Today we’d like to introduce you to Erica Quist.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Erica. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Erica means Eternal Ruler, Lauren derives from St. Laurent, and King is a second middle name. For many years, Erica spent hiding behind the scenes every chance she could get. Others have belittled her almost her entire life, contributing to her lack of confidence. She knew at an early age. She was unique. Many years went by with silent suffering, as she was afraid of more judgment. Her family reminded her of her smarts and beauty; nonetheless, she gained a new scar, by countless years of heartache and pain. She suffered tremendous hurt, and even with sadness on her face, she was still ridiculed and continuously called crazy. Erica got the courage to receive treatment at the age of 33, where she has now experienced true happiness. She has always been known of her family and closest friends: To be determined, dedicated, and divine. On the other hand, others who were not her family chose to take advantage of what appeared as a weakness at the time.
Meanwhile, realizing she was a true diamond in a rough all along. Sometimes people see greatness in you and envy your gifts. We all have our own purpose. She struggled with disorganization and lack of communication, resulting in her many years of suffering. She felt at a young age. She would make a difference in this world. In fact, she comes from a family of entrepreneurs, so she immediately knew where she wanted to head in life. She always had goals; however, she continuously ran into brick walls, as she would be so close to achieving her goals, only to feel a failure every time her goals did not fall through. Shortly after many years of tears, she finally had a breakdown and was planning how she would go ahead and end her own life, as God never granted her wish.
Most recently, Erica hit rock bottom after suffering a fifth job loss. Prior to her job loss, she experienced a hurtful relationship with someone she fell in love with. Her confidence continued to decline as she started believing the words of her peers. She was constantly accused of being attitudinal, as she was misunderstood. What appeared to be anger towards another person was really her own frustration. She felt she did not belong and could not win in this world. Her major depression disorder caused her to lose focus and slip deeper in depression. There were some days, where she could not even lift her head from the bed to shower. Thoughts of the next day haunted her, as she could not see the light at the end of her tunnel. Sunny days saddened her, as she prayed for her higher power to please end her suffering. Erica recognized her depression as early as ten years old; meanwhile, many years went by for her to keep thinking, ‘it was a phase of puberty.’ BANK. Apparel Co was inspired to advocate for our mental health community. BANK. Apparel Company was designed to bring awareness, as she wanted to discover an easier way to help end the stigma of mental health.
She wanted to use the BANK. As a tool for funds to publish her book, highlighting how mental health treatment could benefit others. We literally create our own realities with our ‘Thoughts, words, and actions.’ Creating her clothing line not only enabled her to share her visual gift but gave her a sense of hope. She finally felt a purpose in her life; she got her dream CEO career. Best of all, she will get to help save a life. Her trials and tribulations are few of many found in this article. She is a true testimony of how our higher power can really lift one up in spirit. We just have to have faith! Even if you don’t believe it, it does not hurt to try something new. Who knows, you may actually find it helpful. I am not here to determine your destiny. Her entire life, she felt she would make a difference in this world; she never imagined it would be from her own hidden gems. She always described herself as rubies heart, providing the world a key to her heart. Sweet spirit, who only wanted what was best for others, while others did not give her time of day. She was a very talented artist at a young age and always had a passion for owning a business.
During her younger years, she would not have known her weakness would turn into a strength later on in life. She knew she was onto something when men noticed her leggings and complimented them. They could see their significant other rocking the new look! She was happy to hear this, and she wanted to create a unisex line. BANK. We considered all ages, races, and cultures in hopes to one day bring our melting pot together. She reminded herself she was a truth student, molded by her InSpirit Truth Center teachings. Her pastor, minister Darin Woodard, constantly reminded her she was beautiful, intelligent, and full of personality. Close family and friends refer to Erica as the Champagne Campaign. Many others call her EMoney as well. The entire Woodard family has always had a special place in her heart. Words could not amount to how much her extended family guided her. We have truly seen each other grow, from 14 years old to 33.
Her family and friends have always prayed for her success, but most importantly, always wanted to see her smile. She has a glow about her, of which is unforgettable. Years of hurt and pain continued, resulting in other disorders such as ADD and anxiety. BANK. Has only ever been executed after her clouded vision of many tears, lead her to say enough, is enough. She finally took her family’s advice, so she decided to finally start taking control of her destiny. She was her key to the heart she’s been looking for all of this time, not realizing her own hidden treasures. BANK. is an inspiration, as Erica fought daily to have a will for another day to live. She wanted to live a life of happiness people spoke of. Erica just did not understand how to even imagine what it felt like, as all she understood was pain. She felt a rock deserved more purpose than her own life.
