Ready Set Collaborate with Wanda Pearson
Ready Set Collaborate is a podcast with a wealth of knowledge on networking, collaboration, and partnership, unlocking the secrets to successful teamwork and Innovation. Whether you are an entrepreneur, a creative professional, or just someone who can understand the power of networking and collaboration. This podcast is your go-to resource. Join us as we explore the stories, strategies, and insights from experts, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders who have experienced the magic of networking and collaboration to achieve successful results.
Ready Set Collaborate with Wanda Pearson
Empowering Personal Transformation with Dr. Calvin Ellison: Championing Community Engagement, Health, and Legacy Building
Discover the personal journey of Dr. Calvin Ellison, a prominent figure in health and wellness. From being raised by his grandparents to championing community empowerment, Dr. Ellison shares his transformative experiences, including his time working in the prison system and the life-changing impact of the book "Why Christians Get Sick." His story showcases a deep commitment to fostering manhood, marriage, and holistic health, inspiring others to prioritize well-being over combating disease.
Join me as we explore the vital role of community engagement in achieving social change. I share my own experiences and the challenges faced in aligning my pace with others, stressing the importance of collaboration to uplift the Black community. By examining the need for economic and family stability, our conversation emphasizes the urgency of addressing social disparities to prevent further decline and foster unity and prosperity.
The episode also highlights aligning personal and community growth. Dr. Ellison and I discuss how setting aside personal agendas can lead to greater community advancement. As we reflect on our upbringings, the drive for improvement becomes evident. From sharing insights on health and wellness to discussing international projects and upcoming collaborations, this episode captures the essence of creating lasting legacies in both health and community.
Connect with Dr. Calvin Ellison
Linkedin.com/Dr Calvin Ellison
instagram.com/calvin.ellison.39
facebook.com/calvin.ellison.39
Stay tuned for the next episode of Ready Set Collaborate with Wanda Pearson. Subscribe - Follow and Like Ready Set Collaborate with Wanda Pearson
Welcome to Ready Set Collaborate podcast with Rhonda Pearson, where we will dive deep into the world of networking, collaboration and partnership, unlocking the secrets to a successful team working within innovation. Whether you're an entrepreneur, a creative professional or just someone eager to understand the power of networking and collaboration, this podcast is your go-to resource. Join us as we explore the stories, strategies and insights from experts, entrepreneurs and thought leaders who have experienced the magic of networking and collaboration to achieve successful results.
Speaker 2:Tune in to Ready.
Speaker 1:Set Collaborate podcast on a journey towards achieving your goals with host Wanda Pearson.
Speaker 2:Welcome, welcome, welcome to the Ready Set Collaborate podcast with Wanda Pearson, with my guest, Dr Ellison. I am so excited to have you on my podcast, Dr Ellison. I'm probably going to have you back on again because you've got a lot to talk about, Especially when I start reading your bio. So say hello to the audience, Dr Ellison.
Speaker 3:Well, first of all, I want to thank you for the invitation. I have been looking forward to it and hello everyone. I'm excited to be able to share, to give you what's in my cup.
Speaker 2:Yes, For the last few years that's been poured into me. So, what's in your cup? Yeah, what's what's in my, what's in my wallet, but you got what's in my cup. I love that, thank you. Thank you for sharing that, and I want to talk about you. I'm a regional buyer, but I'm going to ask you some personal questions as well. Then we get into the meat and grind of everything. Sure, sounds great, all righty. So let me tell you about Dr Calvin Ellison.
Speaker 2:Dr Calvin Ellison is an author, entrepreneur, naturopathic doctor, certified nutritional consultant, global wellness trailblazer and marriage and men's advisor. That's awesome. He builds networks. That partners with states and agencies, colleges, universities, businesses and the criminal justice system. He is the founder and CEO of Success Dynamics Incorporated and Advantage Green Incorporated, as well as the founder of the Men Magnifying Manhood Movement and the founder of a Rights of Passage program. He is also the vice president for community affairs of the Atlanta Black Chambers of Commerce board, member of Clayton County Library Foundation and board member of Georgia Prostate Cancer Coalition.
