Exploring Life & Business with Sean White of Da Don Events

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sean White.  

Hi Sean, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I was raised in a household of 9; I am the oldest of 7 brothers. Growing up, I was intelligent, well-mannered, and ahead in maturity for my age. But for some reason, the other kids at school didn’t like me. They made fun of my skin tone, the way I dressed and called me names every chance they got. 

I was also sexually abused by my cousins at the age of 7. Along with my innocence being stripped from me, this was truly the time where I realized I had to survive on my own. No one was coming to save me. 

The lack of support and constant degradation over the years led to damage to my self-image. I’ve always had big goals for myself, but always in the back of my head, I didn’t feel like I was enough. 

After being kicked out of my parent’s house 3 years ago. My mental health began to spiral. Having nowhere to call home, my anxiety and depression was the worst it has ever been. 

Although I’ve had a lot of trials in my life, God has been right there with me. Through the abuse, the anxiety, and the loneliness, He never left me. I’ve always had clothes on my back, food to eat, and shelter. He provided me peace through every storm and continues to heal me. 

Since God has taken me out of my dark place and given me purpose. I am devoted to helping others out of their dark place. My mission is to build individuals up in their respective gifts. While also making sure mental health is a focus. 

As an event coordinator, I am able to do this by gathering local talent and hosting events that showcase their gifts. 

For example, I have a fashion show in June. Me and my team at Da Don Events have casted 30+ models for the show. Featuring individuals of all shapes and sizes. We will spend time working to train these models and help them to gain confidence on the runway. 

To my surprise, I was recently nominated for “Detroit’s Favorite Model” by Detroit Choice Awards. For the past year, modeling has been an amazing creative outlet for me. It’s helped my confidence tremendously and helped me to look in the mirror and face my issues. Most importantly, I want others to have that same opportunity to feel good about themselves and feel included. No matter what they’ve been through in life. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There definitely were hardships along the way, but these experiences led me to who I am today. I was sexually abused as a kid. I had a big dysfunctional family. My parents struggled with alcohol abuse, and I witnessed at a young age my father abuse my mother. I was also abused verbally and physically. I was bullied all the way up until high school and called many different names, the most prominent one being “gay”. Even though I am now openly bisexual, that was not always the case. I didn’t really have a solid father figure. I also dropped out of college after a year. My grandfather’s passing when I was 13 had a huge effect on me, he was truly my best friend. 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Our goal at Da Don Events is to use our events to give local creatives an opportunity to showcase their talents. We also help push their brand on social media. We have a staff of 7, me being the director. Our team works very hard to make sure our events are an experience you don’t want to miss. Da Don Events hosts a variety of events from parties to fashion shows. Even our parties aren’t regular, our audience loves our events because we come with variety. You won’t hear the same sound at every party or get the same exact experience twice! I am most proud of the attendance we have had being a newer entity and our feedback after events is amazing. 

We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success to me is fulfilling my purpose. As long as I continue to do what God has called me to do, I am successful. The greatest return out of any of my investments is seeing the people I work with better than they were before we met. 

Contact Info:

• Instagram: DaD0nEvents

Image Credits
@Iro_Ent2x
@BBVisualsx