Published
9 months agoon
Kina McFadden has found a way to balance caring for her family while taking care of her clients.
McFadden, founder and CEO of marketing firm Eye Connect Dots, raised her children, helps with her grandchildren, and now takes care of her blind mother.
“I love my city,” she said.
She was one of eight women honored by the city of Fresno during its Women of the Year reception on Wednesday.
“We have been doing extremely amazing, hard work over in the airport district and in District 4 in general, bringing broken neighborhoods back to life, building harmony for families and neighborhoods with entertainment, education, resources, and services that we’re providing over there. You know, I’m very excited to be a part of the growth,” McFadden said.
How does she balance work and family?
“Prayer. Family. Community. Friends. Many hands make light work. And without my friends and my family, I don’t think I would be able to do it,” she said.
Fresno City Council President Tyler Maxwell honors Kina McFadden with the District 4 Woman of the Year award. (GV Wire/David Taub)
“We have to … take care of ourselves and get and motivate ourselves to be all that we can be, so that we can be a better woman for the world and for the other challenges that we have.” — Kina McFadden
McFadden’s clients include United Way, Poverello House, and the Vision View Business Center near the airport.
“Kina has earned a reputation as a connector, event planner, marketer, and public relations expert, constantly pushing boundaries to create exceptional experiences for all those she serves,” the city said about McFadden in its program.
McFadden says there are many challenges as a female business owner.
“Because first and foremost, we have to … take care of ourselves and get and motivate ourselves to be all that we can be, so that we can be a better woman for the world and for the other challenges that we have.
“I mean, we’re mothers, we’re grandmothers, we’re mentors, we’re teachers, we’re educators, we’re trailblazers. And so to all the women, that has just paved the way for me and for the other women here today, I just thank them for allowing us to stand on their shoulders to be the very best women that we could be,” McFadden said.
She said also noted that the COVID pandemic changed the scope of her business.
“Since COVID, I’ve become a business social worker, really trying to define and find out what their needs are so that if I can’t directly help them or Eye Connect Dots cannot directly help them, we know someone and we have the resources of other businesses, great businesses here in Fresno that can be connected,” McFadden said.
Each of the seven councilmembers and Mayor Jerry Dyer announce a Woman of the Year annually during Women’s History Month.
“The commitment, persistence, and hard work of these women are an inspiration for all of us,” said Council Vice President Annalisa Perea, who co-hosted the reception with Maxwell. “It’s an honor to recognize the contributions and achievements of such exceptional women. Let’s continue to honor all the women in our lives that make our great city a better and stronger place to live.”
The honorees:
In honor of #WomensHistoryMonth, the Fresno City Council and @MayorJerryDyer each recognized a woman for their service and impact on the community.
Join us in congratulating these deserving honorees! pic.twitter.com/MYRQYPbZat
— City of Fresno (@CityofFresno) March 29, 2023
Curiosity drives David Taub. The award-winning journalist might be shy, but feels mighty with a recorder in his hand. He doesn't see it his job to "hold public officials accountable," but does see it to provide readers (and voters) the information needed to make intelligent choices. Taub has been honored with several writing awards from the California News Publishers Association. He's just happy to have his stories read. Joining GV Wire in 2016, Taub covers politics, government and elections, mainly in the Fresno/Clovis area. He also writes columns about local eateries (Appetite for Fresno), pro wrestling (Off the Bottom Rope), and media (Media Man). Prior to joining the online news source, Taub worked as a radio producer for KMJ and PowerTalk 96.7 in Fresno. He also worked as an assignment editor for KCOY-TV in Santa Maria, California, and KSEE-TV in Fresno. He has also worked behind the scenes for several sports broadcasts, including the NCAA basketball tournament, and the Super Bowl. When not spending time with his family, Taub loves to officially score Fresno Grizzlies games. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Taub is a die-hard Giants and 49ers fan. He graduated from the University of Michigan with dual degrees in communications and political science. Go Blue! You can contact David at 559-492-4037 or at Send an Email
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