Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Teresa Edwards.
She is a powerhouse in the entertainment industry, known for her dynamic presence as a speaker and host. She has moderated and led hundreds, captivating audiences, and bringing unmatched energy to every stage. With a proven track record of hosting and moderating many events and panels, she has made a lasting impact with industry giants such as Warner Bros. Discovery, AT&T, Technology Association of Georgia, Boys and Girls Club of Metro Atlanta, and Year Up.
Teresa has been prominently featured in notable publications like CanvasRebel and VoyageATL, underscoring her influence in the entertainment world. A true visionary, she wears many hats: author, playwright, producer, director, actor, consultant, mentor, coach, and beyond—earning her the well-deserved title of “MiZZ Entertainment.” Teresa’s dedication to her craft is unparalleled, and those fortunate enough to work with her don't just become clients—they become family.
At Terror Dome Entertainment, we believe everyone has a story worth telling. We take the fear out of dreaming and transform your vision into an extraordinary reality. Whether you're an independent creator or a major organization, our video production, audio engineering, and music production services are tailored to bring your concepts to life with precision and creativity. With a dedicated, passionate team, we ensure high-quality results at competitive rates, guiding you from concept to completion.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
All right, welcome to My world. I'm Rushawan McDonald, our
host this weekly Money Making Conversation Masterclass show. The interviews
and information that this show provides are for everyone. It's
time to stop reading other people's success stories and start
living your own. If you want to be a guest
on my show, please visit our website, Moneymakingconversations dot com
(00:20):
and click the be a Guest button. And if you're
a small business an entrepreneur and you want an interview
on the show or have a product that you want
to discuss, please submit your information. It will come directly
to me and we'll see if we can get you
seated and we'll discuss your career, your vision on Money
Making Conversations Masterclass. Let's get this show rolling. My guess
is a powerhouse and the entertainment industry, known for how
(00:43):
dynamic presence as a speaker and hosts at Terror Dome
Terror Dome Entertainment. We believe everyone has a story worth telling.
That's what they say. They take the fear out of
dreaming and transform your vision into an extraordinary reality. She
has been inspired to write another book. That's what we'll
be discussing on the show today. Entitled Unbreakable, a Survivor's Testimony.
(01:08):
Please welcome to Money Making Conversation Masterclass. Teresa Edwards. How
you doing, Teresa?
Speaker 2 (01:16):
I'm good, I'm good. How are you doing well?
Speaker 1 (01:18):
I'm glad you came with that energy because I said
you was a dynamic presence and a motivational speaker. If
you the king on this call? How you doing there?
I just hung up on you, Teresa. I hung up
on you because I've introduced people like that and it's
been a snore. But you're not that person. Tell me
(01:38):
about your personalt a little bit, Teresa, before we get
involved with the interview.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
I had old a mentor said I have one of
those inviting personalities. Use me as a beard to go
because he's one of those that don't like to talk.
But he's like, I can. You know, everybody tend to
talk to me. So I just believe in nobody's a
stranger until you make your stuff a stranger.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Right. That's very true. You know, I never said that
people gravitate to me, not that I try to pursue
that opportunity. I know people start walking in the room,
I feel a room. I've heard that about me. I've
walked in the room and if something's wrong, I pointed out,
I've heard that about me. As far as motivation, I
(02:25):
think that my personality leans to the point that if
I see something about you that I feel you should know,
I will tell you whether you want to hear it
or not. Is that your personality?
Speaker 2 (02:35):
The reason I try to because because I've been known
to like, hey, because I'm straightforward, so you know, I
you know, people say that must be that military. It's
like I pretty much been like that. But it depends
because not everybody can handle your truth. So I wait
(02:57):
and see and fill them out, you know, and then
if they're open to feedback, then I give it to them.
Other than that, as just let them be because sometimes
it's comical just to watch people in their own elements.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
Because now your name of your business is terror Dome,
Terror Dome Entertainment. Yes, it's terror now, that's terror scared.
I'm fearful of something Terror Dome Entertainment.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
Now it's a play on words because we want to
take the fear out of your dreaming. Amazing reality.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
I love it. I love it. I love There's a
story behind everything, and that's your story, is that you're
trying to let them know. You come over here, we
get to get fear out of your dream. We'll make
it happen for you.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
We'll make it happen for you.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Now, why did you get into entertainment? Because a lot
of people want to know. People always ask me, Teresa,
I want to be an actor. I want to produce television.
I want to be a I want to be the next,
next next, I want to be Whitney Houston. How did
you get in entertainment?
Speaker 2 (04:01):
I've always been that kid that just because I'm the
only child for from my mom, and TV was always
my best friend. So I can sit there and watch TV.
