Happy Living

C. Zawadi Morris is an award-winning journalist and a Chicago native who moved to Brooklyn in 1997. Ms. Morris holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration (and a minor in Spanish) from the University of Illinois and a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University. She has worked as the communications director for Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez (NY-12), a senior account executive for Shandwick Public Affairs and Cohn & Wolf Public Relations, and an editor of Bed-Stuy Patch. In 2013, Ms. Morris launched The Brooklyn Reader, an online news source covering the neighborhoods of Central Brooklyn, and in 2020, she launched its non-profit sister site Scriibe.org, a collaborative news source for investigative local journalism. Ms. Morris is also the executive producer of The COVID-19 Writers Project. Lois Thompson - Savvy, witty and utterly devoted to her clients, Lois Thompson is on a mission to make real estate enjoyable. Her ability to ease concerns and dissipate fears is lauded among her clients who appreciate her ability to "talk them off the ledge" with informed guidance, deep knowledge of market data, and transparency. As a Certified Negotiation Specialist, Lois has successfully navigated complex and contentious transactions. The aim of her firm yet compassionate approach is to ensure everyone leaves the table with their dignity intact. She consistently goes above and beyond, developing deep bonds of trust with clients that last well beyond the transaction itself. Lois is not ashamed to admit that she sometimes walks out of a pitch without the exclusive. "Sometimes people don't actually need to sell, they just don't know what else to do," she explains. "Maybe their kids have moved away and have no idea what is happening in the Brooklyn market. I get on the phone and teach them how they can convert the value of their childhood home into a larger legacy. So many things are possible. People just need good information, which I'm happy to provide." Lois came to Brooklyn in 1985 to study at the Pratt Institute, where she earned a BFA, and she's been dedicated to the borough ever since. She is a proud homeowner in Bedford-Stuyvesant and serves all areas of Brooklyn. Prior to real estate, Lois spent 20 years in all facets of film and television production.  When not helping her clients find their place in the world, Lois is an in-demand comedian. She is the host and producer of the all-female Blacklight Comedy Show at her brother's Fort Greene restaurant, Brooklyn Moon, and she produces and hosts the comedy portion of the Brooklyn Pride celebration. Vanessa Gonzalez started improv, sketch, and stand up comedy in Austin, TX. She was voted “Best Stand-up Comic” in The Austin Chronicle before her move to Los Angeles in 2018. She was one of the “New Faces” of the 2017 Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal and has been featured on; TruTV’s “Laff Mobb’s Laff Tracks,” HBO Latino’s “Entre Nos,” and has a half-hour “Comedy Central Stand-Up Presents” special. Vulture named her one of their “Comedians You Should and Will Know in 2019” and she made her late night debut on “A Little Late with Lilly Singh” on NBC earlier this year. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), Hysterical at FX on Hulu,  Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf.