“Millennial on a Mission”: Keith Benjamin

Another Friday, another awesome millennial to spotlight!

This week’s feature is a young man that truly epitomizes the term “making moves”. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing him (thanks to one of my lovely mentors) for the last year in a half, and I must say that his ambition, drive and hustle inspire me beyond belief. But that hustle and strength hasn’t come without sacrifice. As you’ll see, he’s faced challenges, disappointment and even failure — but it was all meant to prepare him for greater things ahead. If you’re a young professional in The District, then you’ve probably seen him connecting with other millennials at networking events, speaking with important politicians on The Hill, or posing with Warren Buffet and his wallet.

Ladies and gentlemen, meet Keith Benjamin.

Photo Courtesy of Lorenzo Holmes

A native of New Jersey, Keith attended Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania and majored in Political Science Religion and Black Studies, which to him was one of the most transformative experiences mentally, spiritually and civically. He started interning on Capitol Hill in 2005, and officially moved to the city once he graduated in 2009. But long before making the official move to D.C., Keith had gained experience in community organizing in Philadelphia. Being a sophomore in college and having the chance to manage an entire redevelopment project for four main street corridors in the 4th District was a life altering experience. “I have to credit Councilman Curtis Jones Jr. in Philadelphia for igniting that fire,” Keith says. “He refused for me to come into his office without being challenged every single day.” From door to door outreach to locating grant funding to organizing neighborhood efforts to coordinating community coalitions, Keith saw what community development really looked like and was instantly hooked.

My Response to: “The 3 Career Mentors Everyone Should Have”

Happy Thursday Everyone!

If I haven’t expressed it enough, I absolutely love being a millennial. Our generation has been in the news so MUCH over the last few months, and I just hope we all are capitalizing on all of this gossip. Why? Because this is our time to do several things: 1. Prove those nay-sayers wrong about us being lazy, delusional, narcissistic and feeling entitled; 2. Embrace this space that we are in and take advantage of new personal and professional opportunities; and 3. “Lean in” and build our network of mentors that can help us navigate our way through this very interesting time of growth and discovery.

It is unbelievably crucial for all millennials to  have a  mentor — and it’s okay to have more than one! Whenever I bring my mentors up in conversation with friends, I’m always asked: “How did you get a mentor? Did you find him/her on your own? Are they any help to your career?” The answers vary depending on which awesome individual I am speaking to, but it isn’t hard to find a mentor. From old high school and college teachers to former work supervisors, to  business professionals, some mentor relationships I have were sought out or completely organic — and yours can be too! Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a mentor as: “a trusted counselor or guide,” but my mentors are so much more than that. Not only do they give career advice, but also great advice on life, love and everything in between.  In its recent article “The 3 Career Mentors Everyone Should Have“,  The Daily Muse hit the nail the head with the three types of career mentors millennials should have. Below are my interpretations on how you can initiate those contacts, and build upon those relationships:

Mentor #1: You in One (or Two) Years

In the article, The Daily Muse describes this person as “someone who’s been in your shoes and can easily relate to your current experiences.” This lovely individual could literally be a classmate or someone one or two years older than you. Perfect example? My mentor KP. I was lucky to have met her the summer I arrived to D.C., and she has been so gracious in helping me navigate the professional scene in The District. A true politico-PR diva at heart,  she’s got her Master’s in Public Administration, has worked in several awesome communications positions here in The District, and has even started her own event planning business. Her hustle is crazy, and I really admire her style and political communications savvy.

Mentor #2: Your Five-Year Guide

Described as the person you can see yourself as in five years, The Daily Muse states that this mentor should have “a bit more experience under his/her belt, and be able to offer you advice on advancing within your company or field, including the short-term goals you should be setting in order to get there.” I’m lucky enough to have mentors in both fields  I’m passionate about (education and public relations) that have excelled tremendously. Both Jessica and Najja work in PR and own their own consulting businesses, while my former supervisor Anthony works in higher education and is an accomplished blogger (check out his work on The Huffington Post!) These three individuals (and several others) have contributed a great deal to my growth as a young professional, and I am grateful for their counsel and honesty.

Mentor #3: Your Career Planner

The final mentor is an adviser described as one “who knows the tools of the trade and can consult you on big events and decisions, like switching jobs, working abroad, or exploring other career opportunities.” While I am still seeking out this person, I’ve got a feeling that living in The District yields a great opportunity to make that connection in due time. If you’re like me, you’ve already made a list of mentors-in-your-head (Hi Oprah Winfrey, First Lady Michelle Obama, Bob Johnson, Bill Gates and Kerry Washington) and have an idea of the qualities you wish to embody as a professional in the near future. Make this known by attending various industry networking events, utilizing LinkedIn and doing a little research. If you could choose an idea career, what would it be? Is there someone that has taken a similar path you wish to take? If so, then make your move! Don’t be afraid to ask questions, because nine times out of ten, these amazing professionals will be more than happy to help you out.

‘Wisdom Wednesdays’: The Power of the Pause

Happy Wednesday!

