At William Means we support the growth and development of Charleston and would like to acknowledge the people who are working to make that happen. We’ve teamed up with CHARLIE to highlight some of the city’s most forward thinking people. For the next 10 weeks, we’ll share 50 Charlestonians making a positive impact on the city. Below are highlights from this weeks 5 out of the 50 Most Progressive.
1. David Thompson – Architect creating delicious design. You will notice his work at favorite Charleston restaurants like The Ordinary, Fig and Butcher and Bee to name a few. Thompson serves as chair of Lowcountry Local First, and Mayor Riley tapped him to be a member of the city’s Design Review Board.
2. Ade Ofunniyin – Artist and Professor with the spirit of Simmons. Dr. O is a professor of anthropology and African American studies at the College of Charleston. His grandfather is famed blacksmith Philip Simmons, Ofunniyin is writing a book on artisans framed around his grandfather’s work.
3. Ansley Pope – College Student/Activist and transformer:more than meets the eye. Pope is a Women Studies & Feminist Ideology major at the College of Charleston. He is raising the bar for college students to create spaces where people can express individuality and be themselves.
4. Deborah Blalock – Behavioral Health Expert promoting normal is overrated campaign . Blalock is working to remove the stigma surrounding mental health issues by promoting the message “Normal is Overrated”. The Charleston Dorchester Mental Health Facility where Blalock is the executive director sees 200-300 people daily.
5. Carolyn Finch – Woman in Tech creating opportunity for all. Finch works tirelessly to promote gender equality in the predominately male tech industry. Charleston “is on the crest of an interesting growth spurt” in entrepreneurship, and Finch is at the forefront of making that happen.
We can’t wait to see who is featured next week!
