More than an Enterprise: How Black Businesses Are Shaping Communities

August 13, 2026

It takes guts to say I want to be an entrepreneur and start a business. It takes even more grit to keep building when customers are inconsistent, money gets tight, the strategy changes, and you are still trying to figure out what comes next. As we mark Black Business Month this August, taking stock of where we stand means examining the ground our enterprises are built on. Entrepreneurship is often celebrated as a path toward freedom, independence, and wealth. However, for Black Americans, business ownership has historically represented something greater by creating opportunities to build not only for themselves but also for their communities.

Long before entrepreneurship became associated with startup culture, social media, personal branding, or venture capital, Black Americans were creating businesses because ownership offered opportunities that were often unavailable elsewhere. A business could provide income for a family, employment for a neighbor, services for a community, property for the founder, and something for the next generation to build upon.

I believe this month's conversation should go beyond simply encouraging people to "support Black businesses." Black entrepreneurship has long been a symbol of survival and self-determination in the face of systemic destruction, economic disenfranchisement, and racial violence.

Generations of Black entrepreneurs created businesses despite exclusion from the very institutions meant to support economic mobility. Some built entire commercial districts. Others created opportunities where little existed. Many started businesses not just to improve their own circumstances, but to support families, employ others, and strengthen the places they called home. So, the important question is not what Black entrepreneurs have built, but what has been lost along the way, what has survived, and what we are building now that can outlast the adversities.

Significance of Entrepreneurship Post-Slavery Reconstruction

The end of slavery did not immediately bring economic freedom for formerly enslaved Black Americans. Freedom existed alongside limited access to land, capital, education, employment, and political power. Yet Black Americans began building anyway. Following emancipation, Black Americans established farms, churches, schools, banks, newspapers, professional practices, retail businesses, and entire commercial districts. In many cases, entrepreneurship was not simply a career choice; it was a practical response to exclusion.

When traditional employers would not hire Black workers fairly, starting a business offered another path. When financial institutions would not serve Black customers, Black communities built their own. The success of one entrepreneur could support another: a local business might employ neighbors, sponsor community activities, create professional opportunities, and feed into a broader ecosystem of economic independence.

One of the most recognizable examples is the Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma, known as "Black Wall Street." Greenwood included Black-owned hotels, restaurants, stores, medical practices, entertainment venues, newspapers, and more. What made a community like Greenwood significant was not just the number of businesses; it was the ecosystem those businesses created around one another. Black Wall Street was functioning as a self-sustaining economy, with a single dollar estimated to circulate within the community for nearly a year before leaving.

Black entrepreneurs were not simply building companies. They were building community, and entrepreneurship gave Black Americans a level of autonomy in a society that repeatedly tried to restrict it. Ownership meant greater control over one's work, income, property, and future. It also meant the possibility of passing something forward. That is why the history of Black business ownership cannot be separated from the history of Black community development. The business was the enterprise. The larger goal was always the community.

Economic Constraints, Credit Disparities, and Systemic Barriers & Destruction of Wealth

What Black communities built was not always allowed to grow uninterrupted. In many cases, economic progress was met with violence, displacement, and policies that made it increasingly difficult to build and retain wealth. In 1921, a white mob destroyed much of Greenwood during the Tulsa Race Massacre, destroying more than 1,200 homes and businesses and causing modern-equivalent property losses exceeding $200 million (Messer et al., 2018). Similar attacks occurred in places such as Rosewood, Florida, and Colfax, Louisiana. As the country moved beyond Reconstruction, Jim Crow laws, redlining, and unequal access to capital created additional barriers to Black economic progress.

Those disruptions continued well into the twentieth century. Under urban renewal and highway development, thriving Black neighborhoods and commercial corridors were often demolished or divided. In my home city of St. Louis, the demolition of Mill Creek Valley beginning in 1959 displaced more than 20,000 residents and eliminated hundreds of businesses and community institutions (Gibson, 2020; Garb et al., 2018).

