(HARLEM – November 10, 2022) – The Joe Manns Black Wall Street Awards (11.4) is the brainchild of Donald Morton “Doni” Glover. I’m so honored to be partnering with such an amazing person that always makes room for me at any table. When Doni asked me if I have names of people doing work in the community and making an impact – of course, many names came to mind. Having a background in community revitalization and impact, I realize that there are countless individuals doing this work.
Congratulations to the awardees who have been influential in the work that they do. All of these folks took the time to connect with me in a meaningful way, and to me, that is more than any title they may hold.
Melanie Cunningham – We met virtually in a women’s group (I forget the topic of the session). So, usually we are the only two Black women on the Zoom. Shortly, after the call was over, I sent her a note and she responded back. Our first discussion was about learning about her services and exchanging information about my services. Months later, I referred a client to Melanie and she was so patient with them. Fast forward, we shoot emails to keep each other updated and share resources.
Richard E. Pelzer II – We met long before the pandemic. He encouraged me to step into leadership, although I have had few opportunities to do so. When I decided to move full-time into the DM Firm, Richard was one of the first people to schedule brunch with me to see how he could be supportive.
Shay Charles Awogbile – We met during the pandemic and again in a master-think tank hosted by Kev “The Brand Man” Horton. I was working on new programming and had enrolled several clients who wanted to create a “luxury” brand. I thought about Shay and volunteered to spend time with them. He broke down the difference between a luxury brand and a premium brand. They left feeling empowered and informed. Many months later, we were doing a “catchup” call and Shay completely caught me off guard. He challenged my pricing and told me I wasn’t charging my worth and I needed to name my number. Don’t be afraid of the number – you’re worth it; don’t sell yourself short. I often think about that when I’m running numbers for proposals.
Mark Caserta – We both come from a Business Improvement District world. He is formerly the BID manager of 5th Avenue (in Brooklyn). Like many leaders during the pandemic working in corridors, we were discussing how to keep businesses open, connect to local resources, and communicate with the necessary agencies. As an entrepreneur, with zero co-workers, a new baby, demanding work, and thoughts of whether my business would weather the storm, I wanted a friend. I wrote that in the chat feature on Zoom and Mark was THE ONLY person who sent me a text.
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Tasmere Gathers is the CEO of the DM Firm. She is the Founder of “The Brunch Pitch” (Harlem, Brooklyn, Baltimore) and the General Manager of BlackUSA.News Network.
