RESPECT. Interview: Author Dr. Crystal Morris-Newsom Pens Life Guide for Teenage Girls with “How To Get Your Grown Woman On”

Malcolm Worsham — Fri, 24 May 2019 14:40:34 +0000

Dr. Crystal Morris-Newsom lives in Phoenix, AZ and is a wife, mother of 6, author, college professor, and realtor. She is the founder of the House of Zion Transitional Living for women where she empowers, mentors, and provides shelter for women who suffer from substance abuse and addiction. Her past experiences as a young girl in combination with hearing similar stories from hundreds of women through the House of Zion program, she gained a passion in providing aid to women in their individual struggles. Her thought is if we begin addressing these negative, self-limiting thoughts and behaviors in the adolescent stage, we can be more productive and healthy women as we mature.

RESPECT: What inspired you to make the transition or become an author while being a successful realtor? What are some of the challenges?

Dr. Morris-Newsom: I have always been a writer ever since I was a teenage girl. I would write poetry to help me work through challenges and feelings I would experience as a teenager myself, such as being bullied or having low self-esteem. Becoming an entrepreneur and business woman was motivated by my being a young single mother so I could be able to spend as much time as possible with my son but still make a living to support us. I guess I would have to say that I have always had a passion to articulate feelings into words however life pushed me into a different direction due to circumstance. After going through my personal teenage issues and then becoming pregnant with a daughter of my own…it just clicked! I felt like with social media and the amount of pressure on our young girls in today’s society, I have to try to do something to help.

RESPECT.: Do you have daughters of your own (or nieces/younger cousins)? Have they read the book and what are their thoughts as young women?

Dr. Morris-Newsom: Yes, I have two daughters of my own, ages 6 and 8. They are still a bit young to read my book however when my 8 year old turns 10, I will absolutely have her read it. She wants to read it badly but we told her that she doesn’t need to worry about the things in my book yet. However, my niece who is 13 years old has read it and she was very excited to have something to so-call “call her own.” Her mother told me that she would take my book with her in her backpack to school and would stay up late writing her feelings down for each chapter. She told me that she told her friends at school that they should get them a copy because she loved it. From what I observed, my book gave her a sense of power and helped her to identify with her inner self. She is the oldest of three siblings so her life is always surrounded by being a big sister and caring for them however with my book she had time to focus solely on herself.

RESPECT.: Are you doing any in-person book tours to continue promoting this book?

Dr. Morris-Newsom: I have thought about it and have several venues who I have been in contact with that would like for me to do an in-person book signing there however I want to be more hands-on with teenage girls and therefore I have focused my attention first on creating an online course to mentor tween and teenage girls in a small group setting through video chat.

RESPECT.: Are there any other women authors that inspire you?

Dr. Morris-Newsom: I have always been a huge fan of Maya Angelou because of her expertise in making words come alive on paper and beautifying them. Her poetry is a novel within itself and empowers the reader without having to use a multitude of words. She made a great impact in my life with her ability to inspire and uplift with her works.

RESPECT.: What can we expect from Crystal Morris-Newsom, the author in the next five years?

Dr. Morris-Newsom: In the next five years, I would like to be able to say as an author that hundreds, if not thousands of young girls who have read my book and gone through my online course are more positive, productive, and empowered young women because of it. That is the main goal of my efforts, is to help our teenage girls in the best way possible and support their parents in the process.

RESPECT.: What does RESPECT. mean to you?

Dr. Morris-Newsom: To me RESPECT. means paying homage to the many leaders who sacrificed their lives and paved the way for our future by presenting ourselves in a way that would make them and our ancestors proud.

The post RESPECT. Interview: Author Dr. Crystal Morris-Newsom Pens Life Guide for Teenage Girls with “How To Get Your Grown Woman On” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

African American Author Dr. Crystal Morris-Newsom Pens Life Guide for Our Teenage Girls

Malcolm Worsham — Wed, 01 May 2019 20:57:11 +0000

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“How To Get Your Grown Woman On” is a sassy, up-to-date guide for preteen and teenage girls. It teaches them how to cope with the issues facing them today. Written by Dr. Crystal Morris-Newsom this motivational book provides clear-cut instructions on how a young lady should care for her body inside and out as well as how to treat others while still promoting self-love. “How To Get Your Grown Woman On” allows young ladies to write in a journal setting to express how they are feeling about certain topics, such as dating, sex, drugs, bullying and suicide. Moreover, the book provides a mental map of situations they may go through and offers the tools to get past any storms that may come into their lives.

The post African American Author Dr. Crystal Morris-Newsom Pens Life Guide for Our Teenage Girls appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Dr. Crystal Morris- Newsom Archives - RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture

RESPECT. Interview: Author Dr. Crystal Morris-Newsom Pens Life Guide for Teenage Girls with “How To Get Your Grown Woman On”

African American Author Dr. Crystal Morris-Newsom Pens Life Guide for Our Teenage Girls