Kemah Duopu's Vegan Nail Polish Brand Harmon Polish Wins Pitch Competition

FOUNDER OF BLACK-OWNED VEGAN NAIL POLISH BRAND WINS PITCH COMPETITION

Kemah Duopu, is the Founder and CEO at Harmon Polish.  She is celebrating having won $5,000 at the Heaven Center Pitch Competition at Awakening Trade & Conference held in Plano, Texas. The Awakening Africa Hub, a one-stop-shop resource for helping today’s entrepreneurs build tomorrow.

The Expo provides an opportunity to strengthen business and economic relationships among business people operating in Africa, America and the rest of the world, thereby creating shared prosperity, mutual trust and collective incentives for the public and private partnerships leading to the development of prosperous and sustainable economic initiatives between the US and Africa. The event included 25+ speakers, 70+ exhibitors, 10+ workshops, and entertainment representing more than 50 countries. It offered valuable opportunities to learn about the latest in trade, investment, and market trends.

The Heaven Center Pitch Competition featured five finalists with an opportunity to win $5,000 to a minority entrepreneur. The competition was for minority entrepreneurs to pitch their ideas and build strong networks with ambitious and passionate individuals and mentors. Their goal is to encourage and support entrepreneurship in the African American community by offering competitions where entrepreneurs can receive constructive feedback from experienced venture capitalists and established CEOs.

Black Students Win $20K in STEM Scholarships

NONPROFIT GIVES AWAY ALMOST $20K IN SCHOLARSHIPS TO BLACK STUDENTS IN STEM

Math with EEEs, Inc., a Black-owned non-profit dedicated to eMath With Empowering African-American students through education and STEM scholarship opportunities, is sponsoring 10 students for the highly sought-after online coding course by Codewithsharen. All in all, the organization has already given away almost $20,000 in scholarships.

Led by Math with EEEs, the organization is working to bridge the gap in STEM education and provide equal opportunities for underrepresented communities to excel in the field.

“It’s crucial for students to continue learning STEM and not just rely on OpenAI like ChatGPT,” said Sharen Eddings, a top computer programmer turned STEM education provider and founder of Codewithsharen. “Without a mastery of the language of code, proper instruction cannot be given to AI like ChatGPT to build a website. Moreover, without the knowledge of web hosting, troubleshooting, maintenance, or cybersecurity, the final product can not be fully utilized. That’s why Math with EEEs, Inc and Codewithsharen have teamed up to impart this essential skill set.”

Designed for students in grades 6 and above, the course teaches coding in a fun, interactive, and easy-to-learn manner.

“Your child will learn the hottest skill in town: coding, also known as STEM in schools,” said Eddings. “We teach kids how to read and write code, then how to use that skill to build websites, and mobile games.”

Kevin Benoit Supports NYC High School Students as They Reach for Their Dreams

KEVIN BENOIT LAUNCHES NEW INITIATIVE TO SUPPORT NYC HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AS THEY REACH FOR THEIR DREAMS

Kevin Benoit, founder of Parlé Magazine, is proud to announce the launch of Parlé Endeavors, a New York city based 501(c)3 organization aiming to empower and support young adults pursuing careers in the arts, media, journalism, entrepreneurship and related field. In its first year, the organization hopes to support a minimum of eight high school juniors and seniors through a scholarship program for those who are college bound; and a grant program for immediate aspiring entrepreneurs. Applications for both programs are available at ParleEndeavors.org since March 1, 2023.

The Parlé Endeavors Scholarship will provide four graduating New York State seniors with $2,500 each, to be applied towards their tuition in pursuit of an arts, communications, journalism or business-related degree at a 2- or 4-year institution. In addition to the scholarship, recipients will be matched with a professional already successfully working in their chosen field. The goal is to arm these students with guidance to begin shaping their post-collegiate careers in their first post-secondary academic year.

Parlé Endeavors’ Grant program is open to current juniors and seniors who are ready to begin, or have already begun developing a business concept in the arts, media, journalism or entrepreneurship. As part of the application process, these students will be required to present their idea in a pitch video shared via social media. Applicants will also have to demonstrate a proven commitment to bring that business to life within a year. Four students will be awarded a $2500 business development grant, to be disbursed in two payments.

These recipients will also be paired with a mentor in their chosen field, but with a much more structured program. Over the course of the year, the students will meet with their mentors twice a month to continue developing their business plan. The first disbursement will be made at the start of the program; while the second payment will be made once the mentor overseeing the student’s plan deems they are ready to shift from planning to actually building the business. As such, the second disbursement date will vary per student.

Get The Scoop On How Young Nurse Samantha Cepeda's Platform Gives 1,000’s of Nursing Students a New Fun Interactive Way to Study

YOUNG NURSE SAMANTHA CEPEDA'S PLATFORM GIVES THOUSANDS OF NURSING STUDENTS A NEW INTERACTIVE WAY TO STUDY

Samantha Cepeda, is a licensed practical nurse, artist, and educator from Atlanta, who is also the founder and CEO of The Nurse Sam, a leading resource for visual and interactive learning for nursing students. Her platform offers a new approach to studying with the use of innovation and artistry. Following the philosophy that “a person retains when entertained,” she helps students to effectively digest information while making learning a more fun experience.

Samantha founded the company in 2018, after going through an emergency hysterectomy just 5 days after her wedding. Today, her website has a continuously growing following who benefit from her unique learning materials. She has become a leading resource for nursing students at all levels! “I’m giving nursing students a new way to study and retain information that they will enjoy,” says Nurse Sam.

There are several types of educational content available on in the site. In addition to digital study guides, the site also offers other learning media such as online courses and live broadcasts.

Learn How The Nations Largest Black-Owned Cause Marketing Agency Proves Diversity is Good For Business

FOUNDER OF LARGEST BLACK-OWNED CAUSE MARKETING AGENCY PROVES DIVERSITY IS GOOD FOR BUSINESS

Nationally recognized firm, CMRignite, has developed innovative campaigns for government, corporate and nonprofit clients for more than two decades.

Diversity, equity and inclusion are good for business at CMRignite, the nation’s largest Black-owned cause marketing agency. The firm, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has been able to achieve exponential growth in staff and revenue by prioritizing diversity as a best practice for its business model.

Since the company was founded by Jacqueline Moore in 1995, CMRignite has been on a mission to develop innovative, cross-cultural marketing campaigns that lead to real, positive change. While many agencies struggle to hire and retain diverse talent, CMRignite has intentionally and methodically built a staff that is 70% Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC), LGBTQ+ and/or people with disabilities. In addition, the company acquired a Washington D.C.- based marketing agency in 2022, creating an even more diverse team of creatives and communicators.

The agency’s current client list includes organizations like U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, National WIC Association, NAACP, Wisconsin Department of Tourism and the University of Wisconsin.

“I knew I wanted to build an agency that would make an impact and leave a legacy, and I also understood the importance of reaching the multicultural market in an authentic way long before it became popular,” said Moore, chairman and CEO of CMRignite. “Hiring the best and brightest talent allows us to compete at the highest level, yet it’s our diversity that sets us apart. I believe it’s one of our biggest assets.”

Discover How Troy Smith Became The First Black Private Mortgage Lender With a $100M Warehouse Line

ENTREPRENEUR MAKES HISTORY AS THE FIRST BLACK PRIVATE MORTGAGE LENDER WITH A $100M WAREHOUSE LINE

Troy Smith, is the founder and CEO of G1 Commercial Mortgage, a faith-based Private Credit Fund based in Charles County, Maryland, the wealthiest African American County in the nation. His company is a direct lender that offers finance options to real estate investors, and he is the first African American mortgage lender to have delegated underwriting authority over a $100 million warehouse line.

Troy positioned his company within the private mortgage market by creating bank-alternative lending capital for mortgage products that would be very challenging for individuals to find. They have created the first-ever Mortgage Revenue Sharing Network (MRSN - pronounced mer-sehn). For the first time, a national Private Credit Fund has agreed to share the origination fees charged on a business-purpose mortgage transaction with anyone who shares their loan programs with others.

Revenue partners have the ability to earn up to a 15% revenue share on each transaction. This revenue-sharing system encourages team growth, as they will pay an override on all volume created through a team channel. MRSN creates wealth development opportunities for the average person that would otherwise never experience the benefits of mortgage origination commissions.

However, this is just the tip of the iceberg when discussing Troy's overall financial and economic vision. He is also the Managing Partner of the United States Economic Right Coalition (USERC or simply ERC). The ERC is a Private Credit Fund with a demand for a unique set of Limited Partners. The limited partners will consist of a coalition of African-American-owned banks that pool a portion of their dollars within the fund to provide responsible credit capital to those businesses and individuals that are often overlooked and underrepresented.

The ERC will invest in community infrastructure through land cultivation and the four (4) supplies - Food, Water, Air, and Energy - to create a sort of resource pool of supplies for those within the ERC system. General Membership will be accepted into the ERC from those who represent the communities in which the ERC will serve. G1 Commercial Mortgage will be a Limited Partner within the ERC to provide mortgage underwriting support and liquidity stability.

Malik Yoba Partners with Martha Underwood CEO Of Black-Owned Secure Digital Wealth Transfer Platform

MALIK YOBA PARTNERS WITH BLACK-OWNED DIGITAL PLATFORM DESIGNED TO SECURELY STORE IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS FOR WEALTH TRANSFER

Award-winning actor, philanthropist and founder of Yoba Development, Dr. Malik Yoba, has partnered with Martha Underwood, the founder and CEO of a Black-owned technology company called Prismm to promote preparedness and peace of mind when you need it the most.

Based in Birmingham, Alabama, Prismm, is a digital platform that allows individuals to securely store and organize important documents, communicate end-of-life wishes, and plan for the transfer of wealth and assets.

“Being a caregiver for my mother as she was succumbing to the horror that is dementia, it was a serious challenge for my siblings and I to find, manage and organize the important documents in her life on top of all the other stressors that come with being a caregiver. Not having access to all of her information was an important aspect of life planning that is often overlooked or put off until it’s too late.

When I met Martha and her sister Shella, and found out that they solved this very stressful pain point, I immediately offered to help spread the word any way I can. I wish we had Prismm when my mother was still with us.

Given that my company Yoba Development, as a diversified portfolio company focusing on education, media and real estate, I saw a lot of synergies in our efforts to educate and empower individuals and their families with information regarding generational wealth building. For folks to have access to this cutting-edge technology that Prismm offers can be a gamechanger on so many levels,” said Yoba. “I am very excited to work with Prismm to help make this process easier and more manageable for people.”

Through this partnership, Yoba Development and Prismm aim to provide accessible and organized tools for individuals and families to plan for the transfer of wealth and assets at the end of life.

“We are thrilled to have Dr. Malik Yoba as a partner,” said Prismm Founder and CEO, Martha Underwood. “His personal experience with being a caregiver make him a valuable asset in helping us educate the public about the importance of curating critical documents and providing consent before life’s unexpected moments catch us off guard.”

This partnership will bring together Yoba’s celebrity power, personal experience with managing the affairs of a transitioning loved one, and his commitment to helping others with Prismm’s innovative technology to create a comprehensive resource for end-of-life planning.

For more information about Prismm, please visit GetPrismm.com