You know, you know, I'm seasoned, so I remember some
of them black and white movie.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
Oh it was that code word for oh see. I
ain't got no fun telling people that. When I was born,
they were still doing rotary down telephone. I'm just gonna
let you know it took all day to die nine
one one. I'm just telling you right now.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
Don't let you don't don't mess up.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
Oh yeah, and then you mess up, you gotta start
all over.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Again, start all over again. And I was like, oh
my goodness, but.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
You know, but that's that's the part of life. You know,
the experiences, and so as you as your your second
book is talking about Unbreakable or survivor's testimony. And this book,
Ladies and Gentlemen, is a powerful collection no personal stories
and journey from trauma to triumph. And that's important because
(05:07):
we get so caught up in the dark side and
sometimes we can't get to the light. And so why
is it a person and terror dome entertainment? You've been
in the military. How many years were you in the military,
Teresa Edward year twenty one years now? Thank you for
your service. First of all, why did you go in
(05:30):
the military Because you have this outward personality and you're
going into a place where can control your personality. That's
what the military say. They want you to serve this
particular way. Did it for twenty one years? Obviously it
didn't impact your personality, But what did it do to
assist and grow you as a person?
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Well? I wasn't always like this, I believe in ornight
and my mom made me go into the military because
she went into the military on the reserve side Air Force. Like,
you got a choice either gonna go to school, you
donna get a regular job, or you're gonna go into
the military. And I was time to school, so and
I was ready to go. So she said air force only,
(06:11):
so I decided going to Air Force. But at that
time I was still processing through my own trauma. It
just it just hooks some years to get here where
I'm on the other side.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
When you say processing through your own trauma, talk about that,
because that's what this interview is about, going from trauma
to triumph.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
So I am a survivor of child rape, been through sexual,
mental and physical abuse, and you know, so going into
the military that hollered and screaming. That's what my stepfather did.
So that was enoughing And I was like, this ain't
nothing because he used to tell out the house and
I had to go and clean it up. And so
the base of training wasn't nothing to me based on
(06:53):
where I came from. So and I just needed I
was wanting to escape, to able to escape for me
because you you just said some powerful things on my show,
and it's about my show.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
I deal with mental health. I deal with motivation. I
deal with people overcoming the odds. I deal with people
looking in the mirror and realizing that one day I
have to tell my truth. At what point in this
conversation that you had with yourself that you told somebody
what had been happening in your life and it directed
(07:29):
you to some support groups that can make you a
better person. I'll make you a whole person. I apologize
for saying better, right.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
I would guess it's more of me telling me for
a long time and then having my daughter, because in
the midst of a lot of stuff, my mom passed
when I was with nineteen, so I'm still you know, baby,
you know for is, you know, life itself itself. But
in that time, that was some dark times too, because
(07:59):
then I truly felt that God had forsaken me, and
it's like he just left me out here alone, being
that my mom is not here, and I really did
not want to be here. But when I got pregnant,
it was like that rebirth in me. It's like I
can do what I want for myself, but I have
to be here for her. And I knew it was
a girl for some reason. I knew it was a girl.
(08:19):
But I have to be here to show her that
your life does not have to follow mine. And my
goal was to break those chains of all the stuff
that I endured, and I had to talk to myself.
Now when my mom passed, you know, I did see
a psychiatrist within the most world. You know, they may
be go ste Way, which was good because I needed
(08:40):
to get that out. And then after that, I just
kept talking to myself for the most part, and then
eventually I started opening it up and talking to others
and then that's when the true healing came for me.
Just talking about it and just getting all that pain
out is almost like a relief.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
Well, let me ask you this, Teresa, because I've read this,
is that as a young person, when you're traumatized in
these situations that you can't control, you can kind of
like almost make it. You can forget it it's even happening,
and then as you go along, you don't remember it
(09:24):
because your body can your mind can protect you. It
can protect you by creating points of portals and pushing
that memory or that experience over here, and it allows
you to become a survivor. You just in survivor mode.
Survivor mode, survivor mode. Because you said, Rashon, I joined
the military and basically it was like I come from
(09:45):
a traumatized environment, and so these people are screaming at me.
And basically, in some ways, military training is belittling because
they want to make sure they're trying to mold you
and shape you to be a person that represents what
they need you to do. They tell you to run
up the heel even though bullets are coming right at you.
(10:05):
You got to run up the heel. That's what they
mold you to do.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
Correct.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
How did you get through that trauma as a child
and then started remembering as you were going through therapy,
as you was going opening up to people, Were you angry?
Were you mad? When it really really dawned on you
what you had forgotten that now you remember, I.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
Would say, because I would definitely agree with you, because
you blocked certain things out to protect yourself and a
lot of things that my memory is in bits and
pieces to this death. And I guess I wouldn't necessarily angry.
