About

Orlene was born and raised in Georgetown, Guyana, the second oldest of four girls. Even though she and her sisters were raised by a single parent, their mother ensured that firm discipline, structure, order and a very regimented life was what they were accustomed to. The daughters all have vivid memories of their mother Thora Cummings saying, “she was woman enough to be both father and mother to her children.” Mom dared her daughters to say they were from a “broken home.” Mother ensured that her daughters knew and understood she was unwavering in her expectation that each daughter graduate from high school and college so they could become self-sufficient women. Orlene was making great gains in her personal life too. Orlene had her biological daughter, Imani, entered into a same sex marriage as well as, adopted three siblings who were in dire need of a loving and supportive environment. Armed with a supportive spouse and a continuously growing need to help people, Orlene became ordained as a minister and was elevated to the position of Bishop. This title and position was not entered into lightly. Orlene earned her title because of her hard work and consuming love for helping people in need.

Reverend Rachel Forbes, a native of Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies immigrated to the United States, along with her family, when she was seven years old. As the daughter of an up and coming Pentecostal minister, her father’s teachings helped to shape and mold Rachel’s view of Christianity. Rachel’s initial understanding of spirituality was the belief that her relationship with Christ must be unwavering and fear driven, these precepts were perpetuated by both parents. This perception was further entrenched by the family’s faith community in Jamaica and further inculcated by their subsequent faith community in Brooklyn, New York. These three sources of understanding portrayed God as an unsmiling judge ready to smite his unworthy creation for every infraction. Grappling with her Caribbean Christian identity and her sexual identity, placed Rachel in a place of tension with her faith community, family and her notion of God. At age 19, Rachel decided to connect all aspects of her identity and bravely “come out” to her father. Rachel was forever excommunicated from her church community and from her father’s heart. Despite this harrowing and painful experience, Rachel earned a BS in Human Services from St. John’s University, and a MPA from Metropolitan College of New York. Currently, Rachel is a Ph.D. candidate at Walden University where she is seeking to complete her degree in Applied Psychology.

Tajjmah Alford, who prefers to be called “TT,” was born and raised in Newark, New Jersey. TT is the second oldest of six children born into a practicing Muslim family. At age 7, TT and her siblings took their Shahada, Muslim profession of faith. While there were some initial spiritual foundations being laid, TT’s parents struggled with securing the family’s basic needs.

Today, TT is divorced with three adult daughters, enjoys working with children and is currently pursuing her Associates degree at Essex County College. TT is the embodiment of Muslim principle of Sadaqah; she could never ignore the outstretched arms of someone in need. In addition to her love of giving, TT love for children is the catalyst for her donation of her time and talent as a barber to giving free haircuts to children in her community. TT believes that if someone has a need that could be addressed, do your part and allow Allah to take care of everything else.

Angela M. Cheek, mother of 14-year-old Autumn and 11-year-old Alyssa born and raised “Carolina Girls,”…North Carolina girls that is. With a Southern Pentecostal upbringing, Angela established a very specific view of Christianity where church folks chastised women for wearing pants, jewelry and makeup. Angela was raised to believe that being “saved, sanctified and running for her life” was inclusive of looking and speaking a certain way, not interacting with nonbelievers, keeping tallies of people’s sins and condemning them to Hell. Once Angela entered into college and increased her exposure, questions began to flood her brain and spirit. “Who? What? When? Where? And especially WHY??” Angela became obsessed with the idea of finding the best religion or determining which belief system is correct? Or are they all correct? Divine direction afforded Angela the opportunity to come into the understanding that there is no need to seek out the perfect religion, but the perfect relationship! That relationship being with God. With this newfound sense of self and faith, Angela joined her passions and love for outreach as a friend to St. Therese’s ministries to help further the organization’s mission and cause.