Meet Rochelle Morton | Safety Educator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rochelle Morton and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rochelle, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit. I’ve partnered with several companies in the past, however my decision to partner with Damsel in Defense was much more personal. I believe that everyone deserves to feel safe and when this company was introduced to me, I was drawn to its mission immediately. Not only did it speak to my desire to layer my protection options, it also funds two international human trafficking rescue houses (another cause that is dear to my heart). This clearly was an opportunity to increase my safety and help my friends and family do the same without having to rely solely on lethal force. Michigan was not well-represented and I knew that the topic of safety was a concern to which most people could easily relate. The statistics for domestic violence and sexual assault in our country is staggering.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a certified project manager and have supported multiple industries throughout my career. What excites me most is the rare opportunity that I was able to take full advantage of with our Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce. When I learned that I had been nominated and selected to complete the Leadership Detroit training program, I was immediately met with a financial challenge. Most of the participants in the program are sponsored by their employer. My employer at the time refused to sponsor me because I had not been “nominated” by them. It was suggested that I refuse the opportunity and follow the established process. Fully understanding the “once in a lifetime” opportunity that this was; being selected for one of 70 spots from a pool of thousands being nominated, I knew that I had to find the funds to complete this journey “self-sponsored”. The year-long course made a tremendous difference in my life and the caliber of classmates that I completed this accomplishment with – is unmatched. My journey to become a certified project manager was challenging as well. It was suggested by a General Motors executive that my role as a contracted project coordinator was beneath my skill level and that I should consider becoming certified. I ended up working for a company that paid for my training and certification fees and the rest is history. My biggest lesson along the way was to trust the process and not to allow others to discourage me. This belief is what gave me the courage to change a state law in Michigan regarding personal protection. When I decided to partner with Damsel in Defense, residents of Michigan were prohibited from being able to carry stronger pepper spray and stun devices. I joined anyway, and after three years of traveling back and forth to Lansing to find a sponsor for each of the bills to change our laws, I was able to testify before the House and the Senate to obtain the required votes to pass the law for stronger pepper spray. It was signed into law by Governor Rick Snyder in 2017. I am continuing to fight for the law change regarding access to stun devices. There is much confusion regarding the difference between a taser and a stun device and it is my mission to educate those who are unaware, and to codify our state law to align with the law regarding this non lethal option with what is allowed in most states in our country. I have been advocating for this change for our residents for many years now, but I will not be discouraged. This is something that God put on my heart and since it was His idea for me to champion this change; I know He will make sure that it happens. It is quite interesting to see how things really do tie together.

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 would be sure to take them to the following spots:
The Motown Museum
The Charles H. Wright Museum of African-American History
The Detroit Institute of Arts
Each of our 3 casinos
Campus Martius
The Detroit Riverwalk
Michigan Central Station
Sugah Please Eatery
Bad Brad’s BBQ
St. Julian Winery
Eastern Market

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would have to say that my sponsor, Josephine Crawford-Hopkins would be the person who deserves credit and recognition in my story. I also want to recognize the owners of Damsel in Defense, Mindy and Jimmy Lin. Were it not for their dedication and commitment to personal protection and safety, my story would be non-existent.

Website: https://www.personalprotecther.com

Image Credits
Photo (professional headshot) taken by David G. Watkins of Oxygen Photography