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Advice to help your business grow and scale from the brands leading the charge on entrepreneurship.
An award winning, annual celebration of Black Business aiming to empower and celebrate entrepreneurs.
Advice to help your business grow and scale from the brands leading the charge on entrepreneurship.
‘Shark Tank’ Investor Daymond John Is Creating Better Opportunities For Others With Black Entrepreneurs Day
Black Entrepreneurs Day; Tracee Ellis Ross, Spike Lee, Shaq and more Join Daymond John at the Apollo
Daymond John Enlists Venus Williams, Shaquille O'Neal and More for Black Entrepreneurs Day
'Shark Tank' Star Daymond John Is Bringing Spike Lee, Venus Williams, Shaq and More to the 3rd Annual Black Entrepreneurs Day
Daymond John's Black Entrepreneurs Day at the Apollo Theater to Offer $150,000 in Grants
SPIKE LEE
Oscar award winning Spike Lee is a Director, Writer, Actor, Producer, Author, and NYU Grad Film Tenured Professor whose body of work continues to grow over the last 3 decades. Recent projects include BLACKkKLANSMAN, based on a true story by Ron Stallworth, an African-American police officer who infiltrates the local Ku Klux Klan during the 1970s, which also premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and received the esteemed Prix de la Jeunesse Award. Lee’s filming of the play Pass Over, premiered at Sundance. He also directed all ten episodes of the hit Netflix series She’s Gotta Have It, which will be returning for a 2nd season. Spike has directed and produced over 30 films since his first feature film, the independently produced She’s Gotta Have It, which also premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 1986 and received the esteemed Prix de la Jeunesse Award. Lee continues to produce Cinematic works of Art that display his skill and ability to showcase outspoken and provocative socio-political critiques that challenge cultural assumptions about Race, Class and Gender identity. His film Do the Right Thing, released in 1989, earned Lee an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay and still remains relevant today. Lee has also produced several documentaries, including the Academy Award nominated 4 Little Girls and the Peabody and Emmy Award winning films When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts and If God is Willing and Da Creek Don’t Rise, all with HBO. In addition, his Michael Jackson documentaries, BAD 25 and original ‘off the Wall’ were both critically acclaimed. In addition to his prolific film career, Lee has directed and produced numerous music videos and he began commercial work in 1988 with his Nike Air Jordan campaign. Ever moving into new areas, Lee combined his extensive creative experience into yet another venture with DDB Needham to create Spike/DDB, a full-service advertising agency. Lee has also authored several books, including Five For Five, a pictorial reflection of his first five features, Best Seat in the House, with Ralph Wiley, and two children’s books Please, Baby, Please and Please, Puppy, Please, co-authored with Tonya Lewis Lee, his Wife. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, and raised in Brooklyn, NY, Lee returned south to attend Morehouse College. After graduation, he returned to New York City to continue his education at NYU/Tisch, where he received his MFA in Film Production. After graduation, he founded 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, based in Brooklyn. He began teaching a course on filmmaking at Harvard in 1991, and in 1993 he joined the Faculty at NYU/Tisch in the Graduate Film Program, where he was appointed Artistic Director in 2002, a position which he still holds today.
KILLER MIKE
Born in Atlanta, GA, Grammy-winning artist and songwriter Michael Render aka Killer Mike, is part of the popular hip-hop super duo, Run The Jewels. Alongside his partner, EL-P, he has released four studio albums. Their most recent, RTJ4, soared to the Top 10 on the Billboard 200 and was met with widespread critical acclaim, landing at #1 on NME‘s The Best 50 Albums of 2020 list. Named the 2020 Spin Magazine Artist of the Year, Run The Jewels have won eleven Libera Awards, including the 2021 A2IM Humanitarian Award, took home four Clio Awards, including two Gold-winning Music Marketing campaigns, and received a 2018 Grammy nomination for Best Rap Song.
Beyond his work with Run The Jewels, Killer Mike has been an active solo artist for over 20 years, releasing studio albums and mixtapes, while also collaborating on projects by some of the biggest names in hip-hop including Outkast, Jay-Z, Big Boi, T.I., Black Thought, and more. Killer Mike secured a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance Duo or Group for his collaboration with Outkast, “The Whole World,” and also featured on “Poppin’ Tags” off Jay-Z’s #1 and triple-Platinum album, The Blueprint 2: The Gift and the Curse.
In addition to his success as a musician, Killer Mike has gained wide recognition beyond the industry. He acted in several films, including Baby Driver, Idlewild, and ATL. He also provided voiceover for the 2021 Netflix film America: The Motion Picture and is the host of multiple series including PBS’ Love & Respect with Killer Mike, Facebook’s Roll’N with Killer Mike, and Netflix’s Trigger Warning with Killer Mike.
Killer Mike is an advocate for the disenfranchised, a business owner, and a frequent public speaker on politics, race, and inequality in many communities. In 2020, his extensive work as a social justice activist earned him the first-ever Billboard Change Maker Award.
