The Pieces of Me

              I was born Amanda Inez Johnson, was previously married and acquired Burgess.  I use the pen name Inez Lola to pay tribute to my late grandmothers who molded me into the woman that I am today.  Inez taught me to have compassion for others.  She was my comforter and would often sing me to sleep.  Even though I didn’t get to spend a lot of time with my Granny Lola, she demonstrated what it was to be a virtuous woman of God.  She kept her house in order, I never heard her cuss or gossip, and she was an awesome cook.  One of her greatest qualities was her faithfulness to God coupled with a powerful prayer life. 

           I hold a Bachelor and Master of Science from North Carolina Central University.  I specialize in identifying the source of problematic behavior that leads to criminality.  Additionally, I am skilled in assessing the risks and needs of individuals who display patterns of criminal behavior.  I am the mother of three, and I use my experiences with teen parenthood, child rearing and a previous marriage to educate others on how to cultivate healthy relationships. I am also an advocate for teen pregnancy prevention.  

        I am currently working on developing a non-profit organization called Project Downshift.  The goal of Project Downshift is to empower men (with special emphasis on building men up) and women to support each other mentally, physically and fiscally while building strong households and healthy children.  It is based on the belief that empowering the family spiritually and financially is imperative to their success.  I co-authored my first book entitled Flag On The Play: A woman’s guide to finding Mr. Right in a world full of Mr. Right Nows which can be downloaded for free right HERE!