Greenwood Ave. Magazine No. 1

No. 1

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© 2022 Greenwood Ave. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the editor, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and specific other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the editor, addressed “Attention: Greenwood Ave. Permissions,” at the address below. info@greenwoodave.com greenwoodave.com Printed in the United States Publication Design by Goldmill Co. Cover Photograph by Taylor Hernandez

Honoring Legacy

TULSA DRILLERS Since 1905

The Tulsa Drillers are the Double-A affiliate of the National League’s Los Angeles Dodgers and play at beautiful ONEOK Field, located in the Historic Greenwood District in Downtown Tulsa. ONEOK Field opened in 2010 and has been a key player in the revitalization of Tulsa’s Downtown core.

Downtown Tulsa is a vibrant center of art, culture, and music, and the heart of the soul of the region where the people generate the energy and creativity.

Downtown Tulsa is a vibrant center of art, culture, and music, and the heart of the soul of the region where the people generate the energy and creativity.

From the Native Nations to the oil entrepreneurs to the leaders of Black Wall Street to the newest generations of change-makers, Downtown Tulsa celebrates an From the Native Nations to the oil entrepreneurs to the leaders of Black Wall Street everchanging city where the people make history and work toward progress. to the newest generations of change-makers, Downtown Tulsa celebrates an everchanging city where the people make history and work toward progress.

downtowntulsa.com

www.downtowntulsa.com www.downtowntulsa.com

WELCOME

10 years.

I moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma when I was 11 years old. I didn’t hear about Greenwood or Black Wall Street in middle school, high school, or college. I finally became aware of the story of the Tulsa Race Massacre in my early twenties, 10 years after living and being educated in the city where one of the greatest acts of domestic terrorism had occurred.

Being a Black entrepreneur in Tulsa today, it is impossible not to feel a connection to the rich history that is Greenwood. While justice from the massacre is still being fought for to this day, we believe it is important to honor the legacy of the lives and businesses that were lost by celebrating those that are carrying the torch.

As a believer in Jesus, I know that there is power in resurrection. The physical buildings destroyed in 1921 may no longer stand, but the spirit of Greenwood Ave. is being rebirthed by entrepreneurs around the globe. Greenwood Ave. is not a place.

It is a mindset.

It is a passion.

It is a vision.

Greenwood Ave. is wherever people are realizing ideas and bringing dreams to reality.

Greenwood Ave. is wherever you are.

We seek to uplift entrepreneurs standing on the shoulders of those who came before us and, in doing so, inspire the next generation of Black makers, doers, and dreamers not just in Tulsa, but around the world.

Greenwood Ave. is everywhere.

Blessings,

Trey Thaxton Founder

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A BLACK PROMISED LAND

THE NEW VANGUARD

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106

HOME GROWN

GREENWOOD TODAY

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118

BOTTOMS UP 46

SURGENT 62

MADE BY HISTORY 76

SHATTERPROOF 90

CONTRIBUTORS

TREY THAXTON Editor in Chief & Creative Director

NAMIE BIMBA Writer

SAMANTHA MOISA Designer & Stylist

AMBER VENERABLE Photographer

ETHAN SCHAFFER Designer & Photographer

MAGDALENA PAP Photographer

RAMOND WALKER Editor & Sales

JACQUES WEYERS Photographer

TAYLOR BRISEBOIS Editor

CRYSTINE BOND Photographer

IVANNA PRICE Coordinator

JAMES PARKER Photographer

MELODY DUNLAP Editor

TAYLOR HERNANDEZ Photographer

MONICA WHITEHEAD Writer CARLOS MORENO Writer NEHEMIAH D. FRANK Writer

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STORY BY NEHEMIAH D. FRANK

PHOTOS COURTESY OF TULSA HISTORICAL SOCIETY

A BLACK PROMISED LAND

Greenwood Avenue was the main artery of the Greenwood District, and Black commerce was its lifeblood. Dubbed Black Wall Street, it stretched from the Frisco railroad tracks northward to Pine street in the heart of what was once the oil capital of the world — Tulsa, Oklahoma.

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O. W. Gurley, a Black serial entrepreneur, who had served an American president, founded a Promised Land for Blacks amid a nation still reckoning as to whether it was going to live up to its constitutional values by giving former enslaved people full citizenship.

But in 1907 Oklahoma, Jim Crow was still the law of the land. And for that reason, Tulsa Blacks were geographically restricted to thirty-six square blocks of what many Whites considered undesired land. But to an ambitious Gurley, it was 40 acres of opportunity.

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The first building he erected was a two story brick boarding house to serve people of color.

Many of Gurley’s early guests consisted of men who had worked for the Frisco Railroad Company. It would be the only place for them to get a good night’s rest for miles.

Next, a general store.

Forbidden from shopping in White only establishments, Gurley knew that Black laborers needed a place to spend their earnings. Thus, by force and out of necessity, the crucial behavior of circling Black dollars was born.

Other Blacks took notice and formed partnerships with Gurley. Among the community’s most famed, J. B. Stratford, a Black business developer.

His establishment, the Stratford Hotel, quickly became nationally-known to Blacks as the place to stay if you happened to visit Tulsa’s Greenwood District.

But what’s most important is that both Gurley and Stratford established additional business developments and reinvested their earnings into Black people who were willing to invest in their collective vision and Black version of the American Dream.

Within a short period of time, Greenwood Avenue was a bustling majority Black business district with its own transportation system, schools, hospitals, tailor shops, beauty parlors, barbershops, accounting firms, law offices, library, retail, movie theaters, doctor’s offices, hospitals, and even all-Black cul-de-sacs.

This African-diaspora-mecca even boasted Black pilots who owned their own planes.

In Greenwood, the entrepreneurial spirit was so contagious even Black women ‘were catching it.

Loula Williams was the owner of a movie theater chain, with Williams Dreamland Theater being the most successful — located on Greewood Avenue. Mabel Little had received her beauty certification from the Madam C.J. Walker, and opened Little Rose Beauty Salon on Archer Street.

And there were so many like them.

Black dollars would come to circle nineteen times within the District before leaving, which underscored the tremendous organization and cooperation of its residents.

Destined for greatness, Black Americans, less than two generations out of legal slavery, placed their hopes and built their lives on Greenwood Avenue and within the District, living out their once enslaved ancestors’ wildest dreams.

That’s until May 31, 1921.

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You name it;

Greenwood had it.

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Greenwood may have been a land seemingly flowing with milk and honey, but like other Black communities throughout the nation—especially in the South—it also experienced domestic racial terror.

A Black teenage shoe shiner's brief encounter with a White teenage female elevator operator was enough to ignite a race war.

On Monday, May 30, 1921, 19-year-old Dick Rowland, entered the same elevator as 17-year-old Sarah Page in the Drexel Building in downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma. Allegedly, Rowland tripped upon exiting. In an attempt to catch his balance, he grabbed Page's arm, startling her. She screamed.

As a Black man living in the era of Jim Crow, in a city that was presumably run by the Ku Klux Klan, Rowland had broken the South's silent social order when he placed his hands on a White woman. In fear, he fled out of the building and back to Greenwood.

The next day, a headline in the Tulsa Tribune, the city's premier newspaper, read “Nab Negro for Attacking Girl in an Elevator.”

Rowland was soon arrested on Greenwood Ave by the local authorities and taken to the local jail. As the day progressed, he was later moved to the top floor of the Tulsa Courthouse, after the city's police chief received several concerning messages directed toward Rowland.

A crowd of armed White men looking to nab the 19-year-old as soon as he exited the courthouse began growing. Fearing he would be lynched without due process, Black men from Greenwood made the conscious decision to journey to the courthouse in an attempt to protect Rowland from the angry White mob. That's when the situation took a turn for the worse.

Amid the cacophony of loud voices hurling racial epithets in both directions, a shot was fired and all hell broke loose. Within a few hours, White men had organized a mob of thousands with plans to attack the Greenwood community for what wasn't even a minor infraction by Rowland. Records show Page had never brought charges against him.

Within 18 hours, the White mob (comprised of men, women, and now, children) managed to pillage, burn, and bomb Greenwood to rubble. Nearly all 36 square blocks of this Black Promised Land were destroyed, and 300 or more of its Black residents massacred.

A few weeks later, photos of the horrific event began circling in the White community on postcards that were nationally distributed.

In the end, White supremacy may have claimed temporary victory over its Black neighbors, but, still breathing, still vibrating beneath the ashes, was the resilient ethos of Greenwood.

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It is an unquenchable eternal pride that gave strength

to those who rebuilt this monumental community.

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Today, the Greenwood spirit still lives in the last known living survivors and the descendants of those who also survived.

And, it manifests itself in every Black entrepreneur whose ears happen to hear the magically empowering phrase, “Black Wall Street.”

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Greenwood Ave. is Tulsa. Ok Tokyo. Kansas City. Philly. D Memphis. The Six. Miami. W London. Cincy. Houston. Syd ATL. Detroit. New Jersey. M

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klahoma City. Los Angeles.

Dubai. Chicago. Baltimore.

Wakanda. New York City. dney. Cleveland. Jamaica.

Mars, probably. Everywhere.

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TUL

LSA

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STORY BY GREENWOOD AVE.

PHOTOS BY JAMES PARKER

Homegrown

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Guy Troupe is a local living legend. He and his wife, Yvette, founded Black Wall Street Liquid Lounge in 2020, which, since its inception, has become a staple of the Greenwood community. The space is now a melting pot for community, education, and conversations surrounding advocacy and refuge.

Guy’s late great-aunt was the owner of a beauty salon in the original Black Wall Street District and he learned firsthand from her what it means to work hard and leave a legacy. Guy sat down with Greenwood Ave. to share how history has influenced the couple as business owners.

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For those who don't know who you

You seem very clear about what you

something from their personality or

are and what you do; could you give

wanted to do. At each stage of your

their focus. I also had coaches, like

us a little bit of information about you

career, what drove your confidence

Ron Starks and my dad. These are just

and how you got to where you are

and maturity?

a few of the names of people that I

right now?

trusted who always showed up for me.

I grew up in a family that taught me

I was born in California and reared

that showing up and participating in

The key figure who taught me about

in Claremore, Oklahoma where the

a team is the most important thing. If

entrepreneurship and Black Wall

Troupes settled in the mid-1800s. I

I’m showing up to represent my family,

Street was Lucille Troupe. She took

was raised in Tulsa Public Schools—

a football team, my school, or my

over Madam C.J. Walker's brand. She

Burroughs Elementary, Carver Middle

business, I have to show up and do

basically had the franchise in the state

School, and Booker T. Washington High

my best. Anything beneath that

of Oklahoma. She was the principal of

School—and my class was really the

is unacceptable.

her school, and she really got that from

first to go through the fully integrated

Mabel B. Little, who was a Black Wall

magnet system starting in 1971. I played

Sports taught me to sacrifice, find a

Street icon; in the early stage. She was

football at Wichita State University and

position I could play, and help the team.

a pistol and a strong personality, so I

transferred to Howard University. At

My great Aunt Lucille and other elders

learned how to be fun and light but also

Wichita State, I played for a trailblazer

taught me lessons my parents couldn’t

focused and intense in business. That

coach, Willie Jeffries, who broke the

teach me because they were 20-30

lesson is what I applied in my

color barrier in college football. He was

years their senior.

own career.

of a Division I-A football program at a

My family told me it is essential to

That’s incredible. Can you talk about a

predominantly White school.

be educated and learn something. I

circumstance that seemed impossible

took a formal education track to gain

and how you overcame the situation?

the first African American head coach

After playing college ball, I got

access to a career path. But you know,

a master's degree in counseling

there’s also education in the streets,

I grew up in a tight-knit family, but my

psychology and went on to work

relationships, and fraternity life. What

parents had a divorce. When I was

for the National Collegiate Athletic

helped me the most was to trust the

young, my dad had a drinking problem,

Association (NCAA) and the National

elder’s advice and execute a piece of

so there was a time in my life between

Football League (NFL) in the counseling

it. I couldn’t do everything my parents

the third and seventh grades when I

and career development space for

or grandparents wanted me to do;

struggled with identity because home

athletes. Later, I started my own

however, there were a couple of things I

life was less than favorable. Through

consulting business in sports, where

could do, and that’s what I focused on.

it, I watched the strength of my mother

I was primarily hired by colleges and

and how she persevered through the

professional football teams to help

What lessons did you learn from your

challenges in her own relationship and

athletes in transition.

family with their connections in Black

how she protected her children—how

Wall Street that you have taken into

she went to work every day.

Three years ago, my wife and I decided

your life today?

to come home to Tulsa. We had a

She instilled in me the value of

grandchild here that she wanted to

It's really three women, my dad, and a

be closer to, and we thought we felt

couple of coaches along the way that

led to impact the community. We both

have taught me the most. I stole from all

There were days when the food was

had a passion for coffee and wine, so

their toolboxes.

limited. There were even days when

we opened a coffee shop. We plan to

education and work ethic.

the electricity and water maybe had

expand the Liquid Lounge into a wine

My grandmother, Laura Troupe, my

been turned off for a short period of

bar as well. That’s the story of how we

great-aunt, Lucille Troupe, and her

time. Those times brought me closer

got here.

daughter, Marilyn Troupe are all people

to my family. We knew we had to cut

that I was around enough to glean

the grass and cook dinner. We had to

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clean the house, because my mother had to work. She was a

trying to leave them cash, assets and a pathway so they

social worker, the valedictorian of her high school class, and

don’t have to struggle for the basic necessities of life.

a pillar in the community. She was a voting rights advocate and an advocate for children. She worked in the community,

What do you wish you had known at the beginning of your

consistently. Every fiber of her being was about her people.

career that would have accelerated the timeline you had in creating a legacy for your children?

I saw her go through all of this but still show up for the community and her children. By the time I got to high school,

Even though my Aunt Lucille was an entrepreneur, I wasn’t

I trusted that I could endure any challenge.

taught to be an entrepreneur. The generation of parents before me was taught to get an education and then start

I just stayed focused. I wasn’t perfect, but perfectly focused

a career. I wish someone had encouraged me to be an

on doing my part. Sometimes, you're going to lose, but that

entrepreneur earlier. I would have been ahead, had more

has nothing to do with the real story—perseverance—the

free-thinking, and had less stress hitting glass ceilings in the

ability to compete, no matter what circumstances are in

corporate world.

your face.

I worked for two great organizations: the NFL and the Having kids puts your life into perspective both personally

NCAA. I had a great career and accomplished a lot as an

and professionally. What do hope to instill in generations

employee. I didn't really start as an entrepreneur until my

coming after you?

mid-30s, and wish I would have started in my mid-20s. The training I received as an employee was invaluable. I just

Children and grandchildren are pretty interesting when it

wish I was taught to put some eggs in another bucket, like

comes to legacy. My relationship with my parents was much

entrepreneurship, a little earlier.

different than with my grandparents. My parents taught me to be less dependent on them.

Many of my friends who also went to Howard, became entrepreneurs right after undergrad. For a long time, I used

The most significant gift my mom offered me as an adult

to look at them like “What's wrong with you? Why would

was the freedom to choose and accept my choices without

you take such a risk? You need some health benefits and a

judgment. If I made a poor decision, she never said, “Why did

guaranteed check.” I wish I would have been taught that you

you do that?” She softly supported and loved me.

can make it out here as an entrepreneur if you have a solid product or service.

My wife and I have three children that are adults now. What my wife and I tried to do with our children was let them live

I probably won't ever retire. I love working in the community

and be available for them at critical times without being

and working with young people. That’s why we designed

helicopter parents. And now with the grandbabies, we are

the Liquid Lounge.

“ I’m just trying to be there for a generation of people that have dreams.”

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I'm really just trying to be there for a

Since we opened, we have been

generation of people that have dreams.

committed to hosting forums and meetings that allow the community

There’s a double meaning in the Liquid

to hear political plans, strategies, and

Lounge name. We sell liquid, but

measurable outcomes for political and

we’re trying to teach young people in

social change.

our community how to stay liquid in their personal and professional lives.

We are intensely interested in

Business is straightforward. It’s red and

partnering with advocacy organizations

black. We are trying to show that you

in Tulsa that help increase voter

must manage your wants and needs to

registration, early voting, and voter

stay in the black.

turnout, specifically in District 1.

There is a lot of talk about what Black

You and Yvette have already made an

Wall Street should be in the future.

impact in Tulsa. Where do you see the

As someone with a holistic view of

Liquid Lounge in the next 10 years?

the area, what do you see as the future of Black Wall Street for a new

Our business plan was designed to

generation of people who want to be

create culture and community, find the

a part of the ecosystem?

diamonds in the rough, and support the growth they’re seeking. We’re starting

Let’s start with the mental ecosystem. I

with our staff. We ask questions like:

think the mindset of working together,

“How can we create real opportunities

trusting each other, working out our

for our staff in what they are interested

differences, and staying engaged if we

in?" Or, "How can we make all of our

disagree; is the most crucial element

team successful to hit their

to creating Black Wall Street again. We

short-term goals?”

have to fight against factions.

We’ve used the Liquid Lounge as We all should be in a co-op of

an anchor for conversations about

entrepreneurship, housing, gender

entrepreneurship and a place where

violence, or what we are trying to solve.

ideas flow. The goal is to touch people

We got to do it together. What I’m

and help them think about their lives

hopeful of in Tulsa is that that mindset

differently. If we can do that, it will

can permeate the people. Right now,

be successful.

we don’t necessarily have control over land in the district. So in our long-term Black Wall Street strategic plan, we have to find a land base, just like O.W. Gurley did, and offer opportunities to hard-working entrepreneurs and people that want jobs.

The Liquid Lounge is not just serving coffee, but has also served as a hub for advocacy and change. How has that happened?

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“Our business plan was designed to create culture and community, find the diamonds in the rough, and support the growth they’re seeking.”

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AJ JOHNSON Oasis Fresh Market Owner

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Many entrepreneurs merely create a business or product, but AJ Johnson, owner of Oasis Fresh Market aspired to do more. His mission was to not only create dietary opportunities for an underserved community, but to also build a refuge, safe place, and shelter for those who often felt ignored and overlooked.

In the heart of a community the USDA had classified as a food desert, Johnson established Oasis Fresh Market—North Tulsa’s first full-service grocery store in 14 years—and a nonprofit organization that offers assistance to families in need.

“ It’s not just about a location; it’s about a mindset.

It’s about going forward, lifting as we climb, and helping others get to the finish line.”

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“To be called to something I didn’t know anything about?

It’s pretty amazing.”

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TAMEISHA WALKER Beyond Skin Deep

Owner

Certified massage therapist, yoga instructor, and master herbalist, Tameisha Walker is the owner and founder of Beyond Skin Deep, a wellness spa in Tulsa. One of the reasons Walker is so successful is because she sees massage therapy as something that is quite literally beyond skin.

For her, it’s an opportunity to impact others in a holistic way. Walker believes that she was destined for the work that she does—not something she discovered, but rather what found her.

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Tisdale23

Owner

TIFFANY TISDALE-BRAXTON

Tiffany's Instagram feed features stunning photos of intricate food design, joyful reels of family and friends and precious memories of her late father, former NBA player and renowned Jazz musician, Wayman Tisdale. “I’ve dealt with a lot of death, loss and grief in my life.” she says. According to Tisdale-Braxton, her ultimate purpose is to help people, especially those struggling with grief and anxiety. She started cooking professionally after her father passed away and is now incorporating more of her personal grief journey in the hopes to inspire others.

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“Food is a tool God has given me to live out my purpose.”

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BALTIM

CHI

MORE

I&CLE

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BOT– TOMS UP STORY BY MONICA WHITEHEAD

PHOTOS BY MAGDALENA PAP

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EVERYONE DESERVES TO BE WELL.

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Quentin Vennie is an anomaly. A quick visit to his website and you’ll discover just a few of the societal labels he defies; a shirtless and tattooed Vennie practices yoga in one image and prunes a plant in his garden in another. Today, the white strings of his black hoodie are tied in a bow at his neck, while he sports clear framed glasses and neatly trimmed facial hair. His untamed mane is juxtaposed against a cool and collected demeanor. So it’s no wonder, then, that this 38-year-old Black man from Baltimore is the face and co-founder of the functional tea company, Equitea.

Tracking the journey of this celebrated wellness expert, it’s clear that Vennie has embraced the call to lead his community into spaces where they haven’t previously seen themselves represented. By working with a nonprofit in New York City, he brought yoga to under-resourced schools in all five boroughs. He went on to do the same in Baltimore City.

Now he’s doing it with tea. “In other cultures like China, Japan, [and] Taiwan,” he says, “you drink tea regularly to prevent yourself from becoming sick.” In contrast, Vennie points out that, traditionally, Black Americans primarily consume tea in two ways: as a cold, sweet beverage (most beloved in the South) and as a remedy for illness. According to Vennie, representation is needed for the larger community to embrace a new way of conceptualizing tea, particularly as a means of prevention and overall well-being. “We have to see representation in order for us to know that this belongs to us too.” he says.

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When his son, Jayden, was diagnosed with ADHD, his neurologist recommended drinking green tea, but Jayden hated it. “How do I make this more palatable for my son?” Vennie thought. Meanwhile, many other family members struggled with wellness issues, including insomnia, which Vennie has battled for years.

Determined to find a solution, he studied, researched, and experimented until he found a blend Jayden loved. “[In order to] holistically manage the health and wellbeing of my family, Equitea was born.” Vennie, along with his wife, Erin (co-founder of Equitea), are now bringing the regenerative and restorative benefits of their original tea blends to homes across the country. “We’re paying homage to tea’s origin and the way it’s intended to be consumed. I want to bring that to our community.”

Vennie speaks about his life journey with self-awareness and clarity. There’s a marked fearlessness in his gaze, both in person and in photographs. A man of choice words, he shares the simple yet profound truths he’s learned along his entrepreneurial journey. Entrepreneurship is not just about making money for Vennie, but it’s about solving problems, breaking down barriers, and charting a path to wellness for a community wrought with generational trauma. To the person who struggles with insecurity, he says, “Who we believe we are is the only thing that separates us from who we are currently and who we want to be.”

But things have not always been so clear for Vennie.

Raised by a single mother, he attended a predominantly White elementary and middle school. His mom moved their family from Baltimore City to Baltimore County to give Vennie more opportunities for academic success. This is when he began feeling “othered”, marking the start of his battle with anxiety. His high school experience further exacerbated these feelings. There, he went to a predominantly Black high school, but the experience fell short of his expectations. “It was a fashion show,” Vennie recalls in a thick, Baltimore accent. “[It was about] who could roll dice the best in the bathroom and who could buy the best weed.”

Vennie dropped out of college at 19 years old and began working at a car dealership. He was eager to make more money and didn’t see the value in school.

Shortly after dropping out, he lost his job and began selling drugs. Vennie found himself in one risky situation after another and soon decided this was not the life he wanted to lead.

He secured a sales job at a local gym while studying to become a personal trainer.

He was promised a sales manager position if he hit his target sales goal, but after doubling the goal, Vennie was passed up for the position. It was at this moment that the entrepreneurial spirit rose up inside him, and he knew it was time to move on. “I was like, you know what? I will never again be passed up for an opportunity,” he recalls, “I’ll create my own, so I quit that day.”

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A friend wrote Vennie a check for $250, covering the cost of his personal training certification. With two children to provide for and very little money to his name, Vennie reached out to people in his circle, offering personal training services for $20 an hour. Over time, Vennie built a successful personal training business. However, it all came crashing down when he was diagnosed with severe anxiety and depression.

Debilitating panic attacks made it difficult to get out of bed in the morning.

He became addicted to the anxiety pills he was prescribed and eventually lost his business. .

In his memoir, Strong in the Broken Places, Vennie chronicles the inner and external battles that led to back-toback suicide attempts. Vennie credits “God’s intervention” as the reason he’s still alive, saying, “He showed me my life was valuable and worth something.”

Interestingly enough, Vennie believes his rock bottom experience is what cultivated the courage to silence his pervasive fears and doubts. “When you get to a space of wanting to take your own life,” he says, “there’s nothing more that the world can do to you that you haven’t attempted or tried or at least contemplated doing to yourself.”

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HIS ROCK BO EXPERIENCE CULTIVATED T COURAGE TO HIS PERVASI & DOUBTS.

OTTOM IS WHAT THE O SILENCE IVE FEARS

Vennie set out on a personal healing journey and found a sense of fulfillment in what he calls “the trinity of wellness”: yoga, meditation, and juicing. He has come to believe that “being well is a human right,” although, for Black Americans, this has been deemed a privilege for generations. From slavery to Jim Crow, Vennie sees the breakdown in the mental health of Black men and women as “intended strategically–planned and mapped for hundreds of years.”

Trauma and wellness, therefore, is inextricably linked for Vennie. “Anxiety lives in the future,” he says, “depression lives in the past, yet we live every single day in the present. We are so distracted by these two extremes that we don’t have an opportunity to feel what the present looks like. That’s trauma.” Historically, Black Americans have not had the time, space, or luxury to process trauma but rather have had to adopt a survival mentality. The resilience and grit of the Black community to advance and excel in spite of trauma is one of its greatest strengths. However, it is in this survival mentality that many unacknowledged, toxic ideologies have further perpetuated familial trauma. Vennie comments on the state of mental health in the Black community, saying, “We haven’t yet recognized the levels of trauma we’re up against. Trauma has become so normal, it’s no longer deemed as trauma, but reality.”

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Vennie recognizes that the Black community as a whole has come a long way, but knows there’s still much work to do. He notes that in conversations with his peers, many Black men still view crying as a feminine act. He flat out challenges the notion that women are more emotional than men. “I don’t believe that. I think men are very much just as emotional. We just show our emotions differently.”

Vennie believes that more dialogue about the pervading erroneous beliefs rooted in trauma is the next step in improving mental wellness in the Black community.

“Being able to challenge one another from a place of love and not a place of judgment—I would love to see that more,” he says.

One of the reasons Vennie is so passionate about building community is because it is not where his healing took place. His healing journey began in a silo, and it was a dark and difficult road to travel alone. While Vennie has proven himself a champion of and for the Black community, his Blackness is another category he refuses to allow society to solely define him by.

When speaking about the importance of community, he makes one thing very clear: “The community I’ve built for myself isn’t just made up of Black people.

It’s made up of a plethora of human beings who are just looking to heal.” In an Instagram post, proudly showcasing his blended, interracial family clad with silly faces and joyful expressions, Vennie wrote, “We face so much hate, criticism, and judgment when we walk outside of our door, but even while stuck at home during a global pandemic we are still able to find joy in being together.” One of the things that Vennie had to reconcile on his healing journey was his deep distrust of people, including himself. He believes that until we love and trust ourselves, we won’t be able to attract the kind of community we desire. “If you’re going out like, ‘Yo, where’s my people?’ I think you gotta question where you are first.”

When asked what question he wishes people asked him more often, he responds with three simple words: “How are you?” According to Vennie, this question— and being genuinely interested in the answer—should be normalized in our communities. Posed with this very question, Vennie gives a quintessential picture of the imperfect human merging of uncertainty, gratitude, and faith. “I’m in a constant state of anxiety,” Vennie says, “I’m in a constant state of feeling blessed and in a constant state of moving toward my ordained responsibility.” In spite of Vennie’s many accomplishments as an author, motivational and wellness speaker, modern man of distinction, and entrepreneur, his humble desire is to save lives.

“I want my legacy to be that I dedicated every day of my life to motivating and inspiring someone to not end theirs, whether that’s in my family, on social media, or somebody that I’ve had a conversation with on the street.”

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“YO, WHERE’S MY PEOPLE? ...YOU GOTTA QUESTION WHERE YOU ARE FIRST.” 59

Dawn Dickson-Akpoghene is a serial entrepreneur, powerhouse, inventor, and a highly accomplished force of nature. She has the distinction of raising $1.3 million from crowdfunding investors in just 47 days, a feat no other female founder has ever done. Unlike some entrepreneurs who may see their race as a disadvantage, Dawn sees the benefits of her Blackness.

“When I walk in as a Black woman with curly hair or braids, they’re looking at me.

It gives me the benefit to be a unique person in the room.

That’s how I get to shine and to show that my difference is my superpower.”

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Dawn Dickson-Akpoghene PopCom

Founder & CEO

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KEEWA NURULLAH Kido

Owner

“Black people push the culture forward and I feel like I’m doing that for the kid space."

By staying in tune with the needs of her customers during the pandemic, Nurullah evolved Kido from a mere product-focused business to a creative community that engages families in Chicago.

She is a 4th generation entrepreneur whose great-grandfather had a tailor shop in the Greenwood District.

During the 1921 Massacre, he fled to Chicago and rebuilt his shop on the South Side.

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LOND

DON

STORY BY NAMIE BIMBA

PHOTOS BY JACQUES WEYERS

SUR GENT

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Meet Abubakar Salim, a creative at

primary goal of enjoying life while

heart who expresses himself through

being successful.

acting and his video game company, Silver Rain Games.

The success you see today was born from the familial roots of yesterday. Abu

As an actor, Abu played the father role

is a first generation immigrant—the son

in Scott Ridley’s Raised By Wolves,

of African parents from Kenya who came

which premiered on HBO MAX. In 2021,

to Britain to give their children a better

he was nominated for Best Performer

life. He credits his parents, Ali and Rukiya

at the BAFTA (British Academy of Film

Salim, for being supportive even when

and Television Arts) Game Awards for

they didn’t have the foggiest idea of

playing the voice of Bayek in Assassin’s

what he desired to accomplish or how.

Creed: Origins, a multi-award winning

Despite the gap in understanding, Abu

video game. As the founder of a gaming

highlights this fact, “Parents want to help

company, his passion for Innovation

you achieve and strive and do the great

led him and his team to scoring a

things you want to do.”

contract with EA Games. Both of these accomplishments speak to his ability

The truth, in his own words, is: “It requires

to take massive risks and receive the

a lot of perseverance. It didn’t happen

proportionate awards for doing so.

overnight. I’ve been working, grafting and grinding as an actor since I was 16,

You may say to yourself, “Wow!

off my own back. I came from a not very

How does a 29 year-old actor and

well-off background, and my family didn’t

entrepreneur oscillate between these

necessarily know much about the arts

two contrasting industries?” The

either. So, you know, a lot of the time

answer is simple: creativity. Oozing

that story is missed. Most of the time,

from within his soul is an unshakeable

people are like, ‘What’s it like working

understanding that he was born to act–

with [fill in the blank with the name of a

to tell stories of other people's lives and

famous person]?’ or ‘How is it being in

bring joy to all who have the privilege of

[fill in whatever role played or success

experiencing his talent.

displayed]?’ ‘How did you get there?’ is not something that many people actually

Abu is not one for flattery and

ask a lot.”

adulation, so he keeps a level head of gratitude when he reviews his life and

When it comes to living and learning

accomplishments. As he aptly says,

through seemingly insurmountable

“I’ve got to be thankful for the life that

challenges, Abu is no stranger. He

I have and the life that I’m living.” From

shared two experiences that shaped his

the beginning of his journey at the age

character and belief, and increased his

of 16 until now, he has never given up,

faith to trust the Universe in the heat of

no matter how hard the challenges.

the moment to guide him. The first was being rejected for a role in a very big,

His background displays the grit,

classified project (which he still can’t

perseverance, indefatigableness, and

talk about), and the other was accessing

an intense work ethic, as well as the

capital for the gaming studio he launched

inability to take “no” for an answer

in 2019.

when it comes to accomplishing his

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“It requires a lot of perseverance.

It didn’t happen overnight.

I’ve been working, and grafting, and grinding as an actor since I was 16…”

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“Ultimately... you should enjoy the life and space that you’re in.”

“That audition failure taught me that

wire, and the company was asking for a

sunny day in London, provide a sense

life is more important than a lot of

lot of information, which they speedily

of groundedness in his life.

this stuff.”

shoveled out, but Abu was running out of money, paying for the company out

He has resolved to not make his entire

He remembers almost figuratively

of his own pockets. He remembered

life revolve around work. This, as he put

being within an inch of reaching his

thinking, I’m not going to be able to last

it, allows him to be inspired every day

goal and, with dogged efforts, doing

another month.

by his real life, by his partner, and by

everything within his power to possibly

his family. “I’m also inspired by the work

sway the director or attempt to still

One evening, just as his resources

that I do in the space that I’m in,” Abu

achieve what he wanted. When he

were depleted, he received an offer

shares. “By dabbling and jumping into

failed, he told himself at that moment,

letter detailing how the funds would be

both, I am able to sort of have a refresh

“Look, this is the path that I’m on. This

transferred to him. He recalls taking

in both spaces.” Whenever he’s blocked

is my own path. I just have to trust the

away this lesson in his thoughts: “I’ve

or frustrated by the game studio, he

Universe has got the plan for me to get

just got to have faith."

focuses more on acting, writing, and

where I want to go.” In the end, after

producing until he hits a wall and moves

almost having that coveted role within

Abu’s indelible takeaway from these

his grasp, he had to, in typical British

two experiences is that, ultimately,

fashion, “Keep calm and carry on.”

it’s most important to enjoy the life

“Your life is there not only to be enjoyed

and space that you’re in, because

but also to refresh you—to kind of bring

everything else comes and goes.

you back into the space where you can

Abu ran into similar challenges with his gaming studio, Silver Rain Games, when

back into the gaming space.

be your best self.”

they reached a point where no one was

The older he gets, the more he realizes

offering them money, except for one

the simple things, like standing on the

Continuing this thought, he says, “I

company. It was getting down to the

balcony and hearing the ducks or a

think you can actually still enjoy your

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work and do great work without having to bleed for it. And I think that a lot of the time, we are told we have to do that—we have to sacrifice.” He gives this solid word of advice for hard-working entrepreneurs everywhere: “You have to work hard, you have to be thankful and truly driven, however, not at the expense of your own mental health.”

Abu admits that although partnerships, underwriters, and high profile clients have helped him greatly, at times he’s annoyed with the fact that he doesn’t have full decision-making power and creative control of all his business ventures and projects. He flashes back to growing up in a predominantly white neighborhood and having to work “101 times harder” doing “three or four times the work” than his peers “to actually be taken seriously, or to even be listened to.”

As a result, it’s given him a highly driven work ethic. “I find that in a lot of my Black peers as well” Abu says. There is a hefty price tag attached to this.

Like many other business people of color, Abu has felt extremely tired and overworked and even experienced a severe strain on his mental health as he’s witnessed others around him being handed much greater rewards for putting forth only minimal effort.

This speaks to the underlying, historical and intrinsic notion of Black people having to work harder than White people to get ahead. “It’s something we didn’t ask for. It was forced on us, and now it’s almost expected,” he explains. Abu also compassionately highlights the compounded, greater struggle of Black females compared to Black males in the marketplace.

On the opposite spectrum, he paints a beautiful picture of how Black entrepreneurs will support each other to the nth degree because there’s an understanding of what it took to stand within the circle of success that brings with it a respect for the work done.

Abu has learned to rise resilient, just as Greenwood’s Black entrepreneurs did, despite the odds stacked against them.

“We are stubborn people. I have learned that I am stubborn. I am houndish, but I’m also really, really thankful for the network of people I have around me in the arts and in the worlds that I orchestrate in. There is a sense of understanding when it comes to other Black creators or Black business people that ‘you are here because you worked,’ and it’s respected.”

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“I think you can actually still enjoy your work and do great work without having to bleed for it.”

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“There are Black British males doing exceptionally well in business in the UK. However, there is a clear need to tackle the institutional discrimination across the country that is holding many others back.”

Remoteli was birthed out of the need to fill a gap in the tech space. Currently, it is Africa’s fastest-growing, tech-led outsourcing business, supporting organizations globally. Through this company, Samuel has affected indelible change in the workforce, both in the U.K. and in his homeland, Ghana.

Remoteli Founder & CEO

SAMUEL BROOKSWORTH

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MARIELLE LEGAIR

Keynote Speaker

LinkedIn Learning Instructor

Born in the U.K. to immigrant parents living in Nottinghamshire, a working-class town, Marielle grew up with the well-intentioned advice most immigrant parents give their children, “Put your head down and work hard.”

