Rae Mackenzie Group, Inc.

"This award ceremony is such an important way to celebrate and recognize Black women for their contributions throughout our state. These women are pillars of our community and their legacies will be carried on stronger when we are able to give them the recognition they deserve." Rod Young, CEO of Delta Dental of Minnesota and Celebrating the Sistas Board Member. #celebratingthesistas

"Everyone, and I mean every single person, should have the chance to reach their full potential. And that is what Celebrating the Sistas is all about—coming together to ensure everyone has the opportunity to succeed and thrive. Because when they do, our region thrives." Chris Galvin, President & CEO of Andersen Corporation and Celebrating the Sistas Board Member. #celebratingthesistas

“Celebrating the Sistas provides an invaluable opportunity to uplift the voices in our community that need to be heard. By honoring the contributions of extraordinary Black women in our state and beyond, we’re highlighting the critical role inclusion and belonging play across organizations. I’m excited to be a part of the next chapter of Celebrating the Sistas as we look to maximize our impact on behalf of Black women and girls everywhere.” Kiera Fernandez, EVP and Chief Community Impact and Equity Officer of Target and Celebrating the Sistas Board Member. #celebratingthesistas

"By coming together to honor these incredible women, we send a clear message that says we see you, we value you, and we are committed to creating a future where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. Celebrating the Sistas is about being truly committed to ensuring our region moves forward together." Greg Cunningham, MBA, Senior EVP, Chief Diversity Officer of U.S. Bank and Celebrating the Sistas Board Member. #celebratingthesistas

"I look forward to serving on the board to support such a joyous, inspiring, and truly incomparable event that cultivates a deeper connection between corporations, community leaders, and the individuals they serve. I am so thankful that Sharon has provided our region with a way to pay tribute to the incredible impact of Black women on our community." Tim Welsh, Community Champion, Board Member, Transformational Leader and Celebrating the Sistas Board Member. #celebratingthesistas

"I’m thrilled to be part of the evolution of Celebrating the Sistas as it quickly becomes one of Minnesota's most impactful events. My commitment as Chair is to further amplify this important event that provides Black girls and emerging Black women leaders with relatable role models who have overcome systemic barriers, closed doors, and closed minds. These stories of perseverance and success inspire the next generation to dream big and realize their limitless potential.” Laysha Ward, Author, C-suite Leader, Board Member, Speaker and our current Advisory Board Chair. #celebratingthesistas

I am still beyond words. If you own a small business, then you understand the ups and downs that come with it. Getting through gatekeepers. Getting introduced to the right people. Having corporations give you a shot. Now, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have the support of leaders over the years. But what happened to me at the conclusion of Celebrating the Sistas has me in literal tears. Our icon award recipient, Laysha Ward, told me that our event was indeed like the Golden Globes or Oscars (and she would know). Laysha shared that she wanted to stay engaged, and agreed to help chair our Celebrating the Sistas Advisory Board to help elevate our event more. I couldn’t have been more thrilled! Similar conversations followed with Kiera Fernandez, Greg Cunningham, MBA, Chris Galvin, Rod Young, and Tim Welsh. And so, the first ever Celebrating the Sistas Advisory Board was formed. My small, for-profit business would receive the support and advice of some of our region’s most influential C-Suite leaders. Now that’s something you don’t see everyday. So, I want to thank each and every one of you. You believe in what Celebrating the Sistas means to our region. You agree that this event plays an important role in keeping our region competitive by attracting, and RETAINING top talent. And you support having a platform to celebrate the Infinite Impact of Black Women during Women’s History Month to show young girls around our region that Minnesota is a place where everyone can thrive. We will be sharing a daily welcome post for each of our advisory board members on Rae Mackenzie Group, Inc. highlighting what Celebrating the Sistas means to them and our region. Learn more about becoming a sponsor here: celebratingthesistas.com #celebratingthesistas 

It was another incredible Celebration of Black Music presented by Andersen Corporation and proudly produced by the Rae Mackenzie Group. What an honor it is for the Rae Mackenzie Group team to produce this event because it aligns so perfectly with what our CEO, Sharon Smith-Akinsanya teaches all of us— that we all need to do a better job of expanding our networks and building relationships in community. A huge thank you to the amazing The Dakota Minneapolis staff for their impeccable attention to detail, and an extra special shoutout to jamecia bennett for her electrifying performances that brought the house down for two back-to-back shows! #BlackMusicMonth

Expanding diverse networks is key to keeping Minnesota competitive. We can't afford to lose our top talent to competitive cities. Celebrating the Sistas® is about making sure Black women in our region are seen and celebrated for their accomplishment, while inspiring future generations to greatness here in Minnesota. We want to send a special thank you to our Presenting Sponsors for making all of this possible: U.S. Bank, Thrivent and Target. Congratulations Sharon Smith-Akinsanya for continuing to champion the power of relationships and creating strategy and experiences that make expanding diverse networks impactful and life-changing. #CelebratingTheSistas #SistaRipples #AwardCeremony #BlackWomen #WomenLeaders #Minneapolis

Here’s what leading corporations understand: showing up authentically for community events matters. But here’s what might not be quite so evident… While choosing to be in the room is essential, there is so much more that goes into getting the most out of the event, starting with curating your guest list. WHO you choose to invite can help you elevate the impact for your organization. Consider the potential results different guests can have: ✅ Your CEO and C-Suite leaders → Killer leadership positioning opportunity ✅ Emerging leaders → Support talent retention efforts ✅ Your Employee Resource Groups → Reinforcing a culture of inclusion ✅ Talent of Color → Diversifying your talent & customer pipelines With Celebrating the Sistas fast approaching, Sharon Smith-Akinsanya’s latest blog: provides invaluable insights to help corporations strategically leverage community events like Celebrating the Sistas and beyond. https://lnkd.in/gDGAjUtB #LeadershipPositioning #DiversifyingPipelines #TalentofColor #EmployeeResourceGroups #WorkCulture