Young professionals from a variety of business and nonprofit sectors offered reasons they’re optimistic about Odessa and advice on ways to get involved in the community at a Coffee and Community Conversation hosted by Odessa College Wednesday.
Held in the Zant Room of the Saulsbury Campus Center, it was emceed by Reagan Paquette, director of the educator preparation program and learning frameworks at OC. The panel included Kaylie Banda, vice president commercial lender and chairwoman of Young Professionals of Odessa; Aaron Thomas, disaster program manager at the Red Cross; Mallory Langford, director of marketing for University of Texas Permian Basin; Savannah Morales, an experienced business owner and CEO of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; Keagan Scott, executive assistant to the vice president of instruction at OC; and Savannah Woodward, business development coordinator at OC.
Paquette and the panelists serve in many capacities in a variety of organizations in the community.
Paquette asked the panel questions and they took questions from the audience and people listening to the livestream.
Several panelists are from Odessa, but they may have left and returned. The consensus is that the people bring you back and keep you here.
“My reason for Odessa changed over time. I’m from Andrews. I graduated from high school in Andrews and then left and went out of state for college and didn’t really have the intention of coming back to West Texas,” Scott said.
But he’s from a big, close family and he missed them. Scott had attended OC as a dual credit student in high school and had a chance to work there.
“I kind of had my mindset reframed around why being here in Odessa is such a cool experience at this moment in time. There’s a lot of need in our community, but with that comes a lot of opportunity. I feel very lucky to be up here with all of you talking about Odessa and why we love Odessa, but also I’ve come to really love the people. As you said, relationships are what keep me here. It’s about the people who are in this room. It’s about the people who fill up our everyday lives that make Odessa so special,” Scott said.
Banda said there are a lot of organizations that suit someone’s interests, or can help them professionally.
“Maybe you’re a young business owner and you need to get your name out there. There are chambers for that. Keagan touched on relationships. I think relationships are the basis of everything we do out here; of how we live our lives. Getting plugged into any one of these organizations is a great resource for young professionals,” Banda said.
Woodward said she agreed with Thomas that there are tons of resources in the Permian Basin.
“But I think … you yourself have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. You have to seize those resources, seek them out. I spent the first 25 years of my life in the same place and never would have taken the opportunity to seek out the resources in that community. Moving to Odessa, I changed my mindset. I said I’m going to get uncomfortable. I’m coming out of my comfort zone and I’m going to utilize the resources that are here,” Woodward said.
She added that joining organizations like YPO and Junior League has helped her in her career, as have the Discover Odessa guides, which allowed her to “plug in.”
Paquette noted that Downtown Odessa will be opening July 18. Located at Fourth Street and Jackson Avenue, it will offer green space, concerts, special events and eventually a building with classes, food and other features.
Thomas said people’s weekdays and weekends can be busy. There are volunteer opportunities and markets. He added that all you have to do is open Facebook.
Scott said if you can hone in on what makes people tick, you can understand how they approach their work and that leads to “better work.”
“I love to try to connect with people that I might not be super similar to. But I think even being intentional about the conversations you have and remembering what people are talking about, because people are talking about what is on their mind. Those are typically the things that they enjoy or that they are remembering or that matter to them. So if you remember those things and bring them up or find ways to talk about it, it goes a long way for others. So basically getting to know the human first and then getting to know the professional is what has been most successful for me,” Scott said.
Morales said she likes to connect with different organizations because she’s always learning. She also wants to see where she can be most beneficial.
“Learn your city because that’s how you can be the most useful to your community and learn what you have in your backyard,” she added.
Thomas said young professionals have to start being more vocal about what they want and what they would like to see.
“If you want to see something, start asking questions and figuring out why it’s not here and what can we do to get it here; create movements that can get the eyes of the people who have the power and the money to start taking us seriously as well,” Thomas said.
Banda said young professionals need to take ownership of the fact that this is their community.
“It’s going to thrive and be as successful as how much energy you put into it. Even as a young professional, I don’t have a whole bunch of money or resources, but I’m a people person, and I know how to talk to people and I’m a storyteller so I can connect with somebody,” Banda said.
Scott said you can already see the foundation being laid downtown to reshape the narrative of Odessa.
“I think a lot of people think of this place as where people come to work. It’s not where people come to live. It’s an exciting opportunity to be here as we develop programs, as we have new businesses, as Odessa becomes a place that people want to come to. Texas is experiencing a lot of migration, and why can’t Odessa be one of those places that people come to?” Scott said.
Thomas said companies should allow young adults to be creative.
Others on the panel mentioned that a lot of businesses want people with five years of experience, but young people who have just finished college don’t have that, so give them a chance and don’t underestimate them.
Banda said life is no longer about just going to work 8 to 5.
“Those times are no more. I never know how this is going to be received, but I think as a young professional the mentality is just because you’re my superior or have seniority you don’t get to treat me however you want. I don’t have to respect you if you don’t respect me. Respect is a two-way street. Whenever you have young professionals in your organizations, know what they value, which is being heard, and listen to their input. I’m not saying their ideas are the best, but make sure they feel like they have a buy-in into the organization. Show each other respect because I want to respect you as a human being and I want you to respect me as a human being; like boss, superior, all that aside. That’s what it comes down to,” Banda said.
