04 Jun Miller Diversified Sponsors Employee Alyssa Taylor For Multicultural Twilight Market
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By: Alyssa Taylor
Miller Diversified approached me last summer and offered to sponsor me to participate in the Leadership Toledo Signature Program for 2021-2022. I was and still am extremely grateful and humbled by the offer – not all employers are actively searching for ways to support and better their employees in such a significant way. I was especially excited for the Signature Program because it sounded like a great way to get to know some of the hidden gems and powerhouse organizations of Toledo, and expand my local professional network. These were things I had been lacking ever since moving back to the area in 2019 after living in Columbus for 10 years.
The program kicked off in September 2021 and consists of monthly sessions held at various locations throughout the Toledo area. Our final monthly session was Thursday, June 2nd. The program also includes participation in a service project. My project team is assisting LISC Toledo and Welcome Toledo-Lucas County with organizing and hosting a Multicultural Twilight Market to celebrate and support local minority and immigrant owned small businesses. Toledo is home to such a diverse and talented population and I’m excited to see it all on display at the market – from the vendors, to the artists, the entertainment, and the food. The event is scheduled for August 6, 2022 and will be held at the Toledo Farmer’s Market downtown.
The LT Signature Program has been a great opportunity and a positive experience in so many ways. There were 50 participants in my cohort, representing a wide variety of companies and organizations throughout the Toledo area. The monthly sessions and participation in our service projects provided ample opportunity to network with my cohort and build relationships that I’m confident will last throughout my career. The program also provided many opportunities for professional development and personal growth. One of my favorite activities was evaluating our personal leadership styles by taking the Predictive Index (PI) Behavioral Assessment. We then had a consultant meet with us to help explain our results and better understand our own leadership styles, as well as learn how to be adaptable and aware of the leadership styles of those we interact with on a daily basis. This activity and many others were very introspective and helped me really examine how I work and problem-solve on a daily basis, and also better explore my personal career and life goals on a deeper level.
I especially enjoyed all of the team building activities we participated in, including tree-climbing at the Metroparks, a day-long “SimSoc” simulated society exercise, and trying our hand at improv with the Children’s Theater Workshop. These activities brought us out of our comfort zone for the day and forced us to try new things. As an adult, it can seem like there aren’t many opportunities to try new things anymore, and we prefer to be comfortable in our daily routines. This program was a reminder that it’s never too late to try something new, to listen to new perspectives, or to make new friends.
Each session was hosted at a different location around Toledo, including Oak Openings, Wildwood, the Toledo Zoo, the Toledo Art Museum, Rogers High School, Toledo Express Airport, the new Glass City Metropark Pavilion, and the Ohio Theater. There was so much value alone in just visiting and learning about these important local places, and meeting the people who have made each place an important part of life in Toledo.
The LT program really made me feel connected to and proud of Toledo in a way that I never did before.
Alyssa would like to extend an invite to the entire Miller Diversified team and the community to come and enjoy Multicultural Twilight Market. Please visit Miller Diversified’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MLRDiversified to LIKE and RSVP for this event (coming soon). If someone you know may be interested in being a vendor at the event, please share this information with them or feel free to send Alyssa their contact info and she will reach out. There’s no fee, and vendors will have the opportunity to connect with business development resources at the event. For more information, visit https://www.lisc.org/toledo/multicultural-twilight-market/.