Meet Cristy T. Jones | Grant Writer, Career Coach, & Diversity and Inclusion Champion

We had the good fortune of connecting with Cristy T. Jones and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cristy T., can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
On October 10, 2020, my life changed drastically. I was forced to resign from my job due to a denied Family Medical Leave of Absence (FMLA) request. Heartbroken and frustrated, I applied for unemployment to cover my medical expenses; but my unemployment checks never arrived. I used my retirement savings to make ends meet and started to provide grant writing for minority-owned non-profits and career coaching and resume writing services for college students and recent college graduates to earn some additional income. After achieving success stories for my clients by helping them get their dream jobs, I founded CTJ Equity Solutions in January 2021 to support young adults in finding their passion and making their soul work and careers align. CTJ Equity Solutions is a boutique career coaching, organizational development, nonprofit management, and business development firm to support students, aspiring entrepreneurs, and non-profit organizations and enthusiasts. In my first year of launching CTJ Equity Solutions, I wrote and won $446,300 in grants for Black-owned non-profits in the Atlanta area. I went on to serve as Miss Fulton County 2022 and competed for Miss Georgia 2022 in the Miss America system where I gained the platform to provide purpose-driven career coaching and exploration through my platform, “Ready, Set, Go!: Career Awareness and Preparedness (C.A.P.)”.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Growing up in a family of public servants, it was evident that my four passions were education, the arts, advocacy, and service. But in the center of my passion, lies something greater —- the desire to help others find their passion and make their soul work and careers align. Fortunately, I have been able to cultivate that passion through my work as a human resources professional and career coach where I have the unique challenge of developing pipeline programs and initiatives to help excellent teachers, principals, staff and students from diverse backgrounds thrive in their respective fields.

Originally a native of the City of South Fulton, Georgia, I received my Bachelor of Arts in International/Global Studies from Spelman College and a Master of Public Administration with a Non-Profit Management Certification from The Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University. I am currently earning a Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Administration and Policy from The University of Georgia with certificates in Diversity and Inclusion, Education Law and Policy, and Interdisciplinary Qualitative Research Methods from the Mary Frances Early College of Education. I will graduate with my PhD in May 2024.

After graduating from Spelman College, I was selected as a 2017-2018 Cleveland Foundation Public Service Fellow and a Talent, Culture and Strategy Fellow at Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD), the second largest school district in the state of Ohio. During my first year as a 2017-2018 Cleveland Foundation Public Service Fellow at Cleveland Metropolitan School District, I established the Men of Color sHaping Academics (MOCHA) initiative, an employee engagement strategy that was implemented to create programming and support with the goal of increasing the engagement, retention and leadership rates for male staff of color within the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Due to the success of the program, CMSD was awarded the 2019-2020 Ohio Department of Education Human Capital Strategies Grant.

As a Talent Acquisition Partner and Talent Management Partner, I served as the CMSD Coordinator for the Cleveland Teaching Fellows program, a partnership between Cleveland State University and Cleveland Metropolitan School District that provides paid teaching internships and professional development within CMSD schools for pre-service teachers from Cleveland State University’s College of Education and Human Services.

I moved back to Atlanta during the pandemic and served as a Career Coach in the Office of Internship and Career Development at Agnes Scott College. My experience at Agnes Scott College has provided an intimate look at the importance of having difficult conversations about inclusivity from the perspectives of external employers, faculty and students. In 2021, I founded CTJ Equity Solutions, a boutique career coaching, organizational development, nonprofit management, and business development firm to support students, aspiring entrepreneurs, and non-profit organizations and enthusiasts. I also have experience working in government and the political sphere, I have served as a Constituent Services Representative for U.S. Congressman David Scott and a Congressional intern for U.S. Congressman John Lewis. Both of these experiences have instilled the importance of service to my community and has piqued my interest in one day running for public office.

Currently, I serve as a Talent Management Specialist at the University of Georgia in the Division of Development and Alumni Relations. In this capacity, I oversee the retention, employee engagement, professional development, and learning and development strategy for 250 employees in the Division of Development and Alumni Relations. My role is also focused on designing and implementing development plans and talent review processes for 200+ employees, reviewing Employee Engagement Surveys to develop appropriate interventions, and coaching staff members on educational opportunities, mentorship, and career progression.

The road to this point of my career has not been easy, I have experienced rejection, unemployment, imposter syndrome, sexism, and racism, but I learned that I have been equipped by God to do this work. Below are some scriptures that I meditate on that helps me on rough days or when I’m unsure of myself:

1. When I am questioning my purpose and want to move in a haste
Psalm 46:1
“He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”

2. When I can only see the present and am unsure of the future
Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

3. When I am dealing with pride and need to submit my attitude, will and emotions to God.

Matthew 5: 1-10

“Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them.

The Beatitudes
He said:

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I have many places in the Atlanta area that I like to hang out, but my favorite place is Midtown near Downtown Atlanta and the Marietta/Smyrna/Cumberland Mall Area in Cobb County. I LOVE live music so going to a concert is a must and attending sporting events in the city are great too if you want to experience the emotional rollercoaster of being an Atlanta sports fan lol. And you know we have to make time for the Lord, so church and brunch on Sundays are a must! Below is a weeklong itinerary curated by Yours Truly, Cristy J.

