Mindshare Collective’s, B.I.G. (Black Identity Group) spotlights our Black employees and highlights the things that they are proud of and how they celebrate their Blackness. Meet some of #TeamMindshare, and stay tuned to see more over the following weeks.

Sherine Patrick

Digital Investment Manager
New York

What ways do you celebrate your Blackness?

I show up! LOL. I’m always conscious of who I am and I make an effort to not assimilate and be myself. I love to learn, so I always imagine that the people I come in contact with do as well. I have no problem being authentic and proud of my heritage, and if that authenticity and pride leads to someone learning, all the better!

Can you share something from your ancestors or elders that you hold sacred today?

My mother would always say to me, “is you weh (that) want” – meaning “it is you that wants it” – if you want something, no one will hand it to you. You go after it and you work hard to get it. My favorite piece of advice.

Will Graves

Chief Financial Officer
New York

What ways do you celebrate your Blackness?

I stay true to my brand and background. I buy from Black-owned businesses (anything from food, restaurants, household services and more), and I try to mentor people of color.

Can you share something from your ancestors or elders that you hold sacred today?

Pieces of wisdom:

What doesn’t kill you can make you stronger
God won’t let you go through something you can’t handle
I would not change a thing I’ve experienced in life, both good and bad, as it all has shaped me into the man I am today.

Brianne Boles-Marshall

Partner, Associate Director
Chicago

What is something you are proud of?

Personally, my family is an extreme source of pride. Professionally, I am proud of the work that I do on a daily basis to pour into the culture at Mindshare through my work with Mindshare Collective, co-workers and clients.

What ways do you celebrate your Blackness?

I celebrate through diving into Black music, art, culture and history and entertainment. It really gives me life!

J.R. Ruffin

Investment Manager
Los Angeles

What is something you are proud of?

I’m honored to be in a position to where I can be active within my community back home in Knoxville, TN or even out here in Los Angeles, CA. Whether that’s attending speaking engagements within the inner city or even make myself accessible for volunteering opportunities, my community means everything to me.

What ways do you celebrate your Blackness?

Celebrating blackness comes in many forms, not only is it a way to truly emulate self-love but also celebrating my blackness means being expressive while still honoring those who came before me. Whether it’s the way I’m authentically me, no matter the environment, or if it’s the clothing I wear, the terminology I use, the events I attend, or even the food I cook, these are all of the various ways that I celebrate my blackness.

Briana Nwokeji

Digital Investment Associate
Atlanta

Can you share something from your ancestors or elders that you hold sacred today?

Nigerian (Igbo) Proverb: Izu Ahịa Wu Ezhi Ihe Ma Ewere Egwu Chineke. Translation: There should be a higher purpose to whatever you do.

What ways do you celebrate your Blackness?

I celebrate my Blackness by embracing the duality of my black identity being both of Nigerian de scent and a Black American woman. I love that I am able to be exposed to the diversity of blackness and experience a multitude of rich cultures.

Taylor Ware

Senior Associate
New York

Can you share something from your ancestors or elders that you hold sacred today?

My elders definitely taught me that community, your “village” is everything and it’s sacred. So I definitely make it my intention to find Black owned spaces to support and uplift.

What is something you’re proud of?

I’m really proud of us every day. We are creating this space for one another virtually while still in the midst of a pandemic!

Jonai Parks

Associate Planner
Atlanta

Can you share something from your ancestors or elders that you hold sacred today?

The random sayings our elders repeat daily (some of my favorites):
*”Don’t sweat the small stuff, and baby, everything is small.”
*”People will be mad, regardless, so YOU be happy.”
*”Too much more to see, you got to keep going.”

What is something you’re proud of?

Personally, being black! There’s a joy in being able to have my own identity against an institution that tries to mold me, otherwise. Professionally, I’m proud of finding a place at Mindshare, where I get to collaborate with an amazing group of colleagues.

Jermaine Moore

Planner, Branded Content
Detroit

Can you share something from your ancestors or elders that you hold sacred today?

Family is the most important thing in this world.

What ways do you celebrate your Blackness?

My blackness is celebrated through my interactions will the world. The way I listen to music, every 808 beat echoes across a timeline of generations. The food that I eat, nothing beat grannies cooking the greens, red beans & rice, with the made from scratch corn bread combo can’t be beat. I live my blackness everyday from walking my dog to million dollar the client meetings.

Ama Blankson-Barnes

Executive Assistant
Los Angeles

Can you share something from your ancestors or elders that you hold sacred today?

My family is originally from Ghana and I am so grateful that though we were raised in the States, my parents and grandmother made sure that my siblings and I kept the language (Fante), culture and traditions of our tribe. It’s been a proud moment to be able teach my husband and kids and have them speak back and be able to understand the importance of carrying on handed down language, traditions and culture.

What is something you’re proud of?

I’m proud of being a co-lead for Mindshare’s first Black ERG, The B.I.G. (Black Identity Group). I’m proud of the five years I’ve spent being a mentor for Black middle school age girls through my sorority’s Delta Academy program. I’m also very proud of being a mother to my two amazing little boys!

Courtney Thompson

Manager of Business Intelligence, Ferrero
Chicago

What ways do you celebrate your Blackness?

I show up as myself — with big curls popping, moisturized melanated skin glowing, and the slightest hint of a Southern accent gifted to me by the Great Migration. I fill my life with Blackness through art, music, and food. And I mentor Black young people in my community to help them learn tools to create a world that allows them to be freely and fully themselves.

Can you share something from your ancestors or elders that you hold sacred today?

My grandparents taught me the importance of community, family, and faith, and I hold sacred space for all three in my life by living out the values they instilled in me. I also have memories of cooking with grandmother for the holidays and a file of recipes that she left behind. And I have my grandfather’s Bible, the well worn pages always guiding me to exactly the advice he would have given me in any particular moment.

Debbie Howard

Administrative Assistant
New York

What is something you’re proud of?

My father was a major radio personality in the music industry who also managed and named a well-known R&B group. This in turn piqued my interest in a career in music which spanned for over 30 years with black music and eventually broaden into other genres of music as well.

What ways do you celebrate your Blackness?

I enjoy eating ethnic foods, Jamaican, Gyanese, soul food, etc. and going to summertime black festivals.

Janalynn Pugh

Associate Director, Team Facebook
Chicago

What ways do you celebrate your Blackness?

I celebrate my blackness by unapologetically taking up space in predominately white spaces. My background, experience, and perspective is valuable. Reminding myself of that on a daily basis is what keeps me going.

What is something you’re proud of?

I’m proud of the work I do to support BIPOC women and climbers of color in Chicago through involvement with Brown Girls Climb and Sending In Color. We’ve sponsored gym memberships for low-income climbers, monetarily supported community-based non-profits in Chicago, and provided access and created spaces for brown people interested in climbing, a sport predominantly dominated by white men.

Jennifer Kemp

Executive Assistant
New York

Can you share something from your ancestors or elders that you hold sacred today?

Growing up, I was taught by my parents how to cook. They taught me how to cook many family dishes such as red beans and rice, okra and tomato soup, and my dad’s famous mac and cheese. These are some of the meals that I grew up eating and once my parents are gone, I will pass these meals down. In addition, just treating people with human decency and kindness.

What ways do you celebrate your Blackness?

Every day from wearing shea butter to burning incense and wearing my natural 4c hair. I educate myself and my friends with black history facts that may be unknown to us. I wear tribal necklaces and often celebrate my own people when they share their achievements on and offline.

Natasha Stockton

Communications Planning Director
Chicago

What ways do you celebrate your Blackness?

All day! Everyday! Through the content I consume, the food I eat…there are so many ways. Its hard to answer because its core to who I am. I’ve tried to celebrate myself more, I was raised to be humble and not seek recognition. Its a hard habit to break so I AM celebrating myself more and always celebrate us actively and loudly!

Can you share something from your ancestors or elders that you hold sacred today?

My mom’s cornbread dressing recipe. My mom makes her cornbread from scratch and I just love her dressing. I can’t tell you exactly what makes it special, it just is. She makes a pan just for me to take home every Thanksgiving.

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