Westside Story Newspaper – Online The News of The Empire – Sharing the Quest for Excellence
By Naomi K. Bonman
To commemorate Domestic Violence Awareness Month, I recently interviewed the author of “A Survivors Celebration of Life Beyond Domestic Violence”, which is written by Tahirah Ogletree.
Olgletree is an African-American actress, print model, author, filmmaker and advocate for domestic violence. Originally from Cleveland, Tahirah moved to Phoenix, Arizona to pursue her passion for film and acting. Over the years, she has been featured as a commercial print model in nationwide magazines and catalogs, starred in Internet commercials, and landed a role in a 2008 SIS TV Production. In 2011, she was rated as America’s top-aspiring African American woman, and was featured on the prestigious cover of the Blow, Hair & Fashion magazine. In 2012, Tahirah established her own film company, O’Tahirah Films, LLC. She wrote, produced and starred in two short films, Battered But not Broken and Phoenix Finest in Blue. In “Battered But Not Broken,” Tahirah played a battered woman who finds the strength to take back her life from the deadly grips of her abuser. Tahirah wrote “Battered But not Broken” to raise awareness on domestic violence and how rapidly it’s becoming an epidemic in so many households across America.
A Survivors Celebration of Life Beyond Domestic Violence is dedicated to every victim and survivor of domestic violence with the purpose of empowering, inspiring, educating, and helping to save and change lives. It is intended as a celebration of the beauty that all survivors have within, and is a reminder to everyone that there is life beyond the deadly grips of domestic violence. This empowering coffee table book is filled with inspiring quotes, tips on how to detect the early warning signs of domestic violence, tear-jerking testimonials from survivors around the world, Tahirah’s own autobiography, and a list of domestic violence hotlines with 24/7 access to highly trained advocates for immediate support.
In conjunction with her book release, Tahirah’s clothing line debuted with the launch of two t-shirt designs. The first derives from her original art pieces called “ Power Beyond the Fist.” The striking image translates two powerful messages. On one hand, it’s a collection of 52 inspiring phrases that help domestic violence victims understand they can overcome through faith in God, encouragement, forgiveness and a great support system. On the other, it sends the message to males that real men don’t hit women. “The Nubian” shirt hits the positive message home to victims and survivors that there is no excuse in settling for a life that’s less than one is capable of living; that there is true purpose in life beyond domestic violence. It is necessary to rise above and become the best version of oneself. When worn, these high-quality shirts act as strong messages to society, supporting the theory that we can break the silence of domestic violence.
To listen to the audio interview, please visit http://bit.ly/1JAuQCr. For more information on the book and how you can get it, visit otahirah.com.
Author: Naomi K. Bonman
Naomi K. Bonman is a Digital Content Curator, Journalist, Marketing Manager, and Editor. She is the editor of the westside Story Newspaper. She is also the Founder and CEO of Awakened Lounge (www.theawakenedlounge.com)
