Dawna Kelly worked with a trusted franchise consultant and decided on Abrakadoodle. Her decision, however, wasn’t made overnight. It took about five years, but once she made her decision, she jumped in with both feet.  Now, 10 years later, Dawna and her husband Al have an award-winning franchise that employs 25 art teachers throughout Detroit.

Abrakadoodle is a children’s art education franchise and an international leader in arts-creativity education. The low cost, home-based, children’s art education franchise enables owners to build sustainable and recurring business throughout the year. Abrakadoodle opportunities include art classes, camps, and special events.

Dawna shared with me that she and her husband chose Abrakadoodle, because they always wanted to own a business that was “full”—purposeful, impactful, and meaningful. Combining their passion for education and making learning fun, Abrakadoodle was the perfect fit.

But, like with most franchises, every owner purchases a “business in a box,” where the basic business model, training, operational support, and marketing are provided. What really determines the extent of the success franchise owners could potentially achieve and how successful they eventually become, are the owners themselves.

Dawna Kelly leveraged her degree in computer science, her M.B.A. in finance, and her professional experience as a financial analyst for Ford and a management consultant for Microsoft. This enabled her to create a business plan for her Abrakadoodle franchise, which set it up for overwhelming success. She knew that really exploiting the tried-and-true model was key.

Dawna and Al took a hardcore approach to get contracts with schools and integrate the program into the schools’ curricula. In addition, they built strong relationships with the principals and parents, becoming mentors for the children—because they were not simply just business owners. Dawna stressed that “relationships are everything” when building a business. Today, 90% of their business is from school contracts.

When I asked Dawna if she encountered any obstacles being an African American business owner, she gleefully expressed “quite the opposite!” Being a minority helped her when approaching Detroit schools, because they felt she could relate well to the children of color and the diversity the area presented. Dawna was able to provide customized programs to meet their needs. Adding to that, the schools knew from the start that Dawna and Al wanted to build a business that was respected, with a reputation for being flexible and easy to work with.

Dawna’s advice to aspiring and current business owners is, if you’re working hard on your business, but don’t feel like you’re going anywhere—keep working! Having your own business is hard work, but the rewards are great, and you have something that you can be proud of.

So, what does the future hold for Dawna’s Abrakadoodle business?  Well, a few years ago, Dawna opened an art studio in order to host classes and events for children outside of school. And, of course, she plans to continue growing and get the program she and her husband offer into more schools, with the goal of becoming an outsourced program for an entire school district.

There’s no doubt that Dawna and Al will continue to win community and customer service awards. Hopefully next year, they will experience a repeat performance of winning Abrakadoodle’s 2016 Platinum Plus Splat Award, for being the top performers in the company.

Currently, Abrakadoodle is looking for experienced professionals with good relationship building, communication, and people management skills. No teaching or art experience required.

Capital Investment:  Under $50,000.

Nancy Williams earned a degree in sociology from UCLA with a specialization in urban studies and business. Her first business was a partnership in a small record label right out of college. After working with a few tech startups, she concluded her career in the corporate world with 14 years at Sprint, a majority of that tenure as a director in customer and sales operations. Nancy started NValuable Franchise Consulting, in order to provide free consultation, relevant insight, pertinent and candid feedback to her clients, so they are able to confidently purchase the right franchise. As a result, her clients achieve financial independence and a positive, enduring impact on their families and local communities. Follow her on Twitter, and check out her website for more information.

Since the launch of Entrepreneurs of Colors Fund last year, JPMorgan Chase has awarded $2.75 million to nearly 30 minority-owned small businesses, to start up and expand in the Detroit area. More than two-thirds of the loans are supporting neighborhood businesses, creating approximately 79 jobs, and 45% are supporting minority women-owned businesses.

As part of JPMorgan Chase’s $100 million commitment to Detroit’s economic recovery, this program is supporting Detroit-based neighborhood businesses owned by entrepreneurs of color and businesses that primarily hire people of color.

Economic Empowerment of Black Businesses

There are 50,000 minority-owned small businesses in Detroit, making it the fourth largest city for minority entrepreneurship. The EOC Fund is designed to increase economic opportunity by providing these businesses with greater access to capital and business assistance, allowing them to grow, hire locally, and further contribute to the city’s economic recovery. According to the JPMorgan Chase Institute, spending at Detroit small businesses has grown significantly–from being down over 4% in early 2014, to up 4% in mid-2016.

Created by the Detroit Development Fund, JPMorgan Chase & Co. and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the $7 million EOC Fund, which is facilitated by DDF, a Michigan 501(c)3 Community Development Financial Institution, provides financing to Detroit small businesses that lack access to traditional forms of credit and capital. Funding for the EOC Fund is provided by a $3.5 million grant from JPMorgan Chase and a $3.5 million investment from the Kellogg Foundation, as part of its larger, roughly $25 million, annual investment in the city and commitment to promoting equity.

“Small business owners, like the ones benefiting from the Entrepreneurs of Color Fund, are critical to Detroit’s comeback,” said Jamie Dimon, chairman and CEO, JPMorgan Chase, in a statement. “The lessons learned from this fund are not only paying off in Detroit, but have allowed us to develop similar programs for minority-owned, small businesses in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York City.”

Female Business Owners Granted Loans

Examples of loan recipients include Benkari Mechanical, Rowe Trucking, and Detroit Vegan Soul.

“As a female, minority, small business owner, accessing capital can be challenging,” said Adrienne Bennett, owner of Benkari Mechanical, in a press statement.”Because of this program, the Detroit Development Fund, JPMorgan Chase, and WKKF, we were able to secure our largest contract to date, the domestic plumbing systems for Building C on the Little Caesars Arena, which demonstrated our ability to successfully compete with larger contractors,” she added.

“As a small business owner, this money made it possible for me to keep running my business, because sometimes it takes 30 to 60 days to get paid from some of the contractors that we work for,” noted Rhonda Rowe, owner of Rowe Trucking. “I am grateful to the whole team at the Detroit Development Fund, for working with me to keep my business running.”

(Image: Latoya Colts)

 

It is no secret that President Donald Trump’s Administration, much like many leadership positions in the United States workforce, does not represent our nation’s diversity. As organizations and individuals start to dedicate more resources and training to empowering underrepresented groups to go into policy and government, I am taking my own stand.