The impact of those losses extends beyond what disappeared at the time. A business that closes cannot be passed to the next generation. Property that is taken cannot continue appreciating in value. Wealth that is interrupted cannot easily become the foundation for another business, investment, or opportunity. And while the barriers have changed, many of their effects remain.

Today, Black entrepreneurs continue to experience greater difficulty accessing traditional business financing and are often more dependent on personal savings and credit to fund their companies (Federal Reserve Banks, 2021). Limited access to capital affects more than whether someone can start a business. It affects whether they can hire, invest in technology, purchase property, withstand a difficult season, pursue larger contracts, or ultimately scale beyond the founder.

The numbers reflect that reality. Although Black Americans represent more than 14% of the U.S. population, Black-owned employer firms account for only about 3.3% of employer businesses nationwide (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024).

This is why elevating Black entrepreneurship cannot begin and end with social media reminders to “support Black-owned.” Supporting individual businesses matters, but so does strengthening the environment around them. Financial institutions, government agencies, corporations, consumers, and communities all influence whether Black businesses have access to capital, contracts, customers, property, partnerships, and opportunities to grow.

If we want more Black businesses to become lasting enterprises, we must create conditions that allow them not only to start, but to build, scale, and remain. 

The Modern Black American Entrepreneurial Experience

As an entrepreneur with a scaling business and an enduring call to community, I've experienced firsthand the complexity of navigating these systemic challenges. Building my own business has changed how I think about entrepreneurship and community development. I constantly ask myself: Can this business operate beyond me? Can it employ other people and create meaningful opportunities? Can it withstand economic changes and build assets? Can it eventually become something another generation could inherit, expand, or use to create something entirely new? Those are business questions, but they are also questions about legacy.

There's often a great deal of attention placed on becoming an entrepreneur, particularly in an era when someone can create a website, form an LLC, build a personal brand, or start selling a service relatively quickly. But creating a business and building a lasting enterprise are not the same thing. Growth requires infrastructure and support. Scaling means moving beyond basic survival strategies toward real operational alignment, robust systems, formal governance, and high-performing teams capable of driving long-term stability.

It requires a clear strategy, strong financial practices, defined processes, effective leadership, reliable systems, relationships, access to capital, and the ability to make decisions that move the organization beyond dependence on a single individual. For many Black entrepreneurs, that transition from founder to sustainable enterprise represents an important next stage of economic development.

Imagine the cumulative impact when more Black businesses move beyond simply hustling and build something growth-oriented and built to last. A growing company can create jobs. A profitable company can purchase property. A larger company can mentor emerging entrepreneurs, invest in community organizations, sponsor programs, create internships, develop future leaders, and eventually transfer wealth to another generation.

Running a scaling business is not merely an individual pursuit of financial independence; it is a vital contribution to economic infrastructure. My own journey reinforces that entrepreneurship is inherently collective: as our businesses grow, so does our capacity to resource, empower, and build resilience for the people around us. Individual success matters, but businesses do not exist in isolation. They operate within neighborhoods, industries, networks, institutions, and economies. When more Black entrepreneurs have the resources to build companies that last, the opportunity extends beyond the founder and the whole ecosystem grows with them.

Final Words: Beyond the Thirty-One Days 

Black Business Month serves as a vital annual milestone to honor our history and measure our progress, but achieving true economic equity requires continuous, daily engagement that extends far beyond the month of August. Small businesses operating within a community's broader ecosystem do far more than offer services or generate individual revenue; they create local employment, foster intergenerational mentorship, stabilize commercial corridors, and serve as catalytic spaces for civic leadership. This month allows us to celebrate Black entrepreneurs, but celebration should also create space for reflection. Across generations, Black American entrepreneurs have built businesses under circumstances that often made ownership unnecessarily difficult. They created banks, newspapers, farms, stores, restaurants, professional practices, institutions, and commercial districts. Some of those businesses survived. Others were destroyed or disrupted. Still, the desire to create, own, and build continued.

