This Topeka native and skincare company owner will speak at GTP's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Summit

Christopher Szamosszegi never needed to be an enrolled member of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation to know he was Potawatomi.

But doing so helped him discover himself, and keep a connection with his father Robert Kenney after he passed away.

Szamosszegi, a gay co-owner of a successful L.A. skincare company that has catered to celebrities, will be one of three featured speakers Tuesday at the Greater Topeka Partnership’s annual Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Summit at Prairie Band Casino.

A descendant of the Pappan family that ferried Topeka’s settles across the Kansas River, Szamosszegi will speak about his experiences as a minority business owner.

“It’s an honor to speak,” he said. “Having some of the successes and accomplishments I’ve had while being in two minorities, I’ve been able to come through all of that as a stronger person, and I hope I can share that.”

Native American heritage, LGBTQ identity played big role in shaping Topeka-native Christopher Szamosszegi

Although he was born in Topeka and still visits often, Szamosszegi was raised in Dallas. His father Robert Kenney and grandmother were enrolled members of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, but tribal rolls were closed at the time of Szamosszegi’s birth.

At the private Christian school he attended, teachers and fellow students would often ask him his ethnicity, since he had darker skin. Szamosszegi would proudly identify as Native American, just like his father, even if he wasn’t yet enrolled in the tribe. The pair even got matching tattoos of the tribal seal on Szamosszegi’s 18th birthday.

Szamosszegi was also gay, although it took him a while to share that as openly.

“It took a while, but I learned not to live fraudulently, and to live my truth,” Szamosszegi said. “In coming out, that’s when my life changed trajectories, and that’s when all my successes in life started happening.”

After he moved to Los Angeles, Szamosszegi got into the skincare industry through his then-boyfriend, now husband. In 2016, he connected with Mindi Walters, a celebrity esthetician, and with $1,000 of startup funding, the pair founded Mindi Waters Skincare, catering to clients like Megan Fox and Chelsea Handler.

When his father died in 2018, Szamosszegi realized he wanted to maintain that shared heritage, so he took the steps to formally enroll in the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation.

“It was never a huge focus, but my dad and I always talked about it, and we were proud (of our heritage),” he said.

More diversity can help Topeka-area organizations and businesses thrive, says Chris Szamossezegi

Now on the cusp of launching his own skincare company, named Szamosszegi Skincare, Szamosszegi was a perfect fit as the Greater Topeka Partnership considered speakers for its 2022 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Summit.

“We wanted to bring him to Topeka because his experiences as a Potawatomi and LGBTQ business owner are really relevant, especially in helping other people in our community who come from underrepresented groups realize that anything is possible for them as well,” said Bob Ross, senior vice president of marketing and communications for GTP.

Szamosszegi’ story, Ross said, will particularly resonate with summit attendees, because Szamosszegi is emblematic of someone who uses their identity as a strength. That’s a trait that can be valuable both at the personal and organizational levels as businesses look to create environments where people can thrive, he said.

“It’s about learning to embrace yourself and being comfortable who you are as a person, so you can step forward and begin to accomplish your own dreams and also lead others,” Ross said.

Szamosszegi, for his part, recognizes that there are both challenges and benefits to being a minority business owner, especially as more grants and assistance become available for minorities looking to become entrepreneurs.

But if anything, he hopes he can encourage Topeka-area organizations and businesses to broaden their mindsets.

“We can put people with different mindsets and backgrounds into positions of power, and listen to them,” he said. “That just gives you a wider view of the world, and can create a better, happier work environment.”

Rafael Garcia is an education reporter for the Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached at rgarcia@cjonline.com or by phone at ‪785-289-5325. Follow him on Twitter at @byRafaelGarcia.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Chris Szamosszegi to talk Native American, gay identities at GTP Summit