Create West Virginia

A guest post by Duke Jordan, Charleston Police Sergeant and Entrepreneur

The diversity in my day rotates between my roles as a father, a Charleston Police Sergeant, and a Great Expectations Real Estate Agent. Serving as a police officer allows me to serve and protect, while my role as a Realtor allows me to make a difference in the community through economic development and teaching financial and credit responsiblility.

I embrace the diversity in my life not so much as an African American male, but in my flexibility, curiousity, and ability to create and merge my passions and talents as economic resources and community assets. I'm learning this skill set is part of what allows creative workers to thrive in the creative economy through Create West Virginia. (www.createwv.com).

My roles are important to me for the perspectives they offer as I challenge myself to look at the problems and solutions towards building a better West Virginia. I've only recently discovered Create West Virginia through their connection to NASCAR, and our shared optimism seeking "From Obstacles to Opportunities" for West Virginia.

Over several weeks I've investigated the failure of West Virginia's potential NASCAR tracks, and for years I've watched our communities suffer in crime due to lack of jobs and the desperate need for more family friendly recreational opportunities. I know I'm not alone when I say a NASCAR Track would be a win-win for both our communities and economy alike.

On October 20th, the Create West Virginia conference will encourage more dialogue around NASCAR in West Virginia with Marcus Jadotte, NASCAR Managing Director of Public Affairs, as a featured keynote speaker. Mr. Jadotte will address the unique challenges of building proactive momentum for a diversity within a tight-knit cultural environment such as NASCAR.

Through years of having a close family friend of mine involved in racing. I've experienced firsthand how the sponsorship of a race track has shown not only minorities, but our young generation that there are all kinds of jobs in the motorsports industry (engineering, manufacturing, accounting, finance, and marketing to name a few).

There may be many thing that folks consider in common between West Virginia and NASCAR. Diversity is certainly not one of them,but then again who would connect Police Officer and Real Estate Agent? I'm living proof that all are possible.

I'm looking forward to NASCAR's diversity keynote about expanding markets and opportunities through diversity. For me opportunities and diversity are simply a matter of changing your mind and "Expecting More!"