Search Results

By Zack Frink Dayton Realtors is nearing completion of a $3.5 million renovation project to transform a 40-year-old building into a multi-functional space with environmentally-friendly features, reports the Dayton Business Journal . Important details: The renovated building will provide more rentable space for the community, along with facilities for educational programs and events. Energy-efficient upgrades aim to save the association up to $15,000 per year in operating costs. What's next: The building is expected to be completed later this spring or summer, with three floors of offices, classrooms, meeting spaces, and lounge areas. Zoom in: The renovated space will facilitate community dialogue, town hall meetings, and partnership opportunities with local organizations like Sinclair Community College and Miami Regional Planning. The bottom line: Dayton Realtors' renovation project highlights its commitment to sustainability, community engagement, and enhancing opportunities for its 3,300 members. This article originally appeared on Elevate Dayton and republished through its partnership with the Dayton Weekly News.

Despite their role in transformative tech advancements, Black founders still struggle to get adequate funding and recognition. By Linda Miller, BIPOCXChange In 2014, tech entrepreneur Tavonia Evans raised $165,000 from angel investors to launch her first startup, a peer-to-peer identity verification and background check platform called Safe2Meet . But when she went looking for capital to scale the business, she ran headfirst into a shameful reality: Black women founders receive less than 1% of venture capital dollars. At the same time, she saw many of her peers starting to raise money for their ventures using blockchain and cryptocurrency. “I figured out a long time ago, that's what Black folks need. We need to create our own money, especially in America,” Evans said. In 2017, she did just that, creating Guapcoin , the first publicly launched, decentralized, digital currency focused on building generational wealth in the global African diaspora. It’s but one example of how Black tech innovators are disrupting the status quo, shattering the myth of Black inferiority with their accomplishments, and ushering in a more inclusive and equitable society through technology—often with little recognition. Evans recently joined other entrepreneurs in discussing the challenges facing Black tech founders but also the incredible opportunities that technology like artificial intelligence holds for fostering equity and advancing Black liberation. The Feb. 27 conversation was the second installment of the virtual Racial Reckoning Discussion Series sponsored by the Multicultural Media & Correspondents Association ( MMCA ) and held via the BIPOCXChange (BXC), a metaverse platform that, among other services, hosts events and distributes content for its 300+ Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) media members and their audiences. Black entrepreneurs are creating new opportunities for themselves and others by launching startups, designing apps, and founding organizations that are changing the tech landscape. Yet they are woefully under-represented in the industry and in mainstream media narratives about it, said MMCA President David Morgan, creator and co-host of the discussion series. Added Morgan’s cohost Tiffany Norwood: “I can tell you as a lifelong technologist that there are many things in our everyday lives that we use, that were invented by Black people. Caller ID came from a Black inventor. Traffic lights came from the creative minds of Black tech. One of my favorite inventors—Patricia Bath, a Black woman—created and has five patents around laser cataract surgery.” Norwood received her first IP right, a patent, at the age of 23. Currently, she heads up Tribetan , a company she founded that uses technology, music, video and animations to teach entrepreneurship and innovation literacy for success in business, school and life. Norwood said she taught herself to code in the 1970s using a book, paper and pencil. She went on to earn degrees from Cornell University and Harvard Business School and to launch nine startups. Her ventures have ranged from the first one-strap backpack to the automation technology behind self-install kits for broadband internet to a virtual reality gaming platform. In 2022, Cornell named her Entrepreneur of the Year , and she recently published her first book, “ Vote Like a Boss: An Entrepreneur’s Perspective on Innovation, Leadership, Creativity, Storytelling, and Voting .” “The skill sets and mindsets that I cultivated along the way to being an entrepreneur are the skillsets and mindsets that are important in everyday life. They're the skill sets and mindsets of being self-made. They're the skill sets and mindsets of agency. They are the same skill sets that allow people to be the first of their family to go to school or to get a university degree,” Norwood said. “And it [centers] around persuasive storytelling, cultivating endurance and cultivating optimism.” Fostering endurance and optimism is even more critical when you consider Black or Latinae graduates earn 15-19% of computer science degrees yet they make up less than 3% of the tech industry, according to a 2020 report in Techonomy . Industry executives often blame this failure— and the wealth gap that it fuels —on the so-called "pipeline problem," using terms like "lowering the bar" to infer Black, Latinae and women candidates are less qualified. These stereotypes are then amplified in media coverage that continually hypes the brilliance of White male innovators and disruptors like Elon Musk and Steve Jobs while ignoring the contributions of Black tech superstars like Evans, Norwood and others who participated in MMCA’s discussion: Albert E. White, whose book, “Race for the Net: When African Americans Controlled the Internet and What Happens Now? ,” charts the story of Network Solutions, a Black technology company that played a pivotal role in creating the Internet; Dante Simpson, cofounder of ESPAT TV , a creative studio that, among other ventures, meshes live TV, advertising, music, movies and other content with esports and video games; Bentley Charlemagne, who founded Qme Spotlight Ecosystem , a company that builds customized digital environments that strengthen community connection and support small business growth; Tayler J. James, former director of research at The Plug , which prior to its March 16 closing , published The Black Tech Effect Report , celebrating the success of 100 promising Black-led, high-growth tech companies while acknowledging the ongoing challenges affecting the Black tech ecosystem. They spoke about what prompted them to pursue careers in tech, how they got to where they are, what they are working on now, and how they persevere in a sector that, already one of the least diverse, is experiencing massive layoffs that are disproportionately impacting women and people of color and eroding diversity, equity and inclusion commitments . Simpson said he takes inspiration from Tyler Perry’s powerful acceptance speech upon receiving BET’s Ultimate Icon Award in 2019. “It’s all about trying to help somebody cross. While everybody else is fighting for a seat at the table, talking about ‘#OscarsSoWhite, #OscarsSoWhite,’ I said, ‘Y’all go ahead and do that. While you’re fighting for a seat at the table, I’ll be down in Atlanta building my own.’” Perry said, adding, “I want you to hear this, every dreamer in this room. There are people whose lives are tied to your dream. Own your stuff, own your business, own your way.” Perry’s words changed Simpson’s journey. “I'll never forget it. It's kind of my motto, and...I've made it a mission within the gaming space.” And with notable success. Simpson’s ESPAT Studios has been a part of some of the most memorable moments in gaming culture, including the development and production of immersive experiences, mixed-reality, and trailers for notable gaming titles. “Anytime you go into a movie theater and you watch a trailer and you see a video game air prior to the movie, that's actually coming through our studio,” Simpson said. During the height of the pandemic, Simpson began embedding virtual concerts into immersive video game experiences, which led to notable moments like Travis Scott’s five-performance tour in Fortnite . “We meshed everything that we had done previously and kind of brought it into this gaming space. Being a disruptor, Simpson said, is often just identifying an obvious gap or “white space” and using ingenuity to fill it, often through collaboration. Then there is the kind of innovation that disrupts entire systems, like using gamification in education to offer students tangible rewards that go beyond just grades. Or, as Evans has done, creating an entire currency that not only builds Black wealth but gives people more control over their money, their data, their future. “That's what blockchain would allow us to do,” Evans said. “To have that transparency, to see our money function, how it functions, where it's functioning, and to have greater control over our dollar.” Entrepreneurs of color are often denied access to capital not just to start their own businesses but to scale them. Consider the case of Network Solutions , a Black-founded technology company that developed the domain name registration service for the Internet, earning an exclusive contract from the National Science Foundation in 1993 to be the provider for .com, .net and .org top level domains. The firm was acquired two years later for $4.7 million in part because its Black founders were denied the investments necessary to scale the business, said White, who worked at the company and wrote a book chronicling its journey. “We could not raise capital, even though we had this premier position in the world,” White said. “A lot of people kept saying to us, ‘well, we don't know where the internet's going’…and ‘if it's that important, why did they give [the contract] to Black people?’” In 2002, the company was sold again in an all-stock deal worth $21 billion. “Historically that's been our tradition. We develop something, put it out there, we can't get funding, and then somebody else benefits from it,” White said. “So that was the reason that I wrote the book. I wanted our community and other communities to know that African Americans played a major role in the initial launch of the internet…I was also curious about what would be said in the future to our grandkids and our kids about the internet.” Though Black founders raised almost $2 billion in funding in 2021 , that number is minuscule compared to the $147 billion startups raised collectively. “The difference between Jeff Bezos and the average Black person is he lost $300 million but was able to get more money to launch [more businesses] even after that failure. We couldn't have gotten money like that,” White said. Norwood noted that, as a Black female tech entrepreneur, she raised $700 million for satellite radio startups. “And even with all we've done and the impact, [we've achieved] every time I do a startup…I still have to start at the very beginning as if I've done nothing.” Perhaps that is why Norwood and the other entrepreneurs are so passionate about helping other Black talent succeed in tech and the promise that artificial intelligence (AI), Web3 and other emerging technologies hold for helping Black businesses to thrive. Bentley Charlamagne grew up in the Caribbean, moved to the U.S., where he created the Qme spotlight digital ecosystem providing marketing, branding, and technology solution development, and earned “every certification you could think about.” “It propelled us to the top of the food chain very quickly, working with 14 Fortune 500 companies,” he said. “But in talking to some of those communities, we realized there were challenges for a lot of the small businesses” that weren’t being addressed. So Qme pivoted to building online “ecosystems” that facilitate learning, connection, and problem-solving, especially for small business owners. They’ve built ecosystems across the FinTech space and the news and media space, among others, including creating the BIPOCXChange. In Philadelphia, Qme built online portals to help Community Development Finance Institutions (CDFIs) assess minority small businesses and connect them with banks, CDFIs and other investors that can provide them with capital. Qme is now looking into how to integrate AI tools like ChatGPT into its platforms. While chatbots have long been a common tool for answering customer service questions online , ChatGPT can take a prompt, comb the internet for relevant information, and convert that into plausible-sounding paragraphs of text. It has been used to write essays and poetry, summarize documents, build apps, even conduct makeshift therapy sessions. Just two months after its November 2022 debut, ChatGPT had more than 30 million users, making it one of the fastest-growing software products in memory according to The New York Times . Despite complaints that ChatGPT is prone to giving biased or incorrect answers, it has set off a feeding frenzy of investors trying to get in on the next wave of the A.I. boom. “I've already built three apps utilizing the OpenAI ChatGPT and there's more I want to build,” said cryptocurrency developer Evans. “There’s just so much opportunity. I just want to scream it from the mountaintops.” Evans believes publicly accessible AI could be a transformative tool for Black business owners who struggle to get the capital needed to hire employees and build their businesses. “In this age where Black women are starting businesses at a rate of 3:1 to everybody else, they now have another tool to scale their businesses at a rate faster than anybody else,” she noted. But, just like with cryptocurrency, there is a lot of confusion and trepidation around AI, including concerns that it is going to put a lot of people out of work. Evans said it’s incumbent upon those in the industry to help people of color move past their fears. “We have to stop what we are doing and get out on the streets and educate the people and say, ‘Hey, it's not like what you think. This is an opportunity. This is the help that you've been asking for, that you need. We need to create more opportunities amongst our people, so the education piece is huge right now.” White agreed. He is currently an advisor on a large venture fund that only invests in established minority firms, where he focuses on how to leverage emerging technologies, such as electric vehicles, which he says will be bigger than the internet. “There's a tremendous opportunity for our community to capture the [EV]space, but we’ve got to be trained,” he said, noting that he is looking to acquire a large training company that can build the capacity of HBCUs. Tayler James is the former research director at The Plug , a news outlet and research company that, until its recent closing, covered the ways that Black people are affected by and engaged with the innovation economy, and produced a weekly newsletter offering insights on HBCUs. “I love everything about HBCUs and the foundation that they set for the Black economy,” said Tayler, herself a proud graduate of Florida A&M University. On March 16, Founder and CEO Sherrell Dorsey announced that The Plug was closing . It filled an important gap, producing original research on everything from how many Fortune 500 companies have at least one Black board member who is an alumnus of an HBCU ( 11% ), to a look at how well ChatGPT responds to questions about the Black tech ecosystem , to its State of the Pledge report, a comprehensive overview published in partnership with the Blacks In Technology Foundation that revisits the 2020 commitments made by tech organizations to be more inclusive of Blacks through investment and recruitment efforts. One of the firm’s last studies, The Black Tech Effect Report , was the culmination of a year-long effort to dive deeper into solution-oriented, problem-solving companies paving a path toward the future, many of which are having their time in the spotlight for the very first time. It was produced in partnership with "The Tech We Want," a program of Omidyar Network. “We decided to highlight and celebrate 100 Black founders who are creating systems and solutions to address different disparities and issues within our country, within our world, and give them their flowers and celebrate with them, in all of their accomplishments,” James explained. “We have a whole section of companies that are creating work within the social impact space. They're in EV, they're in climate change—things that you don't typically hear about, especially within our Black community. And they're creating these systems and solutions,” James said. “We highlighted 100, but there are thousands.” To view the entire Black Innovators and Disruptors conversation, visit the BIPOCXChange . Disclosures: The MMCA is an investor for Elevate Dayton. Nate Dillard, publisher of Elevate Dayton , is a partial owner of the BIPOCXChange . Linda Miller, editorial advisor to Elevate Dayton, is director of the Equitable Media and Economies Initiative, which is a joint project of MMCA and RJI. This article originally appeared on Elevate Dayton and republished through its partnership with the Dayton Weekly News.

