A Short Biography

A Short Biography

By Dr Yomi Garnett

Footprints on The Sand Grains of Time

“Lives of great people remind us we can make our lives sublime and, departing, leave behind footprints in the sand of time.” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

A grain is a small and hard particle of a substance. Although grains come in various forms, textures, and colors, the largest expression of the essence of that word is found at the sea side, and at the ocean beaches, of the world, where the grains of sand can often stretch as far as the eyes can see. For centuries, the tidal waves of the oceans have continued to cascade and crash unto the beaches, leaving behind sediments that build up into the beautiful, sandy beaches that we tread, leaving behind our footprints on those sandy trails. Many remarkable people, in the course of human history, have left, and are still leaving, their footprints on the sand beaches of the oceans of time. In these pages, I heartily present one of such people.

Let us take matters from first principles. There are people who, right from the outset, discount themselves from becoming persons of substance or value, simply because of their background or circumstances. They set their goals and ambitions solely based on the achievements of others in their family. In other words, they automatically discount any personal notion of greatness, even before their lives have really begun. Yet, greatness is never thrust upon us. We become great through our lifetime accomplishments, and not by our family antecedents. We become great by living a sublime existence; a life of high moral and intellectual essence. We make our life sublime by inspiring awe and admiration in others, and from our deeds and words. Also, wealth, by itself, does not necessarily qualify us to wear the toga of greatness. After all, history is replete with the countless rich and famous whose names have been swept away with the wind of general human amnesia. The sand of time is history. When someone leaves behind footprints in the sand of time, they leave behind imprints of themselves and their actions on the tablets of history. These imprints, or footprints, last for generations, and they become memories that will never disappear.

It is against this backdrop that I present Keisha Reifer-Esprit, and I commend her to the reader, not just because she is a rare combination of beauty and brains, but more because this remarkable young woman is leaving her footprints on the sands of the ocean beach of time, by living a life of inspiration that is guaranteed to continue to impact this generation in such a way that she will also bequeath an uncommon legacy to generations yet unborn. Yet, a few phrases will still serve to describe this icon. Keisha has gone against the grain to glow amongst thousands of other grains. Keisha has, against all conceivable odds, gone from one triumph to another triumph. For Keisha, the top of one mountain is nearly always just the bottom of the next mountain to be conquered.

The Multipotentialite

Keisha Reifer-Esprit is a woman of many parts. Being a person with a multiplicity of interests and divinely-endowed creative pursuits, she is what is intellectually referred to as a multipotentialite. She, quite easily, belongs to the new generation of business strategists that are fast gaining recognition for combining their unique entrepreneurial and strategic vision to successfully blend their formidable intellect with collaborative team building for the achievement of strategic business goals. Indeed, Keisha is a successful entrepreneur who wears a multiplicity of hats. A mother, author, former track athlete, philanthropist, humanitarian, and motivational speaker, Keisha has emerged a veritable powerhouse of entrepreneurial energy. Her range of notable bespoke established brands, products and services include Esprit Pastry, Esprit K Lipstick, Eleganza Apparel, and The Esprit Radio Show. I consider it a rare privilege to be in a position to take advantage of this tribute to exemplary womanhood, and to roll out the red carpet to celebrate a beautiful and accomplished young lady who has managed to tuck so many achievements under her belt in such a short time span.

Keisha's surname is “Esprit,” which is French for Spirit. Over the years, she has seemingly developed the wholesome reputation for stamping her personal and bespoke mark of excellence on anything she lays her hands upon. In fact, it is almost as if she leaves her “Spiritual Footprints” in all she does. It is within the realm of possibility that this proclivity is a function of her surname, Esprit. An accomplished sports person, Keisha, with an impressive pedigree in educational and academic laurels, has managed to become an athletic folk hero of sorts in her native Caribbean Islands. To add a dose of irrepressible glamor to her brilliant career, she is also a fashion print and runway model, and an actress. Although she resides in American, it is patently obvious that she remains fiercely patriotic to her Caribbean roots, as she is deeply involved in promoting the culture and heritage of her people in Barbados. Perhaps, however, the most amazingly remarkable facet of her inspiring career is her life as a published author. She has commendably written and published more than ten books in an incredible literary feat that has seen her contributing immensely to the development of education in the United States. Ultimately, what most people will find most alluring and arresting about Keisha’s remarkable story is that, what might have taken the average individual a lifetime to accomplish was all that she somehow managed to tuck under her belt in a span of a decade. Indeed, if the name ‘Esprit’ speaks into the very nature of Spirit, the entire persona of Keisha totally defines the word ‘mystique.’

