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LAWD HAV MERCY play; this gave her the opportunity to go get professional

photos taken as advertisement. Which then led her into
doing some modeling in her spare time. Shonice has
always been active and so it is just one of the things she
loves to do. Shonice will make her own wigs if needed
for certain roles and she will not wear wigs unless she
has physically made it herself. Hair stores do not adver-
tise black natural hair in an appealing way, so Shonice
honice Jeanay is from a small town called Zwolle, decided to make her own afros and natural look. She
SLouisiana. It is about three hours south of Monroe, owns many wigs and each one she makes is made from
Louisiana. Shonice currently lives in Monroe, where scratch. Shonice likes making wigs because that is her
she is a doctoral student at Grambling State Universi- yoga; it is her escape from reality and gives her a mo-
ty. She is studying to receive her PHD in Developmen- ment of peace and tranquility.
tal Education. She is set to graduate in 2021 from the
program. While studying to receive her PHD Shonice In 2016, Shonice started a nonprofit organization called
also works as a support coordinator at a mental health Positively Speaks. Some of the work the organization
agency. does is feeding the homeless and taking high schoolers
on college tours. Due to the outbreak of COVID-19
Aside from Shonice’s passion for criminal justice this was the first summer that she was unable to do it.
and mental health; She also has a passion for acting Shonice started this organization because coming from
and modeling. She started off acting as a child at a small town where you did not have the opportunity to
her school and church. Then when she gained more speak to mentors about college did not sit right with her.
experience She wanted to be able to give the students
and went off coming in behind her a chance to see dif-
to college, ferent campuses and speak to them about
she joined attending college. She told herself once
the Univer- she got her master’s degree, she wanted to
sity choir develop her own LLC, and she wanted to
and joined give back to the kids from underserved
the theater neighborhoods. She also loves giving back
department. to the homeless and making conversations
Shortly after with them and providing help in areas of
that Shon- need to them. Shonice works with other
ice began types of organizations all the time because
acting in this allows her to pair up with other great
Community minds and enables her to reach and help a
Theater and broader spectrum of people.
she was so
successful Some fun facts about Shonice Jeanay are
and en- she is a country girl who loves a home
joyed doing cooked meal of collard greens and neck
it that it led her to begin acting in Premier Theater. bones. Her two celebrity crushes are Tyrese and Lisa
This helped her love for the art to grow. Shonice was Raye and her favorite movie is Dreamgirls. Her favorite
able to play different types of roles and be all types of type of music is Rhythm and Blues (R&B). In the next
characters. One-character Shonice enjoyed playing five years Shonice sees herself opening her own develop-
was a character named Shelia Wondering for a play ment center and plans on becoming being a yoga in-
called Murder at Café Noir. Playing this role gave her structor. Her idea place of opening a development center
the opportunity to connect with the 1920’s and expe- would be in Settle, Washington. Shonice’s grandmother
rience the style of clothing and music from that time. is the biggest impact in her life and is her inspiration.
She was even able to do photoshoots to promote the Shonice says, “Just keep pushing and never ever give up
Page 24 on your dreams.