Today we’d like to introduce you to Renesha Alphonso.
Hi Renesha, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
The first defining moment in my life started in my roots. I was born and spent most of my youth in Guyana. My father immigrated to the USA soon after I was born, and my mother travelled frequently for work, so my grandparents adopted me when I was very young. My grandparents and I would travel to the USA every year to visit our close and extended family. Our summer and winter vacations became a time-honored tradition. Christmas dinners and Memorial Day cookouts with the extended family of aunts, uncles, and cousins colored my young, albeit naïve, perception of adult life. Food and family brought us together, blood kept us.
That was, of course, until the summer of 2004, when our routine vacation changed the trajectory of my life. In hindsight, I probably should have sensed that summer would be different –- the extra luggage and the special care taken in the planning. That time, when I arrived in Silver Spring, Maryland, the truth that I would not return after the pools closed lit my heart on fire. I ruminated on what that would mean for my life. At the time, it meant not being able to say goodbye to my closest friends or my first love. Today, it means something much different.
While my grandparents received their green cards that summer, as their adopted daughter, the process has only just begun for me. I spent my subsequent years after my visitor’s visa expired undocumented. I suppose I poured all my discontent with my immigration status and a strict upbringing into my education because I went on to graduate from high school at the top of my class. Since my immigration status had not changed by my senior year, my family made the decision to follow through with the process. At that time, it meant a penalty of three years for overstaying my visa. I spent them in Barbados, where my mother and sisters settled. One of the things I consider to be my superpower is my ability to find light in the darkest of places. I spent the next three years searching for light in places I could have ever imagined.
When I returned to the USA in 2011, I was behind — 22 years old, no license, no credit score, and no college degree. I worked numerous jobs while in Barbados, many of which gave me great experience and life skills, but none substantive enough to put on a resume. I developed this relentless desire to do better, to be better. While in Barbados, I spent a year at the University of the West Indies studying Accounting. It felt safe and practical. However, it wasn’t until getting involved with a close friend’s clothing brand that I found my real niche in Marketing and PR. Back then, I was planning brand launches and running social media campaigns before it became the industry standard.
When it came time to enroll in school, that hobby became a passion. I switched my major to communications and spent 7 years perfecting my craft. Somewhere before or in between earning a bachelor’s degree in Communications and a master’s degree in Corporate Communications, I discovered my joy of celebration. Whether it came from fond memories of adorning my friends and family in multicolored powders during Phagwa celebrations in Guyana, Christmas dinner with cousins filling every inch of the house, or Sundays at the beach, nostalgia became the word that defined my journey. I launched “Nostalgia Events and Design” during the pandemic. By that time, I had already planned dozens of small and large-scale parties, brand launches, and fundraisers both professionally and as a hobby. That propensity to “do too much” became the foundation on which I built my business.
There were several stops along the way, but in addition to officially starting my event planning business, I transitioned into a career in politics. After serving as Director of Communications for Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman, I recently joined the Comptroller of Maryland as their new Strategic Communications Director, in addition to being a proud mom, wife, and homeowner.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
After immigrating in 2004, I spent my high school years in a constant state of culture shock. I was too Black for the Montgomery County schools and too foreign for DC schools. When I enrolled in Archbishop Carroll High School my sophomore year, the faith-focused education was familiar. I spent most of my childhood in Sunday school, and I had the Baptism, Communion, and Confirmation certificates to prove it. In high school, I was on the receiving end of immigrant jokes.
I went on to graduate from high school with over a 4.0 GPA, but my immigration status was the dark cloud that followed me everywhere I went. I couldn’t attend my dream school, so I enrolled in Montgomery College instead. A year later, I would depart the USA for Barbados to serve my time. I spent three years battling depression while working several jobs and going to school. During that time, I found the kind of strength that only God can give. The kind os strength that would sustain me throughout my life.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
There were several stops along my personal and professional journey. In addition to officially starting my event planning business, I transitioned into a career in politics. I served as Director of Communications for Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman for several years.
Prior to joining the Pittman administration, I worked as a communications professional for nonprofits and schools. Because of my extensive background in social media, I launched social media accounts and led rebrands and website revamps for a number of those organizations. Through that work, I discovered that I am a systems thinker with a keen ability to perform under pressure. Along with being highly organized and efficient, I developed a reputation as someone who gets difficult jobs done.
With a natural gift for creativity and a strong background in operations, the transition to politics was a surprisingly perfect fit. During my time in government, I set myself apart as a communications strategist, leading crisis communications initiatives, crafting policy messaging, and finding unconventional ways to inform and educate the public about the work of local government.
I recently joined the Comptroller of Maryland as the Strategic Communications Director. The services I offer through my event planning business are a natural melding of my strengths, both professionally and personally. I live the work every day, and I dream it every night
What do you like and dislike about the city?
What I love most about our city is the pride people feel in being from Baltimore. There’s a real sense of ownership here. People care deeply about their neighborhoods, their communities, and the future of this city. That kind of pride is powerful, and it’s something you can feel in every corner of Baltimore.
What I like least is that there’s still so much untapped potential. From housing to small businesses, there are too many hidden gems that haven’t been fully realized or supported. Baltimore has everything it needs to thrive, but we haven’t always connected the dots. Those same neighborhoods, spaces, and businesses have the potential to be for Baltimore what DC is for Washingtonians. We just have to invest in them and believe in them.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.nostalgiaeventdesign.com
- Instagram: @nostalgiaeventdesign
- Facebook: Nostalgia Events and Design
