National Professional Men's Network - NPMN, East Lansing, MI (2026)

09/11/2026

The National Professional Women’s Network proudly recognizes Latricia Lomax as an Outstanding Black Woman in Business; an extraordinary entrepreneur, visionary leader, and community builder who understands that true success is not measured solely by what we build for ourselves, but by the opportunities we create for others.

As the Founder and CEO of Business Exchange Center, Latricia has created far more than a professional space. She has cultivated an environment where entrepreneurs, small-business owners, and community organizations can connect, exchange resources, build meaningful relationships, and turn their ideas into action.

What began as a vision for a business center has grown into a powerful hub of access and opportunity; a place where someone can walk in with an idea and leave with encouragement, valuable connections, practical resources, and a clearer path forward.

Latricia’s dedication to strengthening the community extends beyond entrepreneurship. Through the L.E.A.D Exchange Network, which focuses on Leadership, Education, Accountability, and Development, she is helping prepare the next generation to recognize what is possible for their futures.

Through LEAD 360 Academy, young people are exposed to entrepreneurship, career pathways, financial literacy, mentorship, skilled trades, and meaningful real-world experiences they may not otherwise have the opportunity to access.

Latricia has a remarkable ability to bring the right people to the table, and just as importantly, ensure there is room at that table for someone else. Whether she is supporting a new entrepreneur, connecting a young person with a mentor, or building partnerships between businesses and community organizations, her mission remains clear: to create opportunities that change lives and strengthen communities.

Her work reminds us that when one person grows, they can open a door for someone else. That is how businesses grow, families advance, communities become stronger, and legacies are built.

Today, we celebrate Latricia Lomax for her vision, leadership, service, and unwavering commitment to building something meaningful for this generation and those who will follow.

Please join The National Professional Women’s Network in congratulating Latricia Lomax—an exceptional leader who is not simply conducting business, but intentionally using business as a vehicle for access, empowerment, and lasting community impact.

Congratulations, Latricia Lomax, our Outstanding Black Woman in Business! 👏🏾🌟

08/24/2026

🙏🏽📚 A PRAYER OVER OUR CHILDREN, SCHOOLS & EDUCATORS 📚🙏🏽

Heavenly Father,

As our children begin a new school year today, we come before You with grateful hearts, asking You to cover them from the crown of their heads to the soles of their feet.

Lord, cover every child, every school, every teacher, every administrator, every staff member, every bus driver, every counselor, and every person who will walk through the doors of our schools.

I plead the Blood of Jesus over every school building, every classroom, every hallway, every bus, every playground, and every campus. Place Your angels around them and protect them from danger, harm, violence, accidents, sickness, bullying, fear, anxiety, and anything that is not of You.

Lord, give our children wisdom, knowledge, understanding, confidence, discipline, focus, and a desire to learn. Help them to make good decisions, choose the right friendships, respect themselves and others, and know that they are loved, valued, capable, and created with purpose.

Strengthen our teachers and staff. Give them patience, compassion, wisdom, energy, and grace as they pour into the lives of our children. Let their classrooms be places of peace, safety, creativity, growth, encouragement, and excellence.

Father, we declare that this school year will be HEALTHY, HAPPY, SAFE, PRODUCTIVE, PEACEFUL, and SUCCESSFUL!

We declare that our children will grow academically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually. We declare that they will overcome obstacles, discover their gifts, walk boldly in their purpose, and reach their fullest potential.

Where there is fear, bring peace.
Where there is confusion, bring clarity.
Where there is discouragement, bring hope.
Where there is weakness, bring strength.
Where there is uncertainty, remind them that You are with them.

Lord, go before our children and make every crooked path straight. Bring them home safely every day. Give parents peace of mind while their children are away from home.

We cover this entire school year in prayer and declare that NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST OUR CHILDREN, OUR EDUCATORS, OR OUR SCHOOLS SHALL PROSPER.

In the mighty, matchless, and powerful name of Jesus Christ, we pray.

