Verizon celebrated their consumers with a night of entertainment and inspiration at “ The Big Payoff ” in Harlem. Assembling an expert panel of industry insiders that included Apprentice finalist and MSNBC commentator Kwame Jackson, Live Events Coordinator at Essence, Michelle Nance, Director of Publicity for the Entertainment Communications division of CBS Television Network, Noelle Llewellyn and more. The telecommunications giant continued to encourage the public to pursue their passions and explore their potential with this evening of community centered fun. Attendees were permitted to ask questions during the panel discussion and the first one hundred people to arrive were rewarded with wristbands allowing them one on one time to pick the brains of the panel during a meet and greet.
The “Potential of Us” event series has been a huge hit for the company who has given consumers the opportunity to connect with and learn from major media players like Allure magazine’s Market Editor Tiffany Reid, super stylist Wouri Vice, who keeps Cookie slaying on the small screen, and New York Radio Personality Angela Yee of Power 105.1’s “The Breakfast Club” . The series, which kicked off during Black History Month, is designed to not only celebrate history but highlight different means of making it including music, science, fashion, sports and especially tech. The panel discussed the importance of digital branding and those unable to attend physically participated through social media using the hashtags #potentialofus and #thebigpayoff.
The night came to an end with an energetic performance by Melanie Fiona who belted out her signature hits “4 AM “ and “Give It to Me Right” along with her latest single “Bite the Bullet”.
Learn more about this amazing evening and how you can be apart of future Verizon events below.
Opening for Fiona was New York native Vin Keatin and American Idol Alum Syesha Mercado performing a mixture of originals and covers that included a rendition of Natalie Cole’s “This Will Be” that made me get up out of my seat to applaud! This young lady embodied the theme of potential being promoted throughout the night and her natural beauty look was on point.
Not in New York? No worries. Melanie has embarked on a five city tour with Verizon and she will be in Chicago (link here) tonight! Visit Verizon’s “Potential of Us” website for more information on this empowering program and exclusive content.
What do you think of the “Potential of Us” initiative? Would you like to see more of companies investing in the community through conversation starters like this?
Watch this clip of Christen Rochon of Divas and Dorks speaking on diversity in the tech industry below.
-Keyaira N. Boone