Speaker 2:Dr Ellison has been a constant presenter at community colleges, universities and businesses on various topics from health and wellness, community engagement and personal and professional growth. He has worked with such groups as NC Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities as a statewide coordinator of two health programs the Town of Farmville, north Carolina, as a health consultant, the National Kidney Foundation, the Healthy Start Foundation, ncd, hhs, women's Health Branch health departments, cbos and local churches, the East Coast Restorative Academy, ecra for men and the Community Empowerment Network of Community Engagement that engage national and local politicians, state agencies, colleges and universities. He and his wife have presented to thousands of married couples and singles nationally and internationally through seminars, banquets, televisions and radio. They have been married for 42 years. He is the author of 11 books and the co-author of five national publications.
Speaker 2:Wow, I mean, geez, you are a rock star. You got a lot going on here and I am so happy to have you on the show. That's why I said you're going to be on my show again because there's a lot to talk about here. But we're going to be on my show again because there's a lot to talk about here, but we're going to just dive into some more, some of the ones that's really catching it to you now. So tell us a little bit about you, about your family, your background, dr Ellison.
Speaker 3:Well, I was raised with my grandparents. My grandfather died when I was mostly with my grandmother, aunts and uncles and got to know the Lord at a very young age really back in 1967, through a series of supernatural things that took place visitations that I got from Him and then growing up in high school carrying that with me so I didn't get in some of the ordeals that sometimes people in the high school get into. And then, 1982, married my girlfriend Now 42 years later, and it seemed like one. It's like what happened. Three or four years have gone by and here it is, now 42 years, and so I had the opportunity, as you read there in the bio, to work as a statewide coordinator with the Office of Minority Health and Community Colleges and so forth, and just love empowering people. That's part of what my passion is, right there In the area of manhood, health and marriage, three major areas that I focus on.
Speaker 2:Dang it. Wow, that's amazing and actually it's funny because my husband and I, Dennis, we actually got married in 81. So we have 43 years and 44 August 29th.
Speaker 2:So, there is hope. There is hope, guys, to be married for a long time. Like you said, it just passed by so fast. So, yeah, dennis always says, you know, I can't believe that if you're having fun, you know, I mean yeah, but there's something he says like that today Gotcha, yeah, so no, that's awesome and I'm so happy that you shared that, because you know what you do. As far as the men helping the men out too let's see you marriage counseling, magnifying manhood movement. I love that and I want to get Dennis into that. So let's talk to him about that. So that'd be great. Oh, okay, all right, so that's great. So let me ask you something. Let's talk about health and wellness. Can you share your personal journey with health and wellness and what inspired you to make it a priority in your life?
Speaker 3:Oh, wow. Well, I used to work in the prison. I worked in there from like 82, 83 to 95. Okay, while working in there I met a gentleman right when we were being hired and we've been friends now for 47 years. He gave me a book entitled why Christians Get Sick by George Maltmus. That book was my burning bush experience. It literally set my soul aflame, to the degree that I went out and bought about $400 worth of books seeking more information about health and wellness. Well, after I did that, consumed all of those books and it was nothing but God's leading.
Speaker 3:I ended up in a health food store and I asked the lady about the degree on her wall. What is that Naturopathic doctorate degree? I'm like, what is that? I'd never heard of it. She told me about it. Told me the school to get into is that? I'd never heard of it. She told me about it, told me the school to get into. I got involved in the school, got the doctoral degree and guess what happened? My hunger intensified. So I went back and got a certified nutritional consultant certification and after I finished that, guess what happened? My hunger intensified. I mean, what is going on here? I'm chasing that rabbit, finding out information from food politics, finding out information from, I mean, things that are prematurely killing people to you know just lifestyles Ended up studying different groups like the Hunzas of northern Pakistan.