AMEN! 🙏🏽❤️📚

✨ HAVE A BLESSED, SAFE, SUCCESSFUL & AMAZING SCHOOL YEAR! ✨

08/11/2026

📚🎒 COMMUNITY, WE STILL NEED YOUR HELP! 🎒📚

Back-to-school is right around the corner, and our babies deserve to walk into that first day prepared, confident, and ready to succeed! ❤️

Through Project Backpack 2026, we’ve got the backpacks covered 🙌🏾—but we still need your help filling them with the school supplies our children need.

We are continuing to accept donations of notebooks, folders, pencils, pens, crayons, markers, colored pencils, rulers, pencil sharpeners, erasers, glue sticks, scissors, and other essential school supplies.

Every notebook matters. Every pencil matters. Every single donation helps us make sure a child in our community has the tools they need to start the school year off right.

No donation is too small! Whether you purchase one pack of pencils or enough supplies to fill several backpacks, every contribution counts. 💕

📧 To donate, contact us at [email protected]

A HUGE thank you to everyone who has already donated, shared our posts, or helped make Project Backpack 2026 possible. We appreciate you more than you know!

🎒 Let’s send our babies back to school READY!
💕 Sisterhood In Motion Inc.
✨ Empowering. Uplifting. Moving our community forward.

08/10/2026

🎒✏️ THERE’S STILL TIME TO DONATE! 📚🖍️

There is still time to donate school supplies to support Project Backpack 2026! If you would like to help us make sure our children are prepared and ready to head back to school, we would greatly appreciate your support. 💗

Every backpack, notebook, pack of pencils, crayons, folder, and other school supply helps us make a difference for a child in our community.

No donation is too small—every contribution counts! 🙌🏾

Thank you to everyone who has already donated, supported, shared, and helped us prepare for this community giveaway. We truly appreciate you! 💕

Sisterhood In Motion Inc
🎒 Project Backpack 2026
While supplies last!

08/10/2026

🎒📚 PROJECT BACKPACK 2026 IS HERE‼️ 📚🎒

It’s that time again! Sisterhood In Motion Inc., The National Professional Men & Women’s Network and Upper Echelon Lawn Care Service, is proud to present PROJECT BACKPACK 2026 — FREE BACK-TO-SCHOOL GIVEAWAY! 💗✏️📓

We believe every child deserves to walk into the new school year feeling PREPARED, EQUIPPED, CONFIDENT, and READY TO SUCCEED! A backpack may seem like something small, but to a child who needs one, it can make a BIG difference.

📅 Sunday, August 16, 2026
⏰ 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
📍 Martin Luther King Park
1200 MLK St SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49506

We’ll be giving away FREE backpacks and school supplies to help our babies start the school year off right! 🎒✏️🖍️📚

🚨 BACKPACKS & SCHOOL SUPPLIES AVAILABLE WHILE SUPPLIES LAST — SO COME EARLY! 🚨

This is what community looks like—showing up, pouring into our children, and making sure they know they are supported, loved, and prepared.

Because these are OUR KIDS. OUR FUTURE. OUR COMMUNITY. OUR PRIORITY. ❤️

A HUGE thank you to everyone who has donated, partnered, volunteered, sponsored, or helped make Project Backpack 2026 possible. Together, we CAN make a difference—one backpack, one child, one future at a time!

📣 PLEASE SHARE, SHARE, SHARE! Help us spread the word so we can reach the families who need us most.

08/08/2026

🚆🌸 The appreciation train is STILL rolling! 🌸🚆

Today, The National Professional Women’s Network is proud to give flowers to another phenomenal Black businesswoman whose life and career reflect leadership, service, entrepreneurship, and a genuine commitment to uplifting others.

It is my honor to recognize Mrs. LaWanda Austin, Owner of LaVish Looks by LaLa, as our Outstanding Black Woman in Business for the month of August! 👑✨

Mrs. Austin is a dedicated healthcare professional, educator, entrepreneur, and community advocate whose professional journey is a beautiful example of what it means to use your gifts, knowledge, and experience to serve others.

