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Three Black customers to learn more about their individual experiences, their mentors who have helped them to get the point they are now, as well as their hopes and aspirations for our collective future.

       Karl Ferguson Jr.  

Karl follows the artist idea that work is to support your passion until it can become your entire lifestyle. Karl is able to achieve precisely that, by balancing his day job and his love of portrait photography. One glance at the website will leave stunned by the sheer number of stars he's captured within the world of entertainment. Karl's presence on the internet has enabled show off his work to a plethora of customers with ease. "One one of the best attributes is the way that I can just drop and drag images to change them in a flash of time," Karl says.

Community has played a big factor in Karl's growth in photography. Bouncing ideas off of other Black photographers allows him to feel the camaraderie of an industry that can be lonely sometimes. Karl hopes to give back through his career so that he can create the same type of community for the newest creatives in the space. "Paying it forward involves that I am accessible," Karl says. In sharing his knowledge and knowledge, Karl hopes to help other creatives become the best that they could be.

When asked what he might tell his younger self, as a person just starting his photography practice Karl's suggestion is: "Don't get so intense that you lose interest in creating. Taking a beat and enjoying taking part in the process is perhaps the best thing you can do as a photographer."

To learn more about the work of Karl, go to his website.

        Black In Corporate  

Social media expert and ambassador Candace Marie is the founder of Black In Corporate Black In Corporate, a community that champions Black people working in the corporate world. The concept behind Black In Corporate was born through her personal experience of navigating workspaces where systemic racism is making it challenging for Black employees to achieve. "While Black In Corporate was created from my personal experience," Candace says, "a important reason behind the creation of the non-profit was because I was aware that there were numerous Black individuals within my circle that had experiences similar, but different from my personal experiences."

One of the many foundations Black In Corporate is based on is their Virtual Mentorship Program, which gives Black professionals with access possibilities, resources, and collaboration. Black In Corporate's website has been pivotal in spreading the word about the program to their target public. "While social media and press are the major drivers for visitors, the gorgeous design mixed with the simplicity of the navigation on the site keeps our audience interested and returning," Candace says about the impact of their website.

The phrase "it requires an entire village" especially rings true in the case of Candace as she embarks on her path to the launch of Black In Corporate. Her success has been bolstered through the support of sponsors, mentors, friends, and family who have helped her along her journey. In so many ways, Candace is now offering the same assistance to Black professional. "This process is difficult enough on its own," she says. "Whenever I'm able to give some advice, sit on a panel, or make an introduction to a contact for a friend, I'm committed to nurturing the other Black individuals in this field."

Discover more about Black In Corporate on their site.

       Elton Anderson Jr.  

In the past 14 years, Elton Anderson Jr. worked as a photographer as a photographer, shooting famous people and of the biggest household brands. However, he decided to pivot when he realized that the job he'd previously been enthusiastic about wasn't as fulfilling. Following a potentially life-threatening bout of malaria during a trip to Brazil, Elton vowed to devote his entire life towards improving his own life and the lives of others.

Now, Elton is doing just this with his work that he does every single day. Alongside seeking out new positions such as producer, creative director and travel show host, Elton also launched Creators of Color, a platform that focuses on telling the tales of Black creators in various fields.

For Elton the changes is a crucial element of creativity. Elton's advice for youngsters Black creatives who want to switch careers is to follow their intuition. "If there's no way to say Yes, then it's a no," Elton says. "This motto has made my career switch much more effective and true to my experience."

For a creator like Elton who is juggling numerous projects on his plate Digital marketing is a huge part in sharing the story of his life. The goal of Elton is to be a "Master Storyteller." Both of his websites along with his social media accounts enable him to accomplish exactly that. "I consider my site to be a place where people can come in, take a seat, and get acquainted with me," Elton says. "My social media platforms are where you can take the journey along with me live in real-time."

Learn more details about Elton and his life through his site.