Celebrating The 9th Anniversary of The Business Innovators & Gamechangers (B.I.G.) Awards Gala

When we made the decision to launch the Business Innovators & Gamechangers Awards Gala, (The B.I.G. Awards Gala) in June of 2013, we were acutely aware that we were entering an arena that was hugely over-represented, almost every event incorporated some type of award element, most with good intentions, and highly appreciated, but usually focused on a limited clique of alumni, fraternities, associations, churches, and the like. Party promoters have since joined the ranks of conferees of awards. We laud all these efforts to offer genuine recognition to those who make the world a better place. As a matter of fact, we understand from those examples two vital human traits, the need for recognition and the desire for reward. The shy and understated among us may find that difficult to understand, but there is an entire psychology devoted to the adage, “encouragement sweetens labor.”

So, we have chosen to expand and elevate the award space by making: (1) The Awards the Event – rather than being part of an event. (2) We bring together awardees who have an undisputed record of service and sacrifice to sharpen each other’s skills and achievements. (3) We hold our awardees to a high standard, requiring that they expand the network of achievers for the common good, and complement each other in the pursuit of community building. This diligence on our part in partnership with our awardees gives us license to Celebrate and Curate this event at the 9^th Edition of The Business Innovators & Gamechangers Awards Gala – (The B.I.G. Awards Gala)

We have changed the perception that awards events recognize only popular or affluent people or serves to appease or befriend prominent individuals; our motives are driven by a philosophy established by the late Marcus Mosiah Garvey who instructed us to, “canonize our own saints, create our own martyrs and elevate to positions of fame and honor, black men and women who have made their distinct contributions to (our) history.” Also, as publishers of an established community magazine, WhereItzAt (also available online at gowhereitzat.com), we are not just able to publicize the achievements of our awardees locally, but internationally as well; so this inspiring event is Curated for the sake of posterity. It is therefore not unusual for our alumni to be singled out for additional recognition and acclaim due to the extensive publicity they receive from this program.

Come discover the most authentic and relevant awards show in the Urban Caribbean American community, dedicated to recognizing and honoring people who are business owners/professionals, civic leaders/volunteers; the real innovators, and game-changers in our communities of color. This is one of only a few programs that screens and evaluates honorees on the basis of their active participation in community life, in addition to their business, or professional achievements.

We are sincerely, and irrevocably dedicated to recasting, recreating, and re-establishing our own images as leaders, innovators, and game–changers; for too long the mainstream media has neglected our achievements, and our stories, therefore, be reassured that WhereItzAt Magazine has created The B.I.G. Awards Gala platform to showcase those achievements. So, if you are someone, or you know someone in your community who is making a significant difference, it could be a business owner, a civic leader, a health professional, a law enforcement officer, clergy, or your next-door neighbor, nominate them. We’ve also added an Industry Award to our categories, to cover restaurants, entertainment venues, professional practices, local manufacturers, and other industries.

We invite your participation in nominating those who are deserving of recognition for making a lasting and profound difference in our communities. Make plans now to join us on Saturday, September 30, 2023, starting 6 pm at the Garden City Casino, 51 Cathedral Drive, Garden City, for the 9^th year of The B.I.G. Awards Gala. You’ll be glad you did.