Two-time Emmy and three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Domonique Briggs.
Discusses her journey from corporate America to community leadership, sharing insights on entrepreneurship, education, personal struggles, and resilience. As the founder of Urban Community Alliance, she focuses on emotional intelligence and social-emotional learning, aiming to strengthen urban communities.
Segment Breakdown & Key Highlights Introduction & Background
- Host Rushion McDonald introduces Domonique Briggs, emphasizing her commitment to uplifting underserved communities.
- Domonique speaks about her Detroit roots, her passion for community service, and how her upbringing shaped her mission-driven work.
Education & Leadership
- Graduated from Cass Technical High School, later attended Hampton University on a presidential scholarship.
- Became the first female head drum major at Hampton, demonstrating persistence and leadership.
- Member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, which played a role in her development as a leader.
Miss Corporate America & Entrepreneurship
- Crowned Miss Corporate America Illinois, using the platform to promote her business and community impact.
- Advocates for women in leadership, highlighting her achievements in business and education.
- Competing for Miss Corporate America national title, showcasing her dedication to corporate and social leadership.
Mental Health & Personal Growth
- Discusses her struggles with postpartum depression and anxiety, particularly during pregnancy.
- Emphasizes the importance of therapy, self-awareness, and faith in overcoming challenges.
- Advocates for mental health support within communities, encouraging open conversations around emotional well-being.
Urban Community Alliance & Community Impact
- Founded Urban Community Alliance, focusing on social-emotional learning and emotional intelligence in schools and businesses.
- Works with educators to equip teachers with strategies for student emotional well-being.
- Uses her personal experiences to shape programs that foster resilience and support for underserved communities.
About Domonique Briggs
- Detroit-born entrepreneur and community advocate, passionate about empowering under-resourced communities.
- First-generation college graduate, Miss Corporate America Illinois, and founder of Urban Community Alliance.
- Strong believer in faith, leadership, and emotional intelligence, working to expand her impact nationwide.
Domonique’s story is one of perseverance, advocacy, and leadership, proving that challenges can be transformed into opportunities for growth and empowerment.
To learn more, visit Urban Community Alliance at ucanation.com or follow Domonique on social media (@ucanation).
#BEST
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Welcome to the show. I'm Rashwan MacDonald, the host of
Money Making Conversations Masterclass, where we encourage people to stop
reading other people's success stories and start planning their own.
Listen up as I interview entrepreneurs from around the country,
talk to celebrities and ask them how they are running
their companies, and speak with nonprofits who are making a
(00:25):
difference in their local communities. Now, sit back and listen
as we unlock the secrets to their success on Money
Making Conversations Masterclass. My guest is transitioned from Corporate America
and founded Urban Community Alliance, an organization dedicated to strengthening communities,
helping people understand and engage better with themselves, which is
(00:48):
really important, and each other. Their mission is to strengthen
urban communities by developing the emotional resilience and the people
who live and work within them. Please work no Money
Making Conversation master Class. The one and only Dominique Briggs.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
How you doing, Dominique, I'm excellent, I'm excellent. How are
you today?
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Tell us about your background.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
Yes, So when I introduced myself, I always say I'm
Dominique from Detroit because I'm born and raised in Detroit.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
I've been living in Chicago now.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
For the last fifteen years, and this is the community
that I've loved and served over that timeframe. But when
I speak about urban communities, I speak about communities that
serve or that take care of people who are of color,
in the minority, of under resource, underserved. That's my sweet
spot there because that's the background that I come from,
and I come from a community that needed the service
(01:40):
that I provide. So I decided to be the change
that I wanted to see.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
Now, when you see you come from that community that
needed the service, describe to us your community that you
came from.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
Yes, so the community that I came from. Davison and
de Quinda shout out to the East Side, Florida. Raised
on the East Side of Detroit.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
Education play the role in your life getting out of
that community. Tell us about your parents education, and then
why you pursued a college education.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Well, I'm actually a first generation college graduate in my family.
My dad, he did go to Wilberforce University, but he
obtained his associates degree there and so I'm the first
one in my family to get a bachelor's degree. I
am really grateful for the opportunities that my dad provided
for me because I went to my neighborhood elementary school,
(02:28):
but he found a middle school that was dedicated to
the performing arts called Spain Middle School, and that's where
I went. He would take me there every morning that
was not in the neighborhood, and I expanded my musical
and arts journey there. Then I graduated as valedictorian in
the eighth grade from Say Middle School and pursued my
high school career at the one and only Cast Technical High.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
School's two types of people in this world? You know
what types of people?
Speaker 1 (02:55):
Those were? The ones who went to Cast and the
ones who don't go to Cast.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
The ones who wish they did.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Okay, okay, little history. I'm very familiar with Casts. Very proud. Well,
Steve already when had the Neighborhood Awards slash Hoodie Awards
and we voted nationally on the best high school and
Cast Technical College out of Detroit won every year, one
every year. You guys are organized, y'all on top of
(03:22):
y'all gay and proud. I say very proud. The alumnus
is very proud as well as the students who attend CAST.
So my history and My relationship with cast is deeply
rooted into community and what the and the love. You
guys who will go to that school, who graduate fro
that school will still show today. So I wanted to
give you that history now your father, that will perforce.
(03:45):
That's HBCU, isn't it. Yes, okay, cool? So you had
some HBCU flavor in you before you decided to go
to HBCU, which was Hampton, right, Yes, there are over
one hundred HBCUs out there Hampton.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
I chose Hampton for a couple of reasons. So number one,
I got a full presidential scholarship there. The band director
at that time frame was doctor Barney eat Smart, and
he came and did some recruiting with the band, and
because I had great grades and a great act score,
he was able to get me a presidential scholarship, which
means I was full room board tuition. All things were
(04:22):
taken care of. I chose to go to Hampton because
it was far enough from Detroit, because I wanted to
go away. But I had quite a few friends who
went to Norfolk State, which is about thirty minutes away,
so I knew if I needed some type of support,
I would have my people there with me.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
Now you're East Coast black people in the East Coast.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Now, now you didn't.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
Run from black people. Now East Coast, that's where you
were at Happy University, which is are you're always battling
with Howard University? The real age?
Speaker 3 (04:52):
Is there really a battle? I don't think there's a battle,
Like we don't battle against them. They always have things
to say about us. But when there's a clear win,
you know there's no no battle.
Speaker 4 (05:01):
Oh boy, you got can't you can't That same attitude
from cats technical Wright it not happened and still holding
on it today. Now before we get into you in
the band, okay, I don't want to break that surprise.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
Now, I'm sure you please. I know it's some sorority
got a hold of this personality. What sorority did you
dive into while you was in college?
Speaker 3 (05:23):
I am a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
I became a member in spring of two thousand and five.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
So it is my twenty year anniversary this year for congratulations.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
Congratulations. Now now because of that, you know, corporate world,
I'm also bringing you on the show because of miss
Corporate America. Okay, now, ours. A good friend of mine
started this foundation. Tell everybody about what Miss Corporate America is.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
Yeah, So I'm really grateful to be a part of
the Miss Corporate America organization. I am the reigning Queen
of Illinois representing Chicago because this is I've lived for
the last fifteen years. And Miss Corporate America is an
organization that highlights women leaders in business. So whether or
not you're an entrepreneur, business leader, or you are a
leader in a corporate organization, it highlights the achievements of
(06:13):
the things that we've done within our communities but also
within the workforce.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
So I've been.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
Using this platform to promote my business Urban Community Alliance
so that I can expand my work outside of Chicago
public schools and some nonprofits that I work here with
to Illinois in general.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
But also across the country.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
When I went on June twenty, first, you got to
make sure you tune in, mister McDonald.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
Carel you need to stop. You know, if I don't
tune in, you're gonna flag me down. So DMB and
everything because you something else. Now talking to Miss Corporate
America of Illinois, Dominique Briggs. She's a graduate first time graduate,
first family graduate of a college, and there's half the
university powerful HBCU on the h Yeah, she said, there's
(06:58):
only one h That's how is not it? It's Hampton
University and in Virginia. Now with that being said, you
my friend got into the band, but it wasn't enough
for you just to be in the band. Tell us, everybody,
Tell everybody, what did you do in the band?
Speaker 3 (07:18):
I did a variety of things, but the most notable
thing that I did in the band was under the
direction of Barney eat Smart. I was the first female
head drum major in HU Marching Force history.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
So I knew that.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
Once I realized that there had never been a head
female drum major. There were female drum majors before me,
but to lead the squad and to be the entire
leader of the band, I was the first person to
do that, and I set my sights on it and
it happened. I'm also really proud of that achievement. Oh
I'm getting a little emotional thinking about this, and I've
been talking about this in a while, but I'm really
(07:53):
proud of that achievement because that came on the heels
of my father passing so he passed March the twenty fifth,
two thousand and four. When I came right back after
that break my line sister.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Carmen Martin Powell. I love her so much.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
She was like, Dominique, you worked so hard for this,
I'm not going to let you miss this drum major camp.
And she made me go to the drum major camp
and auditions, and I was able. I earned my spot
at that time frame, right after what.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
Was an audition at a drum major camp. What's that
all about? To us educate our audience? We always go
crazy over the halftime shows for HBCU bands. Tell me
about that.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
We had to learn everything that the drum majors do
in order to be able to audition in front of
band members and be selected based on our performance. So
in order to even be selected, we had to have
a certain GPA. I was also the section leader of
the clarinet section at that time frame and the head
of the dance committee, so I held leadership positions prior
to becoming a drum major. But yeah, so you practice,
(08:57):
you do the conditioning, push ups, all these crazy things,
and then on the day of the audition, we performed
the things that we learned or were selected by a
committee during that time.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
I'm talking to Dominic Briggs. Now, you was in the
corporate world, I say, corporate world. You know you was
teaching kids. Talk about that experience because we're at the
point in life where public schools are the attacked, are defunded.
You know, deis are the attack are defunded. I don't
right now. We don't know where the next four years
(09:28):
is going to take us, especially people of color. What
are your thoughts when you're talking about education for people
of color in this country.
Speaker 3 (09:37):
I'm actually excited for the state of education because when
things get dismantled, that means it gives us an opportunity
to work hard and put things back together. I started
out as a teacher in twenty fifteen. That's when I
transitioned out of Corporate America. I was doing some business
to business sales for Human Vitality at that time frame,
and I always say that God opened the doors and
(09:58):
I shot shot right on through them things my pitch.
But that's really a part of my life because I
have become a teacher right on the heels of being
diagnosed with clinical depression and anxiety, and so I really feel.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Like my funeral.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
You were diagnosed, Yes, me, me, But how I did
that come about? What were you doing at that time?
What were you experience at that time? Did somebody say, look,
you need to seek help? Because the black community we
ignore stuff like that. We'll say others. Doesn't she just tied,
you know, she just had a baby. You know she's
going through some changes and things like that. What guided
(10:34):
you in the right direction to seek therapy?
Speaker 3 (10:36):
So it was not on my own, I will tell
you that. So I was about to turn thirty years old.
This is when I was married and pregnant with my
second daughter. Shout out to Eva Simone, but she really
took me through it. In that pregnancy, I was diagnosed
with something called hyper emesis gravidaerium.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
Have you ever heard of that before? No, it's extreme
morning sickness.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
So you can see me right, I'm about one hundred
fifty pounds soaking wet. During that timeframe, I lost fifteen
pounds in my pregnancy. I could not think about more
than one thing. I said, think, not do. I could
not think about more than one thing at a time
without having a full fledged panic attack, going into convulsions.
Doing all of the things, and so before I got pregnant,
(11:18):
Dominique was superwoman. I could do anything right.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
You knew.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
I was the first female head Joe Major, all these
other things. I did everything that I needed to do
without any help. That timeframe, my mindset was I hated myself,
I hated the person who I had become, and it
was very difficult for me to move forward. And so
my primary doctor recommended that I see a therapist two
times a week in order to help me get out
(11:44):
of that place, that depressed place and anxiety.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
And so it was.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
During that timeframe where I actually got more in tune
with myself as a human being and realized that I
had not even been Even though I was able to
do all the things, I was never really.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
Fully connected to anything.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
And that's where my journey to healing and resilience and
emotional intelligence really began.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
In that session. My therapists name was doctor Katie.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
I appreciate her so much because she taught me a
lot about the fact that everything that we go through
in our lives, especially as adults, every decision that we
make is rooted to some type of experience that we
had in childhood. And that was my very first time
ever even engaging in UH studies and information like that.
So it opened my eyes to some distorted frames of
(12:29):
thinking that I had within myself. It helped me to
come up out of that so that I can help others. Ultimately,
the raised.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
You know, to be depressed that was brought on by
the pregnancy. Yes, so was that a chemical imbalance?
Speaker 3 (12:47):
I would say my postpart and reaction was a chemical imbalance,
but it was really because of the person who I
had become.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
So I talked about that to us, to us yep.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
So, hyperemeasis gravider is that extreme warning sickness, which means
that I could not eat and I lost the fifteen
pounds while.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
I was pregnant. I had to have an in home IV.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
I was out on short term disability because I could
not work right, which means that I could not bring
in income for my family. My line sister came to
visit me and kind of a trigger warning. So I
apologize for saying this in advance, but she told me
that I looked like a cancer patient with that ivy Emmy,
I had a zofran pump, which is a type of
(13:29):
medicine that is supposed to help with nausea, but I
had to stick myself in my pregnant belly every single day,
so I was handicapped. I went from being able to
do all the things to not being able to.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
Do fear of your child.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
My baby was fine, like, that's the thing. She there
was never any issues. Every time I went to the doctor.
She was strong and healthy. She just gave her mama
a lot of trouble. I always joke and say, we
thought at that time, Fraim, that we were having a boy.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
His day was going to be Evan, and.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
So we always thought, hey Evan, my son is my son.
And she gave me the flux, and as soon as
we found out around six months that it was a girl,
it kind of subsided. So like she was like, I'm
here and y'all don't know exactly who I am, and
will y'all see my fire.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
You're the starry, so please don't go anywhere.
Speaker 5 (14:17):
We'll be right back with more Money Making Conversations Masterclass.
Welcome back to the Money Making Conversations Masterclass, hosted by
Rashaan McDonald.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
So let me ask you this, so you know you
recover from that, yep? Did you feel different after that?
Did you feel like a need did That's where the
community decide wanted to give back, wanted to help and
create a form of strengthening in our community. Was that
what motivated you are? That's always been part of your DNA.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
So I'll say that it's always been a part of
my DNA because before I got into education, I would
host projects for what did I call it? My first
one was called Beauty is more Than Skin Deep? And
so I did a prom sponsorship for young women in
the city of Chicago so that I would we paid
for all of their prem services, their addresses, all of
(15:14):
those things, and they had to write an essay contest
or an essay on what they thought that beauty meant
being more than skin deep. So I started there. But really,
once I made it through that season of depression after postpartum,
I was learning myself again, and so I became an educator.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
I had no idea.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
Remember I told you I transitioned from corporate into education.
I started in a charter school and they asked me
on my interview day to write a curriculum or a
sample curriculum. I didn't even know what a curriculum was.
They told me that they hired me at that time
frame because I was a strong leader. Because you had
to do a demo lesson and I did my lesson
in front of the classroom, but I was able to
(15:54):
command the attention of the teenagers. I worked in a
high school and we worked really well together in order
to teach them. I taught them how to read music
on the staff and my demos lesson. And so I'm
grateful to Epic Academy because we had weekly professional development
sessions that taught me the pedagogy of teaching. And by
my third year, with their support and coaching and development,
(16:15):
I became a master teacher in that field. And that's
where the work really began. I was going through a
divorce at that time around year three, and my principal
she selected me to be a teacher leader where we
focused on and proving the restorative practices at our school,
and that was the trajectory that led me to where
I am right now because she believed that I can
(16:37):
do it during the time frame in which I didn't
think that I could.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
And she likes that just has confidence. And I enjoyed
this interview because it shows that confidence can be broken. Yes,
you know, confidence through just in this case it was
too physical. You know, you got pregnant, these severe morning
sicknesses and then it took on a life is alone
(17:00):
mentally for you. Then you have to go to therapy.
And so where is your confidence now and when or
do you have a support group that you enables you
outside of the akas that enables you to maintain your
strength all of the.
Speaker 3 (17:16):
Aboves and so being an emotional intelligence expert, I got
that title because I have big feelings that are difficult
to manage, and so my confidence is not always when
I'm out in public, I present well right, but at
home I oftentimes doubt my capabilities or what it is
that I'm called to do. But I'm rooted in the
(17:38):
fact that this organization, this gift was given to me
as a gift by God, so I have to do
it right. The way that I maintain though, is through
my community support. So I have a team of people
that are dedicated to seeing me when it is specifically
in this pageant, but in life in general. I have
a very strong support system here in Chicago. It's the
family that I created here. And then also I have
(18:00):
a black male therapist that I see. I started out
seeing him weekly, but I see him every other week
now in order to talk through my thoughts that still
may come out as a little bit distorted for myself
and make sure that I have a sounding board that's
not an echo chamber, but that can challenge me if
I'm having some thoughts that are pushing me or pushing
me away from the goals that I've set for myself.
Speaker 1 (18:21):
I am talking to Dominic Briggs, the confident, uber confident
Dominic Brick. You know, I would like talking to people
like you because you're natural and and sometimes people who
are natural don't really see the talents that God is
giving them. And sometimes you over you know, you don't
(18:43):
see the blessing because you're you're just so caught up
in the moment of just living life. And then people say, oh,
that's that's doubledie, girty, crazy gercy always you life of
the part. They give you terms that really don't really
give you the value of who you are. Leadership. You know,
those words should have been always tied to you. You know,
(19:06):
being able to organize time management, all those words are you.
And when I say that to a person like you,
you know, natural leader understands time management, fearless because you
know you are. What do you say back to Rasha McDonald,
(19:26):
Miss Corporate America, Illinois, twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
I say thank you.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
I say thank you for seeing me not only for
the things that I've done, but for the person that
I am on the inside, because I am all of
those things.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
And what am I motto?
Speaker 4 (19:43):
Well?
Speaker 1 (19:43):
When did you accept it? Though, Dominique?
Speaker 3 (19:46):
Honestly, and I'm not saying it to sound conceited, but
I've known my grandmother who raised me, Catherine Juanita Wilkins,
has always told me that God has something special in
store for me ever since I was a little girl.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
So I got that.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
Dominique got that because people told me that all my life. Okay,
look at you, yeah, no, no, no, But I didn't accept
it till I was forty two years old.
Speaker 2 (20:08):
Okay, you know I bought.
Speaker 1 (20:09):
It to the right place at the right time.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
You know.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
Look, you know, you know, boy, you you know good
things are always going to happen to you. But to
accept it, because see, that's a different thing that people
understand that when you accepted a responsibility comes with that acceptance. Yes, see,
if you just take it as a compliment. There's no
responsors abilities, there's no responsibility tiede to that. But once
(20:34):
you accept it, that changed your value. And I'm sure
there's a lot to do what you transitioning and creating
the urban community Alliance correct for sure?
Speaker 2 (20:45):
For sure, I accepted that call very young.
Speaker 3 (20:49):
When I was a small child, when people would ask
me what I wanted to be, I told them that
I wanted to be the first female, the first black
female president of the United States.
Speaker 1 (20:58):
And so I jopped and still open.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
I don't know if I want to do that anymore.
I'll take being this corporate America USA, though.
Speaker 2 (21:06):
I'll take that that's very close.
Speaker 3 (21:09):
That's very close, and if he was political in a
variety of ways and reference to how I'm impacting the
community right now. But I accepted it young. I've been
a leader my entire life. Honestly, even during the timeframes
in which I didn't want to be a leader. Is
I can't help it, I'll say a couple of years ago,
because I'm forty now, haha. But a few years ago
(21:30):
I tried to lean into my more introverted side because
I am not an extrovert.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
I do not get energy from being out and doing
all of the things.
Speaker 3 (21:39):
My energy comes from being at home and being restored
with the people that I love.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
And so I went through.
Speaker 3 (21:44):
A season where I tried to sit in the background,
but people were still drawn to me. I would sit
over in the corner, they come over and talk to me.
Or I'm watching people do things and I see them
doing the wrong way because I think I could do
everything better than everybody.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
That's my toxic treat.
Speaker 3 (21:57):
But I work really hard, right, so I see pats
and all these things, and I just had to get
up and do the things.
Speaker 2 (22:03):
And that's that's.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
Really where Urban Community Alliance was birthed. During my time
frame as an instructional coach, after I transition out of
the classroom right after the pandemic, I would hear the
teachers yelling at their students through the walls during the
timeframe in which they were supposed to be teaching them
about social emotional learning. And so I remember thinking to
myself very clearly, how are we expecting these teachers to
(22:24):
teach these babies to manage their emotions when they don't
know how to manage their own. And being a teacher myself,
I know what it feels like to have all the
resources available at your fingertips, but not really having the
time or support to implement them with fidelity. And so
that's why I created my company so that I can
help them do that.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
So how do we execute it? How do people find
out about your company? And I know it's a Chicago
but let's let's break it down. Let's let's reach out
and touch you.
Speaker 3 (22:50):
Now, no reach out or touch me. So my website
is www dot UCA nation dot com. On that website
there is a form that you can click to inquire
about my services so that we can set up a
discovery call. I also have social media. My business page
on Instagram is underscore UCA Nation. We're on Facebook as
(23:15):
well for my older generation folks like myself under Urban
Community Alliance. But you can find me on all of
the social media platforms that way as well. And I'm
very responsive to my messages.
Speaker 1 (23:26):
Now you are allowed. I had to now dominate, you know,
and a beautiful crown. At this point, you're passionate about
your sorority. You're passionate by graduating from HPCU. But you're
an entrepreneur. Your mother, your parent, and this situation your
(23:47):
sickle mom. How do you deal with all that and
still be as bubbly as the person I see on
this screen.
Speaker 3 (23:54):
My number one source is God. I am strongly connected
to my source. Shout out to my church about piska
missionary Baptist church where I'm a member and I sing
on the praise team. I pray without ceasing to keep
me grounded, and I use a lot of the toolkits
that I coach other people to use or the tools
(24:15):
in my toolkit often.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
Miss Corporate America, yes, five. How does one become Miss
Corporate America. How do they registers? I'm sure there's a
lot of people, and just slow it down and tell people,
this is not about beauty, even though you're an attractive person.
This is about what you do in the community and
also in the business. In the business world, break it
down to us.
Speaker 2 (24:36):
Correct.
Speaker 3 (24:36):
So if you would like to be Miss Corporate America, first,
you're going to have to enter into the competition next year.
Because I got this one this year, I'm going to
be a lot, lot, lot, Yes you know it's a lot.
But the website is Miss Corporate America dot org. I
believe that it is where you would go to apply,
and so this year is the inaugural year in which
(24:57):
we have spread outside of Florida. It initially began in
Florida for the last seventeen years where it was Miss
Corporate America, and now we have sister queens from over
fifteen states. I believe that there is that will be
competing in the national competition in June. So I became
a part of the organization by competing in the Miss
(25:17):
Corporate America Illinois pageant. So there are state wide pageants,
but there are also representatives from states that did not
have the pageants because they applied online and that were
interviewed that way. So we'll all be together competing for
that national title on June twenty first in Orlando, Florida.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
High Electric Girl.
Speaker 3 (25:34):
If you want tickets, because I'm trying to win the Statehouse,
I hit a old category.
Speaker 2 (25:38):
Okay, so Fortu, what is your talent going to be?
Speaker 1 (25:41):
Do you have to have a talent?
Speaker 3 (25:42):
No, we don't have a talent. My talent, oh, it
will be talking about my business. So for the state
pageant instead of doing a talent or the fitness piece,
because that's one of the misconceptions I think about pageantry.
Speaker 2 (25:54):
They think that it's all about like the show in that, right.
Speaker 1 (25:57):
Ridet right.
Speaker 3 (25:58):
So what we did in Illinois, we had to give
a pitch, which I nailed, and I'm so proud of
myself for that. I prepared strongly for that and I
did a great job. We also had a formal wear
category and my dress responsor by the first black owned
bridal boutique here in Bronzeville, the neighborhood that I live
in in Chicago, who was also She's also a native
(26:20):
of Betroit, so it was a double windy for the
both of us working together. And in addition to the
former World, we had to do corporate interviews before the
pageant where they're asking us questions about the impact that
we've made on the community, what we'll do with the
platform once we win, learning about us as people, and
it's really your time to shine and talk to them
(26:41):
about who you are and what you do.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
And I won Best Interview as well.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
Yeah, I know you did. I will tell you so
you are fun, you are great. I'm so appy to
take your time to put you on mechleisar so I
can interview you don't change, which I know you won't.
