Shalamar Parrish - Author. Entrepreneur. Designer. Veteran. Advocate.

Meet Shalamar Parrish!

Author. Entrepreneur. Designer. Veteran. Advocate.

Before I go into her courageous story, I think it’s important to know all that Shalamar is currently. It is important to keep in mind as you read… because it’s truly humbling and nothing short of amazing what this powerful woman has endured and overcome to become a successful woman in business! A true inspiration!

• Author of “Leading Lady,” a novel based on her experience in the foster care system.

• Entrepreneur & Designer at 2Dayz Woman Online Boutique.

• Veteran of the United States Army.

• Advocate for U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking.

Shalamar’s Story

Shalamar was born to a teenage mother who was looking for love and acceptance in every place, but the right place. Instead of finding what she was searching for, Shalamar’s mother found a drug habit and a string of unhealthy relationships. Once her mother’s addictions became too much for her to handle, Shalamar’s grandmother stepped in to help guide Shalamar through life. She was Shalamar’s shining star… and raised her until she died. After such tragedy, Shalamar had a difficult time with rules of any sort and was met with little understanding from her new custodial “parents.” She was sent off to foster care at the youthful age of 12.

Foster care did anything BUT help Shalamar get on the right path. She was met at the door with troubled teens - older and wiser than she. They made sure to teach her what they knew!

Shalamar would still dream. She would dream of her own clothing line while she gathered clothes and tore them up, just to recreate them and her own style!

Shalamar spent time active in the United States Army, where she would serve in lieu of following her dreams! A committed, strong woman… Obviously!

A move to Kentucky was next. Shalamar’s mother had become very ill. Shalamar showed up where she was needed and gave no thought to the past. A testament to Shalamar’s character, I’d say. Shalamar’s grace, forgiveness, and pure soul showed through even more so when she said that she was so glad she made this decision to take care of her mother, as she got to learn who her mother truly was without the vices that took hold of her. This is the time of Shalamar’s life that she decided to sit down and finish the book that she had started and put down for so long! “Leading Lady” was born.

If you’re already eager to hear more about her story, buy “Leading Lady” here: https://www.amazon.com/Leading-Lady-Shalamar-Parrish-ebook/dp/B09T2JQVJK

In 2007, Shalamar decided to revisit her dream of clothes design. She began designing and selling T-shirts. She took time away from designing while caring for her mother, but in that time, she figured out how to make the clothing business more successful and how to overcome her limitation of not being able to draw! She thought she needed to be able to put her ideas on paper in the fashion world… but as you can see on her website, she destroyed that cliché thinking!

Check out her clothing line here: https://2dayzwoman.com/

For a Cause

As mentioned, Shalamar is an advocate for the U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking. Her reason? 437,000 foster care children will experience some sort of sexual human trafficking in their time in the system.

Please visit https://usiaht.org/ if you’re interested in joining Shalamar in taking action to protect children from human trafficking.