Name: Kisha Beard
Occupation: Founder of My Innocence Never Compromised Foundation
What inspired you to create this foundation?
Growing up I didn’t have a lot and was very poor so I grew up in shelters. Both of my parents are deceased and I really needed some leadership and positive people in the community to steer me in the right direction. Just knowing where I came from and knowing that there are only a few decisions that separate me from the next person, it keeps me grounded and wanting to help others
How did you begin your grass root efforts?
Before we would do donations and volunteer work in Cleveland Ohio and with the New Orleans Saints. My husband Shawn Roberts is an NFL player so whatever city he played for became the city that we would house the program in. We started on the grass root level and as the word got out it began to grow from shelters, to group homes and now we have started incorporating high schools.
Do you feel that the media play a large role in how young women are beginning to perceive themselves?
Nowadays [the] media is everything and the name of the organization speaks for itself because you don’t have to compromise your innocence for anyone we push young women to stay true to themselves and no matter what you want to be you don’t have to lower your values to accomplish those things.
What are your views on the images that are being presented by shows such as “Basketball Wives?”
I believe that you are who you are before you get the fame and fame only catapults and infuses who you really are. If you were a jerk before you had a million dollars, when you earn a million you will be no more than a jerk with a million dollars. Having money and being with an athlete is just a perk. For me it’s not the defining thing that’s going to make or break me because I’ve experienced both sides of life and I know how fortunate I am.
For more information, please visit www.myincfoundation.com.