It was more of a sense of me that cannot
(10:56):
let this happen to my child. It was more or that,
And it's like I refuse to let it happen to
my child. So somebody's gonna pay, Somebody gonna go to jail,
and they put their hands or anything, and even looking
at her strange because being a survivor rape, you know
that look. Okay, you know that look, so they're looking
at her. Funny, we having some problems. I had to
(11:19):
I remember having to tell one of my cousins that
that because he, uh, he looked at my I knew,
I knew that look. I knew that look from when
we grew up. And I told her, I said that
one right there, I would go to jail for.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
Trying m h. And his reaction was what he got.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
He left right.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
Because you gave him to try me. Look.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
Yes, we're not kids anymore.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
So yes, you know, really when we when we talk
about the book because she's on the show Ladies and Gentlemen,
because she has a book called Unbreakable, A Survivors Tested Morning. Now,
in this book, these are honest stories. Some people have
are revealing their names. And you have three stories in
here where you have three anonymous storytellers, and you know
(12:12):
we talked off air that go come on now, Teresa,
why do you have some anonymous storytellers in your book?
And your response to me was this, the story.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
Is what's important for them to tell and me to
meet them where they are their name. That's to me.
What was minor are irrelevant. It's the story that is.
That's what people need to hear.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
I'm going to share some of my reaction to some
of her stories, especially the one with the snakes. Oh,
I can't girl. When I was reading that section, my
I was just looking around and thank god it was
light in the room, because if I'd read this book
and it had been dark, I wouldn't have finished the section.
(12:58):
All them snakes you talk to boy in that house.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Ugh.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
I still am making my skin crawl right now because snakes,
me and snakes don't get along. I don't care. I'll
get look at little good come garden snakes, some little
baby snakes. You know the heck with ratlers and Kolbri's.
I'm talking about any snake come of me. Your bar
is Carl Lewis. I'm Carl Lewis. And if you on
a date with me where you're gonna be dealing with
(13:24):
that snake by Zack because your boy one, your boy.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
One, You're please don't go anywhere. We'll be right back
with more money making conversations, masterclass. Welcome back to the
Money Making Conversations. Masterclass hosted by Rashaan McDonald money Making Conversations.
Masterclass continues online at Moneymakingconversations dot com and follow money
(13:50):
Making Conversations Masterclass on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Speaker 1 (13:54):
Talking to Teresa Edwards. She owns a production company called
terror Don Entertainment. But this is about her book, her book,
her Emotional Journey, Unbreakable or Survivor's Testimony, because she's a survivor.
She's a survivor, she's a she's had an experienced traumatic experience.
(14:14):
You know, I get sad when I hear these things
because children are such a blessing. They're such honest, They're
just blank slates. And when people abuse children that honesty,
they can never regain, they can never get it back.
It stays with them and they have to deal with
that drama that you've given them. And they didn't ask
(14:37):
for it. All they wanted was love and you've torn
that away from that child. And when I talk to you, Edwards,
I feel a person who's overcome that You're dealing with
it because it's always going to be there, but you
overcome that and tell my audience how you deal with
them on a daily basis, Like you already said your daughter,
(15:00):
you're very protective of her. You know that look, which
is crazy, the fact that you have to you know
a look and you've identified that look and if you
see it, you know how to react and it's not
a in you. And if it takes violence to make
that direction happen, then it's going to be that way
(15:21):
for you, because you're not going to allow your child
to lose that level of in the sense that you lost.
But this book, how did it influence the message that
you was trying to get out to me as a
reader to have a strong takeaway.
Speaker 2 (15:37):
It's come back up a little bit. So because this
book actually was in the making years ago. It actually
started as a show, a TV show, and I shot
the first pilot and just something in me it says,
I'm not ready to move forward with it. It wasn't
until the end of last year where I was sitting
(16:00):
in this workshop and I swear I felt it was
like God talking to me, saying, Okay, it is time,
and not just tell your story. Include others so they
can tell their story, so they get a different perspective.
People can get a different perspective and different things and
different triumphs. You know, to really go and know that
(16:25):
they're not alone, because like I told before, it's like
sometimes when we're in our own little bubble, we feel
like it only happened to me, and that's not true.
And if you know, when you have a community of
folks that has been through, that have been where you've been,
and knowing and just encouraging you to be to stay
and just hold on because there's light at the end
(16:46):
of this tunnel. That is my message. Just hold on.
You have a community, and I promise you there's light
at the end of this tunnel.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
I'm gonna tell you something. That first story and them snakes.
I'm sorry, miss Edward, did you talk to a man?
I'm not gonna give away the episode, but these people
were living on a den of snakes. Yeah, every time
(17:17):
they walked in the room, a snake was waiting on.
They go in the bathroom, snake waiting on. They opened
a refrigerator, snake waiting on. Hey, your boy paranoid. I
would I saw a snake in her freezer. In the freezer.
(17:38):
He was just posing. He was posing.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
But how you're doing it?
Speaker 1 (17:46):
But you know, but that's the that's you know, But
that's the life that these young people with, this young
person who told this story was living, and the fact
that that that was the conditions, that's the trauma part
of this person's life that you know, I'm bad enough.
Roaches okay, you know, worried about roaches crawling over your bread,
(18:11):
or roaches, you know, swading a mosquito off your forehead.
The fact that you could wake up and a snake
in the bed with you. Come on, now, miss ed?
