Marva smalls biography of donald
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The other thing is to keep paying it forward. Coming out of the public sector, part of my role at Nickelodeon at the start was to connect with government officials and public advocates. Learn how to say no, to not take too much on. My mother was a proponent of education and I was an avid reader. I have a team embedded in Nickelodeon conducting public affairs and administrative functions, and I now have a team that focuses on fostering an environment of inclusion and ensuring a first-choice place to work for all Viacom employees.
“I’m very lucky because
I love my work and
can pursue my passions
beyond work.”
What is your preferred role of those two?
(Marva laughs) I prefer having whiplash.
Plus, I was very interested in politics – USC is in Columbia, the capital of South Carolina, and I wanted to be near the seat of power.
I was a page in the state Senate beginning my freshman year. She also founded and directed an elementary school that won the National Blue Ribbon School Award for its success in closing racial and socioeconomic opportunity gaps.
After graduating from Yale Law School and Duke University magna cum laude, Samantha began her career as an attorney at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, where she worked on landmark school equity litigation to close the public-school spending gaps that disproportionately impact students of color and practiced commercial litigation.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, Samantha lives in Bed Stuy with her husband and two children, Stokely and Evers.
Do you ever ask yourself, “Why me?”
Yes, I ask myself that all the time, but then I also ask, “Why not me?” I’m grateful every day for the amazing opportunities that have come my way and the people I’ve met all around the world.
You know, that will be hopefully a teachable moment all around.”
Is it fair to say that you have the softness of your mother and the steel of your father?
I am the two personas of my mother and my father. Campaigning is about selling someone on your vision and its power to make a difference in their lives once elected – that you would navigate the policymaking maze and somehow allow their voices to be elevated.
On the governing side, it’s where the rubber meets the road – where you have to deliver.
I was a member of the Young Democrats. In contrast to high school, when it came time for college, I wanted to move outside my comfort zone. Viacom and Nickelodeon are dedicated to supporting communities and empowering people as part of their corporate mission. How can we close the gap in South Carolina?
What are the odds that you, from Florence, South Carolina, would be sitting here on this trendy street in this amazing apartment, leading organizations and making a legitimate difference in not just the diversity realm, but also the lives of children?
To have kids from Lake City or Florence, South Carolina, the hometown of astronaut Ron McNair, not have the aspiration to be an astronaut or not to think about aerospace engineering as a career is unacceptable in today’s world.
We must solve that – not only out of a sense of humanity but as a matter of survival for our state.
With other supporters, we launched the Ron McNair School for Aerospace Engineering at USC, and we’re still working on a host of related projects.
The goal is to set the bar high for our state to serve those who would otherwise not have a chance to succeed.
To have places like Charleston, where I’ve heard there’s a 50 percent high school drop-out rate, is untenable.
For example, for those veterans who were struggling with veteran benefits, it was fulfilling to be able to provide a level of constituent service that was unrivaled and best in class.
In addition, I was the first African-American woman chief of staff for a Southern member of Congress. But I thrive on the exciting pace and the work is important and I’m not ready to trade either.
I participated in oratorical contests. I figured that would be my journey in life. Can you describe it? I chose to stay at the predominantly black school because most of my family had gone there, and I was comfortable there. You report to both the CEO of Viacom and the president of Nickelodeon.
I’m extremely fortunate because the role I play was created in part because of my skill set.