But again I know You've been through some difficult yes,
but you got two beautiful kids that are gonna be
your shining light for the rest of your life. Yeah,
(27:07):
and I wish you luck in June. I try to
make it down to a laddo.
Speaker 2 (27:12):
No, try only do, There is no try only do.
June twenty first.
Speaker 1 (27:18):
June twenty first, you having a Dominique Briggs. He's going
down there and taking over that crowd. Thank you for
coming on my show, money Making Conversation master Class. I
appreciate you.
Speaker 2 (27:27):
Thank you so much, Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (27:29):
This has been another edition of Money Making Conversation Masterclass
hosted by me Rashaun McDonald. Thank you to our guests
on the show today and thank you listening to your
audience now. If you want to listen to any episode
I want to be a guest on the show, visit
Moneymaking Conversations dot com. Our social media handle is money
Making Conversations. Join us next week and remember to always
(27:51):
leave with your gifts. Keep winning.
Welcome to the show. I'm Rashwan MacDonald, the host of
Money Making Conversations Masterclass, where we encourage people to stop
reading other people's success stories and start planning their own.
Listen up as I interview entrepreneurs from around the country,
talk to celebrities and ask them how they are running
their companies, and speak with nonprofits who are making a
(00:25):
difference in their local communities. Now, sit back and listen
as we unlock the secrets to their success on Money
Making Conversations Masterclass. My guest is transitioned from Corporate America
and founded Urban Community Alliance, an organization dedicated to strengthening communities,
helping people understand and engage better with themselves, which is
(00:48):
really important, and each other. Their mission is to strengthen
urban communities by developing the emotional resilience and the people
who live and work within them. Please work no Money
Making Conversation master Class. The one and only Dominique Briggs.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
How you doing, Dominique, I'm excellent, I'm excellent. How are
you today?
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Tell us about your background.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
Yes, So when I introduced myself, I always say I'm
Dominique from Detroit because I'm born and raised in Detroit.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
I've been living in Chicago now.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
For the last fifteen years, and this is the community
that I've loved and served over that timeframe. But when
I speak about urban communities, I speak about communities that
serve or that take care of people who are of color,
in the minority, of under resource, underserved. That's my sweet
spot there because that's the background that I come from,
and I come from a community that needed the service
(01:40):
that I provide. So I decided to be the change
that I wanted to see.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
Now, when you see you come from that community that
needed the service, describe to us your community that you
came from.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
Yes, so the community that I came from. Davison and
de Quinda shout out to the East Side, Florida. Raised
on the East Side of Detroit.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
Education play the role in your life getting out of
that community. Tell us about your parents education, and then
why you pursued a college education.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Well, I'm actually a first generation college graduate in my family.
My dad, he did go to Wilberforce University, but he
obtained his associates degree there and so I'm the first
one in my family to get a bachelor's degree. I
am really grateful for the opportunities that my dad provided
for me because I went to my neighborhood elementary school,
(02:28):
but he found a middle school that was dedicated to
the performing arts called Spain Middle School, and that's where
I went. He would take me there every morning that
was not in the neighborhood, and I expanded my musical
and arts journey there. Then I graduated as valedictorian in
the eighth grade from Say Middle School and pursued my
high school career at the one and only Cast Technical High.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
School's two types of people in this world? You know
what types of people?
Speaker 1 (02:55):
Those were? The ones who went to Cast and the
ones who don't go to Cast.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
The ones who wish they did.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Okay, okay, little history. I'm very familiar with Casts. Very proud. Well,
Steve already when had the Neighborhood Awards slash Hoodie Awards
and we voted nationally on the best high school and
Cast Technical College out of Detroit won every year, one
every year. You guys are organized, y'all on top of
(03:22):
y'all gay and proud. I say very proud. The alumnus
is very proud as well as the students who attend CAST.
So my history and My relationship with cast is deeply
rooted into community and what the and the love. You
guys who will go to that school, who graduate fro
that school will still show today. So I wanted to
give you that history now your father, that will perforce.
(03:45):
That's HBCU, isn't it. Yes, okay, cool? So you had
some HBCU flavor in you before you decided to go
to HBCU, which was Hampton, right, Yes, there are over
one hundred HBCUs out there Hampton.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
I chose Hampton for a couple of reasons. So number one,
I got a full presidential scholarship there. The band director
at that time frame was doctor Barney eat Smart, and
he came and did some recruiting with the band, and
because I had great grades and a great act score,
he was able to get me a presidential scholarship, which
means I was full room board tuition. All things were
(04:22):
taken care of. I chose to go to Hampton because
it was far enough from Detroit, because I wanted to
go away. But I had quite a few friends who
went to Norfolk State, which is about thirty minutes away,
so I knew if I needed some type of support,
I would have my people there with me.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
Now you're East Coast black people in the East Coast.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Now, now you didn't.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
Run from black people. Now East Coast, that's where you
were at Happy University, which is are you're always battling
with Howard University? The real age?
Speaker 3 (04:52):
Is there really a battle? I don't think there's a battle,
Like we don't battle against them. They always have things
to say about us. But when there's a clear win,
you know there's no no battle.
Speaker 4 (05:01):
Oh boy, you got can't you can't That same attitude
from cats technical Wright it not happened and still holding
on it today. Now before we get into you in
the band, okay, I don't want to break that surprise.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
Now, I'm sure you please. I know it's some sorority
got a hold of this personality. What sorority did you
dive into while you was in college?
