Walter Gainer II

In the summer of 2022, I began following Walter's LinkedIn page, because his passion for creating community education touched me so much.  His primary purpose was to support fellow Black creatives to discover their voice and find their unique niche in the marketplace. 

As a novice creator, I was a mess. I had created some guides and podcast episodes, but there was a lack of cohesion in my products.  I had a vision of what I wanted to accomplish, but lacked the knowledge of how to get there. 

Fortunately, I was able to attend several sessions with Walter and his colleague Chris Ward Jr.  In those sessions, my mind was opened to all the possiblities that existed of expanding my community reach. 

​More than anything, I remember the amount of patience that Walter and Chris had with me.  They didn't get frustrated by my endless questions nor my ignorance. Instead, they met me where I was at and helped me to design the next steps.  It had been a long time, since I learned something new for the first time and it really humbled me as a workshop leader and consultant.  It put me back in the role of the learner, which I needed.

Around the same time, Walter launched a podcast called Working While Black.  The platform was designed for Black creatives and entreprenuers, to share their ideas and discuss obstacles they faced while trying to reach their dreams.  This spoke to my heart, because the podcast was all about raising each other up in a time when the world was tearing others apart.  It's still going strong today. 

Every community needs a space where their ideas can be seen and heard.  Walter identified a missing niche and went to work to create it.  Although I am not a member of the Black community, I still listen to his podcasts and videos.  It helps me to see situations from a different lens and be aware of my own ignorance.  

For instance, Walter was on an episode of the Changing Lenses podcast where he openly discussed black hair discrimination.  As a non-Black person, this doesn't come up in my daily context, so this statement struck a chord.  "You may be successful, but also at the same time you're still Black.  So if they have a problem with your hair, they're more than likely going to have a problem with you being Black as well."  I am still speechless that we are still having these issues in 2024, but I'm grateful to Walter for bringing it to our attention. 

There are many words to describe Walter and his actions, but I think risk-taker encompasses them all.  The International Baccalaureate (IB), the teaching program that I follow, defines a risk-taker as a person who: 

• Approaches uncertainty with forethought and determination
• Works independently and cooperatively to explore new ideas and innovative strategies
• Is resourceful and resilient in the face of challenges and change.

It is not easy to share your voice in the digitial space.  There are voices that criticize your work, which can lead to imposter syndrome.  Whenever I feel this way, I listen to Walter's words and they buoy me up.  

We all need a Walter in our lives.  A person that we might not know well, but their reach is far and deep.  I've been blessed to meet Walter in-person on a recent work trip to Atlanta.  It was like I was meeting up with an old friend that wanted to know the status of my progress.  I felt emotionally full after our dinner and motivated to keep doing my thing.  

Who is your Walter?  How do they support you to meet your goals?