SHAQUILLE O’NEAL
4X NBA Champion, Sports Analyst, DJ, Philanthropist, and Investor
Born in Newark, New Jersey, on March 6, 1972, Shaquille O’Neal is considered to be one of the most dominant basketball players in NBA history. At 7 ft 1 in tall and weighing 325 pounds, Shaq’s larger-than-life personality and powerful athleticism have resulted in worldwide adulation and one of the most passionate fan bases in sports and entertainment.
Shaquille O’Neal’s off-court accolades rival his athletic accomplishments, having found success in acting, music, television, gaming and as an entrepreneur. Currently, Shaq is an analyst on Inside The NBA, on the board of Papa John’s Pizza in addition to being partner and investor in numerous other businesses.
Philanthropically, Shaquille’s relationship with the Boys & Girls Club of America dates back to his youth in New Jersey. As a national spokesperson for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, he has been participating in campaigns with the non-profit company for the past 15 years.
TRACEE ELLIS ROSS
Tracee Ellis Ross is an award-winning actress, producer and CEO. She recently starred in ABC’s “black-ish,” which ran for eight seasons on ABC. Ross won a Golden Globe Award for her role on the series and garnered five Emmy nominations. Previously, Ross starred in “Girlfriends” for eight seasons. Ross has won nine NAACP Image Awards for “black-ish,” “Girlfriends,” and BET’s “Reed Between The Lines,” which she starred in and produced. Recently, Ross starred in the feature film “The High Note,” for which she recorded five original songs.
Ross has a multi-year overall deal with ABC Signature under her production company, Joy Mill Entertainment. The company is committed to amplifying multilayered stories that reframe assumptions about how people see themselves and each other.
The production company’s debut project, “THE HAIR TALES,” is a docuseries about Black women, beauty and identity through the distinctive lens of Black hair. Ross will serve as executive producer, along with Michaela angela Davis and Oprah Winfrey, and as the series narrator. The docuseries will premiere October 22, 2022 on OWN and Hulu in the US, on Star+ in Latin America, and on Disney+ internationally.
Additionally, Ross will serve as executive producer alongside “Insecure” executive producer Grace Edwards on MTV Entertainment Studios’ adult animated film, “Jodie.” “Jodie” is a spinoff of MTV’s iconic “Daria” franchise in which Ross will voice the title character, Jodie.
To add to her many endeavors, Ross will be producing a 10-episode podcast, “I Am America,” alongside Dear Media. Each episode of the podcast will highlight a person of color and their contributions to their community. Dear Media is known for highlighting the stories of women in entertainment. The podcast will debut in 2023.
Ross is CEO and Founder of PATTERN Beauty—the award-winning haircare brand she created in 2019. It is the #1 Black-owned brand and #2 curl brand at ULTA Beauty and is also sold at Target in the US, at Sephora throughout the US and Canada, at Boots throughout the United Kingdom, and on Amazon, Thirteen Lune, and Cult Beauty. PATTERN serves as an active space for the celebration of Black beauty and supports organizations and programs that empower women and people of color.
Ross advocates for joy, self-acceptance, inclusivity, and equity. In 2018, she became the first Black woman to open the TED Conference. Ross was recently awarded “Changemaker of the Year” at the Women’s Wear Daily Beauty Inc. Awards for her work as ULTA Beauty’s DE&I Advisor and her thought leadership in the space and was also named the 2022 Racial Justice Trailblazer by the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. Ross utilizes her platform and reach to create an ecosystem that allows Black women to feel seen and celebrated. Ross’ larger mission is to create fundamental change that allows safety, equity, and freedom for everyone, with a particular emphasis on supporting and uplifting Black women and girls, and to dispel the myth that Black haircare is a niche market.
Ross received an honorary Doctorate degree from her alma mater, Brown University, in 2015.
VENUS WILLIAMS
With 7 Grand Slam titles, 5 Wimbledon championships and 4 Olympic gold medals, tennis champion Venus Williams is arguably one of the most accomplished and inspiring women in the history of sports.
Beginning her rise to the top at the age of 14, Williams quickly took the world of tennis by storm rising to the top-ranked position, breaking countless records, and winning numerous championships.
Encouraged by her mother at an early age to explore her creative side, Williams enrolled in fashion school where she was instantly drawn into the world of fashion and interior design. True to her bold spirit, Williams parlayed her fine-tuned business acumen with her healthy competitive spirit into two successful design ventures.
In 2002, after obtaining an Interior Decorator certification, Williams founded V Starr, a full-service commercial and residential design firm. Continuing with her love for design, Williams obtained an Associate of Science in Fashion Design and in 2012 she launched the fashion-forward activewear brand, EleVen by Venus Williams. In May 2020, Venus partnered with Credo Beauty to debut an award-winning line of clean, mineral-based SPF products under the EleVen by Venus umbrella. Her entrepreneurship in the health, wellness and beauty space also includes her role as Chief Brand Officer to Asutra and in December 2020, Williams launched her plant-based protein company, Happy Viking.