Speaker 3 (05:23):
I am a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
I became a member in spring of two thousand and five.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
So it is my twenty year anniversary this year for congratulations.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
Congratulations. Now now because of that, you know, corporate world,
I'm also bringing you on the show because of miss
Corporate America. Okay, now, ours. A good friend of mine
started this foundation. Tell everybody about what Miss Corporate America is.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
Yeah, So I'm really grateful to be a part of
the Miss Corporate America organization. I am the reigning Queen
of Illinois representing Chicago because this is I've lived for
the last fifteen years. And Miss Corporate America is an
organization that highlights women leaders in business. So whether or
not you're an entrepreneur, business leader, or you are a
leader in a corporate organization, it highlights the achievements of
(06:13):
the things that we've done within our communities but also
within the workforce.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
So I've been.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
Using this platform to promote my business Urban Community Alliance
so that I can expand my work outside of Chicago
public schools and some nonprofits that I work here with
to Illinois in general.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
But also across the country.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
When I went on June twenty, first, you got to
make sure you tune in, mister McDonald.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
Carel you need to stop. You know, if I don't
tune in, you're gonna flag me down. So DMB and
everything because you something else. Now talking to Miss Corporate
America of Illinois, Dominique Briggs. She's a graduate first time graduate,
first family graduate of a college, and there's half the
university powerful HBCU on the h Yeah, she said, there's
(06:58):
only one h That's how is not it? It's Hampton
University and in Virginia. Now with that being said, you
my friend got into the band, but it wasn't enough
for you just to be in the band. Tell us, everybody,
Tell everybody, what did you do in the band?
Speaker 3 (07:18):
I did a variety of things, but the most notable
thing that I did in the band was under the
direction of Barney eat Smart. I was the first female
head drum major in HU Marching Force history.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
So I knew that.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
Once I realized that there had never been a head
female drum major. There were female drum majors before me,
but to lead the squad and to be the entire
leader of the band, I was the first person to
do that, and I set my sights on it and
it happened. I'm also really proud of that achievement. Oh
I'm getting a little emotional thinking about this, and I've
been talking about this in a while, but I'm really
(07:53):
proud of that achievement because that came on the heels
of my father passing so he passed March the twenty fifth,
two thousand and four. When I came right back after
that break my line sister.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Carmen Martin Powell. I love her so much.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
She was like, Dominique, you worked so hard for this,
I'm not going to let you miss this drum major camp.
And she made me go to the drum major camp
and auditions, and I was able. I earned my spot
at that time frame, right after what.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
Was an audition at a drum major camp. What's that
all about? To us educate our audience? We always go
crazy over the halftime shows for HBCU bands. Tell me
about that.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
We had to learn everything that the drum majors do
in order to be able to audition in front of
band members and be selected based on our performance. So
in order to even be selected, we had to have
a certain GPA. I was also the section leader of
the clarinet section at that time frame and the head
of the dance committee, so I held leadership positions prior
to becoming a drum major. But yeah, so you practice,
(08:57):
you do the conditioning, push ups, all these crazy things,
and then on the day of the audition, we performed
the things that we learned or were selected by a
committee during that time.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
I'm talking to Dominic Briggs. Now, you was in the
corporate world, I say, corporate world. You know you was
teaching kids. Talk about that experience because we're at the
point in life where public schools are the attacked, are defunded.
You know, deis are the attack are defunded. I don't
right now. We don't know where the next four years
(09:28):
is going to take us, especially people of color. What
are your thoughts when you're talking about education for people
of color in this country.
Speaker 3 (09:37):
I'm actually excited for the state of education because when
things get dismantled, that means it gives us an opportunity
to work hard and put things back together. I started
out as a teacher in twenty fifteen. That's when I
transitioned out of Corporate America. I was doing some business
to business sales for Human Vitality at that time frame,
and I always say that God opened the doors and
(09:58):
I shot shot right on through them things my pitch.
But that's really a part of my life because I
have become a teacher right on the heels of being
diagnosed with clinical depression and anxiety, and so I really feel.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Like my funeral.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
You were diagnosed, Yes, me, me, But how I did
that come about? What were you doing at that time?
What were you experience at that time? Did somebody say, look,
you need to seek help? Because the black community we
ignore stuff like that. We'll say others. Doesn't she just tied,
you know, she just had a baby. You know she's
going through some changes and things like that. What guided
(10:34):
you in the right direction to seek therapy?
Speaker 3 (10:36):
So it was not on my own, I will tell
you that. So I was about to turn thirty years old.
This is when I was married and pregnant with my
second daughter. Shout out to Eva Simone, but she really
took me through it. In that pregnancy, I was diagnosed
with something called hyper emesis gravidaerium.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
Have you ever heard of that before? No, it's extreme
morning sickness.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
So you can see me right, I'm about one hundred
fifty pounds soaking wet. During that timeframe, I lost fifteen
pounds in my pregnancy. I could not think about more
than one thing. I said, think, not do. I could
not think about more than one thing at a time
without having a full fledged panic attack, going into convulsions.
Doing all of the things, and so before I got pregnant,
(11:18):
Dominique was superwoman. I could do anything right.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
You knew.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
I was the first female head Joe Major, all these
other things. I did everything that I needed to do
without any help. That timeframe, my mindset was I hated myself,
I hated the person who I had become, and it
was very difficult for me to move forward. And so
my primary doctor recommended that I see a therapist two
times a week in order to help me get out
(11:44):
of that place, that depressed place and anxiety.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
And so it was.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
During that timeframe where I actually got more in tune
with myself as a human being and realized that I
had not even been Even though I was able to
do all the things, I was never really.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
Fully connected to anything.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
And that's where my journey to healing and resilience and
emotional intelligence really began.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
In that session. My therapists name was doctor Katie.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
I appreciate her so much because she taught me a
lot about the fact that everything that we go through
in our lives, especially as adults, every decision that we
make is rooted to some type of experience that we
had in childhood. And that was my very first time
ever even engaging in UH studies and information like that.
So it opened my eyes to some distorted frames of
(12:29):
thinking that I had within myself. It helped me to
come up out of that so that I can help others. Ultimately,
the raised.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
You know, to be depressed that was brought on by
the pregnancy. Yes, so was that a chemical imbalance?
Speaker 3 (12:47):
I would say my postpart and reaction was a chemical imbalance,
but it was really because of the person who I
had become.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
So I talked about that to us, to us yep.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
So, hyperemeasis gravider is that extreme warning sickness, which means
that I could not eat and I lost the fifteen
pounds while.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
I was pregnant. I had to have an in home IV.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
I was out on short term disability because I could
not work right, which means that I could not bring
in income for my family. My line sister came to
visit me and kind of a trigger warning. So I
apologize for saying this in advance, but she told me
that I looked like a cancer patient with that ivy Emmy,
I had a zofran pump, which is a type of
(13:29):
medicine that is supposed to help with nausea, but I
had to stick myself in my pregnant belly every single day,
so I was handicapped. I went from being able to
do all the things to not being able to.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
Do fear of your child.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
My baby was fine, like, that's the thing. She there
was never any issues. Every time I went to the doctor.
