We’re honored to recognize three strong and powerful women from Birmingham, Alabama as January’s Volunteers of the Month: Yakinsha Coles, Christina Nelson, and Latasha Bennett. Yakinsha, Christina, and Latasha hosted the Jona Treasure Boutique in Birmingham last month, in memory of Nya Jona Hodoh, Yakinsha’s daughter.

Nya was 18 years old when she passed away suddenly on June 15, 2018. Nya had just graduated from high school. She had a scholarship to Tuskegee University, where she was going to be a pre-med major. Nya wanted to be a hematologist. She wanted to find a cure or treatment for people who suffered from deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and May- Thurner Syndrome, as she did. According to Yakinsha,

“Nobody’s child should have to go through this,” Yakinsha says. “My daughter wanted to figure out why it happened and how she could prevent it. She wanted to beat it. She wanted to be a testimony to somebody’s child that ‘hey, I’m still here.’”

The Jona Treasure Boutique was a consignment event offering stylish, affordable, gently used women’s clothing and accessories combined with a personal, uplifting shopping experience. The afternoon event included music, food and more.

Our gratitude to Yakinsha, Christina, and Latasha for the time and energy they devoted to hosting a beautiful and successful fundraising event to benefit the National Blood Clot Alliance while honoring the memory of a very special young lady.