Ella Bee Social Media & PR

All throughout the month of July, we have helped our client and model Dawn Montgomery share her story about what its like having bi-polar disorder and being a fashion model to bring awareness to Bebe Moore Campbell’s Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. Thank you to Essence Magazine for allowing Dawn to share her story.

Are you sad, having problems sleeping or eating, having thoughts about hurting yourself, or experiencing difficulty concentrating? Or maybe you have mood swings between euphoria and irritability?

These are just a few symptoms of bipolar disorder, which affects more African-Americans in this country than most would expect. Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, is a mental health issue that causes extreme highs and extreme lows in a person’s mood and behavior.

Ask Dawn Montgomery, the model who was involved in T.I’s Akoo’s NJ billboard and controversial advertising campaign some months ago. The working model and full-time mother was diagnosed with what some people refer to as “the crazy disease” when she was 16, and has been managing the disorder for the last ten years of her life.

Montgomery explains how the disorder has affected her, why it isn’t a weakness in character, family or faith, or something you can resolve on your own. She urges our community to get help and not to let the issue go unresolved.

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Last week, we shared a heartfelt letter to you that was written in honor of Bebe Moore Campbell. We had the opportunity to chat with the woman behind that letter, the beautiful Dawn Montgomery. Dawn Montgomery is a professional model and writer that resides in the Atlanta area. She has graced the pages of Black Men’s Magazine, a JET “Beauty of the Week,” and J’Adore Magazine, as well as a few campaigns for Akoo Clothing, PZI Jeans, and Seagram’s Gin 2009. Get to know Dawn as she discusses her personal fight with Bipolar Manic Disorder and how she has managed to keep it under control.

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As we acknowledge July being Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, XI Magazine Online had the opportunity to chat with gorgeous model and client, Dawn Montgomery. Dawn battles mental illness and has been since she was in high school. Click more to read a touching letter Dawn wrote to Bebe Moore Campbell, in her honor: (more…)

Beauty With a Purpose: Interview With Model Dawn Montgomery

Dawn Montgomery is the April 2010 Big Tigger Kitten of the Month.

Last week was wild! Client, model and good friend Dawn Montgomery had to deal with mounting pressure from both national and local media outlets as a result of a controversial ad from Akoo, a clothing line by Atlanta rapper, T.I. In a matter of days, more than 300 news articles were posted online about this issue. Everyone from CNN to Bossip.com were commenting on the story.

The best way to deal with any crisis or controversy is to tackle the issue head on-avoid the “no comment” approach. Having a skilled crisis communications team is not easy and it takes planning BEFORE an unfavorable situation occurs. Any organization, business or public figure not prepared to deal with crisis is constantly at risk. Risk management, issue anticipation and crisis communication programs should be a part of any public relations strategy.

But, let me be clear. Crisis management does not mean that an organization or its public relations team can manage outside influences-but what we can manage is the response.

Anyhow, check out Dawn Montgomery’s response amid this controversial billboard ad for the clothing line, Akoo:
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