I, too, believe that diverse constituents need diverse representation. That’s one of many reasons why I’m running for mayor of Detroit. If elected, I’ll be the first woman (African American or otherwise) to hold the position.

I’ve loved Detroit my entire life. I was born and raised in this city, coming up through the public school system and graduating from Lewis Cass Technical High School, where I first got involved with the volunteer organization BuildON. I became passionate about social action and non-political civic engagement outside of school too, volunteering for community service and neighborhood cleanups, and working with organizations like the Greening of Detroit, Gleaners Community Food Bank, the Boys and Girls Club, and many others.

But even though I was doing all this activism work, I never felt that interested in actual politics – especially given the terrible corruption that’s become synonymous with Detroit’s system. It wasn’t until I became a student at Michigan State University, where I’m now in my final year, that I realized how naive I’d been to think I could simply ignore politics. The political agenda is not isolated to the government sector; I became all too aware of the role they play in almost every important decision-making aspects of our lives, whether it’s applying to college, running for a leadership position of a student organization, or pursuing an internship or job. That’s when I decided that if I couldn’t circumvent the system, I’d join it—and work to change it from the inside.

In May, I’ll graduate from MSU with a bachelor’s in management and minors in Arabic and African American and African studies. Throughout my time here , I’ve held several elected leadership positions, including president of the Black Student Alliance (BSA). As a representative for the Black student community, I worked with allies of our program to advocate for cultural sensitivity and diversity training for faculty, staff, and police, helped secure in-state tuition for undocumented Michigan high school students, led marches and community discussions championing social justice, and pushed for the use of body cameras by MSUPD. These experiences gave me avenues to pursue social action and helped mold me into a productive citizen.

 

This past summer, I interned in the U.S. House of Representatives via the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence. There, I witnessed House Democrats — led by Rep. John Lewis of Georgia — occupy the House floor in a sit-in to draw attention to the continuous acts of gun violence across our country. Watching from the House Gallery, I was reminded of the hard roads paved by my ancestors, using similar nonviolent demonstrations, and I was inspired to promote greater unity among my generation.

The Hill, at its core, is run by millennials. The Representatives are the public faces, but we millennials are behind the scenes writing and researching policies, drafting letters to constituents, providing speaking points, and generally keep things running smoothly. I saw that I could have a real impact, especially as a Black woman given the alarming lack of diversity in Congress and many other government jobs — a reality I’m determined to correct.

After my summer on the Hill, I returned to Michigan reinvigorated and intent on bringing about real progress in Detroit. If we really want to effect change in our community, we need more diverse representation in our political system. There’s where I come in. If elected, I pledge to embolden women, millennials, and people of color through my candidacy.

To date, I’ve received encouragement, support, and words of wisdom around my decision to run for office. My eyes and ears are open for constructive criticism as I continue navigating the campaign trail. Here’s a rundown of what I stand for, what I hope to inspire, and what I am focused on.

Why I am running:

First Lady Michelle Obama’s goals concerning education really resonate with me. And I agree with her that we need to change the conversation about what it means to be a success in our country.

I’m also inspired by other young Black girls. I want to show them that creating change is possible. And that they can do so through elected office, be it as a mayor, a U.S. representative or senator, governor, or even by becoming the President of the United States.

It is my duty to speak up for what I believe in. It is not enough for me to know what beliefs I am willing to leverage to win a campaign. I also need to identify the tenets I hold so dearly that I’d rather lose than compromise them.

What issues I will prioritize:

There are many areas that I want to address. Gentrification in the Downtown/Midtown area of Detroit has displaced native residents and small businesses. It’s shameful. We need to think deeply about the development of Detroit without expatriating the people that keep the community thriving. While economic growth and diversity are important, the current strategy is unjust. Inclusivity should be the goal.

Detroit Police Department (DPD) reform is also crucial. Too often, communities witness police officers abusing their authority by harassing our youth and innocent citizens. This is not what Detroit is about. Community policing strategies need to be implemented, as well as diversity and inclusion training for all officers. If you do not know the people you have pledged to serve and protect, how can you effectively help them? A mutual understanding should be a goal of our DPD. Only then, will we be able to ensure the safety of our communities.

Our youth have also been left behind; there are far too few outlets for them to release energy and express their creativity. It’s time to make those resources a priority. We need more youth-focused leisure activities – more recreational centers, parks, after-school programs, art programs, and sports. These are the opportunities that will help disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline. Additionally, we must provide better resources for mental health care and raise awareness of such diseases in our schools. This means more technology, counseling, and programming for those suffering from mental illness.

What I want to share with others who want to become more politically active but don’t know where to start:

Go out and get involved! It doesn’t matter if it’s volunteering for a local campaign, interning in a government office, or attending community meetings; these are all components of political activism. Let your preferences and skills direct your path and allow you to pinpoint your areas of interest. There is something to learn at every stop in your journey.

We can no longer sit back and wait for things to change or allow other people to tell us that we’re too young or inexperienced to make it happen ourselves.

No more fearing the unknown. It is imperative that we are a part of the process. This country belongs to us.

I love this quote from Assata Shakur: “It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win. We must love each other and support each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains.”

This article originally appeared on The Well, Jopwell’s digital magazine. 

She’s 22. She’s a college senior. And she’s running for mayor of Detroit.

Myya D. Jones expects to graduate this spring from Michigan State University, but she has already announced her bid to run for mayor of a major American city. Talk about a New Year’s resolution—she announced her candidacy Jan. 1, 2017.

A History of Service

In a sense, Jones has been serving the city of Detroit for years. In an article penned for Jopwell, the career advancement platform for students and professionals of color, Jones says that in high school she got involved with BuildOn, a volunteer organization. She then “became passionate about social action and nonpolitical civic engagement” and got involved in community service, working for “organizations like the Greening of Detroit, Gleaners Community Food Bank, and the Boys and Girls Club,” among many others.

So it’s no surprise that such a civic-minded young woman would enter politics, although Jones was initially turned off because of corruption in her hometown. It wasn’t until she attended MSU that she realized how politics reaches beyond government.