The Athlete

I will admit that when I first met Keisha, I was deceptively lulled into what I felt was simply no more than a meeting with your classic beautiful, soft, feminine and alluring Black woman. You couldn’t blame me. Keisha stuns you to a standstill with her sculpted face, suitably framed by her naturally shaped eyebrows. Yet, that is where the deception ends. The next thing is that you are assailed with the vision of statuesque and transfixing feminine physique. Suddenly, you arrive at the knowledge that there is more to this goddess of beauty than her soft cute looks. Keisha is actually a former athletics track star who has broken and set records that remain standing twenty years later. She gained pre-eminence as the fastest Barbadian athlete for two consecutive years at five events. These were the 100meters, 200meters, 400meters, 4x1 relay and 4x4 relay. She was the female pioneer at her high school, Coleridge & Parry School, where she also impressionably stamped her superlative performance in the track record books. She was the fastest leg on the 4x4 Quartet, a record that subsists to this day. Keisha was also a CARIFTA medalist, CAC medalist, Hampton International Games medalist, seven-time NAIA All-American indoor and outdoor, MEAC Conference medalist, and NCAA Div. 1 Regionals competitor, amongst many other athletic titles. She narrowly missed the Olympics qualifying time by just one second during her last year of competing. Her athletic abilities accorded her the athletic scholarship that saw her through her undergraduate years. She would be later rewarded with an academic scholarship for her graduate studies. She is also an alumna, and in the South Carolina State University’s top 5 of all time 400meter records. In her own words, “To be an outstanding athlete is not a bed of roses. It comes with the huge price of rigorous training, hard work and sacrifice. You also attract a tremendous dose of jealousy from others, which is something that comes with the territory. I didn’t achieve success overnight, as I worked thrice harder than my track peers. I even changed my diet, and just trained unbelievably differently from any of them. Many wouldn’t dare attempt such aggressive workouts as I undertook.” Keisha is by no means exaggerating about her feats. She has trained and competed against some of the greatest athletes in the world, and Olympians Tiombe Hurd and Fana Ashby are among many of such star athletes.

The Fashionista

Born on the beautiful Caribbean Island of Barbados to a Barbadian mother and a Commonwealth of Dominican father, the start to Keisha’s remarkable journey was characterized by early life events that would provide the foundation for an exceptional life career. As a toddler, she would be exposed to many young women in inspiring practice as models, singers and stage performers. As she relates, “My mother was the owner of “The Eleganza Group” in the early 1980s. I admired her outfits and the models’ styles. Some of these singers later became national calypsonians, while others modeled for the most popular malls of the day.” Her diligent interest and enthusiasm would morph, two decades later, into her “Eleganza Fashion Marketing & Consulting Inc., which she established in Manhattan, New York. “My passion was all the more kindled, if only because professionals frequently approached me for advice and connections. That business became a roaring success because my clientele came from all over the world, both to avail themselves of my fashion consulting services, and to participate in various fashion shows. I held seminars, and one-on-one consultations with people from all ethnic extractions on all continents of the world.”

That stage of her career also presented the golden opportunity to connect and work with various celebrities, including Etu Evans, Craig Derry, Angel Brinks, Tracy DiMarco, Misa Hylton, Dwight Eubanks, Kissk, Mr. Cheeks, Allure and many others. In the course of cultivating an uncommonly impressive resume in the fashion arena, she also found herself modeling at the New York Fashion Week for multiple designers. On one particularly memorable show, she modeled the Nicki Minaj blazer designed by celebrity designer Delise’ Ana. That jacket would later become an industry memorabilia of sorts, as Minaj wore it to grace the front cover of a 2010 edition of Black Men Magazine. Keisha has taken numerous professional modelling classes, and continues to advise those who wish to pursue careers in the fashion, entertainment and hair care industries. The end users of her services include designers, models, actors, and producers who work with her with a view to placement in shows and movies. Such producers come from locations as diverse as New Jersey, New York, Georgia, North Carolina, Mississippi, and South Carolina. Many of such clients have gone on to feature in movies, modeled at Couture Fashion Week, NY Fashion Week and many other such reputable shows.

