Lawanda Lee, a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, is the founder and president of Words of Essence, which is an organization that develops innovative programs pertaining to effective job-seeking skills, sexual abstinence and other programs that emphasize character development.
As an Event Planner, she hosted her 4th Annual "Aspiring Writers Info Session" for upcoming writers on April 26, 2008.
She has also hosted her 2nd Annual "Business Men & Women Expo" in order to empower community members desiring to transition from workers to entrepreneurs and her 2nd Anuual "Gospel Showcase and Talent Show" to provide a platform for singers, dancers, and performers to receive cash prizes, media exposure and other benefits.
With regards to poetry, she began writing in 2003 and published
a book a inspiring poetry in April 2005 entitled, "Words of Essence."
As a result, the Lord has granted her opportunities to speak to thousands of people in the following areas: various churches, in the public school systems, the Miss Black Teen Pageant of Johnston County, the Orange County Prison, over the air live with Foxy 107FM, WOOW 1340AM, WNCU 90.7FM, WAUG 750AM, WCLY 1550AM, WSHA 88.9FM, and CW-22 "Armunda Hancock Gospel Network," Cable 7 "Minority Voices" (Greenville, NC), Cable 8 "Gospel on the Road" (Durham, NC), Duke University, UNC-Chapel Hill, East Carolina University, UNC-Greensboro, Shaw University, NC Central University, Saint Augustine College, as well as, other events outside of North Carolina.
She
was granted the opportunity to represent Durham Technical Community College
before the Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce's
100th Anniversary Meeting by reading
the history of Durham Tech before the Chancellors of Duke University, NC
Central University, Durham Tech, and before an estimated crowd of 300 members.
In addition,
she conducted a seminar for the faculty and staff of Durham Technical
Community College entitled,
"Seeking
Opportunities to Fulfill Your Passions," and elaborated on ways to effectively market your talents and skills. She also initiated ideas for creating a panel at Durham Tech that consisted
of employees who were published authors. The event occurred four months later
as a panel discussion entitled, "Durham
Tech Writes."
Lawanda's poem entitled, "Why Wait," which promotes sexual abstinence, was selected #1 in the Tribes Magazine Poetry Contest. As a result, she received a monetary reward, recognition, and "Why Wait" was featured in the June '2005 edition of Tribes Magazine. She was also featured in a Full page article in the August/ September 2006 Issue of Spectacular Magazine.
In addition, "Words of Essence" was submitted into the North Carolina Collection in May '2005 at the Wilson Library at UNC-Chapel Hill and was described as being "part of the state's cultural heritage." The book will be permanently cataloged into the collection and appear in the library's online catalog (http://www.lib.unc.edu/webcat/index.html).
Lawanda has a B.A. in Communication Studies from UNC-Chapel Hill and is currently pursuing her Masters Degree in Agency Counseling at NC Central University. She was inducted in April '07 into the International Honor Society for maintaining a 3.8 GPA.
Her greatest accomplishment consists of giving her life to Jesus Christ and allowing Him to use her to impact the lives of others.