“The political agenda [affects] almost every important decision-making aspect of our lives, whether it’s applying to college, running for a leadership position of a student organization, or pursuing an internship or job,” Jones says. “That’s when I decided that if I couldn’t circumvent the system, I’d join it—and work to change it from the inside.”

Jones’s Platform

Although she’s young, Jones’s life hasn’t been easy. She assumed responsibility for her five siblings when her mother was disabled by mental illness. Jones herself is bipolar and she’s written about how she’s triumphed over mental illness by taking advantage of free resources. She’s also promoted mental health on her campus.

That may explain why she’s prioritizing access to mental health services on her platform.

The former intern at the U.S. House of Representatives also wants to make sure poor people in Detroit aren’t displaced by the city’s rapid gentrification. She plans to pursue community policing to build bridges between law enforcement and the community. And she’s spoken of developing more programs for the city’s youth and making more recreational centers, parks, and after-school programs available to them.

To learn more about Jones and to support her campaign, visit her website.

For the sixth stop of the nationwide Shark Tank Diversity Tour, the casting team for ABC’s Shark Tank visited Detroit, where entrepreneurs pitched their business concepts at Detroit Center for Design + Technology. Here, Brandon Andrews engaged in a Q&A session with entrepreneurs at the casting call, and the organizations that support them, including Christopher Ray, co-founder of  Hashtag Props.

Below, Andrews’ discusses the evolution of Ray and his wife’s business, Hashtag Props:

Brandon Andrews: What’s the Hashtag Props story?

Christopher Ray: Hashtag Props was developed almost on accident! I own a photo booth company, and I wanted a handheld sign that read “#PHOTOBOOTH313.” I searched the internet for weeks and called several companies. It quickly dawned on me that there were no companies that specialized in creating custom, hashtag props, per request.

Through trial and error, I was able to develop my first sign, and I received such positive feedback. I began to market our signs on social media, and the company immediately took off. We have shipped more than 2,000 signs in only five months.

Andrews: How does the process for ordering props and signs work, and who makes them? 

Ray: Right now, we have a main vendor that produces all our signs for us.

The ordering process is very simple. First, visit HashtagProps.com. There, you can enter in the specifications for your sign(s), including the colors, font, and details.

Andrews:  How will you scale your operation as the demand increases?

Ray: We take on approximately 50 to 100 orders per week. As the demand grows, I would ideally like to have all production under one roof, owned and operated by our company. I would like to increase the number of machines that cut the signs, so that more can be produced with a faster turnaround.

Andrews: You pitched at our Shark Tank casting call in Detroit. What does the opportunity to be on Shark Tank mean to you?

Ray: The opportunity to be on Shark Tank is one of my dreams. I have watched Shark Tank for years and wondered if I could, one day, develop a product that was genius enough to land me a spot on the show. I feel like [my wife and I] have developed that product!

Andrews: As half of a husband/wife business team, how do you balance business and family?

Ray:  As husband and wife, we are very excited about the potential of our business. We feed off of each other’s energy. We encourage one another and share ideas on how to take our product to the next level.

Hashtag Props has not caused any stress in our family, because we have not incurred any company debt, nor have we taken any losses. We love the company we have developed. Our goal is to [one day be able to] walk away from our employers to run our business full-time!

Andrews: How do you plan to grow Hashtag Props in 2017?

Ray:  So far, we have shipped to 29 states within the U.S., with the majority of our orders coming from our home [state] of Michigan. [However], we want to advertise and market our product worldwide.

We also want to own our distribution facility, so that we can control production. We are the innovators and industry leaders in customized, handheld props—many will try to duplicate, but we have created our niche.

During 2017, Values Partnerships has been leading a nationwide casting tour for ABC’s Shark Tank. This casting tour is focused on to giving diverse entrepreneurs the opportunity to pitch their businesses and appear on the show’s ninth season. In addition to having the opportunity to audition for Shark Tank, Values Partnerships has also held discussions on access to capital, offered pitch prep sessions, and shared entrepreneurship resources with entrepreneurs from around the country, all throughout the Shark Tank Diversity Tour.

To apply to audition for the ninth season of Shark Tank and find out more information on the Shark Tank Diversity Tour, visit  www.sharktankdiversitytour.com.

When Meagan Ward, founder and CEO of Creatively Flawless, met client-turned-business-partner Ashleigh Brock they immediately bonded over the need for a physical space to connect and support other women in business. Next thing you know, Femology was born. Femology is a membership-based business lounge expected to open July 2017 in the mecca of downtown Detroit.

“Years ago, when my business started to pick up, I was working on client work in a tight one-bedroom apartment, meeting clients in coffee shops, hosting workshops in libraries and working out of expensive hourly co-working spaces, says Ward.

“I noticed they all had a masculine edge and didn’t directly support the dynamics of women in business. With many women-owned businesses growing within Detroit, it was time that we had a space that was dedicated to us and for us. Femology will be [that]. It was created to support the modern woman’s experience in the world of business from self-care, and social needs to financial support.”

On the heels of opening Detroit’s first modern business lounge for women, Black Enterprise caught up with Ward to learn more about Femology.

BE: How will Femology support and celebrate Detroit women entrepreneurs?

Meagan Ward: Femology will house over 100+ women-owned brands. We’ll have femininely crafted and curated business workshops, seminars, and socials, specifically tailored for millennial women in business. Aside from our events, we will also support our members in hosting their own events and initiatives from launch parties, book clubs, photo-shoots, webinars/workshops and small panel discussions.
The business lounge amenities includes:

• A women’s based book collection
• A gourmet coffee station
• Stylish desks & office chairs
• A lounge area with comfortable seating
• Personal mailboxes for members
• Late hours as well as weekends

BE: What are the benefits of membership?

Ward: Every month, our members will have access to our beautifully designed
business lounge to hold meetings, connect with other women and
attend special events. A portion of membership funds will go toward the Femology grant, which will support two women-owned startups each year. In addition, recipients will receive expert services from a host of partners in accounting, law, branding, public relations and marketing.

After researching the nation’s oil and gas industry, Moses Shepherd unearthed some compelling information: There are a scant number of minority suppliers operating in the $47 billion market. Hoping to seize upon a vast opportunity to compete in a business without many such rivals, Shepherd started ACE Petroleum this month.

