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2010: Here is a brief look back at Ella Bee PR’s Celebrity Clients at Publicity Events throughout the year! Event photos include clients, actor, Chris Tavarez; model, Dawn Montgomery; rapper, Princess; singer, Tiara Nicole; rap trio, F.L.Y.; and model, Jose Chu. Events include BET Hip Hop Awards week in Atlanta and other publicity events.

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The Buzz in the City reports…

You all may remember model Dawn Montgomery from the controversial T.I.’s AKOO ad campaign back in March of this year. [click here if you missed that]. She was one of the panelists at a viewing party for BET’s “My Mic Sounds Nice: A Truth About Women and Hip-Hop” back on August 30, and she gave us her perspective on being an urban model in this industry, the 1 rapper she says she considers to be the most respectful, and also talked about her controversial AKOO ad.

MODEL DAWN MONTGOMERY SPEAKS ON BEING AN URBAN MODEL IN THE “INDUSTRY” from THE BUZZ IN THE CITY on Vimeo.

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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.

Read Dawn Montgomery’s Full Interview on Being BiPolar on Essence.COM.

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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.

XI: You were diagnosed with Bipolar Manic Disorder in high school. What symptoms were you experiencing that alerted you something was wrong?

I was very depressed and I really shut myself off from my friends. I began to think extremely negative & have suicidal thoughts. I began to have the weirdest suicidal ideations & I never shared them with anyone. It wasn’t until I felt numb all over that I knew there was something seriously wrong with me.

XI: Mental Illness is usually ignored in the African-American community. Whose idea was it to get you diagnosed?

It wasn’t until I had Viral Meningitis and I was hospitalized for almost 3 weeks. During that time, my doctor noticed my mood swings and the symptoms and he recommended that I see a therapist. My family supported me through this whole process and it was something that we needed to do in order to make sure I was going to be okay.

XI: Why do you think the African-American community turns away from dealing with mental illnesses?

I think the severity of mental illnesses and how complex they may be, can turn our community away from dealing with it. Mental Illness is real and once we are able to recognize it and come together as a community to fight against it then we can overcome it.

XI: After you were diagnosed, how long did it take you to come to terms and deal with living with Bipolar Manic Disorder?

Not long… I ignored it as long as I could, but then my episodes were more rapid and started happening at least 5 to 6 times in a year. I cannot ignore something that is a part of me so the older I get the more comfortable I am being me.

Read Dawn’s entire feature on Bebe Moore Campbell Minority Mental Health Awareness Month on XI Mag Online.

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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:

“Here I am. National Mental Health Awareness Month was in May and I am still at a loss for words. Some people in our community do not realize that they have mental illness and the number of mental illness cases continues to rise at an alarming rate every day. According to Mental Health America, most African-Americans with Bipolar Disorder are undiagnosed and untreated. Thanks to you, we have the opportunity to celebrate National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month during the month of July. You have inspired my life in so many ways and I would like to share my story with you. I have utilized my voice in sharing my battle with Bipolar Disorder on many of the social networking websites that have become very popular in this day and time. I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder my sophomore year in high school and it was a traumatic experience. I embraced the knowledge of my condition at that time, but my peers could not. I dealt with a lot of harsh criticism but I was able to finish high school and move on to the next phase of my life. Your book, “Sometimes my Mommy gets Angry”, was published a year after I graduated from high school, but I did not get a chance to read it until after my uncle had passed away from AIDS during the fall semester of my freshman year of college. His death was very traumatic for me and your book helped me realize that I must talk more about the disorder in my community to help spread the word about mental illnesses. After my uncle’s death, I had a very difficult time coping and I became suicidal. This was not the first time, but it was the most significant. I was an out-of-state student, at a historically black college, and I had NO ONE to really talk too. Just because I was one of the most recognizable faces on campus did not mean that someone always wanted to lend an ear. It was then that I tried to take my own life. This was my seventh attempt on my life, and I was admitted into a mental ward. I was placed under a 72-hour hold and I was lucky and blessed that my family supported me throughout my commitment. Your book, “72 Hour Hold”, is my LIFE! I was the character Trina Whitmore when I first went into my 72-hour hold and my mother was character Keri Whitmore. My mother never denied my disorder and she tried to help me as best as she could. In the Black community, it is still taboo for someone to even mention the words Mental Illness, Depression, Schizophrenia, or Bipolar Disorder. WHY? If I had of known who I could have really talked to or trusted on campus, I would have spoken up. My 72-hour hold showed me that I did not need to be in a place that did not allow me to use my talents nor my voice. I was hiding behind traumatic experiences, my brain’s chemical imbalance, and shame. There was no need for that. When I finally dealt with that chapter of my life, my grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer. She helped me fight against the negative stigmas of having a mental disorder and she allowed me to embrace myself more. I did not want to lose her. She was my saving grace. She also helped my mother understand the disorder and she helped me fight. Then, it was my turn to return the favor. I took two years out from school to care for my grandmother in her fight against breast cancer. When she eventually died from it, however, I felt like I failed her. Fortunately, I believe that God showed me otherwise. One month after my grandmother’s death, I found out that I was pregnant with my son. He gave me a reason to live and another reason to give Bipolar Disorder a face and a voice. My son was born in June 2005 and Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast where we lived in August 2005. There I was, yet again facing another traumatic experience, but I had a newborn son to take care of. I fought so many negative feelings, so many suicidal thoughts and I pulled myself together for him. My life has truly been a testament of what God has for me and neither man nor I can deny it. Even though there have been many ups and downs, I have been blessed to have the most amazing support system of family and close friends that truly care about my well-being. We made it through that tragedy together and I went back to school. According to Mental Health of America, one of the reasons why African-Americans are not receiving help for Bipolar Disorder and other mental illnesses is our reliance on family and religious community. I must admit that I also looked first to family and church during my bipolar episodes, but I realized that was not enough. I had to seek counseling, therapy options, and participate in research studies in order for me to receive consistent treatment for my disorder. At this point in my life, I see how my openness about my battle with Bipolar Disorder has helped many people – sufferers and supporters alike. Through blog posts, updated status messages and random articles I have given a new face and voice to the disorder and I pray more people hear me. Your life’s work is what I dream of accomplishing in my lifetime and I pray that God guides my path. You left us in November 2006 and almost four years later I find myself re-reading all of your mental illness themed books regularly. Your words remind me of how powerful one’s story can be and how I can really affect change if I just speak up. I am still going through treatment and I have learned more about myself through my battle with this disorder.

Thank you Mrs. Bebe Moore Campbell. I owe this chapter in my life to you.

Sincerely,

Dawn Montgomery

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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:

Essence Magazine
EXCLUSIVE: Akoo Jeans Model Speaks About Billboard-Essence.com

Rolling Out
Model in T.I.’s Racy AKOO Jeans Billboard Calls the Outrage Hypocritical- RollingOut.com

The Loop 21
T.I.’s clothing line Akoo proves fashion isn’t for the prudent at heart-The Loop 21

Dawn also made an appearance on the Frank and Wanda morning show on Atlanta’s V-103 and CW 69 to discuss her involvement with this controversy.

More media coverage to come from Sister 2 Sister Magazine.

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