient will be announced at the end of this month.

To learn more about Tiffany visit www.tiffanydickerson.com.

Meet the Honorees

LaTangela Fay Sherman, is the Production Director for five radio stations, and a radio personality for Cumulus Media, for more than 24 years, starting her career as a pre-teen. She is the CEO of 430 Status, a multi-media, public relations and consulting firm, which specializes in business, technology and branding. Sherman is a singer/songwriter/actress, and the founder/CEO of TanTune Productions, a recording and film production company, where she is the producer and audio engineer of many musical and film projects, including her own. Sherman is the host and producer of two televised talk shows, Fay At Five and Urban Economics. She is a co-host and producer of Live Festival TV and also the host of “Weekend Updates on the Louisiana Film Channel. Sherman is also a published author and has written five books. She is a firm believer, that nothing is too much, as long as it is used to acquire positive knowledge.

Emilia “Emi” Gilbert Henry currently serves as the Senior Vice President of Investor Development for the Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC). In this role, Emi is responsible for raising funds to support BRAC’s five-year strategic plans, which accelerate economic opportunity in the Baton Rouge area, for everyone.

Prior to joining BRAC, Emi worked for the LSU Foundation as the Senior Director of Development for the College of Science. Her career has also included positions managing large scale programs and events, training, and IT support.

Originally from Rockford, Illinois, Emi came to Baton Rouge to attend LSU and earned a degree in public relations from the Manship School of Mass Communication. She is married to Jake Henry III, and is mom/stepmom to almost one-year-old Jake Henry IV and Hillary.

When not with her family and friends, you can find Emi running the lakes, traveling, trying to relax, or serving as a volunteer in a number of organizations in the community.

Liz Koh is a proud second-generation Korean-American and Midwest native. Liz moved to Baton Rouge just before the August 2016 flood to be Channel 9's live morning show reporter. During WAFB's continuous flood coverage in the days and weeks to come, she met many viewers who showed strength, empathy and the willingness to help others in a time of need. Since then Baton Rouge has become home to her. In October 2020, Liz moved into a co-anchor role on 9News This Morning. Liz also adopted her sweet puppy Beau here after a coworker found him abandoned in the WAFB parking lot. Liz is involved with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Baton Rouge, Mid City Makers Market and previously the Gardere Initiative.

Adonica Pelichet Duggan is the Chief Executive Officer of Baton Rouge Alliance for Students.

A Baton Rouge native, Adonica Pelichet Duggan brings nearly 20 years of public education experience to her role as CEO of the newly formed Baton Rouge Alliance for Students. Her experience most recently includes managing external affairs for New Schools for Baton Rouge and leading a successful rebranding of the East Baton Rouge Parish School System while serving as Chief of Communications there for two years. During that time, she served as the district spokesperson and handled all media relations.

A McKinley High graduate, Duggan is an advocate for quality educational options in our community and passionate about Baton Rouge and the city’s children. Prior to accepting a position in East Baton Rouge Parish Schools, Duggan spent more than a decade in leadership of the Zachary Community School District working to establish the first new school district in the state in more than 60 years. Her work there earned awards from the National School Public Relations Association as well as national recognition for community engagement in a school district website.

Duggan is a graduate of the Manship School of Mass Communication at LSU. She is active in supporting a number of local nonprofits serving as a current board member for the YMCA of the Capital Area, Rocketkidz Foundation and the Alumni Board of the Manship School. She is an active Rotarian and a member of the Baton Rouge Business Report’s 2016 Forty Under 40 and Leadership Baton Rouge Class of 2019.

She is the mother of 4 beautiful children who are the joy of her life, and spends her spare time training and competing in triathlons, being obsessed with Formula one racing and cooking for her family.

Leslie Charleville is a native and resident of Rosedale, Louisiana. Charleville is a Louisiana artist, which has been in her heart for her entire life, but it wasn’t until college that she pursued it as a career. She is 2008 graduate of Louisiana State University with dual degrees in Art History and Painting/Drawing.

Charleville specializes in the 17th century Japanese art form of gyotaku, or fish rubbing. Originally, gyotaku was a means to document the size and species of a fisherman's catch. She has mastered this sophisticated technique on not only fish and marine life but also Louisiana's most popular mascot, the alligator.

