Business Matters
It’s been two months since I started writing for The Tuskegee News as a weekly columnist. The positive reaction has been music to my ears. This week I ask for your lenience as I talk about my professional background. My reasoning is rooted in mutual respect. You trust me as a writer. I want you to know that I am a credible source. I started my career in journalism, working in various cities. When I moved to New Orleans to anchor at the ABC affiliate, I met a great guy and experienced a major life change. I transitioned from Karin Grant to Mrs. Noah Hopkins. As a married couple, we decided to also become business partners. Our joint venture grew quickly and we became a full-service marketing firm. When ESSENCE magazine decided to celebrate its 25th anniversary in New Orleans, our company was selected to provide public relations services. 142,000 people attended the first Essence Music Festival and their presence generated $75 million for the New Orleans economy. We were also responsible for sponsor relations, ensuring that sponsoring corporations had an experience that lived up to their expectations. Additionally, we were in charge of community relations. In this capacity, we engaged the New Orleans Mayor, City Council, community leaders and grass roots citizens as ambassadors for the festival. We had a booming business with many other clients and then one day we realized we wanted a simpler life. We moved to Alabama and I accepted a position as Senior Public Information Officer for the Birmingham City Council. My prior experiences were useful as I instituted new communications and organizational protocols that improved internal efficiencies and also enhanced relationships with external audiences including the news media, grass root constituents, inter-governmental agencies and the business community. My accomplishments in Birmingham led to an offer from the Senate President Pro Tempore in the Alabama Legislature, who hired me as Communications Director for his office. After that I joined the Utilities Board of Tuskegee (UBT), where I was once again responsible for communications messages and materials. I overhauled the Website, wrote numerous trade industry articles and created a series of television spots that aired mornings on WSFA 12 promoting good news about Tuskegee and Macon County. My credentials and skills continue to serve me well in my relationship with the Tuskegee Chamber along with a renewed connection to UBT. I also have returned to journalism through ECHOboom, a digital media platform for Tuskegee that I co-founded exactly one year ago. Working closely with the T-100 project, we created www.airmenlegacy.com as an information hub for the T100, established the 100 Days campaign, rallied community leaders to support the T-100, generated continuous media coverage and collaborated with Dr. Ronald McDowell to produce original T-100 artwork that will morph into a fundraiser benefiting someone who wants a job but needs help with education expenses. My credentials as a writer are well documented and so is my experience with BUSINESS MATTERS.
