About BWSF | Charlotte | Durham | Fayetteville | Raleigh | Winston-Salem
“Durham is one of largest cities in North Carolina…the city of cities to look for prosperity of the Negroes and the greatest amount of friendly feeling between the two races of the South…Durham was a city of Negro enterprise (Independent, 1911).” - Booker T. Washington
As Forward Cities embarks on an unprecedented project to understand and shift narratives around Black business ownership, Durham’s historic Black Wall Street serves as a model. Durham was selected as one of five pilot communities for Forward Cities’ Black Wall Street initiative.
Justin Minott
Justin MinottDurham Ecosystem Builder in Residence
Justin Minott is an international author, community builder, speaker, entrepreneur, and business coach who is passionate about helping world-changers launch and scale their ventures.
The Durham Pilot
Black Wall Street Mindset
"Black Wall Street Mindset: Black Wealth in the Modern Era” provides an interactive experience with incredible speakers and entrepreneurs in an environment conducive to connection and collaboration.
We bring together:
- Black entrepreneurs looking to launch and scale their venture
- People committed to advancing economic liberation in the Black community
- Entrepreneur supporters who invest in the Black entrepreneurial ecosystem
Lively and engaging panel discussions featuring powerful local entrepreneurs and intentional networking time are designed to help you advance your mission through meaningful collaborations.
Discover BWSF-Durham
Events
Entrepreneurship Escape Room
June 21, 2024 | 12:00pm-7:00pm | Chesterfield Building, 701 West Main Street Durham, NC, 27701
Are you ready to unlock your entrepreneurial potential and embark on an exhilarating adventure? Step into the Entrepreneurship Escape Room and discover a world of innovation, creativity, and problem-solving like never before. Join us on June 21, 2024 at The Chesterfield, Durham, NC for an immersive experience that allows you to understand entrepreneurship through interactive exhibits and themed escape rooms. Hosted by Wall Street Juniors, Entrepreneurship Escape Room represents an innovative approach aimed at immersing participants into the world of entrepreneurship through a captivating blend of interactive exhibits and themed escape rooms.
R.O.O.T.S (Realizing Our Opportunities Together) Networking Event
June 22, 2024 | 6:00pm-9:00pm | ReCity, 112 Broadway Street Durham, NC 27701
Join us on Saturday, June 22, 2024 at 6:00pm at Recity for an evening of networking and collaboration. This event is all about coming together to connect, share ideas, and build meaningful relationships. Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out, this is the perfect opportunity to meet like-minded individuals and expand your network. Don't miss out on this chance to realize your opportunities with us! Created in partnership between T’Farri Solutions, QMF Agency, and Echo at ReCity, R.O.O.Ts: Realizing Our Opportunities Together, is a Black Excellence Exhibition in the month of June and in recognition of Juneteenth to build, empower, and educate a community of entrepreneurs.
BLK BIZ SUMMIT
August 2, 2024 | 9:00am-5:00pm | Chesterfield Center, 701 West Main Street in Durham, NC 27701
Inspired by Durham's rich legacy of Black entrepreneurship and innovation and curated by Give it to the People®, the BLK BIZ SUMMIT is a one-day extravaganza dedicated to empowering and uplifting Black entrepreneurs. Attendees will gather for an immersive experience designed to fortify the foundation of Black business owners through impactful sessions, inspiring speakers, dedicated mentors, dynamic exhibitors, and unparalleled networking opportunities. At the 2024 BLK BIZ SUMMIT, we unite under the powerful theme of 'Mental Wealth & Black Entrepreneurship,' embarking on a transformative journey that intertwines the prosperity of the mind with the pursuit of entrepreneurial excellence.
The Strategic Vision
The Black Wall Street Forward Council was asked to project forward and imagine what that community would look like in the year 2050, with each pillar activated to its fullest potential. The following is the strategic vision emerged by the council along with historical context, aligned assets, and council-identified collaborative opportunities that can be leveraged as part of a larger effort to bring that vision to fruition.
Explore the Interactive Presentation
Explore the journey of the Black Wall Street Forward Council using our interactive Prezi.
Connect with us
For updates and information, connect with us on LinkedIn and Instagram at @BlackWallStFwd.
To stay updated on The Black Wall Street Forward initiative, subscribe to the newsletter!
Are you interested in learning more about a particular Black Wall Street Forward community or finding ways to be involved? Complete this form to share how you might like to engage with us.
Pillars & Council Members
In order to catalyze this narrative change in each community and honoring past and existing efforts of Black Wall Street legacy stewardship, we will pull forward the following pillars of success from Durham’s historical Black Wall Street.
Collaborative Black leadership and innovation
Kenyetta Hall
CEO, Katalyst HQ
Matthias Payton
Owner, Jasper & Gold
Culturally-rooted geographic business hub
Dauv Evans
Founder, The Gallus Collective
Ally investment and partnership
Keith Daniel
Managing Director, Resilient Ventures
Jon Fjeld
Co-Director, Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Duke University
Talent pipeline seeded by education
Makayla Booker
Executive Director, Wall St. Juniors
Tamette Farrington
Counselor, North Carolina Central University
Engagement with the broader Black community
Latoya Alston
Owner, Kingdom Building Mentality
Chisa Pennix-Brown, MBA
Owner, Give it to the People
Self-perpetuating funding engine
Darlene Deberry
Business Solutions Officer, Carolina Small Business
JaLisha Richmond
Director of Lending, Thread Capital
Partners
We're grateful for being able to partner with the following organizations to catalyze Black-centric Entrepreneurial Ecosystems:
