Today we’d like to introduce you to Ayanna Franklin
Hi Ayanna, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m a busy mom, and Pastor of the Ray of Hope Baptist Church in northeast Baltimore. I have a passion for education and motivating others to reach their goals.
A little over five years ago, I was working a school counselor, had successfully started my Real Estate business, and was in the early innovation stages of designing a new product. I was also mothering my three small children who were roughly 2yrs., 3yrs, and 4yrs at the time and loving my two step-daughters who were 12yrs and 19yrs old when sudden heartache rocked our family. My husband, who was at the time, Pastor of Ray of Hope, suffered a heart attack after church service one Sunday and within an hour, had passed away.
Here I was trying to create a new product, and in a moment’s breath, I would have to figure out how to create a new life for me and my family. I wish I could say I had some magical strength that carried me through those trying days, but it was all faith & family. A faith that allowed me to trust in God and a supportive family that would rally around me and my kids.
I had know plans or intentions of pursuing ministry, let alone becoming Pastor of our church. However, my plan was clearly not God’s plan, and in 2021 I was installed as the Pastor of Ray of Hope Baptist Church.
Since that time, I have come to love what I do. Not just preaching and teaching the gospel, but helping and loving on the people of Baltimore. I know that I’m exactly where God wants me to be.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Lol…smooth?? No. Where I am today was birthed from a tragedy in my life. Had my husband not passed away, I am not sure I would have ever stepped into ministry. Although, it was my husband who first noticed a gift for ministry in me.
Now that I am in this realm, I find that I am often the only or one of very few women in many areas of ministry. Aside from being the first female Pastor of my church, I’ve been the first female Pastor in other organizations and conventions. I can honestly say, I was not ready for that, nor did I expect that in this day and age, to make history as the first female Pastor in Baptist conventions and organizations here in Baltimore and the state of Maryland that had been in existence for nearly a century or more.
It’s a bit strange, because Baltimore certainly has some dynamic powerhouse women who are lead or senior pastors.
However, I’m humbled to open doors and opportunities for more female Pastors.
But my biggest adjustment was showing up as my authentic self. The reality was and still is, that I am a single mother of young active children. Therefore, I don’t fit the traditional mold for pastors. Not only am I female, I am single, and I am in the thick of raising children. This reality has caused me to sometimes miss church and Pastor’s meetings as well as some soccer games and chaperoning school trips. It is a constant balancing act. I had to become comfortable with saying no to certain engagements and setting expectations for my time.
I also come with my own unique style. I may be in the pulpit one week with jeans and sneakers, and in a flowing robe and sparkly heals the next. I certainly push for women of faith to be authentic and true to who they are.
I actually still work at a School Counselor, but I am part-time. I love working with high school youth and assisting them through their post-secondary college & career planning process. Additionally, that product I mentioned early, well I finally finished it!! The patent is pending, and soon to officially launch in some coming weeks.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Sure. I like to describe my areas of work as, Educator/Innovator/Motivator
I have over twenty years experience in education and non-profit leadership. As a pastor, I enjoy teaching and preaching the word of God and serving others. I’ve learned that life is the greatest teacher of all.
I find that I am comfortable with being vulnerable so that others can be empowered. What does that mean? When I am transparent and share my own personal struggles an lessons learned, others can stay hopeful and motivated in their personal and spiritual journeys.
I am an innovator. Out of necessity as a mother, I created a product called the Klencher and founded Klencher, LLC. This handy device helps taper the waistband of garments that may be a bit too loose. Although a lot of kids clothes come with adjustable waist straps, a whole lot still don’t. This was a constant problem for my kids, and I loathed having to find needle and thread to try and gather and sew up the extra fabric in the waist of their pants. My boys were active, and so I didn’t like using safety pins out of fear that one would pop open and stick them.
This innovation process took me a lot longer to complete than anticipated, as it was a project that I had begun about a year before my husband passed.
There are very few women of color, less than 8% in the US, who are approved for a patent or are able to engineer original products that are then manufactured and sold. This has been a journey and a true learning experience. Even as an innovator, I find myself in a realm with very few women. None the less, I am excited about the opportunity to now encourage and support other female innovators and creators.
Motivator- I truly love motivating young people to maximize their potential and to uncover their God given gifts. I also get excited about motivating women and encouraging them to be who they are. You succeed best when you operate in your authenticity. I strive to be who I am wherever I am. My authenticity, my love for women walking in the power of their gifts and crafts, my heart for widows and single mothers, my passion for young people, all of it helps me to connect with my community and speak encouraging and empowering messages of hope. I have the privilege to speak at churches and events for various women’s groups across the city and I welcome opportunities to serve as an Inspirational & Motivational speaker to others.
What sets me a part, is my faith and my mind. At the end of each day, I look back over my schedule and what I have done, and I am amazed I even had the mental fortitude to accomplish half of it. And what I know, is that God makes it all possible.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I love the diversity of neighborhoods. I love that when the city truly needs to come together, we pull our collective resources for the greater good. I am appreciative for the many resources available to small businesses and women and minority owned businesses as well.
I am saddened by the pockets of immense plight across the city. It is difficult to see so many citizens who have been hardened by circumstances of poverty and the trauma of violence in homes and communities. We continue to keep Baltimore lifted up in prayer.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sophisticatedsundaze.com www.rayofhopebaptistchurch.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alfranklin1/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ayanna.franklin.56/ https://www.facebook.com/sophisticatedsundaze/ https://www.facebook.com/RayOfHopeBaptistChurch/
