Today we’d like to introduce you to Dominique Fluker.
Dominique, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’m from East Oakland, California and the environment that I grew up in shaped my worldview and perspective but I never imagined that it would alter my life. When I left for Sarah Lawrence College I had two parents when I graduated from SLC in 2014, I had one, my mother. In 2013, during my domestic exchange program at Spelman College, my mother called me to let me know that my father had passed in his car due to a stray bullet while I was in my dorm room.
That realization was indescribable, so I’m not going to try to formulate a sentence on how I felt once hearing the news but it taught me a very important lesson, life is incredibly short and that I shouldn’t wait to accomplish and go after my dreams. I’ve always been an ambitious and driven person but since the death of my father, I kicked it into overdrive. By the time I was a Senior at SLC, I worked one job as a Library Assistant, another as a Public Relations Graduate Student Assistant to our Head of Communications and a babysitter. I was interning in Manhattan for Manhattan Magazine as their marketing intern, all while managing a full course load. I was stressed, unhappy and physically sick and due to the pressure, I had my first ulcer. I pushed through because I knew I had to graduate and get a job after graduation, and I also felt like I owed that to my father.
I didn’t know then that I was depressed and overworking myself. However, I was fortunate to have a strong community base at Spelman College, Sarah Lawrence College and through family, mentors, friends and the Berkeley Community Fund. I also learned several important lessons of self-preservation, time management, grit, dedication, hope and how to be humble enough to ask for help. I took those lessons with me after graduating from Sarah Lawrence College and entering the workforce. I heard a lot of no’s when I was first starting out in my career, I got laid off, I got backstabbed, I became discouraged, but guess what? I’m still here and thriving.
I was an over-eager young black woman who wanted to make my mark within the communications and social media marketing fields which isn’t common, and often times I was the only one at the table, and I still am. As Shonda Rhimes says, “It’s difficult when you are the first, the only and different.”
Nonetheless, I knew what I wanted and wouldn’t let anything deter me. That passion didn’t mean that I wasn’t scared, I just refused to have any regrets and I never wanted to ask myself, “What if, I went for that opportunity or contacted that person?” Given that my father died, I began to look at life a lot differently, I went into situations with more confidence knowing that the worse they could say was no.
Now, I am an Account Supervisor, Influencer at Edelman specializing in influencer relations and launching effective and impactful social programming for high profiled brands. Through my work in public relations, social media strategy and content development, I was able to successfully amplify the online presence of the following brands: Cricket Wireless, AT&T, TIDAL, Air New Zealand, Microsoft Pulse, Israel Ministry of Tourism, Taylor Morrison, Senseo, WeWork, and more.
In addition to my work as a content and social strategist, I would like to believe that I have a budding writing career. In 2018 I embarked on her my writing journey with ForbesWomen and ESSENCE Magazine. Within an 11-month time span, I was able to strategize and bring 30 stories to life that are centered in millennial based entrepreneurship, specifically highlighting women of color. In August of 2018, I was elevated to Senior Contributor at Forbes and invited to speak on the “Standing Out From The Pack” panel at Forbes HQ which highlighted my articles and decision to profile millennial women of color entrepreneurs in business and the arts.
I’m extremely passionate about telling stories of other dynamic millennial women and helping brands explore the interconnectivity of culture and communication through social media to garner awareness and to create a sizable impact.
Ever since I can remember, I’ve always loved to write. However, starting my blog, Werque by Dominique Brielle in 2016 allowed me to write for fun while exploring Q&A/career profiles of millennial women within my own network. My blog brought me visibility and creative freedom, ultimately leading me to a ForbesWomen networking event where I met my previous editor. I emailed her some of my blog posts and she challenged me to think of several different topics for pieces to write. Although it took me about five months to convince her to bring me on as a contributor, I kept being consistent and was offered a contract to sign on January 1st, 2018.
Has it been a smooth road?
Often times, I struggle with becoming my own worst enemy and getting in my own way! I’m trying to hone more confidence and develop patience with my own life process.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I consider my superpowers to be: determination, believing in myself and having an intentional and clear vision for my life. Throughout the years, my superpower has also been resiliency. When I lost my father in 2013 to gun violence, I decided to choose life every day. Although it’s never easy, I made the conscious decision to live my life out loud in honor of my father.
Throughout my career, I’ve strived to interconnect my analytical and creative skills through an impactful content strategy. I love writing for ForbesWomen because I’m able to make a real-time impact for my community and beyond by highlighting dynamic women of color millennials. I’m able to inspire people through storytelling for a major and reputable platform. With ForbesWomen, I’m able to showcase the underdogs, the overlooked, and new talent in each vertical of my choice. That’s an amazing privilege and responsibility.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://forbes.com/sites/dominiquefluker/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/werque_dominique/
Image Credit:
Dominique Fluker
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