Shannon's Fight: Restore His Giving Spirit

As you all know or have seen, I’m in the fight for my life. On January 24, 2025, I was detained for allegedly making threats on Facebook. I’ve been made out to be an aggressive person due to my stature of being a 6’7, 345-pound African American man. This can’t be further from the truth. Anyone that knows the real Shannon Atkins knows that I’m a giving, compassionate person. I’m an aspiring comedian, singer, chef, drag queen, and entertainer. If I’m in your presence, it’s going to be a good time.

Since this unfortunate situation has happened, I’m in the process of losing everything that I’ve built up in the last 25 years of my career. You see, I’m an independent contractor (Chef & Caterer), so if I don’t work, I don’t get paid, and neither does my staff. I work for many nonprofit organizations that cater to a lot of less fortunate children, and I haven’t been able to do that because of my house arrest status. Those children actually count on me weekly so they can have a good home-cooked meal.

Since I have a semi-flexible schedule, I have clients, friends, and family members that know they can call me to help them when they are in a bind. There are days when I’m on school pick-up duty, taking some of my clients' elderly parents to doctor appointments, or just taking them to run errands and go out to lunch. I can no longer do these things because of the negligence of my local police department posting pictures of the car I drive, my tag, and one of my residential addresses. I’m in the process of trading my car in (Voluntary Repossession), getting a new tag, and looking at other places to live. The harassing and threatening phone calls are horrible, and a few people have shown up at my door. Hopefully, this will be over soon, and my name will be vindicated, but the rebuilding of my life and career will take months. I continue to pray daily and lean on God's promise that he’s in control and will not put more on me than I can bear.

Everyone that has taken their time and money thus far to get me out on bond, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I will find a way to repay you all….

Love always, Shannon “Big Mama” Atkins