By Nate Dillard Jobs and careers are likely to be impacted by artificial intelligence (AI), with some roles being more susceptible to replacement than others, according to CNBC Make It . Why it matters: The creation of new jobs has always been faster than the loss of jobs caused by technological advances. Rather than fully automating human work, AI is currently being used to augment and support human employees. Businesses need to adapt by upskilling and reskilling their employees and creating frameworks for responsible AI use. The big picture: AI is set to become a bigger part of everyday working life. What's next: is for businesses to embrace AI to drive efficiencies while minimizing time spent on repetitive tasks and maximizing strategic decision making. The community perspective: Job displacement due to AI could have an impact on Dayton's underrepresented communities. Businesses must put a high priority on upskilling and reskilling programs to make sure these areas don't fall behind. This article originally appeared on Elevate Dayton and republished through its partnership with the Dayton Weekly News.

Two of the last three survivors of the 1921 Tulsa massacre on “Black Wall Street” have been granted Ghanaian citizenship, according to reports. Viola Fletcher, 108 , and her brother, Hughes Van Ellis, 102, were granted citizenship to the West African nation Tuesday at a ceremony that took place at Ghana's embassy in Washington D.C. , according to BBC . The siblings will become dual citizens, citing comments made at the ceremony by Hajia Alima Mahama, Ghana's U.S. ambassador, according to The Washington Post . “I feel like a king,” Hughes Van Ellis said after declaring his duel citizenship Tuesday. “It is an honor and privilege to be a member of Ghana.” Viola Fletcher may have only been a little girl, but she will never forget what happened from May 31 to June 1, 1921, in Tulsa, Oklahoma . On May 31, 1921, white groups overtook an area of Tulsa, known as Greenwood, which was lauded for its prosperous Black businesses and often called the Black Wall Street. The massacre began after a Black teen, Dick Rowland, got onto an elevator with a white elevator operator, Sarah Page, at the Drexel building in the city. Rowland was accused of rape. During the 18-hour span, the white mob attacked residents' homes and businesses, killing hundreds of people and leaving thousands homeless. It was deemed one of the worst incidents of racial violence in U.S. history. The Justice for Greenwood Foundation, which works with survivors of the massacre and their descendants, said the siblings are the oldest African-Americans to be granted citizenship of Ghana, according to BBC. The foundation said in a statement to BBC that they were "proud to stand in solidarity with the survivors, celebrating their resilience and their contribution to the history" of Black Oklahoma. To mark the 100th anniversary of the massacre, the siblings traveled to the West African nation in 2021 after being invited by the Ghananian President Nana Akufo-Addo. In 2019, Akufo-Addo had issued an invitation to members of the African diaspora to visit Ghana to mark the “Year of Return,” commemorating 400 years since the first Africans arrived in the Virginia colony. “This country is your country, and anyone who wants to come to reestablish, connect with us here, is welcome,” Akufo-Addo said in 2021. Ghana was a key transportation port that brought slaves across the Atlantic. Akufo-Addo said his country felt a responsibility to welcome all those who could trace their ancestry to Africa. By Inside Edition Staff First Published: 1:41 PM PST, March 2, 2023 https://www.insideedition.com/tulsa-race-massacre-survivors-granted-ghanaian-citizenship-80094

Dilbert comic-strip creator Scott Adams launched a diatribe about Black people being a hate group. Thirty Four. That’s how many Black people apparently disagreed with the race-baiting question of whether it’s “OK to be white” in a two-question poll from pot-stirring pollster Rasmussen Reports. Some respondents might have disagreed with using a statement that’s long been associated with racist trolling . Others might be perplexed, offended or racist. It’s hard to deduce much from a haiku-length poll that’s designed to provoke. And provoke it did. Dilbert comic-strip creator Scott Adams seized on the results to launch a diatribe on his YouTube channel about Black people being a hate group, telling white people to stay “the hell away.” That prompted a tsunami of newspaper outlets to drop the comic strip , following an earlier move by Lee Enterprises, which dropped the comic strip from its 77 newspapers in September. (Adams’ latest comments were sadly on brand, as Rob Salkowitz points out. ) Penguin Random House added to the financial blow, announcing that it would no longer publish Adams’ upcoming book . Elon Musk, in keeping with his own penchant for offensive and self-destructive statements, then stepped into the fray with several tweets, calling the media racist for dropping Dilbert . Specifically, he argued that mainstream media outlets (which remain overwhelmingly white) have become racist against whites and Asians. Just when things were looking up for Tesla, which is building a new factory in Mexico, Musk had to remind us that EQ and IQ do not move in sync. Why both men feel so angry and hard done by is a mystery we’ll leave for others to solve, but the result reinforces that capitalism works. Dilbert used to be funny. More recently, it’s become bitter and self-indulgent. In the long run, offending your customers is bad for business. Fans who want to keep reading the strip, which first appeared in 1989, will now have to subscribe through Adams’ service on the Locals platform. There’s much talk these days about a “parallel economy” where extreme right-wing groups aim to function in peace without being bothered by people who don’t look like them or share their views. (There’s a payment system , too.) From what I see, it doesn’t seem to be thriving. Parler, the right wing social media app, is down to 20 employees. Donald Trump’s Truth Social posts are only noticed when they’re covered in the media. Adidas split with Ye, a.k.a. Kanye West, over his anti-semitic rants and kept the Yeezys. We are all entitled to our values and beliefs. As I’ve mentioned in this newsletter before, veteran hotelier Bill Marriott is a leader who has both a deep faith and a deep sense of responsibility as a leader. He puts what he calls the American values of hard work, integrity, fairness and respect over his moral beliefs as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. That meant making the Marriott hotel chain a leader in extending family benefits to same-sex couples, selling alcohol and creating an inclusive environment in which everyone feels welcome – and wants to spend their money. That’s just good business. While plenty of people hold opinions that might not endear them to their colleagues, customers, or employees, most have the maturity and common sense to shut up--or challenge their own biases--in order to create an environment where things get done. Good luck finding a job in a place where everyone shares your views. I’ve yet to find that at the dinner table, never mind the office. (Job sites that skew to ‘values,’ like Red Balloon, are notable for the lack of big-name employers.) That doesn’t diminish the danger of extremist groups on either side of the political spectrum, but it’s heartening to see decency and common sense prevail. Adams may continue to delude himself into thinking that he’s lost opportunities for being white or redefine being held accountable as being 'canceled.' His former clients understand, as he does not, that integrity, fairness and respect are more important than pandering to a deluded and hate-filled vendor. By Diane Brady, Forbes CxO Assistant Managing Editor, Communities & Leadership This article originally appeared in the Forbes CxO Newsletter

