Soulful Sweet 16

When thirteen-year-old Stanisha asked her mother for a “Super Sweet 16” party, the request seemed reasonable, until she described a reality-TV-inspired version of the event. Author Mrs. Fame Chanelle-Stroman’s response to her daughter’s request was firm but loving. The coming-of-age celebration, Mrs. Chanelle-Stroman insisted, should be taken seriously. Mother and daughter put their heads together to come up with ideas for the best way to mark this momentous occasion — ideas that were spiritual, practical and significant, and also respected their African-American heritage. Their brainstorming became Soulful Sweet 16: Celebration into Womanhood for African-Americans. Soulful Sweet 16 offers step-by-step instructions and thoughtful suggestions for coordinating this special day. Among many other items, Mrs. Chanelle-Stroman includes monthly checklists, ideas for music and appropriate gifts, examples of speeches, ideas in support of community services and exhaustive resource directories.

A Brooklyn-born native of New York City, Mrs. Fame Chanelle-Stroman is the fourth of seven children. She is married to Stanley Stroman, a United States Marine (retired), and currently lives in beautiful Beaufort, South Carolina.

Mrs. Chanelle-Stroman worked in the Department of Social Services for more than fifteen years, both in New York City and San Diego, California. She is currently a health-care practitioner, loving housewife, and mother of two children, Stephen and Stanisha Stroman, and a proud grandmother of two beautiful granddaughters, Naja and Akilah Brown-Stroman.