A6 March 11, 2021
The Chronicle
BUSTA’S PERSON OF THE WEEK
American Idol and Sunday Best
contestant, live in concert, with
a few of her friends
BY BUSTA BROWN
FOR THE CHRONICLE
“When I was a child, I
really struggled in school.
I felt as if I wasn’t smart
enough and got the spirit
of don’t care, and I just
gave up,” said Tequila
Devae Wilson. “I was put
back in the second grade
due to some behavior
problems. The principal
and teachers felt I needed
to be on Ritalin, because I
was just horrible,” contin
ued Tequila.
Tequila was raised by
her grandparents, who had
an unwavering faith, was
God fearing, and went to
church regularly. “I was
raised in a good home, but
we didn’t know what was
going on with me at the
time. I was seven, with
a lot of family issues as
well, but my grandmother
believed in me and never
gave up hope. She said
Submitted photo
Tequila Devae Wilson, Gospel artist and Praise and
Worship leader at Shekinah Glory Christian Church.
Jessica Blackburn, Criminal Saidies and Sociology
I DID IT.
can, too.
When 1 thought about going back to school and getting a degree.
1 made every excuse in the book for not doing it.
No time. No money. No wav. I was wrong.
I had a spirit in me that
needed to be cast out.
“She got in touch with
Bishop Lowery of St.
Mathews and he laid hands
on me, and the power of
God broke that spirit and
I was able to be normal
again,” said Tequila. After
struggling in high school,
she received support from
her middle school teachers
and guidance counselor.
They refused to allow
her to quit and it proved
to be successful. Wilson
enrolled into the Brittain
Academy Program in Win
ston-Salem and received
Salem. “I love when I help
those that come to church
feeling defeated and beat
down by life. And as a
praise and worship leader,
I enjoy lifting them up and
witness them leaving feel
ing inspired and not leav
ing the way they came,”
said Tequila.
She doesn’t look over
her shoulder waiting on a
blessing for what she does,
yet the melodies started
raining down from Heav
en. Tequila Wilson was
blessed to work with some
of the superstars in gospel
music, such as Dorinda
live in concert will be Ko
rey Mickie, Chris Parker
and Dion Owen and Re
naissance. It’s all happen
ing March 19 at 7 p.m. at
Shekinah Glory Christian
Church, 5095 Lansing
Drive, Winston-Salem.
“We are aware of the
COVID-19 pandemic, so
we’ll make sure people
are safe, with following
the CDC guidelines. But
if you feel the Holy Spirit,
let God have his way. The
purpose of the concert is
not only the release of my
single, but to give people
some healing and let them
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her high school diploma in
2018.
I’m sure you’ve read
or heard the scripture, “No
Clark-Cole, James Hall,
Ricky Dillard, Mary L.
Haynie, Monique Walker,
Isaac Caree, and even
know it’s going to be all
right. This is a time for all
the churches and commu
nities in Winston-Salem
weapon formed against
you shall prosper.” That
proved to be true with Te-
R&B singer Joe.
Wilson was also
blessed to compete on
and surrounding areas to
come together to lift up
the name of God and fel-
Protect
quila’s gift to sing. The at
tack that came against her
as a child had no impact on
her God-given gift to sing.
The Winston-Salem native
sang her first solo at age
seven and it became her
FOX’s American Idol Sea
son 13, and BET’s Sun
day’s Best Season 7 and
Season 8 All-Star Compe
tition. Tequila is featured
on Ricky Dillard’s “My
All” on his latest album
lowship as one body. It’s
important to do something
like this in the middle of all
hell breaking loose. We’re
not going to allow the en
emy to shut up the mouth
of God’s people, nor dis ¬
yourself agains
Porch Pirates
passion. As an adult, she
developed into a dynamic
singer and performer. Te
quila’s grandmother in
stilled in her a solid foun
dation of prayer and an
unwavering love for God.
Tequila began using
her gift to win souls to
God, which didn’t go un
noticed. Wilson is now the
praise and worship leader
at Shekinah Glory Chris
tian Church in Winston-
“10.”
March is a very special
month for the Twin City
superstar. She celebrated
her birthday on Tuesday,
March 9, and next Friday
you are invited to come
celebrate the release of
her debut single, “You
Are.” The song was pro
duced by Terrence “Terry
Bogart” Walker and writ
ten by both Wilson and
Walker. Joining Tequila
turb the flow of God,” she
shared.
Tickets for the concert
can be purchased at www.
sg4u.org.
My phenomenal Per
son of the Week isTe-
quila Wilson. “I have no
clue what God has up his
sleeve, so I will just sit
back and let him lead the
way.”
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Culture
FrompageAS
they have a roadmap to ap
ply these concepts as they
develop their companies
and continue to grow edu
cationally.”
Andrea Goode said,
“We wanted to create a
design that improves small
business scalability. A key
component was under
standing emotional intel
ligence. Kindness can be a
catalyst to help strengthen
organizational culture. We
know that culture often
is formed below the sur
face, with unwritten laws.
These entrepreneurs have
the tools to onboard self-
reflective middle manag
ers who are open-minded
from the beginning.”
Lash, a Winston-Sa
lem native and graduate
of the Wharton School at
the University of Penn ¬
sylvania, rose up through
the marketing ranks in re
spected companies before
forming her own business,
StepUP Your Game, LLC,
which prepares HBCU
students for careers in the
service industry.
Perkins, Sellers and.
Chisolm are balancing the
business start-up game
with applying to graduate
schools. Chisolm, a senior
from Henderson majoring
in psychology, has started
Life Shop, LLC, a pop-up
shop that will provide re
sources and techniques for
people dealing with mental
and physical health prob
lems. He wants to pursue
a master’s in public health
and, one day, a doctorate.
Perkins, a senior from
Kannapolis majoring in
exercise science, wants to
become a doctor of internal
medicine. His company,
Better Health Research,
will teach good health
practices to the communi
ty, including healthier eat
ing plans. Sellers is start
ing a medical research lab
company.
Chisolm, a senior from
Anson County majoring in
exercise physiology, wants
to become a physiatrist.
His business, the Mad Sci
entist Research Lab, men
tors and will assist and de
velop future leaders.
They all value what
they have learned in the
Maestro program.
“To share with others
what we’ve learned at such
an influential moment,
such an influential time,
is important,” Sellers said.
“We are grabbing the tiger
by the tail.”
John Railey, raileyjb@
gmail.com, is the writer-in-
residence for CSEM, www.
wssu. edu/csem.
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