One MIC, One LOVE: EXCLUSIVE with AKISHA LOCKHART

All she needs is one mic.

I remember my first encounter with Akisha Lockhart. We went to school together at Columbia College Chicago, she was a broadcast journalism major, and I was in print. I was running for senator for the college's student government...and so was she. And I spent a whole day hanging up my campaign posters just to find that the next day, she had hung her damn posters right next to mine! And everywhere you saw Vee's face for senator, you saw Akisha's.

So, you know what I was thinking right? Who does she think she is?...and she even had a cute little slogan I'd never forget: "Lock Your Vote with Akisha Lockhart".

Heffer.

But then I finally met her at a student government meeting and loved her since. And more so than the brilliance of her strategic campaigning, she's intelligent, sexy, outspoken, a force to be reckoned with. Classy but a straight up homegirl. On any given day, you can find her in a button down, skirt and stilletos or a Celtics Jersey, blue jeans and gymshoes. She is an angel to all the arts.

Akisha's got a love for what she does and her light shines so bright that even through her perfectly chocolately skin, her cheeks still get rosey when she blushes. So genuine, so humble. And let's be honest, black women, two powerful black women, don't always see eye to eye. But me and Akisha did. We saw eye to eye and vibed heart to heart.We share so many traits: including an imperfectly perfect gap between our two front teeth. We call them our beauty marks.

And damn, the girl is talented. When she's busy at work, regardless of where she is, Akisha says she's "in the lab". And believe me, girlfriend cooks up some good stuff in that lab of hers! She's interned for Harpo Studios, worked with Clear Channel and the Big Ten Network. And her newest baby, an absolute masterpiece: allineedisonemic.com. It is her website that serves as a platform for people with a dream. And a place for Akisha to live hers.

"God put it on my heart to start this new venture with my website," she said. "I've had dreams of becoming a talk show host or an entertainment reporter. And because those dreams did not manifest as quickly as I thought they could have, God put it on my heart to use my passion as my gas and basically go forth with my dreams."

Her website, which she describes as being in its "toddler stage", has featured some of the hottest talents across the world and she's been granted opportunities to meet an array of people in the music, sports and acting industry ranging from Chicago's WGCI radio team to P Diddy. She's unstoppable. The lady's got mad swag, and you can see it before she opens her mouth. Her style is colorful and her demeanor is demanding. She demands your attention...with the check of a mic.

"God is the driving force behind all of this. I want to give people a chance to showcase their dreams."

Ambition. That's what I think of as I write this letter on Akisha Lockhart. Chi town weather has made her resilient, life's lessons have made her wise. And she admits, there is so much more to learn. So much more to share. And a hell of a lot more to do.

"We're in the lab working on some new things. So follow me. It's going to be sort of a surprise."

Check out my exclusive videos with Akisha Lockhart! And follow her on twitter @AkishaLockhart and friend her on Facebook at Akisha Lockhart.

Love you! And  so much Love and Respect for Akisha Lockhart, Respect her hustle...and her mic,
Vee