As a Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) with more than 15 years of clinical healthcare experience, LaWanda has built an impressive career specializing in clinical management and healthcare operations. She has served in leadership as an Operations Manager, demonstrating excellence in team leadership, workflow optimization, patient-centered care, regulatory compliance, and the development of efficient clinical practices.

But her impact doesn’t stop there!

LaWanda has also poured her knowledge into the next generation of healthcare professionals as a Medical Assistant and Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Instructor. With an extraordinary graduate success rate, she has helped prepare and mentor students to confidently enter the healthcare workforce while teaching them the importance of excellence, integrity, compassion, and professionalism. 🩺📚

Outside of healthcare, LaWanda has been a Licensed Cosmetologist for more than 20 years and is the proud owner of LaVish Looks by LaLa. 💇🏾‍♀️✨

What I especially appreciate about LaWanda’s journey is that she has used beauty as another avenue for service. She has dedicated countless hours to providing complimentary beauty services to underserved individuals, families in need, and people experiencing difficult circumstances. She understands that sometimes helping someone feel beautiful again can restore a little confidence, dignity, and hope when they need it most.

And if that wasn’t enough, this phenomenal woman is also the Marketing Administrator for Kay Kay’s Divine Kitchen & Catering by DJ, working alongside her husband, owner and Executive Chef, Chef DJ. In this role, she oversees branding, community outreach, marketing strategy, and business development while helping grow their family-owned business and its reputation for great food, exceptional customer service, and meaningful community engagement.

Now THAT is what you call a multifaceted woman! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

Whether she is leading healthcare teams, educating future healthcare professionals, helping someone rediscover their confidence through cosmetology, serving her community, or helping build a family-owned business, LaWanda continues to demonstrate what servant leadership truly looks like.

Mrs. LaWanda Austin, today we give YOU your flowers! 💐

We celebrate your heart for people, your dedication to education, your entrepreneurial spirit, your commitment to community service, and your ability to lead with both excellence and compassion.

You are a beautiful representation of what happens when purpose meets profession and service meets leadership.

You truly embody Black Excellence, and we are honored to recognize and celebrate you! 👑🖤✨

The National Professional Women’s Network proudly salutes you! 🫡💐

Everyone, please join me in congratulating our August Outstanding Black Woman in Business, Mrs. LaWanda Austin! 👏🏾👑❤️

Let’s give this Queen her flowers while she can smell them! 💐💐💐

Stay tuned as NPWN continues recognizing phenomenal Black women who are changing lives, strengthening communities, building businesses, and redefining excellence!

07/20/2026

🌸🚆 The appreciation train is still rolling! 🚆🌸

At The National Professional Women’s Network (NPWN), we believe in giving people their flowers while they can still smell them. Today, we are honored to celebrate another phenomenal Black businesswoman who is making a lasting impact in her community through purpose, passion, and excellence.

👑 Congratulations to Ms. Kimmie Lewis, founder of KimmieLewWellness, on being named NPWN’s Outstanding Black Woman in Business for the Month of July! 👑

Kimberly “Kimmie” Lewis is the visionary founder and lead coach of KimmieLewWellness, a wellness brand committed to empowering women to prioritize their health, strength, and overall well-being through evidence-based strength training and mindset coaching.

Understanding that so many women spend their lives caring for everyone else while placing themselves last, Kimmie has made it her mission to help women—especially those 35 and older—reclaim their confidence, improve their health, and rediscover their strength from the inside out.

Through personalized one-on-one coaching, online support, and her energetic Hip Hop Strength Training classes every Saturday, she creates an encouraging environment where women learn that true transformation is about far more than appearances. It’s about building functional strength, developing a resilient mindset, embracing self-care, and living healthier, more fulfilling lives.

✨ KimmieLewWellness Mission

The mission of KimmieLewWellness is to empower women to reclaim their health and confidence through structured strength training and holistic mindset coaching. By focusing on body recomposition—building lean muscle while reducing body fat—Kimmie helps women pursue sustainable health rather than quick fixes. Through education, accountability, encouragement, and community, she inspires women to embrace the beauty of the journey and become the healthiest, strongest version of themselves at every stage of life.