The International Confectioner

Esprit Pastry is a world-class brand, and it receives orders from all over the United States and Canada. Baked to a delicious point of distraction, Keisha’s pastries are elegantly presented in the form of sinfully edible pearls, flowers and gold dust, and displayed in such an uncommonly classy manner that only the word finesse can adequately express the culinary style and expertise associated with the brand. These unique desserts are nothing short of a monument to the rare combination of creativity, style and love that Keisha deploys to the final outcome of each her products. Esprit Pastry caters at wedding receptions, church concerts, birthday anniversaries, political campaigns, and sundry other special occasions. The company also delivers supplies to industrial plants and car dealerships. Plying a menu as diverse as one can conceivably imagine, with over forty types of pastry recipes from the Caribbean, Europe and America, Keisha’s menu list consists of red velvet cakes, cheesecakes, key lime pies, coconut breads and cupcakes.

The Cosmetic Aficionado

Esprit K Lipstick is a bespoke brand of cosmetic products manufactured with healthy ingredients. Keisha found herself compelled to pursue this particular business venture because of an abiding interest in women’s health, being sincerely concerned that they do not wear lipsticks that contain toxic ingredients. Two different companies manufactured her brand, using experts who followed Keisha’s requests with precision. There are the bullet or wand sticks lipstick options. Agency models and producers of runway fashion shows use EspritK lipsticks for their photo shoots. In the process, Keisha has succeeded in building a clientele base for her lipsticks from all walks of life, including many of her radio show guests, educators and fashionistas. Purchasing customers are always presented with a bouquet of gifts that includes an EFMCI voucher, a satin ribbon that decorates their lipstick and a pearl necklace with earrings. Her lipstick is presented in over 15 different shades that allow customers to express their beauty and confidence through a wide variety of personal preferences. The lipstick shades were meticulously produced to impart a delicate, healthy flush, and to brighten a lady’s visage, and they incorporate cream matte, cream shimmer matte, cream metallic and other textures.

The Haute Couturier

Keisha’s Eleganza Apparel line has been featured in many runway modeling shows. Eleganza Apparel strives to bring out the elegance in a customer. Keisha’s bespoke products are designed and tailored to cater to peculiarities in personality and style. Fashion shoes, bags, purses and dresses are just a few of her products, with the options of pre-ordering and shipping.

The Media Personality

Keisha Hosts and Produces The Esprit Radio Show, a national broadcasting show. The Show made its debut with iHeart Radio-WDRB Media Company, before migrating to another platform at WOCS 93.7 FM. Classy, cultivated, cultured and creative as ever, Keisha’s design of a sophisticated golden logo represents rewards, uniqueness, beauty, and the outstanding standards she unstintingly subscribes to. Purveying an intriguing and attention-arresting array of compelling life topics, such as entrepreneurship, fashion, entertainment, health and well-being, and core life skills, the sensational highlight of the redoubtable Show is the array of fascinating guests that appear on it, and they include global influencers, ministers, Tedx Speakers, international news anchors, CEOs of Fortune 500 corporations, Olympian athletes, Best Selling authors, and eminent specialists in the medical professions. Among the eminent guests Keisha has had on the Show include Olympian Dominique Dawes, Kyemah McEntyre, the legendary Craig Derry, Judge Reginald Kearney, Heather Monahan, Fragrance Expert Sue Philips, Cheryl Polote- Williamson, the legendary Cecil Williams and Dr. Andrew Burnstine. Reviewing her Show, Keisha says, “The pre-eminent objective of my show is to inspire others, through the rare opportunity of listening to the inspiring stories of my guests. Naturally, listeners are both inspired and motivated to adopt the strategies these successful people have employed to arrive at their rarefied stations in life. One good turn deserves another, and so my guests are afforded the opportunity to promote their services, brands and products, while gifts are occasionally presented to them.”

