Hi Lovelies,
This past weekend I attended the Black Girls In Media: The Conference in New York City and it was the perfect way to celebrate Black Business Month! For those of you who don’t know #BGIMCON is the largest conference for minority women professionals in the media industry. I went with my good friend and content creator and founder of the Unrivaled Gypsy blog, Makayla. Please feel free to visit her website at theunrivaledgypsy.com.
Everyone was dressed to impress like a beautiful rainbow of Black women from all over the country. The line was literally OUT THE DOOR! I flew all the way from Florida for this event and it did not disappoint. The event ran from 9am - 6pm and as expected it was a full day of interactive panels, networking during cocktail hour, on-site recruitment and we even got delicious desserts and Mielle goodie bags!
Black Girls In Media is a networking organization dedicated to supporting and uplifting minority women within the media industry. Established as a response to the underrepresentation and unique challenges faced by Black women in media roles, this organization serves as a beacon of opportunity and community.
It was an honor to meet Media Maven and Host, Ohavia Phillips @ohaviaphillips and Host and Senior Editor Black Enterprise, Sidnee Michelle @sidmich_ as well as hear from all the influential moderators and speakers. If you are aspiring to be in the media industry or want to enhance your brand this is the event for you.
While I wish I could capture every moment from this event in this article, I had to mention my favorite take aways and advice I heard during the panel discussions.
Key Takeaways
“Don’t worry about how many setbacks you face, focus on how you come back.”
The panelist emphasized the importance of being your most authentic self and collaborating with others because even if you are doing something similar you are always going to have a unique spin on your content.
It is crucial to be consistent with content but that doesn’t mean posting daily it simply means posting as much as you can handle. For some that may look like three times a week or for others it may be two times a week. Regardless of the frequency the most important piece is ensuring you have good mental health along the journey.
“Never put yourself in a box because you might miss out on an opportunity, don’t have to identify a niche but you have to pick what you’re really good at.”
The panelist made it a point to address the importance of making contact with an Attorney and the ability to know your rights in the work place. No matter how great the opportunity, be sure to read the contracts so you don’t have to be preapproved to post content or anything else. When obtaining endorsements and sponsorships it’s not as much about the brand as much as it is about the life style, mission and values it stands for. So it is important to make sure your values and morals align with the brand you work for or have created because you are the brand at the end of the day.
“Fight impostor syndrome early. Tell yourself everyday I’m that girl if I’m not the best at it I will be.”
The panelist recognized the importance of choosing what chooses you when you are forging a path forward. In my blog article featured in Orlando Magazine, Combating Impostor Syndrome I discuss how to identify and reduce impostor syndrome. The panelist said to always be grateful and stay humble. Think about quality and longevity. Understand the difference between a mentor and a sponsor. A sponsor will mention your name in rooms you are not in. Also understand the impact of having a indirect mentor, this may look like sliding into their DM or emailing them to ask them questions and get advice. Remember mentor is a regular person and always look to who you relate to as a woman and what their morals and values are regardless on if you disagree on small things or big things. Be a mentor to others including your own mentor! Also, let them know about opportunities so you become mutually beneficial to each other and look out for each other. Look for people outside of your natural interest because your next mentor could be a attorney, lawyer, etc.
Lastly, if you are in the media industry like me remember to embrace the journey, embrace the climb, and trust the process. When the numbers aren’t adding up know that you are not failing you are doing! Don’t doubt your dreams because you don’t have instant gratification like more money or followers. Learn as you go and be willing to try new things. Don’t look at it as I’m not getting there fast enough look at it as I’m getting better each step of the way!
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