Today we’d like to introduce you to N’kole Bryant.
Hi N’kole, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My journey began back in 2014 or 2015, I have always been an entrepreneur from selling weight loss supplements to selling makeup for 2 different companies, and I was successful in both and even built a team. There was just something about being my own boss that I could definitely rock with. In 2018, I met my business partner, who is a fellow entrepreneur, and he told me about his nonprofit organization, and it was at that point that I knew this is what I wanted to do. Helping in my community has been all I ever wanted to do since I was a teenager. Now, I am the Co-Founder & CFO of Suits For Judah, which is an award-winning 501(c)3 Nonprofit organization.
Then, in 2019, we were hit with a devastating blow. I had a horrible, unbearable pain in my left breast, and for a week, I couldn’t sleep and was constantly taking Tylenol to alleviate the pain, but nothing worked. Finally, on a Sunday morning, we went to Parkland ER, and when the doctor attempted to do a breast exam, as soon as he touched it, I was in tears because the pain was so unbearable. He immediately scheduled me for a diagnostic mammogram. That mammogram turned into a biopsy because of the lump in my breast. Finally, biopsy results returned, and all my fears came to fruition, the voice on the other end of the phone informed me that I had breast cancer. Well, this changed everything because we just started the nonprofit, but it didn’t stop anything. I still worked hard on Suits For Judah while I was going through cancer because it gave me a way to still help even when I couldn’t do a lot. While going through cancer, I also started WarriorQueen, which is my community organization that speaks about Triple Negative Breast cancer specifically. I inform people and show them what cancer looks like and how quitting is a not option.
Once I went into remission, then the George Floyd incident happened, and I went to my first protest. Now, I was just going to go live and show a peaceful protest; yeah, that was not the case at all. Once we saw riots happening, the images I caught were priceless, and that was when we knew something had to change. The people in our communities needed to know what the pulse of the city was, and so, we went into doing media and began Word On Da Street W/Judah, TV Show which I am the Producer of.
WODSWJ has been a life changer because I truly found my calling from working on the show, and now I have produced documentaries that are on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Firestick TV, etc. I became a videographer & photographer from working on WODSWJ, and because we film documentaries, this led me to working on production sets for TV shows, a few movies, musical performances, theatre productions, and I am an extra in a few movies as well. I love working on production, especially for theatre, because there’s nothing else like it, especially on show night.
Getting to where I am today has been nothing short of absolute love, grace, & amazingness!!! I am working in a career that I love, I consistently grow & learn, I get to work with so many amazing people in the nonprofit sector and so many talented people in the entertainment industry that I know I am in my lane. I get to speak about my cancer battle to other patients, survivors, and caregivers that fills my heart with joy because I want to not only speak about hope but show them about hope. One of my classmates saw me during my cancer fight, and she said, “Ooh girl, come on we don’t look like what we go through!” And that was my whole goal; even if I was having a bad day, I still made sure to look cute while going through it. Cancer made me fight for something I believe I took for granted, my mortality. It gave me a type of courage, strength, and this warrior spirit, hence the name, WarriorQueen, that you don’t get from just anything.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has definitely NOT been a smooth road! I wish I could say otherwise, but that wouldn’t be fun, now, would it? LOL! I faced a lot of resistance, and I felt the energy that many believed I wasn’t good enough because I was not from their city/school, my age, and of course, because I had Triple Negative Breast Cancer. After having cancer, some thought I was going to give up on my dreams and live in fear, but that is so far from the truth. I will have been in remission for 4 years this August 2023, and I am living my dreams to the fullest, and I have no intentions of stopping now!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am known for my community work & speaking engagements with Suits For Judah and WarriorQueen. Then, I am also known for my production (theatre & film/photography) work with Word On Da Street W/Judah and Melanin Knicknackz. Being known on both the activist and entertainment industry sides is different, but I genuinely appreciate being able to do both and be effective.
Word On Da Street W/Judah profoundly changed my life because I was put in the producer chair, all while learning how to navigate through putting on and out a quality show for the people. Well, we did a dope job with our show that we began to get booked to shoot events all over the city. In so doing, this led us to the documentary world, and we have over five documentaries out and on Roku TV, Apple TV, and Amazon Firestick TV. Never in a million years did I think I would make a movie and let alone get it streaming, but here we are. WODSWJ put me in a position to work production on some major movies, shows, and theatre productions. So now I am a Producer, Script Supervisor, Production Manager, Assistant Stage Manager, and Light, Sound, and Visuals operator.
WarriorQueen was born during my bout with Triple Negative Breast Cancer in 2019. I felt it necessary to let others know that they are not alone and to inform people what cancer truly looks and feels like. I speak to the survivors, patients, and caregivers because we all go through it, regardless, but it is nice to know that you are not alone in your fight. Those days get very dark, but WarriorQueen is here to help shine a light on your greatness and strength because you are still here, still fighting, and still standing strong. Melanin Knicknackz was born during my cancer battle as well, and it went from jewelry to photography & videography. I have photographed weddings, events, productions, behind-the-scenes, and birthday parties.
Suits For Judah is our 501 c3 nonprofit organization that was established in 2018, and this is where my community work comes from. We are dedicated to changing the mindsets and lives of young urban Americans who live in underserved and under-resourced communities through Mentorship, Exposure, Entrepreneurship, and Empowerment. Being able to serve, share and engage with the community through volunteer work and a camera lens drives me to continue to do this work because I want to be a warrior for truth, peace, love, and understanding. Be You, Be Great, Be Inspired!!
What I am truly proud of are the awards we have won as an organization: Word On Da Street Award 2020 (NE Dallas), Community Humanitarian of the Year 2021 (Not My Son) & Nonprofit of the Year 2022 (CIVN). When the people decide to reward you, it is truly magical because when you are grassroots and small you sometimes get overlooked. We had no idea that we were in the running for these awards, and we/I will be forever grateful that we were able to truly be effective and that the community saw fit to recognize us for our efforts. Another thing that I am truly proud of is that I was chosen to be a part of a 2-year fellowship/cohort. Bridging Fellows is the name of the fellowship, and it is the inaugural fellowship of this sort for Independent Sector. Forty nonprofit & community leaders were selected from Dallas, Pittsburgh, and Chicago to participate in this cohort, and I was selected to represent my nonprofit Suits For Judah. Wal-Mart sponsors it, and this has been an amazing experience due to all the knowledge I have obtained. We also get to travel to each other’s home states for Learning Exchanges to learn how they build bridges with their respective communities.
What sets me apart from others is that I am Purely & Authentically N’kole. I am empowered, grateful, graceful, dedicated, loyal, and strong. I survived Triple Negative Breast Cancer, and after that my entire life changed. I pursued my dream and left corporate America behind. It has not been easy, especially at the beginning, but now things are truly going up, and it’s stuck! From my activism work to my production work, everything I do means the world to me. I always give my all to ensure that things will run smoothly, no matter where I am or what I am doing. I received this second life because I was destined to be an Agent of Change, and I have become just that.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you, and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
Absolutely!!! I learned that the flow of information is a constant in our world, especially when you are locked down. During the Covid-19 Crisis, I actually was able to form stronger bonds with family and friends and truly build a network that would be beneficial once the lockdown was lifted. I also learned that I was truly an entrepreneur, and nothing was stopping me from doing exactly what I wanted to do. I can only describe it as a type of freedom, a freedom to truly become the creative you are and have always been deep down inside. I learned that I was unstoppable!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/suitsforjudah
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nkolebproducing
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nkolebryant
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@wodswj
- Other: https://www.facebook.com/WarriorQueen08
