“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
Take a look at her today.
Smart.
Intelligent.
Delightful.
Resourceful.
Perceptive.
Discerning.
Well-informed.
Must we go on? Must we go on about Dr. LaTarsha D. Holden, a woman whom, to put it forthrightly and plainly, is one whom has gone to great lengths to become the admirable comeback story for which she is widely known?
“I only had God at that time,” Holden, whenever she finds herself telling of her awe-inspiring, tear-jerking testimony, customarily says with a smile she’s earned the right to put on display.
What’s so astoundingly intriguing about the emotional story of Dr. Holden is that no one, it seems, can ever get tired of hearing it — a story that, to her credit, has been depicted into a real-life documentary, a feat that has afforded her to graciously embrace and commemorate as she vies for a seat on the Atlanta’s City Council District 11 in coming months.
“In 2008, I made a vow to myself that when I got my life together I would go back and fight for others,” Dr. Holden, 44, told Making Headline News during an exclusive interview this week. “That’s when I knew that one day I would run for City Council.”
For the record, Holden is famously known as an emerging leader in the Atlanta-metropolitan area, in large part because of her keen passion for education, a notable attribute that arose after she earned an Associate of Arts Degree in Biblical Education and then followed that up with having earned a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in Leadership and Administration and a Master’s in Business Administration degree from the historic Beulah Heights University.
For her distinct efforts, coupled with her valiant contributions to the Atlanta community, she later became a doctoral student and even earned mentions in the 2014 edition of Who’s Who Among Students In American Universities And Colleges.
Talk about an impressively dazzling resume for a rookie political figure who is destined to assume a seat for which only a few sensed she would ever qualify.
In fact, to grasp a thorough understanding of why Dr. Holden’s quest for the office of City Council on one of America’s most populous and decorated cities, look no further than the memorable, mostly challenging events that have made such a time as now the tear-jerking one has become.
For starters, as if dropping out of high school her sophomore year wasn’t enough to put on hold the divine destiny of a woman who boasts the gifts of a public servant, Holden gave birth to four children by the age of 22.
All things considered, at the time, she seemed well on her a way to becoming just another statistics from the inner city, a youngster with no real sense of direction, a young then-homeless adult who knew full well she was living beneath her privileges.
Fortunately, for her, God had other plans — you know, just as the scripture above this story suggest.
WHAT ABOUT DR. HOLDEN:
www.vote4latarshaholden.com
www.latarshaholden.com
“Being homeless, I found myself at a crossroads,” Dr. Holden explained. “I had to fight for my children and, with little direction, while staying in a boarded-up house, as squatters, I decided to enroll in college. The last time I had been in school, I was 15 years old.”
While Dr. Holden had unceremoniously vacated school, she was still armed with the educational smarts to, you know, possess a solid education.
“I made a vow to myself that the streets weren’t going to raise my children, nor the jails were going to house them,” said Dr. Holden, a 10-time published author who has gone from a GED recipient to a woman who has positioned herself to acquire an honorary doctorate in the foreseeable future.
The rest, as they say, was history.
Take a look at her today.
Smart.
Intelligent.
Delightful.
Resourceful.
Perceptive.
Discerning.
Well-informed.
Oh, and one other thing: She has masterfully put herself in position to assume a seat for which only a few sensed she would ever qualify.
Election Day is November 7.
Stay tuned. This is going to be interesting.
Amongst the reasons is that Dr. Holden’s story has generated an array of headlines and she became a featured story on AOL Black Voices.
In addition, she has appeared on The Debra Gatlin Show, not to mention The Ordinary People Show, and Joe The Gravedigger Show about helping others in the community who were facing difficult challenges.
Also, she was a featured story in the W.O.W. Magazine and was presented with the award of “Women Who Inspire” at an annual women conference hosted by WEOP in “2008,” and was nominated for the “Humanitarian Essential Piece Award” in “2011” from the Georgia Alliance to End Homelessness, and she was an honoree for the “Unsung Hero” award at the APEX Pyramid Awards in “2016.”
Other accolades include having received the “I Am a Warrior” at the stage play “Lord Fight This Battle.” Widely known as inspiring speaker who answered the call to preach the Word of God in 2005, Dr. Holden was ordained to the office of Pastor in February 2013 and she is the Host of Global Talk Radio in which she advocates on issues that affects people around the world.
Moreover, Dr. Holden is a stellar community advocate and an author of several books and a subject of a documentary entitled “No Longer Lost.”
“I believe my chances are good in winning the election for District 11,” said Dr. Holden, sounding as confident as ever before. “I believe the people are tired and weary and they are looking for someone different. I will use the same fight I had for my family to fight for the residents of District 11.”
When asked to finish this sentence: “If Dr. Holden wins this election…”
Dr. Holden said, “Atlanta would be getting a servant leader who will immediately go to work for the people. I will begin to work with different entities to form collaboration, to get the ball rolling to bring the necessary changes to District 11.”
Spoken like the true, admirable comeback story for which she is widely known.
DR. LATARSHA HOLDEN’S PLEDGE TO THE CITY OF ATLANTA:
- I pledge to work with the judicial system to ensure that there is a plan in place to assist juveniles who come before the courts. We cannot just put them on probation without offering any assistance to help them with criminal behavior. Services will be rendered once detained.
- I pledge to partner with companies that would provide job training for low-income residents to ensure that they have an opportunity to apply for better paying jobs…to set aside entry level positions to get in the door with big corporations.
- I pledge to increase the safety of the public by hiring more police officers, starting a gang unit within Atlanta Police Department and to put in place incentives for community policing….also, to hire a small group of mental health professionals who can assist the officers when dealing with the mentally ill.
- I pledge to partner with Atlanta Public Schools to ensure that our schools are safe and that any forms of bullying will have dire consequences…to work with middle schools to assist in the transition phase from elementary school goes smoothly. This will be my main initiative called, “Project Village.”
EDITOR’S NOTE: If you are an entrepreneur, business owner, producer, author, athlete, musician, barber, life coach, motivational speaker, cosmetologist, tax preparer, model, or pastor/minister who is seeking exposure and would like to share your story with an in-depth news feature, call Reporter Andre Johnson at 901-690-6587 or Facebook message him under “Andre T. Johnson” for details.
Andre Johnson is Founder and Publisher for Making Headline News. A 2000 graduate of the University of Memphis School of Journalism and a former staff reporter the Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper, Johnson covers the NBA Southwest Division from Dallas, Texas. To reach Johnson, send email to [email protected] or to [email protected]. Also, follow him on Twitter @AJ_Journalist.
Dr. Holden is an inspiration for everyone.
Dr. Latarsha Hold, I’am so proud of you for who you become now, I grow up in some of your life were you was an endure, but devil did take your pride from you turn if around an endurance it back you did not give up sister love U always, you keep speaking your testimony to the world. ?
Congratulations on your success! It’s a pleasure to be a part of this journey with you. All the best. Holden for City Council!!!!!!