Erica desires to create a community, more so a brand. BANK. Apparel Co was her first successfully executed vision. She used her last $100.00 to her name. She only purchased a domain name for $12 and found a print-on-demand company! Her isolated time was properly utilized during our pandemic. Erica decided to make things happen for herself. She did everything to succeed this time, and most certainly is thankful for her life lessons. Erica can now utilize her brand as a platform to provide a trend we all have in common; however, she incorporates the ethical values she received from her strong family bond. She comes from a family of business-minded people. She forgets her own beauty, but slowly is recognizing it is ok to say she is beautiful. It is ok to say she is talented, and most importantly, it is ok to follow her own destiny. From someone who can relate to pain feeling as though the glass was cutting through her skin, she prayed to her higher power he would use her as a tool to help others.
Life would not have been provided if we did not have a reason for her being here. BANK. plans on bringing different communities together! Some will ride the wave and be ready for change. Many others will not be ready for change, and it is not up to us to judge someone else’s decisions. She did not ask anyone for permission. She received a treatment finally working for her. She met the other Erika, owner of Smileology, and together we healed each other. My life coach Che’ of Tha Bridge, as she unleashed Champagne Campaign. She provided Erica with therapy while she received her own healing acknowledging Erica’s growth within such a short time frame. Once her medications fit her chemical imbalances, she took off. She realized she was brought down so many years, as she was a prize. Others took advantage of her low self-esteem to build their own insecurities. Erica came up with her pen name Ms. BANK. As she never really focused on her own trials and tribulations to secure her bag. She spent countless years spending money as it was a symptom she had not been aware of. The financial stress, of course, did not help at all. She would never have seen the day to share her story and see her higher powerlifting her head and body out of bed. Her higher power continued nudging her not to end her life. She remembered she was made in the image and likeness of our spiritual power. Some may not be ready to accept a spiritual side, and all they can see is their own hurt and pain. Sometimes it is easier for people to lose hope if all they experience is decades of loss.
BANK. Apparel wishes to inspire one person at a time, to have the courage to live. You will glow differently, male or female, once we have changed our minds, healed our hearts, and touched our spirits. Diseases and viruses do not choose to select a category of races, sexes, and ethnicities. We partly do not enjoy wearing a mask, as we are selfish at times. We are adults telling to kids to say please and thank you; meanwhile, we are cursing at each person who even gives a vibe of any sort of insecurity. We threaten to pull up on people with our crews, but would not dare on our own. We have to boss up and check our spirits when we are gossiping or hurting someone because we are miserable. We are easy to point our finger to someone else’s scars, as we have not healed our own.
Trust Erica, as it is most certainly ok to not be ok. We are only human, after all, and we all have been teased at some point in our lives. Sadly, having people feel as an outsider or can’t be a part of our crew because we aren’t wearing Saint Laurent or pockets full. Everyone adds value even when you least expect it to enter your life again. We would like to think we would never see someone again.
On the other hand, we never know when we may need to hold our hand out for assistance to the very person who was disrespected. Allow people to live their life, find their own path, and fulfill their own purposes in life. Anger and violence solve absolutely nothing. Sometimes change comes with not feeding energy to negativity. Erica never understood herself, why it was so much harder to stay positive. Please be mindful of someone’s feelings. She lost count of how many people shamed her for who she was. Had she decided to take the easy way out, she would not have seen her vision of being in a magazine sharing her testimony. She had a dream in 2009 of this day, and believed, but lacked hope over time. Her brother would miss their secret business conversations and lessons of originality. Her sister would miss having her sister to love, fight, and bond together, no matter what was said. Her parents would have been saddened to know all they sacrificed for Erica to only see her gone from their lives. Erica’s life was changed in 2009 when she received her favorite bible verse Jeremiah 29:11. A complete stranger saved a life without even realizing how much power she gave even years later.
Ms. BANK may not agree with everyone in our world; however, she at least tries to gain another person’s perspective. Erica also tries to adjust her thinking when she does feel she is judging, as a reminder to take her own advice. In our physical world, it is difficult for us to see another perspective. We do not even have solid research as to how we all got here. Our minds, hearts, and spirits are something we can all believe in. We can actually change once there is growth. We need to not ask others to be real with us, while we hide under our covers some days too. We have not faced what is holding us bondage from fulfilling our purposes. Oppression and suppression only occur once we believe it to be true. We roll our eyes to life cliché’s, yet we do not apply what we have learned to our own lives. One can have degrees and still lack knowledge; we have to apply our lives to beyond a book. We have to recognize our reasons for staying stuck in our past, as we truly do have a choice to move forward. One can’t be considered arrogant or selfish.
We can only have some who worked really hard to be who they are. Others have recently accepted who they are, and who are we to tell them not too? Why else does time only progress towards one direction? We do not even walk backward! Who is to say what is right and what is wrong? Everything in our world of chaos was created by man not our higher power. BANK; always wanted to live up to her family name by providing tools for another person’s accomplishments. Erica could have continued denying she needed help. She realized no one from her past had any relevance to her life currently, and real growth began once she noticed the right people disappeared from her life as her higher power had other plans for her life. Many have asked what does BANK. Mean? BANK. Other than “Going to the bank, followed by a period as to what else is there to discuss?” BANK. also means ‘Being a noble King.’ Kings always hold their heads up high!
She will always pray for each and every one of our spirits, to find love within. Erica is the epitome of overcoming challenges to reach everyday success and her happiness even with all of her pain molding her. Erica is blossoming, and only because her parents and step-parents always had her back no matter how many times she fell. She has a humbly repaired a stronger bond with her siblings more than ever before. Her aunt Cynthia Young, always opened her doors for her, even when she saw she was creating her own brick walls. Her family was frustrated. Erica could not see this and did not want help to recognize her beauty and talents everyone saw all along. She wants to thank her first cousin’s Jaron Young, and T’shon Young, for always keeping real with her. Her younger cousins Lauren Young and Landon, have taught her to tap into her inner child and find pure happiness without a care in the world who was watching. Team Coates, ‘Step fathers’ family, team Turner, team Miller, and Team Jenkins. ‘My mother’s best friends. Team Green ‘Atlanta family. To the rest of her family, you know Erica loves you.
Thank you to her photographer Lawrence Prescott for making her story a reality for people to see. BANK. Developed a solid brand because her circle is a solid team of Dantzler, Bett, Wood, Manning, Sealey, Price, Kidd, and obviously team King and Quist. Never assume someone is alone because we can’t see someone’s wealth. She always felt when someone prayed for her strength to continue living. She absolutely is thankful to her team of 5 friends, who have been down for her even when she had nothing. Material things do not inspire our growth! We must first inspire ourselves to want to change. The choice is yours. BANK. Apparel was inspired to launch. Erica promised her grandmother Earnestine Betts. She would be proud. She is saddened she did not get help sooner, to repair her relationship before it was too late. Erica took a leap of faith in her brand and own abilities. She put her faith in her higher power. She secured her bag because she did not ‘flex’ her feelings.
Others can each choose to ride the wave or miss the wave. She asked everyone she knew to review her article before submission, and remembered this was her story. She decided to start over and trust her own strengths. She decided to share her story in the third person, as so many people who gossip always mentioned ‘she and her’, not even attempting to have a conversation with Erica. Remember the B. Company as a world community, as BANK. Has already inspired others to make a difference. Erica encourages everyone to “Be original and be of influence to our world.” Try it. She promises you will not regret it. Most importantly, do not suffer in silence! People say what they want about you, and will always be small-minded individuals. Her mother always taught her, “People do not see you as you are, they see who they are.’ Make the phone call, push through symptoms of medication, and do not be ashamed of who you are.
We are all entitled to walk with our heads high, as each person you have passed also was given a chance for a new day to live. Erica’s most recent life challenge was to design her own set for her photoshoot for the magazine in less than 24hrs and with zero experience. A testimony to never forget, as she also has had zero graphic design, web design, or marketing experience. Most importantly, figuring out how to highlight her story of over three decades of pain was her biggest challenge. She really did continue to create her own destiny. Thank you so much, VoyageATL magazine, for providing a small platform business such as BANK. Apparel Company. Our world would not become inspired without the opportunity to have our voices heard. We all have our why and our own stories to share. Let’s do this together! Erica hopes you enjoy our collection as much as she does. She wanted a diverse line, as one’s appearance does not define who they are. Clothing is just another expression of art. Enjoy your new closet! Shop with EMoney, and open your mind to something new.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Challenges with organization, communication, and short term memory! My biggest challenge was having the will to live every day with all of the hurt and pain experienced.
Please tell us about BANK. Apparel Company.
BANK. Apparel Company is more than a company. It is a community. I bring awareness to the mental health community to lower the suicide rate. I provide a trend everyone could relate to in hopes of inspiring someone to change.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Yes, if I had to start over, I would have gone to get treatment long ago. People will say what they want about you, but would you want them to say it and be happy or stay miserable?
Contact Info:
- Website: bankapparelcompany.org
- Phone: 470-236-8907
- Email: bankappareltm@gmail.com
- Instagram: bank.appareltm
- Facebook: facebook.com/bankapparel_a1
- Twitter: BANKAPPAREL_A1
Image Credit:
Lawrence Prescott of cltv_studios. Stage design Erica Lauren King Quist
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