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Charleville passion for art is secondary to the message that she wants to leave with people who she meets. More than anything, she wants individuals to look at what she does and recognize that’s there a light on L. Charleville Studios that transcends this world. She believes that after all, it’s not her talent to begin with. She just wants to use her God given talent for good and make a difference in the lives of the people she encounters.

Charleville has also been a part of the Louisiana Art & Science Museum family since 2008 and is currently the Special Projects Director. For Charleville, being immersed in a museum environment, satisfies both the need to be in a dynamic creative environment as well as the ability to leverage her art for a great cause.

Aside for making one-of-a kind art, she loves to cook and spend time in nature.

Katie Baron is a luxury realtor for the Greater Baton Rouge area, an expert fundraiser and event planner with an impressive track record of overachieving goals for many organizations. She has over 10 years of events planning experience that ranges from intimate events to the biggest gala in Baton Rouge, The Best Dressed Ball of Baton Rouge. She has started many new events and helped others grow in revenue and attendance.

Baron has worked for the American Cancer Society an event specialist. While there, she had five territories that she led ‘Relay for Life’ fundraisers in. She also oversaw numerous events in each territory, and exceeded her overall fundraising goals. Also, this is where she started working with the Best Dressed Ball of Baton Rouge as their staff coordinator.

Baron also worked for Louisiana Business Inc. as a sales executive for 225 Magazine. For 6 1/2 years she continued to thrive as one of the top sales executives, as well as being chosen to lead company events and fundraisers. She uses her sales and marketing experience and relationships throughout her real estate success.

While being a top sales executive, Baron continued to be a committee member, then board member, and ultimately chaired the Best Dressed Ball of Baton Rouge. She has played a key role as board member and chair in elevating this ball from raising $100,000 to raising over $1,000,000 in just a few years. Her duties for the ball have been leading and training a large committee, vendor and media relations, staying in budget, and consistently raising revenue each year.

In 2013, Katie started the Waiting on A Cure event that serves as a feeder event for the Bella Bowman Foundation. This event features local celebrity waiters and brings a new group annually to raise funds for the foundation. Each year these individuals have raised more than over 20% more revenue than the year prior. In 2019, more than $125,000 was raised.

Katie is born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and received her bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University.

Meghan Matt was born and raised in Baton Rouge. She received a bachelor's degree in criminology from Louisiana State University in 2004 and a Juris Doctor degree from Southern University Law Center in 2021, graduating first in her class. She previously participated in the Urban Leaders for Equity and Diversity: Criminal Justice Cohort, served on Mayor Sharon Weston Broome's Transition Team, and co-chaired the NAACP of Baton Rouge’s Legislative Subcommittee on Social Justice. Prior to law school, Meghan hosted a series of community conversations around racial justice, co-founded a photojournalism project highlighting residents of North Baton Rouge, directed a storytelling show about the complicated topic of motherhood, and worked as a childbirth coach. She presently sits on the Innocence Project New Orleans Young Professionals Committee and proudly serves as a staff attorney at Orleans Public Defenders office. Meghan has been married for fifteen years and is the mom of four incredible humans, four dogs, one cat, and an absurd amount of house plants.

Lisa Marshall a native of Baton Rouge, holds a BA in Business as well as a MBA. Marshall is a second-generation real estate investor with over 16 years of being a licensed Realtor in the State of Louisiana. She is married to her high school sweetheart and have been together for over 20 years, and they have two beautiful kids together.

Marshall and her husband have been investing in real estate for well over 10 years, working with investors is her niche. She prides herself on representing homeowners and future homeowners. She is committed to listening to her clients’ needs and utilizing her keen negotiating skills to ensure a successful transaction. Within the last three years of retiring from her previous occupation, Lisa has remained in the top 1% in her field, she has become an esteemed realtor, highly regarded by her clients and professionals in the industry. Lisa has a reputation for her loyalty, communication skills, and is revered as one of the most trusted Realtors in the Greater Baton Rouge and surrounding parishes. While working with Lisa, you can always count on her to be readily to answer all your questions. Lisa empowers her clients to become more knowledgeable and educated throughout the real estate process. This allows the client to use their best judgement and make sound decisions. Lisa showcases her homes on multiple websites and utilizes a team of professional service providers to assist with her clients’ buying and selling needs, including stagers, painters, designers, handymen, and inspectors. She is very communicative, thorough and detail-oriented- and she’ll be alongside you every step of the way. In her free time, Lisa enjoys shopping and spending time with her family. Lisa is ready to show you the finest, most exclusive listings, while being mindful to your own, style, taste and needs. You can rely on Lisa to help you realize the full potential of your real estate investment while maintaining your privacy in the strictest fashion.

