Lakesha Woods

Lakesha Woods (born Lakesha Shontell Woods; May 6, 1976) is an American author, spoken word artist, editor-in-chief of Enjoy Life Magazine, and advocate. She started her professional writing career in 2001 as an advertising copywriter in Hollywood, Florida. Her desire to advocate for the homeless and women is distress resulted in the establishment of Second Chance Outreach a non profit organization that Woods started in Miramar, Florida. The organization needed a promotional tool to raise funds so she took a chance at publishing a monthly newsletter called Enjoy Life. The newsletter included small business ads and one motivational column "Mind, Body & Soul" which is still written by her today.Second Chance Outreach prematurely dissolved, but Lakesha continued to organize charitable events for children in Carver Ranches. On December 23, 2004 Lakesha incorporated the Hollywood chapter of Lady Rose Women's Association, Inc. Enjoy Life Newsletter was then used to inform the public of activities related to the new non profit. The motivational column became a popular section of the newsletter, so Woods continued to publish self help topics.
Unfortunately, bouts of anxiety and depression overwhelmed her after she divorced in 2004. In interviews with MZN Indie Radio and Charlotte View Internet Radio, Lakesha stated that writing is therapy for her. She uses poetry to express her feelings, and once during a cry for help, she wrote poems and emailed everyone in her contacts. Coincidentally several of those emails reached the late Willie Lee Bell Jr., spoken word artist and Tony Award winner known best as Will Da Real One from Def Poetry Jam. Will reached out to Lakesha to compliment her writing. He invited her to perform at Soul on the Bay. It was there Lakesha performed "My Words" a sultry poem with provocative innuendos. This was also her first spoken word performance and the beginning of her emergence as Ms. Speak Easy. It was Will's hard push that influenced her to "get on the mic". She became a frequent performer at spoken word venues including the venue owned by Bell 'The Literary Cafe and Poetry Lounge'.
Career Start
Her career took off in 2006 after covering the first Jazz in the Gardens Festival at the Dolphins Stadium (now Hard Rock Stadium) in Miami Gardens, Florida. Lakesha wrote an article on Grammy nominated Blues duo Ike and Val. After the article was published she became affectionately known as the <nowiki/>'Enjoy Life Lady and Miami's go-to person for entertainment news. She created a platform that not only gave herself exposure as a writer, but a platform that also increased visibility for independent artists, and entertainers. This was the niche that rendered her national recognition as an entertainment journalist and editor-in-chief of Enjoy Life Magazine. Later that year, she met celebrity talent manager Ian Grant. He booked her first interview with Grammy nominated singer/songwriter Calvin Richardson. She also covered the show "Intimate Affair with Calvin Richardson" on November 11, 2006 in Wilmington, Delaware. Since their meeting Richardson has been interviewed by Lakesha several times, and his candid interviews with her are still in circulation on the web.
Early Life
Lakesha Woods was born on May 6, 1976 to Isaac Jerome Woods, Sr. and Gail Ann Green in Hollywood, Florida. Her father is a Jazz and Blues guitarist, singer and songwriter. He is a former member of the national recording Gospel group - The Woods, and one half of the Grammy nominated Blues duo Ike and Val. Citation Her mother (Gail Green) is a business owner and former editor-at-large for Enjoy Life Magazine. Valerie Woods is Lakesha’s step-mother, singer/songwriter, artist, and published author. Lakesha has one brother; Isaac Woods Jr. and five children Citation - four daughters and one son. she studied business administration and secondary education. At the age of twenty, Lakesha started her first business, K’s Pageants, Inc. She was a Pageant Director and produced the “Miss Spring Princess Pageant”. Using her writing skills she wrote compelling letters to corporation executives and received sponsorship for the pageant contestants.
Marriage and Divorce
On November 14, 1996 Lakesha was married to Gregory C. Inman. Lakesha has two children with Gregory. Their marriage was dissolved in 2004.
Journalism
The magazine opened the pathway for her in the media industry, and some of her most notable work as a writer and editor are included in Enjoy Life Magazine Vol. 10 Issue 3 which is now a commemorative collector's edition. Her motivational essays like "All My Good Days" - "Creating Your Reality" and her conversational interview style have gained her noteworthy interviews with celebrities Tyrese Gibson; Conya Doss, award-winning producer and director Raaj Rahhi, Momma Dee from Love and Hip Hop Atlanta in, DJ R-WAN in Paris, France, and Nigerian rapper Sham Pain. As chief editor of Enjoy Life Magazine, she is on the scene at entertainment events as a representative of the publication. Her editorials cover entertainment news, interviews/reviews, self help topics, beauty, and fashion; journalistic writing includes content on health, business, and activism.
Controversial Interviews
Woods has been known to write and publish community news that surrounds racial inequality/injustices, victims of illegal evictions, and employee abuse. In 2013 Woods became a member of T.H.U.G (True Healing Under God) a civil rights organization led by civil rights activist John C. Barnett. After joining, Woods began to receive a number of story submissions from people in need of help. Citizen journalism has played a crucial role in Woods being able to write and publish community news from around the nation. Woods said she enjoys featuring entertainers, but she also wants to help everyday people. In her 2012 interview with Charlotte View, she said she writes about things that are common; everyday issues. which is an anthology of romantic poems, prose, and ballads.

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