Being no stranger to hard work, that’s exactly what she did. Marielle wrote a book entitled The Personal Brand Bible for Ambitious Women and launched her Women Who Influence brand.

Today, she teaches companies and individuals the importance of boundaries and self-reflection.

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“We have a level of resiliency in our DNA due to our history.

To me that’s a powerful, if not a magical thing.

We are indeed our ancestors’ wildest dream!”

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22Q4 Lookbook

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greenwoodave.com/shop

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LOSA

ANGELES

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PHOTOS BY CRYSTINA BOND

SHATTERPROOF

STORY BY CARLOS MORENO

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It’s hard to imagine a more dangerous

the kiln and their own breath into a

wealth of Black communities, such

form of art than working with glass.

beautiful work of art.

as Greenwood, throughout the U.S.

Glass artists toil and sweat in front

rivaled that of the British Empire. While

of kilns that burn at a raging 1550°F

In his book Black Fortunes, journalist

White business leaders were praised

to 2000°F, approaching the same

Shomari Wills explains that the

for destroying their competition, Black

temperature as molten lava. The work

Reconstruction era ushered in a period

businesses were acknowledged and

is physically demanding—once a piece

of Black excellence, power, and wealth.

supported for helping one another.

is started, the artist has to be in almost

Black communities such as Greenwood

It was common for entrepreneurs in

constant motion until it’s done. This

in Tulsa, Oklahoma, flourished because

Greenwood to refer customers to one

can be a duration of an hour or two

formerly enslaved people now had

another and help their employees

for a simple decorative cup or vase, or

opportunities to be educated, to own

start new businesses. Networking and

several hours for more complex glass

land, and to create a well-connected,

membership in fraternal organizations

sculptures. Inhaling the fumes from

interdependent network of success.

was a cornerstone of Black success.

blowing and reheating glass can cause

They worked the land but were also

Booker T. Washington, founder of the

a lung disease called metal fume fever.

builders and creators. Everything in

National Negro Business League and

Burns and cuts are common. What

these communities—from homes and

the Tuskegee Institute, said, “If you

emerges, though, is magical.

business edifaces to tools, furniture,

want to lift yourself up, lift up

books, newspapers, clothing, and, yes,

someone else.”

The artist has taken what started as

dishes and glassware—was made by

a pile of silica sand, soda ash, and

Black hands.

limestone (along with combinations of

Glass artist and Tulsa native Cedric Mitchell embodies that spirit. For him,

minerals to produce different colors),

In his memoir, The Beautiful Ones,

and transformed it through the fire of

Prince wrote that the combined

every piece is connected.

“If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.”

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Just south of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), the beach city of El Segundo is home to the Los Angeles Lakers, the LA Kings, the Los Angeles Times, and the Los Angeles Air Force Base. But the city also has another interesting gem: a thriving, diverse creative community where artists support each other.

In particular, El Segundo is known throughout the art world as the place to be if you want to learn the craft of glassblowing. This reputation has built slowly and steadily over the past two decades, due in no small part to the leadership of glass artist Joe Cariati.

His mid-century modern-inspired bottles, decanters, vases, and home decor pieces have earned him numerous awards and shows in galleries throughout the world, as well as placement in stores such as Jonathan Adler and Neiman Marcus.

But Cariati's reputation goes beyond being a talented glassblower. He's known as a great collaborator and generous mentor, which is why so many new glass artists, such as Mitchell, are drawn to El Segundo to work with him.

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For Cedric Mitchell, entrepreneurship is

not be creative—to be an adult and be

hundreds of acres of Greenwood land,

art, and in business, as in glassblowing,

a professional, but we're all trying to get

leaving much of downtown and North

a big part of that art is overcoming

back to that."

Tulsa abandoned and dangerous.

your fears and never giving up. Mitchell

Mitchell’s heroes in the early 2000s

approaches his business plans

Ironically, Mitchell had some fear with

were drug dealers and gang bangers,

like he approaches creating a new

these concepts, unsure if the public

not the historic Black leaders of

glass sculpture: creating sketches,

would respond or if anyone would be

Historic Greenwood’s heyday. He knew

sometimes nothing more than bubbles,

interested. He was putting something

nothing about Greenwood’s history until

lines, and ideas, and then taking those

out there that he'd always wanted to do,

well after he’d graduated high school.

sketches into the studio to refine and

but at the same time, was not confident

see those ideas take shape. When

it would resonate with anyone else or

While attending Tulsa Community

something shatters, he picks up the

if it would sell. Putting that fear aside,

College as a business major studying

pieces and keep working.

Mitchell just went with it. The response

finances, Mitchell was also exploring

was beyond anything he could have

his more creative side. He was

Establishing an LLC, applying for loans

expected. "It broke the internet when

part of Tulsa’s early hip-hop scene,

and grants, building business credit,

I posted that video!” he exclaimed.

rapping under the name “Nuff Ced.”

leveraging business credit cards to pay

“People were coming out of nowhere

At the same time, he was dabbling in

for travel to shows and workshops,

like, 'Man, where'd all this come from?'

fashion—adding patches to salvaged

writing off business expenses—Mitchell

'I like this new work!' And [that style is]

jackets and customizing clothing.

learned all these tricks of the trade

associated with me now. And before I

starting seven years ago when he

was like, 'Man, this is something that I

During these years, according to

first moved to Los Angeles and was

always wanted to do,’ and just let loose.

Mitchell, no-one was really visiting

graduating from being broke to building

Now it's like, 'Alright, this is my thing.'"

downtown Tulsa for its arts scene, and

a brand. He recounts his adventure,

very few people knew about Ahha (The

saying, “It became art. It became fun,

Overcoming his fears has led to

Arts and Humanities Council of Tulsa),

like a game of learning and thinking,

Mitchell’s most recent and most

which in December of 2012 rebranded

'Alright, how do I design and structure

celebrated body of work to date.

itself to the Hardesty Arts Center,

these things and make it EPIC?' And

Doing his thing opened new

opening a combined gallery space and

when I say EPIC, that's [an acronym for]

opportunities such as a Guest Artist

arts education facility in the Tulsa Arts

Every Piece Is Connected—so thinking

showcase at the Corning Museum

District. By happy accident, Mitchell

in that way where everything touches

of Glass. He was even tasked with

became one of Ahha’s first students

and it all makes sense, you know?”

creating bold, colorful glass swooshes

and took advantage of everything he

for an upcoming Nike® project.

could that the program offered during

At a residence in New York, Mitchell

the summer of 2013 while waiting for

arrived with a week's worth of work

Mitchell—like most young folks in

his business classes to start in the

to do but no sketches,– no concept or

North Tulsa—was a born hustler. As

fall. “Nobody even knew that this even

plan, so he had to invent on the spot.

a teenager, he mowed lawns, and

existed,” Mitchell explained. “I mean

Inspired by graffiti art and Playskool®

from that, earned enough money to

here’s this place that’s got all these

toys, he began to create concepts for

run two fireworks stands in front of

dope classes, so I took a screenprinting

more playful pieces that would spark

O'Brien Park in Turley. Growing up, he

class, a pinhole camera class, and then

joy. He wanted his pieces to remind

knew nothing about the Greenwood

a painting class. I was trying to find

others of childhood—a time in life when

of the early 1900s or its rebuilding

other forms of creativity outside

we're free to play and be creative. "You

and renaissance after the 1921 Tulsa

of music.”

had so much creativity when you were

Race Massacre through the mid-1960s.

a kid. You could draw, you know—you

Mitchell’s Greenwood was a hollowed-

Mitchell was introduced to glassblowing

could just scribble. You could do

out victim of Tulsa’s Model Cities urban

through a friend who showed him a

anything. That was the most creative

renewal program. The city’s building

glass pipe he’d made. His friend said

time, and then you were just taught to

of highways in the 1960s flattened

that if he was interested in exploring

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When something shatters,

pick up the pieces & keep working.

