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Maria Denise Dowd ... My Soul Journey |
Tour in 1991, she was one of the few making it their mission to empower—and making a living doing it. Black women across the country flocked to AAWOT to hear Maya Angelou, Gladys Knight, Alice Walker, Iyanla Vanzant and hundreds of empowerment trainers and healers. Held in more than 40 U.S. cities, the Caribbean and France over the course of 13 years, AAWOT—the foremost women’s empowerment conference series—took its final turn in Hilton Head, SC, in 2003, on the heels of hurricane Isabel.
Maria took this act of God as a sign it was time for her to begin new chapters of her life. By then, she’d touched the hearts and souls of more than 30,000 women, young adults and teens worldwide. Maria is now a motivational speaker, trainer and inspirational author; and serves as Warm Spirit, Inc.’s Communications Coach, overseeing its communications and recognition programs. And, as a Warm Spirit business owner and representing its lines of earth-friendly botanical skincare and wellness products, Maria leads a team of over 1,000 independent Warm Spirit consultants, including the Heart & Soul magazine. Maria was instrumental in helping to launch Warm Spirit at African American Women on Tour.
Recently featured in Heart & Soul magazine, in her latest book, Journey Into My Brother's Soul, Maria continues on her mission—to help women embrace new concepts of freedom, joy, peace, prosperity and wholesome relationships -- this time through the voices of Black men. Maria's first two books, Journey to Empowerment and Journey to a Blissful Life, featured in Essence magazine as one of the best books to read for personal renewal, have touched lives in profound ways. Maria is regularly invited to offer keynote addresses, seminars and book talks to audiences ranging from college students and small business owners to women’s and professional networking groups, including a recent speech in Turks & Caicos, British West Indies. Maria also offers a uniquely motivational journal, My Bliss Book, where you can roadmap each day with your own positive affirmations, the close each day with reflections and celebration. "We’re in a day and age where more and more women, and especially women of color, have to change the way we’ve been doing things," Maria says. "It can be a frightening proposition, but the conversations have to take place. It’s our time and birthright to live richer, more healthful, purpose-driven lives."
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Maria's Most Popular Presentation Topics:
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Throughout Maria's 18-year entrepreneurial journey, she has generated an expansive national and international following and has been featured in Essence, Black Enterprise, Heart & Soul and, most recently, the May '06 issue of Empowering Women. Maria, former health and wellness columnist for Turning Point magazine, is featured in Cheryl Broussard's Sister CEO: The Black Woman's Guide to Starting Your Own Business, as well as in Direct Selling Women's Alliance's Build it Big: 101 Insider Secrets from Top Direct Selling Experts. She was recently awarded the 2007 Bravo! Award for Businesswoman of the Year from the National Association of Women Business Owners' San Diego Chapter.
Maria is a native Californian and is married to Curtis V, a veteran hairstylist, spoken word artist, percussionist and featured contributor to Journey Into My Brother's Soul. Maria has two daughters, one a wardrobe stylist for recording artist, Chris Brown; and the other who works for fashion designer, Ralph Lauren. She and her husband enjoy a blended family with lots of grandchildren, travel, salsa dancing, and HGTV home-improvement shows
Maria Dowd has been a featured speaker at...
Turks & Caicos, BWI Women’s Conference – Keynote Speaker * Breast Cancer Support Group Annual Fund Raiser – Keynote Speaker * 100 Black Men Annual Convention – forum moderator/speaker * Breakfast Club of America Tampa – Keynote Speaker * SCORE Women’s program – Keynote Speaker * MANA de San Diego – Panelist * Latina Business Women’s Association – Panelist * Philippine Nurses Association – Keynote Speaker * Merck & Company, NJ – Keynote Speaker * St. Louis Community College, MO – Keynote Speaker * Power Network Conference, OH – Workshop Presenter * Consolidated District Women’s Auxiliary, TN – Workshop Presenter * African American Business Summit, CA – Forum Facilitator * Sistah Summit, NM – Keynote Speaker * Brenau University Leadership Summit, GA – Keynote Speaker * Divinity Christian Church Retreat, CA – Workshop Presenter * Having It All Conference, CA – Presenter * Dare to Dream Retreat, CA – Presenter * National Black Herstory Convention, GA – Workshop Presenter * Universal Sisters Conference, OH – Keynote Presenter * Women CEO Retreat, AZ – Keynote Presenter * Circle of Friends Book Club Conference, CA – Presenter * San Diego Urban League – Workshop Presenter * Empowerment Brunch, CA – Keynote Presenter * SBA SCORE Breakfast – Keynote Presenter * Various Women’s empowerment and entrepreneurial tele-seminars and book signings.
Journey to Empowerment (ISBN: 978-0-373-8364-0; $6.99US),
Journey to a Blissful Life (ISBN: 1-58314-497-8; $9.99US),
Journey Into My Brother's Soul (ISBN: 0-373-83029-9; $14.95US),
Kimani Press, a division of Harlequin Books.
My Bliss Book --- A Motivational Journal ($19.95; ask about volume discounts)
Soul Journeys, Inc., P.O. Box 152107, San Diego, CA 92195-2107 * 619-229-7766 * 619-229-6156
About Maria Dowd, her books, speaking, newsletter and events:
