Daily Inspiration: Meet Dr. Lyndia Grant

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Lyndia Grant.

Hi Dr. Lyndia, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Dr. Lyndia Grant grew up in a family of nine siblings, to parents who were both ministers. They were a sharecropper family until 1964, when they left Kinston, North Carolina during the Great Migration. Lyndia is a dynamic communicator, major special events strategist, and civic leader whose work bridges media, history and public engagement. With over four decades of professional experience, she has built a reputation as a change agent who inspires, informs, and mobilizes.

Professional Roles & Contributions
Radio Host & Broadcaster: 15+ Years (Click Link Below)
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1jrnlfMPapHd8gsPoO7F8w
Dr. Grant is the host of a radio show, podcast style broadcast on Spirit 1340 (WYCB), Radio One, Washington, D.C. The show airs Fridays at 6:00 PM and features discussions with thought leaders in politics, faith, civil rights, and community development. Over the years, her guests have included prominent figures such as Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Rev. Bernice King, daughter of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Coretta Scott King. She has interviewed Congressmembers, civil rights advocates, and local leaders.

Syndicated Columnist & Author: 20+ Years

THE RELIGION CORNER: A Mighty Oak Has Fallen in the DMV

Since 2005, Dr. Grant has penned a weekly column which has run in the DC area under the “Religion Corner.” Her work over the past 20 years is syndicated via the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) and Black Press USA, reaching a national readership of millions of readers. She is also the author of “Destiny’s Door: Turning Milestones into Stepping Stones” and “The Sharecropper’s Daughter: It’s Not Where You Begin, But Where You End That Counts.”

Appointed as Project Director, African American Civil War Memorial (“Spirit of Freedom”) by DC Councilman Dr. Frank Smith, in 1991, she served as the Project Director from the groundbreaking in 1991 through the unveiling in 1998 of the African American Civil War Memorial in Washington, D.C.—also known as the Spirit of Freedom. The memorial honors 209,145 U.S. Colored Troops and includes 7,000 white officers.

In her capacity as project director, she oversaw day-to-day operations, fundraising, volunteer coordination, media relations, and collaboration with governmental agencies (including Congress, DC government, and WMATA). Under her leadership, the project received significant national exposure via CNN, C SPAN, and over 160 television stations. She also coordinated the inclusion and verification of names for the Wall of Honor—later certified by The Guinness Book of World Records as the war memorial with the most engraved names. Even after the unveiling, Dr. Grant has remained involved as a consultant for anniversary events, fundraising events with continued public relations support, which includes news articles and radio show opportunities to assist in promoting any upcoming events.

Lyndia, appointed by D.C. City Councilmember Frank Smith, served as project director for the national monument, African American Civil War Memorial, Spirit of Freedom. She was responsible for construction management, she was development director, responsible for day-to-day operations and organized and coordinated all major events surrounding the monument from groundbreaking to unveiling. Lyndia confirmed and met celebrities ranging from Senator John D. Rockefeller, (D.WV), to Actor David Selby, Singer/Songwriter, Hall of Famer Martha Reeves and Dionne Warwick, and best actor, Denzel Washington. The monument was unveiled in front of 40,000 people from around the world, including descendants of Frederick Douglass and Mary McLeod Bethune.. Video Monitoring Services of America Reported the story was broadcast on 163 TV stations across the nation and was shown locally, throughout the Washington Metropolitan Area 84 times
Special Events & Inauguration Coordination
• Dr. Grant has been tapped for leadership roles in high-profile events at the national level. Notably: For President George H. W. Bush’s Inaugural Committee, she helped organize educational awards events at The Women’s Museum.
• For President William Jefferson Clinton ‘Bill’ Clinton’s Inaugural Celebration, she served as Transportation Event Chair at the Washington Convention Center for the Arkansas & MTV Ball.
• Locally, she was appointed Executive Director of Georgia Avenue Day, Washington DC’s largest outdoor festival and parade. Under her direction, festival attendance grew from under 1,000 to over 100,000.
• Dr. Grant also contributed to events like the Million Man March (as Green Room Coordinator), the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington (appointed by D.C. Council), and she was co-chair of the Oprah Winfrey “Belief” Series which was shown world-wide. She was responsible for organizing and coordinating a celebration, with a panel of distinguished leaders, ranging from former CNN host Rowland Martin, Dr. Julianne Malveaux, and Dr. Sis. Jenna of the Bahama Kamari.
“Family Ties Bind Tough Business Team” by Columnist, Courtland Milloy, is the title of an article which was published in the Sunday Washington Post, August 20, 1989. Milloy wrote: “Story of the struggle of four sisters who wanted to own their own business, and they walked in the brother’s footsteps, the late Elton Leon Grant, who once owned Grant & Green Floors. Both businesses were located at the same address, 7323 Georgia Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. some 10 years later:” Milloy Continues: “Almost instinctively, the sisters came together from as far away as California and vowed to keep Leon Grant’s dream alive. They did not know how to run a floor-finishing business, but they knew from their days growing up in Kinston, N.C., that together they could come up with something They had picked cotton and tobacco together. They had sung in church choirs and on radio shows together. They knew then what this city would soon find out: When the Grant Sisters decide to work together, consider the job done.” (This is an except, the article continued)

The Gettysburg Times, January 1999, The Gettysburg Times Newspaper’s Headlines read … “Lift Every Voice and Sing” with a photo which appeared along with the story of Lyndia Grant speaking, when she served as keynote speaker for the 19th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration at Christ Chapel on the Gettysburg College Campus. Article also includes photo of Morgan State University Gospel Choir (the choir sang several musical selections from the Civil Rights era during the program).

Washington Times Newspaper, September 1998, Metropolitan Lifelines, by Adrienne T. Washington, “Organizer ‘Falls for Success”, with photo of Lyndia, caption reads – “Lyndia Grant-Briggs stayed up nights plotting the African American Civil War Memorial parade.
Atlanta Journal Constitution, November 2, 1997, article by Paul Shackel, “A long overdue SALUTE, African American troops who fought in the Civil War are being honored in a national monument.” (Photo of Lyndia shown with a miniature version of “Spirit of Freedom” Monument appeared with the article). Caption for photo – Driving force: Project Director Lyndia Grant studies a model of the memorial – Perspective Article.

Video Monitoring Services of America Reported the story, Black Soldiers Monument, “Spirit of Freedom” was broadcast on 163 TV stations across the nation. It also reported that the broadcasts were shown locally, throughout the Washington Metropolitan Area 84 times. Lyndia Grant served as overall events chair and lead press advisor/coordinator. The many stories of the monument went worldwide. The story was front-page news on newspapers ranging from the New York Times, The San Francisco Chronicle, Detroit News, to the Los Angeles Times.

Educator & Trainer
Beyond her media and event roles, Dr. Grant has facilitated training across multiple federal and local agencies. She has delivered staff development seminars for the following federal agencies:
• U.S. Department of Commerce
• Social Security Administration
• Department of Labor
• Department of Defense
She has experience speaking in religious and community settings due to her skill at community organizing, emphasizing leadership, personal growth, and faith-based themes. Most recently, she won contracts from AmeriHealth Caritas, D.C. to implement Wellness Circles to teach low-income, Medicaid residents of the District of Columbia to live more successfully while fighting Type 2 Diabetes. When selecting a speaker, you don’t want someone to present a “canned presentation” that they’ve given everywhere else. Lyndia had this to say: “My goal and objective when I go in is not only to personally customize the presentation to meet your client’s needs, but to make you look great. To make your client say “Hey, I’m glad you recommended this person because she’s given us the best presentation we’ve ever had. Our people laughed, they were entertained, they were informed, she got through to them, and they were motivated.”
Today, more than ever, it is important that we have presentations which can impact the bottom line, increase sales, improve customer service, dramatically impact productivity, and overcome possibility blindness. I will spend time talking to you to find out all the things you want in a presentation, so your people can see themselves in your vision and step up to the challenge more motivated and committed to perform better than they’ve ever done before. I look forward to working with you. My bottom line is to make you a star.”

Education & Personal Highlights
• Dr. Grant holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication from Trinity University and earned her Master of Arts Degree in Communication also from Trinity Washington University. She was awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Humanitarianism from Bread for Life, International, LLC, which has an Articulation Agreement with the Northwind Theological Seminary.
• Over the years, she has built a national reputation as a motivational speaker and strategist whose messages aim to move audiences to action.
• Her radio show, columns, and events reflect an ongoing commitment to uplifting underrepresented voices, preserving African American history, and fostering civic engagement.
• On Juneteenth, in the year 2023, Dr. Grant was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by President of the United States, Joseph R. Biden. The event was held in Washington, D.C. She was among 60 nationally acclaimed recipients.

MARRIAGE AND FAMILY
Dr. Grant was married on August 22, 1970, to U.S. Marine Corporal Ronald C. Briggs, Sr. To this union three children were born, Tanika, Ronald Jr. and Elton Leon. They have five grandchildren, with one more on the way! They were divorced in 1987 after 17 years of marriage.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No, it was definitely NOT a smooth road! If I had not learned and practiced the principles to success researched and written by Napoleon Hill, THINK & GROW RICH book, I don’t know where I would be today.

I’ve learned that if you chase men, have sex with men in leadership, you may get further ahead, plus I have also learned that as a minority woman led business, it has been difficult.

However, though these struggles may have caused many to quit, it was then that I decided to repeat positive affirmations daily as if I had already reached my goal. A lot of prayer has been and continues to be a necessity. In a speech that I enjoy delivering, entitled “Follow the Yellow Brick Road” it gives me pleasure to share with listeners

A speech that I deliver from time-to-time, title, Follow The Yellow Brick Road, which is a metaphor for YOUR DREAM/GOAL; In my message, I explain how The Tin Man; Scare Crow and Lion are metaphors for our EMOTIONS; BRAIN/MIND; HEART/LOVE; COURAGE/BRAVERY

1. So the first thing you must do, is to have a purpose; have a goal; know where you’re going; and know why you want to get this done;

2. Take charge of your emotions; feed your brain by studying and learning; you must have a kind heart, Napoleon Hill discovered in his study, he said always remember this statement: Repeat this daily; “I will eliminate hatred, envy, jealousy, selfishness, and cynicism and develop love for all humanity, for I know that a negative attitude toward others, can never bring me success. So you need a kind and gentle heart; a loving heart.

3. Finally, you need courage. You cannot be cowardly about what it is you want.

And like the song says, “If you believe; within your heart you’ll know.”

I definitely believe in my goal, and because of my belief and success principles, I have remained steadfast, never quit, and I’m still standing today. We all will go through a ton of struggles all along the way. They are too numerous to outline here. I did go into details in my book, title “Turning Milestones Into Stepping Stones.” The questions below are what I ask during my workshops. Participants must answer: 1. What’s holding you back, begin your trip on YOUR Yellow Brick Road; 2. Are you afraid, a coward like the Cowardly Lion? 3. Or is that you don’t have the heart to do it; Tin Man; 3. Is it that you feel you’re not smart enough to do so, like The Scarecrow? 3 Points What is your AIM: Be sure to check your ATTITUDE, because you must eliminate hatred, selfishness, cynicism and develop love for all humanity, because I know that a negative attitude towards others, can never bring me success. Check your bad attitude at the door if you are planning to move up: And lastly, write out the ACTION you plan to take, and begin immediately, making necessary changes along the way:

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My very first artistic project that put me on the map, was following my dream to commission a sculptor to design and sculpt an official bronze bust of Rev. Jesse L. Jackson. The year was 1983, when he was running for President of the United States of America. I was successful in getting that bronze bust completed and unveiled. It now sits in the PUSH Headquarters in Chicago, Illinois.

Next artistic project, was when I was appointed by DC Councilman to serve as project director of the African American Civil War Memorial. This is done, now a national monument located in Washington, D.C., at Vermont Avenue & U Street, N.W., Washington, DC. This monument pays tribute to 209,145 United States Colored Troops (USCT) and includes their 7000 white officers. This monument has won the Guinness Book of World records, as the only monument in the world with over 200,000 names. I am proud to have served as project director from 1991 through the year 2005.

Additionally, when I went back to college late to earn my college degree, my experience gained while serving as project director helped me to earn 30 experiential learning credits from Trinity Washington University, located on Michigan Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. I earned my B.A. degree in the year 2000 and my M.A. in the year 2005.

What sets me apart from some others is, my steadfast determination to utilize Napoleon Hill’s principles to success. I studied his principles, and I have also taught and still teach classes to others who wish to learn how these principles will change your life. He said over and over again “these principles are an insurance policy against failure.”

How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Since moving to the Phoenix Metropolitan Area in early July of this year, now retired, I am sending out proposals to African American churches to ask if they will bring me and my team in to conduct my Type 2 Diabetes seminars, since Type 2 Diabetes is out of control in the black community.

I have written newspaper columns about this problem for 20 years, and for the past 15 years, I have had doctors on my radio show to help folks listening at home (usually the more elderly type), and I have done successful seminars for nearly 10 years, teaching attendees how to live successfully with Type 2 Diabetes.

This work is in memory of my mother who died from complications of Type 2 Diabetes. There is too much to include here in this article, but if you Google The Washington Informer Religion Corner, Lyndia Grant, you will see column after column, some on the very topic of Type 2 Diabetes since the month of November is National Diabetes Month.

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” — Hosea 4:6. In my weekly column hundreds of thousands have witnessed my very important message many times during National Diabetes Month over the past 20-years. Sharing how my family’s struggle with Type 2 Diabetes was a life-changing experience, lessons which will help you and your loved ones make healthier choices and avoid the suffering so many people are still experiencing. For the most part, this devastation usually happens because of ‘their lack of knowledge.”

As we come to a close in this month’s series, I want to share a powerful moment I heard during a C-SPAN interview with Dr. Griffin P. Rodgers, M.D., Director of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Those who have not heard this, will benefit. I’m asking everyone to please share this information with members of your family, church, work place and community. Don’t let folks continue to perish because of a lack of knowledge! Here is a short bio on Dr. Griffin P. Rodgers, M.D., an African-American genius of a doctor, in my opinion, but first, his background.

Dr. Griffin P. Rodgers, the Director of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), has made significant contributions to the understanding and treatment of diabetes, particularly Type 2 diabetes. His research has focused on genetic diseases, clinical evaluation of disease severity, and the development of novel gene therapy strategies. Dr. Rogers has been instrumental in advancing the treatment of sickle cell anemia which instrumental in advancing the treatment of sickle cell anemia, which is a type of diabetes, with the development of hydroxyurea, the first effective and FDA-approved therapy for this condition. His work has not only improved the lives of patients with sickle cell anemia but has also paved the way for future research and treatment options for Type 2 diabetes and other related conditions.

Dr. Rogers was on C-SPAN, but as a high-speed typist of 100 wpm, for the past 50 years, I transcribed this transcript below for you the readers of The Washington Informer Newspaper. Here is the translation of what he said.

A caller asked an important question of Dr. Rogers. She said her mother had diabetes, and her older brother and sister both take insulin. They have lived with complications from this disease for many years. But she, who is ten years younger, has never developed diabetes. She asked Dr. Rodgers, “If we have the same genes, why didn’t I get diabetes too?”

Dr. Rodgers gave a clear and helpful answer. He explained that genetics do play a major role in whether or not someone develops diabetes. But even siblings do not inherit genes the same way. We receive half our genes from one parent and half from the other. Sometimes, one child receives the gene that increases diabetes risk and another child does not. That alone can make a major difference.

However, Dr. Rodgers also said that our environment—our habits, our food, our activity level—plays an equally important role. He shared that research from the NIH, including studies from their Phoenix Branch, shows that our environment begins even before birth. If a mother has diabetes during pregnancy, even mild gestational diabetes, the child is more likely to develop diabetes later in life. This risk is higher compared to a child born when that same mother does not have diabetes.

In other words, diabetes risk is not based on one thing. It comes from a combination of genes, environment, family history, and lifestyle. But even with a strong family history, there are things we can control.

Dr. Rodgers ended his answer with simple but powerful advice: 1. Get checked regularly for Type 2 Diabetes. 2. Eat properly and learn what foods your body can handle. 3. Exercise and maintain a healthy weight.

The Holy Spirit moved me to share this message with readers, because so many people in our communities are suffering needlessly. Millions of Americans have Type 2 Diabetes right now, and millions more do not know they have it. Many of us are living with high blood sugar and don’t realize the danger. Early detection saves lives. Knowledge saves lives.

Though I have said the same thing hundreds of times, this time, I’m hoping that you will receive this proven advice from Dr. Griffin Rogers, a nationally known medical doctor with a proven track record, and begin to follow his expert advice.

In my own family, Type 2 Diabetes was present, but people didn’t talk about it. They didn’t understand the importance of sharing this information with the next generation. If they had known, perhaps some suffering could have been avoided. That is why I speak boldly now—so you can take steps to protect yourself and your family.

Let me say this plainly: If diabetes runs in your family, you are at higher risk. But being at risk does not mean you are powerless.

By following Dr. Rodgers’ simple three steps—checking your health regularly, eating wisely, and exercising—you can lower your risk and live a healthier, longer life. These are small steps that can prevent years of pain, medical problems, and regret.

Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Caring for it is not only wise—it is part of your responsibility to yourself, your family, and God.

Let us use knowledge, faith, and action to fight this disease together.

Listen to my radio broadcasts, by going to my Youtube Channel, “Think on These Things The Lyndia Grant Show.

The community can support me by hiring my company to come in to conduct Type 2 Diabetes workshops. I will give some FREE seminars, but long-term training are much more effective which runs 8 weeks is much more effective, especially since diabetics will have to learn and enjoy new eating habits, and that takes time.

Pricing:

• Negotiable, based on your budget

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.lyndiagrantshow.com
• Instagram: dr. lyndia grant
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lyndiag?fref=ts
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyndia-grant-317b7121?utm_source=share_via&utm
• Twitter: fanniestelle
• Youtube: https://youtu.be/07KhQCoqPU8?si=326LLNE9SEL1W98v
• soundcloud: http://m.soundcloud.com/think-on-these-things/dr.sharon=solomon-wilmer-eye-institute-johns-hopkins

Image Credits
Brooks Grant Photography, Gaylord Tissueboo, Lyndia Grant Family Photo Albums