Sticking to her entrepreneurial spirit, in 2009 Williams along with her sister, Serena became the first female African Americans to have a stake in an NFL franchise after joining the ownership group of the Miami Dolphins. The following year, Venus published her motivational book, “Come to Win” which reached No. 5 on the New York Times Best Sellers list.
Most recently, Venus served as Executive Producer on the Academy Award-winning Warner Brothers biopic King Richard, which detailed the influence her father and coach, Richard Williams, had on her childhood and careers as she became a tennis icon and changed the sport for generations to come.
Throughout her career, Williams has been a steadfast advocate for equality. In 2006, UNESCO, the United Nations’ cultural organization, titled her as the first “Promoter of Gender Equality.’ In 2007 it was her unwavering fight, which led Wimbledon to award women players the same pay as their male counterparts and most recently, she launched an awareness initiative called the #PrivilegeTax in conjunction with EleVen to bring attention to the wage inequality and unveiled a platform of resources for young women to get inspired and address the issue on a grassroots level.
Williams’ achievements throughout her legendary career have merited her a plethora of additional accolades, including being honored as Variety’s “Power of Women”, Glamour Magazine’s ‘Woman of the Year,’ CARE Impact Award for Gender Equality, ESPN’s ‘WTA Player of the Year,’ and Forbes’ ‘Celebrity 100’ among others. In September 2009, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) honored Williams with the Americanism Award for publicly speaking up for Israeli player Shahar Pe’er who was barred from the Dubai tennis tournament.
Williams holds Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Indiana University East and an Associate of Science in Fashion Design from The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale.
ANIKEI ALLEN
Community Program Manager, Build Black with Shopify
Anikei has numerous years of experience in the e-commerce and tech space, and is known both professionally and personally for her dedication to the Black community. She is the Community Program Manager for Shopify’s Black Entrepreneurship team (Build Black), and serves as the Community Engagement Lead for Shopify’s Black Employee Resource Group.
Also an entrepreneur, Anikei founded BLKYUTE – a growing clothing brand with a philanthropic approach that works to support and uplift the Black community.
Graduating from the University of Windsor with a double major in psychology and criminology, Anikei has always had a passion for exploring and understanding mental health as well as the disproportionate overrepresentation of Black people within the criminal justice system.
When not immersed in the preceding, Anikei enjoys traveling, watching crime docuseries, writing poetry and engaging in conversations aimed at destigmatizing the discourse of mental health issues and promoting therapy within the Black community.
KENNY THOMPSON
Kenny Thompson, Jr. is the Vice President of External Affairs, North America at PepsiCo. He applies his experience with social impact, corporate responsibility, sustainability, advocacy, and communications to generate new business, amplify PepsiCo’s business partnerships, and grow PepsiCo’s reputation as a responsible corporate citizen.
In 2020, Thompson was selected to serve as the Private Sector Liaison for the Biden – Harris Transition where he provided strategic and management oversight of the interaction with the private sector while managing relationships with Fortune 500 CEOs, Wall Street firms, venture-backed enterprises, and industry groups.
Before joining PepsiCo, Kenny held several positions in the Obama-Biden White House, including Director of Message Events for then Vice President Joe Biden, Senior Advisor to United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk, and Special Assistant and Advance Lead for President Barack Obama.
Kenny currently serves on the boards of the Georgetown University’s Institute of Politics and Public Service, the International Franchise Association, and Sandy Hook Promise. He is also a Commissioner on the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships.
A native Texan, Kenny completed his undergraduate degree at Texas Christian University, where he was a proud member of the Horned Frog baseball team. He later earned a Master of Business Administration from Georgetown University.
GAYLE KING
DAYMOND JOHN
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TIKI BARBER
Tiki Barber is a successful entrepreneur, co-founding Julius, Inc., and Thuzio, Inc. – both now a part of Triller Entertainment Co. Julius is a SaaS solution for influencer search and procurement. Thuzio, a networking and content company, produces live events around sports and entertainment.
Tiki has had an extensive media career, working for Fox News and NBC’s The Today Show, among others, and currently serves as co-host of WFAN’s (New York) Midday Show, Tiki & Tierney.
Philanthropically, he is a board member of Kulture City, an autism acceptance and inclusion organization based in Birmingham, AL. He also contributes his time to United for A.L.I.C.E. (Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed), a United Way of Northern New Jersey program focused on helping a growing number of families face the often-hidden world of financial struggle.
Tiki is a 1997 graduate of the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce (Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society), with a concentration in Management Information Systems.
After graduating, Tiki spent 10 years playing professional football for the New York Football Giants. He retired in 2007 as the team’s all time leading rusher, and in 2011 was an inaugural member of the Giants Ring of Honor.
He has also co-authored, with his twin brother, Ronde, three successful children’s books and nine young-adult novels.
EARL “BUTCH” GRAVES
Earl G. Graves Jr. (Butch) is Chief Executive Officer of BLACK ENTERPRISE. He joined the company in 1988 after earning his M.B.A. from Harvard University. During his tenure at BLACK ENTERPRISE he has served in many positions, including VP of Advertising & Marketing, and Chief Operating Officer. In 2006 he was promoted to his current position.
