BMWK: And you both have your own business together, The Possibilities Institute. What is it like being in business together?

Tameika: It’s uhm, (laughs) I don’t know, we’ll see what Jamie says. I love it. It’s fun. For me its funny because, like he mentioned, we have our meetings on Sunday. All throughout our marriage we’ve been very big on setting joint goals and trying to do things together. The business just helps us. We are constantly doing goal setting and pushing that forward and making that a success. The most interesting part is, that for our independent jobs we come home at night and I ask how was your day and he will tell me the great things that happen and things that were not so great. So with the Possibilities Institute, we’re doing it together so it’s about having that discussion too.

I am really the business person with the Possibilities Institute. I’m the one who sets up the interviews and sends out the proposals. I send out pitches for and book the speaking engagements. He’ll do the speaking engagements. It’s a family run business. We also have another business, a real estate investment firm. On that business it’s the opposite. Jamie does all the business part of it, he signs the leases, finds tenants, collects the rent and keeps the books. We have these two businesses together, but in one, which is probably more my passion, I run the business and he does what needs to be done for that part. And then for the other, it’s the same thing, he runs that and then I fill in where I need to.

BMWK: So, now how did you two meet?

Tameika: We met while I was campaigning. I did a real grassroots campaign, going to community meetings and door to door. Jamie worked for the local housing authority and he was the manager of the senior housing. Several people said I needed to go and meet him, so he can take me into the buildings to meet his residents. So we were suppose to meet but we actually hadn’t yet. Then we were at an Omega Mardi Gras, and while we were there I was talking to one of his frat brothers and when I finished talking he (Jamie) went over to his frat brother asking, who I was.

He said, “Oh that’s Tameika Isaac, who’s running for city council” and Jamie said oh I was suppose to meet her anyway. The guy called me back over and introduced us and we just started talking. I had no clue he was interested. I just knew we were suppose to meet. Then Jamie said well give me your number and I’ll invite you to come out and talk to my residents.  So I just thought it was more campaign wise. I gave my number. He always says in his mind he was going to be rapping to me, but I was clueless. I was so focused on my campaign. I was not trying to date or anything. Even when he was helping me on my campaign, he would ask me out and I told him I appreciate that, but I am really focused on my campaign right now.

It was a month left and that was my primary focus. I wasn’t focused on dating or anything. What really got me, he was respectful of that. He was like oh sure I understand. And he would still help me with my campaign and everything. I liked that Jamie respected it and he was like okay, I understand. He didn’t get offended by it, and he was still committed to helping me. So on election night, he came to my victory party, that night. I said I would really like to thank you for helping me on my campaign and I actually asked him out.  I said would you like to go to lunch? We then went to lunch and that was really our first date and we’ve been together ever since.

BMWK: So, Jamie what was it about her?

Jamie: She was soon to be Devine!

(All Laugh)

Jamie: No, its a true statement when people say, when you know that’s the person for you, you just know it. Honestly, it’s like someone just whispers to you, that’s your wife, that’s who you’re supposed to be with, it was like that.  I was like hmmm Tameika Isaac, I like that name. Then I said Tameika Isaac Devine, ooh that sounds even better. Everything she said was true, except…

BMWK: That’s so important. When you were thinking about her name Jamie, was that from the first time you saw her?

Jamie: Yes, I saw a sign on the road, that said Tameika Isaac and I said ooh that’s a nice name. And sure enough everything she said was accurate. She was like a celebrity in Columbia, and she still is, But she didn’t come the traditional way of what people think a politician is. Tameika, in my opinion started a lot of non-political people into the local political landscape here in Columbia, she doesn’t get credit for that, but if you look at the local landscape since 2002 when she was elected, it’s changed.

Here you have a young, energetic  African-American sister, who said you know what, I want to make a difference in the world. It wasn’t about money, form or fashion, but it was about doing what was right at the time, for the people. She saw an issue, she saw a cause, she wanted to make a difference and she’s done that and has continued to do that, as I know she will continue to do that in the future.

BMWK: I just love how highly you two speak of each other. It’s such a gentleness and it’s loving. It’s like you’re choosing your words so tenderly. I love how you uplift one another.

Jamie: Thank you.