Speaker 3:I had the opportunity, I was invited over several times to South Africa and I had the opportunity to train the employees of a multi-billion dollar mining company. Their lowest degrees were master's degrees and up. So I had the opportunity to go there and while I was sharing about the Hunzas, lo and behold, there was a medical director sitting in the back of the room that after I finished, he said I know that that gentleman from America is telling you the truth because I lived among the Hunzas, he said, for 11 years. He said I'll watch those men go up into the mountain on a 20-mile venture and come back the same day, men that were in their 80s and their 90s, and he would say that women would start having children in their 50s and their 60s in that culture, wow. So over the years I've just been inflamed, still study it right to this day health and wellness and just determined to share all the information that I can so that people can protect their number one wealth and promote it at the same time.
Speaker 2:Wow, that is awesome, I tell you, and the hunger that you have for that, that you, you know that you wanted to learn. That's what's amazing, because a lot of people give up, you know, I mean I got my bachelor's degree and I'll say, okay, I'm done. But I went to IBM school. So that was 36 years of IBM school.
Speaker 2:But what you're doing is amazing to share and to coach people on their health. Now I am so happy that you know that you learn this and being able to share. So what are some of the practical tips that you recommend for maintaining balance between physical, mental and emotional health?
Speaker 3:Well, I think it starts with developing a consciousness. We've got to start there. The scriptures tell us that we are destroyed for the lack of knowledge. Knowledge brings awareness about these different areas, from the physical to the mental, to the emotional. So I've got to become aware, and I forgot who it was that I read this statement Observe all men yourself. Most Meaning for me. I need to study myself. I need to study how I respond in given situations, mentally, emotionally, and then be conscious of what my emotions and my thoughts do to my physical body. This is very important.
Speaker 3:When I was there in South Africa, a gentleman talked about psychoneuroimmunology. All right, psychoneuroimmunology, talking about how our thoughts affect our immune system. Psychoneuro, how our thoughts affect our nervous system. That affects our immune system. Psychoneural, how our thoughts affect our nervous system. That affects our immune system. And I coined it this way. I said back to him okay, I get where you're coming from, because I learned that every cell in our bodies goes to the attention or comes to the attention of our thoughts.
Speaker 3:So I've got to make sure that my thoughts are good thoughts, because they affect my nervous system, that affects my immune system, that affects my relationships. So I believe it starts with consciousness and, of course, spilling over into what we do physically making sure that we're eating the healthiest diet that we can. All right, making sure we're putting the good stuff in there. And another tip would be we've got to have self-care time To what we break away from it all this is going to be a Calvin Ellison half an hour, 15 minutes or whatever. We've got to practice self-care and practice boundaries and disciplines so that the boat doesn't become overrun with all the waters of the cares, of the dealings of life. I got to have some time to where I pull away. Back away, even Calvin Ellison, which is hard for me, back away, even Calvin Ellis, which is hard for me. Put your cell phone down at a certain time, you know, back away from it, go out and sit in nature and let the psychology of nature help you relax.
Speaker 2:That's awesome. So self-care is very important. I love that. I love that. So let me ask you something about the community. What inspires you to become so involved in community engagement and why do you believe it's important?
Speaker 3:Well, it began with my passion, as I began to grow in life, to want to contribute, and the more that passion grew, and then opportunities to get involved in this and get involved in that, and then, while doing so, getting a snapshot of what community looks like, I'm like, oh my God, we need to be built in this particular area of community or that particular area of community, and while at the same time seeking to better myself, it just dawned on me that when you go into a certain environment and you've been gifted, you've been prepared, you know, through your own evolution, then, calvin Ellison, you should seek to make or to help that community be better.
Speaker 3:And I live like this. Now, wanda, if it didn't get better as a result of me having been there X amount of time, calvin Ellison, did you deliver the goods of what has been developed in you over a period of time? Did you deliver the goods? Did you go into that team, that community, with the intent, with what you have, to make it better? So that's my determination now I live with it that wherever I'm placed at, you've got to make it better. Because if you didn't, what was the use of your presence being?
Speaker 2:there. Wow, that was a powerful nuggets that you just shared there. I mean, that's awesome. So have you faced any kind of challenges that you face engaging with the communities and how did you overcome them?
Speaker 3:Well, definitely, the challenges are there. Anytime you step on the field of play or the court of play in life, when you're looking at the sports analogy, you're going to have the opposition, you're going to have the challenges. And part of my challenge is because I like, or I have become developed to a point, Wanda, to where I like to drive 90 in a 15. So part of my challenge is, first of all, with myself. You got to slow it down because the ones that you're going to they're not driving that fast initially, they're not moving at the speed that you're moving at, and so the challenge is with me personally. Ok, I got to slow it down, I've got to. I got to work with them at the speed that they're at in hopes that they'll come somewhere close to the speed of my operation. So the challenge has been helping people step up and embrace the urgency of now, in light of the conditions that exist, that we don't have forever, when we look at the state of where our families are, where our men are, where our men are, where our young boys and young girls are, and so I hit the scene with y'all we've got to move right now. And they're like what are you talking about. We've become so normal in what is happening where it's normal and I'm like, no, it's not normal, this is urgency, yeah.
Speaker 3:But when we hear statistics like I think it's the East Indians— they are at the top. Their medium household income is like somewhere between $115,000, $120,000, right, but their family togetherness is at a high of 94%. Their medium household income is like $110,000, and their family them keeping their family together is somewhere in that 80%, I believe. And then after that are the Caucasians, the whites, where their medium household income is around $88,000, and their family being together is like 70%. And then the Hispanics being somewhere like 68, 70,000, and their family them keeping their family together is ranging somewhere at the 60%. But then we in the Black community, somewhere around 55,000.
Speaker 3:But our family the statistics show that we're at 34%. The statistics show that we're at 34% and unless we do something different in the next 20 years, it's projected that we'll be down in the teens. So when I look at and study conditions like that, I'm parking in the driveway at 90 in my mind and I'm having to engage with people who are at 35 or 40. So the challenge is to help people see that we have got to step to the table that you've got to put aside your personal agenda to a degree to plug into something that's larger than your reality, that when you do, your reality gets better as a result of you helping the community to get better.
Speaker 2:Wow, that you, you laid it down there, I tell you, you know, and it's really about and you can see the different nationality it's about togetherness. You know how you can work together and build yourself up, build your family up, and that really makes a difference. But you are, you are so right with those statistics. We try to help. You know our families and friends to be up there, and I hear you about the night. Dennis talks about me all the time I'm driving at 90. And he said can you slow down? I'm trying to get down to this. You're going to have to catch up. You're going to have to catch up. So you know. But that is so true, that is. I love how you put that in perspective. So let's talk about your personal and professional growth. What key moments in your life contributed to your personal and professional growth?
Speaker 3:Well, it goes back to early in life, you know, living out in the country we were living in these two-story houses, old two-story houses. I was mentally embarrassed when the school bus would come by to our house because it was like you were at the monster's house, you know. And then when we would go to somebody else's house and pick them up nice house, neighborhood I'm like wait a minute, something's got to be better. Life has got to be better than this. So this thing went off on the inside of me.
Speaker 3:I guess God stirred it to where I wanted to better myself. I want to keep getting better. I want to maximize the life that I have in whatever stage or opportunity that I come to. I don't want to be scoring five or 10 points. I don't want to be scoring 20 points in 2025 when that's what I did in 24. So I'm like come on, ellison, you got to get better. So that drive to get better, wanting to better myself, has been with me now for a number of years and I'm more determined now than what I've ever been to put points on the board, to score for humanity, for my community or whatever or whoever I'm connected to. So that drive continues now more than ever before.
Speaker 2:Wow, wow. You put it there, so I'm telling you. I got to have you back on my show. So let's talk about health and wellness real quick. What inspired your focus on health and wellness? And I know you do CMOS, so tell us about what your focus. What inspired you to actually get into that?
