The Truth Staff
The Breaking the Glass Networking Event was held on Thursday evening, June 4, at Club Evolution, and dozens of minority business owners were given the opportunity to network, to introduce themselves to other business owners they might not have previous known and to celebrate the accomplishments of some notable individuals.
The event, hosted by contractor Blair Johnson, was first held in 2018 but had lapsed during the pandemic. The revival of the event proved to be exciting, and informative, for the attendees.
Johnson opened the evening by handing out sheets filled with questions in the form of bingo cards. Those in attendance were encouraged to speak with others in the room and gain the answers to questions on the bingo sheet such as: find someone who started a business; find someone in a different industry then you; find someone who works with youth; find someone who works in media or marketing.
As Johnson described the evening, “it is an opportunity to connect my peers to my peers.”
Then came the introduction of the evening’s honorees.
The City Leaders’ Award went to Councilwoman Brittany Jones, PhD; the Breaking Barriers’ Award went to La’Shardae Scott, EdD; the Highlighted Entrepreneurs were: Cecil Holston, II, LMSW; Neaira Williams; Manuel Mathis, Jr.
Holston is a licensed social worker and a DJ. Holston became a social worker in 2010 and a licensed therapist in 2017. He specializes in working with children and dealing with their trauma, depression, grief and anziety. He has founded an agency clled empowering Minds which works with a variety of agencies and organizations.
Williams is a realtor (a member of Toledo Realtists), the director with Unison Health’s Respite Program that helps children with behavioral health issues. She is also an author with two best-selling books on amazon.com. “I want to help our community build more generational weatth,” she said of the opportunities in home-ownership.
Mathis, founder, director, CEO at Navigating The Algorithm, launched his IT business in 2019 when he was laid off from his job. A very young entrepreneur, Mathis helps other businesses document their journeys.
“I feel I’m making a difference,” said Councilwoman Jones. “Call me, reach out. I am looking forward to bringing about a lot of changes … with you guidance and help and prayer ad protection.”
Scott, DSW, CEO/president of the Scott Center for Observation, Treatment and Transition and the Sickle Cell Director for the Neighborhood Health Sickle Cell Project of Northwest Ohio , is the mother of four young sons, two of whom suffer from sickle cell disease. Originally a secondary education teacher, Scott became a social worker, earned a doctorate, in fact, in order to establish an organization, the first in the state of Ohio, to help those with the sickle cell disease.
Toni Battle Gaines, one of the co-founders of the Black Wall Street Community Development (The Juice 97.3; The Truth; Pursuit magazine, KpK Unlimited), a group that also works with Black business owners, also spoke, emphasizing the need for collaboration and cooperation between minority businesses and groups.
The evening ended with a raffle and more informal networking.
The Breaking the Glass events will continue on a periodic basis. For information contact 567-218-1498 or BreakingTheGlass@gmail.com.