BR Communications began in 1997 when I found my creative passion after completing an internship at Temerlin McClain in Dallas. It was then called Awakened Concepts and I was blessed to work with small business owners to create logos, letterhead, flyers and printed materials. I was even behind the updated look and branding for Sankofa Kafe. It then grew into full time creative support of my business ventures, Inspired Designs clothing and Sacred Aroma All-Natural Bath & Body Products. At Sacred Aroma, I created products for best-selling author Francis Ray, professional football player Kevin Mathis’ foundation and the Tate Brothers foundation (Larenz being the most famous).
During that time I created an event called “Her Time Only,” an evening out with the girls, which turned into the “Sacred Experience” designed to empower women with a day of natural pampering and uplift. The Dallas Sacred Experience partnered with Roy Williams and the Safety Net Foundation to pamper single mothers.
Working with radio stations across the country, we created custom baskets of products coinciding with the release of Rhian Benson’s album “Gold Coast.” Lucky winners received Gold Coast baskets of Sacred Aroma products. One of my favorite products was created for Van Hunt, who I met when I sponsored the 105.7 Meeting in the Ladies Room event. I was blown away by his music and later was able to tour with him and created a signature candle for his second album On the Jungle Floor. The buzz created propelled my Sacred Aroma t-shirt to the front of the DFW Quick newspaper.
We also created a line of poetry-inspired candles called “AwakenUs” designed after the poetry of some of my favorite spoken word artists. We held poetry readings at the Sacred Aroma headquarters, the Sacred Healing House in Richardson, TX which became a companion DVD for the candle collection. I had a ball creating products and selling them at expos and conventions across the country. But I also manufactured the products by hand and became fatigued. The line, which included soap, shea butter, massage lotion, scrubs and soy candles had morphed into oils, a children’s line, a natural hair-line and an ever-growing number of scents. To have it produced by a manufacturer would have cost a fortune that I didn’t have.
So I took my creative energy to the government. Yes, I know. I continued to create in the strangest ways. Each report had a theme and used pictograms to tell the data story. In the performance department, we created a caught in the act competition to champion the success of employees. There was a mascot, logo and a button for winning agents to wear. It added fun to the key performance indicators.
Welcome relief came when I was able to throw my creative energies into the Urban League in Dallas, the southern region and nationally. That focus developed into the Young Professional Advocate, Green Grass Generation, OnBoardDFW, two successful runs for office and the execution of the NULYPNOW strategy bringing unprecedented growth to NULYP. I remember sharing with my manager that if he was going to relegate me to responding to technical issues via email, I was going to explore getting involved with the Urban League to find purpose. Who would have known then, that I would serve as national president of my auxiliary five years later. Fortunately, a position finally opened in the Communications department and I found my work niche as well.
So with 15 years of experience ideation and innovation, I think I’m ready to package it up and share it officially under the BR Communications banner. My specialties are social media, event development and execution, process development, strategic and communication plans, brand congruence, and of course young professionals. The government and non-profit industries have taught me how to create more with less. My data analysis background allows me to take your detailed concept and break it down for your customers, supporters and staff. Supporting leaders from Mayors to CEOs to artists has given me superb support skills.
I’m the person you want to have in the room for the big presentation. Let me know how I can help you change the world.