Entrepreneurial from Birth: Keeana Barber’s Journey to Legacy and Success
Entrepreneurship often comes to people later in life after they've explored various paths in high school, college, and beyond. But for Keeana Barber, it was different. From the moment she entered this world until she could barely remember, the spirit of ownership coursed through her blood! Witnessing her mother's resilience as a businesswoman navigating the world of fashion and art was inspiring and empowering. Despite the hustle, her mother remained steadfast in her pursuit of success. Watching her mother balance ownership with raising a family fueled Barber's own aspirations. Moreover, observing her
Johnnie Turnage: Detroit Could Be America’s Premier Black Tech Ecosystem
My name is Johnnie Turnage. Less than a year ago, I founded Black Tech Saturdays with my wife Alexa, and the results have been out of this world! We grew from five people in a coffee shop to over 6,000 Detroiters, Michiganders, and visitors from all over the world. We’ve supported founders as they worked to gain traction, revenue, and capital faster than ever. We’ve also supported over a hundred people in their quest to get jobs, and we’ve witnessed more of our community find pathways into the tech
Quinton E. Primo lll Building a Home for Google at the James R. Thompson Center
by Alan Hughes Quintin E. Primo III is one of relatively few African Americans operating at the highest level of the commercial real estate business. His company, the Chicago-based Capri Investment Group, boasts more than $14 billion in real estate investment transactions completed – with more high-profile deals in the pipeline. The Capri Investment Group and commercial and residential real estate development company, The Prime Group, acquired the James R. Thompson Center, an historic building in Chicago’s Loop District. The center, built in the mid-1980s houses Illinois state government
GM Chair and CEO, Mary Barra Says Gerald Johnson Leaves an ‘Indelible Mark’ on the Auto Giant
Who's Who in Black is dedicated to recognizing and celebrating the achievements of Black men and women and recognizes living legends who in successfully navigating their careers have created a blueprint for the fortunate men and women who follow in their footsteps in their own pursuits of excellence. One such individual is GM retiree Gerald Johnson of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. General Motors revealed the retirement of its long-serving executive vice president of Global Manufacturing and Sustainability, Gerald Johnson. Johnson, who has served the company for an impressive 44 years,
Father-Son Duo Start First Black-Owned Athletic Supply Company In History
Courtesy of Black Information Network A father-son duo has made history after launching the first-ever Black-owned athletic supply company, Black Enterprise reports. Oronde Booker and his 14-year-old son Kendall are the founders of Book Dawg Sports, an Atlanta-based sporting goods company. After years of supporting Kendall at sports practices and games, Oronde noticed that all of the equipment used by teams was developed by four major companies, none of which were Black-owned. The father was inspired to create a company with his son that could join the ranks of other major suppliers of athletic products. “When thinking about sports, it’s likely
Black-Owned Asset Management Firm to Make History With Acquisition of Contact Lens Manufacturer
Black Pearl Global Investments – a Black-owned asset management firm focused on reducing health disparities across the globe – has entered into an agreement to acquire Florida-based contact lens manufacturer Hydrogel Vision Corp. (HVC). As a result of the acquisition, HVC will be known as Black Pearl Vision, becoming the only Black-owned and woman-owned contact lens manufacturer in the world. The deal is expected to close by mid-September. “It’s exciting to celebrate this milestone as we close out National Black Business Month,” said Dr. Shante Williams, CEO of Black Pearl
NBA Icon Isiah Thomas Has Quickly Become an Entrepreneurial Legend
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent Isiah Thomas played basketball with the tenacity not often seen in today’s game. Whenever a team outscored his Detroit Pistons, it only meant a negative mark in the loss column, but never total defeat for Thomas. An NCAA champion at Indiana, and a two-time NBA champ with the Pistons, much like basketball, Thomas has followed up his on-court success with an almost peerless triumph in the business world. He told the National Newspaper Publishers Association’s live morning show, “Let It Be Known,”
National Business League (NBL) to Launch Black Economic Freedom Movement to Help Digitize 1 Million Black Businesses by 2028
A campaign that aims to enhance the digital capacity of 1 million Black-owned businesses and grow their revenue by engaging customers through technology is being introduced in Tuskegee at the 122nd anniversary of the National Business League (NBL). A historic announcement will be made Aug. 22 and 23 concerning a project the NBL is spearheading in partnership with sponsor American Express. The goal is to transition 1 million Black-owned businesses into the digital economy by 2028. The five-year campaign, the Black Economic Freedom Movement, will kick off in January 2023 to relaunch the NBL with local
Russell Westbrook Enters Digital Media Game to Bring Focus to Multicultural Audiences
NBA veteran point guard, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, Russell Westbrook, has formally entered the digital media sector by launching Russell Westbrook Enterprises, new digital media division, RW Digital. The division has architected specific programmatic solutions that enables brands to more efficiently reach diverse audiences and amplify owned and operated minority publishers. Since ascending, Westbrook's business portfolio has grown to touch multiple verticals including Venture Capital, Fashion, Real-Estate, Insurance and now Digital Advertising. With the driving force of resourceful betterment for his community being the focal point, Westbrook has intentionally expanded his
The Clean Energy Economy: Will Blacks Get Left Behind in the Race to Green?
America continues to plod the course toward a clean energy nation – albeit glacially. Though hampered by an aging infrastructure and other factors, widespread clean energy – or power that does not, in its generation and consumption, add pollution or contribute to climate change – appears to be a certainty. Unfortunately, this particular scenario could lead to yet another great divide for African Americans. As the world slowly moves toward increased clean energy generation, a gap is widening and hindering African Americans positioning themselves to benefit from the