Allen, Reverend Caron M.

Rev. Allen is a member of the Emmanuel Missionary Baptist Church (EMBC) where she serves as one of the associate ministers to Rev. Cleveland A. Thompson in the capacity of Director of Operations. A 33-year law enforcement veteran (retired), Rev. Allen lives in Colorado Springs with her husband Henry Allen, Jr., retired first sergeant from the United States Army. She and her husband have a blended family of eight adult children, 21 grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. In 2009, Rev. Allen completed the autobiographical account of her family in a work entitled "From Whence They Came: the Genealogical History of an African American Family." In this account she documents the struggles and triumphs of eight generations of her family, beginning with her great-great-great grandmother, Eular, a slave on a plantation in Virginia. A native of Georgia, Rev. Allen grew up during the turbulence of the Civil Rights movement and embraces the lessons of that era. Committed to community involvement, she participates in organizations that promote minority youth development and empowerment. As a community activist, she addresses the issues of leadership, career development, women's issues in the criminal justice system and ministry, and youth projects. A significant aspect of Reverend Allen's ministry is encouraging and empowering people, especially women, to attain their highest potential. To that end, Reverend Allen has developed and presented conference workshops for professional and Christian organizations at the local, national, and international level, called The Pursuit of Excellence. The Pursuit of Excellence is a five part series of seminars that addresses four major areas of a woman's life. The five seminars are:

• Perfection! Really? But I'm a Mess!
• How to Succeed in the Workplace
• A Virtuous Woman ... How to Minister in a Tense-filled Home
• Women in Leadership Positions in Ministry: Treading Lightly
• How to Prepare for and Successfully Execute a Dynamic Interview