Keisha Hawes was born in Orangeburg, South Carolina, an orphan at three days old. She was fostered for three years then adopted at age three by a couple with three girls of their own, making her the youngest. As a child Keisha was an over achiever, especially in science and math programs and won numerous awards. She was voted The Zeta Phi Beta sorority, Inc youth of the year award at age 15. Keisha feels she has always been a spokesperson for various causes even as a student. And has always helped those with a story to find their voice.
She graduated Valedictorian of her high school class in 1997 and attended The College of Charleston on a Biology, Pre- med scholarship. Her sophomore year she changed her major to Urban Studies with a concentration in policy and social problems. Keisha became involved in Alpha Phi Omega Service Fraternity and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and interned at Trident Urban league while in college. In 2000 while babysitting for additional income to assist with her college, she met Michael, a friend of the parents whose child she babysat.
After graduating college in May 2001, she took an independent contactor position as program coordinator at South Carolina Christian Action Council where she traveled to Washington, DC and lobbied to bring awareness to global warming and climate change. Locally she has worked with churches and local congregations on ways to effectively take care of Gods planet and in July of 2001 moved to Charleston.
After a few years Keisha returned to The Trident Urban league full time as their youth program coordinator where she provided services like tutoring, academic and cultural enrichment to foster children and children that received TANF, married Michael in 2003 and quickly began a family with their first child born in 2004.
Needing to increase her income as a result of her growing family Keisha took on a full-time job position that offered benefits out of her field as they were expecting another addition the family in 2005.
With two babies in tow, Keisha and her husband relocated to Orangeburg seeking assistance with the children from local family. Keisha and Michael commuted from Orangeburg to Charleston for work every day for over a year work while her family helped with the children during their work schedules.
With the children older, Keisha and Michael returned to Charleston and she was able to return to her passion as a spokesperson and took a non-profit position as project coordinator with the Episcopal church in Charleston in 2008 where she joined the African American Family Center for Biblical Dialogue where she helped to create a program for young girls called What are Little girls made of. This program instilled academic enrichment and culture awareness to girls ages 6-10.
Like many, the fall of the economy in 2008 affected nonprofit funding hard. With funding at its minimum but loving her work, Keisha continued to work for The African American Family Center for Biblical Dialogue for six months without pay but continued to work various side jobs. As common for many during that time, Keisha made the necessary sacrifices to spread their budget such as quitting her diabetes medication.
As expected, the added stress of finances, extended work hours and managing a family caused various physical health issues and in 2011 Keisha found herself in the emergency room with severe chest pain.
After many hours and several tests, she was transported to a larger facility where she learned she’d had a heart attack, not the panic attack or indigestion that she had originally diagnosed herself.
Spending several nights at the hospital Keisha underwent surgery for her 95% blockage in her main coronary artery. But her stint placement punctured her internal artery and caused internal bleeding. Experienced by fewer than 1% of patients who receive the procedure, this led to a blood transfusion, and an extended stay in intensive care.
After a few days on the recovery floor, Keisha returned home with a clean bill of health, a new diet and exercise plan, and her own personal pity party attitude. Seeking solace from her family and husband, she wondered why this happened to her. Seeking answers, doing research and examining herself she unwillingly embraced her new lifestyle.
Acutely aware of her diet, exercise and overall health, February 2012 Keisha returned to the emergency room believing she was having another heart attack, when she was told she was fortunately, experiencing heartburn. It was also during this time and emergency room visit and testing’s that she discovered she was pregnant with their third child.
Her pregnancy was treated as complicated and Keisha saw a doctor every week, complete with ultra sounds and stress tests each week and eventually delivered a healthy baby boy in intensive care in October 2012
Knowing she had a story to share but not knowing the outlets to communicate, Keisha delved more into her research and personal discovery. It was then she learned that heart disease is the #1 killer of women in America. Keisha told us, “We don’t talk about it enough or at all. Most women fear breast cancer more than heart disease.” Through her discoveries, Keisha decided to answer a commercial for a casting call for heart disease survivors.
She attended the casting call for the local affiliate of the American Heart Association and was the last person among others to tell her story. The Charleston affiliate of the National American Heart Association reached out to her for permission to share her story with the local newspaper, the Post & Courier locally as well as permission to share her story throughout The National American Heart Association.
Granting permission, Keisha attended several interviews and has since appeared on TV, radio, newspaper and magazines and in 2014 was selected as a National Spokesperson for the Go Red for Women Campaign and was the first spokesperson from the state of South Carolina.
The Go Red for Women Campaign and affiliation with the American Heart Association has opened many doors for Keisha. She is now a full-time pastor of Increasing Faith in Charleston with her focus on marriage and family counseling and works full time as well as an office manager at a private school implementing her previous skills and talents in ensuring all children have equal access to opportunities available to them.
In addition, she speaks locally and continues to tell her story across the United States and has received the Charleston Regional Business Journal’s coveted Forty Under Forty Award. The annual awards recognize the success and community involvement of 40 professionals under age 40 who are making their mark on the region from a mix of industry, professional and community sectors. Nominations are submitted by individuals, businesses, organizations and colleagues. Judges independently score the nominations and 40 emerge from the pool of candidates for the final list of honorees.
As well, she has been given the Charleston Health Care Hero award. Each year, Health Care Heroes honors the men, women, and service and therapy animals who serve as professionals and volunteers for health care, education, first responder and other areas. These individuals and organizations go beyond the call of duty for their communities and professions. As you can clearly see, Keisha has taken adversity, grabbed it by the horns and with her passion and the trials has offered a beacon of hope to those she encounters. She tells her story proudly, humbly and often. She is proud to be a voice for those suffering from heart disease or any life altering incident and is always willing to lend her ear or give a hand.
Continuing to and to encourage women, Keisha is looking to become an author in the future and launch a business that will serve in the realm of empowering youth girls. She also has huge dreams of providing voiceovers for commercials. Her biggest future goal is to voice over a Superbowl commercial, but proudly, every day she advocates for the Hawes cause. Her family.
To contact or book Keisha reach out to her at wbhawes@gmail.com