Under Butch’s guidance BLACK ENTERPRISE has grown from a single-title publication into a robust multimedia company. Today, the company delivers content across five platforms, including magazine publishing; two nationally syndicated television shows; professional development events; digital and social media.
In 2000, he co-founded the Black Enterprise/Greenwich Street Corporate Growth Fund – A unique private equity firm seeking to finance the growth of established minority-owned or – managed businesses across various industries. Mr. Graves is also an active Partner in S & C Robinson, LLC – an Airport Concessions Enterprise formed in 2016.
Butch received his B.A. in economics from Yale University in 1984, distinguishing himself both academically and athletically. As a four-year starter and Captain of the Yale basketball team, he graduated as the school’s all-time leading scorer and the second leading scorer in Ivy League history. He was drafted in the third round by the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers in 1984, and enjoyed a brief professional basketball career with the Milwaukee Bucks and Cleveland Cavaliers.
In 2002 Butch was inducted into the American Advertising Federation (AAF) Hall of Achievement. In 2006 he was awarded the Jack Avrett Volunteer Spirit Award from the Boy Scouts of America, and in 2009 he was honored with the NCAA Silver Anniversary Award.
Butch serves on the board of directors of AutoZone, Bermuda Tourism Authority, and is a Trustee for The Committee For Economic Development. In addition to serving on numerous non-profit Boards, Mr. Graves is a strong national advocate for the importance of education and athletics, and served as an AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) head basketball coach for more than 15 years.
BRIAN LAMB
Brian Lamb is a Managing Director and Segment Head for Middle Market Banking & Specialized Industries (MMBSI) covering the Northeast (Delaware, New England, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania) for JPMorgan Chase Commercial Banking. He is responsible for leading the region’s commercial banking teams who deliver the firm’s global capabilities to local clients – including credit and financing, digital payments, treasury services and international banking – and growing the MMBSI business.
Starting May 1, 2022, Brian has assumed this role, leading a key region for a critical part of the MMBSI business and bringing his passion and talent to another leadership position at the firm.
Previously serving for two years as the firm’s global head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, he collaborated across lines of business to build a world-class, business-led DEI organization at JPMorgan Chase. He also has been instrumental in propelling the firm’s $30 billion commitment to racial equity, including work related to our Global Supplier Diversity Strategy and establishing the new DEI Centers of Excellence.
Brian brings extensive business experience gained during 13-years with Fifth Third Bank — including national roles leading Wealth & Asset Management, Retail Banking and Securities, Middle Market and Business Banking. He was also responsible for the comprehensive strategic framework of the Bank’s civic commitments, including Corporate Communications, Ethics, and Diversity & Corporate Social Responsibility.
Brian serves as Chair of the Florida State University System Board of Governors and after serving as a Board Trustee, is now Chair of the National Urban League’s Audit Committee.
Notably, Business Insider named him as a DEI Trailblazer in 2021. He’s also been recognized as a 2020 Person of Vision by Preserve Vision Florida, a 2019 Man of Honor in Cincinnati, Savoy Magazine’s Top 100 Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America in 2018, and he was named to the Tampa Bay Business Hall of Fame in 2016.
Brian holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting, an MBA from the University of South Florida and is also a graduate of the Stonier Graduate Banking School at the University of Pennsylvania.
He lives in New York with his wife Paulette and three children.
MINDELYN ANDERSON
For 21 years, Dr. Anderson has researched social inequality and stratification, race and migration, education and social mobility, and health. Prior to founding Mirror Group, Mindelyn served as the Program Director of the Masters of Science in Measurement and Evaluation at American University, Honors Faculty in Residence and Assistant Professor of Sociology and African American Studies at Northeastern University, and Marilyn Yarbrough Fellow at Kenyon College. Her scholarship has been supported by sponsors including the National Science Foundation, National Endowment for the Humanities, and National Institutes of Health. Dr. Anderson has also held fellowships at American Institutes for Research and Mathematica Policy Research. She has conducted evaluations with and provided technical assistance and training for philanthropic, community-based, regional, national and international non-profit, for-profit, and educational organizations. Her utilization- focused, participatory evaluation practice is informed by Culturally-Responsive and Racial Equity Evaluation and values equity, systems change, and transformation as integral components of high-quality consulting. In addition to leading evaluation, learning, and strategy at Mirror Group she currently serves as Program Co-Chair of the American Evaluation Association Independent Consulting Topical Interest Group, Washington Evaluators’ Co-Coordinator of Evaluators Without Borders, and Reviewer for the American Journal of Evaluation. Mindelyn’s happy place is co-creating the art and science of making data and information meaningful, accessible, and actionable with learning organizations and the communities we at Mirror Group love!
