Meet Denise Mathis Hurst, an emerging psalmist, worship leader and songwriter who has placed her mark on the gospel music Industry. To the many who have been blessed by her gift and ministry, you can almost hear them shout, “FINALLY!”

Who is she? Singing as a young girl in her home church in Utica, Hurst blossomed as a soloist. Her success in music has afforded her the opportunity to sing on both local and national platforms, winnings numerous scholastic and scholarship competitions. Hurst was featured in Who’s Who Among High School Students.

Passionate for choral performance, Hurst was featured in all-county and all-state choruses and later went on to co-found the S.P.I.R.I.T. Gospel Chorus at Buffalo State College. As the winner of the NAACP ACT-SO Soloist in Classical and Contemporary Music in Utica—a program “...designed to recruit, stimulate, improve and encourage high academic and cultural achievement among African American high school students”—Hurst earned the opportunity to perform in Chicago for the NAACP NATIONAL ACT-SO. Sharing the stage with gospel, jazz bands and orchestras has given her experience in various genres of music, all of which contribute to her unique sound.

Church and family: Hurst is the wife of District Elder Germaine D. Hurst and she is the first lady of Greater Emmanuel Temple Church, Inc—“The Church of Champions”—in Buffalo. The Hursts are the proud parents of four fine sons—Jeremiah, Dynnell, Sean and Zachery. Hurst is a graduate of Buffalo State College with a masters degree in human service administration.

Due to her compassion for women, she successfully launched a new ministry called, KNOWNOW, which promotes health and wellness, and the D.O.V.E.S. (Daughters Of Virtue) mentorship program. She is also the vice-chairlady of F.L.O.W. (First Ladies of Western New York). Being a minister of the Gospel, she brings life and hope into the lives of people and heals the broken-hearted.

As a woman committed to advancing the kingdom of God and inspiring hearts, she has devoted her gifts to completing her debut EP, Unstoppable Dreamer. This recording contains four songs penned by the artist herself in what she describes as “...a reflection of my soul’s songs”. Unstoppable Dreamer will reach you, encourage you, and heal you. A VIP CD release party is planned for 7 p.m. Thursday at 550 Genesee St., Buffalo. The record will be available beginning Friday, June 22.

Checking In: The Juneteenth Festival of Buffalo. On Saturday, June 16 and Sunday, June 17, the Juneteenth Festival of Buffalo at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park at the intersection of Best Street and Fillmore Avenue was alive with food, entertainment and vendors. I had the opportunity to stop by and speak with a few of them.

Mobile Soles is a mobile boutique (equipped with eyelashes and all!) started by Melissa Fayson, who travels in vehicle that she transformed into a fashion-forward shoes and accessory delivery system. Great idea, right?

I asked how she came up with such an awesome concept. Melissa suffered devastating injuries when she was hit by a car some time ago. During her recovery, she wanted nothing more than to shop, and thought how great it would be if someone could bring the store to her. The leap to Mobile Shoes was not far behind.

For more information on Mobile Soles, call (716) 602-3008 or visit Mobile Soles on Facebook.

The next booth I paid a visit to was All Things Natural. All Things Natural is an online natural product store that specializes in mists, oils, body butters, scrubs, soaps and more. They are dedicated to bringing all-natural quality products to the forefront. For more information, please visit www.allnaturalforme.com.

Another great booth that I discovered—a new local cosmetology school! Being a make-up artist myself, this booth definitely sparked my interest. The Mesha Cosmetology Institute offers advance training classes, New York State board preparation and employment placement services. The owner, Crystal Johnson, expressed that she felt the need for a great school for cosmetology hopefuls to learn and gain the knowledge needed for a successful career. Check the school out online at MeshaCosmetologistInstitute.com.

UPCOMING EVENTS: Here is a great organization—I know because I was invited to join. Women In The Spotlight Going Global (WITS) is a networking group designed to spotlight, empower, educate and inspire women to be the architects of change. Our mission is simple—we are dedicated to connecting, creating opportunities and providing women with the tools necessary for professional development and personal growth.

WITS has three wonderful events coming up:

WITSGG Vendors/Tradeshow—Noon to 5 p.m., Saturday, June 22, Artspace (1219 Main St., Buffalo). Tickets are $10.

Summer In the City Networking Event—7 p.m. to midnight, Friday, July 6, Rendezvous Nightclub / Statler City (107 Delaware Ave., Buffalo). Tickets are $15 presale.

WITSGG 2nd Annual Brunch—11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 25, Acqua Restaurant (2192 Niagara St., Buffalo). Tickets are $50. The keynote speaker will be author, attorney and former project-winning manager on NBC’s The Apprentice, the lovely and talented Marshawn Evans.

Other highlights in the weeks ahead:

R&B soul music at it’s best is coming to Buffalo—The B.G.T.Y (Be Good To You) tour featuring Ledisi and Eric Benet will hit Buffalo for a 7 p.m. show on Sunday, July 29 at Kleinhans Music Hall (3 Symphony Circle, Buffalo). Tickets start at $35.

Talk of the Town Hair and Fashion Show—A showcase featuring some of the top stylists and models in the region. This 6 p.m. event on Sunday, Aug. 12 will be held at Millennium Hotel (2040 Walden Ave., Buffalo). Hosted by Adri-V and music by DJ T-Jizzle. Tickets start at $20 and can be purchased at Doris Records. For more information, please contact Damone Brown at (315) 885-6343 or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Buffalo Niagara Summer Jam 2012—Starring Future, Gucci Mane,Jadakiss and CashOut. The show starts at 7 p.m. on Sunday, July 29 at the Niagara Falls Conference Center (101 Old Falls St., Niagara Falls). Tickets start at $65.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT: The Mackin Project was created to help families with funeral costs who have suffered the loss of a spouse, child or parent to an act of violence. The Mackin Project is a 501 (c)(3) that was founded by Mrs. Tanisha D. Mackin after she suffered the loss of her husband to a senseless act of violence in the city. For more information or to support the Mackin Project please visit www.stillstanding.me or contact:

Mrs. Tanisha D. Mackin, MBA
Mackin Project
P.O. Box 83
McDonough, GA 30252
(678) 379-7278

Want to let Redd Roxx know about your fashion, music or or special events? Please email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or tweet me @redd_roxx.