We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. Samone Brown and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. Samone, what inspires you?
I am inspired by the principle of Sankofa. This principle is often taught through a visual representation. The Sankofa symbol represents a mythical bird that has its feet firmly planted forward, but its head turned backward. Literally, the word means “One must look to one’s past in order to chart one’s future”. As an African American, the Sankofa consistently reminds me of my obligations to the generations before me. This proverb often comes to mind when I reflect on my own cultural learning experiences from my childhood. It is important that I understand what my ancestors and supporters did to make it possible for me to have the opportunity to be a business owner. Now it is my responsibility to serve as a model for the generation that follows me. I am inspired to know that when individuals respect the past and unite, we can produce business opportunities that can positively impact our community and the world.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
When I was little, my mother asked my siblings and me what we wanted to be when we grew up. When I responded, I exclaimed to my mother, “I want to do GREAT things!” Little did I know that this exclaimed childhood statement would come to fruition in so many ways and impact our world. When I was younger, I had a cousin that had challenges. As kids, we would tease her, but as we all grew older, the teasing stopped, and we became her protector. This experience gave me the desire to help students with disabilities. So when I attended college, I changed my major from communications to special education. As a young teacher, my students quickly gained successful results with their academic achievement. An opportunity emerged, and I was encouraged to leave the classroom ten years later to work as an assistant principal. I thought that they were out of their minds, even though my very first principal, the late Mrs. Harlean Beal, told me that I would make a hell of a principal. Just dumbfounded, I thought that she was out of her mind. Well, she wasn’t. I quickly move into a principalship within a few years. After years as principal, I started to reflect on my life and often thought about the part of my life that I had crammed into a box and placed a steel lid on top. I did not want anyone, especially my family, to know that I had been a victim of abuse while in college. After praying about the situation, I decided to break my silence because I knew that cases of domestic violence, teen dating violence, and human trafficking were rising. I felt the need to protect others from the perils of different types of abuse, especially young people. As I began to pen some of my past experiences, Beneath the Scar: Rise to Healing was birthed. I wanted to stop writing at times, but I knew that the words that came forth from the pages would help empower someone, and even more importantly, I hoped that it would save at least one life. Fast forward from 2017; prior to that time, never would I have imagined that I would transition beyond the authorship to become a motivational speaker, book publisher, and movie producer. In 2019, the movie Beneath the Scar was filmed and released. It is currently streaming on Amazon Prime. I am so grateful! Mainly grateful for the lives that I have touched through my book and movie. It has taken faith and consistency amid challenges to become an author, speaker, entrepreneur, and film producer, which all started with me sharing my story with others. I want to inspire others to follow their passion and share their stories, gifts, talents, to the world.

Any great local spots you’d like to shoutout?
Restaurants — First Watch, The Babyback Shack, The Dragon Fly, Fish City Grill, Vegan Food House Museums — The African American Museum, Dallas Holacaust Museum, Texas Hall of State, The Sixth Floor Museum Entertainment — The Black Academy of Arts and Letters, Author Book Releases, Live Music Anywhere Shopping –The Shops at Legacy, Tawni Haynes Apparel, The Shops at Clearfork, University Park Village Parks — Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, Trinity Park Golf Courses

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to give a shout out to some individuals and group: My Family & Friends The Family Place — The Domestic Violence Survivors who help to support victims. Cynthia Reid Wills – Director of Beneath the Scar The Cast & Crew of Beneath the Scar Movie

Website: https://www.drsamonebrown.com/
Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/dr-samone-brown1b157b
Facebook: Dr. Samone @samonepublishing

Image Credits
Picture of Dr. Samone in front of Dallas Skyline courtesy Mojo Q Photography Picture of Dr. Samone in a blue blouse and purple skirt courtesy of Mojo Q Photography

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