Independence Day: Year One Sharing Stories of Black Owned Business
One year ago today, Independence Day 2016, I launched #THECOLOROFINGENUITY. I remember how proud I was to post the first article. I was filled with nervous energy, excitement and a tad bit of fear from the moment I hit “publish” but somehow managed to do it anyway. After all, The Color of Ingenuity was going to be my solution to a problem. The problem? I’d spent the last year, feeling powerless as stories dominated airwaves of African American’s who suffered “death by police” and heartbroken when their murders didn’t result in charges or worse– ended in acquittals. You see, we’ve reached a trillion dollars in buying power and we weren’t…
gold élan llc: Home Decor with Panache
Born in Jacksonville but raised in Washington, NC; Meyetta ”Meme” Grimes, owner of gold élan llc, always had an admiration for home decor and design. “Washington is a very historic town and we always lived in these huge houses that were five or six bedrooms that had a lot of character to them. A lot of times I would just sit there and draw the fireplaces” she recalls. As a teen, she’d spend her spare time sketching architecture, designing wedding dresses and developing as an athlete. Ultimately, it was athletics that earned the track and field star a scholarship to Appalachian State University where she studied Sociology. Shortly after college,…
Shenette Swann: Constantly Evolving
There are no boxes or labels vast enough to describe the constantly evolving talent that is Shenette Swann. A classically trained vocalist, percussionist, dancer, author and motivational speaker, Swanns’ gifts came naturally and were nurtured by parents who are both artists in their own right. Her mother a professional singer with a band as a teenager, her father a drummer and her aunt a professional opera singer; music was a living and breathing member of the household. Born in NC to a military family, Swann lived in multiple states throughout the U.S. Her exposure to various cultures was instrumental in shaping not only her world view but her musical palate.…
Solitude Scents: Discovering the Gift of Solitude
LaToya Adkins moved to Durham NC in search of a change of scenery but stumbled upon her path to entrepreneurship. Born and raised in Milwaukee, WI following graduation from high school; while most of her friends were going off to college hours away from home, Adkins made the decision to attend UW Madison which was only about an hour and a half away. There, Adkins received her bachelors in Legal Studies and Spanish followed by her masters in Social Work. A couple of years into her career, she decided the time was now to move and experience life away from the comforts of home. In October 2015, Adkins packed…
Chakara Conyers: Epitome of a Hustler
Mom, community activist, author, social media/marketing specialist and business owner are just a few of the titles that Chakara Conyers holds. Methodically building her brand by finding voids and fulfilling needs; she is successfully running multiple businesses simultaneously. Growing up in the Southside of Raleigh, Conyers’ didn’t live a life of luxury but it was filled with a strong sense of family and community. Today, Conyers is building a brand that’s deeply rooted in those same values. “I love writing. I love creating. I love marketing.” beams Conyers. She has managed to put each one of those talents to work, first as an author of two books, Hard Dreams and…
JQ Sports PR: Growing Brands One Client at a Time
Jaquese “JQ” Smith knows her way around 94 feet of hardwood. She’s played at the collegiate level, coached and is currently 1 of 3 hosts on DNA sports talk radio. All of that aside, JQ’s passion lies in her ability to “Groom athletes for success” which was the goal she had in mind when she formed JQ Sports PR. With two high school athletes and her first professional client, JQ is well on her way to establishing her brand within the PR community. JQ Sports PR offers two levels of service. For student athletes, services such as SAT prep and guidance, community outreach, media coaching, recruiting exposure, academic/social media monitoring…
