How a Sister’s Email Changed Machiami Kamara’s Career Path

Before Machiami Kamara found her footing, the job hunt felt endless. Her inbox was full of polite rejections, job boards refreshed but never delivered, and anxiety seemed to grow louder each week. “I was pessimistic,” she said. “I didn’t think anything was going to change.”

Her younger sister had been watching. One day, she forwarded an email from her college about The City Tutors, a nonprofit that connects learners with volunteer mentors across industries. “She saw how much I was struggling,” Kamara said. “She just said, ‘You need someone on the other end.’”

Kamara hesitated. She had already sent dozens of applications into the void, but she filled out the form. “I told myself, what’s one more thing?” she said. “That little decision changed everything.”

A First Yes

Within days, she matched with Phil Levner, a marketing professional who became her first mentor. What began as practical career advice soon turned into a six-month collaboration.

“Phil opened my eyes to what marketing really is,” Kamara said. “He taught me about email marketing, about how campaigns actually work, how to think about audiences.”

Their conversations often drifted into shared creative ground. Phil was developing a fashion brand, and Kamara, who had always loved design, weighed in on colors, styles, and website layouts. “It wasn’t one-sided,” she said. “He treated me like a collaborator.”

By the fifth month, Kamara’s confidence had returned. She began thinking less about rejection and more about growth. But she also felt ready for a new challenge, to widen her circle and see what other perspectives might add.

A Detour and a Doorway

Her next mentor, Amy Laskey, was from an entirely different world: finance by day, musician by night. “It was so random,” Kamara said, laughing. “I just clicked her profile and went for it.”

During their first meeting, Laskey was direct. “She told me, ‘You’re passionate about marketing. Don’t force yourself into something else.’” But instead of closing the door, she opened another one by inviting Kamara to one of her concerts a few days later.

“It was so unexpected,” Kamara said. “Showing up for her like that reminded me that mentorship isn’t just career talk.”

Finding the Right Match

After a few more exploratory conversations, Kamara found Molly Smith, an executive communications strategist with roots in hospitality marketing. “From the first conversation, we just clicked,” Kamara said.

Molly quickly saw Kamara’s dual interest in creative branding and advocacy and helped her revive a project she had started years earlier: Veiled Visionaries, a platform that spotlights and empowers Black Muslim women in New York City.

A former agency colleague of Molly’s, now at the Coach Foundation, helped open a new door for Kamara. “It was through that connection that I first got in front of people at Coach,” Kamara said. “And Molly pushed me to put energy back into Veiled Visionaries, to treat it not just as an idea but a movement.”

Molly’s generosity stood out. “She’s built this incredible network, and she shares it freely,” Kamara said. “She always says, ‘I’m here because people helped me. I’m paying that forward.’”

What Mentorship Made Possible

Through her mentors, Kamara learned that networking is not about transactions but about connection. “Before, I only wanted to talk to people who could help me get a job,” she said. “Now I talk to everyone. You can learn from anyone, even if they’re in finance or healthcare.”

The lessons are visible in her work. The email marketing tools Phil taught her, the confidence Amy helped her rediscover, and the professional polish Molly reinforced all now live inside Veiled Visionaries.

“Everything connects,” Kamara said. “Every mentor, every piece of advice, I use it.”

She is still searching for a full-time marketing role, but the frustration that once defined her search is gone. “I’m not in that same emotional space anymore,” she said. “City Tutors reminded me that a single yes can change everything.”

Recently, she joined The City Tutors’ Four-Year Anniversary Celebration in Midtown — her first in-person event with the community that helped her rebuild her career.

“I’m excited,” Kamara said. “Because this isn’t just my story.”

If there is a summary to her story, it is simple. Someone opened a door. She stepped through. And then another door opened.