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The letters from staff and board of directors at the Tulsa Glass Blowing School convinced the judge to give Mitchell probation instead of jail time.

the craft, he could enroll at Tulsa

After five years of teaching at Tulsa

Glassblowing School and the class

Glassblowing School, Mitchell moved to

could count as an elective. When he

Southern California in 2016 to work for

first arrived, they quickly let him know

Cariati, while simultaneously pursuing

that there would be no making of glass

his own brand: Cedric Mitchell Design.

bongs or pipes, but he stayed, finding

Today he works 3 days a week for

the craft challenging—something he

Joe Cariati and is free to work on his

wanted to master. After his beginning

own the rest of the time. He continues

class was over, he volunteered for the

to refine his craft and hasn’t stopped

studio to get more time at the kiln. “I

teaching.

used to just show up every day and, like, sweep the floor until somebody asked

One of Mitchell's protégés is a rising

me to do something in the studio.”

star in the glass art world, Johnathan Bolivar, who got his start at the

Within six months, he was teaching

Pittsburgh Glass Center and is now

students from Street School, Phoenix

teaching at Hilltop Artists, a youth

Rising Alternative School, and Youth

development arts nonprofit in Tacoma,

Services of Tulsa. “When I was in the

Washington. Cedric Mitchell, Corey

intermediate class, they asked me to be

Pemberton, and furniture maker, Annie

the teaching assistant for the beginning

Evelyn, founded Crafting the Future, a

class. I just kept showing up. It was

nonprofit that connects BIPOC artists

like, they really couldn't get rid of me

with opportunities that will help them

because, you know, I just really liked the

thrive. In addition to presenting at

challenge of it and all the things that I

Alfred University in New York earlier

could make.”

this year, Mitchell and fellow teachers were able to help a young woman apply

Mitchell wasn’t quite done with hustling

to the school and provide for her tuition.

and getting into trouble. He just hid it well. While his art was being featured

Cedric Mitchell Design continues to

on HGTV, Mitchell was serving a

thrive, specializing in glasswork that

mandatory 45-day stay in jail for

ranges from functional to decorative

multiple DUIs. On the day that he sat

art, combining simplicity in design with

in front of a judge awaiting a possible

color theory. This fall, Mitchell will be

10-year jail sentence for marijuana

a craftsperson in residence at the

possession, a cover story in the Tulsa

Pilchuck Glass School in Seattle. He is

Voice magazine dropped, putting

also actively working with Project Fire,

a spotlight on Mitchell’s dedication

introducing the craft of glassblowing

and good deeds at the studio. The

to youth injured by gun violence in

article in addition to letters from staff

Chicago. The program also provides

and the board of directors at Tulsa

mentoring, trauma-informed support

Glassblowing School convinced the

groups, case management, and

judge to give Mitchell probation instead

medical treatment.

of jail time. Taking full advantage of this blessing, he continued learning,

Mitchell may not have known about

teaching, and sending applications to

the history of Black Wall Street during

multiple studios, including Joe Cariati’s

his youth, but there is no doubt that he

studio in LA.

carries the fire of Greenwood’s "lifting as we climb" spirit.

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Red Flight Innovation

Founder

ROBINNE ELLER

Inventor, visionary, entrepreneur, and thought-leader Robinne Eller totes an impressive resume.

In April of 2014, she founded Redflight Innovation, a product development and design company that creates cross-platform digital experiences for companies, professionals, and consumers.

With all the accolades and accomplishments behind her name, Eller’s true passion seems to lie in the work she does for underserved communities stateside and abroad. It is in this that Eller personifies the spirit of Greenwood.

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“We know that there is always the promise and possibility for renaissance and a new dawn for Black entrepreneurship to rise from the ashes."

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“When we think about Tulsa, we think about what could have been—a community full of opportunities for minorities that was uprooted by hate and ignorance.”

Born from a dream to promote diversity and representation in the sport of cycling, L39ION of Los Angeles is in the business of challenging outdated ideas and destroying boundaries. Being the only Black-owned cycling team in the nation, team L39ION doesn't just compete in races across the United States, but cultivates meaningful connections with the communities who live there.

L39ion of Los Angeles

Founder & CEO

JUSTIN WILLIAMS 107

NYC

C&NJ

STORY BY ALAINA JONES

PHOTOS BY AMBER VENERABLE

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Based in Brooklyn and inspired by Zora Neal Hurston and Alice Walker, maestra is the brainchild of De’Ara Balenger and Stacie Gillian. This creative collective of women was designed to be a resource anyone could call on for business strategies that promote equity within communities. maestra is on a mission to “build community and amplify stories that are typically untold, undersold, or marginalized.” In the areas of strategy, events, training, or media relations, these co-founders are masters at providing the expertise that brands need in order to make the world take notice.

Balenger and Gillian are conversationalists and connectors obsessed with creating change and telling the stories, not of those who came before us, but of those who are

“It’s more about drawing people into conversations than it is hitting them over the head with our ethos...”

doing impactful work now. about this incredible, brilliant, beautiful,

they are not demanding or pretentious.

That’s the cool thing about maestra,”

Black woman who had done everything

“It’s more about drawing people into

Gillian says, emanating pride. “We

right from schooling to internships to

conversations than it is hitting them

are redefining marketing, public

roles yet still wasn’t getting paid the

over the head with our ethos and

relations, public affairs, and community

same as her peers.

what our foundation is,” Gillian says

engagement. We’re creating a different

thoughtfully. “We invite people in

discipline for how all these things

Shaniqwa’s career now speaks

for conversation, whether there are

should occur. I’m hoping that will be

for itself.

challenges they don’t understand or a

our legacy, and that when people are

gray area that they can’t address. What

talking about how this work should be

“We realized we had an actual business

we want to see in the world is a positive

done, we have somehow influenced

when we got our first New York tax bill,”

change, so we take on things that will

that work for the future.”

Balenger says with a laugh. “This

lead to that.”

business really evolved from a They first joined forces to support

friendship. Stacie and I understood

Balenger and Gillian each brought

a Black woman fashion and culture

very quickly that we were value-

their passion, commitment to

photographer named Shaniqwa Jarvis,

aligned in terms of our obligations and

community, and decades of successful

whose voice and accomplishments

responsibilities to our community.”

careers to maestra. Gillian combines

were going unnoticed. They observed

experience from entertainment, art,

that even though Shaniqwa had a

Balenger and Gillian don’t shy away

and philanthropy with a penchant for

couple of decades of experience, she

from initiating the tough conversations

storytelling. Ballenger is a political

still didn’t have the support that

that culture often wants to ignore

powerhouse, attorney, and strategist

Black male and certainly White male

or requiring the client partners they

who has worked with many notable

photographers had. Stacie and De’Ara

help to champion authentic change.

names and even contributed her

developed a campaign to build

Although their standards for progress

skills to Hilary Clinton’s campaigns

Shaniqwa’s profile, sharing the story

are high, and their stance is resolute

for 10 years.