What's come on?
Speaker 2 (18:23):
Now? Now? Yes, the true story, And that's actually that's
my husband's story. I wasn't too far because I grew
up in Florida. So you you were scared to get
up in the middle of the night because you don't
know what's on that floor. So you're sitting up there
holding it.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
Oh yeah yeah, yeah, yeah yeah yeah. Not now now,
So you ain't telling me to the book?
Speaker 2 (18:44):
Now?
Speaker 1 (18:45):
That was your husband. Now, Now, how is he today?
Is he a nervous brother? He does he can he
go fishing this little bait warn bother him, you know,
because let me tell you, so the fact that he
is some I'm gonna tell you something. This is the
first that's the first story I know. I started a
(19:06):
little bit, because that's how snakes impact me. I remember
one day I came home to my house in Atlanta, Georgia.
There was a snake curled up at the front door.
I called nine one one, see see whatever. What I'm
not gonna do is like you know, people get to
(19:27):
get a stick and you chased to the way. Nope, nope, nope,
nope nope. I called the police. I called my wife.
I said, I want out everybody. Who do you call
to come get snakes? That's why I said, nine one one,
Who do you call to come get snakes? And then
and then when the snake wrangler came, you know, he goes,
that's not even a big snake. Man, look at it.
(19:47):
You can take it. You get on out of here
with that story. Big enough for me, big enough Sean McDonald,
snake had to go. I didn't know if it was pausing.
You know, they start breaking that down. It not any part, hey, brother,
Get snick out of here. Get snick out of because
(20:09):
those are the type of stories that impact people on
a daily basis and draw me and drew me into
the book. And there's another story I'm gonna share with
you guys, cause I'm not gonna share all the stories.
But it's a story where a lot of women involve
domestic violence. Yes, and this young lady told her story.
(20:29):
She revealed her name in this book. And it's a
story where a lot of women get involved. They get
wood with flowers, they get wooed with he's such a
nice guy, and that person traps him in a situation
where they cannot get out of and next thing you know,
they are sexually assaulted. Y now, but this is not
(20:52):
the end of this story. She came back to him.
That's the part of the story you gotta read in
this book because sometimes people don't understand, well, are you crazy?
Speaker 2 (21:10):
You?
Speaker 1 (21:11):
Well, did you get a lot of people don't understand
how when people come into your life, how they can
take control of your and they can come in and
they know all your love. Your love like to say,
all your love touch buttons. They'll know what to say,
what to make you happy, what to give you, what
makes you smile, what makes you forgive? They know all
(21:33):
those things. That's why you have pimps and you have
women who work in the streets because they know the
buttons that they get pushed. I'm not saying that that's you.
But know that we all have weaknesses. And so before
I tell somebody all you stupid, all you you crazy,
all you should never let that happen to you looking self,
(21:54):
because it can happen to you. And that's what this
book Unbreakable was all about. The survivors testimony, other shoes.
I'm telling you, it's compelling. It's compelling it and like
you know, it's a little bit different. I'm not talking
about the entrepreneurship. I'm not talking about small business. I'm
not talking about a product. I'm talking about human beings today.
(22:17):
Because if you can't get yourself together emotionally, if you
can't understand having the how importanceness having the right people
in your life, then you will not be successful. Then
you will not achieve the next place in life that
belongs to you. As the number one takeaway from your book, Teresa,
which what is it? So my listeners can hear it.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
Regardless of what you go through, as long as you
got breaths, you are unbreakable. Find your community. There are
people there that will help you, that will hold you
until you can walk your walk by yourself. Just hold
on life. I promise you it would be better.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
On the other hand, now we said find your community.
Help me with that, because there's so many layers to
that term community.
Speaker 2 (23:06):
Like you were saying before, it takes it takes a village,
and you gotta you gotta get rid of those those naysayers.
Are those ones that's just, you know, really kind of
pulling your spirit and get to get around the folks
that's really gonna support you and your journey. That's what
I mean by getting to get finding your community, finding
those ones that support you, because there's a lot of
(23:27):
folks out there that is going to try and tear
you down, tear you apart, and those are the ones
you're gonna have to mute, silent a distance.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
Well, my friend, it's been an emotional day for me.
Uh with these interviews I've had to deliver. But more importantly,
the fact that you came on my show is shared
your story, your husband's story with us, and tell them
I commend him many I will and tell him I'm
mad at this story because I'm won't think about snakes
(23:55):
when I go to sleep at night, and I'm not
happy about that. Teresa efforts. Let's you know that, how
can we get adopted? Why can they purchase this book?
How can we purchase a book? As we close out
the interview, thank you.
Speaker 2 (24:08):
It is on Amazon because that's self published, so it's
on Amazon and that's where everybody can go get it.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
Okay, cool, Thank you for coming on Money Making Conversations
master Class and I appreciate your honesty. And these books
are needed because it's about motivation and also it lets
people know that your story may not be unique, but
what can make it. The difference is that you can't overcome.