Felicia Stevens is a native of Ascension Parish and currently resides in Prairieville, Louisiana. Stevens obtained her bachelors from Louisiana State University in 2014 in Elementary Education. She also received her Master’s in Educational Leadership at the University of Louisiana at Monroe in 2020. She is a strong believer in education and loves inspiring others around her with her talents. Currently an eight-year teacher in Ascension Parish, Stevens fully loves her job and her life's passion educating young minds. She enjoys being a leader in the classroom as well as building her students into future leaders by allowing them to take ownership in their own learning. She has choose teaching for her career to continue the work in planting seeds in the youth that do not have the opportunities of life that she had. She believes she can teach them not only content, but wisdom that will carry them throughout life. She is passionate about her students by waking up to witness the ah ha moments when the light bulb goes off. Those little moments are her drive to continue the work.

Stevens has been married for twelve years to her husband, Craig who is a retired Air Force officer of 25 years and President of Genesis 360 Maintenance & Construction. She is the proud mom of their four-year-old twins Christin and Cruz.

In her spare time, she enjoys volunteering for the Junior League of Baton Rouge where she has held the position of Membership Co-Chair for 145 new members. She loves meeting new people and mentoring them in the community. She also served as the past 2019 Ambassador for the March of Dimes of Louisiana. Because of her experience with having premature twins, she is dedicated to advocating for advancement of research to save more babies and women. In addition,

Stevens is also a member of the Baton Rouge Chapter of Jack and Jill where she has hosted successful grade group activities that has strengthen young minds and monthly community service. She is also a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority of Phi Sigma Omega chapter.

Steven is passionate about her in-home business, Seaux That Designs, where she specializes in monograming and embroidering treasured heirlooms for children, adults, and now many businesses. Her business has had tremendous growth since 2012.

Michelle Porche is a Baton Rouge native. She graduated from Istrouma High School and attended Southern University. She is a single mom with one daughter, Dr. Tachelle White, and two grandkids; Carlie (4 years Old) and Nori (8 months old). Porche entrepreneurial experience includes, ownership of J&M Transportation and Porche Properties. In the nonprofit arena, she has volunteered at the Capital Area United Way. She currently provides contract services on special assignments concerning community relations and administrative research for the Holt Law Firm. Porche previously held various jobs throughout her career as an administrator. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her grandkids, family, reading, dancing, and exercising.

By: Francheska "Fancy" Felder

Francheska “Fancy” Felder is a quiet Southern, media mogul in the making. In 2010, she launched SwagHer Magazine, an empowerment and lifestyle publication for the progressive Black community.

Fancy’s passion for all things creative combined with her love for writing, Black culture, and business guided her to also offer her public relations, creative, and branding services, making the magazine more of a media boutique having its own subscription clients as well as advertisers, hence why the name changed to SwagHer Magazine & Media.

SwagHer Magazine uses positive media and storytelling to create new narratives and mindsets around Black people, their communities, and the businesses and organizations they lead. Fancy executes campaigns for Black women-led businesses, coaches, authors, and girl bosses so that they receive more visibility and establish themselves as an authority.

The Mississippi native is also one half of Theories & Thoughts Podcast, a discussion-driven show that tackles Black issues and taboo subjects with a kitchen table talk feel, which she hosts with Arnya T.M. Davis. The two also co-produce and host Theories & Thoughts Deep Dive, a millennial talk show.

The former teen mom graduated from Southwest Mississippi Community College with her associate’s in marketing management and studied mass communications with a focus in public relations from Southern University A&M College.

Website:Http://swagher.net | https://linktr.ee/fancysthoughts

Instagram:http://www.instagram.com/swaghermagazine http://www.instagram.com/fancyswagher

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