The Chicago Journal

Anthony Hyland Uplifts Audiences Everywhere Through the Power of Words

Nicholas Alexander Nicholas Alexander on August 10, 2020

The healing effect of words has long been recognized by humanity. Reading and expressive writing are utilized as additional treatments to people who are experiencing mental or emotional distress, a method Anthony Hyland is familiar with. 

One form of expressive arts therapy is Poetry Therapy, which involves the use of poems, narratives, and other spoken or written media in a therapeutic manner to promote healing and overall well-being. This concept is adapted by Anthony Hyland, a poet, author, speaker, and entrepreneur who uses poetry as a means to release stress.

Life is never easy, and Anthony Hyland is a living testament to this sentiment as he sought out to combat the trials and tribulations in his life. He spent the first five years of his life not having a permanent place to stay in as he bounced through different foster homes. Aside from being homeless, he was also a victim of sexual assault, which in turn made him harbor a lot of suppressed anger. During these difficult times, he turned to poetry as his comfort zone and solace. 

Turning that pain into rigorous passion, he graduated with flying colors as the valedictorian in his high school. He was granted a full four-year scholarship at Voorhees College, where he proceeded to take up a degree in Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication. He also got a Certificate of Completion from Harvard Business School Online for Entrepreneurship Essentials. 

While at Voorhees College, Anthony hit the ground running by becoming the Freshman Class president and then, Third Vice President of the local NAACP chapter in his sophomore year. Anthony sought to establish a continued legacy of greatness by serving as President of the Eta Iota chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated during his junior and senior years.

During his spare time, he immerses himself in writing different prose and poetry pieces. He discovered that he has a flair for writing and decided to author a book called The Purpose of Power. Currently, he is stationed in Honolulu, Hawaii with his wife Natasha, and his two kids, Caleb and Natalie. He is working there as a United States Naval Sailor as he serves his peers in the capacity of a Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class. 

Although his life may seem like a typical rags-to-success story and appear to be going well, he encountered another battle that was waging in his mind, depression. In December 2009, depression almost got him as he tried to take his life through suicide. But God had other plans for him and gave him a second chance at life. It was during this time that he decided not to waste his talents and give back to other people.

He dived into the world of public speaking and has been a professional public speaker for six years and counting. He seeks to empower and uplift his peers and the younger generation. He has also engaged in many conferences, seminars, and workshops as a notable keynote speaker. This experience also led him to explore spoken word poetry to appeal to the young masses.

Anthony hopes to inspire others to continue striving for their goals, no matter how hard life may be through his poetry and speaking engagements. Check out his official TikTok account, where he continues to share this spark of hope by imparting knowledgeable insights and words of empowerment.

Orffrageous Publications, LLC, a Place of Excellence and Growth for Young Musicians

Jason Robinson Jason Robinson on July 16, 2020

Audiences love to watch children enjoying what they do on stage. May it be a dance performance, a song number, or a drama, it is outstanding how children, in their early years, start building their talents and confidence for the performing arts. Other children make these a hobby—an activity to fritter away time. In comparison, others further their careers by joining clubs in school or musical programs. Either way, children bring smiles to audiences and listeners when they perform. The young roster of Orffrageous Publications, LLC, does more than that.

A leading orff ensemble in Dekalb County, Georgia, Orffrageous has donned international stages and received acclaim from some of the most iconic bodies in the music industry. The group consists of young individuals who play several percussion instruments like metallophones, xylophones, glockenspiels, drums, and many more. The ensemble presents a dynamic interaction among the members as they dance, move around, incorporate drama, and sing to a wide array of songs. 

Back in December, the group went viral after their performance of a Willy Wonka medley I Dream of Chocolate. The video garnered thousands of views after only 24 hours. They have also made renditions to songs like The Nutcracker and Earth Wind, and Fire, and breathed creativity to Mozart melodies and the songs of Michael Jackson. In 2013, they received the Congressional Recognition Award from Congressman Hank Johnson. Several years later, in 2019, they graced stages of the Georgia Music Educators Association Conference and The Cobb Wind Symphony.

The xylophone instrumental arm of Orffrageous, Dynamix, was handpicked to perform before “the throngs of guests” at the Holiday Tours at the White House under the Obama administration. They became the first and the youngest xylophone group to ever perform inside America’s center of power. Adding to their firsts is an invitation to perform in the largest music conference in the world, The Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic, where only the finest are selected.

