Today we’d like to introduce you to BRIDGE.
Hello BRIDGE, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Born out of the crucible of necessity, in a tale as old as time, the gift of BRIDGE comes to us as the answer to the question, “Who’s next?” The old guard was looking for individuals to enter the C-suite pipeline, to sit on and chair boards, to sustain the work they had championed for so long. A formidable force of eight young, ambitious, and talented leaders put their heads together to answer the call and founded what would become the central organization for young black professionals in Tarrant County. Today, BRIDGE has had more than 600 members and a network reach that has no bounds.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The laws of attrition are always in effect. High-caliber people attract other high-caliber people. Those people join the board and give selflessly to the work of BRIDGE; but promotions call, office positions call, civics call. Their place in our history and hearts lasts forever and, thus, signals the beginning of the work to fill the (unpaid) seat. There are times when that job is much more seamless than other times.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
With a focus on bridging partnerships that accelerate black leadership in business and community, we have a three-pronged approach: partner – we connect and exchange ideas, perspectives, and strategy; accelerate – we specialize in advancing our members’ competitive advantage and brand; leading – we equip and deploy leaders to create change in the community. As a professional development and networking organization, we pride ourselves on delivering high-impact and high-quality touchpoints that create opportunities for our members to thrive.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
The rich diversity of our membership is such that any industry you need mentoring in, we’ve got it. Either someone is: at the top levels, works in close proximity with those at the top levels, is a hiring manager, has more than a decade of experience, or can get you in touch with all the above. For me, it has been as easy as paying my dues, showing up to the events, and meeting people. I love to hear their stories, excavate their whys, then get them plugged into our extensive network. Networking is how I got to where I am today, and it’s how I plan to keep giving back. Speaking of, we are having a membership drive at our private screening of Black Panther on November 17th. Follow our socials for more information – see you there!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thebridgeconnect.org/
- Instagram: @bridge.fw
- Facebook: @BridgeFW