MORGAN DEBAUN (BLAVITY)
Morgan DeBaun is a serial entrepreneur and corporate advisor. As the Founder & CEO of Blavity Inc., the leading digital media company for Black culture and millennials, Morgan has grown the company into a market leader for Black media, reaching over 100 million readers per month through a growing brand portfolio which includes: Blavity News, 21Ninety, AfroTech, Travel Noire, Shadow & Act, BlavityU and Blavity TV.
DeBaun is a proven impact-focused and purpose-driven brand builder, and her contributions to the media industry have fundamentally shifted the paradigm for the representation of Black people and culture. Under DeBaun’s leadership, Blavity has launched several leading consumer summits, including AfroTech, the largest tech conference for Black innovators and founders.
DeBaun acts as an advisor to influential global brands and companies including American Airlines and Pepsi Co. She is also an angel investor in various startups such as Golde, Ness, and Public, which has a $1B+ valuation.
RYAN WILSON (THE GATHERING SPOT)
Ryan Wilson is the co-founder and CEO of The Gathering Spot, a private membership network that serves as a hub for collaboration, connections and experiences; the Chief Community Officer of Greenwood, a digital banking services platform for Black and minority individuals and businesses; and a principal at A3C, a music, tech and film conference and Festival.
At the age of 24, with a mission to create a world where opportunity is the byproduct of community and collaboration,
Ryan and his business partner raised capital to open their first Gathering Spot location in Atlanta. The club has since established itself nationally as a home for creatives, business professionals, and entrepreneurs, and regularly hosts notable and culturally impactful events. Responsible for the company’s overall management and strategic vision, Ryan has led the club’s physical expansion with location openings in Washington D.C. and Los Angeles, and launching of membership communities in New York City, Detroit, Charlotte, Houston, and Chicago; as well as the digital expansion of the company’s platform TGS Connect.
In 2022, The Gathering Spot was acquired by Greenwood, Inc, creating the largest fintech and community platform for Blacks and minorities with a combined community of over 1 million people. The companies share a mission of closing the wealth gap for minorities through community building, entrepreneurship, group economics and wealth building. This partnership represents a historic move as one of the few black-on-black M&A transactions at scale.
Ryan has been honored as the Small Business Person of the Year by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, was selected as one of the 2020 Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 40 under Forty honorees and one of their 100 Most Powerful leaders, was named
one of Goldman Sach’s Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs in 2021, and was selected for the inaugural class of Shea Moisture’s Social Justice Coalition. The Mayor of Atlanta honored Ryan and his business partner with the prestigious Phoenix Award, the city’s highest honor. Atlanta Magazine named him one of “Atlanta’s 500 most powerful leaders” and he has also been named one of the country’s most influential African-Americans in The Root 100 and the Ebony Power 100.
Ryan has been featured in notable national publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, Forbes, Inc, The New York Times, Revolt, Black Enterprise, Bloomberg Businessweek, The Huffington Post, and USA Today. He is a trusted speaker and regularly moderates conversations with thought leaders and notable individuals ranging from political figures like President Joe Biden and Leader Stacey Abrams, to business pioneers like Thasunda Duckett and Ben Chestnut, as well as leaders in the entertainment industry including Will Packer, Gunna, Kelly Rowland, and Gabrielle Union. His work has led to several keynote presentations for various companies including Goldman Sachs, Delta, Google, Meta, Ford Motor Company, and Nike.
A native to Atlanta, Ryan is currently an active participant in several Atlanta civic and community organizations. He
proudly serves on the boards of Usher’s New Look, The Woodruff Arts Center, The Atlanta Business League, The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, Peace Preparatory Academy and The Atlanta Metro Chamber of Commerce. He is a member of the Atlanta Chapter of the 100 Black Men, Atlanta Rotary Club and has previously served as Co-Chair for Black Men Count Initiative of Fair Count. Ryan graduated from Georgetown University and Georgetown University Law Center where he proudly serves on the Board of Regents. He currently resides happily in Atlanta, Georgia with his wife and two children.
EJ REED (SLIM & HUSKY’S)
EJ Reed, one third of the Slim and Husky’s trio is a true entrepreneur. He and longtime friends turned business partners, Clinton Gray and Derrick Moore have worked together to build several successful businesses. EJ, along with his two partners graduated from Tennessee State University and he went on to get his MBA from Belmont University.
The trio opened their first entrepreneurial venture, The Green Truck Moving Company, in April 2010. The serial entrepreneurs went on to create other ventures including a logistics and federal contracting company. In early 2017 the team sold their first business and by March 2017 the first Slim and Husky’s Pizza location opened in historic North Nashville affectionately known as “Out North.” Slim and Husky’s has grown to ten locations over the last five years with stores in Nashville, Memphis, Atlanta, Chattanooga, and Sacramento. They developed a retail frozen pizza and are currently working on the continued growth and expansion of their concepts. They use the motto, PREAM, originally standing for Pizza Rules Everything Around Me but have since removed the P for Pizza and replaced it with Progress Rules Everything Around Me. This is an ode to their purpose-filled mission which centers around empowering underserved youth by way of financial literacy, educational, and entrepreneurial programs. The team also understands the importance of the arts in and highlight some of the dopest local artists and musicians throughout their Slim & Husky’s Unplugged Music Series and the art located within their stores. Their goal is to grow S&H into a global brand and hold true to their core values and principles of giving back and representing their culture in a true and authentic way.
