Presenting...Beverly Owens-Jackson

Beverly Owens-Jackson, Founder of Choices (Source: Beverly Owens-Jackson)

CLEVELAND - Beverly Owens-Jackson is the founder of Choices, a mentorship program through Cuyahoga Community College. The program acts as a sounding board for women of all ages to share their personal challenges in a non-judgemental environment.

Jackson’s idea for the program originated from the "bad"choices she made following the passing of her mother. As time progressed, she made the decision to return to college. However, she did face obstacles along the way.

“When you’re a recovering addict and going back to college as an adult with a new baby…you’re in a whole different arena,” Jackson said. “You're now in this education arena, versus being on the streets. So, people are looking at you (and you're looking at yourself) in a very negative way.”

Jackson was eventually introduced to her campus’ mentorship program where she was able to discover a plethora of opportunities. Upon graduating, she realized that she had a heart for mentoring others, leading her to create her own mentorship program, Choices.

Left to right: Choices promotional photograph; Choices annual photoshoot (Source: Beverly Owens-Jackson)

Under the umbrella of TRI-C’s Black American Council, Choices is one of several mentorship programs offered to students. Choices offers participating students stability, guidance, support, and opportunities for personal growth.

“(The goal) is basically to be a support system or to be that person that people can talk to and to try to pull them through whatever it is they're going through,” Jackson said.

Participants meet in an informal environment (on campus) where they are able to share their challenges without judgment. They are then given strategies to overcome them.

“Overall it's about focusing and being dedicated to overcoming any challenge in your life,” Jackson said. “You being 15 and me being 58 doesn’t matter. We all still have challenges. Without focus and dedication, we’re probably not going to overcome them.”

Jackson says her ultimate goal was to create a platform for women to talk about their challenges. By conversing about one’s struggles, she hopes that every woman recognizes her strength and bravery.

“I hope that women walk away from it knowing how strong we are (as women),” Jackson said. I hope they realize that there's nothing we cannot do.”

Undeniable Choices (Source: Beverly Owens-Jackson)

When she’s not busy mentoring, Jackson spends her time pouring into her business, Undeniable Choices: Connecting Resources to Retail. While she enjoys meeting customers' fashion needs through her retail line, Jackson prides herself in offering helpful resources to the community.

From motivational speaking to serving as a community advocate, Jackson strives to be a source of positivity for those around her. She’s a mover and a shaker!

To learn more about Choices and Undeniable Choices, contact Beverly Owens-Jackson at undeniablechoices@gmail.com