Black Identity & Opportunity @ Buzzfeed (2018)

Back in 2018 I got an email from the Celebrity & Pop Culture Writer @ Buzzfeed in regards to hiring me for an event at their corporate office. I was elated, and not only was I elated.. I was super dooper hype because getting a corporate commercial client is what we strive for. There are great opportunities that come with said clients and it’s a chance to show other people what you’re made of. Two months after that email conversation I’m lugging my photo booth into their building on East 18th St. I remember it like it was yesterday because it snowed like hell that day and I left my day job to run down there and push my hand truck through 2 inches of snow to their office. My poor shoes…. If my memory serves me correct I believe I never asked what kind of event it was, I just assumed they were having an office party and they wanted a photo booth. When I started to set up I noticed a lot of people that looked like me, and not identical to Denzel Washington back in 1993, I’m talking about people of color. I was hired and invited all at the same time to a “Buy Black”/ “Support Black Business” Vendors Bizarre. That’s right, multiple tables and booths of product and services all started and sold by black & brown entrepreneurs with small businesses. I was there to get my network on but just like usual, I didn’t have any business cards on me.

If you know me you know I’m a decent dressed fella that usually wears a bow tie 3-5 days out of the week, at one point it was just a one day a week thing but that has since changed. A couple brothers came to the booth and we hit it off instantly, it was just water cooler talk as we’re all wearing bow ties. How crazy is that? These brothers bow ties were DIFFERENT though, I’d never seen anything like what they were wearing. They were these Handcrafted Origami Inspired Bow Ties. Sheldon Jackson who is the owner of the bow tie company hand makes each of these bow ties. SICK….!! Oh, and check his stuff out at Bold Foldz. Now, I don’t typically leave my equipment unattended because it’s expensive and it’s not the responsible thing to do. I knew these guys would hold me down so I asked them if they could keep an eye on the booth and operate it while I ran a block and half away to the garage to get some business cards out of my truck. Needless to say, everything was good to go when I got back. They held me DOWN.

The love throughout that space that evening was phenomenal, each vendor supporting one another. Whether we were actually buying from one another, or conversing about how we could partner up and do something bigger and better down the line. It was electric, no pun intended. I met a couple brothers that started their own vodka brand, let me type that again… “THEY STARTED THEIR OWN VODKA BRAND”. How freaking amazing is that? Met a sister that created a board game, you see what I’m saying? I’m not sure if I should put my clients name in the blog posting but I thank her from the bottom of my heart for giving me an opportunity to be in room with that much love. We MUST support one another because we are all that we have. I’m a week late for Black History Month, but hey… this is also my first blog posting in 2 years….

~ by mrflowersphotos on March 6, 2020.