“Pausing allows you to take a beat — to take a breath in your life. As everybody else is rushing around like a lunatic out there, I dare you to do the opposite.” – Maria Shriver

In the spirit of graduation season, I thought I’d share this great pearl of wisdom from Maria Shriver during her commencement speech at USC’s Annenberg School of Communication. Living in such a fast-paced society, we can become quite obsessed with the next step of our lives, but Maria exclaims that it’s important for us to take time, pause and to live in the NOW. It’s funny because just as I was candidly expressing myself to my supervisor today, I caught myself saying how I’ve become so overwhelmed in thinking about what will come next after my year of VISTA service. While  my supervisor completely understood where I was coming from, she wanted me to understand the importance of me focusing my energy in what I’m doing right now in order to be successful in the near future. In order to do that, I have to take time to gather my thoughts, communicate if something goes wrong, and ask for help if necessary.

As busy as our schedules may get from day to day, we have to remember to (as Maria put it): “turn off your mobile device, put down the Angry Birds and the Words with Friends and take a moment. Stop to look up and look around. Pause and check in with yourself — and spend a moment there.” 

We all are talented beyond measure, and we have ability to achieve our wildest dreams — but sometimes it’s important to step back and breathe. Slow down and really take hold of everything around us at this particular moment. Then, when we are ready to move forward, we will be more than equipped to conquer the world. 

Chasity

‘Talk About It Tuesday’: 3 Things To Do When Your Phone Is Stolen

Because the dude that took my phone looked just like this, (-___-)

Nothing like being a millennial without her cell phone.

Story time! So, I’m on the Red Line Metro early Sunday morning, making my way back from a pretty tame night in Adams Morgan — minding my own business. As soon as the train arrives to a stop right before mine, I’m holding my phone in my hand normally. I had just finished tweeting a song lyric (Chemistry by Allegra Dolores to be exact), when all of a sudden, a young man with a black hoodie comes from behind me and straight SWIPES my phone. Now let me be clear: I have totally seen this happen on the Metro before, and the victim just sat in her seat completely stunned because it seemed like a joke. But there was nothing to laugh about once those doors closed and the train pulled off to head to the next station. When your personal space is violated, you’re completely immobile and your body doesn’t react as quickly as it should. But my immediate reaction was laughter rather than rage and obscene language. Why? Because I had clearly set myself up for that to happen.

“Millennial on a Mission”: Adam Britten

Happy Friday all!

For those of you that are fans of the show Scandal, I hope your blood pressure levels have returned to normal after last night’s episode.

Today’s Millennial on a Mission feature is truly a social media rock star. I’ve had the pleasure of following him on Twitter for quite sometime, and it’s been awesome to see how he utilizes the platform in order to effectively build online relationships. His passion for connecting with people, in conjunction with his interest in emerging technologies has yielded amazing professional opportunities, and he continues to inspire millennials like myself daily with his knowledge of the ever-evolving social media space. And as the Social Media Manager for 16 Handles, it’s pretty awesome that he’s got an all-access pass to delicious frozen yogurt (How cool is that?!)

Ladies and gentlemen, meet Adam Britten.

A native of Novi, Michigan,  Adam has lived on three different continents in the past three years, with plans to continue to move all around the world. He obtained a Bachelors of Science in Marketing Management from the Martin J. Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University, and he holds a Masters in Digital Marketing from Hult International Business School in London. “College was a very invigorating period of time for me, as it was when social media was becoming ‘hot’,” Adam says. “I was invited to be one of the first students on Syracuse’s social media team and we were ranked by Klout as the number two college on social media, in between Harvard and Stanford. This is when I realized that social media was something that I could make a career out of.”

“Wisdom Wednesdays”: Have Faith in Your Dreams

Happy Wednesday! In its  ”My Rising Tide” campaign, Tide is using social media to connect with and encourage millennials to live out their dreams. In this short clip, entrepreneur and philanthropist Russell Simmons offers words of wisdom that are sure to inspire.  Be sure to head over to Twitter follow the conversation at #MyRisingTide.

 

“Millennial on a Mission”: Dominique Broadway

Happy Friday!

I hope that you all have had an amazing week. The tenth installment of “Millennial on a Mission” features a young lady whose career is literally all about the benjamins. I had the pleasure of meeting her during the HERstory Celebration Brunch celebrating Women’s History Month in March, and we’ve stayed in touch ever since. Her passion for financial literacy and professional experience have catapulted her into a creative space where she is sharing her expertise with clients of all backgrounds, but most importantly millennials. I really admire her go-getter spirit and dedicated focus on empowering young professionals to become more financially savvy.

Ladies and gentlemen, meet Dominique Broadway.

A true DMVer (DC, Maryland, and Virginia), Dominique has lived in the DC Metro area for all of her life.  Born in Washington D.C., she has lived  in various parts of Maryland and currently resides in North Bethesda, MD. She attended Bowie State University, where she obtained her Bachelor’s of Business Administration with a concentration in Banking in Finance and completed her Master’s of Science in Financial Management at University of Maryland University College. When she originally began her career in the financial services industry, she interned in New York for a while and turned her internship into a full-time position in Maryland with UBS Financial Services.  ”The opportunity was great,” she said.  ”However, I suddenly realized that the financial planning services were only offered to individuals with a certain net worth.”