5 Questions with Prosekians in Honor of Black History Month
Andre Browne, Ember Larregui , Karine Bruce-Doe, Amber Smith
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In honor of Black History Month, we asked five questions to some of our team members about their careers, life, and hobbies. While raising up diverse voices is important year-round, this month is a crucial reminder to amplify Black voices, hear their stories, and learn about the experiences that have shaped them into the individuals they are today.
Here’s what our fellow Prosekians had to say…
Andre Browne, IT Support Technician
1. Tell us about your background (where did you grow up, your culture, heritage, etc.).
My background is quite diverse. My father’s side of the family is from the island of Dominica, and my mother’s side is from Antigua. I am a part of the first generation to be born in America. I was born and raised in the Bronx for the first 10 years of my life, then I moved to the Poconos (in Pennsylvania) for the next 10 years. Since then, I’ve experienced a different side of life that my small neighborhood in the Bronx couldn’t give me.
2. What brought you to Prosek?
What brought me to Prosek was the opportunity to learn and work with a broad range of technologies. Since my start nearly two years ago, I’ve been able to learn foundational skills that will last a lifetime.
3. What are you best known for amongst friends and family, and what do you want to be known for at Prosek?
Amongst friends and family, I’m most known for playing "devil’s advocate." As the baby boy of my immediate family, I was given a long leash for being annoying. The best way for me to express that was to argue over any and everything. What I want to be known for at Prosek is my ability to be approachable. Dealing with technology can be stressful at times, and I can only hope that I make the process of dealing with tech easier.
4. What's a “fun fact” about you?
I’ve been able to go on several cruises throughout my short life, spanning most of the Caribbean! My favorite island (outside of the ones I have a personal attachment to) would be Barbados.
5. What’s one thing you wish people would know or one thing you recommend Prosekians engage with (i.e., one movie, one newsletter, one podcast, etc.) in observance of Black History Month?
My one recommendation would be to watch the show “Black-ish.” “Black-ish” has a great way of detailing Black history while also showcasing everyday social situations Black people go and grow through. I’m pretty sure it’s bingeable via Hulu if you have it!
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Karine Bruce-Doe, Account Executive, Digital
1. Tell us about your background (where did you grow up, your culture, heritage, etc.).
I am New York born and raised! I was born here in the city but grew up not too far from Poughkeepsie, NY, which is about two hours upstate. Both of my parents are from Ghana – my mom from Sekondi and my dad from Accra. Within the country, there are six major ethnic groups/tribes; my mom’s side of the family identifies as Ashanti and Fante, while my dad’s side of the family identifies as Ga and Ewe. Unfortunately, I don’t know the Twi alphabet, so I’m unable to read or write anything in the Ghanaian regional languages. However, I grew up hearing my parents speak their native dialects and French (because both lived in Cote d’Ivoire at different points in their lives). I’m not fluent, but I can understand conversations and respond in English. Most of my extended family lives in the UK or Ghana, but I’m regularly in touch with them thanks to the wonders of digital media. I haven’t been to the motherland yet, but I’m hoping to visit my loved ones soon!
2. What brought you to Prosek?
After completing a few college internships, I knew I wanted to work in digital marketing, but also within an industry that is more closely related to my academic background—economics. Discovering that Prosek integrates the best of both worlds is what drew me to the firm almost two years ago.
3. What are you best known for amongst friends and family, and what do you want to be known for at Prosek?
My close friends and relatives know me as the arts enthusiast who loves a good laugh. Music, photography, dancing, going for walks, and comedy movies/sitcoms are my go-tos when I want to unwind. At Prosek, I can’t think of something super specific that I want to be “known for,” but I do hope that my positive outlook on life and love for creative thinking can help others.
4. What's a “fun fact” about you?
People always try to guess my middle name, and almost always fail. Well, it’s Kafui (pronunciation: “KAHF-wee”), which means praise him/her. Since my dad gave me my first and last name, my mom was set on my younger brother and me having one part of our name closely tied to our heritage.
5. What’s one thing you wish people would know, and/or one thing you recommend Prosekians engage with (i.e., one movie, one newsletter, one podcast, etc.), in observance of Black History Month?
If you’re like me and food is the way to your heart, I highly recommend exploring the city through cuisine. Central Harlem has a lot of good Senegalese food, while the Bronx has many Ghanaian restaurants and African stores. As a first-gen American, I’m learning more about my culture every day; and hearing the stories behind the food feels like a step closer to being more connected. In general, I think genuine curiosity is key to learning more and celebrating Black History Month. If they are open to it, talk to people in the community about Black sitcoms they grew up with, musicians they listened to, books they read, artists they admired, etc.