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The success of maestra is a case study on effectively choosing the right business partner…

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“So much of this work we’re doing

way through those spaces in a way that

is because we understand that the

brings something beautiful to fruition.”

fastest way for Black folks to become equitable to White folks is through

In response, Balenger heralds Gillian as

entrepreneurship,” Ballenger says.

the orchestrator of maestra’s elevated

“So, we try to understand, support,

but accessible brand experience. “The

and galvanize that wherever we can.

maestra aesthetic, the vibe, and the feel

A lot of businesses don’t get to start off

are very much Stacie.” With a laugh,

with the high-profile

De’Ara adds that Stacie also leads

relationships we have,

the way with organization within the

so we work to build

company. “But the way we enter the

Black wealth however

world is 100% De’Ara,” Gillian interjects.

we can.”

It is clear the maestra DNA is sourced The success of

from both of its founders. Their rhythm

maestra is a case

is undeniable and the admiration they

study on effectively

have for each other can’t be ignored.

choosing the right

It’s evident that they truly allow each

business partner

other to exist in their unique zones of

and maintaining

genius without negating the success

friendship throughout

achieved when they both lend their

the pressure tests

giftings to a singular project.

of entrepreneurship.

When asked for their

Their experience in their respective

advice on forming a

fields and pursuit of excellence is what

partnership, Balenger

keeps their partnership strong, but it

laughs and tosses

also leads to differences of opinion.

the ball to Gillian, who

However, when things get tense, mutual

eloquently explains

respect is their relationship’s failsafe.

the yin-yang dynamic of their relationship.

“Even when Stacie and I disagree, we still have a methodology for how we

“This is the genius

are seeing the issue,” Balenger says.

of our partnership,”

“It always comes down to, ‘Can we pay

Gillian says as she

everyone at the end of the month?’

leans forward. “De’Ara

and ‘How is this going to feel for us,

will move faster in

our team, and our client partners?’

spaces where I move

That’s how we detangle things. The

slower and vice versa.

partnership works because even when

That pacing really

we don’t see eye to eye, we have a

Each woman is accomplished in her

balances things out, even though

process for how we discern the issue.”

own right and their client portfolio

sometimes it seems like she is dragging

reads like the who’s who of culture and

me uphill. You need those parts,

That process most often considers

commerce. Although their connections

otherwise you can become stagnant,

others. They intentionally nurture an

are impressive, their desire to create

or you won’t address things that may

environment where each individual’s

an impact for their clients and in their

make you nervous, unsettled, or things

voice is heard as they creatively work

community is even greater.

you can’t see your way around. Building

from their respective areas.

your community helps you see your

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“I think that thoughtfulness is

something and it be all about you—

“I think De’Ara and I are well-matched

something you don’t often find in

particularly for Black women, because

because we rarely think anything is

organizations, and because of that,

we need to take up more space.”

insurmountable,” Gillian said. “There’s

[we possess] a constant desire to live

always a way to execute the thing. It’s

outside the natural confines of what an

As their partnership and company

back to that collective mentality. Who

organization needs to look like,” Gillian

have evolved, they have garnered a

will we call on, how will we build it,

says. “We challenge ourselves every

wealth of knowledge from which other

and how do we make it work? Bigger

day to find a way to be productive,

entrepreneurs can glean. Disclosing the

than ourselves is our belief that we are

effective and efficient but also to really

pair’s workaholic tendencies, Balenger

representing what can be for other

dream big in how we move daily. That

advises partners to maintain an

Black women to come. My daughter, all

bleeds into how we address client and

awareness of the other’s well being.

De’Ara’s cousins and the little humans

partner needs.”

in the world that we know—we only “We want our work to be first in

want to show them what the

With maestra, Balenger and Gillian

class,” she says, “so, because of

possibility is.”

strive to operate at a standard that

that neuroticism, we both can work

some companies would consider

ourselves to the bone. We’ve realized

The beauty of the work Balenger

unnecessary. For them, running a

over the last couple of years that we

and Gillian do is that they unselfishly

business ethically is a necessity, not

also must be one another’s protectors.

lend their voices and mobilize their

an inconvenience.

We had to figure out how to do this in

connections to build platforms for

a way that wouldn’t exhaust or deplete

those who may not otherwise be able

“We are trying to create a steady

us. One key thing we’ve had to work

to reach such heights. They truly live

example of how you can run a business

out over time is sensing what one of

and work as changemakers.

ethically, equitably, and with empathy

us needs without necessarily saying it.”

and kindness,” Balenger says. “As much

Meeting maestra’s founders is to

as we love the client work and all the

Gillian in turn speaks to the importance

experience a concentrated version

beautiful things that come out of it, it’s

of surrounding yourself with the right

of the spirit that birthed Black Wall

important for us to create a business

community, especially when facing

Street. Their intention for honesty,

where people can flourish.”

fear. “One thing that I would tell myself

connection, and the commitment to

or anyone starting their own business

show up in every space authentically

These trailblazers are not afraid to

is that not all fear means you should

is evident. “Even though we may not

do things differently. In a business

stop,” she says. “Sometimes you may

all be from Tulsa, the stories of where

environment where most founders opt

not feel like you have the perfect-size

we are from are so similar,” Balenger

to be the face of the company, Gillian

team to address the need or maybe it’s

says reflectively. “We all know what our

and Balenger instead choose to take

something new. Ninety percent of it,

people have endured, but I think what

the background.

you may have done previously, but 10%

Greenwood represents is how brilliant

is something you’ve never seen before.

and resilient we are as a people.”

“The work is never about us. It is about

So, when you see that 10% and you feel

community, a collective, and us being

like this project may not be for me, the

able to live our personal lives the way

person that’s by your side can say, ‘We

we wanted while having the space and

can do that.’”

time for our families.”

Entrepreneurship is not an easy feat She continues by championing those

for anyone, and many would categorize

entrepreneurs who choose to step out

being women of color on a mission to

front. “Stay true to how you move and

raise the profiles of the marginalized

your values,” Balenger says. “Everyone

and unheard as an overwhelming

doesn’t need to be a brand or the face

challenge, but Balenger and Gillian

of the company, but it’s also ok to start

don’t see it that way.

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“Even though we may not all be “Even though we may not from Tulsa, the stories of where we are from are the so similar.

We all know all be fromwhat Tulsa, stories our people have endured, but of where we are areis and I think whatfrom Greenwood what is happening presently in so similar…I thinkreflects what Greenwood how brilliant andrepresents resilient we are as is a people.”

Greenwood how brilliant and resilient we are as a people.”

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AYANA MORRIS Newark Moonlight Cinema

Owner

For many entrepreneurs, the COVID-19 pandemic brought their businesses to a screeching halt, but for Ayana Morris, things were just getting started. In just 45 days, this filmmaker, director, and producer created Newark Moonlight Cinema, the only Black-owned, drive-in movie theater in the country.

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“It was supposed to be just for the summer, but in my heart, I’m an entrepreneur.”

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GREEN WOOD TOUR BY CHIEF EGUNWALE AMUSAN FOUNDER OF THE REAL BLACK WALL STREET TOUR COMPANY

TODAY

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10%

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