Earlier this month, I attended the PowHer Summit hosted by LadyLike. LadyLike is an organization that has, “an initiative to inspire and empower African American women in the Greater Des Moines area.” as noted on their Facebook page.
This is the second LadyLike event I have attended. In 2019, I attended this event and was excited to see women coming together and empowering each other. In the years that I had been away from the state, I didn’t realize that in my absence there were women working to connect and be supportive for one another. When I was young and growing up in Des Moines, I didn’t think organizations like this existed for Black women. Now that I am older and more aware of my surroundings, there are many organizations for Black women. This includes Divine 9 Sororities and the Tawasi Federated Women’s Club, which is an organization affiliated with the National Association of Colored Women’s Club – I am a member of this club with my mother.
The last couple of years I have not been able to attend the event, but this year I made it a point to go as I am beginning my passion project of this blog and podcast. The event was held at the Hilton in Downtown Des Moines and as soon as I walked in, I could feel positivity in the air. And the green – OMG – I need to step up my game for next year’s event and get a cute green outfit for the event.
The event started with the opening program, prayer and keynote speech from Latrice Rogers, owner of Goddess Lengths and star of Belle Collective on OWN. I am a HUGE fan of Belle Collective and was excited to see Latrice speak about her experience as an entrepreneur in Jackson, Mississippi. This was her first speaking engagement and the story of how she was committed to betting on herself. I’ve identified in therapy that my confidence has hindered me from trying new things and I learned from her speech that if I believe in myself – others will too. And you can use that confidence to propel yourself to the success you’ve always want for your business.
After the opening program, I attended a session and took the following notes on the first regarding Brand Brilliance. It got me thinking about my personal brand – of the podcast, Black. Girl. Iowa. and my Etsy Shop, Em’s Creations. Both entities are a part of my personal brand and as I move forward with these projects, it’ll be important for me to ask myself the following questions (from the session):
- What is your personal brand statement?
- Why is your brand important?
- What do you want to be known for?
- What do I need to define about my brand?
- brand, image, mission, values, identity, target audience, narrative, online presence and consistency
This event made me realize the importance and significance of my passion project, which is the Black. Girl. Iowa. podcast. The mission for the podcast is that, “The stories of Black women matter and this is a safe space for us to share, collaborate, and start a conversation about how we move forward in fellowship and sisterhood.” I want to bring us together through our experiences and connect us in a way where we can work together and be role models for young Black women growing up and moving to a state that prioritizes whiteness.
The PowHer Summit was a great event and I appreciated the chance to network and meet other successful Black women – during sessions and at the vendor showcase. This was a great opportunity for these women to showcase what they were passionate about and make connections that will benefit their businesses in the future. Events like this one are needed in the Des Moines-area and I look forward to attending this and other events like it in the future.
As for the podcast – it will officially launch on Saturday, June 1st, 2024. Right now – I have completed six interviews, edited and scheduled four episodes. This week, I will be recording three interviews. I’m excited to have content planned for the entire summer and look forward to sharing these conversations.
The podcast will be available on Spotify and Apple Podcast. Be sure to follow so you don’t miss the first episode!
Black. Girl. Iowa. 