Last Saturday we had the pleasure to attend the 3rd annual Brothers On The Block block party which was held at Boys and Girls High School in Brooklyn, New York. Brooklyn has long been an advocate for inner-city initiatives such as this event which hosted an all-male panel on mental health and wellness. There was a handful of local vendors on-site as well where we were able to experience and support Black culture and Black owned business owners. The biggest takeaway from the day was seeing all the youths that attended and were in tune with what was being discussed in the panel such as therapy, sexual acceptance within the LGBTQ Black community, and how to work towards becoming an entrepreneur.
The panel was curated by Danielle Hester from Fit4Purpose, a fitness and mental health awareness brand that hosts monthly events promoting movement and meditation.
Mastermind Connect, whose mission is to enrich the life and legacy of every member, through the power of camaraderie, the sharing of bold ideas, and the common purpose of doing good works that make a lasting impact, brought together the men who spoke on the business and entrepreneur panel.
We got a chance to sample some of the beauty and skincare vendors as well as try out some of the food.
We interviewed George Crichlow – owner of the fashion brand Kynsho, who was featured during the event.
SwagHer: As a vendor, does your business profit from community empowerment events or is it more beneficial for promoting your brand?
George Crichlow: Yes we do. Kynsho means in pursuit of personal progress in Zen Buddhism. Community empowerment is a part of our mission of enabling people to reach their potential. The more we are able to inspire people to pursue their passions the more we can raise awareness of people who are doing amazing things in life who happen to choose to wear Kynsho.
SH: Why do you think panel discussions are useful in our community?
GC: Panel discussions are a great way to expose people to divergent ways of thinking. It exposes the audience to a diversity of view points and approaches to how people tackle similar issues that they may be facing in their own lives. Hearing how someone else is managing, is encouraging and provides an opportunity for people to connect.
George is currently running a kickstart campaign and he needs your help. Please check out the link – and share with your network if you cannot donate http://kck.st/2V9XnxW
