The caption below reads: “In honor of Women’s Month and the upcoming launch of my new community project @magicinhermelanin, I’m hosting pop-up mentorship sessions in and around the Los Angeles community on my “free time.” 😁

Today we piloted our first-time mentorship meet up with @usc_cbcsa x @uscedu and I’m so grateful for the time I spent with everyone who attended. You are all shaping the future. Please continue to stand firm in your truth and passion. You don’t have limits! ⚡️⚡️ ⚡️ Thank you @joyofodu and @usc_cbcsa !!”

It was an honor to work with Shavone Charles, Head of Global Music and Youth Culture at Instagram, to bring the first ever Magic In Her Melanin workshop to life at the USC Center for Black Cultural and Student Affairs!

With her long history of experience in Entertainment, Media, Tech and politics, Shavone was able to dish on launching a personal brand, staying true to yourself in the workplace and finding motivation to go on when you’re in a rut! Some of her tips included:

• “Be Proactive” – Don’t wait for opportunities to come to you. Make them for yourself
• “Work is a Mutual Exchange” – Seek out a company that can benefit from your skillset, but also one that will grow you
• “You Need Space to Grow” – Don’t trap yourself in a stagnant environment, and don’t settle
• “Make Sure There’s Room For You” – Creatively, professionally, intellectually and culturally: ensure that your contributions are valued wherever you might land

It was such a treat to merge the two things I love dearly: the black community at USC + our passion for fostering digital communities, like those on Insta. Hopefully, we’ll see more (and even BIGGER) workshops like this, soon!

Something big, I feel it happening!