SHOPPE BLACK

Meet The Black Woman Who Created The World’s Largest Tech Conference

8 mins read
social media week

Social Media Week Lagos is the largest and Blackest conference that you’ve probably never heard of until now.

Social Media Week features a central stage for keynotes and panels, multiple rooms for workshops, masterclasses and presentations, and an area dedicated to co-working, networking and interactive installations.

social media week

SMW Lagos 2018 boasted an attendance of over 20,000 people in person,  an online social reach of 646 million and over 150 local and international organizations contributed to the conference.

social media week

If you’ve heard of a conference larger than that, anywhere, let us know. We’ll wait.

The Founder

Ngozi Odita is the founder of Social Media Week Lagos. She is a producer and a public speaker that works with artists and arts organizations to produce public programming that includes art exhibitions, film screenings, concerts & artist talks. She speaks to the unique opportunities that exist on the continent and “what’s next” on the horizon.

Social Media Week Lagos founder, Ngozi Odita

The Inspiration

Ngozi’s work has always centered around the intersection of art, culture and technology as it relates to Africa and the diaspora. After producing two SMW New York events, she decided that instead of telling people how dope Africa is, she would let them see for themselves by creating a platform on the Continent.

She got the license to create the conference in Nigeria and the rest is history in the making.

social media week

Challenges and Rewards

When asked about the most challenging and rewarding parts of creating this event, she stated, “It’s a challenge in general doing an event that’s this large scale. In Nigeria, there are unique challenges.

Certain resources and materials may not be readily available the way they are in the West. Getting people in Africa and abroad to see the vision has also been a challenge.

People asked why anyone would want to see a conference about using Twitter or Instagram. They told me that it just would not work.”

Ngozi says the most rewarding part of the journey has been providing new and life changing experiences for those who attend the conference.

“Last year, we had a yoga/meditation tent. Initially, people thought that wasn’t a good idea and that none would attend a yoga event first thing in the morning.

But it ended up being packed! Some of the people had never done yoga before. I love challenging people to do new things that they never thought of doing. I enjoy providing an experience that they can’t get anywhere else.”

social media week

Why attend SMW Lagos?

“I really want Black people on the Continent and in the Diaspora to see that we are all alike. You don’t see yourself until you see yourself. Many people abroad see images of the super fly people and places in Lagos and they are like, “Whoa that’s in Nigeria? That could be Brooklyn, that could be Atlanta!”

That’s when the connection happens. We have to ask ourselves why we don’t connect, and why don’t we build more.”

social media week

She continued, “It is important for people on the continent also get a real connection with their brothers and sisters in the Diaspora.

We need to figure out what we could accomplish if we all work together. People say Africa is the future and it really is!  Every western country is trying to figure out (or has figured out) what their “Africa angle” is.

If we don’t figure it out as a people, others will figure it out for us and we’ll be in the back seat. We need to connect and people in the diaspora need to come over and see how we can build together.”

SMW is a great way to connect tech minded and business minded creatives and entrepreneurs.

“I love the fact that because of social media, youtube etc, we can see all the dope artists and fashion, but we have to be more than consumers, we need to own. We need to figure out how to own our own.

All these amazing African startups are getting investment from outside the continent. They end up being owned by people who don’t look like us. Jay-z and Nas and others are investing in tech.

Now, let’s think about investing in some African startups. We need to figure out how to get involved and make money moves and not keep watching from the sidelines.”

The Future

“My dream is that this time of the year will be like a homecoming, and everyone will have February blocked out to come to Nigeria to take care of business and turn up.

African countries are doing amazing things and we celebrate this, but we’re not moving the needle. Mad youth are unemployed and the government is a mess. Other people come out here and get paid, but most of them don’t look like us.

All the resources are there and we all know it but we’re not making the moves to take advantage of what is ours. We’re not talking to ourselves in a way that matters.

In the 50’s you would have leaders like Kwame Nkrumah, the first president of Ghana, discussing Pan Africanism with Nnamdi Azikiwe, the first President of Nigeria.

They both travelled to America with the intention of building with like minds. The idea of Blackness as a whole was different then than it is now.

Now, we don’t think as much about nation building, but we need to. There’s no way to do this if we don’t do it together.”

What to Expect this year

A few of year events include:

  • Re-Imagine Africa
  • Intro to Angel Investing
  • How to scale your business with Instagram
  • Digital Media and the Music Industry
  • Potential for growth:Digital sports in Africa
  • My F*ck Up Story – Sharing Stories Of Professional Failure

Visit the SMW Lagos website for more information.

 

Tony Oluwatoyin Lawson (@thebusyafrican)

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Foot Locker Invests $2 Million in Black Owned Footwear Design Academy

5 mins read

Foot Locker Inc. has made a $2 million investment in Pensole Inc., which operates the Pensole Footwear Design Academy, founded by former Jordan design director D’Wayne Edwards. In short time, Pensole has become a signifiant part of the sportswear industry’s talent pipeline.

Pensole features the most sought after faculty in footwear, comprised of both young professional designers and established footwear design leaders from the top footwear brands, with more than 150 years combined experience.

Pensole founder, D’Wayne Edwards

The investment deepens Foot Locker’s long-standing partnership with Pensole and extends the companies’ relationship across all aspects of the design process. It will also give Foot Locker and its vendor partners new access to collaborative design and manufacturing talent.

Edwards will remain the majority owner of Pensole. In a recent interview, he said Pensole will stay on the same trajectory and the money will help “create a better academy.” He expects to use the money to expand class offerings, hire more staff and design exclusive products for Foot Locker.

Edwards, who has worked in the athletic industry for three decades, created a pipeline of new designers through the academy that offers free tuition and a learn-by-doing curriculum that teaches students the entire footwear and apparel process, from product inspiration and concept development to manufacturing and branding.

“My relationship with Foot Locker goes back over 30 years, from consumer to designer to educator and now partner,” said Edwards. “I am excited to deepen our relationship with Foot Locker so we can empower consumers to create their future through innovative educational programs.

Suzette Henry, the founder, and director of the MLab at Pensole

It has always been our joint mission to foster the next generation of emerging footwear and apparel design talent, and I am confident that our collaboration will contribute to the continued growth of the academy, success of our students and accelerated innovation in the footwear industry.”

Together, Foot Locker, its vendor partners and Pensole will collaborate on new educational programs and the design and manufacturing of exclusive products for the Foot Locker family of brands.

Angela Medlin, Founder and Director of the The Functional Apparel and Accessories Studio (FAAS) at Pensole

Foot Locker first supported Edwards and his vision for Pensole in 2015 through an annual master class design competition, “Fueling the Future of Footwear.” Thirty students who have gone through the Foot Locker and Pensole Master classes are working in the industry. Foot Locker has also sold three styles created from the class globally.

“Through this investment, we are excited to extend our partnership with Pensole, an organization that shares our deep commitment to fostering education and driving design innovation and excellence in the industry,” said Richard Johnson, chairman and CEO of Foot Locker.

“Pensole’s position as a leading footwear design academy will enable Foot Locker to deepen our relationships with our vendor partners and leverage the next generation of talent across our brand partners for exclusive consumer-facing concepts. We look forward to working closely with D’Wayne and Pensole’s talented students and world-class faculty as together we design and produce the footwear of tomorrow.”

Spring 2018 Student Exhibition (Pensole)

Partnership with New Balance

Pensole has now partnered with NewBalance for the 3rd annual 3-Week Design and Marketing “Co-Op.” This course features on the job training in Footwear Design, Color + Material Design, Functional Apparel Design, and Marketing.

Students will be selected by category of submission for a hands-on learning experience at the New Balance HQ and a chance to earn a 1-Year Paid Apprenticeship. For details and submission requirements, visit www.Pensole.com.

 

Tony Oluwatoyin Lawson (IG @thebusyafrican)

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Remembering Atlantic City’s Black History and Segregated Past

11 mins read

Like much of the United States, Atlantic City, New Jersey, was both de facto and legally segregated throughout much of its history, until the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision of 1954 and the passage of the Civil Rights Act 10 years later mandated integration across the country.

But unlike many other segregated communities, Atlantic City has long been a tourist hub and beach town—and travelers, both black and white, have been vacationing in Atlantic City for more than a century.

After Atlantic City was incorporated in 1854, its economy flourished and its population grew quickly. African Americans moved to Atlantic City from the South during the Great Migration, in search of better-paying jobs. Other black people immigrated to Atlantic City from the West Indies and opened many of the town’s black-owned businesses.

Though no specific laws segregating the town existed at this time, discriminatory practices including redlining (where potential homeowners are denied access to particular neighborhoods based on race) sequestered African Americans to the Northside neighborhood of Atlantic City, according to Ralph Hunter, founder of the African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey.

“The 80-square-block Northside neighborhood was once a thriving community of businesses, entrepreneurs, and professionals including doctors, lawyers, dentists, and funeral directors,” Hunter said. “They could attend school, own property, and vote, but they had to go to a clinic at City Hall instead of Atlantic City Hospital [when they were sick].”

Most African Americans who lived in Atlantic City worked as laborers or in the service industry at white-owed hotels. In fact, black workers made up 95 percent of jobs at resorts and in tourism in Atlantic City during the Victorian era, according to a story on NJ.com.

The residential areas of Atlantic City may have been essentially segregated from the time of the city’s incorporation, but its beaches and hotels were not segregated until 1900, when white tourists visiting from the Jim Crow South started to complain about integration. The Missouri Avenue Beach, the only beach open to black people in the area at the time, was declared a historic landmark in 1997. African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey
“Atlantic City was built on the backs of African Americans,” Hunter explained.

The residential areas of Atlantic City may have been essentially segregated from the time of the city’s incorporation, but its beaches and hotels were not segregated until 1900, when white tourists visiting from the Jim Crow South started to complain about integration.

Only then did the City Council officially segregate Atlantic City. Throughout this period of segregation in the early 20th century, African Americans continued to work at white-owned hotels and businesses.

African Americans continued to travel to Atlantic City, but instead of visiting whites-only beaches, they traveled to the only beach open to black people in the area—Missouri Avenue Beach, which was located in front of Atlantic City’s convention center. And though whites-only hotels were now closed off to black travelers, black-owned hotels and residences provided an opportunity for travelers and African American entrepreneurs alike.

One of the premier hotels in the northern United States, Liberty Hotel, opened in the Northside in the 1930s. The six-story hotel was a safe haven for African American performers who were playing at local venues, as well as upper-class vacationers, including *C. Morris Cain, a black entrepreneur who developed the first YMCA in Atlantic City and the first housing project in New Jersey. The building still stands today and has been converted into apartments for seniors.

The Lincoln Hotel Apartments was seven stories high and included more than 200 rooms and apartments on the Northside. In addition to the efficiency-style apartments, the building included a dance studio, grocery store, and other businesses. Travelers and seasonal workers would often rent out rooms at the Lincoln for the entire summer.

Several other black-owned-and-operated hotels existed in Atlantic City during this time—including the Randall Hotel, one of the oldest hotels in Atlantic City; Wright’s Hotel, which played host to dignitaries visiting the Elks Lodge fraternal order; and the still-standing Apex Inn, owned by black haircare tycoon Madam Sara Spencer Washington.

But the majority of black travelers looking for a place to stay during their vacation would bunk at tourist homes, residential buildings owed by African Americans who opened their doors to people with nowhere else to safely stay.

These homes and black-owned hotels were listed in the Negro Motorist Green Book, a travel guide for African Americans looking for safe passage through the country during a period of segregation and increased discrimination.

According to listings in the Green Book, somewhere between 20 and 50 cottages in the Northside were open to African Americans in the mid-20th century. Some residences were owned by families and travelers were welcome to stay in a single room. But individuals like Dick Austin, who immigrated to Atlantic City from the West Indies, owned several homes spanning an entire city block and provided housing for black travelers through their investment in real estate.

Hotels and tourist homes were not the only black-owned businesses in Atlantic City. In addition to his success in real estate, Austin also owned a restaurant and bar called Dick Austin’s Rose Garden. Several other black-owned restaurants and clubs existed at the time, but the most famous was Club Harlem, located near Liberty Hotel.

Founded in 1935 by Leroy “Pop” Williams and his brother, Clifton, the club hosted performers like Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Sammy Davis Jr., and Aretha Franklin, as well as their own in-house showgirls. “It was an amazing place,” said Hunter.

Atlantic City also boasted African American-owned garages, cab services, and other businesses necessary to support the infrastructure of any tourist hub. In response to segregation, the Northside neighborhood duplicated businesses that excluded African Americans in the white areas of Atlantic City. In the process, the Northside created a thriving culture where African Americans could feel safe and accepted in a community that fostered black entrepreneurship and achievement.

After Brown v. Board and the Civil Rights Act, Missouri Avenue Beach—and with it, many of the black-owned businesses on the Northside—faded out of existence. And when Atlantic City’s famous casinos were built in the 1970s and ‘80s, many of its historic places were either demolished or altered beyond recognition.

While some historic buildings in the Northside neighborhood remain, the majority have been converted into public housing. Hunter explained, “Black-owned businesses in Atlantic City are few and far between now. There were once 37 owned-and-operated black bars [on the Northside]. Today, there isn’t one liquor license held by an African American. And there’s just one cab license.”

While Atlantic City’s landscape has changed, historians are working to preserve aspects of some of its most significant African American places. Artifacts from Club Harlem were sent to the National Museum of African American Heritage and Culture in Washington, D.C., including a table and chair, sign advertising Sam Cooke, and several historic photographs.

The Missouri Avenue Beach was declared a historic landmark in 1997, and the Chicken Bone Beach Historical Foundation (Chicken Bone Beach was its colloquial name) continues to promote the site’s heritage through annual summer jazz concerts.

The Atlantic City Free Public Library also collected hundreds of historic images depicting Atlantic City’s black history. The photos range from postcards to famous performers to families enjoying their time at the beach, as well as African Americans experiencing daily life in the Northside neighborhood. And the African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey is working to educate future generations about African American contributions to the rich history of Atlantic City.

According to Hunter, though, historic markers, artifacts, and photographs aren’t enough to keep the memory of Atlantic City’s black history alive. “We have to save the buildings that are here and repurpose them into something that people will use,” he said. “Many good properties have stood the test of time, but we have to recognize their history.”

 

Source: City Lab

A Conversation with Tech Architect, Iddris Sandu

5 mins read
idriss sandu

Iddris Sandu is a young visionary who landed an internship with Google at 13, received a Presidential scholar award at 14, worked on data analytics for Twitter at 15, and was hired by Instagram at 16.

At 17, he was working with Snapchat until he became a consultant at Uber, working on the software for self-driving cars, and at 20, he collaborated with Nipsey Hussle to create the world’s first smart store.

We reached out to find out more about his thoughts and beliefs about how to change the world through innovation and “great design”.

What is the digital revolution and what does it mean to you?

The digital revolution is an ongoing evolutionary cycle of technology. I guess many could say that the term was coined in the early 80s but we’re now starting to see the progressiveness of the term on a larger scale. For me, it’s about automation. Digital technology is now able to replace and outsmart the very creators of the technology.

How important is it that we shift from high utilization rates to high production rates of tech platforms?

We need to do so in order to create a more diverse infrastructural playing field. I think it’s a common theme in tech for people to say let’s decentralize technology, but that’s not the answer because a system can be decentralized but still not diverse and accessible.

In order to generate the best stories we must be able to have a platform and best tell the narrative.  Our youth must not just be able to establish grounds in rented spaces, but also be able to own their own spaces.

You’ve worked on projects with celebs and major corporations. What attracts you to a particular project?

For me it always cuts down to purpose. I think a lot of people focus on projects with the intent of how their ego can be fueled.
I just want to point out that I’m not pointing fingers at anyone, but as for me, I’m on a different mission and purpose.

I also just feel like the world already has too much of that going on. This vision I’ve been tasked with is bigger than a single individual and thus, all projects I’m attracted to are ones that have a sense of serving and being of service to societies, communities, and humanity in general.

In the last five years, what new belief, behavior, or habit has most improved your life?

I would credit the philosophies of Dieter Rams stating that less is more, Alan Watts on the simplicity of life, and even Wabi-Sabi, a Japanese way of life which focuses on three basic philosophies; 1)That things are never finished things,
2)Things are never perfect and 3) Nothing ever lasts.

If you could have a giant billboard anywhere with anything on it, what would it say and why?

I think it would say “one race, the human race”. But I don’t know if that’s politically correct. Anyways, it would say that.

What advice do you have for aspiring tech designers?

Indulge in more solution-based thinking over problem based thinking. The general world doesn’t necessarily thrive on another t-shirt, Instagram post, or social media app. The world needs healing. The world needs solutions to ever-evolving man-generated problems. We need the best thinkers working on providing accessibility to everyone rather than for aspirational gain.

Cars should be $30,000 and look like Lamborghinis. All houses should have concise and great affordance all throughout them and should be classless. Our resources should be distributed to as many people as we can service rather than simply accumulating for ourselves.

by Tony O. Lawson

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Assemblywoman Angela McKnight helps create laws that actually make a difference

6 mins read

In our collective pursuit of economic empowerment, it is important to acknowledge the role of politics. It is also important to acknowledge the public officials that are working to create the policies that can help us  achieve our economic goals.

Assemblywoman Angela McKnight, the 1st African American Assemblywoman for the 31st District for the state of New Jersey, is one such person.

Angela V. McKnight, newly elected as the 1st African American Assemblywoman for the 31st District for the state of New Jersey

What inspired you to get into politics?

Based on the prior work I had been doing in the community since about 2010; I was approached by the Mayor of Jersey City and the County Democratic Organization to run for the Legislative District 31 Assembly seat. After speaking with my family and close friends, we collectively decided that running for office would place me in a better position to advocate for my community.

As an elected official, I have been able to take the work that I have been doing on a local level and implement change through advocating and creating policies in our capital, Trenton, New Jersey.

What existing policies do you feel are most beneficial to business owners and what types don’t exist but should?

Some examples of policies on a state level that are beneficial to business owners are Opportunity Zones and Urban Enterprise Zones, New Jersey’s Small Business Development Centers, and various incentives for Minority/ Women Owned Businesses. The State of New Jersey aims to foster a thriving environment for small businesses and entrepreneurs.

Our policies are very forward thinking; for example in 2018, New Jersey passed the strongest pay equity law in the country and paid sick leave. In order to make our economy stronger, I believe our state needs to raise our minimum wage to a livable wage so everyone can contribute to our economy without constantly struggling to make ends meet.

Photo credit: The Moorefield Group

You recently teamed up with Tiffany Aliche to get a financial literacy law passed. Can you explain the significance of this law?

This bill (A-1414) expands on the New Jersey Student Learning financial literacy standards that are in place for New Jersey public school students in grades K-8. What is unique about A-1414 is that it establishes uniform requirements for each grade from grades 6-8. With the current standards, which are not mandated by law, students must learn about various aspects of financial literacy “by the end of grade 4,” “by the end of grade 8” and “by the end of grade 12.”

Tiffany “The Budgetnista” Aliche , Acting Governor Shiela Oliver and Assemblywoman Angela McKnight. Photo Credit: Anthony McKnight

Through A-1414, public school districts are mandated by law to incorporate financial literacy in each grade 6-8. The goal of this bill is to develop state-mandated, uniform requirements that districts must implement. In other words, the intent is to help students learn and implement best practices for managing money prior to adulthood.

The signing of Bill A1414 (Assemblywoman Angela McKnight, 3rd from left; Acting Governor Shiela Oliver, seated. Credit: Anthony McKnight)

What is a law or bill you got passed that benefits the business owners in your local community?

In 2018 I sponsored a piece of legislation, A-3754, which establishes a limited license for hair braiding. The bill was signed into law and went into effect on January 2, 2019.

I wanted to make sure that hair braiders, who are predominantly African-American and African immigrant women, are able to use their skills to support themselves and their families, without excessive regulation. I want to support entrepreneurship. As a result of this law, hair braiders can now practice their talents without fear of excessive fines.

Assemblywoman McKnight with a group of entrepreneurs that will benefit from legislation, A-3754 that she helped sign into law.

In your opinion how can entrepreneurs collaborate with their local government officials to promote economic development?

Entrepreneurs can collaborate with their local government officials by engaging in the process and letting them know what policies/ procedures are doing well and what can be improved. Without input from the community, local officials will not be able to accurately assess what is best for their constituents.

 

Tony Oluwatoyin Lawson (IG @thebusyafrican)

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15 Things to do in Lagos for Social Media Week 2019

1 min read

The last time I was at Social Media Week Lagos was in 2017. It was great to be back home, connecting with entrepreneurs, content creators and other bright minds from around the world. We shared ideas on how the Continent can use and is using social media in the areas of entertainment, business, education and activism.

On Feb 4th – 8th 2019, Social Media Week Lagos will be back, bigger and better than before. But don’t worry of you can’t make it, we’ve got our SHOPPE BLACK eyes and ears on the ground to bring the news, videos and pics to you.

If you are one of the lucky ones who WILL be in Lagos in February or plan to attend between now and next year, check out this updated version of where to go to get a taste of the culture, entertainment and history.

Food

Black Olive

The Ice Cream factory

Danfo Bistro and Dives

Labule Restaurant

The House Cafe

Art

Terra Kulture

Omenka Gallery 

Rele Gallery

Nike Art Gallery

Thought Pyramid Art Centre

Freedom Park

Beaches

Tarkwa Beach

Ilashe Beach

 

Tony Oluwatoyin Lawson (IG @thebusyafrican)

 

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Black-Owned Businesses Carve Out Space In An Increasingly Gentrified D.C.

7 mins read

It’s Friday night, and rapper Too Short’s “Blow the Whistle” is blaring inside of the only black-owned bar in D.C.’s predominantly white Dupont Circle neighborhood. Its patrons, drinks in hand, are enjoying various items from its Southern-influenced menu, like chicken and waffles and shrimp ‘n’ grits.

But this bar wants to be known for more than just another late-night spot in a city replete with them. It wants to be a space where black people can come together to freely express their whole selves, in a city where such spaces seem to be disappearing.

The Caged Bird in Washington, D.C. TOSIN F/THE CAGED BIRD

The Caged Bird, which opened its doors in July, is the newest bar that seeks to cater to black millennials in a city that was sued for discriminatory practices that promoted gentrification earlier this year.

Washington, D.C., one of the blackest cities in America, has been experiencing an economic renaissance for nearly two decades — but that renaissance is considered nothing more than gentrification by longtime residents. According to the D.C. Chamber of Commerce’s State of the Business Report, “whiter and richer” families are increasingly displacing low- and middle-income families. As affluent families move in, higher rents push out black residents, and black businesses leave with them.

Derek S. Hyra, a public affairs professor at American University and author of Race, Class, and Politics in the Cappuccino City, says the District’s redevelopment is disproportionately affecting communities of color.

“With this economic boom, the tax base in Washington, D.C., has grown, but so has racial inequality,” Hyra told HuffPost. “There’s a study by the Urban Institute that shows that white household wealth is 81 times that of black family wealth. There’s immense inequality in the city.”

Dupont Circle has been known as Washington’s central neighborhood for gay life and business for decades. It is a trendy area filled with art galleries, bars, nightclubs and shops. Black business owners weren’t seeing themselves represented in this vibrant area, prompting some entrepreneurs to plant roots in the neighborhood to try and attract black customers.

Brandon Rule, one of the co-owners of The Caged Bird, knows how important it is to have a space for black people, by black people.

“We wanted to combine the power of food, culture and community to foster an environment that welcomes and encourages artistic expression, cultural exploration and diverse experiences in hopes that, together, we can reimagine what’s possible for our culture and community in D.C. and beyond,” Rule told HuffPost.

“Rule, 30, founded the bar with seven others who combined their resources to create a space, named in honor of Maya Angelou’s famed memoir, that is “100 percent owned, operated, staffed and financed specifically by black millennials.” It joined the roughly 2.6 million black-owned businesses in the United States, according to the United States Census Bureau.

On this night, the people inside The Caged Bird are choosing from the specially crafted menu at the venue for DMV Black Restaurant Week, the first of its kind celebrating the best black restaurants in the nation’s capital.

“Andra “AJ” Johnson, a co-founder of the inaugural restaurant week, is a consultant for The Caged Bird.

“Our mission is about setting businesses to succeed by being able to reach the customers they need to reach,” Johnson said, explaining the thought process behind creating restaurant week. “Representation from an ethnic standpoint is low, and from a black standpoint, it’s even lower. It’s all about inclusivity.”

The Brown Beauty Co-Op in Washington, D.C. ERIN MARTIN/@BAGLADIES

That’s partly why Kimberly Smith and Amaya Smith, founders of the Brown Beauty Co-Op, decided to open their business in Dupont Circle. The duo recently celebrated the grand opening of their store in December and chose the neighborhood because of the lack of representation in the area.

“It was important to me that if I started a business, I want it to be in the District. Not outside on the outskirts or the suburbs, but be here,” Kimberly Smith, 38, said.

The pair wants the co-op to be known as more than just a shop to purchase beauty supplies. They hope the Brown Beauty Co-Op will also be a safe space for all women of color and a hub that provides mentorship for emerging black entrepreneurs and businesses.

They plan to provide newer brands shelf space to showcase their products and provide feedback from consumers and industry professionals to help them thrive in the market.

“We want to help other businesses,” Kimberly Smith said. “Not every beauty business can be in a Bloomingdale’s or Target, but there are so many people that are making really great products, and we want to give that retail experience to other small, emerging brands.”

“We wanted to show other people that we can have a successful business here in Dupont Circle that is catered to us. We chose this space, not only because it was needed, but to show that we can still be successful even when we target ourselves.”

Philip Lewis HuffPost

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Eugene Cornelius, Jr., Senior Advisor to the Office of International Trade

12 mins read
International Trade

If you’re an aspiring or existing business owner with goods or services that can be offered outside the U.S., you may want to consider international trade as part of your long term plans.

Eugene Cornelius, Jr., Senior Advisor to the Office of International Trade explains why.

What inspired you to create the Office of International Trade at the SBA? 

I see my position as a quintessential leader of economic development. Therefore, I must take a strong stance on economic development issues for the future of U.S. small businesses. The U.S. represents only 5% of the world’s population. That means 95% of your potential customer base is outside the country.

Innovation is continuing to change the world economies at a faster pace than policy leaders can study and analyze. Small Businesses need to be in a position to participate on a level playing field. The Office of International Trade is prepared to assist in these efforts.

There are 1.8 Billion young people under the age of 35 worldwide all competing for jobs. The world will need 40 million new jobs each year for the next 15 years to keep up with demand.  There are some facts we should acknowledge: 97 to 98 % of most economies job creators are entrepreneurs and small businesses.

As a case study, in the United States, small businesses contributed 66% of new U.S. jobs created since the recession between 2000-2017.   According to the U.S. Black Chamber, African American Businesses grew from 1.9 million in 2012 to 2.6 million today, an increase of 700,000 or 27%. Small businesses created 8.4 million net new jobs and more than double the contribution of large businesses.

40% of those small businesses were women and 70% of those women were women of color. Why is this important? Because we also know that people trend to hire people who look like, relate to, or are culturally familiar to them.

The U.S. population is over 325 million people. Nearly one- in -seven Americans identify themselves as Black or African American (or about 13% of the U.S. population). That’s over 42 million African Americans. Yet, the median income for African Americans is merely $35,000. $24,000 less than White America.  There is a clear disconnect between the growth of Black Businesses and the growth of black income or net worth.  WE MUST DO BETTER.

 

What are some things entrepreneurs can do to prepare themselves for success in international trade?

DO YOUR HOME WORK! I can’t stress that enough. Seek out others who have been where you are going. Seek mentors and network. Contact your local SBA office and state economic development office and take advantage of these resources.

What do think needs to take place to achieve successful levels of economic development in the Black community?

Continual investment in, and improvement of the African American small business ecosystem to support sustainable, home-grown small businesses and provide resources for local talent, all while enabling growth and innovation through global connectivity. We know that entrepreneurs are the job creators.

Therefore, we must truly connect with them and provide a small business “support system,” because small business is big business!

There are two essential pillars WE must adopt as a key stakeholder to the African American community:

(1) WE must invest in African American and Minority-owned banks

(2) We must change the mind set of doing business with African American businesses

Both have one thing in common and that is the circulation of Black dollars.

Number One. Access to capital is a global challenge for entrepreneurs and small Businesses.  The U.S. Small Business addresses this gap by offering loan programs specifically tailored for small businesses through a national distribution system of lending partners.

This framework enabled SBA to approve more than 68,000 loans in FY 2017 which totaled more than $30 billion to small businesses and supported nearly 630,000 jobs.  Our loan guarantees fill gaps just to show you what is possible when the government steps in to de-risk lending for our backbone of job creators.

The Bad news here is that less than 2% of those loans are with African American Banks. Over the last 20 years, very few African American businesses have been able to gain access to the predominantly white private equity, angel investors, and venture capital communities. And of course, these investors have been the drivers of innovation and start-ups fueling our economy.

If small businesses are the job creators, and we are to move to secure the future of the next generation of young African Americans, we need to direct our resources to the number one issue for small businesses: namely the disproportional lack of access to capital to and for African American small businesses.

Investing our savings deposits in Black Banks is the first and a major step in the effort. An increase in their reserves makes more funds available to our community businesses. Keeping in mind that we must keep them accountable for the circulation of those dollars back in the form of investments and loans to small businesses the job creators in or entering our communities.

Which leads directly to number two. Changing the mindset of doing business with African American Business owners.    Whether we call it, “Programed Self Hate” or “Non-conscience Bias” or by some other name, it is preventing us from more fully sharing in the American Dream and from expanding African American economic growth and higher standards of living.

Just look at most every other ethnic minority community in the United States, such as Korean Americans or Cuban Americans, and how they have banded together to re-circulate their earnings and spending within their respective communities. As I mentioned, the number one issue is access to capital.  Many Asians Americans often don’t even use traditional banks and financial institutions.

Instead, they pool their money together and provide funds in the form of investment and/or short-term loans to their community when they come to the country to open a business and employ family and friends.  Have any of you gone into the black community and seen the take-out stores, laundry cleaners, liquor stores and in some cases even the soul food restaurants and who owes them? Need I say more?

Which foreign country do you feel is the most business friendly and why?

Most American small businesses prefer to do business with our neighbors Canada and Mexico.  Europe and countries with democratic governments tend to be safe bets.  However, with the internet, we see more and more companies dip their toes elsewhere. I would recommend looking at emerging markets. Countries that have growth in the middle class and disposal incomes. Eight of the top emerging markets are in Africa

What existing policies are most beneficial to business owners and what types don’t exist but should?

We know that entrepreneurs are the job creators. Therefore, it would be in the best interest of any economy to create a small business support system.

Serving under represented communities, minorities and women is essential. The SBA has four essential pillars that every support system has:

  1. Capital Access
  2. Counseling and Training
  3. Contracting
  4. Policy and regulations 

There are trade agreements and the World Trade Organization policies to attempt to standardize international trade. However, not every country is a member or abides by the WTO standards. Entrepreneurs should become aware of the participation of the country or countries they are looking to do business with to become engaging.

What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs?

DO YOUR HOME WORK

There is a wide range of support and information to assist entrepreneurs interring global markets, EX-Im Bank, the department of Commerce as well as SBA with its Export centers across the country can provide cost-saving and risk-reduction programs to assist small businesses enter markets and secure payment

https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/Whats-New-With-Small-Business-2018.pdf

Mr. Cornelius is the former Deputy Associate Administrator for the Office of International Trade with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) responsible for administrating the oversight and execution of four program divisions:

(1) The Federal & State Trade Development Division — which focuses on the delivery and management of grants programs,

(2) The International Trade Finance Division — which provides Trade Financing, counseling, and training  with SBA’s 3 Loan programs via 21 Export Assistance Centers Nationwide,

(3) The International Affairs & Trade Policy Division — which focuses on  National initiatives, Trade policy mandates, export promotion interagency collaborative efforts, field network and outreach, and

(4) Administration & Operations with a focus on Budget, Human Resources, and Management. Duties included the development of international trade strategies and strategic plans, the leadership of the OIT and other staff in the formation and administration of policies and programs, technical direction and coordination of interagency activities with the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Trade Representative, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the U.S. Department of State, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, and other Federal, State, and local agencies.

by Tony O. Lawson

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Couples Inc. : Christian and Uche run a Public Relations Firm in San Antonio

4 mins read

EHCU Public Relations (formerly BethanyEast PR)is a San Antonio, TX based public relations firm that specializes in corporate event planning, advertising and more. We spoke to COO and Co Founder, Uche Ogba to find out how he and his wife, Christian balance business and marriage.

How did you both meet?

Christian and I met on Twitter in San Antonio, TX.  I was your typical twitter stalker at first, watching from afar and working up the courage to have a conversation with her.  I finally got a chance to introduce my self on August 19, 2018, after she asked if anyone was watching her #TweetPicTour and I responded.

I liked every photo and followed her every move that day. She then asked for recommendations on a good bar and I recommended a spot named Azuca located South of downtown San Antonio.  Told her I’ll be there, met up with her and we had the best conversation over mojitos for the next 5 hours. It was love at first sight. 6 months later we were married.


What inspired you to start a business together?

We were not necessarily inspired but instead, it was out of necessity.  EHCU Public Relations formerly known as BethanyEast PR was the brainchild and the vision shared by Christian on our first date.  She shared her goal to be a public relations professional and I told her about my goal to switch careers from a Photovoltaic Engineer to Sales & Marketing. Unfortunately, no business was interested in hiring us.  After we got married, rather than go on a honeymoon, we sold everything and decided to invest all our money in starting a business. We did not believe we were in business until Christian tore up her resume and presented a contract to our very first client.  The client signed the contract before she got home that day.


Describe your individual personalities. How you blend them in order to make the business work?

Chris is an ideator, a visionary, very observant and brutally honest.  I am very analytical, focused, highly competitive and a problem solver.  We blend our business by ensuring that we are both held accountable in our wins and our losses.  These shared experiences have enabled us to be accountable to each other. We work very well together in collectively coming to decisions and executing based on a plan and strategy.  Due to my personality, I sometimes go rouge because I get drowned in completing a minutia task, but Chris always pulls me back to focus on the bigger goals.


Where do you see your business in 5 years?

We see ourselves expanding and opening new EHCU PR offices in Detroit, Michigan and Lagos, Nigeria.


What advice do you have for couples that are in business together or thinking about it?

Listen and continue to communicate.

Contact

EHCU Public Relations

239 Center St, Unit 259

San Antonio, TX 78202

-Tony Oluwatoyin Lawson (IG@thebusyafrican)

 

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Cyntoia Brown receives Full Clemency and Early Release from Prison

8 mins read

Gov. Bill Haslam ordered an early release for Cyntoia Brown, a Tennessee woman and alleged sex trafficking victim serving a life sentence in prison for killing a man when she was 16.

Haslam granted Brown a full commutation to parole on Monday. Brown will be eligible for release Aug. 7 on time served and will stay on parole for 10 years.