Real progress will be realized when Black founders receive equitable access to commercial capital, institutional contracts, and growth opportunities, ensuring entrepreneurial effort leads directly to generational wealth, not just individual income. It also requires entrepreneurs to think beyond immediate transactions. What are we building? Who can benefit from it? What can exist because our businesses exist? And what might still be here when we are no longer the ones running it?

For me, those questions represent one of the most powerful possibilities of entrepreneurship. A business can create income. An enterprise can create opportunity. An institution can create impact that survives its founder.

Perhaps the most meaningful way to recognize Black Business Month is not simply by celebrating Black-owned businesses for thirty-one days, but by understanding their place within a much longer history of ownership, ingenuity, and economic development. Black entrepreneurs have always found ways to build. We inherited more than a history of struggle; we inherited a history of building. That is our lineage.

The next chapter of Black entrepreneurship should not only be about the businesses we start, but about how we grow, sustain, own, and pass forward what we create for our communities, our cities, and the people coming behind us. Let this month be more than a celebration. Let it be an urgent call to invest, advocate, and build the equitable business ecosystems that will empower current and future generations of Black entrepreneurs to scale without limits.

Reference:

• Federal Reserve Banks. (2021). Small Business Credit Survey: Report on employer firms owned by people of color. Federal Reserve Systems. https://www.newyorkfed.org/newsevents/news/regional_outreach/2021/20210415 
• Garb, M., Mumford, E., & Sowell, J. (2018). Visualizing urban history: Development and destruction of Mill Creek Valley. Missouri History Museum & Washington University in St. Louis.
• Gibson, V. (2020). The last children of Mill Creek. Belt Publishing.
• Messer, C. M., Shriver, T. E., & Adams, A. E. (2018). The destruction of Black Wall Street: Tulsa's 1921 riot and the eradication of accumulated wealth. The American Journal of Economics and Sociology, 77(3–4), 789–819. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajes.12225 
• U.S. Census Bureau. (2024). 2023 Annual Business Survey (ABS) – Characteristics of employer businesses (Reference year 2022). U.S. Department of Commerce. https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2024/employer-businesses.html  

Beyond the Buildings: Built Environment as Systems of Care

  

July 29, 2026

When we talk about real estate development, the conversation usually revolves around square footage, zoning, financing, occupancy rates, and return on investment. Those measures matter because they determine whether a project gets built and whether it remains financially sustainable. But I find myself asking a different question.

What kind of human experiences are we creating?

Communities are not experienced as blueprints or balance sheets. They are experienced as feelings. A neighborhood can feel safe or unsafe. Connected or isolated. Hopeful or forgotten. Long before people can explain why they feel a certain way, their minds and bodies are already responding to the environment around them.

Throughout my career, I've worked with organizations and communities trying to solve complex problems. Whether I was helping an organization improve execution or helping neighborhoods rebuild despite significant investment, I noticed the same pattern: the condition of a system often shapes the condition of the people within it. That observation has become the foundation of my professional interests and continues to shape how I think about leadership, community development, and behavioral health.

According to the World Health Organization, approximately one in eight people worldwide live with a mental disorder (World Health Organization, 2025). We often respond by expanding healthcare services or increasing access to treatment, both of which are essential. But I believe we should also ask whether the environments we build are helping people heal or making it harder for them to thrive.

Development Shapes More than Land

Our nervous systems constantly scan our surroundings for signs of safety or threat. Neighborhoods with green space, walkable streets, natural gathering places, and thoughtful design create opportunities for movement, connection, and restoration. Communities dominated by excessive noise, neglected public spaces, poor lighting, or isolation can contribute to stress and make everyday life feel more unpredictable.

These environments don't determine someone's mental health, but they create conditions that can either support well-being or compound the challenges people already face.

For individuals living with chronic or complex trauma, those conditions matter even more. In under-resourced or historically neglected communities, poor lighting, blind corners, and blank street walls heighten perceived vulnerability to crime, converting ordinary environmental awareness into chronic hyper-vigilance. Over time, these cumulative stressors function as a form of environmental trauma that disproportionately affects marginalized populations, elevating rates of anxiety, substance use, and systemic distress. Neighborhood design is never neutral: it either provides a spatial buffer against life's stressors or acts as an active connector for chronic psychological strain.

The built environment is not simply where life happens. It becomes part of the context in which healing, or continued stress, takes place.

Design, Social Trust, and Community Psychology 

Social isolation is one of the most significant public health crises of our time, carrying psychological risks comparable to severe physical illness. We tend to blame technology or changing social norms, but we rarely ask how physical design shapes human connection. The arrangement of space plays a foundational role in either fostering social trust or reinforcing alienation.

Traditional community layouts built organic touchpoints into daily life through front porches, central squares, shared courtyards, and walkable footpaths. These features let residents observe and interact with neighbors at a comfortable, low-pressure pace, turning unfamiliar faces into familiar networks of support over time. Small, repeated interactions built familiarity, and familiarity built trust. Trust became the foundation of resilient communities.

Many contemporary developments prioritize privacy, efficiency, and vehicle access instead. Garages replace front porches, wide roads replace walkable streets, and private amenities replace shared public spaces. Marketed as privacy, this architecture actually isolates people, eliminating the in-between spaces where casual social ties used to form. Without accessible, inviting shared zones, organic connection has fewer places to happen and, with it, the collective efficacy and social trust that buffer communities against systemic trauma and instability.

These design decisions are understandable. Privacy and convenience are real, legitimate wants. But when communities offer fewer opportunities for casual interaction, they may unintentionally strip away the social connections that help people navigate stress, adversity, and change. Development is not only about organizing land. It's also about organizing relationships. 

Redefining What Success Looks Like

For generations, real estate has relied on a predictable set of financial indicators: occupancy rates, price per square foot, tenant retention, net operating income. Financial viability is necessary for any project to get built, but these metrics capture only a narrow slice of a development's total impact. A fully leased building is not automatically a thriving one; residents often stay in high-stress, poorly designed housing simply because of economic constraints or a lack of viable alternatives.

To build development models aligned with long-term human and economic flourishing, we need to broaden how we measure success. That means assessing community connectedness: whether residents experience genuine belonging, mutual trust, and shared identity within their living space. It means measuring baseline psychological safety: whether the environment actively minimizes stress and supports emotional well-being across all demographics. And it means tracking civic participation and local stewardship: whether the spatial design gives residents a reason to take pride in, maintain, and actively engage with the community around them.

When physical developments are engineered to support psychological safety and human connection, long-term operational stability tends to follow. As our understanding of community health evolves, our definition of successful development should evolve with it. What if we also asked:

• Do residents feel psychologically safe?

• Do they feel like they belong?

• Does the community encourage connection and participation?

• Are people proud to invest in the place they call home? 

• Does this environment reduce unnecessary stress, or add to it?

These questions are harder to measure than financial performance, but they're no less important. Communities thrive when people feel connected, supported, and invested in the places they call home.

Final Words: A Different Way to Think about Development 

Every organization, neighborhood, policy, and development project creates conditions that either help people thrive or make thriving harder. Brick by brick, physical decisions shape emotional experience, social cohesion, and community resilience for generations. When projects treat well-being as secondary, the broader community bears the cost through heightened anxiety, fractured trust, and persistent public health strain.

Moving forward requires a real shift: integrating community psychology, behavioral health, and urban planning into a unified, trauma-informed framework. Developers, planners, and policymakers need to recognize that they aren't just constructing physical infrastructure; they're building the systems that govern collective mental health and wellness. Designing for psychological well-being isn't a luxury or an aesthetic add-on. It's a core component of equitable, sustainable development.