The Detroit-based company will mainly provide gasoline, diesel, ethanol and bio-diesel fuel to businesses and government entities.

Shepherd hopes to leverage his claim that ACE Petroleum is among just a few national oil suppliers that are certified as Minority Business Enterprises by the Michigan and National Minority Supplier Development councils, allowing him to fill a void in the industry.

Making Tax Laws Work for Him

A longtime Detroit real estate entrepreneur and businessman, Shepherd is confident his company can benefit from a federal law that provides tax breaks for businesses that use minority companies in purchasing materials and supplies. He also is optimistic that it can prosper from another tax incentive that he says reduces tax liabilities for companies using minorities that supply labor or services to a project funded with federal or state grants or loans.

Shepherd hopes those mandates—along with previous experience working in the oil and gas business—will help him build ACE Petroleum into a respected minority fuel supplier.

“Fortune 500 companies with fleets or specific fuel needs are the type of companies we are targeting as ACE Petroleum.”

But it won’t necessarily be a cake walk.

Roadblocks Ahead

Jeff Lenard, vice president of strategic industry initiatives for the National Association of Convenience Stores in Alexandria, Virginia, described ACE Petroleum as a “jobber,” a term often used for a distributor that delivers fuel. The NACS includes fuel distributors as members and its overall membership provides 80% of the fuel sold in the USA.

As a new entry in the fuel supply market, a big challenge ACE Petroleum may face is how to set itself apart from the competition beyond price, Lenard says.

For instance, Lenard asks how will the company win business from existing suppliers who already have contracts with companies buying fuel for commercial fleets?

“The key here perhaps is differentiation and finding new opportunities before the competition does,” Lenard says.

A Serial Entrepreneur

Shepherd first learned about the industry after beginning his career in 1987 as a district manager at a fuel distribution firm. In that job, he claims he ran eight stores, managed 100 employees, and helped the outlets return to profitability.

Before launching his new company, Shepherd started Ace Investment Group, L.L.C. in 2003. The firm focuses on buying properties in Detroit and is now among the city’s largest black-owned apartment operators with more than 1,000 units. Both of Shepherd’s businesses are housed in a 13,000-square-foot building he owns in Detroit.

Moses says he also decided to start ACE Petroleum because the real estate business is now self-sufficient and run by an experienced, capable staff. He says ACE Petroleum has a deal with a well-respected automotive transport company. Shepherd lists brands like Budget, Hertz, UPS, and FedEx as potential clients. Others may include local and state municipalities. And, of course, he hopes to work with well-known Motor City powerhouses like General Motors, Ford, and Fiat Chrysler.

His Strategy Laid Bare

On the investment front, Shepherd plans to buy over 1 million gallons of fuel monthly after his company builds up sales momentum, something he figures will take about six to eight months with strong marketing and aggressive sales.

Unlike other fuel suppliers, Shepherd does not plan to acquire a fleet of trucks or invest in bulk storage fuel tanks. Instead, he plans to use so-called delivery agents to make actual deliveries to clients. He says Atlas Oil, based in Southeast Michigan near ACE Petroleum’s headquarters, will be his primary delivery agent.

“Atlas Oil gives me a broad spectrum to handle sales wherever Atlas has a presence,” Shepherd says. “They have customers in 46 states so this gives me the opportunity to broaden my base.”

Jeffrey McKinney is a long-time freelance business writer and reporter, contributing to Black Enterprise magazine for several years on a broad range of business and financial topics.

Last year I wrote about the Frederick Douglass Distinguished Scholars program at American University in Washington, D.C. FDDS is an elite leadership development program for high schoolers who’ve earned a 3.8 unweighted or a 4.0 weighted GPA. No SAT or ACT scores are required to be eligible.

The prestigious scholarship provides students a full four-year ride: Tuition, room, board, books, mandatory fees, and a semester abroad are all covered for the exceptional incoming freshmen that are admitted to the program.

FDDS Scholar Winter Brooks

With the movie Detroit opening later this summer, perhaps this is an optimal time to spotlight one of the Motor City’s finest: FDDS Scholar Winter Brooks, a Detroit native who’s committed to revitalizing her city.

“I’ve been impressed with Winter’s irrepressible desire to make a difference in her hometown,” says FDDS Director Larry Thomas. “Her commitment to improve the quality of life in Detroit’s marginalized communities is inspiring.”

Although Brooks grew up in a low-income area, her parents supported interests—like ballet and traveling—that took her out of the neighborhood and defended her choices that were outside the status quo.

Of her FDDs experience, Brooks says in an e-mail, “My favorite thing about being in the … program is learning how to successfully build relationships. Before coming to American University, I always struggled with my confidence and being able to find my place in social settings, which hindered me from pursuing activities in high school. However, the program placed me in a community where students weren’t afraid to be excellent and were driven by similar interests.”

She continues, “Furthermore, I would say that the FDDS program pushed me to think more critically about my passions and interests in order to be more strategic about my career and personal pursuits. Through meeting accomplished people, weekly trainings, and mentorship, I have been able to pick up skills that have allowed me to accomplish things I couldn’t imagine doing when I first got into the program. Overall, I would say that the FDDS program really gave the necessary skill set to be successful, which has built up my confidence and made me believe that I could achieve way more than I ever thought I could.”

A Business Administration Major Goes Tech

A business administration major, with specializations in marketing and information systems, Brooks enjoyed a pivotal internship at Quicken Loans.

“Coming into college, I had no idea what I wanted to study. Over time though, I became interested in the intersection of marketing and technology in order to build stronger relationships between businesses and the communities they serve. The marketing specialization has taught me how to create innovative strategy, while the information systems has given me the analytical skills and technological insight to help execute those strategies.

“When I first applied to intern at Quicken Loans, I didn’t know much about the tech industry or how my business degree and interest in social justice fit into the roles there. However, during my two summers at QL as a business consulting and administrative intern, I learned not just about how diverse the tech industry is in regard to opportunities, but also how much a role technology can play in alleviating the problems faced in underserved communities.