SPEAKER TBD
EWURAESI THOMPSON
Sr. Strategic Operations Manager, Build Black with Shopify
Ewuraesi Thompson is a multifaceted professional with a passion and commitment to building strong communities and developing streamlined processes and operations to support business growth. She has a decade of experience focused on the intersections between technology and the empowerment of underserved people. Ewuraesi has built and led communities and teams that support national initiatives. She has partnered with multinational organizations like Amazon, Unbounce and YWCA to do her advocacy work.
Since joining Shopify in 2020, Ewuraesi has worked on both commercial and non-commercial sides of the company. She’s currently operating as the Sr. Strategic Operations Manager of the Build Black team. In this role she’s in charge of creating and executing on programmatic and marketing strategies that help support, highlight and amplify black entrepreneurs.
She’s often sought out for her strategic expertise, showing up in many digital publications and community panels. When she’s not finding new ways to support others, she can be found exploring and adding to her collection of teas.
EVA JANE BUNKLEY
Eva Jane Bunkley is an Atlanta-based Makeup Artist who earned Emmys for her work in news and specialty broadcast in 2001 and 2002. Eva Jane has worked almost 30 years as a beauty professional on sets for television, film, editorial, commercial, music videos, print media etc… and for 20+ years in both the local and national TV news market for with the Atlanta NBC and Fox television stations. Her anointed hands have touched many celebrity faces including President Jimmy Carter, Usher, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Jennifer Holliday, Charles S. Dutton, Cicely Tyson, Jamie Foxx and Kobe Bryant and served several years as personal makeup artist for several years as well to Creflo & Taffi Dollar and Judge Glenda Hatchett. Eva Jane considers herself a creative that doesn’t limit her artistic endeavors. She is an award winning filmmaker with two first place documentary film projects to her credit through her production company “Eva-Lution Studios.” Eva Jane loves to give back, frequently mentoring young artists in the business and was a recipient of the “Maqui Award for Philanthropy” by the Atlanta-based Professional Makeup Artist Conference. Eva Jane presently holds four active patents and trademarks. Her book “Innovative Beauty – Keys to an Inventor’s Success” tells the story of how she created “The Makeup Bullet®” and launched it into the international marketplace. Eva Jane earned a bachelors degree from The Ohio State University and is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She is wife to “Terence” and together they are raising with two amazing young men who will take the world by storm some day!
MATT JONES
Over a decade of experience in the retail industry led Matt Jones to found The Crease Beast in 2021, providing sneaker enthusiasts with the most comfortable products for crease protection. Matt holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business/Managerial Economics from California State University-San Bernardino.
MELONIE PARKER
Melonie Parker is an HR executive committed to innovative, relevant, and contemporary HR leadership. She is an advocate for change and a passionate thought leader. Parker is responsible for advancing Google’s employee engagement strategy across Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.
Prior to this role she served as the Vice President of Human Resources & Communications at Sandia National Laboratories. Parker was responsible for the leadership and Labs-wide management of human resources, health, benefits and employee services. She was also responsible for Sandia’s communication efforts, which include planning, strategy, executive communications, media relations, external branding, community affairs and internal communications.
Prior to joining Sandia as the VP of HR and Communications, Parker extended expertise from a career spanning over 17 years in a variety of Lockheed Martin business areas, locations, and progressive leadership roles. During her time at Lockheed Martin, she has held responsibility for employee relations, staffing, EEO/Affirmative Action, diversity programs, compensation, benefits, and K-12 outreach initiatives.
Parker received a B.A. in Mass Communications from Hampton University and an M.A. in Human Resources from Villanova University. She was named the 2016 HR Professional of the Year by the New Mexico Society of Human Resource Management. She was recognized with a Special Recognition Award at the 2014 Women of Color STEM Awards, and in 2012 graduated from Lockheed Martin’s Executive Assessment & Development Program.
MARVIN ELLISON
Marvin Ellison is chairman and chief executive officer of Lowe’s Companies, Inc., a FORTUNE® 50 home improvement company with more than 2,200 stores and approximately 300,000 associates in the United States and Canada.
Marvin has more than 35 years of retail leadership and operational experience within Fortune 500 companies. Prior to joining Lowe’s, Marvin served as chairman and CEO of J.C. Penney Co., where he delivered positive sales growth, reduced debt and generated positive adjusted earnings per share.
He has extensive experience in the home improvement industry, having spent 12 years in senior-level operations roles with Home Depot Inc. Most notably he served as executive vice president of U.S. stores from 2008 to 2014, dramatically improving customer service and efficiency across the organization, as he oversaw U.S. sales, operations, installation services, tool rental and pro strategic initiatives. Prior to Home Depot, Marvin spent 15 years at Target Corp. in a variety of operational and leadership roles.
