Why I Created Buoyant
I started my career in brand management in the Beauty Care category at Procter & Gamble, where I was charged with creating “hope in a bottle” and delivering ROI to our investors. I was one of three Black brand managers on a floor of over 100 people at that time and I can still sense the disconnectedness I felt at the time on various levels. Even back then, I knew there could be more.
I went on to consult for Black Entertainment Television (BET), where I lead efforts to create their first, Emmy-award winning, nationwide cause related campaign entitled Rap-It-Up, which focused on fighting HIV/AIDS in the African-American community. It was there that I found my calling, but again, I knew there was more to explore when it came to the differences between charity and change.
I began to explore the role of philanthropy in creating change as Director of TouchDC, a first-of-its kind hyperlocal online donation portal at Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers, and then in the think tank space as Director of Technology Strategy and Social Networks at The Harwood Institute of Public Innovation.
Ultimately these experiences led me to create Buoyant as a response to the lack of safe spaces in the communications/agency world for Black, Brown & LGBTQ people. I felt viscerally that Buoyant could be an inspired space where our communities in solidarity could bring their whole selves to the workplace with no “code switching”, to create stories and experiences from our own unique perspectives, and be connected only to work that is in alignment with our own belief in a future that is better and more equitable than the present – where all communities are not just accepted but celebrated for their unique brilliance.
Over the past 14 years, our hallmark has been transforming narratives for our purpose-driven clients, converting outdated stories into impactful campaigns, digital platforms and live experiences that widen the lens, driving stakeholder awareness, measurable engagement, and action on the issues that matter most.