“During my time there, I was able to gain valuable analytical and relationship-building skills that further allowed me to take on leadership roles the following years in undergraduate. However, the most important thing I realized at QL, by talking with mentors and participating in the company’s social initiatives, was that I was passionate in helping serve under-resourced communities by working toward economic empowerment.”

Now Brooks is interning at Google, where she works with small business owners to help develop their digital marketing strategies. She hopes to eventually use what she learns at Google to work with small business owners in the Detroit area.

Brooks says she did a lot of prep to snag the Google internship. “I pursued [the Google internship] for about a year and a half. All the prep I had done leading up to the application and interviews, including networking, participating in summer programs, etc., took a lot of extra effort on top of my work as an undergraduate, and it all paid off.”

For more information about the Frederick Douglass Distinguished Scholars Program, visit its website.

Detroit is a powerful film that uncovers a series of events that led to the killing of three unarmed, black teenage boys by white police officers. The movie is set during the 1967 Detroit riots, where outraged communities destroyed public and private property in protest against unjust social and economic conditions in the Motor City.

Rather than digging into the impact of the riots, a large portion of the film is spent recounting the real-life horror that a group of young black men and white women experienced inside of the Algiers Motel on July 25, 1967. Police believed that a sniper was hiding out in the motel and tried to force the victims into a confession by viciously interrogating and beating them. These scenes of brutality are severely uncomfortable and raw to the point of nausea. By the end of the movie, I (and others I watched the film with) was left feeling angry and unresolved, especially in light of the recent acts of police violence against black bodies in the age of smartphones. Still, that didn’t deter me from seeing the film twice. For me, the film was a painful reminder of why we cannot forget, neglect, or trivialize the systems of oppression that continue to kill African Americans. It exposes the grit of racism in a way that cannot be erased from memory and reinforces the need for us to fight for freedom. It also gives voice to the real-life victims—Carl Cooper, 17, Fred Temple, 18, and Aubrey Pollard, 19—who never received justice.

In an interview with Black Enterprise, actor John Boyega talked about his role in the movie as Melvin Dismukes, the black security guard who volunteered to assist police in finding the sniper at the Algiers. Nevertheless, he found himself in a compromising position that night, feeling helpless while watching the brutality.

“I relate to the character in a sense that he is a man that is open to several different perspectives, he’s open to several different views,” said Boyega, who starred in Star Wars. “He was a working man, but at the same time was pushed into a situation in which he was trying to protect other black men.” He added that Dismukes “had to kind of stand up to racial injustice but in a very subtle and depressing way.”

BE also spoke to actors Algee Smith and Jason Mitchell who talked about how hard it was to make the film due to its heavy context.

“It affected me a lot,” said Smith. “We had a hard time decompressing, I had a hard time letting that go [once] leaving the set.” “It was uncomfortable,” added Mitchell. “Sometimes you just need an emotional draining to let it out.”

“Detroit” is currently playing in theaters around the country.

In May 2017, Kwaku Osei-Bonsu, founder of the Strange Roots Box, and Lauren Bates an employee of Quicken Loans met at a Maintenance & Mimosas event in downtown Detroit. Two months later they joined forces to launch Black Metro Eats, a seven-day event spotlighting black-owned dining establishments serving cuisines ranging from French to West African and more in the Metro Detroit area.

Black Enterprise caught up with the trailblazing duo to learn how they launched Detroit’s first restaurant week.

What were your first steps in turning your vision into reality?

Kwaku has a background in web development so he built out the website, restaurant recruitment packet, and all digital collateral that would act as marketing support for the week. Lauren created a list of potential participating restaurants so that we could strategize a plan of action. Lastly, we created a compelling press release that would rally the media around a community-based inaugural event.

Surprisingly, it was tough to get restaurants to participants. About two weeks prior to the week we only had two restaurants registered.

Why? We attribute the lag to a few things:

• Metro Detroit Black Restaurant Week is new and not necessarily something that restaurant owners within our community were familiar with. In retrospect, they aren’t generally asked to participate in Detroit Restaurant Week. Some restaurants needed a bit more of a push, so they received in-person pitches. Many who were initially unresponsive expressed interest after seeing other notable establishments register.
• Many thought by participating in “Black Restaurant Week” it would deter their “non-ethnic” clientele. While a valid concern, the purpose was to highlight the owners of 60 black-owned dining establishments in the Metro Detroit area—not exclusivity to black patrons.

What were your proudest moments during the week? 

We brought 12  distinct establishments a consistent flow of first-time patrons as well as exposure to Detroit, a city where black-owned restaurants are often left out of the narrative.

Another proud moment came while we were passing out flyers at the Detroit Public Library. We met a woman named Francis who lived through the civil rights era. She was teary-eyed after finding that such an event was not only happening here but was being launched by two young millennials. That was sobering and reassuring that we were on the right path.

Recognized as a 2017 Michigan Administrator of the Year by Michigan Association of Public School Academies (MAPSA), Chanivia Patterson, principal of Detroit Enterprise Academy moved the school from the bottom 8 in the state to one of the highest performing schools in Detroit.

With over 14 years of experience as a Detroit educator, Patterson attributes her success to a focus on teacher development and coaching, growing leaders from within and developing personalized instruction for students.

Now Patterson is on a mission to coach and mentor educators, administrators and parent/caregivers around the world. In the midst of launching her consulting agency Patterson detailed her journey for Black Enterprise. 

Tell us about your background.

I am a lifelong Detroiter. I served as a middle school teacher right out of college. Within a few years, I was promoted to New Teacher Coach out of a passion for developing new teachers that struggled with classroom management and instructional best practices. Within 2 years of growing teachers in my new teacher coach role, I was asked to open a new school in Detroit and serve as the assistant principal.

After 5 successful years, I was asked to serve as a principal at a low performing school that received media attention as one of the worst schools in the state. I lead the school to become a “beating the odds” school, which is awarded to schools whose academic achievement exceeds expectations. The school was recognized as a 2016 “Reward” school by the State of Michigan for closing the achievement gap of my students in a short amount of time.

I believe in investing in both students and teachers. Beyond academic success, I created a strong positive culture among the staff. The school has been awarded the Employee Engagement Award for having 100% of staff members being Highly Satisfied Leadership fixes failing schools.