Bing Davis' work has been displayed internationally, in countries like Senegal, Nigeria, Australia and Japan. Now, the trace of his national and global impact will be archived right here in his hometown. The University of Dayton says this archive will make Davis’ papers accessible to artists, students and community members who want to engage with his work. In a statement, UD President Eric F. Spina said this creates an opportunity for the community to engage with diverse legacies and voices. “We are honored to keep Bing’s papers in the city where he spent most of his life and make them accessible to all who wish to understand or follow in his footsteps,” Spina said. The University has previously hosted Davis as an artist-in-residence, exhibited his work and conferred on him an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts. Davis says he hopes this archive will inspire anyone who wants to be involved in arts, education, and African-American culture. “ This provides an opportunity for me indirectly to continue to interact and work with youth,” Davis said. “How can we make use of all these documents and all these, especially all these projects that have just been fun and enjoyable for me over the years from 1960 to the present, but now formed to make it even more usable by the broader community.” Over the years, Davis has supported research in Black art , including creating African and African American art history courses in regional institutions, including University of Dayton, Miami University, and Central State University. Davis has also helped establish many art organizations, including the African American Visual Artists Guild, and the National Conference of Artists. His studio in Dayton also hosts the Shango Center for the Study of African American Art and Culture. The 85-year-old artist said that the archiving project is almost like planning another retirement. “This is like a new existence for me,” Davis said. “ This is so amazing to see, and I'm excited about its potential . ” By Ngozi Cole Ngozi Cole is the Business and Economics Reporter for WYSO. She graduated with honors from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism in New York and is a 2022 Pulitzer Center Post-Graduate Reporting Fellow. Ngozi is from Freetown, Sierra Leone. This article first appeared at WYSO .

After a TikTok video featuring Miss Coppin State Keylin Perez went viral, dozens of posts questioned representation, race and legacy. But at the school, the reality is different. When Keylin Perez became the first Latina to be crowned Miss Coppin State University in Baltimore, she was thrilled. She had been named the university’s Miss Sophomore and Miss Junior previously and was eager to continue representing the school with pride as the 91st Miss Coppin State University queen. But after a TikTok video she posted went viral , she received backlash, including harassment, from online critics who said the role should be given to a Black woman, since Coppin State University is a historically Black university, known as an HBCU. “I never considered stepping down,” Perez told NBC News. She applied for the high-profile role knowing she might face some backlash, but ran unopposed and was officially crowned in October. “I stayed firm in my decision of continuing to serve my institution that has poured so much into me the past four years,” she said. The original TikTok video featured Perez and Mister Coppin State and their Royal Court counterparts at Morgan State University, another HBCU in Baltimore, recreating a scene from the Zoolander movie, which was a trending meme at the time on the platform. The group recorded the lighthearted video while at Mister HBCU Kings’ Leadership Conference and Competition, Inc., held in St. Louis. Miss and Mister Coppin, Keylin Perez and Tre'Quan Hayes.Coppin State UniversityThe video has since gathered more than 430,000 views, more than 78,000 likes and had more than 2,700 comments before Perez turned off the comment section because of the barrage of hateful messages. Dozens of videos and posts on other platforms such as Instagram and Twitter also surfaced, raising larger questions of representation, race and legacy, and debating whether a non-Black person being crowned contradicts HBCU culture. Perez, who turns 23 on Saturday, said the backlash online escalated as some of the comments turned vulgar, with some even suggesting she harms herself. Perez took to Instagram to address the controversy and issued a statement . The post received more than 1,000 comments with divided opinions. “They’re going to have to start removing ‘Black’ in titles now,” one commenter said, while another said, “The majority supports and stands with you. You’re doing amazing sweetheart. Continue serving your campus with grace." Kelaina Slaughter, 20, a junior majoring in English at the University of Louisville in Kentucky, first learned about the controversy surrounding Perez from a different TikTok video. Slaughter explained why she thinks a role like Miss Coppin State University should go to a Black person. She said roles like the Royal Court positions at HBCUs are crucial in representing students who have been historically underserved at predominantly white institutions. “The reason why these people are so important for them to be Black is so that they can have Black voices in spaces where they were historically not allowed. They’re trying to show that we are educated, that we can hold these positions, that we can have the same thing as white people — anybody else,” Slaughter said. “When you take those spaces away, you are taking away an additional voice for our community that you can have on a national space and allow to represent our community as a whole,” Slaughter continued. Yet Perez says she’s received support from peers, professors and university administrators. Perez noted that the controversy is a stark contrast from her time as Miss Sophomore and Miss Junior. She didn’t receive any backlash then, she said. Justin Evans, 23, president of Coppin’s student government association, said Perez "has our full support." "I feel like it's bonded us together even more than before, because we're already a small institution, so all this backlash," he said, "just helps us realize how we're all we got in a sense. The campus life has actually been up." Evans, who is Black and Mexican American, said Perez has been one of the more impactful queens the school has had yet. He also said Perez has been featured throughout campus and on the school's website since her time as Miss Sophomore and Miss Junior. Jawaad Williams, 20, who is Mister Junior at Coppin, said about the controversy: "I think sometimes people just get wrapped up in the idea, like an HBCU is just Black people only and nobody else is allowed to go to the school." Before the social media backlash, nobody on campus questioned Perez's crowning, Williams said, because "we all feel like she deserved the spot that she's in." "She goes above and beyond. She doesn't just wear the crown and take pictures. She actually goes in the Baltimore community and does work. She does work on campus. So she's very active in her role," he said. Queens from other HBCUs also posted a video and statement in support of Perez . Other HBCUs in the past have faced similar backlash for electing non-Black queens, including Kentucky State University . Historically Black — but becoming more diverse HBCUs are defined as institutions founded before 1964 with the specific mission of educating Black students amid the realities of legal segregation. But in recent years, growing populations and changing demographics have impacted student composition. Non-Black students accounted for 25% of enrollment at HBCUs in 2021, compared to 15% in 1976 , according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Coppin State University President Anthony Jenkins addressed the issue of a multicultural campus in a video statement online denouncing the "racist, hurtful and unintelligent comments made by several people" in response to the backlash against Perez. “We are a proud HBCU that educates a multicultural and multigenerational student population. Thus, we value diversity and inclusion. As such, we do not buy into the myth that students who represent our HBCU must be African American,” Jenkins said. “We’re not going to allow irrelevant haters to make our queen feel as if she does not belong, or that she is not worthy to