You can't go from trauma to triumph. Girl, I've read
(24:36):
your book, changed my life. We talked soon, Teresa.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
Yes, thank you so much, Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
Cool. As you know, this has been another edition of
Money Making Conversation Master Class hosted by me Rashaun McDonald.
Thank you, I guess on the show today and thank
you our listening artists. Now, if you want to listen
to any episodes I want to be a guest on
the show, visit money Making Conversations dot com. Our social
media handle is money Making Conversations. Join us next week
(25:06):
and remember to always leave with your gifts. Keep winning
All right, welcome to My world. I'm Rushawan McDonald, our
host this weekly Money Making Conversation Masterclass show. The interviews
and information that this show provides are for everyone. It's
time to stop reading other people's success stories and start
living your own. If you want to be a guest
on my show, please visit our website, Moneymakingconversations dot com
(00:20):
and click the be a Guest button. And if you're
a small business an entrepreneur and you want an interview
on the show or have a product that you want
to discuss, please submit your information. It will come directly
to me and we'll see if we can get you
seated and we'll discuss your career, your vision on Money
Making Conversations Masterclass. Let's get this show rolling. My guess
is a powerhouse and the entertainment industry, known for how
(00:43):
dynamic presence as a speaker and hosts at Terror Dome
Terror Dome Entertainment. We believe everyone has a story worth telling.
That's what they say. They take the fear out of
dreaming and transform your vision into an extraordinary reality. She
has been inspired to write another book. That's what we'll
be discussing on the show today. Entitled Unbreakable, a Survivor's Testimony.
(01:08):
Please welcome to Money Making Conversation Masterclass. Teresa Edwards. How
you doing, Teresa?
Speaker 2 (01:16):
I'm good, I'm good. How are you doing well?
Speaker 1 (01:18):
I'm glad you came with that energy because I said
you was a dynamic presence and a motivational speaker. If
you the king on this call? How you doing there?
I just hung up on you, Teresa. I hung up
on you because I've introduced people like that and it's
been a snore. But you're not that person. Tell me
(01:38):
about your personalt a little bit, Teresa, before we get
involved with the interview.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
I had old a mentor said I have one of
those inviting personalities. Use me as a beard to go
because he's one of those that don't like to talk.
But he's like, I can. You know, everybody tend to
talk to me. So I just believe in nobody's a
stranger until you make your stuff a stranger.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Right. That's very true. You know, I never said that
people gravitate to me, not that I try to pursue
that opportunity. I know people start walking in the room,
I feel a room. I've heard that about me. I've
walked in the room and if something's wrong, I pointed out,
I've heard that about me. As far as motivation, I
(02:25):
think that my personality leans to the point that if
I see something about you that I feel you should know,
I will tell you whether you want to hear it
or not. Is that your personality?
Speaker 2 (02:35):
The reason I try to because because I've been known
to like, hey, because I'm straightforward, so you know, I
you know, people say that must be that military. It's
like I pretty much been like that. But it depends
because not everybody can handle your truth. So I wait
(02:57):
and see and fill them out, you know, and then
if they're open to feedback, then I give it to them.
Other than that, as just let them be because sometimes
it's comical just to watch people in their own elements.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
Because now your name of your business is terror Dome,
Terror Dome Entertainment. Yes, it's terror now, that's terror scared.
I'm fearful of something Terror Dome Entertainment.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
Now it's a play on words because we want to
take the fear out of your dreaming. Amazing reality.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
I love it. I love it. I love There's a
story behind everything, and that's your story, is that you're
trying to let them know. You come over here, we
get to get fear out of your dream. We'll make
it happen for you.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
We'll make it happen for you.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Now, why did you get into entertainment? Because a lot
of people want to know. People always ask me, Teresa,
I want to be an actor. I want to produce television.
I want to be a I want to be the next,
next next, I want to be Whitney Houston. How did
you get in entertainment?
Speaker 2 (04:01):
I've always been that kid that just because I'm the
only child for from my mom, and TV was always
my best friend. So I can sit there and watch TV.
You know, you know, I'm seasoned, so I remember some
of them black and white movie.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
Oh it was that code word for oh see. I
ain't got no fun telling people that. When I was born,
they were still doing rotary down telephone. I'm just gonna
let you know it took all day to die nine
one one. I'm just telling you right now.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
Don't let you don't don't mess up.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
Oh yeah, and then you mess up, you gotta start
all over.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Again, start all over again. And I was like, oh
my goodness, but.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
You know, but that's that's the part of life. You know,
the experiences, and so as you as your your second
book is talking about Unbreakable or survivor's testimony. And this book,
Ladies and Gentlemen, is a powerful collection no personal stories
and journey from trauma to triumph. And that's important because
(05:07):
we get so caught up in the dark side and
sometimes we can't get to the light. And so why
is it a person and terror dome entertainment? You've been
in the military. How many years were you in the military,
Teresa Edward year twenty one years now? Thank you for
your service. First of all, why did you go in
(05:30):
the military Because you have this outward personality and you're
going into a place where can control your personality. That's
what the military say. They want you to serve this
particular way. Did it for twenty one years? Obviously it
didn't impact your personality, But what did it do to
assist and grow you as a person?