Marvin earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from The University of Memphis, where he currently serves on the board of trustees. He also holds an MBA from Emory University. Marvin serves on the board of directors for FedEx Corporation and the Retail Industry Leaders Association.
Marvin’s professional and civic leadership has earned him many accolades. Most notable are multiple appearances on Barron’s annual list of “Top CEOs”; inclusion on Fortune’s “Most Inspirational CEOs” and “World’s Greatest Leaders” lists; and being named “Father of the Year” by the National Father’s Day Council, “Corporate Executive of the Year” by Black Enterprise and one of Savoy’s “Most Influential Black Executives in Corporate America.”
Marvin and his wife Sharyn are committed to being of service within their faith and community, primarily through the support of organizations that promote higher education, self-empowerment, and excellence for minority youth.
BARBARA RHODEN, PhD
Barbara Rhoden joined Primasun, a joint venture between ResMed and Verily (formerly Google Life Sciences) in December 2021 as the Head of Marketing. Prior to Primasun, she served as Vice President, Marketing at Siemens Healthineers where she led the growth strategy for the Advanced Therapies portfolio across the US and Canada. As executive sponsor of the Siemens Employees of African Descent (SEAD) Employee Resource Group, she created Siemens Sisters in STEM in partnership with Girls Inc of Philadelphia and New Jersey to expose middle school girls to STEM careers and led a free virtual health fair in NY in partnership with Black Health Matters to dispel myths about COVID-19.
Barbara has more than 15 years of experience driving growth and productivity in regional and global markets. At GE Healthcare, she held positions of increasing responsibility in Service, Product Management, Sales and Product Marketing. In her role as Director of Marketing and Sales at GE Healthcare’s Women’s Health business, she received the GE Chairman’s award for best Product Launch. Barbara served on the board of Girls Inc, Washington DC and led the creation of GE Girls DC to expose middle school girls to STEM careers. She began her career as a Research Scientist and is Six Sigma Black Belt Certified.
Barbara was born in Kingston, Jamaica and holds a degree in Chemistry from Howard University and a PhD in Bioanalytical Chemistry from The Pennsylvania State University.
DR. UCHÉ BLACKSTOCK
Dr. Uché Blackstock is a physician and thought leader on bias and racism in health care. Dr. Blackstock founded Advancing Health Equity in 2019 with the goal of partnering with healthcare organizations to dismantle racism in healthcare and to close the gap in racial health inequities.
In 2019, Dr. Blackstock was recognized by Forbes magazine as one of “10 Diversity and Inclusion Trailblazers You Need to Get Familiar With”. In 2020, she was one of thirty-one inaugural leaders awarded an unrestricted grant for her advocacy work from the Black Voices for Black Justice Fund.
Dr. Blackstock’s writing, including numerous OpEd’s, has been featured in the Chicago Tribune, Scientific American, the Washington Post and STAT News for the Boston Globe. In June 2020 she became a Yahoo! News Medical Contributor and appeared regularly on radio and cable news programming to discuss the Coronavirus pandemic and to raise the alarm about racial health inequities.
In April 2021, Dr. Blackstock became an exclusive MSNBC medical contributor. In June 2021, she signed a book deal with Penguin Random House Books for her generational memoir, Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine. Legacy is due to be published in 2023.
Dr. Blackstock received both her undergraduate and medical degrees from Harvard University.
VANESSA BROADHURST
Vanessa Broadhurst is executive vice president, Global Corporate Affairs, at Johnson & Johnson, leading its global marketing, communication, design, and philanthropy functions and overseeing J&J Health & Wellness Solutions. Previously, Broadhurst was company group chairman, Global Commercial Strategy for Pharmaceuticals, focusing on commercialization and launch strategies across Janssen’s product pipeline, where she earlier led several businesses. Broadhurst originally joined Johnson & Johnson to lead global commercial strategy for the pharmaceutical group’s anemia and oncology supportive care. She has also held senior leadership roles at Amgen, Novartis, and Abbott. SAVOY magazine named Broadhurst one of “2020 Most Influential Black Executives in Corporate America.” She was recognized as “Healthcare Champion of the Year” by the National Association for Female Executives and among “Top Blacks in Healthcare” by Blackdoctors.org.
ARIEL LOPEZ
Ariel is a career coach, entrepreneur, and public speaker in technology. She’s the Founder and CEO of Knac, recruiting software that ensures companies don’t miss out on top talent. With over a decade of recruiting experience, she’s helped startups and leading brands like Nike, Google, Spotify, Ebay and others build great teams.
She’s coached thousands of professionals to help them accelerate their careers and find high growth opportunities. She’s been featured in publications like Forbes, FastCompany, Refinery29, BusinessInsider and others to share her advice.
She’s passionate about the future of work and making the job search more human.
In her workshop for Magenta Edge, Ariel talks about the importance of talent for a business to grow. She breaks down:
Creating sourcing strategies to attract the right talent
Keeping your employees happy
How to foster DE&I
NATE EVANS
Nathan Evans Jr. has accomplished many things: first-generation high school graduate, first-generation college graduate, a #1 best-selling author, and a highly requested speaker.
