Community service, leadership and literary expression are serious business for SUNO grad

15th August 2011   ·   0 Comments

Drummer Enterprise, LLC is the home of Mother’s Helpers Men­toring Company and Drum­Sands Publishing Company, according to the message on the answering machine. Its owner is New Orleans native Jerrelda Drummer Sanders, who still finds it is hard to believe that it has been eight years since the creation of the limited liability company.

If the name sounds familiar to you, it could be that you have had an encounter with the multi-talented businesswoman somewhere in the community or you may remember her as one of six candidates who ran for the New Orleans City Council District E seat in the 2010 election. Although she lost her first bid for public office, she has not lost her drive for public service.

“Here to answer the call to the village people!” This is the motto of Mother’s Helpers Mentoring Com­pany, which services male and female ages nine to 17 years old. Participants receive mentoring with each session lasting for a period of 12 weeks. The youth are taught anger management techniques and receive training in life skills. They also receive tutoring from volunteers, ACT/SAT prep, and etiquette courses.

“I want them to be conscience of their actions and accept responsibility for themselves as law abiding citizens,” says Drummer Sanders. “It is important that these youth understand that there are laws to protect them and laws that they are expected to abide by as citizens. Laws that date back to days when biblical teachings that are now stories in the bible, served the actual laws. ‘Thou shall not kill, steal, and must obey thy mother and thy father, etc.’”

Drum Sands Publishing Company was created because of the lack of local publishing companies available to authors, like Drummer Sanders, who have a desire to write and publish books. Her first book of poetry was entitled, Emergent Twinge from Daisy Dukes to Business Suits (2002). “When I published this book, I was fresh out of college and I had just received my degree in journalism from Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO),” she explained. “I wanted to test the waters and see if I had mastered what I should have as a journalist.

“I was surprised to find that there were not any local publishing houses or companies to publish my book,” she added. “I was able to find a printer, but there is a huge difference in the services that you can get from a printer and a publisher.”

Still determined to get her book into the hands of readers, she wrote, edited, and self published her book of poetry.

Like many others who suffered tremendous loss during Hurri­cane Katrina, the author lost all of her inventory and years of journals including the drafts of her novel that she was working on at the time. It would be five years before she would have an opportunity to complete her first novel. This was also following the premature birth of her now two-year old daughter, and her run for public office in the 2010 election. The printer who she worked with to print the poetry book did not return to the city. Therefore, this time Drummer Sanders found herself working with a printer in Texas to reprint her book of poetry.

“It was a very scary feeling to write a check and put it in the mail not knowing if I would actually receive the services that I paid for,” says Drummer Sanders. “I put in so much work that I finally said ‘Enough is enough.’ I did the research and after much hard work, long hours, and dedication Drum­Sands Publishing Company was created.”

Smoke Scents & Candles (2010) is the title of the Drummer San­ders’ mystery/romance novel. The author and businesswoman has been working overtime to get her book in the hands of readers by hosting a variety of book signings here in the city and has traveled as far as Dallas, Texas to get it in bookstores.

In addition to a bachelor’s degree in journalism from SUNO, Drummer Sanders earned a master’s in criminal justice from the historically Black institution.

She is currently a real estate broker, working as an associate with World Properties International, and also finds time to serve as Director of Legislative and Community Affairs for New Orleans City Council District E.

Other activities include serving as president of the West Barrington Neighborhood Association in eastern New Orleans, founder and pre­si­dent of New Orleans East Wo­men of Action and as an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., the NAACP and the Order of the Eastern Star (OES).

Among the many awards and honors she has received for providing leadership and community service is recognition as a “Quiet Hero” with longtime WWL-TV anchor Sally Ann Roberts.

Both Mother’s Helpers Mentoring Company and Drum­Sands Publishing Company are thriving and looking forward to becoming household names in and outside of the city. In addition to the day-to-day operations of Drummer Enterprises, LLC, Jer­relda Drummer Sanders does public speaking engagements for groups, churches and organizations. As we consistently watch natives leave the city to follow their hopes and dreams, it is rewarding to see a one of our own who has decided to invest in the future of the city.

This article was originally published in the August 15, 2011 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper