Joy Seeker. Inspiration Builder. Self-Care Motivator.

Ayanna Jordan is founder and executive director of the Phoenix Rising Collective (PRC), and the editor-in-chief for Phoenix Shine, the PRC’s online community.

She has always had a passion for inspiring others, particularly women, and especially through writing, coaching, and teaching. For most of her career, she has worked in the non-profit sector because of her strong commitment to social change and her even stronger desire to give back. From being the director of the college access program at Ohio University to teaching as a resident artist for one of southeast Ohio’s premiere art centers, she has always used her work to address issues ranging from educational access for first-generation college students to leadership development for women.

Her diverse career experiences have provided tremendous life lessons and have positively shaped her overall perspective on what it truly means to be a change agent. In Her Words: I believe a change agent is someone who is in alignment with what she loves to do, and then connects, utilizes, and shares that love to make a difference and transform lives.

• Creating Shed Light, an informative series collection on topics that spark positive change and connect to the spirit while giving Black women and girls a voice.

• Writing the forthcoming book, winter 2014, Chasing My Father, Finding Myself: Journeys to Healing and Forgiveness; chronicling Ayanna’s story and three other contributing writers’ challenges and transformations to forgiving and healing from their fathers’ emotional/physical absence in their lives.

• Coaching emerging leaders and peer leaders from the Raymond John Wean Foundation’s Neighborhood SUCCESS and Leadership Program 2.0 to assist in building fundamental leadership skills with an intentional focus on Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) and understanding the dynamics of race, class, power, gender and age.

• Creating Bella Soul - graphic design, organizational coaching, and professional development services for entrepreneurs, non-profit organizations, and small businesses that are ready to positively build or revitalize their mission, goals, and objectives.

• Developing and facilitating a comprehensive training and professional development series for college access professionals to broaden knowledge about teaching and supporting first generation college students.

 

Ready to move forward and let intuition be her guide, Ayanna took her first love – developing services that empower women – to the next level. Utilizing her 10 years of non-profit management experience and applying her education in educational administration, she ardently worked to bring the PRC to fruition, and has been diligently cultivating its success since January 2012. It was a lifelong dream! In fact, she wholeheartedly knows that helping women and girls realize their worth, make self-care a priority, and commit to positive personal change is her purpose.

Her vision to provide a constructive, affirming model for building healthy self-esteem and to create balanced, holistic representations of Black women and girls, came from years of noticing that in most of the health and wellness magazines and blogs she reads, there is an overwhelming underrepresentation of images, stories, and resources that positively include, reflect, and support women of color.

 

Ayanna’s current work is her grandest love made visible, and her greatest healer. Teaching, coaching, and writing about women and girls making conscious, daily commitments to self-improvement, self-love, and self-care, keeps her in alignment to do the same, and that’s something that brings happiness and wholeness.

She believes that true wellness begins from within. Healing old wounds, forgiving others (and yourself), letting go of the past, eating healthy foods, making room for change, sustaining a positive attitude, and taking time for spiritual practice, are all a part of the journey to authenticity. The PRC’s dynamic areas of focus - Phoenix Power, Phoenix Fire, and Phoenix Shine serve as support and inspiration for conquering all of the above and more!

Other awesome facts to know? Ayanna is a graduate of Ohio University and a certified mediator. She is committed to positive personal change, the pursuit of purpose, and expanding the PRC into a self-care retreat center.

Speaking topics include, but are not limited to:

Women’s Wellness (Mind, Body, Soul)

• Holistic Self-Care and Intentional Living
• Healthy Self-Esteem

Women’s Empowerment + Leadership:

• Recognizing and Fulfilling Your Purpose
• Goal Setting and Life Mapping for Living the Life You Really Want
• Authentic Transformational Leadership Practices
• Entrepreneur Motivation

Workshop titles include, but are not limited to:

Women’s Collective:

• Big Girl Wings: Courageous Daily Practices to be Self-Love in Action
• Healthy Happy Coily: Celebrating Natural Beauty, Embracing Your Natural Hair
• Passion Discovery: Doing Work that Brings You Joy!
• Chasing My Father, Finding Myself: Journeys to Healing and Forgiveness
• Empowered Action: Developing the Capacity and Courage to Lead Authentically

Teen Girls’ Collective (ages 14 - 18):

• Big Girl Wings: Courageous Daily Practices for Teen Girls to be Self-Love in Action
• Black Girl Power: Prep for College, Plan with Purpose!

Interested in one of our speaking topics or workshops for your next event? Send your inquiries, questions, and requests for booking by filling out the form below: