 Aloha everyone. Welcome back to our show. We're the voice for the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Hawaii. We have a great show for you today. In honor of Black History Month, we're so excited. Our chambers are growing. Joining us today is Danielle Wills. She's the founder and Scarlett Diaz. She's the vice president of the Hawaii Black Chamber of Commerce. Welcome, ladies. Thank you. We're so glad to have you here. We're really excited. And like Barbara said, we're watching different organizations in the community grow. And now that you guys are here, we want to hear all about it. Danielle, if you could kind of kick it off, tell us about yourself. You know, what inspired you to start the Hawaii Black Chamber and your vision for it? So I'm going to let you take it away and share with us. Thank you. Thank you, Marcel. So Danielle Wills, again, I am a serial entrepreneur. I've been in business for myself since I was 14. Started off teaching piano lessons and today founded the Hawaii Black Chamber of Commerce. Our Black community on Island is growing. And we're just full of entrepreneurs, full of creatives. And I really just wanted to create a space to encourage unity, to uplift us, to educate us and have a place where we can just really grow and not only not only grow, but for our businesses to thrive. Now, are there some like misconceptions maybe about the population of the Black community here, right? Like, what do most people think you said? Can you give us a little bit of stats maybe and about the Black community here in Hawaii? Yes. Yes. So there is a Black community in Hawaii, which is a beautiful thing. You know, it's not the first thing people think when they're visiting or even when I moved to Island. There's some misconceptions that all of us are in the military and some of us are here just because of the aloha, because of the Island, because it embraced us and many of us and finding more and more of us are here to stay and here to plant seeds and build businesses and have roots and raise our families here. We are coming up on 2% of the population, which, you know, it sounds small, but it's over 20,000 people and a lot of us are business owners. So I feel like it's something that may not be seen, but I'm hoping to change that and kind of bring us to the forefront, help us to be seen and help us also just have access to resources. You said something. Sorry, I'm kind of hogging Barbara here, but you know, you said you're a serial entrepreneur. And, you know, when I look at you in Scarlet and then here, you know, Barbara and I, it's like, oh, we're sisters. We have the same goals and we've gone down the same, you know, similar paths with certain desires and passions to grow our communities. Where did that really, I know our story and how we kind of came about, but it is a endeavor. It is not for the faint of heart. It is a passion project. I mean, can you kind of get into that because like what gave you that idea? There's other on Island, right, to kind of bounce off of that. There's organizations, black organizations that are really focused on the like social and cultural aspect of the black community, right? And like for us as in the Hispanic Chamber, there are also Hispanic organizations that are focused on the party and the culture and the scene. And we're trying to carve a niche, right, in the business side of our community. So can you talk a little bit maybe about that, what you're trying to do different and how you really got into that because it doesn't just happen. I mean, yeah, yeah. That's interesting. And sorry. And how did you guys, you know, to add on to that? How did you guys meet and come up with that? Because I know we haven't really introduced Scarlett yet. So whoever wants to take it and run with it. Yes. Yeah. So it actually started out of a conversation that Danielle and I had. So Danielle also helps me with some entrepreneurial endeavors, but I am, I've spent most of my career on the corporate side. I have my MBA from USC, fight on. And so we just in some of our conversations, I'm an ambassador for the state chamber. So Hawaii Chamber of Commerce. And one thing I noticed was that I had met a lot of black business owners in our communities, but we didn't have a space for it. And so, and I knew Danielle was a black business owner who's very successful and was already putting together events. And so we had a great conversation about it. And to be honest, I kind of forgot about our conversation. And then she reached out to me a few weeks later and was like, I have paperwork ready. I've talked to all the right people. We're going like we're ready to go. So so I think it's a good mix between both of us just from not only our backgrounds being very different, but kind of again in Yang where we work really well together. But Danielle has a lot of experience and knowledge from her background also. And if you want to talk about that with the previous Chamber of Commerce is. Yes. So I was on staff for the Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce for a couple of years. It was me and the executive director. And I just realized how helpful it was for the black businesses in Colorado, especially during COVID, you know, it was a way that we got access to capital knowledge. I was able to do some business coaching through the Chamber. And so coming here, you know, my first thought was just to look for one. And then again, through conversation with Scarlett, there was not one established already. And so I'm all about filling needs and little holes. And and I was like, you know, it is a need. And I think it's something that a lot of us don't know how helpful a Chamber can be. I'm like, you guys touched on my husband and I were a vet planner. So we know that there's a lot of people that go out and enjoy each other, enjoy the culture, have fun. But we need to feed our businesses as well. So same thing, hoping to fill fill in each in the business side for all the black businesses on the island. That sounds like our story, right, Marisol? Yeah, she's a realtor and I'm a mortgage broker. And we're like, Oh, how can we network in the community? Oh, let's reach out to the Hispanic Chamber. And we're like, Oh, there's none. So I guess we're just going to start one. That sounds familiar. Right? If there's no door, you build it. That's right. That's right. Here. So let's talk about, you know, Black History Month. Tell us, you know, share any events that are going on on the island with us. Yeah, you know, Black History Month starts and it's my favorite month. And so there's a chance for us to celebrate culture and all different aspects. February 1st, tomorrow, the Honolulu African American Film Festival starts. So a lot of opportunity at the Honolulu Art Museum to see films, to reach out to the community and really support the arts. In addition to that, we are sponsoring, we are endorsing Black Heritage Festival that's going to happen on February 24th. And I guess our most exciting endeavor, February 29th, is the leap year, a super special day. We are going to be doing our ribbon cutting, our opening, little palhana, inviting other chambers, also people that might be interested in members to come out, have some poo-poo's with us, talk story, meet us, meet me, meet Scarlett, and kind of really jumpstart our programs here at the Hawaii Black Chamber of Commerce. Where is this event going to take place? That's so exciting. Yes, thank you. This is going to be at the Waikele Country Club. So it's going to be a really nice event, a really nice setting. We're just hoping to see everyone there. It's going to be a Thursday night. It will be after work. Oh, you'll see us there supporting for sure. That's exciting. We'll do one for our five-year Barbara. We never, we never did one. So this is fun. We'll live vicariously through yours. Yes, we're celebrating our five-year this year actually. Well, let us know. We would love to come support your event also. Yes, you might have to contact you guys for event planning. Yes, that's great. Yeah, so I was stalking your Instagram page and I noticed that you guys did a community outreach recently. So what was that about? Tell us, share that with us. Yes. Go ahead. I'll share a little and I'll let Scarlett add on there. But it was just the way we wanted to start off giving back. And so we joined another organization, Love Right Now. That's actually my husband and my event planning. And we wanted to do something to get out into the community. And so it was super excited to just get together for a good cause. Scarlett, you can add on to that. Yeah, it was fun because we made it a family event also. And so we were able, one of the things we want to focus on in the Black Chamber of Commerce is not only supporting our business owners, but also making sure that we're supporting our community that we're engaged. And community is all of the Ohana here, right? So we have on our website, it says together we thrive and we really believe in that. And so that means, you know, that means everybody. And so the event was, it was great. It was a lot of fun. We got to talk to a lot of people in the community, give out items to those who needed it. And the children got to be part of it too, which I think is really important to start at a young age. Yeah, you started a young age and then it just becomes part of like your lifestyle, right? They don't know any different, which is wonderful. And what was the name of the organization? And I'm sorry, could you talk a little bit about what it's, what they're, I guess, I don't know if they're mission, but what, you know, what they're about? Yeah, I collaborate with them. The company's called Love Right Now. It's a company, my husband, I started together. And it's really just about love and about doing it in the present. You know, so whether that's through community events, just gathering people, we are gatherers. We love getting people together. We love letting people have good experiences. And so that message kind of encompasses so much, right? Love encompasses so much. And so we do day parties, we do formal dances, feed the homeless. And so so the community, the community event, the community service events is really the core of it. Because fun to get together, but it's really important to give back. And when we live in Hawaii, we want to make sure that, you know, we've been blessed here. We've been super blessed through the people. And so we're trying to make sure we give back. And so it was a really important event to have as a first one that we endorsed as a chamber as well. That's great. Thank you. How do people find more information on where to, you know, your vans or where to follow you? For Love Right Now, we are on Facebook and Instagram. Love Right Now, H.I. And then for Hawaii Black Chamber Commerce, which is growing, we would love you for you guys to follow us and see a lot of the things that we're doing. It's H.I.B.L.K. And so you can find us on Instagram and Facebook as well. I was going to ask Danielle