Celebrating Women's History Month- "You Can Bet On It: Women Build Casinos!"

CELEBRATING WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

(This is my second blog for Women’s History Month-March 2017)

 

“You Can Bet On It: Women Build Casinos!"

For everyone celebrating a birthday, wedding or anniversary, you hear the phrase, “Let’s go to Vegas!”  Sure, Las Vegas is the typical destination for most people who want to drink, dance and gamble all night, but very few women truly profit from the casino business.  When you think about, the standard casino-owner is male.  The Management team is dominated by men.  The Dealers are normally men.  The Valet staff, the Chefs, the Accountants, the Auditors, Vendors and Construction teams.    

Urrr…not so fast.  I bet I know of one casino-building construction company that is owned by a WOMAN!  That’s right, a woman.   

A few months ago, my mother and her sister went to Biloxi to get away.  It was cool, but I just wasn’t in the mood for the same old getaway.  While they were gone, I did some research and learned about a casino 5 hours from Atlanta, Georgia.  Waiting for the perfect weather and leisure time, I made plans to drive to Cherokee, North Carolina.  Sure, it’s a scary drive for a first timer.  Pretty flat driving until you reach the dreaded, steep mountain hills of North Carolina.

The views from high on top of those green grass, tree-covered mountain ranges is spectacular.  It’s a sight no painter can copy.

I suspect in Autumn--when the leaves are morphing from shades of gold to red to wine to brown—the view of nature transforming from hot Summer days to cool Winter nights is well worth the drive.   

Pulling into the small, remote town of Cherokee, I noticed a sign that brought pride, jealousy and curiosity to my heart all at the same time.  Pure wonderment for a moment.  It was a sign that I had seen many times…in Arizona, the state of Connecticut, Alabama, or Florida.  “Welcome to the Cherokee Indian Reservation,” it basically read.  “Welcome to the Seminole Indian Reservation or the “Mohegan Indian Reservation.”  It was a sign of ownership, of strength.

I had dreamt of this type of ownership for my own people a thousand and one times.  Imagine a sign over the combined 40 acres and mules for thousands of African-Americans in the 50 U.S. states.  For Native Americans, through a shared vision and unquestionable unity, the dream had become a reality decades ago.  Their battle had been won.  They were able to build and operate businesses on their own land.  And I had driven 5 hours, to see with my own eyes, what a Native-American, woman-owned business had built on the Cherokee Indian Reservation in North Carolina. 
 

It was a spiritual experience.  Owle Construction, LLC had built Harrah’s Cherokee Casino. 

The casino was a modern, architectural wonder built high on Cherokee land overlooking waters sacred to the Tribe.  Art and crafts from their tribal nation were displayed with inspirational stories placed under photographs of respected artisans. 

The resort was more than bells and whistles with a spa and a buffet, it was a museum, a shrine, an opportunity for employment and a tribute to Cherokee culture that highlighted authentic Cherokee Indian aesthetics and values.

Why can’t African American people do the same?

I challenge my people.  I challenge African-American women to lay ground for their daughters, to leave land and values so that one day there will be a multitude of African-American, woman-owned businesses built too on our own land. 

Our proof of possibility stands on top of Cherokee, North Carolina.  Perhaps, it’s time for you to take that drive.  And yes, Mother’s Day weekend would be a great time to visit.

 

*Vanessa Brantley  Style395.blogspot.com  March 25, 2017,  "You Can Bet On It: Women Build Casinos!"   Volume 4, Blog 1b [vol. 4, 1-1c].

 

 

Celebrating Women's History Month- "Fashionista Extraordinaire: The Powerful and Quirky Suzy Menkes"

CELEBRATING WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

"Fashionista Extraordinaire: The Powerful and Quirky Suzy Menkes"

 

 

(This is my first blog for Women’s History Month-March 2017)

I once dreamt of being part of the fashion industry, the one described in the pages of Women’s Wear Daily, Daily News Record, and “W”.  It was the 1980s and I was a Black girl in Atlanta, Georgia.  Just the thought of speaking my dreams out loud was frown upon by the mainstream Black folks living in southwest Atlanta.  You know, they were the ones everyone yakked about on the pages of Ebony and Jet, the Blacks living in the Black Mecca that most African-Americans could only fantasize about from afar. 

Even so, strangely enough, those same Black folks were tied to hopes and dreams of one day being part of corporate and governmental America. Although, they didn’t want inclusion in all parts of corporate and governmental America, they seemed to only want to make a wave in just the accepted streams, like local Education or Fortune 500 company divisions where degrees in Business, Law, Science, Math and Engineering would land you a good job.  Few, and I mean few, even considered the notion of entrepreneurship. 

Arenas of business ownership in Medicine, Law, Retail, Cosmetology, Insurance, Financial and Business Consulting, Real Estate, Investing, Sports or Entertainment were rarely discussed as options.  So you could imagine the general community reactions when I was asked, “So what are your career goals?”

Being pretty shy about my family and background, mainly relying on my accomplishments in high school, I would give the standard answer of “I’m probably going to Howard University and majoring in Corporate Law.”  They would smile big smiles and give accepting nods of the head.  But inside, I was shaking my head and laughing at how people would beam over the thought of another robotic high school graduate off to pursue the hopes and dreams of average Black America.

Truthfully, my real response would have been, “I’m going straight to New York City to see and engross myself in the industry of conspicuous consumption—FASHION!  I want to know about the social registry and why most of my people want to emulate the appearance, adornment and lifestyle of wealthy White folks and Europeans.  I want to know how to sell designer everything to everyone.”

And, “I want to drool at the fabulous people in fabulous cars, dripping in jewels and living in luxury.  I want to know what is glamourous and glitz-filled out there in the world of wealth.  I want to live, not like Mike, but like Suzy Menkes!” 

Her name is synonymous with Fashion.  She’s been everywhere and seen everything in the fashion world.  At the age of 74, yes 74, no one in the celebrity world of sho’ biz or pretentious red carpet fashion events can rival the AUTHENTIC world of Fashionista Extraordinaire, Suzy Menkes.  After 25 years with the International Herald Tribune as the Fashion Editor, she is now the International Vogue Editor for its 19 online global fashion websites. 

She is the grand dame of all fashion review and critique.  If she likes it, we love it.  If she says it will sell, we buy it. If she sees it and thinks we need to take a second look at it, we do.  Her word is power. 

She is a plus-sized British woman with a quirky hairdo and unconventional style.  She is daring, unapologetic, aggressive, judgmental and daunting.  She cares not for bull nor applauds what’s fake.  She is highly intelligent, travelled and cultured.  She has been a mentor to many and a role model for all who stand in her shadow. 

 
To praise her is to thank God for sending her to Earth, namely for those of us, especially young girls, who knew internally that the fashion world was waiting to be explored.  Suzy showed us women how to maneuver a male-dominated field for over 50 years. 

Suzy Menkes is my Fashion icon.  A woman making history. 

I have heard her roar for decades.  So go Suzy go!  This Atlanta woman “gets you” and admires your undeniable gumption.

 

*Vanessa Brantley  Style395.blogspot.com  March 12, 2017,  "Fashionista Extraordinaire: The Powerful and Quirky Suzy Menkes"   Volume 4, Blog 1a [vol. 4, 1-1c].