Roughly ten years ago, my boyfriend of four years and I broke up and I was at a loss for what to do with my life. I had moved to Savannah to live near him, and the only friends I had made were his friends. I quickly found myself lonely and bored. I randomly came across a group of runners who were about to begin training for a marathon in San Diego, California. I figured, why not? I have nothing else better to do! To make a long story short, I met the most amazing group of people. We all came in different …
The day was April 21st, 2014. I was on my hands and knees kissing the yellow and blue finish line every distance runner looks for as I was finishing the Boston Marathon. Rewind 14 years ago, when I was a freshman in high school and my sister’s boyfriend was asking me to join the Varsity Cross Country Team, as they did not have a full team. I was reluctant at first, being short and out of shape thinking, “Who would run for fun?” I decided to join, and one week later I was in my first Varsity meet, the Benzie …
As a country, people of color have just one month of recognition that was not offered to them, but taken as an opportunity. An opportunity to reflect on the struggles, the trials, and the tribulations beset on a group of people who were forced to this place by oppressing colonizers looking to build a land based on morals and values. Those oppressors would somehow call it “the land of the free.” My ancestors would agree, as I hope my son never has to. But if this is free, then I wish to change the definition. Just over 500 years later, …
Leaders Making History: Shawn Jordan, Regional Vice President of Operations “You don’t decide to be a leader; your team decides who they’re going to follow.” Shawn Jordan started with the Company in 2001, “back when we walked around with candles and wrote on tablets; not the kind we have today,” he joked, giving insight to how far along the Company had come since its humble beginnings. Through growth and determination, Mr. Jordan proved himself by successfully running a location and growing into the one of the first African American multi-unit leaders within the Company. “I got a phone call from …
Leaders Making History: Tiffany Leonard, District Director of Operations Tiffany Leonard started her career with the Company in 2003 and has paved the way for emerging leaders by becoming a mentor and sharing her story of success. “I started as a Manager- in-Training in Alabama. What was most impactful for my career was understanding how to grow a well-balanced business from the leaders before me.” Leonard seeks inspiration from her ancestors, her compassionate and hard-working parents, and the mentors who have guided her in her career. Through it all, the biggest leadership lesson she teaches is one of service. “As …
Having just passed my sixth year with TMX Finance® Family of Companies, and recently going through one of the biggest transitions I have personally experienced in my professional career, I felt it necessary to put it into writing. Here are my words of thanks and encouragement. Through my time with this company there have been many ups and downs, all of which have made me a better employee and a more understanding person. In the beginning, I was hesitant to work for a company where my wife already worked. I did not want our work life to interfere with our …
“If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom and yet depreciate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground. They want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters. This struggle may be a moral one; or it may be a physical one; and it may be both moral and physical; but it must be a struggle. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.” —Frederick Douglass What Black History means to me is reflecting on …
As a person of color, this month has significant value to me. Not only is it a month set aside to celebrate the accomplishments of so many who share my race and have come before me, but it is also a time to reflect on my life. Growing up in a small town, with the high standards of being the son of a pastor and being the first of my parents’ children to attend college, I’ve had the opportunity to see great examples of real life heroes, who know the real meaning of love, hard work, and success. My parents …
Hello to all that will view my thoughts on what black history means to me and my life experiences. The mere fact that I am an African American man writing a blog sharing what it means to me states that there has been obvious progress. Early Life Experiences As a young boy, I grew up in a small town in Arkansas, 15 miles from the Mississippi state line and 10 miles from the Louisiana state line. There were some instances, but very few, of blatantly racist interactions. So, how does one grow up in a state considered to be so …
Opportunities come to those who work hard and create those open windows. As a minority, the chances of facing adversity in your life is highly likely, but your response and having the strength and ability to overcome the adversity pushes you to your full potential. In my own experiences, adversity started in childhood. I was raised by a strong single mother who worked hard to support my older brother, my younger brother, and myself. With no father figure influence in my life, I gravitated toward sports where a lot of my skills were self-taught, but I developed a strong competitive …
