Chandra Harkins
Founder/Chief Facilitator
"Charm is deceitful; beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised." --- Proverbs 31:30 (NKJV)
As the Founder and Chief Facilitator of The Perfected Woman Enrichment Program, Chandra Harkins has a passion for service and arts/culture. In addition, she has a penchant for God's Word and enjoys studying the text from several perspectives; spiritually, historically, culturally/socially, and with a contemporary lens. The Perfected Woman was designed for the purpose of creating an outlet for Christian women of color to become more enlightened and involved in the world around them. Chandra envisioned the program after the Lord revealed to her that many Black women were becoming stagnant and uninvolved in their communities around the country. Considering their unique history, Black women have endured decades of marginalization but have always leaned on the church for support and direction, yet many of their needs have been largely neglected.
Given the fact that Black women make up, arguably, 70% of the Black church, it is imperative that their needs and issues are addressed in a manner that will empower and push them to action on behalf of Kingdom building. With the lingering effects of racial discrimination, high levels of unemployment, failing public schools, chronic incarceration and disproportionate rates of certain diseases, the Black community continues to deal with perils that threaten its existence and, historically, Black women have been at the forefront of working to resolve these ills and restoring the community to strength and prosperity.
To that end, Chandra structured the program using a model set by a rich legacy of Black Christian women such as Ida B. Wells-Barnett, Dorothy Height, and Mary McCleod-Bethune among others. After being raised by her mother and great grandmother, two wellsprings of wisdom, Chandra deems it a calling to establish this program as a way of doing God's Will. Chandra is entrenched in the belief that by dealing directly with the issues and needs that impact a Black woman's overall perception of herself and the world around her, the present generation as well as future generations will be able to sustain and progress even further.
Holding a BBA in Marketing Management and a MS in Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Memphis, Chandra has been involved in several community service organizations as well as worked extensively in local churches. Currently, she is a mentor with the Refugee Economic Independence Program, one of the charities housed within the United Methodist Neighborhood Center in Memphis, TN. In this program, she works with young teenage girls who were transported from refugee camps in several African countries.
Chandra has over 13 years of corporate experience and possess a strong business and artistic aptitude. She is the Owner of a film/stage play production company, Harkins House Productions, as well as a marketing/media planning and publishing company, The Black Opal Media Group. Lastly, Chandra is a member of Abundant Grace Fellowship with Senior Pastor, Dwayne Hunt, located in Memphis, TN.
As the Founder and Chief Facilitator of The Perfected Woman Enrichment Program, Chandra Harkins has a passion for service and arts/culture. In addition, she has a penchant for God's Word and enjoys studying the text from several perspectives; spiritually, historically, culturally/socially, and with a contemporary lens. The Perfected Woman was designed for the purpose of creating an outlet for Christian women of color to become more enlightened and involved in the world around them. Chandra envisioned the program after the Lord revealed to her that many Black women were becoming stagnant and uninvolved in their communities around the country. Considering their unique history, Black women have endured decades of marginalization but have always leaned on the church for support and direction, yet many of their needs have been largely neglected.
Given the fact that Black women make up, arguably, 70% of the Black church, it is imperative that their needs and issues are addressed in a manner that will empower and push them to action on behalf of Kingdom building. With the lingering effects of racial discrimination, high levels of unemployment, failing public schools, chronic incarceration and disproportionate rates of certain diseases, the Black community continues to deal with perils that threaten its existence and, historically, Black women have been at the forefront of working to resolve these ills and restoring the community to strength and prosperity.
To that end, Chandra structured the program using a model set by a rich legacy of Black Christian women such as Ida B. Wells-Barnett, Dorothy Height, and Mary McCleod-Bethune among others. After being raised by her mother and great grandmother, two wellsprings of wisdom, Chandra deems it a calling to establish this program as a way of doing God's Will. Chandra is entrenched in the belief that by dealing directly with the issues and needs that impact a Black woman's overall perception of herself and the world around her, the present generation as well as future generations will be able to sustain and progress even further.
Holding a BBA in Marketing Management and a MS in Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Memphis, Chandra has been involved in several community service organizations as well as worked extensively in local churches. Currently, she is a mentor with the Refugee Economic Independence Program, one of the charities housed within the United Methodist Neighborhood Center in Memphis, TN. In this program, she works with young teenage girls who were transported from refugee camps in several African countries.
Chandra has over 13 years of corporate experience and possess a strong business and artistic aptitude. She is the Owner of a film/stage play production company, Harkins House Productions, as well as a marketing/media planning and publishing company, The Black Opal Media Group. Lastly, Chandra is a member of Abundant Grace Fellowship with Senior Pastor, Dwayne Hunt, located in Memphis, TN.