represent our beloved institution.” Perez, who is of Guatemalan descent, attended public high school in Glenelg, Maryland. “I never really felt like I fit it in, knowing that there was just less than five students who are Latino and less than 20 students who are Black and the rest were Caucasian,” Perez said. She said she was drawn to Coppin State for its smaller classroom size ratios and its diverse student population. Coppin State’s student body is 80% Black, 3.1% Hispanic or Latino and 1.7% white. “When I came to Coppin, I truly felt welcomed," Perez said. "They pushed me, they inspired me and I felt like when I came to their orientations, I found everything that I’ve always wanted in a university." Perez is a senior expected to graduate in May as a nursing and military science major. She also serves as a sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserves and plans to become a psychiatric nurse practitioner within the military. For Latinos interested in attending an HBCU, Perez said she recommends the schools and advises prospective students to take an orientation tour to learn more. Ashley Román, 21, a student athlete on the Coppin women's volleyball team majoring in biology pre-med, is from Isabela, Puerto Rico. Choosing to attend an HBCU, she said, has been one of her best experiences. "Here, I've always, always, always felt comfortable enough to call this my second home," Román said. "Just because it's an HBCU, they don't exclude students because of their race and they always involve everyone." By Edwin Flores Edwin Flores reports and produces for NBC Latino and is based in Anaheim, California. This article originally appeared at NBC News .

America is an exceptional nation. We have more guns than people. As a student at Detroit’s Central High School, I remember on occasion having mandatory fire drills. Today our children have mandatory gun drills. They are being taught to “run, hide, or fight” in between reading, writing, and arithmetic. The latest count of 67 mass shootings since the beginning of 2023 is making our nation resemble a modern day killing field. From Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo. in 1999 where 13 were killed and 20 wounded, to Michigan State University in East Lansing, Mich., where three were killed and five wounded in 2023, gun violence is rampant. While our hearts and our fervent prayers of condolences go out to the victims, families, students, and staff of MSU and every other field of despair, it is just not enough. To send our child out the door with a kiss and a remember to run, hide, or fight on the way to school each day is not the way for an America that some call exceptional. The Violence Project of the National Institute of Justice recorded 185 mass shootings from 1966 to December 2022. In death, America is certainly exceptional. Las Vegas Nevada – 60 dead, 413 wounded, 867 reported in juries. Yes, we are exceptional. Orlando Florida – 49 killed, 53 wounded. Virginia Tech – 32 killed, 17 wounded, 6 others in jured. Sandy Hook Elementary in New town, Connecticut – 26 killed (20 of the victims were children between ages 6 and 7, six were adults). El Paso Texas – 23 killed and 23 injured. Highland Park Illinois Pa rade – 7 were killed, 48 others injured. Uvalde, Texas – 22 killed, 18 wounded, 40 injured. Buffalo New York – 10 killed, 3 wounded, 13 injured. Dayton Ohio – 9 killed, 27 injured. Virginia Beach – 12 killed, 4 injured. Atlanta Georgia – 8 killed,1 per son wounded. How tragic it is that students from Oxford High School in Michigan where 4 were killed and 7 wounded, in their first year at Michigan State University found themselves repeating the trauma, death, and nightmare of another horror of violence by gunfire. America is an exceptional nation. We have more guns than people. A Small Arms survey has reported 120.5 firearms per 100 residents. The country with the second highest rate of citizen firearm ownership is Yemen with a rate of 52.8 guns per 100 residents. America has a population of 326 million people. It has been reported that we have at least 393 million guns. Not every American owns a gun. There are what is known as “super owners,” people who own ten to twenty guns or more. America has a gun violence problem. In a special report by ABC News called Rethinking Gun Violence, examining the level of gun violence in the United States, a gun violence tracker system to illustrate total gun violence was utilized. Over the past five years, 2018 to 2023, there were a reported 93,376 deaths, 180,803 injuries. Over the past year, there were 19,210 deaths, 36,805 injuries. In one week, February 4-10, 2023, there were 354 deaths, 592 injuries. There are a number of gun related factors to these killings. Some range from premeditated acts of aggression, domestic disputes, robberies, even suicides. Yet, the one common factor is access to guns. This unbearable situation has caused the health care system an estimated one billion dollars a year for injuries alone. According to a report released in June by the United States Government Accountability Office, many people believe gun violence is limited to urban America, particularly among Black communities. I have a news flash for you – it’s happening more and more in smaller communities all around the nation. For example, Mississippi County Arkansas has a population of a little more than 42,000 based on the U.S. Census data. Yet, it has a gun homicide rate of over 23 per 100,000 according to the Center for Disease Control. The majority of Americans want to do something to end gun violence. An ABC News Washington Post poll conducted in 2019 found 89% of Americans support universal background checks and 86% support red-flag laws (a law permitting the state court ordering the temporary removal of firearms from a person believed to present a danger to themselves or others). Six in ten support banning high-capacity ammunition clips. Fifty-six percent support banning the sale of assault weapons. Among Democrats, 81% support a ban, 55% of independents, but only 33% of Republicans favor a ban. We must end the gratuitous prayers for the victims, flowers and teddy bears for the deceased, litanies of how bad we feel that another killing field has occurred. It is not enough to send up a prayer for the dead. We must send out a policy change for the living. We cannot allow political leaders who are supposed to serve the people to disregard the will and determination of the people. Hiding behind the NRA resistance to reasonable gun regulation, claiming that leaders just want to take all guns away and disregard the Second Amendment right to bear arms, proclaiming nothing can be done about a shooting like this, are all damnable lies. The people want safety. Our children and all children deserve a future without fear, injury, or death. I am not a pessimist. I am an optimist. But more important than that I am a man of faith. “I know that faith without works is dead,” James 2:17. It is time to put some work with our prayers. Politicians who ignore the will of the people, putting guns before children and money before safety, should be voted out of office. Governors and legislators who stand in the doorway to prevent the entrance of a better way to end this senseless violence do not deserve nor have they earned the right to lead the people. If they do not move on these issues, then it is up to the people to move them out of the way. We must pass gun regulation laws, background checks, support for mental health, regular mental and psychological evaluation of law enforcement officers, the elimination of assault weapons and military armament off the streets, pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, and inspire not by words but by our deeds a new and secure generation of young people. Whitney Houston sang it well, “I believe the children are the future. Teach them well and let them lead the way. Show them all the beauty they possess inside. Give them a sense of pride to make it easier. Let the children’s laughter remind us of how we used to be.” America, the sound of laughter is always more pleasant to the ear than the sound of silence. Article originally appeared at South Florida Times .