Scarlett, what have you guys, what's the response that you're getting from the Black community? Are they aware yet that you're here? Is it kind of a soft opening, or have you blown the doors open? And what has been the feedback and response and support that you're getting? I would say people are excited. I don't think everyone knows yet. You know, we've both been kind of networking with people individually and reaching out to as many people as we can. So far, the response is excitement, but also trying to figure out what does the chamber do. So we're going to have to be doing some educating, and then we're welcoming everyone. We do have people waiting currently to become members, which is really wonderful because it lets us know that it's a need. And so we are super excited to kick off tomorrow and start welcoming members. That's so great. And what type of things have you thought about maybe what kind of services or education that you want to offer Black business owners here in Hawaii? Yeah, that's a great question. So we definitely have thought of things. You know, we want to do networking meetups. We also want to do workshops and bootcams, whether it's virtual or in person, for the education side. On the other side of that, though, we want to see what the need is, right? Like, so I might be thinking, people need to get together, they need to connect, they need to learn, and they might have some other holes. So we want to survey the members and really make sure that whatever programming we come up with is what they need. That's great, Danielle. We just sent out a newsletter with a survey for our members as well, you know, trying to gauge what they're looking for this year. Are they looking for specific networking events within their industry, or, you know, workforce development programs, or, you know, just trying to figure out how we can better serve our community. So yes, that's very important. So here we are five years later, still trying to figure it out. I guess it's an ongoing process and, you know, continuing to grow. I had a question for you guys. So we are the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and not the Latino Chamber of Commerce. We joined the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and therefore that's where we got the name Hawaii Chamber of Commerce Hawaii. My question to you is, why is it the Black Chamber versus, you know, African American Chamber? Can you elaborate on that? That's a good question, yeah. Yeah, I wanted to make sure that as much as possible we weren't including everyone that identifies as Black. There's a little bit of a cap with labeling it African American Chamber of Commerce. I myself am from the Caribbean, and I have a lot of friends on Island that I hear permanently that are directly from the Caribbean, still consider themselves just West Indians, but they identify as Black. So I did not want them to feel left out. You know, there's people here straight from Africa, there's people here from Canada, Europe. Not all are American born and raised. And so yes, we are living in America, but I want to make it clear that all people identified as Black are welcome and that this is a space for everyone. Makes sense. I know, we could even have a whole workshop on just what does it mean to be Latina versus Hispanic, right, Marisol? And depending on what country you come from, do they speak Spanish there? Is it, you know? Yeah, what type of the dialects, the food, the music, the dance, I mean, it's so rich in different cultures. It's still the Hispanic, Latino culture. Same, you know, when the Black community, there's different foods, right, different parts of the world. So you have a lot of wonderful and exciting events and education that I foresee for the Black Chamber. Yeah, it's exciting that we're here to support each other because in some, you know, areas our communities even cross, right? We have Afro-Latinas and it's going to be exciting to support each other. I think the most important thing is inclusivity. You know, we talk about that on our website and I said we talk about, you know, together we thrive and the more that we can make a space where everyone feels included and feels welcome and feels like they're represented, that's the most important part. And so, yeah, we're really excited not only to be here, but also to be, you know, hopefully having some partnerships with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and other groups on Island this year to bring us all together. For sure. You know what, the Chambers, you know, the communities will be like, who are, who are these ladies? These Chambers? What happened? Watch out. Danielle, can I circle back, just kind of full circle to when we first started our conversation. You touch on that you're a serial entrepreneur. And from what I understand, there's a few things we might have, you know, left out. So if you don't mind elaborating a little bit, I think one thing you said you're a piano instructor, would you mind sharing a little bit more about, because listen, being an entrepreneur, again, it is not for the faint of heart. Like you have to have a, you're a different kind of breed for sure. And you have the other kind that are very corporate and structured and it's all fine. But can you share with us a little bit about your projects and ventures that you've gone through? Definitely. So my very first entrepreneurial journey started when I was 14. I started teaching piano lessons to younger children in the neighborhood. And then I