Although Oak Cliff is a neighborhood where more than 66% of the population is Hispanic, 22% white, and over 7% Black, the Oak Cliff Chamber of Commerce didn’t hire a Black person until 2007. That person is one of today’s guests to the show, the current President of the Chamber, Kiyundra Jones. 

In this episode, I have the pleasure of welcoming Kiyundra Jones and DeAnn Lax to the podcast. Kiyundra is the Oak Cliff Chamber of Commerce president, IOM, and a Business Expert. DeAnn Lax works as an Associate Creative Director at the Chamber; she is a communications professional with over 15 years of experience in community relations, grant writing, and public affairs. 

Today, Kiyundra and DeAnn share bits of their story, how and why they decided to join the Chamber. We have a conversation about the Chamber’s services, how they assist the community, and their link with minorities’ representation. Kiyundra talks about the moment she got into the Chamber and noticed she was the only Black person there. We also talk about video games, education, the St. Philip’s School and Community Center work, and much more. 

Visit the Oak Cliff Chamber website: http://oakcliffchamber.org/

Check on their Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Oak-Cliff-Chamber-of-Commerce-105530486724/

Follow them on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oakcliffchamber/

You can connect with Kiyundra on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiyundra-jones-iom-314855104/

Or with DeAnn also on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deann-lax-m-a-0425a611/

Full Episode Breakdown:

4:37 – Dr. Marc introduces today’s guests.

5:38 – Kiyundra explains the Oak Cliff Chamber of Commerce services and how they assist the community.

8:05 – Kiyundra talks about the experience of being the first Black person ever to be hired by the Chamber.

9:20 – DeAnn talks about her role at the Chamber. She explains how they assist Oak Cliff’s entrepreneurs and business owners.

14:52 – Kiyundra talks about the reaction of Oak Cliff’s Black community after seeing someone that looks like them leading the Chamber of Commerce.

17:45 – DeAnn talks about what made her decide to join the Chamber.

23:55 – Kiyundra talks about the different partners the Chamber works with and their roles.

28:41 – Kiyundra explains what is the Oak Cliff Thrives program about.

32:33 – Dr. Marc, Kiyundra, and DeAnn analyze the power and benefits of the gaming industry not only as entertainment but also as a career path.

37:36 – Kiyundra and DeAnn talk about their relationship with video games and what games they used to play. 

40:42 – Dr. Marc, Kiyundra, and DeAnn reflect on the possibility of making a living out of what we do for fun and how the gaming industry provides that in many cases.