The Co’s new lecture series featuring incisive people and perspectives for our time. The Contemporary Dayton is a non-profit gallery and artist resource that provides art for the community and a community for artists since 1991. Join The Contemporary Dayton as it presents poet, essayist and cultural critic Hanif Abdurraqib at “The Tank” in Dayton’s historic Arcade as he reads from his newest book, A Little Devil in America: Notes in Praise of Black Performance . He will also engage in a conversation and sign books. Hanif Abdurraqib is a poet, essayist, and cultural critic from Columbus, Ohio. His poetry has been published in Muzzle, Vinyl, PEN American , and various other journals. His essays and music criticism have been published in The FADER, Pitchfork, The New Yorker, and The New York Times . His first full length poetry collection, The Crown Ain’t Worth Much , was released in June 2016 from Button Poetry. It was named a finalist for the Eric Hoffer Book Prize, and was nominated for a Hurston-Wright Legacy Award. His first collection of essays, They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us , was released in winter 2017 by Two Dollar Radio and was named a book of the year by Buzzfeed, Esquire, NPR, Oprah Magazine, Paste, CBC, The Los Angeles Review, Pitchfork, and The Chicago Tribune , among others. He released Go Ahead In The Rain: Notes To A Tribe Called Quest with University of Texas press in February 2019. The book became a New York Times Bestseller, was a finalist for the Kirkus Prize, and was longlisted for the National Book Award. His second collection of poems, A Fortune For Your Disaster , was released in 2019 by Tin House, and won the 2020 Lenore Marshall Prize. His newest release, A Little Devil In America (Random House, 2021) was a winner of the Andrew Carnegie Medal and the Gordon Burn Prize, a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Pen/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award . In 2021, Abdurraqib was named a MacArthur Fellow. He is a graduate of Beechcroft High School. The conversation will take place March 2nd at 6pm, inside The Tank at the Dayton Arcade (35 W 4th St, downtown Dayton). Metered street parking is free after 6 pm, or guests may park in the Reibold Garage. Interested in more? The series continues in April and May with Saeed Jones and Debbie Blunden-Diggs. Enjoy an evening with author Saeed Jones, as he shares his new poetry collection Alive At The End Of The World. Jones will also have a conversation with the literary artist, Dionne Custer Edwards. Saeed Jones is an essential author as well as a powerful voice in the world of literary activism, and his writing often engages the questions and nuances of identity. He has shaped his platform into a tool for social awareness, breakthroughs and connections with his no-holds-barred personality and unforgettable voice. Saeed Jones was born in Memphis, Tennessee, and grew up in Lewisville, Texas. His debut poetry collection, Prelude to Bruise , was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and was awarded the 2015 PEN/Joyce Osterweil Award for Poetry. The collection also received a starred review in Publishers Weekly, which described the book as, “a fever dream, something akin to magic.” NPR described Prelude as a “book seamed in smoke; it is a dance that invites you to admire the supple twist of its narrative spine; it is hard and glaring and brilliant.” In 2019, Saeed released his highly anticipated memoir, How We Fight for Our Lives . As the New Yorker observed “his title carries an edge of social critique. To be black, gay, an American, the book suggests, is to fight for one’s life.” NPR raved “Jones’s voice and sensibility are so distinct that he turns one of the oldest of literary genres inside out and upside down.” The memoir won the 2019 Kirkus Prize for Nonfiction, a 2020 Lambda Literary Award, as well as a 2020 Stonewall Book Award. Saeed’s latest, Alive at the End of the World , is a poetry collection published in fall 2022. According to Publisher’s Weekly, “This penetrating collection shows Jones at his poetic best,” and Library Journal hails the book as, “Yet another masterly work.” Dionne Custer Edwards is a practicing artist and serves as the Director of Learning & Public Practice at the Wexner Center for the Arts. She has published critical and literary writing, internationally and nationally in Sanat Dünyamiz (“Our Art World”), Turkey; Journal GEART E, Brazil; and in the University of Arizona’s Journal of Cultural Research in Art Education . Her poetry and nonfiction have appeared in 3Elements Review, Barren Magazine, Entropy Magazine, Flock, Gordon Square Review, Grist, Porter House Review, Storm Cellar, The Seventh Wave, Tahoma Literary Review, and others. The conversation will take place inside The Tank at the Dayton Arcade on April 13th at 6pm. The event is free, but registration is required. Get details or register at https://codayton.org/conversations/ . Don’t miss Artistic Director and choreographer, Debbie Blunden-Diggs, Countess V. Winfrey, and Kevin Ward in conversation with Michael Goodson. Debbie Blunden-Diggs will participate in a group discussion with fellow Members of DCDC: Choreographer Countess Winfrey and Former Artistic Director and now Dance Affinity Group Manager Kevin Ward. Debbie became Artistic Director for Dayton Contemporary Dance Company (DCDC) in 2007. In 2019, she was named Chief Artistic & Producing Director. For over 20 years she performed with the company, appearing in most of the company’s repertoire. Before becoming Artistic Director, she served as the company’s Associate Artistic Director, Deputy Director for Arts and Operations, and Resident Choreographer. In addition to her choreographic and artistic leadership, Ms. Blunden-Diggs is the Executive Director of Jeraldyne’s School of the Dance, the cornerstone to Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, and she works closely with DCDC’s pre-professional company, DCDC2. She has created works for the company, which have become part of the company’s artistic blueprint. Her notable works include Configurations , Kaleidoscope , Fragments , In My Father’s House , and Traffic . Her first piece, Variations in Blue , composed when she was 17, was submitted as an entry in the Young Choreographers Showcase and selected for inclusion in the National Choreographic Plan. She has contributed an impressive body of work, including No Room, No Place, No Where , for which she received a Monticello Award in 1982.” The conversation will take place May 11th at 6pm, inside The Tank at the Dayton Arcade (35 W 4th St, downtown Dayton). Metered street parking is free after 6 pm, or guests may park in the Reibold Garage. The event is free & open to all. Registration is required. GALLERY HOURS: MON – TUES / CLOSED WED – SAT / 11 AM – 6 PM SUN / 11 AM – 4 PM FIRST FRIDAYS 'TIL 8 PM GET IN TOUCH 25 W 4th Street Dayton, OH 45402 937/224.3822 contact@codayton.org Sign up for The Co's Newsletter

