Meet Hiram Smith
DOING WELL AND DOING GOOD MUST COEXIST
As a native of New Orleans, Hiram Smith was among thousands of residents deeply affected by the devastation and despair that Hurricane Katrina left in its wake. But Hiram now reflects on his journey with greater emphasis on the triumph than the tragedy. Why? Because that fateful day, August 23, 2005, would ultimately become a catalyst for his greatest growth and development.
While the warnings of an impending storm were all too familiar to those in Southern Louisiana, the intensity and impact of this event would become far more dangerous. But moving from the city where Hiram and his family had such deep roots had never been an option before Katrina virtually destroyed his Gentilly neighborhood and uprooted him, his mother and two sisters, and their families. Another sister, his twin, lived outside of New Orleans.
After his father’s passing when he was a mere toddler, Hiram was the only male in the immediate Smith family and keenly felt his responsibility to assure their well-being. They had a few relatives living in Houston and Texas seemed the logical destination as a familiar, nearby, and safe place for his family to wait out the storm. They evacuated the day before the storm hit, and it took them 23 hours to get to Houston to escape the hurricane because of the unbelievable traffic. However, once television coverage began to show the extent of the devastation, he knew he had to make some hard decisions.
They had only prepared to leave New Orleans for a few days, as was the case with every other storm. But they had no idea that this time would be the last time they would ever call Louisiana home. After so many levees and flood walls protecting the city were breached, the grim realities of Katrina’s human toll and physical destruction of their beloved hometown set in. Like so many others, they had lost everything but the few clothes packed and a few photos in the car.
Hiram gives thanks to God first, for sparing their lives as they were able to escape the ravages of Katrina. And then, for helping him to support his elderly mother, two sisters, nieces, and nephews as they now had to start life again in Texas. It is no understatement to say that they were all in shock and disbelief.
Who could have envisioned that this hard-working, independent family would now find themselves in such a vulnerable position? Hiram struggled to coordinate the acquisition of Walmart gift cards while getting family members food and clothing during this unforeseen transition. It was tough to keep his mom mentally strong while experiencing such loss at her advanced age.
Hiram’s thriving career was also a casualty of Katrina. He had been the award-winning, go-to special events person in New Orleans. His company, The Citilife Group, specialized in event management and design, in addition to concert promotions. For many years, he had helped produce several of the city's Super Bowl-related events, special mayoral functions, and national conferences. His hard work paid off when he was catapulted to become one of the most sought-after event planners in New Orleans, with a growing national and international following.
Hiram affirms that it was indeed a faith walk to move to a new city and attempt to recreate such a storied career. He talked with God and asked that He help him restore the life he once knew while in an unfamiliar environment. Then he began the arduous task of rebuilding his brand. The Bible says, "All things work together for good for those who love God.” So Hiram earnestly sought divine guidance to sustain him emotionally and spiritually during this challenging time. But he knew there was no turning back and he had to make this relocation work for himself and his family.
Once arriving in Houston, he decided to rebrand as HiramStyle, “The Creative Edge in Events, Décor and More.” With many people from New Orleans now living in Houston, he initially relied on name recognition from those familiar with his work to help restart his career. And he began actively networking to build relationships throughout the community with various individuals, as well as influential social, business, civic and religious groups.
Hiram volunteered often and donated numerous hours of professional services to showcase his services and promote his business to Houstonians. He knew it was necessary to invest his time and resources, often beyond his modest means at the time, to display his skills to potential clients. However, Houston had already increasingly shown itself to be a welcoming city for the many new arrivals seeking to rebuild their post-Katrina lives.
Hiram credits his pastor, The Rev. Dr. Remus Wright of the Fountain of Praise, with giving him his first real opportunity to let the world know who HiramStyle was. The church was having its highly anticipated annual Christmas Celebration, called “Epiphany.” Hiram was asked to be the event designer and use his creative skill sets to work on a project of this magnitude. Not only did he execute impressively, but by all accounts, he greatly exceeded all expectations.
“Epiphany” allowed him to beautifully transform the sanctuary, “HiramStyle,” for a Christmas concert, which proved to be a valuable springboard for him. Since the church had such a large congregation, including many influential members, he had a platform to shine. After this showcase, other major opportunities were offered to him. He subsequently became the event designer for the National Urban League Conferences, Barack Obama’s' Houston fundraiser, and the Pinnacle Awards for the Greater Houston Black Chamber of Commerce, where he was also an award recipient, among other outstanding projects.
Hiram takes great pride in his own signature of professional excellence that his clients have come to expect in events he manages and designs. That is why he expresses great concern about those who boast about what they can do and promise to do it, yet fail to deliver or fall short. Witnessing the destructive impact of this inability to follow through is why Hiram has such a passion for young people and for mentorship. He understands that such self-inflicted failure can often leave those who aspire to succeed feeling hopeless and confused.
Growing up without a father, Hiram relied on his mother, uncles and family male friends to show him what accountability looks like. For many other young people in New Orleans, this lack of mentorship, already concerning before Hurricane Katrina, was seriously heightened post-Katrina.
Hiram recalls that one night he went to the post office in New Orleans and saw many teens hanging out there around 9 p.m. When he questioned them, he learned that the post office was the only place where they felt safe from gangs, killings, and violence. He thought this was an absurd reality. And it led him to start the Fashion Lab of New Orleans, "to help the kids regain their sense of hope beyond their current circumstances,” he said. He knew they were still traumatized by the sight of water and dead bodies in the street.
“Changing Lives By Design” was The Fashion Lab’s motto and Hiram set out to make it happen. He enlisted the support of high-powered friends from his professional circle to build upon his concept of teaching creative kids the business of fashion and help them gain the confidence to see the world's beauty. He collaborated with Russell Simmons and other fashion designers in New York who had compassion for the situation in New Orleans.
The first year he had over 200 kids in the program, which gave them purpose and discipline, as well as exposure to the world of business and entrepreneurship. It worked. Over time, some 185 former Fashion Lab participants graduated from college, attended graduate schools, developed great careers and traveled worldwide. The mentees excelled in leadership skills in numerous fields – including sports, government, entertainment, and education – all over the city and throughout the nation. Grateful for his role in their lives, they keep in touch and report on their progress in life.
This successful model is something that Hiram wanted to bring to Houston. It is to create a lasting legacy to allow the new generation to dream bigger dreams and do greater things beyond the limitations of their current circumstances. Seven years ago, he established The Authorized Foundation on the premise that we live in a technology-driven society where we must be “authorized” to make even the most basic transactions. The Foundation thus encourages participants to adopt the mindset that they are indeed authorized to do and be their very best, whether in academic or non-academic pursuits, that will equip them to become contributing members of our society.
Through his own life experiences, Hiram Smith has learned that this life is not simply about the selfish pursuit of material assets and the perception of success. Having once lost everything he had worked so hard to acquire and achieve, he understood that it was the generosity of spirit he was shown in Houston that enabled him and his family to rebuild.
Hiram also understood the enduring gratification of helping young people to grow and succeed in life, just as a village of caring adults helped him to navigate life in New Orleans without his own father. Success in business is only a part of the legacy he aspires to create, although it represents the best and highest use of his creative gifts.
But Hiram feels that we must all aspire to be a part of something that is greater than us and that will live beyond us. He wants his legacy to reflect his genuine caring for those around him. He wants to make life easier and opportunities more accessible for the next generation. He wants to be a positive influence on young people in the City of Houston, where he has been allowed to continue his life's work.
Doing well is a blessing, he says. However, those who have been blessed to do well have the ultimate responsibility to do good and touch the lives of others in ways that make a difference and pay it forward.
