Black To Business Partners With Communitas America To Empower Their Alumni Network Of 200+ Diverse Entrepreneurs
April 3, 2024, New York, NY – Black to Business is a platform dedicated to simplifying the often intimidating startup process for early-stage and first-generation Black entrepreneurs. In a marketing partnership starting this April, they will join forces with Communitas America, a nonprofit focused on promoting economic mobility in hyperlocal communities in low-income neighborhoods of New York City.
Communitas America co-creates an equitable economic ecosystem, through their NYS Certified Business Incubator Programs, “Communitas Ventures and Heyground Harlem,” to provide access to resources. Their community is primarily made up of BIPOC and women changemakers. This ties directly into Black to Business’ mission to provide a supportive environment for entrepreneurs to scale their ventures and contribute to an equitable and inclusive business landscape.
Through this partnership, support will be provided to over 200 community-driven entrepreneurs, including the 12th cohort of Communitas Ventures and their alumni. Black to Business is committed to offering valuable resources to support the growth of Communitas Ventures alumni and Heyground Harlem members, as they gain a better understanding of marketing and branding basics.
Participants will gain indispensable skills essential for flourishing in today’s digital business landscape by way of tailor-made workshops, personalized consultations, and additional learning aids. These workshops will cover topics such as crafting digital narratives, effective repurposing strategies, and mastering content creation.
As the Founder of Black to Business and an alum of the Communitas America program, this partnership is deeply meaningful to me. It’s an honor to be one of the first partners in this initiative. Having navigated the entrepreneurial journey firsthand, I understand the challenges and milestones of building a venture from the ground up. This collaboration is a testament to our shared experiences and potential for meaningful impact. Together, we’re breaking down barriers and paving the way for a brighter future. (Monique T. Marshall, Chief-In-Charge of Black to Business)
Monique T. Marshall, a Cohort 9 alum, previously partnered with Communitas to pilot a 3-part workshop in 2023 for Cohort 11, providing tools to effectively market their businesses. The workshop was successful and inspired this partnership.
“As a small nonprofit that recognizes inequities in access to resources, we prioritize strategic partnerships that expand entrepreneurial resource pools. Recently, we have strategically shifted our focus to redefine the significance of the Communitas Ventures alumni network as a platform for peer skill-sharing and a safe space to share expertise, experiences, and sometimes vulnerability. Black to Business is the first partner we invite to trailblaze our bold vision, which we share with our community of entrepreneurs.” (Sunmoon Jang, Executive Director of Communitas America)
“Our state-certified incubator, Communitas America, serves organizations promoting equity and economic mobility primarily within under-resourced communities through a community-driven model centered on hyper-local entrepreneurship. We are thrilled to partner with Black to Business, which is uniquely positioned to advise on the nuances of BIPOC-driven, hyper-local venture development, providing crucial, relevant, and actionable insights that integrate professional and lived experience to diverse founders navigating the impact-centered entrepreneurship landscape. Through our ongoing partnership, Black to Business will provide business marketing and professional development resources via workshops and tailored 1:1 consultations to over 200 BIPOC organizations that we serve in our bi-annual Communitas Ventures accelerator program and at our alumni-centered incubator, Heyground Harlem.” (Erum Naqvi, Deputy Director of Communitas Ventures)
A prosperous community has formed as a result of the Communitas Ventures program and this partnership will provide them with the knowledge they need to further ensure their success. This ongoing partnership will provide ample opportunities and support for entrepreneurs. Black to Business x Communitas America will serve as a beacon for entrepreneurs to take charge of their respective markets, leading to greater confidence and success in their business ventures. By uniting forces, they are not only breaking down systemic barriers but also paving the way for lasting change in underserved communities.
