Meet Trailblazer Ms. Lorrie Means

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ms. Lorrie Means.

Ms. Lorrie, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My journey began at birth 37 rotations ago! I’m 1/2 of a set of twins out of four sisters. I was Born in Longview, Texas and raised in Dallas, Texas. Throughout my life, I’ve always loved to read, write, and make sense of things I didn’t understand. In 2005, I completed Broadcast Journalism school and worked at a radio station briefly before getting fired. I put my dreams on hold for the last decade or so in order to work in Corporate America and make ends meet. In 2013, I restarted school in pursuit of my first college degree in Mass Communications/Journalism and finally finished in May 2018. Since then, I have been quietly working on rebranding my old blog and website now – it’s under construction at the moment but I can’t wait to bring it back live and see it flourish!

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Yes!!! The struggle is real – it’s inescapable. I’ve suffered through self-doubt and slow progress. I have had financial setbacks personally and professionally. However, no matter what obstacles I’ve faced I’ve pushed through and overcome them all. I never let negative people or situations cloud my intent. I control what I can and know when to delegate what I can’t control. It helps to have an active support system and strong personal locus. My advice to any young woman or person pursuing their passion is to not allow adversity to deter you. Every “no” is the opportunity to find another way to get to the “yes.” When you can’t get to the “yes” externally, create your own.

We’d love to hear more about Candor Noir.
My work is rooted in embracing, advocating for and inspiring marginalized communities through storytelling. I’m also committed to advancing the stories of the African diaspora and bringing its rich history and culture to a positive light on a global scale. I have a blog formerly known as “Keen of Queens,” where I wrote recaps of my favorite show “Insecure,” did movie reviews as well as wrote lifestyle stories. I’m in the process of expanding and rebranding my website and blog- it’s new name is Candor Noir. It will include more stories about health, finances, love, travel, relationships, music, entertainment and beyond. I am most proud of the response I got to on my blog the first time around and am ecstatic to see how my audience will respond to the changes in store! What sets my work apart from the next person is my unabashed is the simple fact that I’m uniquely me and my unabashed voice, quick wit and a keen sense of humor make me relatable to people from all backgrounds and beliefs.

So much of the media coverage is focused on the challenges facing women today, but what about the opportunities? Do you feel there are any opportunities that women are particularly well positioned for?
I feel that women are well suited for any industry and/or opportunity that set their souls on fire. I do not believe in putting limitations on any person due to their gender, race, sex or anything else for that matter. The truth is we are all innately talented in one way or the other. What we must do is realize what that talent is and hone it to perfection. Once we have it down – opportunities will present themselves. Gender or alike be damned! Women are LEADERS. Period.

Contact Info:

• Website: Candornoir.wordpress.com
• Facebook: Candor Noir

Image Credit:
Roderick Snowden, Keith Owens

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