A report by Dell Technologies and The Institute for the Future, states that 85% of jobs that will exist in 2030 haven’t been invented yet.  How can parents as well as educators equip students for an unknown job market?

By staying abreast on the latest technology and business models. Business models are changing every day and students must be taught multiple ways to be competitive in the next job market. Teaching our students more about entrepreneurship and allowing them to see themselves as the leader in the job market opposed to the next applicant.

Black Girls CODE has frequented the media a lot as of late, particularly for turning down a $125,000 grant from Uber that the founder, Kimberly Bryant felt was disingenuous.

Bryant told TechCrunch that, “it seems a bit tone-deaf to really addressing real change in how they are moving towards both inclusion and equity. It appears to be more PR driven than actually focused on real change. So we turned it down.”

Recently, another grant surfaced along with several other offers allowing the company to raise well over $145,000, exceeding the initial Uber offer.

General Motors stepped up to the plate, putting their resources in the pot, which recently led to the launch of the Black Girls CODE Detroit chapter.

A recent press release stated that according to the Detroit Regional Chamber, Detroit outpaces the nation in information technology job growth and is expected to continue the pace through 2025.

Typically known to lack diversity, the partnership aims to increase interest in STEM career fields for girls of color. The numbers are astounding. The press release also states that, only 3% of African American women and less than 1% of Latinas receive degrees in computer science.

GM isn’t just putting their money where their mouth is. The team gathered at the Michigan Science Center during the launch for a meet-and greet, to connect with the girls, the BGC Detroit chapter team and to volunteer.

“Although we’ve hosted workshops in the area off and on since 2012, we are thrilled to officially launch a Black Girls CODE chapter in Detroit with the support of GM and other corporate and community partners like Comcast and Wayne State University,” said Bryant in the release.

“Our regular programming, launching this fall, will lay a foundation to fully engage girls of color in Detroit and is designed to inspire them to continue their paths as future STEM professionals.”

Two residence halls and a conference center at Western Michigan University will be named after three legendary black Detroit business and civic leaders.

The honorees include the late automotive executive Ronald Hall Sr., former Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer, and entrepreneur William Pickard.

The Western Heights residence hall complex will be named Hall-Archer-Pickard West and Hall-Archer-Pickard East, along with the Hall-Archer-Pickard Conference Room in Heritage Hall. A public ceremony and reception will be hosted by WMU’s Board of Trustees and President Edward B. Montgomery Wednesday at the Kalamazoo campus.

Excelling in Business, Government, and Other Endeavors

The friendship of Hall, Archer and Pickard commenced as fraternity brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha at WMU in the 1960s. The trio impacted and influenced the state of Michigan after graduation by achieving great success in business and other endeavors.

Hall was president of the Michigan Minority Business Development Council from 1992 to 1998. He later founded Detroit-based Bridgewater Interiors L.L.C., an automotive parts company. He passed last year. Bridgewater Interiors is No. 3 on the BE Top 100 list with more than $2.2 billion in revenue.

Archer was on the Michigan Supreme Court and elected Mayor of Detroit, where he served two terms in 1994 and 2001. Further, he was the first person of color to be president of the State Bar of Michigan and American Bar Association.

Pickard Presents $3 Million Donation Linked to Residence Halls

Pickard was among the nation’s first African Americans to own a McDonald’s franchise. He was the executive director of the NAACP Detroit Branch, and is now an executive board member. He is a co-managing partner of MGM Grand Detroit Casino. Pickard founded and is co-CEO of Detroit-based Global Automotive Alliance L.L.C., the parent company of several businesses in the automotive, logistics, and warehousing and distribution industries. Global Automotive is No. 16 on the BE Top 100 list with revenues of $234.4 million. Pickard provided a major monetary gift tied to the residence halls.

“With a passion for education and a life-long tie to Western Michigan University, I’m proud to give a gift in excess of ($3 million) in honor of the naming of two new residence halls within the Western Heights Complex, Hall-Archer-Pickard West and Hall-Archer-Pickard East, and the Hall-Archer-Pickard Conference Room in Heritage Hall,” stated Pickard via a press release.

“Speaking on behalf of Archer and the late Hall, we’re so thankful for our WMU experience and hope our names on-campus facilities become a small reminder to current
students of the importance of building meaningful relationships and taking full advantage of WMU’s extensive opportunities,” the statement continued.

The Coe is a 12-unit, mixed-use development with eight townhouses, four apartments, and two small retail units. It is the first project of Detroit’s Strategic Neighborhood Fund, a project backed by Capital Impact Partners, Invest Detroit, Broder & Sachse Real Estate and Sachse Construction.

“I am so proud to partner with organizations like JPMorgan Chase and Capital Impact Partners because together we can turn our vision into reality so much faster,” said Clifford A. Brown, an urban developer and partner at Woodborn Partners in a press release. “As a developer in the city, I’m excited to show the next generation how much more we can achieve when we work together.”

This year, BLACK ENTERPRISE celebrates the 4th anniversary of its roster of the nation’s largest black-owned businesses—The BE 100s. To commemorate the significance of this collective’s widespread impact on black business and economic development as well as American industry over four decades, we have presented 45 milestones moments. As part of this tribute, we continue our yearlong countdown.  

Today we reveal No. 27 in the web series “Great Moments in Black Business.” 

2002: With the acquisition of three Fitzgeralds casinos for $149 million, Don Barden becomes the first African American to wholly own a casino in the nation’s gambling capital.

Rising from meager beginnings to become a self-made multimillionaire African American entrepreneur, the late Don Barden was a trailblazer in America’s gaming industry.

First-Ever Black Vegas Casino Operator

Barden made history when one of his companies acquired three Fitzgeralds casinos for $149 million, making him the first black to own casino operations in Las Vegas. The transaction placed his gaming enterprise in the industry’s largest U.S. market and at the same time, broke barriers within the sector.

Barden added to his empire—he had already owned casinos in Gary, Indiana; Tunica, Mississippi; and Black Hawk, Colorado—by purchasing the Fitzgeralds properties from bankruptcy court. In fact, Barden used $14 million of his own money and raised $150 million from 40 institutional investors to seal the deal and upgrade operations.

