Today we’d like to introduce you to Reginae Butler.
Reginae, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I am an only child from Memphis, Tennessee, who tried to do everything at once in high school from student council to math club. If my school offered it, I went. I learned early in high school that I was a people person. I wanted to be around as many people as possible because I felt the energy that came from large groups and the experience was always unmatched. I planned gatherings and helping plan our senior week. I think I always knew I wanted to create spaces where people were comfortable and did my best to make every moment memorable.
I just really loved talking to people and creating experiences from a young age that made people happy. While choosing what college I wanted to attend, Clark Atlanta University kept popping up on my radar. My mom lived in Atlanta for a short period of time and they had an amazing Mass Media Program.
I just took a leap of faith and decided to attend even though I never visited Clark a day in my life. But it was the best decision I have made to date. Without the support and celebration of my mind and abilities, I don’t think I would have the confidence to work with industry pioneers like Karleen Roy of the Vanity Group or NBCUniversial’s Jennifer Geisser. Because of my HBCU experience and the push from my parents to achieve every goal I dream of, I wouldn’t be as successful.
This past summer, I was blessed to intern with NBCUniverisal in their communication department working on shows like Keeping up with the Kardashians, Botched, Total Bellas, and Celebrity Call Center. I was in the belly of the beast during COVID-19 and still persevered. I got an insider view that cemented my love for people focused on relationships and a need to continue experiences in a virtual world. That internship changed my life and gave me a network or industry professionals that are cheering me on. Now as a senior in college, I have a skill set and confidence that I can go after every dream I have more so than ever. I’m just excited for what’s next in my career. Scared & Terrified but excited nevertheless.
Great, 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?
Financially, It has not been a struggle-free journey to my senior year in college. I was raised by an incredibly strong support system of my parent Angela and Reginald Butler, but we couldn’t afford to pay for Clark’s tuition. Despite them offering my a tuition scholarship, I still had to “find a way or make one” for my other fees every year of college.
I worked my butt off my last semester of High school in my counselor’s office every day searching scholarships from Burger King to Bill Gates. I had five different spreadsheets keeping me organized on due dates, requirements, references, and more. I think my school got so tired of me requesting a transcript or needing a counselor recommendation letter.
But I did the work and persevered. I received a scholarship from the Community Foundation in Memphis that saved me my freshman year of college because it paid for my room and board and my tech fees. I also applied to almost every D9 sorority scholarship I could find and received scholarships from Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated. But the majority of these awards were only for my first year of college. I am an out of state student so every fall I searched UNCF and applied to scholarships on their site. I received funds from UNCF twice in my matriculation.
Career Wise during my sophomore and junior year of college, I had my heart set on being a Live Event Intern at Essence. During my junior year, I worked everyday to add a new experience to my resume to perfect it. And I made it to the next stage but didn’t get the internship.
That broke me. The summer of junior year of college, I was so sad and hurt that I didn’t make it. I felt like I missed my chance at ever having an internship in college that would make me super happy. And I really struggled that summer with a lot of self-doubt. I stopped applying to offers and just struggled in Memphis.
But when I returned back to Clark, I was rejuvenated to rebirth my love for media, people and the industry. I went ten times harder than before and researched over 50 volunteer opportunities, worked ever event for free or low rates, Ubered hours away for experiences, connected with people on Lindkedin, set up over 15 informationals, and allying to every internship program available. I worked with my school’s Mass Media’s program on Cyntoyia Brown’s book tour and did the run of show for Dorothy Butler Gilliam’s book tour. I took every chance I had to show my dedication to my craft. I did not sleep. I had to go through a really rough time of doubting myself and my capabilities to get where I am now.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I specialize in luxe branded events in entrainment and lifestyle content. I love creating the dreams of clients through visual aids. I focus mainly on bringing awareness to the multidimensional needs of Black Women though entertainment, beauty, and live luxe productions. I use my background a media professional in public relations to connect journalists, influencers, and brands together to create an ultimate experience. I strive to tell the clients story through a couple of hours in their dreamland or working with a legendary company like Essence Communications facilitating a Black Woman’s playground of beauty, entrepreneurship, and fashion.
What I can say is that everyday I am growing and learning more about how I can reshape my lens on space, community, and a new age of media. I attend webinars, seminars, and am constantly searching the internet on the latest trends in the experiential marketing world. I have had to step out of comfort zone and do many tasks that have truly helped my grow and learn everyone’s role in this big picture.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
My proudest moment of my career was finally working with Essence after my struggles during the summer of my junior year. I worked so hard to get noticed by them after not receiving the Live Events internship and being called on to work their Entrepreneur Summit with Target was a dream come true.
I was in the room with every Black professional I studied the biographies of and I was working for them for a weekend. I was shocked and it really was a lot for Me to handle and gain enough courage to go speak to every single one of them and introduce myself. I grew more in the weekend that I ever have.
I put myself in super uncomfortable positions to network and have authentic conversations with some of my idols. Taking a photo with the Essence logo with my Essence shirt on will never not make my grin like a six-year-old. The experience of working with so many Black Women killing the game in a fly and effortless way will not be amazing to me. I will always embody that sprit on any event produce or work. It was all of my hard work and terrible moments in an unimaginable moment. That weekend means everything to me!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://reginaeb10798.wixsite.com/reginae
- Phone: 9013568937
- Email: reginaeb10798@gmail.com
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