She was strong and healthy. She just gave her mama
a lot of trouble. I always joke and say, we
thought at that time, Fraim, that we were having a boy.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
His day was going to be Evan, and.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
So we always thought, hey Evan, my son is my son.
And she gave me the flux, and as soon as
we found out around six months that it was a girl,
it kind of subsided. So like she was like, I'm
here and y'all don't know exactly who I am, and
will y'all see my fire.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
You're the starry, so please don't go anywhere.
Speaker 5 (14:17):
We'll be right back with more Money Making Conversations Masterclass.
Welcome back to the Money Making Conversations Masterclass, hosted by
Rashaan McDonald.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
So let me ask you this, so you know you
recover from that, yep? Did you feel different after that?
Did you feel like a need did That's where the
community decide wanted to give back, wanted to help and
create a form of strengthening in our community. Was that
what motivated you are? That's always been part of your DNA.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
So I'll say that it's always been a part of
my DNA because before I got into education, I would
host projects for what did I call it? My first
one was called Beauty is more Than Skin Deep? And
so I did a prom sponsorship for young women in
the city of Chicago so that I would we paid
for all of their prem services, their addresses, all of
(15:14):
those things, and they had to write an essay contest
or an essay on what they thought that beauty meant
being more than skin deep. So I started there. But really,
once I made it through that season of depression after postpartum,
I was learning myself again, and so I became an educator.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
I had no idea.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
Remember I told you I transitioned from corporate into education.
I started in a charter school and they asked me
on my interview day to write a curriculum or a
sample curriculum. I didn't even know what a curriculum was.
They told me that they hired me at that time
frame because I was a strong leader. Because you had
to do a demo lesson and I did my lesson
in front of the classroom, but I was able to
(15:54):
command the attention of the teenagers. I worked in a
high school and we worked really well together in order
to teach them. I taught them how to read music
on the staff and my demos lesson. And so I'm
grateful to Epic Academy because we had weekly professional development
sessions that taught me the pedagogy of teaching. And by
my third year, with their support and coaching and development,
(16:15):
I became a master teacher in that field. And that's
where the work really began. I was going through a
divorce at that time around year three, and my principal
she selected me to be a teacher leader where we
focused on and proving the restorative practices at our school,
and that was the trajectory that led me to where
I am right now because she believed that I can
(16:37):
do it during the time frame in which I didn't
think that I could.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
And she likes that just has confidence. And I enjoyed
this interview because it shows that confidence can be broken. Yes,
you know, confidence through just in this case it was
too physical. You know, you got pregnant, these severe morning
sicknesses and then it took on a life is alone
(17:00):
mentally for you. Then you have to go to therapy.
And so where is your confidence now and when or
do you have a support group that you enables you
outside of the akas that enables you to maintain your
strength all of the.
Speaker 3 (17:16):
Aboves and so being an emotional intelligence expert, I got
that title because I have big feelings that are difficult
to manage, and so my confidence is not always when
I'm out in public, I present well right, but at
home I oftentimes doubt my capabilities or what it is
that I'm called to do. But I'm rooted in the
(17:38):
fact that this organization, this gift was given to me
as a gift by God, so I have to do
it right. The way that I maintain though, is through
my community support. So I have a team of people
that are dedicated to seeing me when it is specifically
in this pageant, but in life in general. I have
a very strong support system here in Chicago. It's the
family that I created here. And then also I have
(18:00):
a black male therapist that I see. I started out
seeing him weekly, but I see him every other week
now in order to talk through my thoughts that still
may come out as a little bit distorted for myself
and make sure that I have a sounding board that's
not an echo chamber, but that can challenge me if
I'm having some thoughts that are pushing me or pushing
me away from the goals that I've set for myself.
Speaker 1 (18:21):
I am talking to Dominic Briggs, the confident, uber confident
Dominic Brick. You know, I would like talking to people
like you because you're natural and and sometimes people who
are natural don't really see the talents that God is
giving them. And sometimes you over you know, you don't
(18:43):
see the blessing because you're you're just so caught up
in the moment of just living life. And then people say, oh,
that's that's doubledie, girty, crazy gercy always you life of
the part. They give you terms that really don't really
give you the value of who you are. Leadership. You know,
those words should have been always tied to you. You know,
(19:06):
being able to organize time management, all those words are you.
And when I say that to a person like you,
you know, natural leader understands time management, fearless because you
know you are. What do you say back to Rasha McDonald,
(19:26):
Miss Corporate America, Illinois, twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
I say thank you.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
I say thank you for seeing me not only for
the things that I've done, but for the person that
I am on the inside, because I am all of
those things.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
And what am I motto?
Speaker 4 (19:43):
Well?
Speaker 1 (19:43):
When did you accept it? Though, Dominique?
Speaker 3 (19:46):
Honestly, and I'm not saying it to sound conceited, but
I've known my grandmother who raised me, Catherine Juanita Wilkins,
has always told me that God has something special in
store for me ever since I was a little girl.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
So I got that.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
Dominique got that because people told me that all my life. Okay,
look at you, yeah, no, no, no, But I didn't accept
it till I was forty two years old.
Speaker 2 (20:08):
Okay, you know I bought.
Speaker 1 (20:09):
It to the right place at the right time.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
You know.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
Look, you know, you know, boy, you you know good
things are always going to happen to you. But to
accept it, because see, that's a different thing that people
understand that when you accepted a responsibility comes with that acceptance. Yes, see,
if you just take it as a compliment. There's no
responsors abilities, there's no responsibility tiede to that. But once
(20:34):
you accept it, that changed your value. And I'm sure
there's a lot to do what you transitioning and creating
the urban community Alliance correct for sure?
Speaker 2 (20:45):
For sure, I accepted that call very young.
Speaker 3 (20:49):
When I was a small child, when people would ask
me what I wanted to be, I told them that
I wanted to be the first female, the first black
female president of the United States.
Speaker 1 (20:58):
And so I jopped and still open.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
I don't know if I want to do that anymore.
I'll take being this corporate America USA, though.
Speaker 2 (21:06):
I'll take that that's very close.