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Well? I wasn't always like this, I believe in ornight
and my mom made me go into the military because
she went into the military on the reserve side Air Force. Like,
you got a choice either gonna go to school, you
donna get a regular job, or you're gonna go into
the military. And I was time to school, so and
I was ready to go. So she said air force only,
(06:11):
so I decided going to Air Force. But at that
time I was still processing through my own trauma. It
just it just hooks some years to get here where
I'm on the other side.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
When you say processing through your own trauma, talk about that,
because that's what this interview is about, going from trauma
to triumph.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
So I am a survivor of child rape, been through sexual,
mental and physical abuse, and you know, so going into
the military that hollered and screaming. That's what my stepfather did.
So that was enoughing And I was like, this ain't
nothing because he used to tell out the house and
I had to go and clean it up. And so
the base of training wasn't nothing to me based on
(06:53):
where I came from. So and I just needed I
was wanting to escape, to able to escape for me
because you you just said some powerful things on my show,
and it's about my show.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
I deal with mental health. I deal with motivation. I
deal with people overcoming the odds. I deal with people
looking in the mirror and realizing that one day I
have to tell my truth. At what point in this
conversation that you had with yourself that you told somebody
what had been happening in your life and it directed
(07:29):
you to some support groups that can make you a
better person. I'll make you a whole person. I apologize
for saying better, right.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
I would guess it's more of me telling me for
a long time and then having my daughter, because in
the midst of a lot of stuff, my mom passed
when I was with nineteen, so I'm still you know, baby,
you know for is, you know, life itself itself. But
in that time, that was some dark times too, because
(07:59):
then I truly felt that God had forsaken me, and
it's like he just left me out here alone, being
that my mom is not here, and I really did
not want to be here. But when I got pregnant,
it was like that rebirth in me. It's like I
can do what I want for myself, but I have
to be here for her. And I knew it was
a girl for some reason. I knew it was a girl.
(08:19):
But I have to be here to show her that
your life does not have to follow mine. And my
goal was to break those chains of all the stuff
that I endured, and I had to talk to myself.
Now when my mom passed, you know, I did see
a psychiatrist within the most world. You know, they may
be go ste Way, which was good because I needed
(08:40):
to get that out. And then after that, I just
kept talking to myself for the most part, and then
eventually I started opening it up and talking to others
and then that's when the true healing came for me.
Just talking about it and just getting all that pain
out is almost like a relief.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
Well, let me ask you this, Teresa, because I've read this,
is that as a young person, when you're traumatized in
these situations that you can't control, you can kind of
like almost make it. You can forget it it's even happening,
and then as you go along, you don't remember it
(09:24):
because your body can your mind can protect you. It
can protect you by creating points of portals and pushing
that memory or that experience over here, and it allows
you to become a survivor. You just in survivor mode.
Survivor mode, survivor mode. Because you said, Rashon, I joined
the military and basically it was like I come from
(09:45):
a traumatized environment, and so these people are screaming at me.
And basically, in some ways, military training is belittling because
they want to make sure they're trying to mold you
and shape you to be a person that represents what
they need you to do. They tell you to run
up the heel even though bullets are coming right at you.
(10:05):
You got to run up the heel. That's what they
mold you to do.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
Correct.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
How did you get through that trauma as a child
and then started remembering as you were going through therapy,
as you was going opening up to people, Were you angry?
Were you mad? When it really really dawned on you
what you had forgotten that now you remember, I.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
Would say, because I would definitely agree with you, because
you blocked certain things out to protect yourself and a
lot of things that my memory is in bits and
pieces to this death. And I guess I wouldn't necessarily angry.
It was more of a sense of me that cannot
(10:56):
let this happen to my child. It was more or that,
And it's like I refuse to let it happen to
my child. So somebody's gonna pay, Somebody gonna go to jail,
and they put their hands or anything, and even looking
at her strange because being a survivor rape, you know
that look. Okay, you know that look, so they're looking
at her. Funny, we having some problems. I had to
(11:19):
I remember having to tell one of my cousins that
that because he, uh, he looked at my I knew,
I knew that look. I knew that look from when
we grew up. And I told her, I said that
one right there, I would go to jail for.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
Trying m h. And his reaction was what he got.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
He left right.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
Because you gave him to try me. Look.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
Yes, we're not kids anymore.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
So yes, you know, really when we when we talk
about the book because she's on the show Ladies and Gentlemen,
because she has a book called Unbreakable, A Survivors Tested Morning. Now,
in this book, these are honest stories. Some people have
are revealing their names. And you have three stories in
here where you have three anonymous storytellers, and you know
(12:12):
we talked off air that go come on now, Teresa,
why do you have some anonymous storytellers in your book?