The daring entrepreneur’s big gamble paid off.  It bumped revenues of Barden Cos. Inc., placing it among the top 25 of BE Industrial/Service Companies in the early 2000s. Observers hailed Barden’s move as a major victory in bringing much-needed diversity to the industry. “It has the same ramification [for the Las Vegas gaming industry] that Jackie Robinson had to baseball,” Gene Collins, president of the Las Vegas chapter of the NAACP told the Las Vegas Sun at the time.” It opens all sorts of opportunities for African Americans because someone has to be first.”

First African American to Build an Urban-Based Cable TV Company

Making history was nothing new for Barden. In addition to being the first African American to own a casino corporation outright, he beat the odds by controlling multimillion-dollar companies in other industries that locked out blacks from ownership participation. As such, he would become the first black businessman to build a cable TV system for urban markets as well as a major player in commercial estate development over the course of his 40-year career.

He shared his deal-making philosophy in the BLACK ENTERPRISE book, Lessons From The Top: “I have learned to look for businesses that make money while I sleep. I like to acquire any business that doesn’t require an exorbitant amount of time and capital to turn it around. Yet, I want to be able to expand the core businesses. I have been able to do that with real estate, cable, and gaming. If you find viable businesses with solid management, you are not drained by the day-to-day operations. You can scope out other opportunities.”

The ninth of 13 children raised in Inkster, Michigan, he attended Central State University in Ohio with the goal of pursuing a legal career. But he ultimately turned to entrepreneurship. His first venture was a record store that he opened in Lorain, Ohio, at the age of 21 with $500 in savings. From there, he launched several businesses, including a real estate development firm, a nightclub, and a weekly newspaper, The Lorain County Times, in Lorain. He was also Lorain’s first elected black city council member.

By 1981, Barden bought an interest in a cable television station in Lorain and formed Barden Communications Inc. He expanded his cable system to include communities in his hometown of Inkster and the Detroit metro area, growing gross revenues from $600,000 to $91.2 million in a decade. By 1992, BCI earned the No. 5 position on the BE INDUSTRIAL/SERVICE 100 and BE 100s Company of the Year honors—for the first time. By 1994, he sold the company to Comcast Cable in 1994 for more than $100 million.

Two years later, he ventured into the casino gaming industry when he acquired and operated the Majestic Star Casino, a riverboat casino in Gary, Indiana. After an unsuccessful bid to buy a casino in Detroit, he acquired the Fitzgeralds properties. In 2003, BLACK ENTERPRISE named Barden Cos. as Company of the Year—the only entrepreneur to receive such recognition in two different industries within a 10-year span.

But not all of Barden’s ventures were proven winners. In 2009, the Majestic Star Casino was forced to file for bankruptcy protection.

Such setbacks, however, did not keep BLACK ENTERPRISE from heralding his myriad accomplishments. As part of its 40th-anniversary celebration in 2010—a year before Barden’s untimely death due to complications from lung cancer—it ranked him No. 21 on the roster of “Titans: The 40 Most Powerful African Americans in Business.” That same year, he also received the A.G. Gaston Lifetime Achievement Award, BE‘s top honor for business excellence. Barden left a legacy for being one of the most honored and respected black business leaders of his generation, and mentor to several generations of black professionals and entrepreneurs.

On Jan. 21, 2017, the largest single-day protest took place in U.S. history at the Women’s March. The momentum and energy from that event was an experience of a lifetime. Lives were changed and many women went back to their communities to continue the efforts for change.

During the weekend of Oct. 27–29 in Detroit, over 5,000 attendees came together at the Cobo Center for the first-of-its-kind Women’s Convention in 40 years. The inaugural event brought together thousands of first-time activists, women who’ve organized locally and nationally, students, movement leaders, politicians, and more. Attendees were from Los Angeles, New York, D.C., Chicago, Florida, Oklahoma, and more.

Confronting White Womanhood

The theme of the convention was “Reclaiming Our Time,” this was in honor of Congresswoman Maxine Waters’ viral phrase “reclaiming my time.” The event had over 170 workshops and 400 speakers and panelists. Attendees had the opportunity to learn about wellness as it relates to activism, fighting for gender equality, how to plan a rally in less than 24 hours, strategies on building a new vision for safety to overcome mass incarnation, strategies for organizing in schools and communities for youth, and combating sexual violence within the community.

One of the most popular sessions was “Confronting White Womanhood,” which led organizers to create a repeat session on Saturday due to the overwhelming demand. The convention also included a Social Justice Concert with Melanie Fiona, Alice Smith, BombaRica, V. Bozeman, Jessica Care Moore, and more.

From the moment the convention started, the energy was infectious and electric. The opening remarks included speeches from Women’s March co-Chairs Tamika Mallory and Linda Sarsour; Tarana Burke; the original founder of the #MeToo campaign; actress Rose McGowan; activist Rosa Clemente; and more. That set the momentum that would run throughout the weekend. After a full day of sessions, Friday night remarks included Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence, Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota.

Maxine Waters: “Creep, Get Off My Back!”

On Saturday, Congresswoman Maxine Waters was honored and gave a speech that spoke to sexual harassment, sharing that the issue is beyond Hollywood. She also warned those who are trying to divide the women’s resistance movement to “go to hell.” She started the catchphrase “reclaiming my time.” Another one that will surface soon, is “creep, get off my back.” This came as Waters was telling the attendees about Trump walking near Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in an intrusive and intimidating manner during a 2016 debate. “Hillary should have said: ‘Creep, get off my back!’” Waters said. Wrapping up the speech Waters had the crowd on their feet cheering and chanting “Impeach 45.”

As the weekend came to a close, a very important question was answered during the final discussion “Where Do We Go From Here?” The panel was moderated by Mallory. Panelists were Angela Rye, Carmen Perez, Bob Bland, and Donnell R. White. The speakers encouraged attendees to go local when it comes to creating change. Rye referenced Martin Luther King’s 1967 speech Where Do We Go From Here and broke it down into three prongs. She advised the crowd to, “bank black, give black, and buy black.” She continued to share that “black women are the largest group of entrepreneurs” and encouraged attendees to support black-owned businesses.