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Ember Larregui, Assistant Account Executive 
1. Tell us about your background (where did you grow up, your culture, heritage, etc.).
Though I was born and raised in New York, I’ve spent a good chunk of my life in both Massachusetts and Florida, so I consider all three places to be home. I am a proud Afro-Latina, coming from both Puerto Rican and Dominican backgrounds. Because the Latin American community struggles with a lot of prejudice based on skin color, one of my personal missions has been to educate my community on what it means to be Afro-Latinx, and why we should uplift Black Latinx people who have historically been excluded despite being a vital part of the community.
2. What brought you to Prosek?
The PA Program! I was incredibly lucky to spend the majority of my program in the Boston office, where I got to learn from so many incredible Prosekians and make a lot of friends with the other Boston PAs (now Assistant Account Executives!) who I worked with.
3. What are you best known for amongst friends and family, and what do you want to be known for at Prosek?
I am definitely known for having the best music taste out of my friends and family. If there’s an AUX cord or a Bluetooth speaker at an event, I’m usually the one standing next to it! At Prosek, however, I’d love to be known for “special sits” work—it’s been my favorite thing to work on since starting, and I’m incredibly grateful to have gotten to try several of the different things Prosek handles under the special sits umbrella.
4. What's a “fun fact” about you?
I’m a huge movie buff! I’m still a fan of going to movie theaters even though it’s become less popular, and I am always available to talk about the latest sci-fi movie or TV show that’s come out. 😊
5. What’s one thing you wish people would know, and/or one thing you recommend Prosekians engage with (i.e., one movie, one newsletter, one podcast, etc.), in observance of Black History Month?
One thing that I wish people would know is that Black history is incredibly vast and rich; although it’s important to take time throughout the year to remember the painful aspects of our past, there are so many representations of Black joy that should be engaged with just as much, if not more often. As such, I’d recommend for anyone who likes documentaries to watch “Summer of Soul” (2021), which details the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival in New York—sharing footage from the event that was forgotten with time and amplifying powerful stories from attendees of how the community was brought together through music, culture, and love.
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Amber Smith, Account Executive
1. Tell us about your background (where did you grow up, your culture, heritage, etc.).
As an African American growing up in a suburban community of Atlanta, Georgia, I attended many backyard barbeques and cookouts. Atlanta is famously known as one of the best food cities in the country, so Southern-style and soul-food cuisines, such as shrimp & grits and chicken & waffles, were a staple of growing up in the South. Every year, I looked forward to visiting my grandmother’s house to celebrate Christmas and New Year’s. She would make her popular sweet potato pie and it was a family tradition for everyone to have a slice before heading home. Whether we were celebrating a birthday, baby shower or wedding, we would come together to enjoy a nice homemade meal, hip-hop music, and a few games of spades.
2. What brought you to Prosek?
I was brought to Prosek by the firm’s “owner mindset” and differentiated offerings. I love that we’re all encouraged to work alongside different services and sectors while creating our own paths. I was also intrigued by the abundance of opportunities to learn and grow here. Prosek is filled with changemakers, and I aspire to be an agent of change.
3. What are you best known for amongst friends and family, and what do you want to be known for at Prosek?
My family and friends would describe me as someone who only sees the glass as half full, metaphorically speaking. They say that I am always encouraging them to see the positive side of every situation and offering to help out whenever they are in need. My friends often say that I have a good sense of humor, but I’d say that is debatable.
4. What's a “fun fact” about you?
I was classically trained in piano for 10 years. I also enrolled in AP Music Theory in high school, so I can read and write music very well.
5. What’s one thing you wish people would know, and/or one thing you recommend Prosekians engage with (i.e., one movie, one newsletter, one podcast, etc.), in observance of Black History Month?
I truly wish that everyone could know that African Americans are different from how we’re typically portrayed by stereotypes in the media. There are talented black artists, writers, musicians, designers, and actors/actresses who voice our community in an authentic way but are often not provided with a platform to share their work, or their work is credited to someone else. I encourage you to engage with a movie, podcast, etc. authored by an African American. Tyler Perry’s adaptation of “For Colored Girls” is an excellent novel-based film depicting the experiences of black women in Harlem, New York. The movie was based on a poetry novel written by Ntozake Shange. 