Last night I had the pleasure of moderating a panel at the first official Project Pit Mixer. Project Pit is an organization that runs on the model of “letting your dreams live.” Project Pit offers resources and opportunities within the creative community such as events, workshops, affordable educational opportunities and more. It bridges the gap between the entertainment industry for those who are already in it successfully and for those who dream to be. The mission is to entertain, inform and inspire.
This event was very special to me since Project Pit was the first event I ever hosted. It was a talent show case in 2013 at the Celebrity Centre. I was very nervous and unsure of what I was getting myself into, but I am forever grateful for that experience. It opened up a lot of doors for me, including my show with 102.3 KJLH. This organization has served its purpose to me by helping me focus on my dreams & connecting me with the right people, that is why I was more than happy to moderate the panel for the first mixer.
The event was on Sunday, July 23rd from 5PM-8PM hosted by Neeko, & consisted of mix and mingling for the first hour with a sponsored bar & snacks, followed by an ice breaker. There were 3 incredible performances by poet King Moesiiah and singers Shoni Bennett and Kenyon Dixon.
The theme of the panel that I moderated was focused on the process of following your dreams which included questions regarding time management and knowing when to take the leap of faith. The panelists included Social Media Influencer/Journalist- Debra Oh, Senior Digital Producer at BET- Chuck Digital, Celebrity Style Expert- E Burns, Brand Strategist- Dom Brown, and Actress/Singer/Host- Skye Townsend.
I asked a few general and personalized questions to each panelist, and both myself and the audience left feeling inspired and optimistic. One of the things that the panelists mentioned which stood out the most to me was to be intentional with everything you are doing in life. Whether it be your 9-5 or an encounter with a stranger, make every experience count because you don’t know what can become of it. Both Skye Townsend and Dom Brown talked about taking opportunities that come your way even though you may not be very excited about them. The key however is to be selective and not spread yourself too thin. E Burns discussed an obstacle he faced when larger corporations took his ideas because he didn’t protect them with paper work. Chuck Digital was very forward with his take on numbers/views when looking for people or content to work with. Although he may not agree exactly, numbers don’t lie when it comes to what the sponsors and networks are looking for. Deborah Oh shared her biggest sacrifice was leaving her mother in New York to pursue her career in Los Angeles, and this came after the passing of both her sister and father.
The event concluded with creator of Project Pit, Carlton Epic thanking everyone in attendance. He promoted the next Project Pit event (August 5th), in which the organization is partnering with the city of Los Angeles. Lastly, he urged people to donate to the Project Pit fund raiser so that they can throw more events and help those who are letting their dream live!
Click here to donate to the organization!
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