I would like to introduce the new Director of Marketing Guy Herrera. Guy Herrera is from Southern California and is a member of the Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians. Guy is a former multi-sport athlete with experience competing at different levels. Guy, has a lot of charisma, and his personality is what drew us to him.
His ability to conversate and communicate with people he didn’t know is one of the biggest reasons we wanted him in our organization. We were looking for individuals who would buy-in and understand our concepts, and Guy supported what we are trying to accomplish. So having Guy as a part of the organization is significant because he can bring a lot to the table. We just gravitated towards him immediately. I believe that Guy has the confidence and communication skills to network throughout Indian country, which was essential to American Indian Basketball.
Bringing Guy in and having experience as a multi-sport athlete is crucial because he understands what it takes to be successful in athletics. Guy understands that it takes more than just being able to talk a big game. As a youth, he was a part of various intertribal sports programs, which kept him competitive year-round. He was always playing sports, and he wanted to give back to the Indigenous community. Guy wants to be a part of an organization that makes a difference within the Indian country.
We were looking for individuals that wanted to join our WarParty, and understand the vision that we were trying to put together. Once Guy heard what we were trying to accomplish, he was all in, and it did not take much to convince him to join our WarParty. Guy said, let’s do this, what can I do to help, and what role can I play to make this vision more prominent and better.
To be able to bring Guy Herrera on as Director of Marketing was massive. He has the experience and the ability to communicate to a broad audience. Guy’s charisma and personality are the foundation for his success, and he understands the sky is the limit. Guy wanted to be a part of the WarParty, just as much as we wanted him to be a part of the movement. I have been going to different reservations and asking for their best warriors to join our WarParty, and Guy was one of the few Warriors to accept the challenge and joined the WarParty.
Guys ability to conversate and interact with individuals he did not know is essential to building relationships and new partnerships in the business world. From the first time I met him, he talked with my brother and me as if we were old friends. Some individuals do not talk to people from different reservations that they do not know. Guy’s personality did not change once the cameras were on him. It is difficult to be yourself in front of a camera crew, and Guy’s personality shined in front of the camera when others were scared to be on camera. Guy was the same person, on and off camera, which I like about him.
Guy is from Southern California and having the connections in that area is essential to growing the organization. Being the Director of Marketing is an opportunity for him to gain experience and develop his resume. For the nonprofit American Indian Basketball, we needed to bring somebody in who was willing to think outside the box. We are looking for people that want to support the vision, and he was one of those individuals.
The Chief Operating Officer Mniluzahe Berg vetted Guy and gave him the seal of approval, and it was a done deal; Guy was officially a part of the WarParty. To have somebody like Guy is crucial because he supports the vision and goals without convincing him. He was convincing us that he could help American Indian basketball be successful. In basketball and life, confidence is the key to success, and Guy possesses the confidence to succeed; that is why AIB is proud that he has been a part of the WarParty from the beginning. As a warrior in a society that does not appreciate the Indigenous people, sometimes it can be challenging to succeed. Guy is a Warrior facing that adversity and is overcoming those difficulties in life to be successful. If you believe you can be successful, you can, and he brings that heart of a warrior, that sacred medicine, to the table.