Every neighborhood, workplace, policy, and organization creates conditions that either help people thrive or make thriving more difficult. Perhaps the future of development isn't simply about building more housing or attracting more investment. Perhaps it's about intentionally designing human systems that foster safety, connection, resilience, and well-being. If the systems we build quietly shape mental health, relationships, and resilience, the question is no longer whether development influences human well-being. The question is whether we're willing to start designing for it.

Reference:

World Health Organization. (2025, September 30). Mental disorders. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-disorders 

Ditching the Clique: Discovering & Creating True Belonging and Community

 

July 15, 2026

The human heart is wired for deep connection. We are designed to exist in spaces where we are seen, known, and valued. Growing up as the only girl and the youngest in the house, I experienced plenty of love, support, and structure, but I often longed for something different. I wanted sisterhood, a kind of sisterhood built on friendship, encouragement, honesty, and mutual growth. I believed that if I searched hard enough, I would eventually find a community where everyone genuinely wanted to see one another succeed.

As I grew older, I discovered that finding true belonging was far more difficult than I expected. Some spaces welcomed people warmly until competition entered the room. Others spoke about empowerment while quietly operating through exclusion, comparison, and favoritism. I encountered groups that looked healthy from the outside but felt exhausting once you became part of them. Over time, finding true community has begun to feel like an uphill battle against a modern epidemic of loneliness.

Those experiences forced me to ask a different question. Instead of looking for a place to belong, I began asking why some communities flourish while others slowly fall apart. And the answer was not simply about personalities. It was about the environment people were operating within. True community isn’t just stumbled upon by accident; it is something you must actively build, nurture, and protect with high integrity. Having a healthy community is building an ecosystem where resources, opportunities, trust, and shared values allow everyone to grow. Real belonging is not only about finding good people. It is about creating environments where good people can continue to grow together.

The Evolution and Fragmentation of Connection

To understand why finding real belonging feels so complex today, we must look at how our social environments have changed. For much of history, community was woven into everyday life. Families lived close together. Neighbors knew one another. Places of worship, civic organizations, schools, and local gathering places created opportunities for people to build trust over time. In these environments, people naturally gathered to share burdens, celebrate milestones, and quietly support one another through the small and big details of life.  Relationships developed naturally because people shared not only values but also responsibilities, challenges, and resources.

Today, much of that connection has shifted online. The physical spaces that once anchored us transitioned heavily into the digital landscape. Today, local gatherings have largely been replaced by social media groups, forums, and modern online networking communities. Social media has given us the ability to meet people from around the world, but it has also changed how relationships are formed and maintained. We have more access than ever before, yet many people feel increasingly isolated. We can belong to dozens of online groups while still feeling deeply alone.

While these tools offer the benefit of global reach, they present a significant challenge. The challenge is not technology itself. The challenge is that many digital communities provide conversation without creating infrastructure. They connect us through shared interests but rarely provide the practical support needed to help people navigate life's challenges together. We become connected without becoming rooted.

This is where systems matter. We often assume people are the problem when the environment deserves a closer look. Even healthy, generous people can struggle inside unhealthy systems. When there are few opportunities to grow, limited resources to share, or little trust between members, relationships begin to weaken. Lasting connection requires more than common interests. It requires an environment that encourages people to invest in one another and the built environment over time.

Scarcity, Exclusion, Mean Girl, and Cancel Culture

In my early search for community, I frequently encountered the harsh reality of "mean girl" culture, gatekeeping, and cliquish behavior. One of the hardest lessons I learned was that not every space promoting community actually practices it. I encountered environments where kindness depended on your status, where opportunities were shared with only a select few, and where belonging felt conditional. It was devastating to watch a space that promises empowerment devolve into an exclusive clique. When we look at the motivation behind this toxic behavior, it almost always stems from a mindset of scarcity and deep insecurity. When someone believes there is only enough recognition, influence, or success for a small group of people, protecting their position begins to feel like survival. People build exclusive walls and gatekeep when they mistakenly believe there isn't enough room, success, or attention for everyone to thrive. It is the opposite of a belief in abundance.

