Meet Marie Mott | Community Activist & Public Figure

We had the good fortune of connecting with Marie Mott and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Marie, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I’m from Chattanooga, a mid sized city that has produced many legends. Bessie Smith, Usher, Samuel L. Jackson are all Chattanooga natives just to name a few. My city always has had a small town vibe with a very rich African-American culture and history. I grew up in a historical African-American community names Churchville with my grandmothers, parents, aunts and uncles. I was instilled with the importance of serving the community and working hard. My grandmother Betty Jo was a widow but owned a day care business and managed rental houses he built after he passed. My other grandmother Mary Ruth was a domestic worker who took care of rich people’s household and raised their children. I would never have the courage to be a community activist or run for city council if my family never raised me with immense values.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
What sets me a part is my quest to always learn more than what I know now. It’s not enough for me to boast what I’m good at currently and never feel like I should stretch myself to learn more skills, history, or strategies in able to move forward.

I would also say that I have a well of courage on the inside. I’d rather do something and fail at it a thousand times until I crack the code and win. This has been the character trait that helped me climb the corporate ladder and eventually step out on my own. If I said it was easy I’d be telling a blatant lie. It takes self mastery and that is a life long journey that requires going within and taking responsibility for unlocking all of the possibilities of who you are and what you can become. Having a mentor or an O.G. has been my greatest asset on this journey. My mentor had me take the Enneagram to understand what my strength and core weaknesses are. The enneagram also helps you develop a plan on how to be a healthy individual.

I’ve learned that nothing beats authenticity. Being yourself unapologetically is the greatest lesson you could ever learn. People can smell fake a mile away. You owe it to yourself to not be the slaves of others and their opinions of who you are. That’s up to you to decide.

423Marie is just looking to uplift her community and the world beyond. I want people to understand that they are more power than they think.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
We would definitely hit up the Flaming Rooster, Chatty’s, Sunset BBQ. I would take them to live shows and catch a drink at the Cigar Bar or the Thursday night Comedy show at Major Paper Sports Bar and Grill.

We have a free walking tour for local African-American history, the Aquarium, Rock City, The Incline, or go paddle boarding, hiking, or kayaking on the Tennessee River.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to dedicate my shoutout to my mentor who I lovingly call Sensei. She met me in one of the worst times in my life. She slowly helped me out of a space of sever depression and ineffective tactics for moving forward. Getting to know her was a little uncomfortable because she came into my life out of nowhere. I had never met her in any social setting and the first time she reached out to me to have a conversation we ended talking for over an hour. She’s direct but honest and her feedback rarely comes without things to think about or homework. She has help me come a very long way and I appreciate she also challenges me with her book list. The first time I ever picked up “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu is because she recommended it from one of our initial conversations.

The Lincoln Park Coalition (Momma Huhgley, Tiffany Rankins, Eric Atkins, and Tom Kunesh). I’ve had the pleasure of learning from each of them about African-American and Native American local history. If I have questions, want to get feedback, vent, or gain insight on how to tackle a problem I could pick up the phone and call any one of them. Each one of them is invaluable to me.

Website: www.423marie.com

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Image Credits
Jered Martin @volvmevollective Jaime Smialek @our_ampersand_photo