Speaker 3:Well, again too, wanda, looking at conditions of people in my own family you know when they would get to a certain age I'm like wait a minute, I don't want to be like that. I don't want to be like that. I don't want to when I'm in my 60s and I'm having to walk with a cane and in and out of the hospital. Just looking at human conditions, I guess it's like somewhat like when Nehemiah checked out what was going on among his people and went back to the king and the king was like wait a minute, are you okay? Because Nehemiah had the responsibility of tasting the back to the king, and the king was like wait a minute, are you okay? Because Nehemiah had the responsibility of tasting the food for the king. So when the king saw that Nehemiah's face was dropped, he was like wait a minute, is food that you're eating making you sad looking or what? And Nehemiah's response was no, it's the condition of my people.
Speaker 3:So just looking at people's condition and knowing that we can have it better and wanting to find a way to get it better has driven my passion to cause people starting with myself first, and here's my tagline to promote our health versus fighting disease. Our health versus fighting disease. Awesome, say that again. Yeah, my focus is helping people promote their health, giving ideas and concepts and information that will promote rebuild our health versus having to spend the time fighting disease. We've been like this for years, and hours of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure. So I want to be on that promoting versus fighting.
Speaker 2:Okay, that's, that's, that's all right. I love that. I love how you said that, so, so what legacy do you want you hope to leave in these areas of what you're doing now? Wow?
Speaker 3:I want to leave the legacy of stirring people so passionately, stirring up what's in them, to where we're thinking about making things happen, not just accepting things as they are. I want to stir in a generation of people look, let's get off of where we're sitting at. Make things happen so that we can create new realities.
Speaker 2:That's a great way to put that. I love it. So, and I was going to ask you about the most passionate about the stages of your life now, and you really kind of pretty much told us what you wanted to do, right as far as your medicine. So let's talk about your books Now. How many books you got out there and tell us about your books? What people can get in touch with you and get your books?
Speaker 3:Gotcha Got, I think it's 11 that's out there, from dealing with health to marriage, to men, to motivational books. We've got, I think, three books on men, magnifying manhood and marriage. I've got two books on health, the Seven-Day Meal Plan and then the other book, vibrant Insights for Health and Wellness. And then, of course, we've got a book out there, where God Wants to Meet you Next, oh wow, which goes right along with my book Beyond your Comfort Zones, you know, and so yeah. So we touch on again motivational stuff men, marriage and health in particular. Those are our focuses and people can get copies of the book. They'll go to my website at ellisonconsultingcom. Ellison's E-L-L-I-S-O-N-S consultingcom.
Speaker 2:Okay, you're going to send because I'm going to have that in my show notes as well, so to get your website. So you're going to send that to me so I can make sure, when your podcast come out, all of that's in there and also how they can get in touch with you as well. So that to you already. Yeah, yeah, you probably did, I'm sorry. Yeah, it's been kind of one of those weeks here and it's didn't it just started. Trust me, I understand. So what business are you still in and how does it benefit society? So what business are you still in and how does it benefit society?
Speaker 3:Well, I'm really into developing like never before my podcast.
Speaker 2:Yes, tell us about your podcast. Is it NextUp podcast?
Speaker 3:Yes, NextUp N-X-T, NextUp podcast. It's all about getting people to think about what's next. People to think about what's next, you know, and as I like to say, it's a podcast where we bring encouragement, enlightenment, edutainment and empowerment.
Speaker 2:Okay, I love it. We're going to be on your podcast. I'm excited to be on your podcast.
Speaker 3:I'm excited about it Next week, I believe it is so yeah forward to it.
Speaker 2:Yes, me and my husband Dennis, so we're both going to be on there. He's kind of shy, so be gentle on him, be gentle with me. Okay, okay, I'm used to it.