The Seasoned Journalist

Journalism comes as second nature to Keisha, having garnered experience spanning all of twenty years. Keisha worked as a sports journalist for a very successful Caribbean newspaper company in her teenage years, while simultaneously competing in international sporting contests. She honed her journalistic skills at that company, the Barbados Nation Publishing Company Ltd. Keisha has interviewed the CEOs of many corporate bodies, and many prominent politicians, in Barbados. She also once had the rare privilege to interview Olympian Usain Bolt. Currently, she writes columns for a variety of magazines and several newspaper companies. She once served as a writer at The Bronner Bros International Hair Show in Atlanta, Georgia, for the first ever “The Tournament of Champions” event. She has also had a stint in TV journalism, and aspires to anchor her own TV Show someday. Radio journalism is the latest venture in her romance with journalism. Keisha, in her own capacity as an accomplished entrepreneur has, through the years, been featured on both the covers and pages of a vast number of magazines and calendars, including Today’s Ebony Woman, Mahogany Vogue, Today’s Purpose Woman, Sheen, Lovely Lady, Women’s Quarterly, Inclusion and Stylezine Magazine, to mention just a few. She was one of the contestants who the majority voted for, and was featured, in the “Women Building Wealth” calendar.

The Author

Keisha is a prolific author of poetry, and of children’s books. Seven of her publications have been approved as formal textbooks by institutions, with some teachers already using them for classroom instruction. Her first book, Esprit Poetry, was approved by the Barbados Ministry of Education for instruction in schools. Over the years, Keisha has done book signings throughout the United Staes, at such premium locations as Waldenbooks stores, Online Barnes and Noble, Amazon Books, Books-A-Million and the book stores of various universities, where customers purchase her publications as gifts. In the course of a prolific writing career, she has met, interviewed and received autographs from the great poets, Nikki Giovanni and Sonia Sanchez. “My books are inspirational, deep and were penned from the heart. They include Esprit Poetry, Les Fleures-Esprit Poetry Part 2, Esprit Love and the Serena series. Apart from the fact that they are appropriate as befitting literary gifts, the poetry books, in particular, cater to all age ranges.” Keisha is a walking repository of many other manuscripts yet unpublished.

The Public Speaker

Motivational speaking is merely a part of the intellectual territory of the average author. Actually, Keisha’s speaking platform was inaugurated fully two decades ago. She embarked on her inspirational speaking career at such early venues as her high school, the Boys and Girls club, track team meetings, churches, and at every one of her educational grade level, from the elementary years to the tertiary years. As Keisha succinctly asserts, “Motivational speaking is simply nothing if not a true calling. The standing ovations, and the profuse expressions of gratitude of an appreciative audience, all go a long way to confirm that you have profoundly impacted them with your message. The key is to critically succeed in inspiring others to see the greatness in themselves.” At her alma mater, Keisha is listed as a motivational speaker on the Executive Speaker series of South Carolina State University School of Business. She has shared the speaking podium of that great institution with great speakers like Earvin ‘Magic ‘Johnson and Carla Harris. She was also among the line up of esteemed speakers that featured the likes of Honorable Senator Kevin Parker, NYPD Inspector, and Honorable Council Presidents, at a New York Inaugural event.

The Educator

Yet, Keisha’s biggest passion lies in being a consummate educator. She graduated cum laude with a bachelor of science degree in Psychology. Additionally, she holds a master of science degree in Transportation-Urban Planning. As eloquent validation of that masters degree in Transportation, Keisha has worked on contract basis on a US Department of Transportation Washington DC and New York $90 million works project, and a South Carolina $32.2 Million works project. In addition to this, she has worked with several of the biggest contractors and consulting firms across the United States. As a fallout of the expertise she gained during the transportation masters degree program, her engineering projects company, EFMCI, is capable of handling aspects like Value Engineering, Global Logistics, TRP Project Technical Writing, Transportation Business Psychology, and Transportation: Urban & Engineer Planning for major projects, amongst others. She is a curriculum creator, and Dean of various programs, including the STEM, STEAM, University School of Business, Fashion and Merchandise, while also teaching various subjects.