And your response to me was this, the story.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
Is what's important for them to tell and me to
meet them where they are their name. That's to me.
What was minor are irrelevant. It's the story that is.
That's what people need to hear.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
I'm going to share some of my reaction to some
of her stories, especially the one with the snakes. Oh,
I can't girl. When I was reading that section, my
I was just looking around and thank god it was
light in the room, because if I'd read this book
and it had been dark, I wouldn't have finished the section.
(12:58):
All them snakes you talk to boy in that house.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Ugh.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
I still am making my skin crawl right now because snakes,
me and snakes don't get along. I don't care. I'll
get look at little good come garden snakes, some little
baby snakes. You know the heck with ratlers and Kolbri's.
I'm talking about any snake come of me. Your bar
is Carl Lewis. I'm Carl Lewis. And if you on
a date with me where you're gonna be dealing with
(13:24):
that snake by Zack because your boy one, your boy.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
One, You're please don't go anywhere. We'll be right back
with more money making conversations, masterclass. Welcome back to the
Money Making Conversations. Masterclass hosted by Rashaan McDonald money Making Conversations.
Masterclass continues online at Moneymakingconversations dot com and follow money
(13:50):
Making Conversations Masterclass on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Speaker 1 (13:54):
Talking to Teresa Edwards. She owns a production company called
terror Don Entertainment. But this is about her book, her book,
her Emotional Journey, Unbreakable or Survivor's Testimony, because she's a survivor.
She's a survivor, she's a she's had an experienced traumatic experience.
(14:14):
You know, I get sad when I hear these things
because children are such a blessing. They're such honest, They're
just blank slates. And when people abuse children that honesty,
they can never regain, they can never get it back.
It stays with them and they have to deal with
that drama that you've given them. And they didn't ask
(14:37):
for it. All they wanted was love and you've torn
that away from that child. And when I talk to you, Edwards,
I feel a person who's overcome that You're dealing with
it because it's always going to be there, but you
overcome that and tell my audience how you deal with
them on a daily basis, Like you already said your daughter,
(15:00):
you're very protective of her. You know that look, which
is crazy, the fact that you have to you know
a look and you've identified that look and if you
see it, you know how to react and it's not
a in you. And if it takes violence to make
that direction happen, then it's going to be that way
(15:21):
for you, because you're not going to allow your child
to lose that level of in the sense that you lost.
But this book, how did it influence the message that
you was trying to get out to me as a
reader to have a strong takeaway.
Speaker 2 (15:37):
It's come back up a little bit. So because this
book actually was in the making years ago. It actually
started as a show, a TV show, and I shot
the first pilot and just something in me it says,
I'm not ready to move forward with it. It wasn't
until the end of last year where I was sitting
(16:00):
in this workshop and I swear I felt it was
like God talking to me, saying, Okay, it is time,
and not just tell your story. Include others so they
can tell their story, so they get a different perspective.
People can get a different perspective and different things and
different triumphs. You know, to really go and know that
(16:25):
they're not alone, because like I told before, it's like
sometimes when we're in our own little bubble, we feel
like it only happened to me, and that's not true.
And if you know, when you have a community of
folks that has been through, that have been where you've been,
and knowing and just encouraging you to be to stay
and just hold on because there's light at the end
(16:46):
of this tunnel. That is my message. Just hold on.
You have a community, and I promise you there's light
at the end of this tunnel.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
I'm gonna tell you something. That first story and them snakes.
I'm sorry, miss Edward, did you talk to a man?
I'm not gonna give away the episode, but these people
were living on a den of snakes. Yeah, every time
(17:17):
they walked in the room, a snake was waiting on.
They go in the bathroom, snake waiting on. They opened
a refrigerator, snake waiting on. Hey, your boy paranoid. I
would I saw a snake in her freezer. In the freezer.
(17:38):
He was just posing. He was posing.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
But how you're doing it?
Speaker 1 (17:46):
But you know, but that's the that's you know, But
that's the life that these young people with, this young
person who told this story was living, and the fact
that that that was the conditions, that's the trauma part
of this person's life that you know, I'm bad enough.
Roaches okay, you know, worried about roaches crawling over your bread,
(18:11):
or roaches, you know, swading a mosquito off your forehead.
The fact that you could wake up and a snake
in the bed with you. Come on, now, miss ed?
What's come on?
Speaker 2 (18:23):
Now? Now? Yes, the true story, And that's actually that's
my husband's story. I wasn't too far because I grew
up in Florida. So you you were scared to get
up in the middle of the night because you don't
know what's on that floor. So you're sitting up there
holding it.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
Oh yeah yeah, yeah, yeah yeah yeah. Not now now,
So you ain't telling me to the book?
Speaker 2 (18:44):
Now?
Speaker 1 (18:45):
That was your husband. Now, Now, how is he today?
