“It’s about access, visibility, and encouragement for professionals of color.”
by Vanessa Michelle
Arnold Hines is Cleveland’s networking & events mastermind. But his mission exceeds luxurious venues and fancy cocktails. Hines’ mission is personal.
“There are stereotypes all around about people of color in the professional roam. I want the city to realize that we are working-class people, educated, and we have disposable income too. We can do the same thing as anyone else.”
Hines is known for hosting networking events in Cleveland’s most exclusive venues. His company, formerly known as Word Of Mouth Productions, now Arnold Hines Events, hosts monthly events every last Friday of the month. Hines facilitates a variety of events such as brunches, cocktails & conversations, to elegant networking events. I had the opportunity to attend his upscale networking event at Headline Bar & Eatery.
Now, on the surface, I was a little hesitant about what to expect. As we all know, networking can be dull or just flat-out underwhelming. But to my surprise, I enjoyed myself and had the opportunity to talk candidly to some of Cleveland’s finest professionals of color. Everyone came with smiles and a sense of eagerness. It was less about business cards and more about sharing information. I enjoyed that the most.
I learned some new information about dealing with diversity in the workspace from an HR Executive and I asked a lawyer a few questions about commingling business and personal income.
And let me tell you…they happily gave me all the tea I needed to know!
The venue, Headliner Bar & Eatery, had a conservative-chic style. The bar featured ivory-grey tiled flooring, neutral-toned decor, blue high-top chairs, cozy brown lounge couches, and a long bar with outlets. Yes, outlets! It had me feeling ‘business professional’ with a touch of chill vibes. The area I loved the most featured a long marble top table a few feet from the bar. The table also had outlets embedded in the table. I’m assuming for people like me who want to enjoy the bar vibe without having to sit close to other people.
After taking the final sip of my lemon-infused Cosmopolitan cocktail, I pulled Hines to the side for a quick interview about networking in Cleveland. I quickly realized that Hines is so much more than an event promoter. As a matter of fact, during our talk, I quickly realized he has a secret identity. Arnold Hines is a community activist using events as a means to help give visibility to the invisible, access to the underdeveloped, resources to those in need, and encouragement.
“Our culture is moving everything and we aren’t making money from it. We need to be on the other side of that. Meaning, building the apps, making the sneakers. We gotta wake up. It’s long overdue.”
His goal is to offer support and genuine connectivity, in hopes that his audience would give their respective communities the same opportunities & experience.
“As I’ve gotten older and evolved, I’ve been doing more community engagement. Before I was just doing the east coast grind. But now [being in Cleveland for over 30 years} it’s about uplifting our community. We always have this notion of not working together but we can collaborate and do more if we come together.”
During our interview, Hines made it a point to mention that the people he attracts are like-minded and always have something to offer to support and uplift the community.
“Sometimes I’ll get 500 RSVPs, and 40 people show up but for me, less is more. It’s quality over quantity.”
Arnold Hines with Vanessa Carter, photo by Emanuel Wallace
As an attendee, I felt a sense of high-scale professionals. Each person had a different reason to be there. I met a nurse that expressed a yearning for like-minded people to surround and support her. I spoke to a musician that recently added ‘magician’ to his resume. He showed off his new skill set to a few of us watching, it was impressive!
I left the event thinking about how human connectivity is a universal desire. Even during a time when gathering can be risky, people still yearn to be connected. I think that’s fascinating and beautiful.