Speaker 3:I'm used to it, I'll get him, I'll pull him out of it but cool. So into that Wanda as far as the Next Up podcast and also work with an entity where it's given me the opportunity to help get resources to nations, and that entity is that company, is Supernova, to where I'm working, dear God. Like today we had Uganda at the table, Tomorrow we're havingania at the table to help get resources, electricity, homes, clean water and getting nations the opportunity, getting them to the table of opportunity. So those are my major focuses right now being a gateway to getting resources into nations to where, like in Nigeria, there's only 4,000 megawatts of electricity in 150 million country population, only 4,000. To put it in perspective, let's say South Africa has only 60 million people with over 50,000 watts.
Speaker 2:So you can see the drastic difference there to where people go for days and no lights. Yeah, you know, it's funny because my virtual assistant, she's in South Africa and a lot of times we have to cancel because her electricity is not out of her, her Internet is not up. So I think it's about is it all underground? Is that what it is? So I'm not sure on that. Yeah, yeah, but, yeah, but, yeah, her, her, yeah, she goes to that as well. So it, that's amazing. So listen, I got to have you back on my podcast, Definitely Because you got so much to share with us.
Speaker 3:But tell the audience how they can get in touch with you this, but tell the audience how they can get in touch with you. Sure, sure Again, if you'll go to my website at ellisonconsulting E-L-L-I-S-O-N-S consultingcom, or you can reach out to me through my email at drcalelson at gmail. Again, that is drcalelson at gmail. Okay, that is drcalelison at Gmail.
Speaker 2:Okay, that sounds great. But I am so happy to have you on the Ready Set Collaborate podcast and definitely you're definitely going to be on my show again, probably in the mid year, late year, you know, to really kind of tell us where you are and how much you have already accomplished. And I know you make your own sea moss. I want to put that out. Yes, and my husband, dennis, he had he should have got a bigger jar, but he said as soon as he took that his legs start feeling better.
Speaker 1:So yeah, so.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so that's something to really praise about what you've done, and I say that can help you. You need to get another bottle from Dr Ellis.
Speaker 3:The C-Cost Wonder and to your great listening audience, is very powerful. I call it one of the Michael Jordans in the nutritional world as a nutritional supplement. That is, a multi-mineral vitamin supplement. A lot of people go out and just get a multivitamin and think that's the goal, but no, you want a multi-mineral vitamin supplement and the CMOS is loaded with 92 minerals and vitamins that help with everything from inflammation to blood sugar, blood pressure, energy, rest and relaxation. It works like melatonin in the system to help your night's sleep be like wow, really out there in wonderland.
Speaker 2:Wow, well, we got to get a big jar because maybe he'll share some with me, because he did not share much with me. It was all gone by the time I was focused.
Speaker 3:Gotcha, gotcha, yeah, when he got that small jar that night'm like he'll be calling back he just said you sure you don't want that.
Speaker 2:So why? I asked him, why did you get the big jar? You know well, I want to test it out and sure enough, he tested it out. But no, thank you for sharing that. I appreciate it, but thanks again, dr ellison, for coming on my ready set, collaborate audience. Make sure you reach out to Dr Ellison and make sure you follow, share, share these episodes, because I have a whole slew of them there on all podcast platforms and also on YouTube. So we're going to be sharing this on YouTube as well. So, thank you, dr Ellison. Once again, I appreciate you.
Speaker 3:Well, thank you for the great job that you're doing, and so I definitely got to subscribe myself to your channel and I definitely just appreciate you allowing me to be on and share.
Speaker 2:Oh, absolutely Absolutely. That's what it is. It's about collaboration. That's why I named it Collaboration. How do we collaborate and connect with one another? But no, we got to get this out to the audience. But thank you so much for being on the show. Appreciate being on the show, appreciate it. Thank you, audience, make sure you follow Ready Set, collaborate with Wanda Pearson and this way you can get all the great shows and my great guests, like Dr Ellison, on that show. Thanks again, until next time, make sure you listen.
Speaker 1:Thank you for tuning into this episode of Ready Set. Collaborate For more information about the host. Head to WDPearsonAssociatescom and that's P-E-A-R-S-O-N. Want to connect? Send an email to Wanda at WDPearsonAssociatescom and, as always, stay tuned for the next episode of Ready Set. Collaborate.