Orffrageous has also made appearances in television programs like America’s Got Talent, Channel 2 Action News, Good Day Atlanta, and 11 Alive News. The musical course received a Program of Distinction award from the Music Education Alliance under the Dr. William P. Foster Award. Even when the award is categorically given to middle and high school groups, Orffrageous Publications, LLC, of Dunaire Elementary was recognized as such. 

Chelsea Cook is the mind behind Orffrageous. She holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in vocal performance from Clayton State University and Georgia State University respectively. Shortly before finishing her graduate studies, Cook burned with a passion for teaching music. So she entered the field of elementary music education, where she struggled to gain footing. However, after years of adjustments and keeping hold of her passion, she managed to get through. Atlanta Journal Constitution listed her as one of the Top 10 Educators of the 2018 Celebrating Teachers Awards. Cook is also the 2020–2021 Teacher of the Year of Dunaire Elementary. Her struggle toward success has been published as a book, Lemonade: Making the Most of What You Have.

With her love for music, she created Orffrageous Publications, LLC. She intends to expand the horizons of her young musicians and urge others to do the same. Cook said, “So many were eager to know just how I did it. I have given seminars on introducing Orff-Schulwerk to the urban classroom to using Orff to bridge that gap between classical and popular music and how to think outside the box when trying to build a successful music program.”For more about Chelsea Cook and the Orffrageous Publications, LLC, visit their website. Follow their Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube accounts.

Jowy Cenat Shows the World How Passion Can Turn into Profit

Jason Robinson Jason Robinson on July 14, 2020

Social media helps people stay connected and updated with daily happenings, especially during the pandemic, where physical distancing is required. Aside from keeping in touch, people can find ways to monetize their social media accounts, based on an idea or passion that they may have. Monetizing accounts may be daunting and discouraging for some, especially comparing engagements from more prominent and more established accounts.

Jowy Cenat, too, has felt that familiar hesitance before. However, his passion for having creative freedom and creating content pushed him forward. Now, Jowy plays the piano and can convert his social media accounts to a monetizable platform, even with under ten thousand followers.

Going through four years of college, Jowy brainstormed a fundamental guide on how to grow a social media presence with 0 followers. Jowy was born in Queens, New York, having a Caribbean-Haitian descent. He grew up poor and started with nothing. Not easily defeated, Jowy decided to start smart and used his wits to navigate his life around.

Years of Jowy’s life were spent investing in learning how to do these two simple things: developing a passion and learning how to record himself doing said passion craftily. In 2013, Jowy started his journey, even when he was just twelve years old. Jowy recorded himself reviewing any electronics around his house and posted them online.

Eventually, Jowy earned himself affiliate commissions and collected $2.90, jumpstarting his passion for video influencing. As a teenager, making $2.90 for recording and making videos on YouTube was a breakthrough. Within a few weeks, Jowy was earning $61 every two to three weeks on the internet, and since then, he never looked back.

In college, Jowy is still using the same principles in making money online through videos. Though a few years have passed and techniques may change, the principles of monetization are still the same and never-changing. It led Jowy to publish his first book on monetizing videos, called “Video Influencer Authority,” which is a guide on how to use the power of video to become a micro-influencer.

Through the book, Jowy can guide people to follow his ways and monetize their passion through making online videos. Jowy offers a free one-hour training webinar for the people who get a free copy of the book. The book is packed with knowledge, filled with tips and strategies. Many testimonials of people have said they learned and took action on all of the tips in the book.

Jowy’s journey pointed him to getting into diverse avenues to pursue his passions, such as becoming a videographer and creating beautiful cinematic videos for clients.

Aside from being a content creator, Jowy is certified in mental health first aid; he is a huge advocate for mental health in minority communities because the lack of mental health awareness affected him in his undergraduate years of college. Jowy graduated from Stockton University with a major in pre-occupational therapy with a dual minor in holistic health and public health.

In every endeavor he takes, Jowy’s goal is to help and inspire others to pursue their dreams and create a community filled with compassion and greatness.

Take a peek into Jowy’s personal website and connect with him on LinkedIn.