Imagine a world in which every one of us had to carve out a professional life without any assistance—each rung of the ladder of success would be so much more arduous. While there are always going to be setbacks and mistakes that boost our resilience and determination, mentorship is a powerful means of learning and benefiting from the mistakes and achievements of those who have gone before us.

Especially after the events of 2020, a particularly tough year of setbacks for women in the workplace, it’s more important than ever that we look to mentors achieving hard-fought successes in order to see the way forward. And for those who already have a seat at the table, allyship in the workplace is paramount in making room for new voices and perspectives in every industry.

In honor of the lasting power of mentorship, the Empowered Women campaign is sharing the stories of trailblazing women who are shaping their industries and the world’s view of Black culture today. The initiative, presented by CÎROC, Combs Enterprises, and Culture Creators, kicked off in March by celebrating a group of cultural vanguards and continues this month by honoring another lineup of 17 incredible women. The Empowered Women campaign continues through May and will shine a spotlight on a total of 50 extraordinary leaders in the fields of social impact, technology, business, entertainment, arts, and style.

Here, three of the April honorees share how mentorship has influenced their careers and how they’re extending a hand to the next generation.


Brandice Daniel still relies on her mentors.

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“Everyone says there are no shortcuts in life, but actually there are,” says Brandice Daniel, the founder and CEO of Harlem’s Fashion Row, a discovery platform for fashion designers of color. “You can take what they’ve told you and take that shortcut.” Daniel speaks from experience—a proud, self-described “fashion outsider,” she continues to rely on various mentors to help through difficult moments of her career. Now, the entrepreneur is paying it forward for young women in her industry. “There are so many things people didn’t tell me when I was coming up,” she says. “I think the best way to support other women is to be open with each other.”


Ashley Kalmanowitz found women who could be in her corner.

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In her role as the Senior Vice President of Publicity at Atlantic Records, Ashley Kalmanowitz is in the business of amplifying the stories of creatives. Fourteen years ago, however, when she was first getting started as an assistant, she found it difficult to find the courage to amplify her own ideas. “I second-guessed myself a lot,” she recalls. But Kalmanowitz found a reservoir of support and encouragement from the female leaders at her company. “I think I’ve had a lot of really strong women in my corner who have pushed me to be better and who have guided me throughout my journey,” she says. For Kalmanowitz, it was the trust of her mentors that gave her the confidence to climb up the corporate ladder.

“Mentorship is incredibly important in this industry,” Kalmanowitz says. “I’ve had a lot of young women come up underneath me, and I’m always accessible for any conversations, advice, help, encouraging them to take risks.” Perhaps most importantly, she reminds her mentees that while it may be tempting to look at those who have made it and wonder how to mimic their journey, everyone’s climb to the top is unique. “You’re killing it right now,” she tells her mentees. “Keep going on that path.”


Mona Scott-Young is stepping in to help the next generation.

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“I didn’t set out to do what I’m doing today,” says Mona Scott-Young. “It kind of found me.” From talent management to film and TV production, the entrepreneur’s skill set and passion for excellence has served her well as she’s taken on new roles and responsibilities.

Perhaps because her path to success was unconventional, Scott-Young says that mentorship played a role in her journey, but not as big a role as she would have liked. “Had I been able to lean more heavily on some women who had come before me and had some of the experiences I was experiencing, it probably would have allowed me to take that information in and progress at a much faster rate,” says Scott-Young. As a result of knowing exactly what she wishes she had more of as a young professional, Scott-Young now makes sure she does exactly that within her own company. “I’m willing to tell you anything once, but you’ve got to be applying it. It’s an opportunity to work out the kinks,” she says. “That’s what I try to provide.”


The April Honorees
BUSINESS
culture creators
Anastasia Williams

Founder, The A List

culture creators
ART & STYLE
culture creators
Angela Christine Stevens

Founder, Conscious Curls Hair

culture creators
ENTERTAINMENT
culture creators
Ashley Kalmanowitz

VP Publicity, Atlantic Records

culture creators
ART & STYLE
culture creators
Brandice Daniel

Owner, Harlem Fashion Row

Victoria Cotter
ENTERTAINMENT
culture creators
Gail Mitchell

Executive Director of R&B/Rap, Billboard Mag

culture creators
ENTERTAINMENT
culture creators
Grace James

SVP Marketing, Atlantic Records

culture creators
BUSINESS
culture creators
Jaia Thomas

Founder, Diverse Representation

Victoria Cotter
BUSINESS
culture creators
Justina Omokhua

SVP Brand Marketing, Endeavor

culture creators
ART & STYLE
culture creators
Kimberly Jenkins

Lecturer, Founder Fashion and Race Database

CEOPORTRAIT
SOCIAL IMPACT
culture creators
Kristi Henderson

Experiential Marketing Strategist, 2Fifty Seven Group

culture creators
TECHNOLOGY
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Lisa Gelobter

CEO, tEQuitable

culture creators
ENTERTAINMENT
culture creators
Mona Scott-Young

TV Producer and Entrepreneur

Jaxton Photo Group
ENTERTAINMENT
culture creators
Monique Blake

Talent Manager

culture creators
SOCIAL IMPACT
culture creators
Paulette Jordan

Former Democratic Idaho US Senate Candidate

culture creators
TECHNOLOGY
culture creators
Phyllis Newhouse

Entrepreneur and CEO, Xtreme Solutions

culture creators
SOCIAL IMPACT
culture creators
Stefanie Brown James

Founder,The Collective Pac

culture creators
ART & STYLE
culture creators
Tanisha Scott

Creative Director and Choreographer

culture creators

Leaders of the Empowered Women Team
CIROC
culture creators
Alaina Smith

Global Marketing Director

culture creators
CULTURE CREATORS
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Andrielle Beamon

Head of Brand Partnerships

culture creators
CIROC
culture creators
Chloe Moyo

Global Marketing Manager

culture creators
CULTURE CREATORS
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Victoria Cotter

Program Coordinator

Victoria Cotter