Embracing Life's Full Circle Moments

I love when God gives me a full circle moment! So, it’s only fitting that one of my last campaigns for Jackson State University would be an opportunity to reunite with colleagues from my Hollywood introduction to public relations and once again marry the significance and austerity of preparing young adults in my world of higher education PR with the excitement and grandeur of my world of entertainment PR.

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Quick sidebar for context: I did not have a straight career trajectory from entry-level communications specialist to associate vice president of marketing and communications. My path was unconventional and filled with divine appointments. The first door that opened was a role in higher education working at North Carolina Central University, but my goal was to work in entertainment. So, when I secured a fellowship to get my master's degree at Florida State University, I went for the sole purpose of having another opportunity to “intern as a student” and get my foot in the door. I planned to be very intentional by spending my residency working in Los Angeles. I didn’t know anyone, so I cold applied to BET’s summer internship program and prayed for the best. I also leveraged my circle of friends. My best friend, Pia, was in LA and I asked her if she knew any entertainment publicists. It turns out she had just met an amazing Black publicist named Lisa Sorensen at an event and she told her about me. Lisa agreed to let me intern for her which confirmed my summer plans. Eventually, I would also secure that internship to work on the iconic BET Awards, however, it was the time I spent with Lisa at LSPR that really helped me learn the skills of the industry: list building, call downs, talent wrangling, etc.

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Under Lisa’s supervision, I escorted celebrities at red carpet movie premieres for the first time! She taught me that you always want to lead your talent from the front. If you end up behind them, you’re no longer in control of the situation and it will be difficult to guide them toward what’s next. That summer, I helped Lisa coordinate events for a variety of clients, including the late Heavy D, Venus Williams, Rockmond Dunbar, Dule Hill and the iconic Malinda Williams, who just happened to be Lisa’s sister. Those three months solidified my interest in the entertainment industry and prepared me for a winding road jumping back and forth between higher education and entertainment PR. While the world of entertainment PR whet my appetite for being connected to the latest cultural moments in television and film, it was higher education work that gave my life’s work purpose, meaning, and kept me grounded.

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So, imagine my surprise when 20 years later my phone rings and it’s Lisa asking if I was still working at Jackson State! She and her sisters, Malinda and Leslie, manage the Arise and Shine Foundation and were launching the E.S.T.E.A.M. Project , a coding bootcamp for young women attending historically black colleges and universities. They were looking for a college home for the launch event! It turns out that Malinda is friends with my grad school mentor, Dr. Donald Comer, who suggested JSU as a venue; and Lisa reached out to me to make the official request. Not only was hosting the event a no brainer, but I knew that with our savvy campus leadership and Center of Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Economic Development, the request was in perfect alignment with our strategic plan initiatives to support student success and academic excellence on a global scale.

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After a successful walk-through and media day with Malinda in March, the inaugural cohort of 24 young women descended upon Jackson, Mississippi this weekend representing approximately 15 HBCUs, including Howard University, North Carolina Central University, Alabama State University, Bethune-Cookman University, Stillman College and Jackson State, to name a few. In addition to learning Apple’s Swift UI, the group was pampered and affirmed through a series of motivational workshops led by corporate and entertainment business professionals, including some new sheroes of mine – Hallmark Cards VP Alexis Kerr; Creative Director KJ Rose (my fellow FAMU alumna!); Executive Coach Dr. Yuvay Ferguson (my former colleague from Howard); and Dr. Marcia Sherman of Intimate Altar Wellness.

The words of inspiration from these powerful women were intended for our college students, but they ministered to me as well: You are enough! You are the creator and producer of your dreams! Stop holding back because when you move tentatively, someone loses. I am Happy, I am Healthy, I am Wealthy, I am Wise! And lastly, Endorse and personalize your wins!

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This divinely appointed event was an amazing WIN for everyone involved! Having the E.S.T.E.A.M Project at Jackson State University epitomizes the significance of how networking relationships become enduring friendships that you can leverage years later; how using your talents to pay it forward to support the next generation will leave a lasting impact on young people who will grow up to impact the world; and how we are stronger together. I could not think of a more fitting milestone to conclude my tenure at Jackson State! Special thanks to Lisa, Malinda, Leslie, and the entire Arise and Shine crew for leading from the front!!

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