WS Chronicle

By Busta Brown

“I grew up in a single parent home, which most people would call the projects. And there were a lot of dream killers back then, for kids that lived in my neighborhood,” said Dr. Cryshaunda Rorie. 

Her next comment was heartbreaking, because as a radio and public speaking instructor, I’ve witnessed plenty of students who have lost hope because of what was said to Dr. Rorie. “I will never forget asking one of my teachers a question about something I didn’t understand and she looked at me in my face and said, ‘It doesn’t matter, you’re not going to make it anywhere.’ I‘ll never forget that! I remember her name and face. Everything!” she said while laughing. 

Dr. Rorie was on point when she said that even teachers can be dream killers. The heartbreaking side of this is that there are millions of Black kids who never rebound after a teacher killed their dreams. Some of the greatest ideas and dreams are buried in a grave due to dream killers. But this High Point native had some antidotes … resilience and faith.

The strength of this amazing woman is something to be admired. After the derogatory comment from her teacher, she pushed herself to dream beyond environment and circumstances. “I made sure I stayed in school, worked harder and graduated.” 

But due to some major health challenges as an adult, she never imagined she would get this far. Dr. Rorie has a doctorate in health care administration and is now the owner and agency director for Noelle Model & Talent Group. They are an agency that caters specifically to Black and brown kids ages 3-17. The agency specializes in modeling, talent, pageantry, acting, interview and voiceovers. They currently have 42 kids signed and have a waiting list that is growing daily. “We opened our doors in October 2022 in High Point, North Carolina. We are coined as the first Black owned model/talent child agency in the Triad,” said the mother of a daughter.

The talent agency owner had some serious challenges on her journey to becoming one of the most sought after talent agencies in the business. She fought through two battles with cancer, which created some serious financial hardships. She and her then six-month old beautiful baby girl moved in with her mother, 

“At the time, my six-month-old child didn’t understand what was going on. During my battle with cancer, I was going through a divorce as well. I would go to chemo and then straight to my job. Then home to take care of my daughter. Life was crashing down,” shared Dr. Rorie. 

She decided the best way to rebound was to put all of her energy on her baby girl. “I couldn’t lie there and slumber in my feelings, because it wouldn’t have made the situation any better. I had bills to pay and a baby to feed. So, I had to find the strength to live my life as if I was perfectly fine. Focusing on my daughter gave me the strength, push and drive that I needed. God put her in my life at that time for a reason, because I don’t know if I would have had the motivation to fight cancer if she wasn’t there.”

In 2022, Dr. Rorie used her entire refund check to start I Am Blair’s Closet, which is a children’s boutique for little girls. The clothes are fashionable and affordable. “We don’t break our parents’ pockets. I was raised by a single mother in what people call poverty or the projects. So, I’ve seen the struggle. I decided to make sure parents can afford to make sure their tiny tots look beautiful.” Dr. Rorie named the boutique after her now seven-year-old daughter Blair Noelle, who is a very successful model. 

In 2022, with the success of Blair’s Closet, Dr. Rorie started Noelle Model & Talent Group. I asked Cryshaundra about the impact her agency has had on over 40 girls and boys. “There are so many parents that thank us. They tell how much our agency changed their children for the better. We have children of all shapes and sizes, and we build the children’s self-esteem and confidence.” 

Noelle Model & Talent Group also provides training in modeling, talent, pageantry, voiceover training, interviewing skills and more. “We start our classes with prayer, which teaches our children how to love themselves.” The agency’s 5 Points of Promise teaches children and their parents about finances, the importance and power of networking, development, marketing and execution. “We have offered a parent support group as well.”

This summer Noelle Model & Talent Group will present Deeper Than Fashion. A free four-day event, “We are infusing child mental health with fashion together. Kids have serious issues that they deal with at home and school daily. So we’re using this event to bring awareness to child mental health, while keeping it in our true form, which is fashion,” said Dr.Rorie. The four-day event is July 13-16..  

“I can do all things through Jesus Christ. I have that tattooed on me. It’s what I wake up and say and also throughout the day, because Jesus will continue to give me the strength, motivation and everything I need to continue pushing forward.” 

My Phenomenal Person of the Week is Dr. Cryshaunda Rorie. For more information about Noelle Model & Talent Group and their events, visit their website at www.nmtg.org, follow them on Facebook at Noelle Model & Talent Group or Instagram @nollemodeltalentgroup.