The Philanthropist

Keisha has wasted little or no time in giving back to a universe that has been so generous to her. Keisha has established two scholarships at her alma mater, The Wayland Baptist University in Texas. They are “The Letitia Gilkes Scholarship,” in memory of her late track star friend, and “The Keisha Esprit Scholarship.” The purpose of these funds is to offer financial succor to students who desire to graduate in their senior year at college. She is also a grant donor to the Plainview, Texas ISD Program, a program that is executed through the Plainview Chamber of Commerce. In that program, teachers are given grants on yearly basis to purchase supplies for classroom projects. Fully 75% of Keisha’s resources, products, inspirational speaking, time and funds are deployed to giving back to the community. She often spearheads clothing and book drives for different community programs. She has also gained some traction with her international recruitment business. At the initiative’s very first outing, a student-athlete received a scholarship from Commonwealth of Dominica to study in the United States, and he not only performed brilliantly at his studies, but also received All-American titles at championships. Keisha has this to say about her international humanitarian and philanthropic efforts, “My son witnesses my generosity towards others. It is vital for him to follow in my footsteps. My Eleganza Apparel business funds allow African orphan students to receive a hot meal daily during their school sessions. My E.F.M.C.I Motivational Speaking services allow Americans and Caribbean students to be privileged to receive school supplies. The inspirational speeches and dedicated time have had a tremendous impact on each person’s life. I am a mother of the soil showing love and hope for all of humanity. Giving is simply something that has taken residence deep within my soul.”

What The Future Holds

Keisha intends to continue to build on the successes of the “The Esprit Enterprise” brands so that she can keep giving back to the community. “For the foreseeable future, my focus will be more on my real estate and property rental business. I also look forward to commencing and completing my PhD studies in the near future. My publication stable will definitely expand, as I already have manuscripts centered on psychology and health that have not yet been released.” In the field of academia, Keisha has many gems and golden nuggets she desires to bequeath to her readers. “I would advise everyone to use their God-given talents in a positive light. Do not allow your talents to remain buried within you, but rather, passionately use them to assist others. Use those gifts wisely and keep the Most High in everything.”

There is absolutely no doubt that Keisha possesses the proverbial Midas touch. “That is a gift from God, and a blessing. Everyone cannot be a salesperson. I am a natural-born salesperson. You must be naturally charismatic, empathic, and persuasive. You must also be a people’s person and a professional. These attributes can take you a long way in the world of entrepreneurship. My final advice is to never give up. No matter how difficult the goal seems, keep pushing through. Almost always, it is just when you are about to throw in the towel that your breakthrough is lurking around the corner. Be patient. Persevere. Persist.”

Celebrating Life

Naturally, one can only marvel at how Keisha manages to find time for all that she does. Keisha credits her resilience to the twin factors of happiness and passion. “I am a multi-faceted person who passionately enjoys every moment of my existence on Earth. It all then becomes easy, and feels like I am on an endless rollercoaster of indulging in my hobbies. In other words, I do what I love, and I love what I do. Expressed differently, while I am at work, I am at play. Yet, all work and no play makes Jill a dull girl. Traveling is my number one hobby. I am very adventurous, and I love flights. I love visiting other countries, as it allows one to become more open-minded while learning about other’s cultures. Flying is like breathing to me, as I have been travelling since I was a baby. I am totally fearless, and I simply enjoy savoring the beauty of God’s creation from the skies. I relish visiting the beach, dining at nice restaurants, going to the movies and cruising on the high oceans. Naturally, I also enjoy tranquil, serene and peaceful ambiances. They are therapeutic for my mind, body and soul.”

A Legacy of Passion And Gratitude

Keisha gives all the glory to the Most High for all she has achieved so far, and implacably believing that, without Him, none of her greatness would have been possible, she consistently remains in a state of deep gratitude to Him. Keisha’s remarkable life odyssey reminds us that anyone of us can leave behind a piece of ourselves as an enduring legacy, simply by acknowledging the fact that it is within our means to do so. The only way to do so is by leading a life whose main purpose is to be of benefit to humanity. When you put humanity before yourself, the path to greatness will seamlessly open itself up to you. When you take that path of nobility, you, too, will leave behind footprints in the sand grains of time.

You can directly contact Keisha via www.keishaesprit.com or www.EFMCI.biz for bookings, products or consultations.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr Yomi Garnett, a world-class Ghostwriter, Biographer, Manuscript Editor and Grant Writer, has written in excess of 62 books for and on behalf of a global coterie of discerning literary clients. He writes from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

www.yomigarnett.us

yomi@yomigarnett.us