Meet Dominique M. Grant of The D1 Group – Me First Talks in South Atlanta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dominique M. Grant.

Dominique, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
A native of little big city, Jackson, Mississippi. I was raised to be a southern belle with big city swag. Growing up the daughter of a single, teenage mother, I learned very early the importance of “The Village.” I bounced around from house to house as the village helped my mom raise me as she was still being raised herself. I learned so much from that village.

How to be a woman, how to be a caregiver, how to be nurturing, how to write stories, how to use my imagination, how to be a sister, how to be a friend. I saw amazing women do amazing things in their community and vowed that one day I would pay that forward.

The village also taught me how to be entertaining. Because ultimately, they were entertaining me. They were animated in conversation, hands-on with experiences, tough with discipline and intentional with love! It was balanced. The village taught me how to live a balanced life. I was able to publish my first news article at the age of 11 and go on to publish hundreds of local, national and entertainment news articles before the age of 18.

Eventually, the time came for me to go off to college and surround myself with a new village. This village matured me. The Black College Experience shaped me. I was welcomed into an organization that instilled sisterhood, compassion, and community in me. I made mistakes and were surrounded by people that didn’t mind being erasers.

So I took the strength I learned from the village and the knowledge I learned from college to become an entrepreneur. After working for a self-made community influencer and business owner, I decided to duplicate that model for myself. Having an extensive background in journalism coupled with the knowledge I have in digital media, advertising, marketing, and public speaking. I have been blessed to work in the creative and production spaces of many genres. Opening doors to meet and work with people of all calibers. I am a self-published author of the series, “BUT I’M A CHURCH GIRL” a novel about four friends whose lives clash at the altar. A tale discovering what happens when the life you love crosses between the life you were raised to live.

What started out as a love for print journalism, grew into a love for all things media. I love sending messages and spreading knowledge. It’s my gift. And gifts should be shared, so I enjoy sharing my gift through my non-profit mentoring organization, Me First: A Girls Conversation. I wanted to bring amazing women together and put them in front of teen queens for conversations of encouragement, inspiration, wisdom, and care. This has been the most rewarding part of my career thus far. To see young girls that used self-mutilation as coping mechanism release the burdensome feeling of being alone. To see them see themselves in a new beautiful, bold and brilliant way encourages me. To see communities of sisterhood form has opened my eyes to what the world is missing. Love. And it’s my desire, to help remind the world of that, one smile at a time!

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
SMOOTH!? How do you define that? The only thing smooth about this journey is the way it can be consistently chaotic. Life for me hasn’t been a crystal stair! It has definitely had tacks, splinters, and floors worn with no carpet on the floor. I have lost things, I have lost people, I have lost places, I have lost myself. BUT, thank God for village. For the people that reminded me that this too shall pass. Thank God for God! For my faith to keep me in the fight. I have had to deal with a lot to get where I am and I have so much further to go. I think that is where the heart comes in with #MeFirst. Inspiring girls to put ME FIRST so that they won’t be subjected to Me Too. My favorite motto is, ‘Change Your Attitude, Change Your Life.’ That has done so much for me when the road isn’t smooth. I change my attitude towards it, pray for the strength to endure and it honestly helps the situation change, ultimately changing my life. So, no, the road has NOT been smooth. But it’s definitely been worth it.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into The D1 Group – Me First Talks story. Tell us more about the business.
The D1 Group is a Full-Service PR Concierge. We handle all of your Digital Media to Marketing Media needs, which includes but is not limited to, Website design, Brochures and other Marketing/Promotional Materials and Marketing Publicity. After several years of working with larger companies with established marketing communications departments, the D1 Group has taken a niche in specializing services for smaller companies for substantial value.

ME FIRST is a not for profit, teen girl empowerment group. Empowered girls are KEY and CRITICAL to breaking the cycle of poverty for families around the world. Investing in girls is one of the smartest things we can do to promote a healthier, more prosperous world. And beyond that, it’s just the right thing to do. Every girl has the right to be in charge of her future and her fate, and we have the collective obligation to protect her rights and promote her wellbeing. Putting God FIRST IS putting ME FIRST. Knowing you’re beautiful talented smart anointed and precious. Never letting anyone tell you anything else. Our organization provides a safe space and community of young women coming together to have a conversation. Moments of BIG SIS/LITTLE SIS imparting empowerment and activities encouraging young women to transform their lives by using empowering thoughts to be inspired to LIVE!

My novel, But I’m a Church Girl travels through the lives of four “Church Girls.” These good girls have morals, think highly of themselves, BUT live in the chaos of today’s society where floor skirts and neck blouses aren’t trending outfits of the day. In a megachurch melting pot, four women’s lives clash in more than just ministry. The only thing for certain is they love God, but they sure aren’t the church girls next door. What happens when Lust, Passion, Lies, and Betrayal all meet at the Altar. But wait….who’s praying? Church Girls. Everyone thought they’d know better. They want to know, what makes everyone else right?

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
It’s not luck. BLESSINGS have played a role in my life and business. God is especially fond of me and He reminds me of that every day. Even the days that things don’t go as well, I’m always grateful they don’t go worst. I have been blessed to meet some amazing people that think highly of me to recommend me and my services to others. Every introduction or platform I have been afforded to opportunity to encounter has been a strategic and intentional orchestration by God. I, nor luck, can take the credit for any of this. I have always been a hard worker and a sponge for knowledge. I can pretty much learn how to do anything. From fixing modems, televisions, creating websites, blogs, social media memes to drafting a speech and exegeting a sermon; God has gifted me uniquely.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thed1group.com
• Email: reachus@thed1group.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/ohsodominique
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/ohsodominique
• Twitter: twitter.com/ohsofamous1
• Other: https://mefirsttalks.gvng.org/

Image Credit:
Tonya Reeves

Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.