WILBERFORCE, Ohio — JaJuan Dillon had several reasons for transferring to Central State University a few years ago, but one in particular took precedence. What You Need To Know HBCUs first appeared around the time of the Civil War to provide safe places of learning for Black and African Americans Wilberforce University and Central State University continue that mission today just outside Dayton An HBCU professor stressed that faculty at these schools have an extra commitment to ensure the success of the 'next generation' of Black leaders The 25-year-old communications major listed several concerns common among college-bound kids, such as the quality of the school’s academic programs, the cost of tuition, and the proximity to his family back in Indianapolis. But for Dillon, the biggest factor was wanting to surround himself with people from backgrounds and cultural experiences similar to his own. Central State — about 20 miles from Dayton — is a historically Black college or university, also known as an HBCU. Dillon is African American. HBCUs first appeared in the United States in the mid- to late-19th century around the time of the Civil War. They aimed to provide safe learning places for African Americans in areas across the country. The institutions of higher education — which now number about 99 in total — offered access to education and training that would allow Black people, many of whom were former slaves, to strive for a better future. “So, imagine people coming together in the heart of the enslaved movement and having the audacity to believe they could establish a place of higher learning for themselves,” said Elfred Anthony Pinkard, the 22nd president of Wilberforce University, another HBCU. Wilberforce is the nation’s oldest private, historically Black university owned and operated by African Americans. The university was founded in 1856, a period of American history in which many people of African descent were enslaved. It was also a period when the education of African Americans was not only socially prohibited but also illegal in some places. Slavery was outlawed in Ohio, but that doesn’t mean the local educational environment was open and welcoming to Black people, Pinkard said. The university’s namesake is 18th century abolitionist William Wilberforce, a white man who famously said, “We are too young to realize that certain things are impossible… So, we will do them anyway.” The outbreak of the Civil War forced the school to close temporarily. But in March 1863, the Rev. Daniel A. Payne, a bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal church, purchased the land and the buildings, and the university was reopened later that year. Payne opened the doors of the university with six students and became the first person of African descent to be the president of an American institution of higher learning. “They were visionary because they thought of themselves and their children, and their children’s, children’s children. And here we are today — 167 years later,” Pinkard said. Central State and Wilberforce are connected at the academic hip. For many years, Central State operated as a department at Wilberforce, but with a separate board of trustees. The initial focus of Central State was to provide vocational and teacher education. The school that is now Central State became a separate, state-funded institution in 1947. U.S. Route 42 separates the properties in rural Ohio. Central State has more than 6,000 undergrads today. Dr. Anthony Milburn, an associate professor in the college of Humanities, Arts, and Social Science at Central State, described the purpose of HBCUs as providing “safe spaces for the acquisition of education” for Black and African American students. “We prepare people to be leaders in the community,” he said. “That’s part of the entire purpose of most institutions of higher learning, but it’s especially important when understanding the purpose of HBCUs if you look at ideas put out by the likes of W. E. B. Du Bois.” Du Bois is a celebrated African American sociologist and historian. He taught at Wilberforce in the late 1890s. Alexander Murphy, one of Wilberforce’s roughly 500 undergraduate students, chose the school largely because of its historic significance. The school’s student government president said he wanted to follow in the footsteps of some of the prominent Black leaders who attended or worked at Wilberforce over the past two centuries. “I want to make an impact (of my own),” the Detroit native said. Citing a list of prominent Black luminaries, he added, “I attend the university where Bayard Rustin, Leontyne Price, James H. McGee, Charity Adams Earley, and Dorothy Vaughn walked the halls, and where W. E. B. DuBois taught.” Some people wonder why HBCUs still exist today, Milburn said. The Ohio State University graduate, who is Black, noted that many college campuses are as diverse as ever. As a percentage of the entire student population, non-white student attendance at all colleges and universities has increased 185.5% since 1976 , according to Education Data Initiative. That same data shows the Black or African American student population has increased by 33% percent since that same year. But while historical attendance may be up, success is not. Black or African American students in bachelor’s programs have a five-year graduation rate of 40.5%. And only 11.1% of college graduates are Black or African American. By comparison, white or Caucasian students in bachelor’s programs have a five-year graduation rate of 62.2%. The rate among Asian/Pacific Islander students is 69.3% while the number is 41.5% for Hispanic and Latino students. Milburn attributed those stats in part to a “lack of hunger for the success of the other person” at predominantly white institutions such as Ohio State. The historian voiced pride in being an OSU Buckeye, but he attributed part of his success to the group of Black faculty members and campus leaders who “wrapped their arms around (him).” They provided him, and other students, with an environment where he felt comfortable speaking his mind and existing as an African American, he said. Milburn thinks many predominantly white institutions are not equipped to offer that type of holistic, hands-on support. “The whole idea of a safe environment is where students can say what’s on their mind most of the time, and they get strong feedback,” he said. “Sometimes that feedback is hard, but it’s always intended to be something that will allow that student to grow into a leader.” Milburn compared an HBCU campus to a family dynamic. He referred to the faculty as big brothers, sisters, uncles, and aunts. According to the Thurgood Marshall College Fund , HBCUs graduate 80% of Black judges, 50% of Black lawyers, 40% of Black members of Congress, and 40% of Black engineers. Data from the United Negro College Fund shows about 25% of African Americans with science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) degrees graduated from HBCUs. “Many (HBCU faculty members) came from similar backgrounds and we see them as a reflection of the future, so we bend over backwards to crazy levels of contortions to make sure that they have every opportunity to find success,” Milburn said. Dillon, who’s set to graduate this year, said Central State’s professors and campus leaders have a passion for helping students succeed. He credited the school’s “stable and nurturing environment” for his academic success. “I feel more focused here than ever before,” Dillon added. By Casey Weldon This article originally appeared on Spectrum News1 .

