Keith Mason was born in Washington D.C. but at a very young age moved to Lexington, KY, with his mother and 3 siblings. As a young man, Keith was neither a stranger to the streets nor the adversities that came with frequenting them, but the streets taught him lifelong lessons that fueled his vision and passion for entrepreneurship and serving his community. He learned that hard work leads to empowerment, no matter your skillset, and free enterprise opens the door to unlimited opportunities. Hoping to enhance his business knowledge, Keith attended college in Lexington, but his plans were suddenly interrupted by a business opportunity that brought him to Nashville, TN. After working in business management for several years, Keith decided it was time to take a leap of faith into entrepreneurship, starting his first company in 2005 called University Clothing in Lebanon, TN.  He sold the company in 2008 and decided to start a nonprofit organization called Transitional Housing & Work Programs of Davidson Co., INC (THWP) whose mission is to help formerly incarcerated individuals attain housing and employment. As a self-sustaining company, THWP spawned an event space called Venue109 that provides jobs and revenue for his nonprofit.

Keith and his wife have been married for 22 years, and they are the parents of three boys. Rebrand the Black Man’s mantra hit home for Keith due to the current climate of injustices being inflicted on young black males.  Knowing that raising sons in this type of environment was going to be an extremely challenging task, Rebrand the Black Man became a lifeline for Keith because it had something he desperately needed to see—real solutions and real brothers who were willing to affect positive change—and looking around the community there were no other answers. Keith’s role with Rebrand is to teach people of color, particularly young black males, how to see themselves through an intricately different lens and by doing so transform the way they view themselves because before change can occur we must first realize our self-worth. Keeping his vision alive, Rebrand the Black Man is a gateway for Keith to use his business experience and street savvy to serve in the community.