In the sea of bright orange aprons at The Home Depot’s “Home Girls Night Out” workshop, you can’t miss Melissa Brown’s golden smile. The manager of multicultural marketing who has the distinctive responsibility to develop and oversee the African American marketing strategy and manage components of the Hispanic marketing plan, says these type of initiatives aimed at educating the community bring her “joy.”
Brown recognizes that more and more women are adopting home improvement as a new hobby or pursuit. “We’re learning the tools of the trade and are engraving our initials on toolboxes, belts, hammers and drills.” With that said, Brown creates mutually beneficial partnerships between Home Depot and organizations like Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., which held a Home Girls Night Out this past spring. Sorority members came out in full force to participate in mini workshops, demonstrations, win prizes, enjoy refreshments and get product information on eco-friendly gardening.
Home Depot has also been a sponsor of the Tom Joyner Fantastic Voyage cruise and a weekly segment on Steve Harvey’s radio show. “Through all of those avenues, the goal is to get out into the community and allow people to see the things that we’re doing.” she says.
In embracing all of Home Depot’s core values, those that Brown is most closely aligned with are “taking care of our communities, respect for all people and more importantly, giving back.”
She continues, “I give back in various ways, but I’m convinced that the most rewarding way is through mentoring and helping others. One of the philosophies that I live by is ‘Give without expecting to get anything in return.’ It’s simple — none of us got to where we are by ourselves, so pay it forward.” –yvette caslin
