Folashade Balogun is an innovative expert who has contributed her talents to several industries both locally and globally. Her journey began in petroleum and marketing as she was able to merge both industries by collaborating with African Petroleum PLC on different projects for 20+ years. Eager for a new journey, the emergence and visibility within the creative industry caught her attention and she chased it by launching House of SOTA, a fashion brand created to bridge the accessibility gap of African fashion to the diaspora. While working on the brand’s flagship store in Florida, USA, she had the opportunity to associate with Africans, African-Americans and minorities who were greatly accomplished but never acknowledged. This led to the birth of her most recent project, Black History & Lifestyle Awards which honors Africans and their accomplishments globally while also recognizing their contributions towards bridging the gap between African arts, rich cultural heritage triumphs and adversities, and raising awareness for black pasts and present accomplishments as well as black-owned businesses.