Where do we go from here is a loaded question, but the people who attended the Women’s Convention are up for the challenge. Many left feeling a bittersweet emotion, clarity, rejuvenated, and ready to take action. Although there is much work to be done, this event was a strong follow up from the march.

Former footballers in the NFL Players Association recently sponsored a series of personal finance workshops for 30 metropolitan Detroit high school students.

The training, part of the Activate My Greatness four-part youth program, comprised two full Saturdays of formal and informal instruction in finance, including topics like balancing a checkbook and paying bills on time.

Basic skills, for sure, but essential to establishing good credit that allows one to buy a home, purchase a car, or start a business, the students learned.

Former pro football players Benny Blades, Jim Thrower, Alfred Fields, George Jamison, Scott Conover, Ron Rice, and President of the Detroit Chapter NFLPA Tim Walton, shared self-esteem techniques and reasons for learning about business, along with their personal stories of wealth and money management.

“I can’t think of a better use of our time as men, but especially as former professional athletes, than giving back to young people who are eager to learn,” Walton is quoted as saying in a statement.

An Essential Life Skill

As mentioned above, the program’s goals extended to non-financial life skills:

• Strengthen students’ awareness of financial opportunities
• Develop financial confidence in everyday transactions
• Make effective use of services from banks and other financial institutions
• Increase students’ knowledge of their personality traits and of how to exhibit personal leadership

Antonio Stokes of Antonio Stokes Advisors delivered sessions on credit scores, managing a bank account, managing one’s income, savings strategies, check writing, completing a W-4, and understanding deductions on a pay stub.

During the Personal Leadership trainings, CEO and Head Coach of APEX Leadership Academy Edward Foxworth provided instruction in self-understanding. He also described how the students “could synthesize personal success strategies with being good stewards of their money,” according to a statement.

The program was further supported by sponsors Comerica Bank, Doug Walls and the Eagle Excavation Team, the Detroit Lions, the NFLPA, Henry Ford Health Systems, and proceeds from a Former Players Detroit Chapter–sponsored fundraiser held this past summer.

Activate My Greatness includes training in college prep, leadership, and career planning, Foxworth told me. The four-part program is part of Apex Leadership Academy, a nonprofit.

“I am grateful to have had these professionals come and participate in this meaningful series,” he said in a statement. “As we plan for additional training in college preparation, leadership education, and career planning in the coming months, sponsors are needed to support delivering the same level of quality to more Metro Detroit youth.”

For more information and to make a tax-deductible donation, visit www.APEXLeadershipacademy.com.

We’ve heard of a lot of systems created to keep the underrepresented population uninformed, but these Detroit residents aren’t going for it. Equitable Internet Initiative is a group of Detroit residents who are learning how to build autonomous, affordable, and high-speed WiFi networks to prevent what they are calling, “the creation of a digital class system,” according to Vice’s recent documentary short, Meet the People Building Their Own Internet in Detroit, from the series Dear Future.

“We risk our human rights if we don’t take ownership and control over the internet in a way that is decentralized,” said Diana Nucera, director of the Detroit Community Technology Project. Nucera, also known as Mother Cyborg, believes her mission is to empower individuals and help them come to the realization of the potential of technology and she is doing that through the Equitable Internet Initiative.

“Detroit is one of the top five least connected cities in the United States,” says Nucera. “So what happens when you have a city that has 1,000 mbps and the people with the least [amount] of resources only have 10? I think that causes a huge problem as far as what you can do with access.”

Telecom companies won’t offer good service within these impoverished areas because they don’t see the value. In fact, they go as far as not even turning on their fibers to create the connections, so the Equitable Internet Initiative has purchased gigabyte fiber that they’ve connected to routers and pointed them to their community centers, allowing WiFi access, according to the Vice documentary.

“We need to build our own infrastructure and rethink internet service providing and access in order to reach those people who have been traditionally left out and marginalized,” said Nucera. “The work that we’ve been doing is not just about access, it’s about building a healthy digital ecosystem.”

Equitable Internet Initiative created the Digital Stewards program, which has trained people in the North End, Islandview and Southwest Detroit, giving their neighborhoods access to WiFi. The byproduct is not only internet access, helping to close the digital divide, but a creation of community.

“I think it’s important when you talk about business and places and organizations that do things, to have a face to it, so for me, this is a beautiful thing to be a part of because the faces that these people see are the people who installed it, the same people who are protecting their privacy, and the same people who will come back and be like, ‘Hey, you have a problem. How do we fix that?'” said Gabrielle Knox, one of the digital stewards.

Watch the full documentary on Vice.

After being accused of multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, Congressman John Conyers Jr. announced Tuesday that he will step down from his position in the House of Representatives immediately.

“I am retiring today,” Conyers said on a local radio show in Detroit, according to the New York Times. “I am in the process of putting together my retirement plans. I will have more on that soon.”

Conyers, who was first elected as a representative in Michigan in 1965, is the longest-serving member of the House and the longest-serving African American in history. During his tenure, the civil rights activist sponsored legislation to pass Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a national holiday and co-founded the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC).

Last month, BuzzFeed reported that the 88-year-old politician settled a wrongful dismissal complaint in 2015, though he denied the sexual misconduct accusations. Since then, several other women charged him with allegations of sexual misconduct, forcing him to step aside as the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee. A number of political leaders, including CBC member Rep. James Clyburn, House Speaker Paul Ryan, and House Minority leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi, however, called for him to resign.

On Monday, Elisa Grubbs revealed through her attorney Lisa Bloom that she too was a victim and her former employer touched her inappropriately in church, exposed himself to her in his home, and inappropriately touched her female cousin.

During the radio interview, Conyers denied allegations that he sexually harassed former employees and promised that his legacy will be carried on by his heir, endorsing his son, John Conyers III, to take his seat. “My legacy can’t be compromised or diminished in any way by what we are going through now,” Conyers said. “This too shall pass. My legacy will continue through my children.”

His great-nephew, Ian Conyers, however, announced that he plans to run for Michigan’s 13th Congressional District. “I’m absolutely going to file for his seat,” said Ian, who was elected as Michigan state senator last year. “The work of our congressional district, where I come out of, has to continue. We have got to have someone who has depth and experience but also historical understanding of what it takes to fight this type of evil in Washington.”

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