Super Single Sisters Of 2001 - celebrities

Ebony, July, 2001

From a dentist to firefighter to a WNBA All- Star, these 22 sensational Sisters are making waves and turning heads

They come from all walks of life, and a Brother with designs on any one of them had better walk last to keep up. They are entertainers, engineers and entrepreneurs--women on the move who are looking for men who know how to move them, spiritually, emotionally and intellectually.

A peek at the stunning Sisters who grace this year's list of super singles reveals that there are more than a few good women out there looking for a few good men. From self-made Detroit businesswoman Sherry McGee, owner of one of the nation's most successful independent bookstores, to Utah Starzz power forward Natalie Williams, to actress Sherri Saum, to Shreveport, La., news anchor Michelle White, to Evy Lacy, a master sergeant in the U.S. Army, these women are as accomplished as they are attractive.

Though fiercely independent, they 'all confess that it might be nice to share their lives with an equally independent man who is not threatened by a Sister who's got more on the ball than a pretty face. To take these Sisters on, a Brother has got to have more than a little confidence. As Judge Mablean Ephriam, the take-no-prisoners arbiter who dispenses hefty doses of advice while settling marital disputes on Divorce Court, says, "The man for me is (me who is secure in who he is and what he does, thus, he will not be afraid of who I am or what I do."

SHERRI SAUM Los Angeles

Model and actress Sherri Saum has been heating up the small screen playing the scheming vixen Casey Lenox in Showtime's hit series Beggars and Choosers. Before that, the Dayton, Ohio, native was featured as Vanessa Hart on the NBC daytime drama Sunset Beach, a role that landed her an Emmy nomination. Saum, who describes herself as a "simple, ambitious, positive girl from Ohio," says her ideal man has a sense of humor, a strong character, a sense of spontaneity, patience and humility. "Ideally, I'd like him to be good-looking," she says, "but I don't want someone who knows it. I want someone who's humble about his good qualities."

TV JUDGE MABLEAN EPHRIAM Los Angeles

Before taking her seat on the bench of television's Divorce Court, Ephriam spent 20 years as a practicing trial attorney and mediator. A former law enforcement and correctional officer, the divorced mother of four took a job as a legal secretary to help pay for law school. Now established as one of the most popular TV judges, she says, "I'm not looking for a mate." But adds, "The mate who finds me will find a good thing." Her ideal man enjoys traveling, loves the water (both to look at and get into), and is financially stable. "He will add to, not subtract from what I have," she says.

KELLIE SHANYGE WILLIAMS 25, Los Angeles

For nine years, she was Laura Winslow the object of nerdy Steve Urkel's undying affection on the sitcom Family Matters. But little Laura is all grown up now, and Williams has graduated to adult roles, like her co-starring turn on the ABC comedy What About Joan. A self-professed homebody who likes to travel when scheduling permits, Williams also enjoys writing in her journal. Her dream guy has a sense of purpose and is "definitely intelligent, with a unique sense of humor," not unlike her own. "I'm one of those types of people who you either get or don't get," she says.

NATALIE WILLIAMS 30, Salt Lake City

A 6-foot-2-inch All-Star forward fin' the Utah Starzz, Williams cuts an imposing figure on the court and off. A collegiate star in basketball and volleyball, the former UCLA All-American loves to read, go to the movies, bowl and hang out with friends whenever she has free time. Her ideal mate is at least 6-foot-3, athletic and either clean-shaven or sporting a nice goatee. "A Karl Malone specimen," says Williams, referring to her male counterpart on the NBA's Utah Jazz. "Someone like that. That would be good,"

MARIA JORDAN 35, Houston

When she's not going into burning homes to save lives, Jordan, a firefighter and emergency medical technician, likes to roller skate, work out and travel. She also plays flag football and softball. She's attracted to intelligent, athletic, family-oriented men. But above all, she says, "My ideal man is first a Christian."

EVELYN TEAGUE 28, Washington, D.C.

A dentist and fitness buff (she's also a certified fitness instructor), Teague likes to travel and go dancing and shopping. She's seeking a man with a sense of adventure and spontaneity (to offset her serious nature), lie should also be interested in health and fitness and be open to new things, such as travel and art.

CAROLYN WYNN 29, Tampa, Fla.

A senior account executive for a leading telecommunications firm, Wynn likes working out, golf, writing and reading. She has no tolerance for "arrogant or ignorant people," and describes her dream man as "confident, intelligent, articulate and fitness conscious. Also someone who can handle himself no matter the setting."

KESHIA WALKER 30, Atlanta

Walker is the president of her own promotions and market research firm, Active in a variety of community service projects, in her spare time, she likes to travel, watch football and attend cultural events. She's interested in men who are God-fearing, secure (financially and emotionally) and interested in and supportive of a strong, upwardly mobile, woman.