Hi Lauren, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Firstly, thank you for giving me a space and a platform to further The BRICC Foundry’s mission.
Born in Dayton, Ohio, I am a Buckeye, born and raised. And like so many women from my hometown, across the country and the globe, I am an “unreasonable woman”. Defying the odds predisposed by my skin color, gender, and zip code — I am a black non-profit founder and senior communications manager for the largest communications company in the world, AT&T. With a decade of experience in Corporate America, my untraditional journey from sales rep to senior manager birthed my love for innovation and affinity for advancing unrepresented women in business, tech, and entrepreneurial spaces.
Founded in 2018, The BRICC Foundry is a collective of women across industries providing direct mentorship, sharing expertise, and supporting women of all hues. We seek to equalize the staggering underrepresentation and uneven playing field affecting women in every arena of our lives.
Women historically receive less support and face greater obstacles than their male counterparts. Standing for “building resources inspiring change in our community,” my non-profit is here to dismantle the one-size-fits-all approach to supporting, promoting and advancing women, especially of color. BRICC exposes marginalized women to business tools and industry experts to set the foundation for their passions and polish their skill sets. From music festivals to social media takeovers to immersive brand experiences, my success lies in unlocking my authentic presence, the power of intention and transformation through continuous learning. I hold an undergraduate degree in Business Administration & Marketing from The Ohio State University and Master’s in Business Administration from Georgia Southern University. I graduate from the University of Southern California Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism in December.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The obstacles are the most valuable part. We have a mantra at The BRICC Foundry: Progress depends on the unreasonable woman. Give her a place to stand and she will move the earth. Women all too often make do in situations designed for men leading to ingenuity, innovation and leadership into the environments we operate. And I am no different. Over the course of my career, I have learned to navigate social aggressions, perception bias, lack of resources because of my double minority status in America. Gender disparity fundamentally changes how women must navigate in professional environments. However, like many other women across the country, as I elevate in my career, my access to women-to-women mentorship is severely limited.
Specific to my non-profit, as I grow, the lack of funding options is a barrier to growth and scaling my mentorship model to expand our impact. Up to this point, I am funding initiatives through personal investment, donations from loved ones and partners and, of course, BRICC’s Shop for Good.
We’d love to hear more about your organization.
We are a group of women, Building Resources Inspiring Change in our Community (BRICC)! Our mission is to mitigate socio-economic disadvantages while helping women navigate the very real glass ceilings we face. With a probing development curriculum and multi-faceted network of professionals, entrepreneurs and influencers, we craft and mold rising talent. We counsel, goal set, and create career-building experiences for owners, students, and professionals across levels.
BRICC provides:
- 1:1 coaching to individuals and businesses
- On-line development activities
- Access to real work experience with real clients
- Professional development and assessments
- Workforce training, scholarships, and grants
- BIPOC advocacy
Our Philosophy
1: Iron Sharpens Iron: Every woman has something to help the next woman regardless of where they are in life.
2: Unreasonable Progress: Untraditional journeys breed norm disruption and ingenuity.
3: She chased a lion: Amplify the voices of resilient women and their wildest dreams.
Our Impact
1: We have helped hundreds of women and families through our signature programs
2: 100+ lives impacted by COVID-19 relief efforts: food donations, laptops, school supplies, career services
3: Thousands of dollars donated for professional development
Unreasonable Woman Initiative: The Unreasonable Woman campaign is about disrupting the status quo. Throughout history, women have had to be innovators and disruptive thinkers to advance in the workplace, overcome micro-aggressions, unmask biases, and penetrate male-dominated industries.
Our vision is to celebrate their voices by highlighting bold women and their unconventional paths to leadership and success. Nominated women are celebrated with a token of appreciation such as merch or promotional productions from a partner.
BRICC X GQR: Virtual Mentorship BRICC is partnering with GQR (LA Office) to launch a national pilot mentorship program early 2021. The program provides 1:1 mentorship with senior and executive-level women in business, technology, entrepreneurship and law. Founded in 2009 and with offices across the globe, GQR is a global talent acquisition and advisory firm specialized in matching uniquely talented individuals with the world’s most innovative organizations.
Shop for Good: Purchases fund mentorship, scholarships, & workforce training to underrepresented women. Designed by unreasonable black women. Inspired by trailblazers. (http://www.thebriccfoundry.org/shopforgood)
Community Support: Donors are eligible to deduct up to 30% of adjusted gross income (AGI). In-kind donations accepted.
Can you talk about how you think about risk?
Risk is a necessary evil. No risk; no reward. I take risks every day by self-funding my dreams and sharing my non-profit with the world in hopes that I change a life or two. My disclaimer is to make all your risks as calculated and educated as possible. We emphasize the importance of research and continuous learning to all our mentees. Know enough to be dangerous and to know what you don’t know. Life is about trial and error. And if you don’t know already, you will mess up more than you get it right. An old high school mentor used to say, “it’s not how you make a mistake but how you recover.” You must learn and adjust. The more you make mistakes the more you learn and the more you adjust.
Contact Info:
- Address: 65 Pine Ave, #356 Long Beach, CA 90802 Phone: 937-266-4963
- Email: startwithus@briccfoundry.org
- Website: thebriccfoundry.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebriccfoundry/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BRICCFoundry
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/thebriccfoundry
- Other: https://emonthlynews.com/kt-the-alchemist-and-the-bricc-foundry-molding-talents-and-mentoring-minority-women/
Image Credits
Infographic image credit: @courtneyahndesign