This does not excuse harmful behavior, but it helps explain it. Understanding the root of the problem allows us to respond with wisdom rather than simply frustration. Healthy people do not need to diminish others in order to feel valuable. Healthy environments do not reward gatekeeping because there is room for people to contribute in different ways.

That is why systems are so important. Communities become unhealthy when they lack opportunities for growth, clear leadership, shared purpose, or access to meaningful resources. When people feel trapped inside a limited environment, competition or even mimicking often replaces collaboration. The group slowly shifts from supporting one another to protecting positions within the group. 

Recognizing these patterns allows us to make better decisions about where we invest our time and energy. Sometimes the healthiest choice is not to try harder to fit in. Sometimes it is accepting that the environment itself is unhealthy and choosing to walk away.

Conquering this dynamic requires a strict integrity check. To protect your own morale and mental well-being, you must learn to spot these toxic traits early. When a group values conformity over character and exclusion over empathy, it lacks alignment with true values. 

Growing, Serving, and Leading with Integrity 

Experiencing the sting of "mean girl" culture was painful, but it didn't stop me. It did not make me cynical, nor did it cause me to abandon my search for sisterhood. Instead, it served as a vital catalyst, giving me the discernment to seek the right community. It taught me how to separate surface-level popularity from deep, dependable integrity. 

Walking away from unhealthy spaces taught me the importance of creating the kind of community I wanted to see. I stopped looking for spaces that simply welcomed me and started looking for spaces where people consistently showed up for one another.

Healthy communities are built through service, trust, and shared responsibility. They are made stronger by people who celebrate one another's growth, share opportunities openly, and understand that another person's success does not diminish their own. These are the kinds of environments where people feel safe enough to contribute their ideas, take healthy risks, and continue learning.

At the same time, strong relationships alone are not enough. Genuine care should also help people move forward. Sometimes that means introducing someone to a new opportunity. Sometimes it means sharing knowledge, opening doors, or connecting people with resources they may not have discovered on their own. Integrity is not only measured by how well we support people emotionally. It is also reflected in how willing we are to help them build a stronger future.

Communities become sustainable when people invest in both relationships and the systems that support those relationships. When trust is paired with opportunity, belonging becomes more than a feeling. It becomes something people experience through consistent action.

Final Words: 

Belonging is not about finding the perfect group of people. It is about helping create environments where people can grow without fear of being excluded for someone else's comfort. Communities need trust, compassion, and shared values, but they also need healthy systems that encourage collaboration instead of competition. When either piece is missing, people eventually begin competing for what they believe is limited.

The truth is that every community will face moments of tension, disagreement, and change. What determines its health is not whether those challenges appear, but how people respond when they do. Do they build walls or bridges? Do they protect power or create opportunities? Do they celebrate another person's growth or quietly resent it?

As I continue searching for meaningful relationships, I have become less concerned with being accepted into every room and more committed to helping build healthier ones. The strongest communities are not those without conflict. They are the ones where integrity consistently matters more than status.

Perhaps the question is no longer, "Where do I belong?" Perhaps the better question is, "Am I helping create the kind of environment where others can truly belong as well?" 

Doves in the Hood: The intersectionality of Leadership and Place

   

June 15, 2026

After years of navigating high-level professional spaces, securing fellowships, engaging in rigorous leadership development, earning two degrees, and scaling a business from the ground up, the words of a middle school associate came back to me: "But you're the hood friend." 

How could someone look at the trajectory of everything I had accomplished and still choose to define me solely by where I grew up?

Being judged by the geography of my upbringing rather than the caliber of my accomplishments and tangible results is a reality that has always baffled me. This dismissive framing attempts to reduce a lifetime of capability, grit, and tangible results down to a singular, stereotyped origin. That comment laid a striking paradox I have encountered throughout my career: the persistent struggle of mainstream spaces to separate a person’s potential from their place of origin. Yet reality is the exact opposite. My origin didn't limit my capability; it forged it.

