Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their role in U.S. history. As a part of our mission statement, “Our Foundation”, we strive to foster a culture that recognizes and celebrates the value of everyone’s contributions. This month, we partnered with our newest Team Member Resource Group, BRIDGE (Black Resources Inspiring Diversity, Growth & Excellence), to spotlight a few of the many influential African American team members within our organization. Join us each week in February to learn about the inspiring stories and achievements of these dynamic members of our team!
This week, we learn about Dominique Enriquez, Marketing Director.
Dominique, who we all know as Nikki, is Caribbean American and was raised by 3 generations of strong and independent Caribbean women. Her family migrated to America from Jamaica in the 80’s in pursuit of the American dream. Although this journey had its fair share of hardships, they achieved everything they had hoped for. Their struggle and sacrifices have not been forgotten and taught Nikki the importance of being proud of her heritage, and embracing who she is, unapologetically.
One of the biggest obstacles that Nikki has faced throughout her career has been herself. There are many challenges associated with being a woman, and a woman of color, in a corporate environment. Due to the narrative of these social constraints and gender biases, Nikki placed a lot of additional pressure on herself to exceed those biases and expectations. “For me it has been the idea of striving for perfection, professionally and personally, which I have quickly learned is unattainable and causes unnecessary pressure and burnout.”
In response to this, Nikki has adopted a mantra that focuses on seeing the glass as half full, showing up each day as the best version of herself, celebrating the small wins, and not limiting herself to the expectations of others. “By giving myself grace and understanding that the narrative carved out for women does not have to hold true, each day is new opportunity to start over, refresh and realign.”
As the Marketing Director for Engle Martin, Nikki attributes her success to the person who has influenced her the most, her mom. It was Nikki’s mother who illustrated the results of hard work and perseverance to create the life you want. This has also led to Nikki embracing her love of traveling and experiencing new cultures globally. Upon graduating from the University of Georgia (UGA), she moved to Zamora, Spain for a teaching opportunity with the Embassy of Spain. “It was the most incredible and fulfilling adventure of my life.”
To Nikki “Black History Month” means celebrating the sacrifices, struggles and unwavering courage displayed by both her family, and African Americans that paved the way for her. It is also a time to reflect on key learnings that has shaped her. One of which is derived from a quote she read in a magazine that has stayed with her, “don’t be afraid of being different, be afraid of being the same as everyone else.”