TROY, OH (February 14, 2023) – On Saturday, March 4, 2023, at 7:00pm, MJ Live! soars onto the stage at the Arbogast Performing Arts Center in Troy, OH , for a musical spectacular honoring Michael Jackson, the quintessential King of Pop. As the #1 Michael Jackson tribute show in the world , MJ Live! recreates the electrifying stage show of one of the greatest performers of all time. From iconic dance moves like the moonwalk to timeless hits like “Bad,” “Billie Jean,” “Thriller” and “Beat It,” the spot-on show brings all the Gloved One’s staples to life. Dazzling lighting and effects, plus the MJ Live! dancers and a live band, make this show a true spectacular fitting of the King of Pop. Born in 1958 and raised in Gary, Indiana, as a member of one of the most acclaimed musical families that ever was, Michael Jackson began performing almost as soon as he could talk. Initially, he rose to fame as the youngest and arguably most talented of a group of brothers who called themselves the Jackson Five. He took the nation by storm as the front man of the Jackson Five at the young age of just five years old. At the age of 13, Michael Jackson launched a solo career in addition to performing with his brother and released a string of chart-topping albums throughout the 1970s. In 1982, Jackson struck gold with the release of his record-smashing album “Thriller,” which remains to this day the best-selling album of all time, selling over 70 million copies worldwide. Over the course of his career, Michael Jackson had a staggering 13 Number One hits, and sales of his music are estimated to be nearly $1 billion. Michael Jackson goes down in history as one of the best-selling artists of all time, and his fame and fortune have certainly earned him the notable nickname “The King of Pop.” To honor such an icon as Michael Jackson is a dream come true for singer, dancer, and performer Jalles Franca . Brazilian-born Jalles Franca moved to the United States in the 1990s at the age of 16 to fulfill his dream of becoming a professional dancer. At the age of 21, Jalles began a seven-year residency as a performer, dancer, and percussionist at the Studio 54 Nightclub at the MGM Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. A longtime fan of The King of Pop, Jalles began imitating Michael Jackson’s signature dance moves during his routines at Studio 54 and various other venues around the Las Vegas area. Soon after Michael Jackson passed away in 2009, Jalles began dedicating his talents to paying tribute to the late superstar. Jalles has won numerous contests for “Best Michael Jackson Impersonator,” Best overall “look” and “Best Moonwalk.” Billing himself as “MJ The Legend,” Jalles has thrilled audiences with performances across the country in a show that lights up the marquis with the title MJ Live! Relive the energy, excitement, spectacle and pure joy of this legendary superstar and his music when MJ Live! comes to the APAC this March. The APAC cordially invites all guests to come dressed in your finest Michael Jackson attire to participate in a Costume Contest before the performance. One adult winner and one child winner of the Costume Contest will be chosen on the night of the performance. TICKETS: Tickets prices for MJ Live! A Tribute to Michael Jackson at the APAC start at $15 and can be purchased at https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/5121508/mj-livemichael-jackson-tribute-troy-arbogast-performing-arts-center . For more information or to order tickets to any APAC performances, call the Box Office at (937) 418-8392 or visit online at www.arbogastpac.com . ### About the Arbogast Performing Arts Center The Arbogast Performing Arts Center, a 39,000 square foot performing arts venue located in Troy, Ohio, opened in October 2021. The creation of the APAC was made possible with a significant gift of $2 million from longtime Troy community residents and supporters, Dave and Linda Arbogast. The goal of the APAC is to bring added value to the greater Miami Valley area, including regional schools and community organizations, with enhanced programs in performing and visual arts. In its inaugural 2021-2022 Season, the APAC presented nine professional performances and welcomed over 6,500 attendees to its brand-new theater. Additionally, the APAC welcomed area school performances and events and offered its space in rental agreements to surrounding community organizations for their own private meetings and events. This dynamic venue will continue to provide numerous opportunities for the greater Miami Valley region to learn, gather, perform, and enjoy each other’s company and community. The enduring impact that this performing arts center will bring to the Greater Miami community and its residents will be felt in the educational opportunities, new forms of creative expression, positive economic benefits, and enhanced community pride it offers. The cultural enrichment promoted through a facility like the APAC, one dedicated to artistic pursuits, generates a lifetime of far-reaching benefits to the community and to the people it serves. ‍ Arbogast Performing Arts Center 500 S. Dorset Rd. Troy, OH 45373 Business Office/Box Office: (937) 418-8392 Business Hours: Monday - Friday 9-5 pm Box Office Hours: Tuesday - Friday 12-4 pm

Chataun Denis wants you to put your money where your mouth is this Black History Month. The founder of Shop Black Biz Dayton created a 28-day challenge for the month of February to help the community shop with Black-owned businesses. The challenge is step one of her ultimate goal to build a Black-owned business directory for Dayton — and throughout the month of February, any Black business owner in the region can add their business to the directory for free. “I hope this directory is a model that small cities like ours can replicate,” Chautan said. “It demonstrates how Black communities can channel their buying power to create neighborhood economies that support the people who live in them.” According to American Express and the National Federation of Independent Businesses, 67 cents of every dollar spent at a local business stays within the community. This number drops to only 43 cents of every dollar spent with large retail chains. The Shop Black Biz Challenge includes both ways to support Black-owned businesses, like buying coffee at a local Black-owned coffee shop, and ways for Black business owners to tap into local business resources. To complete a challenge, take a photo or video of you completing a task, and post it to Facebook or Instagram. Tag @shopblackbizdayton and the business for extra chances to win cash and prizes. Meet the businesses in the directory on the @shopblackbizdayton IG page as well, in the account’s stories highlights. COMING HOME Born and raised in Dayton, Chataun spent the last two decades in Cleveland and Atlanta building her career as a successful grant writer. She returned to Dayton in spring 2022. Now quasi-retired, she went on a scavenger hunt around the region, looking for ways to support Black-owned businesses. She landed at the Greater West Dayton Incubator, where she helps host monthly business clinics. During these events, business owners walk in off the street with any challenge, and experts in the room help them find a solution. “I believe in Black business because we haven’t had a fair shot. Discrimination has kept us from being great,” she said. “We are a talented people, we built this country. I never thought I’d be back here, but divine order is such, and I love this place. I want to see the Westside have a thriving economy with businesses that create jobs and other economic opportunities for the people who live here. That’s what I want to see.” Jump into the challenge at shopblackbizdayton.com. Elevate Dayton's entrepreneur and small business coverage is powered by Launch Dayton , an organization that seeks to connect entrepreneurs to peers, resources and supporters while telling the story of the region's thriving entrepreneurial community.