HAMPTON ROADS— Author, interior designer, and women’s empowerment coach Latonia “Toni” Chavis says her journey to helping other women began at one of the lowest points in her life.
“Well, that was truly born out of me reaching a point in my life that I had to do something different in order to save my life,” Chavis said, reflecting on the moment she realized she wanted to help women rise above adversity.
A retired military veteran, Chavis was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 1999 after months of unexplained symptoms. Years later, she also learned she had lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.
“I had been told I would never work again. Basically, I’d been told, you know, hey, your life is over,” she said.
Instead of accepting that outcome, Chavis said she shifted her mindset.
“I just got my mindset in a different frame of mind to say, I’m going to make it through this. I am not giving into this.”
Her experiences, from military service to chronic illness, family loss, and personal setbacks, became the foundation of her book, The Diamond Born of Fortitude. The title reflects the pressure she endured and the strength she discovered.
“We all know how diamonds are created. And that’s out of pressure,” she said.
Chavis describes the writing process as deeply personal and restorative.
“It was truly a healing process,” she said. “Journaling is one of the best ways to help get things out of your system and release them. Simply the act of writing things down.”
She began writing more intentionally after her mother passed away in 2019, revisiting childhood experiences and traumas she had never spoken about.
“There were so many things that I had experienced in my childhood that I never talked about, and so after my mother passed away, that was part of my healing process. I started to really write.”
Chavis released her book just weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down much of the country, limiting opportunities for promotion. At the time, she was serving as president of her local chamber of commerce and shifted her focus to helping businesses and community members navigate the crisis.
Now, she is returning to her writing and speaking engagement work, and she is already working on a second book.
“I haven’t fully decided on the title of the book,” she said. “But what I’m writing about is just some of the lessons that I have been able to learn on how to manage your health when you’re faced with a chronic condition or things that you can change in your life so you don’t end up in a chronic health situation.”
She said the upcoming book will focus on empowerment and practical tools for resilience.
“This book is going to be a blueprint for resilience, empowerment, and authentic living.”
Through her coaching platform, Courageous Woman Rise Up, Chavis aims to create what she calls a safe space for women facing adversity.
“You are never alone,” she said. “Whatever situation you’re dealing with, somebody else out there is either dealing with the same challenge, or they understand it.”
Chavis will soon bring that message to Hampton on Apr. 17-18, where she is attending the Beat The Burnout Caregiver Conference at Zion Baptist Church to connect directly with women in the community and share insights from her book and her ongoing work.
To learn more about Chavis or to order her books, visit courageouswomanriseup.com.
