The Power of We - by Jemila Morson - American Diversity Report: QUANTUM * DIVERSITY

I often refer to myself as “bi-cultural” as I was born and raised between two very distinct cultural landscapes, southern America and the British West Indies. Chattanooga TN is my place of birth, and I was raised between there and my island home of Anguilla B.W.I. My father is West Indian and my mother is American of African and Cherokee descent. The dual identity has given me many growing pains finding an identity of my own, but I am proud of the rich cultures combined within me. When I moved back to the US in high school, people would often ask what my “race” was. It was difficult to explain, so being the marketer that I am, I quickly adopted a slogan for myself; “the perfect mix: an Indian, American, Caribbean chick.”

Today, I work in social technology/media. It’s a people-driven field combining human capital, marketing, and technology in revolutionary ways. In many cases, its success isn’t even a decade old. When I started, there weren’t many people to look up to yet. Never-the-less, there are four people who undoubtedly inspire my ‘hustle’ and work ethic.

The first two are my incredibly hardworking parents. They exemplify what it means to be faithful, kind and diligent, and greatly influences everything I do, especially my professional endeavors. My younger brother and sister are my other inspirations, they are brilliant and are still finding their way as young adults. From the time they were born, I wanted nothing more than to be a good example for them. I wanted to teach them that there are no limitations, which is why I worked my tail off for scholarships when I could not afford college tuition. After graduating to meager job opportunities, I freelanced, which led to becoming an entrepreneur. Long story short, my family made me who I am today.

My major challenge is controlling my thoughts. I’ve had to learn, and am still learning, the power of perspective and what it meant to actually take control of how I internalize things. One thing that has brightened my perspective on life, especially life as a female entrepreneur, is my networking group MorLadies. I started the group in 2014 as a way to connect, empower, and collaborate with like-minded women. In less than a month. we had over 200 active members in our Facebook group and held our first networking event to rave reviews. The love, encouragement, and feeling of connection that pours from the amazing women of MorLadies Networking is phenomenal. Each day, I see their grace and determination online and in their respective businesses. That type of motivation is priceless. With the right energy around you, as well as within you, the possibilities feel endless and challenges begin to feel more like little adventures.

I created my business, MorSocial Media, to use my education and skill to empower others. I focus on digital media management and branding for entrepreneurs and small business owners. Whether we’re creating a strategic marketing plan using social technology or collaborating on graphic design projects, I get a rush out of “ah-ha” moments with my clients. Those moments never get old.

Socially intelligent and interactive technology is our exciting future. Tools already exist that combine group intelligence to connect or create augmented realities. Think of wearable smart devices such as google glasses or smart watches. Another program setting the tone for the future is called “Aurasma”. The free program merges the physical and digital worlds by allowing us to use smart devices to scan objects and engage in video and audio content from a cloud based system. The possibilities are endless and many businesses are already making use of its power.

Study the field of social technology, not because it’s the future, but because it’s already here. Ever day, new developments lessen the gap between ideas, industries, and people. Though still a new and fragile field, it’s become an essential part of doing business. Young people should be building the future of social technology or, at the very least, learning how to market and leverage it in whatever field they choose to pursue.

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Jemila Morson is the Owner and Creative Strategist of MorSocial Media.