Green Book Global, the first Black travel review mobile app, and EatOkra, an app for discovering Black-owned restaurants, are collaborating to add over 2,500 Black-owned restaurants into Green Book Global’s Driving While Black Road Trip Planner. With this new partnership, travellers will be able to use the Green Book Global app or website to add Black-owned restaurants from EatOkra straight to their road trip commutes across the US. “This collaboration is about more than food. It’s about culture, safety, and creating a network of trusted spaces for Black travelers as
Willa’s Books and Vinyl, one of the oldest-operating Black-owned bookstores in Missouri, is about to get a makeover thanks to The Kansas City Defender. The bookstore will transform into a public archive and the new headquarters of KC Defender, a nonprofit digital startup that produces news, digital tools, and public services for Black people across the Midwest. Willa’s struggled with financial troubles, asking for help from supporters across Kansas City so it could remain open. Nina Kerrs, a Mutual Aid organizer with The Kansas City Defender and other team members, started
Yelp’s “Black-owned” tag, introduced in 2020 to boost the visibility of Black-owned businesses, led to lower average ratings of Black-owned restaurants in Detroit, a recent study by The Conversation has found. Restaurants tagged as Black-owned received 3.03 stars on average from reviewers aware of the ownership, compared to 3.78 stars from those who were unsure. Increased visibility, but lower ratings The visibility of Black-owned restaurants on Yelp significantly increased following Yelp’s June 2020 edition of the Black-owned tag. A year after the tag was introduced, reviews in Detroit mentioned Black
Baltimore’s Mayor’s Office of Small and Minority Business Advocacy & Development (SMBA&D) is working with US Black Chambers, Inc. (USBC) to support small, minority, and women-owned businesses. The new partnership will provide these entrepreneurs with access to certification programs, contracting opportunities, and business development support. With 102,000 Black-owned businesses in Maryland, this program will significantly benefit Black-business owners in the area. SMBA&D collaborating with USBC The USBC supports a network of African American Chambers of Commerce and business organizations by providing them with resources and initiatives, and this collaboration will
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Black Chamber of Commerce is launching a new Innovation Center to support Black-owned businesses and address food inequality in Charlotte, NC. “Think of it as a one-stop shop for professionals and small businesses,” Cathay Dawkins, a local entrepreneur and chairman of the chamber, told The Charlotte Observer. What is the innovation center? The property, located at 2601 Wilkinson Blvd, near Interstate 77, will feature spaces for business meetings, co-working areas, an agri-tech program to assist farmers in utilizing advanced technology, and a retail store distribution center for small
Black women who work in startups are more likely to become founders later on, a new study has revealed, highlighting a potential key path to increasing their representation in the startup world. Black women are already leading the way in entrepreneurship. A LendingTree study found that Black-owned businesses are more likely to be led by women, and 55.2% generate between $100,000 and $999,999 in annual revenue, slightly higher than the 54.7% for all Black-owned businesses. Although the number of Black-female founders in the US is increasing, they still make up
A new e-commerce platform dedicated exclusively to Black-owned spirits is up and running. UrFriendCharles.com is home to over 150 products, with plans to add 100 more by the end of the year. The website offers users a curated experience for consumers seeking to purchase liquor from Black-owned businesses, as stated in a press release. Spotlighting Black-owned brands UrFriendCharles.com was founded by Charles Everett, a content creator and advocate with a background in supply chain management. With a cumulative following of over 100,000 on Instagram and TikTok, Everett is known for
Kevin Hart’s Coramino Fund is now accepting applications for its $10,000 grant, including AI training to help small business owners learn more about AI. The fund is the brainchild of Kevin Hart and Juan Domingo Beckmann’s Gran Coramino Tequila. It is currently in its third year and is now open for its latest round of grants targeting entrepreneurs and small businesses from underserved communities, according to Fortune. Part of the grant includes “cutting-edge AI technological training and hands-on learning to responsibly and effectively incorporate into their operations.” Addressing the disparity
Since 2016, JaMichael Mitchell’s digital marketing agency, EraBright, has been helping Black-owned businesses succeed in a competitive digital landscape. With a mission rooted in cultural understanding, EraBright provides tailored strategies—like SEO, social media marketing, and targeted ads—to help Black businesses reach the right audiences and grow sustainably. From Corporate Marketer to Black Business Advocate Mitchell’s experience spans over a decade in digital marketing, beginning with roles at top national agencies and campaigns for high-profile brands. With degrees from Fayetteville State University and Full Sail University, and certifications in Google Analytics,
Blapp is changing the way Black-owned businesses connect with their communities and attract new clientele. Blapp: Bridging the Gap for Black-Owned Businesses Jon Laster, a comedian-turned-app developer, created Blapp to help Black-owned businesses thrive. Following George Floyd’s murder in 2020, Laster sought a sustainable way to support his community. “Blapp works by simplifying people’s desire to help,” Laster said according to ABC News. In Blapp, users can see nearby Black-owned businesses—from restaurants to nail salons—on a map or in a list and search for products and services offered by Black business