Speaker 3 (21:09):
That's very close, and if he was political in a
variety of ways and reference to how I'm impacting the
community right now. But I accepted it young. I've been
a leader my entire life. Honestly, even during the timeframes
in which I didn't want to be a leader. Is
I can't help it, I'll say a couple of years ago,
because I'm forty now, haha. But a few years ago
(21:30):
I tried to lean into my more introverted side because
I am not an extrovert.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
I do not get energy from being out and doing
all of the things.
Speaker 3 (21:39):
My energy comes from being at home and being restored
with the people that I love.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
And so I went through.
Speaker 3 (21:44):
A season where I tried to sit in the background,
but people were still drawn to me. I would sit
over in the corner, they come over and talk to me.
Or I'm watching people do things and I see them
doing the wrong way because I think I could do
everything better than everybody.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
That's my toxic treat.
Speaker 3 (21:57):
But I work really hard, right, so I see pats
and all these things, and I just had to get
up and do the things.
Speaker 2 (22:03):
And that's that's.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
Really where Urban Community Alliance was birthed. During my time
frame as an instructional coach, after I transition out of
the classroom right after the pandemic, I would hear the
teachers yelling at their students through the walls during the
timeframe in which they were supposed to be teaching them
about social emotional learning. And so I remember thinking to
myself very clearly, how are we expecting these teachers to
(22:24):
teach these babies to manage their emotions when they don't
know how to manage their own. And being a teacher myself,
I know what it feels like to have all the
resources available at your fingertips, but not really having the
time or support to implement them with fidelity. And so
that's why I created my company so that I can
help them do that.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
So how do we execute it? How do people find
out about your company? And I know it's a Chicago
but let's let's break it down. Let's let's reach out
and touch you.
Speaker 3 (22:50):
Now, no reach out or touch me. So my website
is www dot UCA nation dot com. On that website
there is a form that you can click to inquire
about my services so that we can set up a
discovery call. I also have social media. My business page
on Instagram is underscore UCA Nation. We're on Facebook as
(23:15):
well for my older generation folks like myself under Urban
Community Alliance. But you can find me on all of
the social media platforms that way as well. And I'm
very responsive to my messages.
Speaker 1 (23:26):
Now you are allowed. I had to now dominate, you know,
and a beautiful crown. At this point, you're passionate about
your sorority. You're passionate by graduating from HPCU. But you're
an entrepreneur. Your mother, your parent, and this situation your
(23:47):
sickle mom. How do you deal with all that and
still be as bubbly as the person I see on
this screen.
Speaker 3 (23:54):
My number one source is God. I am strongly connected
to my source. Shout out to my church about piska
missionary Baptist church where I'm a member and I sing
on the praise team. I pray without ceasing to keep
me grounded, and I use a lot of the toolkits
that I coach other people to use or the tools
(24:15):
in my toolkit often.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
Miss Corporate America, yes, five. How does one become Miss
Corporate America. How do they registers? I'm sure there's a
lot of people, and just slow it down and tell people,
this is not about beauty, even though you're an attractive person.
This is about what you do in the community and
also in the business. In the business world, break it
down to us.
Speaker 2 (24:36):
Correct.
Speaker 3 (24:36):
So if you would like to be Miss Corporate America, first,
you're going to have to enter into the competition next year.
Because I got this one this year, I'm going to
be a lot, lot, lot, Yes you know it's a lot.
But the website is Miss Corporate America dot org. I
believe that it is where you would go to apply,
and so this year is the inaugural year in which
(24:57):
we have spread outside of Florida. It initially began in
Florida for the last seventeen years where it was Miss
Corporate America, and now we have sister queens from over
fifteen states. I believe that there is that will be
competing in the national competition in June. So I became
a part of the organization by competing in the Miss
(25:17):
Corporate America Illinois pageant. So there are state wide pageants,
but there are also representatives from states that did not
have the pageants because they applied online and that were
interviewed that way. So we'll all be together competing for
that national title on June twenty first in Orlando, Florida.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
High Electric Girl.
Speaker 3 (25:34):
If you want tickets, because I'm trying to win the Statehouse,
I hit a old category.
Speaker 2 (25:38):
Okay, so Fortu, what is your talent going to be?
Speaker 1 (25:41):
Do you have to have a talent?
Speaker 3 (25:42):
No, we don't have a talent. My talent, oh, it
will be talking about my business. So for the state
pageant instead of doing a talent or the fitness piece,
because that's one of the misconceptions I think about pageantry.
Speaker 2 (25:54):
They think that it's all about like the show in that, right.
Speaker 1 (25:57):
Ridet right.
Speaker 3 (25:58):
So what we did in Illinois, we had to give
a pitch, which I nailed, and I'm so proud of
myself for that. I prepared strongly for that and I
did a great job. We also had a formal wear
category and my dress responsor by the first black owned
bridal boutique here in Bronzeville, the neighborhood that I live
in in Chicago, who was also She's also a native
(26:20):
of Betroit, so it was a double windy for the
both of us working together. And in addition to the
former World, we had to do corporate interviews before the
pageant where they're asking us questions about the impact that
we've made on the community, what we'll do with the
platform once we win, learning about us as people, and
it's really your time to shine and talk to them
(26:41):
about who you are and what you do.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
And I won Best Interview as well.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
Yeah, I know you did. I will tell you so
you are fun, you are great. I'm so appy to
take your time to put you on mechleisar so I
can interview you don't change, which I know you won't.
But again I know You've been through some difficult yes,
but you got two beautiful kids that are gonna be
your shining light for the rest of your life. Yeah,
(27:07):
and I wish you luck in June. I try to
make it down to a laddo.
Speaker 2 (27:12):
No, try only do, There is no try only do.
June twenty first.
Speaker 1 (27:18):
June twenty first, you having a Dominique Briggs. He's going
down there and taking over that crowd. Thank you for
coming on my show, money Making Conversation master Class. I
appreciate you.
Speaker 2 (27:27):
Thank you so much, Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (27:29):
This has been another edition of Money Making Conversation Masterclass
hosted by me Rashaun McDonald. Thank you to our guests
on the show today and thank you listening to your
audience now. If you want to listen to any episode
I want to be a guest on the show, visit
Moneymaking Conversations dot com. Our social media handle is money
Making Conversations. Join us next week and remember to always
(27:51):
leave with your gifts. Keep winning.
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