He also is a youth mentor, educational consultant, mental health advocate and podcast host. Nate is on a mission to eradicate the stigmas around mental health amongst youth and young adults. Nate’s charismatic speaking and inspiring testimony allows him to relate to teens and young adults while also educating them on the importance of emotional intelligence and sense of self-worth through his workshops.
In the spotlight series, Nate knows that to be a trailblazer, he has to build a legacy for his family and his business. For a business to have longevity, he shares that it requires:
Reflecting and accessing your current situation to grow
Being intentional with how you growth
Making an impact in your community
VISIONARY THE POET
Emily “Visionary The Poet” Doñe is an award-winning poet, entrepreneur and legal scholar. She leverages the art of poetry to create streams of consciousness and nurture community. Her company, Visionary The Brand (“VTB”), is a mindful brand committed to cultivating wellness. VTB offers an ethically sourced apparel line and writing workshop services, both of which are designed to inspire the inner work.
Visionary’s featured performances include a Rutgers University commencement ceremony and the Wawa Welcome America Festival, in partnership with NBC and Telemundo. She’ll soon be gracing the WAN Poetry stage as a featured performer!
In the spotlight series, Visionary shares what she has learned in order to succeed as one of the only people of color in her law school. She believes in:
The importance of networking across to build social capital
Reaching back to help those behind you
Saying no to generate value for yourself
ALEX TSAI
Alex is the head of strategic partnerships at Alibaba.com for the Americas region. He is responsible for driving growth of Alibaba’s B2B business in Americas through development of innovative partnerships and commercial solutions to meet the evolving business needs of B2B wholesale buyers and sellers in the region. He is focused in helping and enabling local entrepreneurs, small and medium size companies to grow their businesses through the Alibaba.com e-commerce platform, and its various sourcing, sales distibution, and business services.
During Alex’s career Alibaba, he has served as director of marketing and business development leading the market entry of Alibaba.com into the Latin America region and helped build the market presence in the region from the ground up. He has also served as the Head of Licensing and Partnerships for Alibaba Group’s Digital Media and Entertainment business, spearheaded media entertainment licensing and commercial partnerships in US and Europe region.
Prior to joining Alibaba.com, Alex spent more than 5 years managing PayPal global digital marketing strategies, analytics, and operations for both domestic and international markets covering 120 countries. And prior to PayPal, Alex worked at HSBC Bank as an analyst and product marketing manager focusing in growing the company’s financial service business.
Alex is an University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) graduate with double degrees in economics and sociology.
METTA WORLD PEACE
Born Ronald William Artest Jr. on November. 13, 1979, in Queensbridge, New York, Sandiford-Artest changed his name to Metta World Peace from September 2011 to May 2020 in an effort to encourage dialogue over physical violence and promote good will toward all. He is the father of four children.
Founder of Artest Management Group, Metta looks to build his management company piece by piece. His business ventures include XvsX Sports, an app that connects athletes of all levels to games and leagues, The Panda’s Friend, a lifestyle brand that promotes balanced and healthy living, and Meta Panda Club, a procer of web3 collectibles.
Metta played professional basketball for 19 years. In his career he played for 6 NBA teams, winning NBA World Championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in June 2010, and receiving the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award – the NBA’s highest citizenship and community service honor – in April 2011. He was selected to the 2005-06 NBA All-Defensive Team, won the 2003-04 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and broke Michael Jordan’s NBA record for number of steals in a player’s first two seasons with 271. His autobiography, “No Malice: My Life in Basketball” was released in May 2018 with Triumph Publishing and a documentary on his life in basketball, “Ron Artest: The Quiet Storm” was released on Showtime in May 2019.
Metta is also a prominent mental health advocate, pop culture personality, and media favorite. He raffled off his 2010 NBA World Championship Ring with the proceeds going to his nonprofit, Xcel University (now known as Artest University). The online ring raffle raised more than $650,000. Funds were donated to nonprofits that provide mental health therapists and mental health services to their communities and to provide scholarships to underprivileged youth in the New York City area.
AMENA AGBAJE
Program Lead, Build Black with Shopify
Amena is a seasoned ecommerce and tech exec with over 12 years of experience in the space. Starting her career working with some of Canada’s biggest retailers in the ecommerce space; Amena has helped buy and build online catalogs, develop and execute online promotional strategies and push marketing campaigns and merchandising initiatives for past companies like Hudson’s Bay Company, Well.ca, and DSW Canada.
In 2016, Amena moved from the merchant side to the product side, working with design and development agency partners for the Shopify Plus revenue org. Amena has now stepped into work she is incredibly proud to do, leading the Build Black program at Shopify. Working with an amazing team; their goal is to make successful entrepreneurship more accessible for Black businesses.
Outside of this incredible work, she is a multi-hyphenate with a plethora of experiences, side hustles and entrepreneurial endeavours to her name. Above all else, she is a mother, fitness enthusiast and a creative artist specializing in watercolour and gouache.