started doing dance and I feel like I had a unique experience because both my parents came to America, you know, looking for a better way and they ended up making their way right from the Caribbean, from Trinidad, they ended up becoming entrepreneurs. So we saw them start businesses from nothing. You know, we saw them have all hands on deck from our aunties and uncles and cousins being the first employees working. And so my mom and my grandma and my dad always instilled in me like, if you have a talent for something, if you're passionate about it, you can make a way. So they supported me 100%. I was 14, started teaching dance and piano, you know, went to school to be an educator and early childhood and then ended up opening up my own home daycare because I had children and I did not want to just send them off to school. So I had my own home daycare for 10 years. Once they were in school, that's when I just started, you know, kind of digging back into myself like, what do I really like to do? And the one thing I was passionate about again was entrepreneurship. So I started, started dabbling in business coaching and then ended up working with two nonprofits that were focused on teaching and helping, helping black women succeed in their businesses. And kind of the same thing, just seeing them not bootstrap, not struggle, you know, parents, mothers, sometimes single, single parent families and still realizing that you can be an entrepreneur, but you can have a village and you don't have to do it alone. I along the way became a photographer. So that is kind of like my, my therapy. So it is something I do, it is a business, but it's something that actually is like my getaway and feeds me still. And then I do a lot of things. So I'm also a doula and a child birth educated and that comes back to I'm a mama five. So I've had some mixed birth experiences, some traumatic. And, you know, unfortunately, some I learned about some of the the unfortunate circumstance that happens due to race in the maternal world. And so I was just like, I want to fill this need and help other moms in whatever way I can. And then, yeah, so those are, those are like, that's a little bit of a synopsis. I can talk for like hours about all the things. But right now I am a photographer and an event planner. And now I'm founder for the Hawaii Black Chamber of Commerce. Thanks for sharing. You definitely take this role. Super mom. Yeah. So let's let's talk to Scarlett and Marisol. And the fact that you both are USC alumni. I went to my undergrad undergrad at USC and graduate school, but there was a long 10 year gap between the two graduations. So a lot of things happened in there, a lot of different states and jobs and children, just life. And you told us that recently they contacted you to do an article or a feature? Yes, the USC Young Alumni Association just contacted me to do a feature as one of their successful alumni, which I, you know, I think we all have a little bit of imposter syndrome. Like, when do we, when do we know that we're successful? But, but I do feel honored and humbled to be able to do that, that small feature and and also hopefully get more involved in the USC community, alumni community as well. Yes, it's so great to see two USC women starting chambers here in Hawaii. That's, that's going to be a great piece. Yeah. I know when you, you know, when you put it that way, when you're in the thick of it, it doesn't feel like you're doing anything big, right? Or magnanimous, like you were talking about that imposter syndrome. We actually had a guest at one of our of our podcast, and it was amazing specifically talking about that. So we just do the things, right? We're going with it. It doesn't feel like it's a big deal. But when you hear somebody else talk about it, you're like, Oh, that's actually, it's kind of cool. We are doing things. Well, I'm excited to go to your ribbon cutting, please. You know, I know you'll keep us posted and we'll share lots of great content about it. Is there anything else that you'd like to share before we, you know, end this program here? I think the one thing I want to share is just, you know, I think both of our chambers coming together is a really important thing because, you know, often the ethnic groups can kind of work in silos. And I feel like the beautiful thing is immediately after even meeting you guys, thank you for reaching out, connecting. I feel like we have a really beautiful thing and we can encourage just a lot of, a lot of working together, collaboration, cooperation, sharing of resources to kind of trickle down to all the business owners, all the different groups here on Island, because we live in a place that's a melting pot and that's the beauty of it. And not only that, it's melting pots of people, but we can, we can share all our resources and help make sure everyone is doing what they love and not struggling. Yes, it is a beautiful thing. And the fact that we're a part of the Hawaii Chamber of Commerce and they support us and, you know, we've been invited to meet with them next week is that's going to be exciting. Our chamber is both of them and the fact that, you know, we have community members like Think Tech Hawaii supporting our voice and giving us, you know, a voice in the community. So thank you to Think Tech Hawaii for providing us with a platform. Thank you Danielle and Scarlett for joining us today. Thank you, Marisol, and thank you to our listeners. And you can catch us in two more weeks. Adios and Aloha. Aloha.