Kimmie, thank you for leading with purpose, serving with compassion, and inspiring women to believe in themselves again. Your passion, commitment, and unwavering dedication to helping others heal, grow, and thrive embody the very definition of Black Excellence.

Your impact reaches far beyond fitness—you are changing lives.

NPWN proudly salutes you! 🫡💐

Everyone, help us celebrate this amazing Queen! 👏🏾👑

🔗 Support KimmieLewWellness:
https://linktr.ee/kimmielewwellness?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=0e4c7ef4-0914-4d75-b5ab-15668957cbfd

Stay tuned as we continue recognizing outstanding Black women who are leading, inspiring, and transforming our communities.

06/23/2026

The National Professional Women’s Network is proud to recognize exceptional leaders who are making a lasting impact through business excellence, leadership, innovation, and service. Today, we are honored to spotlight an individual whose professional achievements and commitment to community development have earned him the respect and admiration of countless people throughout Michigan and beyond.

Please join us in celebrating The National Professional Men’s Network’s Featured Outstanding Black Man In Business:

Rev. Dr. Charles Hudson III

Rev. Dr. Charles Hudson III is a distinguished entrepreneur, leadership consultant, educator, community advocate, and organizational leader whose influence has spanned decades.

As the Founder and President of C.H. Hudson Outreach Ministries, Dr. Hudson has dedicated his career to empowering individuals, strengthening organizations, developing leaders, and creating pathways for personal and professional success.

A graduate of Macalester College, Dr. Hudson has continuously invested in his professional development and leadership expertise. He is a graduate of the prestigious Dale Carnegie Program, where he received the organization’s highest award for achievement, and a graduate of the Stephen R. Covey Institute, becoming the first African American Certified Facilitator of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Leadership Seminars in Western Michigan.

Throughout his career, Dr. Hudson has trained, mentored, coached, and inspired countless professionals, executives, entrepreneurs, students, and emerging leaders. His work has helped organizations improve leadership effectiveness, team development, communication, and organizational excellence.

His commitment to service and leadership has earned him numerous awards and honors, including:

🏆 GRCC 41st Giants H.C. Tolliver Religious Life Award

🏆 Senior Neighbors “16 Over 60” Community Service Award

🏆 Northern Province Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Military & Veterans Affairs Community Service Award

🏆 Achievement Awards from both the 25th Northern Province Polemarch and the 35th Grand Polemarch of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.

🏆 Special Recognition for Community Service from the Office of the Governor of Michigan

🏆 Special Senatorial Recognition from the offices of U.S. Senator Gary Peters and Congresswoman Hillary Scholten

A respected leader within Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Dr. Hudson is a proud 50-year Life Member and currently serves in leadership capacities at the provincial level, helping shape initiatives that impact communities across the region.

Whether through leadership development, community engagement, organizational training, mentorship, or entrepreneurship, Dr. Hudson has consistently demonstrated what it means to lead with excellence, integrity, vision, and purpose.

Dr. Hudson, your professional accomplishments, leadership legacy, and unwavering commitment to empowering others have made an indelible mark on our community. Your work continues to inspire future generations of leaders, entrepreneurs, and changemakers.

We proudly salute you as an Outstanding Black Man In Business.

👑🫡 Congratulations, Dr. Charles Hudson III!

To learn more about and support his work, please follow and support:

C.H. Hudson Outreach Ministries

Stay tuned to see who will be featured next!

06/22/2026

🎒📚💖 PROJECT BACKPACK 2026 IS ALMOST HERE! 💖📚🎒

At Sisterhood In Motion, Inc. and The National Professional Men & Women’s Network, we believe every child deserves to walk into the classroom feeling confident, prepared, and ready to succeed.

That’s why we’re excited to launch Project Backpack 2026, our annual backpack and school supply giveaway dedicated to supporting students and families throughout our community!