Is he a nervous brother? He does he can he
go fishing this little bait warn bother him, you know,
because let me tell you, so the fact that he
is some I'm gonna tell you something. This is the
first that's the first story I know. I started a
(19:06):
little bit, because that's how snakes impact me. I remember
one day I came home to my house in Atlanta, Georgia.
There was a snake curled up at the front door.
I called nine one one, see see whatever. What I'm
not gonna do is like you know, people get to
(19:27):
get a stick and you chased to the way. Nope, nope, nope,
nope nope. I called the police. I called my wife.
I said, I want out everybody. Who do you call
to come get snakes? That's why I said, nine one one,
Who do you call to come get snakes? And then
and then when the snake wrangler came, you know, he goes,
that's not even a big snake. Man, look at it.
(19:47):
You can take it. You get on out of here
with that story. Big enough for me, big enough Sean McDonald,
snake had to go. I didn't know if it was pausing.
You know, they start breaking that down. It not any part, hey, brother,
Get snick out of here. Get snick out of because
(20:09):
those are the type of stories that impact people on
a daily basis and draw me and drew me into
the book. And there's another story I'm gonna share with
you guys, cause I'm not gonna share all the stories.
But it's a story where a lot of women involve
domestic violence. Yes, and this young lady told her story.
(20:29):
She revealed her name in this book. And it's a
story where a lot of women get involved. They get
wood with flowers, they get wooed with he's such a
nice guy, and that person traps him in a situation
where they cannot get out of and next thing you know,
they are sexually assaulted. Y now, but this is not
(20:52):
the end of this story. She came back to him.
That's the part of the story you gotta read in
this book because sometimes people don't understand, well, are you crazy?
Speaker 2 (21:10):
You?
Speaker 1 (21:11):
Well, did you get a lot of people don't understand
how when people come into your life, how they can
take control of your and they can come in and
they know all your love. Your love like to say,
all your love touch buttons. They'll know what to say,
what to make you happy, what to give you, what
makes you smile, what makes you forgive? They know all
(21:33):
those things. That's why you have pimps and you have
women who work in the streets because they know the
buttons that they get pushed. I'm not saying that that's you.
But know that we all have weaknesses. And so before
I tell somebody all you stupid, all you you crazy,
all you should never let that happen to you looking self,
(21:54):
because it can happen to you. And that's what this
book Unbreakable was all about. The survivors testimony, other shoes.
I'm telling you, it's compelling. It's compelling it and like
you know, it's a little bit different. I'm not talking
about the entrepreneurship. I'm not talking about small business. I'm
not talking about a product. I'm talking about human beings today.
(22:17):
Because if you can't get yourself together emotionally, if you
can't understand having the how importanceness having the right people
in your life, then you will not be successful. Then
you will not achieve the next place in life that
belongs to you. As the number one takeaway from your book, Teresa,
which what is it? So my listeners can hear it.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
Regardless of what you go through, as long as you
got breaths, you are unbreakable. Find your community. There are
people there that will help you, that will hold you
until you can walk your walk by yourself. Just hold
on life. I promise you it would be better.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
On the other hand, now we said find your community.
Help me with that, because there's so many layers to
that term community.
Speaker 2 (23:06):
Like you were saying before, it takes it takes a village,
and you gotta you gotta get rid of those those naysayers.
Are those ones that's just, you know, really kind of
pulling your spirit and get to get around the folks
that's really gonna support you and your journey. That's what
I mean by getting to get finding your community, finding
those ones that support you, because there's a lot of
(23:27):
folks out there that is going to try and tear
you down, tear you apart, and those are the ones
you're gonna have to mute, silent a distance.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
Well, my friend, it's been an emotional day for me.
Uh with these interviews I've had to deliver. But more importantly,
the fact that you came on my show is shared
your story, your husband's story with us, and tell them
I commend him many I will and tell him I'm
mad at this story because I'm won't think about snakes
(23:55):
when I go to sleep at night, and I'm not
happy about that. Teresa efforts. Let's you know that, how
can we get adopted? Why can they purchase this book?
How can we purchase a book? As we close out
the interview, thank you.
Speaker 2 (24:08):
It is on Amazon because that's self published, so it's
on Amazon and that's where everybody can go get it.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
Okay, cool, Thank you for coming on Money Making Conversations
master Class and I appreciate your honesty. And these books
are needed because it's about motivation and also it lets
people know that your story may not be unique, but
what can make it. The difference is that you can't overcome.
You can't go from trauma to triumph. Girl, I've read
(24:36):
your book, changed my life. We talked soon, Teresa.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
Yes, thank you so much, Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
Cool. As you know, this has been another edition of
Money Making Conversation Master Class hosted by me Rashaun McDonald.
Thank you, I guess on the show today and thank
you our listening artists. Now, if you want to listen
to any episodes I want to be a guest on
the show, visit money Making Conversations dot com. Our social
media handle is money Making Conversations. Join us next week
(25:06):
and remember to always leave with your gifts. Keep winning
Host
Rushion McDonald
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