Sunday:

Morning (9:30 AM) Church at Embassy City ATL (Powder Springs, GA)

(12 PM) Brunch at Copeland’s of New Orleans Atlanta (Marietta Location)

(7 PM) PJ Morton Concert at the Tabernacle (Atlanta)

(10 PM) Dinner at Waffle House near Centinnial Olympic Park (most restaurants aren’t open passed 9 on Sundays lol)

Monday
8AM-5 PM (I’ll probably be working M-F but below is an itinerary for someone who is visiting/on vacation)

Walk the Atlanta Beltline (11 AM-1PM)
Eat at Ponce City Market (1 PM)
Shop at Sephora and Grab some Gelato from Ponce City Market (2:30 PM)

Pamper Time (4 PM -7 PM)
Eyebrow Threading at Beauty Brows and Beyond (Atlanta, GA)
SNS Manicure and Pedicure (Lithia Springs, GA)

Chill

Tuesday
Hair Appointment (10 AM-12:30 PM) Below are options for the multifaceted ladies like myself lol
(Unit) (Wigs by Shadae Renee) (Marietta, GA) @shadaerenee
(Natural Hair) (Sonya Blade Styles at Beauty and the Bar Salon) (West End, Atlanta) (@sonyablade_styles)
Braids (Beauty By Annaliza) (Atlanta, GA) (@beautybyannaliza)

Brunch (Atlanta Breakfast Club) (1:30 PM-3:30 PM)

Gala Gown Shopping (4 PM-7 PM)
Beauty Queens Galore (Fayetteville, Georgia)

Wednesday

9:00 AM-10:00 AM Exercise Class at Riverside EpiCenter (Austell) or Water Aerobics at Boundary Waters Aquatic Center (Douglasville)
11:00 AM Shower and Smoothie at Arden’s Garden (Douglasville or South Fulton location)

12 PM Massage at Top Oasis Massage (Douglasville, Georgia)

1:30 PM Brunch at Table 25 (Douglasville, Georgia)

3:00 PM Target Run! lol

5:00 PM Shower and Dinner

7:00 PM Bible Study

Thursday

9 AM-12 PM Rest and Breakfast at Home

12 PM-3 PM Go Catch a Movie and Lunch at Silverspot Cinema at The Battery Atlanta (Cobb County)

3:30 PM Ice Cream at Jenni’s Ice Cream (Cobb County)

4:30 PM Light Dinner at Fox Theatre

5PM-8 PM Show at Fox Theatre

Friday

9 AM – 10 AM Water Aerobics at Boundary Waters Aquatic Center
11 AM – 1 PM Community Service with the Women of Westlake HS (Atlanta, GA)
2 PM-4 PM Facial at Epiphany Dermatology (Newnan, GA)
6 PM Dinner at Home

Saturday
9 AM – 11 AM Brunch and Chill at Home
12 PM – 2 PM Hair and Makeup Appointment at Monet Haus w/Chari Hodges (Atlanta, Georgia)
3 PM – 5 PM Get dressed for 21st Century Leaders Be the Inspiration Gala (@21clyouth)
5 PM Commute to Zoo Atlanta for the Gala
6 PM-10 PM Be the Inspiration Gala

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
First and foremost, I have to give honor to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who birthed and planted the seed of CTJ Equity Solutions when I had lost everything and was at the lowest point of my life. I look back on where I was in October 2020, and I am so blessed to have overcome those obstacles to share my story on this platform. I would also like to thank my parents, Dr. Detrius Jones and J. Clifton Jones for their unwavering support throughout my life especially when I was uncertain about my call and purpose. When I changed my major four times at Spelman, you all kept the faith and told me “well, at least you have a scholarship so you aren’t wasting our money being indecisive lol. Trust God and the process :)”

Next, I would like to thank 21st Century Leaders, Inc, Georgia’s premier youth leadership and development organization for high school students. 21st Century Leaders played an integral role in my formation as a leader. I participated in my first 21st Century Leaders Summer Youth Leadership Institute the summer after my freshman year at Westlake High School in 2011 and 13 years later I serve as a member of the Alumni Board of Directors for 21st Century Leaders. Before participating in
my first summer leadership camp in 2011, the G5 @ Goizueta Program at Emory University, I
had great leadership potential, but I was very insecure about my ability. G5 @ Goizueta was my
first opportunity to cultivate relationships with like-minded individuals who shared similar college
and career aspirations. Once I completed the program, I was hooked. From that experience, I participated in Leadership Unplugged, the 21st Century Leaders Youth Advisory Board, and the Turner Voices Internship with the Music Legal Department at Turner Broadcasting. During my senior year at Westlake High School, I was honored at the Georgia Youth Leadership Awards as a “20 Under 20” top youth leaders Award recipient. Participating in 21st Century Leaders enhanced my self esteem, my comfort with public speaking and challenged me to take on more leadership roles. My experience at 21CL has helped to showcase the determination, confidence, positivity, ingenuity, and collaborative nature that I exemplify as a leader. By embracing the challenges of leadership, I have been able to successfully flourish in my leadership roles.

In October 2023, I became an ordained minister and evangelist through my home church, Hands of Praise International Ministries. Preparing for ministry was a long but very rewarding journey and I looking forward to serving God’s people!

Website: https://linktr.ee/cristytakia

Instagram: @cristytakia

Linkedin: (Cristy T. Jones, MPA) https://www.linkedin.com/in/cristyjones/

Twitter: @cristytakia

Facebook: Cristy Takia

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@cristytakia

Image Credits
Matt Boyd Photography K Knight Shoots Photography