Andria Thompson; Queen with an Eternal Crown

BY: SIMONE JENNIFER SMITH 

When you think of a queen, the adjectives that come to mind include: regal, majestic, stately, dignified and royal. It just so happens that when describing the woman we know as Andria Thompson, these same adjectives apply. Andrea Thompson is a woman who is passionate about life, loves people and enjoys being the mother of two beautiful daughters and a handsome young King. You would never know by looking at her, that she has experienced a great deal of pain; pain that she has used as a foundation for her ever-brightening future.

Andria has a past that is all too familiar to young black women living here in Canada. She was raised in a single parent home, and at an early age dealt with feelings of low self-worth, and low self-esteem. Her feelings of low self-worth not only stemmed from being a dark-skinned woman, but also from being sexually assaulted on multiple occasions. This resulted in a very turbulent adolescence and early adulthood for Andria, where she had to deal with the stigma of being a promiscuous adolescent, as well as a teenage mother. At a very sensitive time in her sexual development, she began to see men in a different light, which severely affected how she viewed relationships and her role in them. Her turbulent lifestyle continued up until the death of her mother. It was at this time she was forced to reflect on her life; she knew that she was not happy, and if she truly wanted happiness in her life, she was responsible for it. She realized that she was responsible for loving and respecting her self, and this awareness put her in direct alignment with her purpose.

“All things are passed away, and all things have become new!”

(II Corinthians 5:17)

The beauty of taking responsibility for your life is that you are no longer the victim. It was this message that became crystal clear to Andria, and she was determined to share this message with other women who have felt victimized in their lives. In 2011, Andria became an image and beauty consultant at UR Woman, an organization designed and created to help build women from the inside out. Here, she was able to help women identify their God given purpose in life, and connect to resources that highlighted their skills and talents. UR Woman fit in well with her position as an Ordained Elder at Rhema Christian Ministries, where she provides academic training that equips students with the tools needed to become well rounded, informed, active and engaged global citizens.

Anyone who has undergone the process of change knows that it can be difficult. Individuals need certain adaptive mechanisms in order to get through the change successfully; Andria’s adaptive mechanism is her ability to share her story on paper. Andria was given this opportunity when she was asked to be included in a brilliant anthology “Confessions of a Single Mother.” This book is the brainchild of Ms. Farrah Hodgson; her objective was to have a group of woman share testimonies of their struggles as single mothers. Andria was able to share stories about the trials and tribulations she faced on her day-to-day journey with her three children. This was impactful because she knew that the readers would be able to learn from her journey and utilize some of the coping mechanisms that had worked well for her to overcome hardships.

Confessions of a Single Mother only fuelled the already motivated Andria, and she soon began her own anthology “Designers Original, A Woman’s Guide to Understanding her Self-Worth and Identity in God.” This time Andria was able to co-author with some beautiful black Queens from Canada on their experiences of walking in their true identified purpose. Some of the co-authors include: Black Canadian Queen Brampton, Kimberlee Shelley – Ajibolade, Blondelle Brown, Supermodel Canada, Nini Amerlise, and Nellisa Noel.

“I am more than what people see. I am more than the colour of my skin.”

It is fair to say that this young, vibrant and extraordinarily beautiful soul has really begun to establish her legacy. Close to the end of 2016, Andria rose to the occasion once again and took on the role of Global Coordinator for the Black Women’s Empowerment Program, which is an initiative coordinated by the Diversity Advancement Network and is designed to build confidence in young women. Andria has embraced her role as the Global Coordinator and taken on the task of selecting and showcasing future women leaders who are making an impact in the community. The programs ambition is to highlight black women in positions of power. It is to help them understand that in order to be a Queen you must hold your head high, regardless of what you have been through, or the mistakes that you have made. The final chosen ambassadors are honoured at the Black Women Honors & Empowerment, as well as the Black Women Awards. Each year, a few women ambassadors are chosen to represent cities and regions of Ontario.

Her success has brought challenges; there are those who at times want to remind Andria about her difficult past, and like the Queen she is, Andria holds her head high and stands firm in her faith. She wants to remind young women that they are original, they must know their worth, and that no one can take the place of you.