Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Ward.
Nicole, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
December 2021, I was in the middle of starting a trucking company and was looking for resources and discovered a Trucking Facebook group with a ton of resources and information from other women in the industry. I found a lot of the information was useful, but the group was not active.
The founder of the group Gertrude Jackson, an African American Women trucker passed away from stage 4 breast cancer in 2014. Since her death. I reached out to Gertrude’s best friend and asked to take the Facebook community and continue to pursue her friend’s dream because it’s mine, too.
It warmed my heart because I could feel her passion for African American Women in the trucking industry. Gertrude wanted to support and help women in trucking. She got into a male-dominated industry where she hardly saw anybody that looked like her at that time and wanted to help others like her.
Knowing Gertrude’s vision for the group, the missing need within the transportation industry, and my passion to serve I decided to take it a step further and turn it into an association. There it was the African American Women Trucking “AAWTA” was officially born (February 2022)
AAWTA is founded by me, Nicole “Nikki” Ward CEO & President of AAWTA and Owner and Carrier & Broker of Capital Freight Trucking and Logistics.
Katavi Jones, VP of AAWTA with an executive background in healthcare and logistics.
Donna Sheppard, Driver Relations with AAWTA and Owner of Capital Freight Trucking and Logistics and a CDL Driver.
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?
As a new and growing association, we have faced some challenges in terms of balancing the needs of our members and our ability to provide the necessary resources. We’ve had to take extra measures such as forming partnerships with outside organizations and leveraging technology to ensure we can serve our members in the best way possible. We also work hard to ensure that we are providing quality programming and content that is both engaging and relevant to our members. Additionally, we strive to be inclusive of everyone in the trucking industry, as we are not their competition, but their cheerleader!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
In addition to being one of the founders and president of “AAWTA”:
Trucking Reality Talk: “Live Stream Podcast”:
Each and every Monday (8 pm EST), I am the host of “Trucking Reality Talk”, presented by SheTrucking (Sharea Moore) on the CTR Media Network (Dr. Tina Ramsay), where I bring an authentic and uncensored look into the trucking industry, covering topics ranging from daily life on the road to women in trucking and beyond Real, Raw, and unfiltered.
The Season 1 can be viewed live on our website, SheTrucking platform and RUKU on CTR media.
BET “After Happily Ever After:Im currently one of the cast of the hit show airing on BET “After Happily Ever After”
(Backstory)
At the age of 11, Nicole began professional modeling and acting courses, and continued pursuing her dreams until the age of 19, before meeting and marrying Grammy-nominated Songwriter, Producer, and Rapper Mike Mike Phillips from the 90’s groups 69 Boys, Quad City DJ, and 95 South. Despite the 18 years age difference, the two were married quickly but shortly divorced after (5) years of marriage due to irreconcilable differences.
After a little over a decade, the two have rekindled! “Mike Mike” has a new role and responsibility in Nicole’s life, and that is to find her love!
The unconventional reunion happened on the new hit reality show currently airing on BET “After Happily Ever After” starring Nicole “Nikki” Ward and Mike Mike Phillips
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
Atlanta use to be one of my favorite cities to visit and I couldn’t wait to have the opportunity to live here. Fast forward to 2011, when I made the big leap of faith and it was the best decision I ever made.
The amount of Black Excellence that exists in this city is incredible. I love to see the large number of successful entrepreneurs that independently own restaurants and businesses, the film and music opportunities that are provided, and the best thing of the people supporting it all!
My dislike would be some of the danger in the city, I don’t like being scared to pump gas at night or going to the mall and it feels like airport security.
Pricing:
- 1.00 (New Membership for AAWTA)
Contact Info:
- Website: www.aawta.org
- Instagram: aawta_org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AfricanAmericanWomenInTrucking
- Twitter: aawta_org
- Youtube: aawta_org
- Other: @Iamthe_Nicole (IG, Twitter, Facebook)
Image Credits
BET “After Happily Ever After”
