Marshall is a trailblazer in the sports industry, and she became the first Black woman to lead an NBA organization when she was chosen in 2018 to be the CEO of the Dallas Mavericks. In her time with the Mavericks, she has led the transformation of the Mavs’ culture into a workplace that welcomes diversity and inclusion.
Marshall has evolved into one of the most influential business leaders in the world. Her story was profiled this week by Deborah Ferguson on NBCDFW and fans can watch the story here.
You’ve Been Chosen chronicles Marshall’s life story, weaved in an inspiring, narrative tale as she overcame obstacles to rise from the California housing projects to later fight advanced cancer while raising four adopted children.
Marshall has spent her entire life beating personal and professional odds while equipping others to thrive.
“I am shocked,” Marshall said about her NAACP Image Award nomination. “I really still can’t believe it. The book is doing great. It’s five stars on Amazon, and it’s all just crazy. I didn’t have awards and honors in mind when I wrote the book. I was just trying to touch people who have been touched by cancer — and now I’m nominated for an NAACP Award!”
Marshall has been nominated for Outstanding Literary Work – Biography/Autobiography – alongside four of the most inspiring Black leaders in the world.
Other finalists in her category include former first lady Michelle Obama, Senator Reverend Raphael G. Warnock, and actress/activist and mental health advocate Jenifer Lewis. The late iconic actor Michael K. Williams is also nominated in the category, and at the time of his death, he’d almost finished his book. The fivesome makes up arguably one of the most iconic groups in all categories this year.
“This year’s nominees have conveyed a wide range of authentic stories and diverse experiences that have resonated with many in our community, and we’re proud to recognize their outstanding achievements and performances,” said Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP.
Marshall’s category is not open to a public vote but will be determined by a panel of judges. The 54th NAACP Image Awards will be telecast on Feb. 25, 2023, and the NAACP will also recognize winners in non-televised Image Awards categories Feb. 20-24, streaming on www.naacp image awards.net.
Marshall’s category will be featured virtually on Feb. 21.
“I have tremendous respect for the NAACP, and I’m actually a lifetime member,” Marshall said. “It’s been a part of my life for a long time, so to be nominated by the NAACP is a big deal to me. I don’t get hung up on awards; I just pray, ‘Lord, I want to be in your will and do what you want me to do and keep me humble.’ So, I don’t get hung up on that stuff, but this one is extra special.”
She said back in October, another incredible moment took place when she was blessed with the 2022 Hope for Humanity award at the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum. “Those two, in particular, are really near and dear to my heart,” Marshall shared.
You’ve Been Chosen is a riveting memoir written through the lens of a Christian woman and influential business leader who inspires others to chase after destiny.
The book opens with “To my mother, Carolyn Gardner, who showed me what it looks like to be chosen.” Marshall has dedicated her book and NAACP Image Awards nomination to her mother.
What’s most remarkable about her book is that it was born from a place of need. While battling cancer over a decade ago, Marshall responded to someone who suggested it would be easier to digitally journal her cancer days on a CaringBridge website rather than grow weary of repeating her story. She also realized God was still at work, and Marshall wanted to give others hope.
The words were always inside her. As a little girl, Marshall often wrote inspiring stories and jotted down poems while in her bedroom or at school. Her pen seemed alive because writing, communicating, and speaking are her gifts to the world.
“The book is a story of my life and about how God and good people always show up during the good times, the bad times, the great times, the ugly times and every time,” Marshall said. “So that’s what it’s about. I wrote it to inspire people and give them faith and optimism that no matter what happens, it’s about how you respond to what happens, and you’ve been chosen. It’s not by accident. You’ve been chosen.”
The NAACP Image Awards were established in 1967 to honor outstanding Black actors, writers, producers, and directors and to recognize those working in Hollywood who support those artists. The Image Awards now salute people in 76 different categories and celebrate individuals and groups that promote social justice.
Before joining the Mavs, Marshall enjoyed a 36-year career at AT&T, where she rose to be the President of AT&T North Carolina and later appointed Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Chief Diversity Officer. She also founded Marshalling Resources, a private consulting firm that worked with organizations like Dow (formerly The Dow Chemical Company) to develop and implement a strategy for institutionalizing an inclusive culture.
In March 2021, Forbes named Marshall one of 15 of the world’s most inspiring female leaders, and in 2020 she was recognized by Adweek as one of the 30 Most Powerful Women in Sports. Among many accolades, she has received a Girl Scouts of America Lifetime Achievement award, a Women of Power Legacy Award by Black Enterprise, and a National ATHENA Leadership Program Award presented by chambers of commerce, women’s organizations, and universities worldwide.
More than a leader, Marshall is also a wife, mother, cancer survivor — and now an NAACP nominee.
“On Feb. 2, it would have been my daughter Special K’s 29th birthday,” Marshall said. “She’s the one who passed away that I talk about in the book. So, I count my blessings in this life. I just think about all the things that have happened in my journey, and I was chosen to endure and experience these events. Through it all, I still realize that I have been blessed.”
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