As she accepted the award for Vendor Partner of the Year from the Minnesota Retailers Association, Sheletta Brundidge quoted two African American icons.
A podcaster, broadcaster and small business owner, Brundidge is the founder of podcasting platform and multimedia company ShelettaMakesMeLaugh.com.
Brundidge was named a Retail Champion in recognition her collaborations with businesses that buy commercials on her network to join her in charitable projects “that do positive work in our community.”
At the award ceremony at the Mall of America that acknowledged a dozen Minnesota Retail Champions, Brundidge wore a jacket bearing the image of Madam C. J. Walker, America’s first female self-made millionaire. The daughter of enslaved parents, Madam made her fortune formulating and selling hair products to Black women.
As she began her acceptance speech, Brundidge quoted Madam’s words: “I pray that people will look at us and see that we care not just about ourselves, but others.”
She followed that by acknowledging Stephanie and David Maggitt, who were her guests at the ceremony. Like Brundidge, the couple belongs to Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church in North Minneapolis. The Maggitts, who’ve headed the church’s annual Thanksgiving food drive for many years, reached out to Brundidge two years ago “when the price of turkey was going up but the donations were going down” as they budgeted for the holiday giveaway.
That prompted Brundidge to turn to Hy-Vee for help. The grocery chain were buying commercials with her and, as Brundidge put it, “since they were my sponsor, that made them my partner.”
Hy-Vee provided a generous discount so The Maggitts were able to purchase turkeys and all the trimmings to fill 350 food baskets. Brundidge also reached out to some of her other sponsors, including Comcast, General Mills, Bremer Bank, Clear Channel Outdoors and United Healthcare.
“They helped put those baskets together and carried them to the cars when folks came to pick them up,” Brundidge said. “They brought their children with them, their spouses, their neighbors to help.”
Brundidge asked some of her sponsor/partners who were in attendance to stand, and the crowd applauded them along with the Maggitts.
“Because the Minnesota Retailers Association celebrates me, as Vendor Partner of the Year, I want to celebrate all of you,” she said, clapping her hands. “Thank you for helping me make a real impact in my community.”
In closing, Brundidge spoke what she called “her favorite quote” from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
“Dr King said, ‘all mankind is tied together; all life is interrelated,’” she said. “I’m so glad we had a chance to connect.”