🗓 Saturday, July 25, 2026
📍 Location: To Be Announced

We are currently collecting donations of:
🎒 Backpacks
✏️ Pencils & Pens
📓 Notebooks
🖍 Crayons & Markers
📁 Folders & Binders
✂️ Scissors, Glue Sticks & Rulers
🧴 Hand Sanitizer, Tissues & Classroom Essentials

Every donation helps ensure that a child starts the school year equipped for success.

As a mother, grandmother, community advocate, and founder of Sisterhood In Motion, I know firsthand that when a community comes together, lives are changed. Something as simple as a backpack filled with supplies can boost a child’s confidence, relieve financial stress for families, and remind our children that they are supported, loved, and valued.

💗 Together, we can make a difference.
💗 Together, we can invest in our future.
💗 Together, we can help our children thrive.

If you would like to donate, volunteer, become a community partner, or sponsor this initiative, please contact us today.

To donate please contact:
[email protected]

🎒

06/21/2026

Community Father’s Day Tribute Honoring Pastor Jerry Bishop

Community Legend

In honor of Father’s Day, we proudly bestow our Community Legend recognition upon a man whose impact on this community has transcended generations. Pastor Jerry Bishop is more than deserving of this honor. He is a visionary leader, devoted husband, dedicated father, mentor, coach, pastor, and servant whose life’s work has transformed countless lives throughout the Grand Rapids community and beyond.

Pastor Bishop has dedicated his life to reaching people where they are, particularly young men who may have otherwise fallen through the cracks. In 1997, he birthed and launched NIGHTQUEST, a groundbreaking initiative that has remained alive, relevant, and impactful for nearly three decades. Through basketball, mentorship, fellowship, and faith, NIGHTQUEST has provided generations of young men with guidance, accountability, and hope. What began in gyms and facilities across our community—eventually grew into a permanent home at Lifequest. Through every challenge and every season, Pastor Bishop has remained steadfast in his commitment to the mission, proving that faith, vision, and perseverance can move mountains.

As the Founder and Pastor of Life Quest, formerly known as Church Without Walls, Pastor Bishop established a ministry in 1998 specifically designed to meet the growing spiritual needs of urban men who were beyond the reach of traditional church settings. His innovative approach to ministry broke barriers, removed obstacles, and demonstrated that the love of God belongs to everyone. Through his leadership, countless men have discovered purpose, healing, accountability, and a deeper relationship with Christ.

Beyond his pastoral calling, Pastor Bishop has served as a father figure to countless young men and women throughout this community. His influence extends far beyond the walls of any church or gymnasium. Through mentorship, encouragement, tough love, and unwavering support, he has helped shape future leaders, fathers, business owners, educators, coaches, and community advocates. Many who have crossed his path credit him as one of the individuals who changed the trajectory of their lives.

Known for his integrity, humility, wisdom, and servant leadership, Pastor Bishop has never sought recognition for his work. Instead, he has spent decades pouring into others, often behind the scenes, ensuring that people had the support, guidance, and opportunities they needed to succeed. His commitment to strengthening families, building communities, and empowering future generations is unmatched.

Above all else, Pastor Bishop is a family man. As a devoted husband and loving father, he has modeled the very principles he teaches. His life stands as a testament to faith, commitment, sacrifice, and service.

Today, we celebrate not only what Pastor Jerry Bishop has accomplished, but who he is. His legacy is written in the lives he has touched, the families he has strengthened, the communities he has uplifted, and the countless individuals who are better because of his influence.

Ladies and gentlemen, please join us in honoring Pastor Jerry Bishop, a true Community Legend. Pastor Bishop, thank you for your unwavering faith, your years of service, your dedication to our youth, your commitment to this community, and your willingness to answer God’s call. Because of your leadership, countless lives have been forever changed.

We honor you. We celebrate you. We thank you.

Happy Father’s Day, Pastor Jerry Bishop. Your legacy continues to inspire generations. 🏆👑🙏🏾💙

National Professional Men's Network - NPMN

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