Having the distinct perspective and rich experiences that I possess has not limited me; it has allowed me to adapt seamlessly to highly diverse environments. I move fluidly between corporate boardrooms, government offices, and even local community recreation centers. My background does not hinder my capacity; it sharpens it. It has taught me to operate not merely as a traditional boss, but as a true servant leader. I bring a rare combination of love, deep structural understanding, and unyielding grit to every single conversation I join. 

When professionals from these backgrounds are finally given the space and autonomy to paint our own canvas, the outcome is transformative. There is no telling what profound innovations can be created when lived experience is paired with operational excellence.

The “Hood” as a System

Somewhere along the way, we learned to associate certain zip codes with limitations and others with opportunity. We learned to attach assumptions to neighborhoods before we ever met the people who live there. 

But life has taught me something different. The older I become, the more I realize that where I grew up did not limit my leadership capacity. It shaped it. In many ways, it prepared me for leadership long before I ever held a title.

To unpack this dynamic, we must first ask the foundational questions: What does "the hood" mean, and where did it come from? The history of these neighborhoods in modern American society is fundamentally grounded in systemic racism and economic classism. Far from being accidental clusters of poverty, these environments were the result of intentional, calculated social and policy experiments. 

Through historical mechanisms such as redlining, discriminatory zoning, and intentional municipal disinvestment, specific demographic groups were deliberately grouped together, and the covert goal was simple: push marginalized communities out of the way, isolate them from capital, and limit their upward mobility. 

When we view these neighborhoods through a historical and structural lens, we stop blaming the residents for the environment and start looking at the architecture of the system itself. The "hood" was built to contain people, but it inadvertently created a community of profound resilience. Understanding this history is crucial because it reframes the narrative from one of inherent deficits to one of survival within systemic design.

Intersectionality and Impact 

When many people think about the hood, they assume it is full of people who don't care and don't show up. They think the people in the communities are just brain dead. This perspective is not just lazy; it is entirely inaccurate and quite frankly offensive. What is often and systematically overlooked is the vibrant ecosystem of advocates, creatives, and freethinkers who are deeply embedded within the dynamics of these environments. This is where intersectionality comes into play. Intersectionality forces us to see how race, class, culture, and geography overlap to create unique barriers, but it also reveals how unique forms of brilliance are forged. 

The individuals navigating these spaces develop an advanced masterclass in problem-solving, emotional intelligence, and strategic survival every single day. They are micro-community developers operating without macro-resources. When you overlook them based on their zip code, you are ignoring a massive reservoir of untapped intellectual and creative capital.

Throughout my life, I have learned to move between very different environments. I have participated in strategic planning meetings, managed complex projects, facilitated difficult conversations, and sat at tables where decisions impacted entire organizations and communities. I have also spent time in neighborhood recreation centers, church basements, community meetings, and living rooms where people were trying to solve real problems with limited resources and few safety nets. 

What Community Development Actually Means

When you understand that true community development is not a singular action, but rather the strategic combination of health, education, comprehensive support systems, localized economics, and the built environment, you begin to see the bigger picture. You realize that a community cannot be fixed by addressing only one symptom of a broken structure. 

Understanding development requires a holistic approach that considers everything from how a child’s education affects a neighborhood's economic mobility to how the physical built environment impacts public health. It is a complex web of overlapping systems. 

Therefore, if community development requires an understanding of how these varied elements interact, who is better equipped to lead that charge than the individuals who have lived at the intersection of those very systems? Those who understand the grit required to navigate the built environment and have the professional acumen to shift economic policy are the ultimate catalysts for sustainable change. True development cannot be delivered to a community; it must be engineered by those who know it best.

