Welcome to Sherry’s Corner. I am so blessed to be able to feature some of our strong females within my community who are rising to the top of their game and haven’t allowed their trials and tribulations to impede their goals.

About two years ago, I got the opportunity to meet a true female influencer: Danielle Teal.

I met Danielle at a podcast party, and I was so impressed by her outgoing demeanor. She was so fun and engaging, and, let me tell you, she plays a mean game of darts.

I had heard so many amazing things prior to meeting her, and I was honored that she agreed to do an exclusive interview with me, knowing that I would be disclosing personal details of her life.

Danielle is a single mother to two beautiful daughters, and she’s incredibly driven to give them the best possible life, while instilling good moral values. Danielle is very involved in all their activities. Currently, she’s employed full-time at one of the world’s most prestigious medical facilities. However, when she is not working, she gives assistance to those who are struggling or just in need of a morale boost.

In 2012, Danielle started Caring Acts of Kindness Everywhere (CAKE) to show acts of kindness daily, effect changes within the community and encourage others to do the same.

Danielle just recently completed her Master of the Arts in organizational leadership. She uses those skills to promote encouragement and boost morale, especially during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However not everyone supports her efforts. She has often been under attack publicly and privately for her kind deeds, especially her stance on vaccination and the use of masks. Danielle states, “Masking is an act of kindness,” and she stands behind her belief that masks will help others, including her loved ones, and makes no apology for her viewpoint.

Danielle is confident and courageous. What many people don’t realize is that her journey hasn’t been an easy one. But you would never know because she doesn’t portray herself as a victim of her past.

Danielle’s parents divorced when she was 5 years old, and she went to live with her father who was serving in the armed forces. However because her father was in the field all the time, that arrangement didn’t work, and she and her siblings were left alone and forced to fend for themselves. Eventually, she was sent to live with her grandparents for the next eight years.

Danielle’s mother was fighting her own demons because during that time, she was going through addiction to alcohol and wasn’t capable of being a parent. 

Danielle says, “My grandparents provided me with love. They were such positive influences in my life and showed me what true kindness means.”

Danielle’s father remarried, and she was sent to live with him. But the dynamics within the family were toxic, and she endured emotional and physical abuse from her stepmother that drove her to confide in her best friend. She told her friend’s family what was occurring within her home, and she immediately moved in with them until she graduated from high school.

Today, Danielle has been able to forgive her mother, and they have forged a great relationship by being able to have an open line of communication and talk freely about the past. Her mother has heroically been sober for over a decade now.

What does the future look like for Danielle? She says, “I will be going back to school to earn my PhD while continuing to work full-time.” And possibly soon she is contemplating writing a book of her own.

Danielle also shared that she will always keep CAKE up and running and makes it her personal mission to always show one act of kindness every day.

I could write all day about this amazing woman; however I wouldn’t have enough space to sum up her or the life she leads.

Thank you, Danielle, for your friendship and being an inspiration to so many people, including me.

I truly believe the world would be different if we all shared kindness with one another. It just needs to start with a few to create a ripple effect.