“Cyntoia Brown committed, by her own admission, a horrific crime at the age of 16,” Haslam said in a statement. “Yet, imposing a life sentence on a juvenile that would require her to serve at least 51 years before even being eligible for parole consideration is too harsh, especially in light of the extraordinary steps Ms. Brown has taken to rebuild her life.

“Transformation should be accompanied by hope.  So, I am commuting Ms. Brown’s sentence, subject to certain conditions.”

Brown will be required to participate in regular counseling sessions and to perform at least 50 hours of community service, including working with at-risk youth. She also will be required to get a job.

In a statement released by her lawyers, Brown thanked  Haslam “for your act of mercy in giving me a second chance. I will  do everything I can to justify your faith in me.”

“With God’s help, I am committed to live the rest of my life helping others, especially young people. My hope is to help other young girls avoid ending up where I have been.”

The governor’s long-awaited decision, handed down during his last days in office, brought a dramatic conclusion to Brown’s plea for mercy, which burst onto the national stage as celebrities and criminal justice reform advocates discovered her case.

In his commutation, the governor called Brown’s case one that “appears to me to be a proper one for the exercise of executive clemency.”

“Over her more than fourteen years of incarceration, Ms. Brown has demonstrated extraordinary growth and rehabilitation,” the commutation said.

It was a remarkable victory for Brown after years of legal setbacks.

Brown said she was forced into prostitution and was scared for her life when she shot 43-year-old Johnny Allen in the back of the head while they were in bed together.

Allen, a local real estate agent, had picked her up at an East Nashville Sonic restaurant and taken her to his home.

Brown, now 30, was tried as an adult and convicted of first-degree murder in 2006. She was given a life sentence. Had Haslam declined to intervene, Brown would not have been eligible for parole until she was 69.

The state parole board, which considered Brown’s case in 2018, gave the governor a split recommendation, with some recommending early release and some recommending she stay in prison.

Lawyers for Brown applauded the governor’s decision.

“This is truly a joyful moment — for Cyntoia and for all of us who have worked to help her,” the statement from Charles Bone and J.Houston Gordon, Brown’s lead attorneys.

“The governor’s decision is proof that our justice system works and it marks the beginning” of a new chapter for Cyntoia.

In recent years, celebrities have highlighted her case, fueling intense interest and a renewed legal fight to get her out of prison.

Activists, lawmakers and celebrities, including Rihanna and Kim Kardashian West, have cited Brown’s case as an illustration of a broken justice system. Brown was a victim herself, they said, and didn’t deserve her punishment.

Her impending release sets the stage for her to join their ranks.

During her time in prison, Brown completed her GED and got a college degree from Lipscomb University. Her allies say she hopes to apply her education by supporting social justice issues through her own nonprofit.

The Cyntoia Brown story

AUGUST 2004
Nashville real estate agent Johnny Allen is found naked with a gunshot wound to the back of his head in his Mossdale Drive home. Brown, 16, told police he picked her up at a Sonic Drive-in. Brown said she was a teen prostitute and shot Allen, 43, because she thought he was reaching for a gun under his bed.

AUGUST 2006
A jury convicts Brown of first-degree murder and robbery.

OCTOBER 2006
Brown is sentenced to life with the possibility of parole. State officials said the law dictated that she serve at least 51 years before becoming eligible for release. Prosecutors pushed for more time because of aggravated robbery and other factors in the crime.

MARCH 2011
PBS documentary “Me Facing Life: Cyntoia’s Story” airs nationally, bringing new attention to Brown’s case.

JUNE 2012
U.S. Supreme Court rules that mandatory life without parole sentences for juveniles violate Eighth Amendment prohibitions against cruel and unusual punishment. 

NOVEMBER 2012
Defense attorneys push for new trial and introduce new evidence about Brown suffering fetal alcohol syndrome. 

NOVEMBER 2017
Superstar musician Rihanna again brings attention to Brown’s case with the #FREECYNTOIABROWN Instagram post.

MAY 2018
The state board of parole gives Gov. Bill Haslam a split recommendation on Brown’s application for clemency.

Two members vote to recommend that the governor grant clemency, allowing for her release from prison. Two vote to recommend that Haslam deny her clemency bid, meaning she would continue to serve a life sentence. Two others recommend the governor reduce Brown’s sentence so she could be released after 25 years.

The split recommendations are not binding — the governor can handle the case however he chooses.

JUNE 2018
Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals hears argument on whether Brown’s life sentence is constitutional. During the hearing, Brown’s lawyers said state sentencing laws conflicted, making it unclear if Brown would be required to serve 51 years or life without parole. The panel of judges agreed Tennessee’s sentencing laws were confusing and contradictory.

JULY 2018
Haslam receives a copy of parole board’s report, which is thousands of pages long. His legal team begins its review of the case.

AUGUST 2018
The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals asks Tennessee’s Supreme Court to clarify Tennessee’s seemingly contradicting sentencing laws. 

DECEMBER 2018
The Tennessee Supreme Court issues a unanimous decision that says defendants convicted of first-degree murder on or after July 1, 1995, and sentenced to life in prison become eligible for release after serving a minimum of 51 years in prison. Their answer will inform the deliberations at the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Haslam says his team is still considering Brown’s clemency petition. He expects to announce a decision before leaving office in January.

 

Source : The Tennessean

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