Legacy 2016 Miami: 25 Most Powerful Women Issue | Page 6

6BB

AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT BY MIA MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS GROUP TO MIAMI HERALD

MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 2016

BUSINESS REPORT
By Beatrice Louissaint

Doing Well While Doing Good®: How Black Business Owners
are Changing the Face of Giving in South Florida

Beatrice Louissaint
President and CEO
Southern Florida Minority Supplier
Development Council
Many black-owned businesses are
engaged in civic, philanthropic and
volunteer initiatives that are making a
difference in our community. Some of these
companies have established their own
charitable organizations to assist their
favorite causes, they belong to
organizations focused on volunteerism, or
they are doing acts of kindness and giving
generously to assist the less fortunate. In
addition, the black-owned companies
provide employment, many times to those
whom others consider unemployable, they
pay taxes, and contribute to the overall
vitality of our community and country.
What drives these entrepreneurs? They
are driven by the desire to find solutions to
challenges, improve communities and
involve their employees in meaningful
projects. Many of these stories are often
overlooked. As we celebrate the season of
giving, family, faith and unity, I want to

Lex Pierre-Louis, founder of Lex
Promotions and Marketing Group, and Jones
Pierre, CEO of IPD, collaborated with Choice
Airways to bring the children of Haiti some
Christmas cheer. The duo and their families
brought over 5,000 items including toys,
clothing and food to children in need.
Several other individuals and organizations
assisted with providing donations including,
Boujoly Films, Crazy Hood Productions, DJ
Khaled, E Class, Gotti, Miami Sign Shop, MIA
Magazine, One Simple Wish, Print Giants,
and Rick Ross.

celebrate, encourage and thank
black-owned companies for their
contributions that have a tremendous
positive impact on our community. Here are
three amazing examples:
Sharon and Wayne Gill, Gill Law Firm, P.A.
Gill Law Firm practices exclusively in the
areas of collection and recovery
(commercial and consumer), creditor’s
rights and commercial litigation. Thirteen
years ago, Sharon and Wayne Gill
established Oasis Compassion Agency with a
10% tithe from a legal fee received in 2002.
Now, the agency operates a women’s
center, a food pantry, a thrift store and a
career center. The agency has helped tens of
thousands of people, including needy
children. Oasis Compassion Agency is
committed to showing God’s love in tangible
ways by addressing the physical and spiritual
needs of the poor and needy in central Palm
Beach County. Oasis has dispensed more
than a million pounds of food to needy
families and counseled hundreds of women.
The agency has taken several women from
living on the streets or sleeping in their cars
to gainful employment and meaningful lives.
The Miami-Biscayne Bay Chapter of The
Links, Incorporated
The goal of the Miami-Biscayne Bay (FL)
Chapter of The Links, Incorporated is to
provide service to individuals throughout
the community. The chapter’s outstanding
programming incorporates five facets:
National Trends and Services, The Arts,
Services to Youth, International Trends and

Services, and Health and Human Services.
The Links, Incorporated is an international,
not-for-profit corporation established in
1946. The membership consists of nearly
14,000 professional women of color in 281
chapters located in 41 states, the District of
Columbia and the Commonwealth of the
Bahamas (many of them are business
owners). Links members contribute more
than 500,000 documented service hours
nationwide. Two members of the
Miami-Biscayne Bay Chapter of The Links,
Incorporated who are making a difference
every day are Lakitsia Gaines and Dr. Anita
Petteway-Tyler.
Lakitsia Gaines, Lakitsia Gaines
State Farm Agency
Lakitsia Gaines is the owner of a State
Farm agency, the #1 auto, life, homeowner
and boat insurer in the country. Lakitsia’s
community involvement began at an early
age and continues today, including speaking
to various organizations about financial
literacy. In her church, Lakitsia founded a
dance ministry for young girls to feel more
confident about themselves. She also serves
on numerous boards that serve the
community. Her personal motto is, “People
don’t care how much you know, until they
know how much you care.”
Dr. Anita Petteway-Tyler
Dr. Petteway-Tyler is a solo practitioner
specializing in Internal Medicine. She
provides preventive and primary care
services along with the treatment of chronic
conditions. Dr. Petteway-Tyler speaks at local
churches, schools and community

group meetings about preventive medicine
and serves on the board of the Family
Christian Association of America (FCAA). She
also is a founding board member of Women
of H.O.P.E. (Health Occupations Promoting
Education), Inc. She believes that she is
called and gifted with the purpose of serving
mankind by helping each person to live his
or her best life.
Recently, Lakitsia Gaines and Dr.
Petteway-Tyler spearheaded an effort to
raise scholarship money for students
attending Florida Agricultural & Mechanical
University (FAMU) during Art Basel. With
the support of many black-owned
businesses and the other members of the
Miami-Biscayne Bay Chapter of the Links,
Incorporated, they raised more than
$30,000 during Linked With Basel.
The business success of these
entrepreneurs helps them to do well in our
community. The next time someone asks
why the growth of black businesses is
important, give them these outstanding
examples of companies Doing Well While
Doing Good®.
Beatrice Louissaint is President and CEO
of the Southern Florida Minority Supplier
Development Council. The vision of the
SFMSDC is a diverse and inclusive
environment where economic success is
achieved. To learn more about the SFMSDC
and other companies that are Doing Well
While Doing Good® (a registered trademark
of the SFMSDC), visit sfmsdc.org and
www.doingwellwhiledoinggood.biz
or call [phone].

Christmas Giving in Haiti

Prizm Gallery: Dark Matter(s) | Jefferson Pinder