Final Words: The Cost of Missing the Big Picture

Some of the most important leadership lessons I learned never came from a classroom. They came from observation. Through this, I learned how to navigate different personalities and perspectives. I learned how to build trust with people who had every reason to be skeptical. I learned how to remain calm when circumstances became uncertain. I learned how to find solutions when resources are scarce. Many of these skills are now described as emotional intelligence, strategic thinking, stakeholder management, conflict resolution, or adaptive leadership. At the time, they were simply survival skills. 

The reality is that many people from historically marginalized communities develop extraordinary leadership capabilities long before anyone formally recognizes them. Not because they attended a workshop. Not because they earned a certification. But because life required it.

Drawing sweeping conclusions about an individual's potential based entirely on where they are from is a profound strategic error. It places a ceiling on your own organization's growth and ensures you will miss the bigger picture. 

When institutions gatekeep leadership roles or discount the voices of those with unconventional origins, the loss is entirely theirs. It can cost you the very breakthrough, the authentic perspective, and the true innovation that you have spent years searching for. 

We must move past the outdated, reductionist frameworks that label leaders as merely "the hood friend" or the token diverse perspective in the room. It is time to recognize that the unique trajectory from the block to the boardroom creates an unmatched caliber of executive capability. The doves in the hood are not just surviving the environment; they are ready to redesign the entire landscape. 

Trusting Your Voice and Creativity in a Copy-Paste World

  

May 27, 2026

We have more tools for creativity and connection than any generation before us. And yet, originality is disappearing not because it is being rejected, but because people are afraid to be who God created them to be. Somewhere along the way, many of us stopped asking, “What do I actually think?” and started asking, “What performs well?” In a world driven by algorithms, branding formulas, and recycled inspiration, originality has quietly become a risk.

The pressure to produce what is trending, to mirror what is proven, and to copy the frameworks that worked for someone else has created a quiet crisis. We copied the format that went viral. We model the founder who got the press. In doing so, we step into a polished, pre-packaged archetype. When you disconnect from what is uniquely yours, you lose clarity on what you uniquely bring. We stop creating from raw experience and start performing from observation. 

This challenge becomes prevalent when you find yourself facing a major life or professional restart. There is a specific kind of quiet panic that sets in when you realize you need a pivot. Suddenly, the stakes feel high. You start to worry about the timeline and run yourself ragged thinking, “Is it too late? Did I waste my time?”

In those moments of transition, the ultimate trap is turning to someone else’s template for success. A true restart is not a failure; it is an act of obedience and integrity. God did not design you to be a carbon copy of someone else's calling. To successfully navigate a pivot, you cannot rely on an industry-standard blueprint. You have to step outside traditional frameworks, lean into your faith, and reclaim the fading art of your God-given originality.

The Return Back on My Journey

Every May, I am excited to celebrate my birthday all month, but after a long year, instead of feeling excited, I moved into a season of deep reflection. I sat down and looked closely at everything I have built, every path I have taken, and the true return on that investment.

As a millennial, I see our generation trapped in a collective struggle. We are drowning in blueprints, trying desperately to find ourselves while following roadmaps written by strangers. We are exhausted from trying to fit our souls into outdated boxes.

I came to a definitive conclusion. I decided to simply be my original self.

Good, bad, or ugly.

A personal or professional pivot forces you into getting back to who you actually are. It demands absolute honesty. You realize that you cannot step into your next chapter if you are carrying the identity they want you to have.

The Courage to be Yourself

True originality is rarely about inventing something out of thin air. It is built on authenticity or the willingness to look at a standard and ask, "Why do we do it this way?" This kind of thinking requires two distinct traits: curiosity and range. 

If you only consume what your immediate industry consumes, you will inevitably produce what your industry produces. Your inputs directly shape your outputs. The most original voices drew inspiration from unexpected places, finding management in nature, technology in philosophy, and leadership in the arts. This is what fuels actual innovation. Most organizations operate entirely off templates: the standard deck, the proven funnel, the best-practice email. While these tools yield short-term efficiency, they also act as filters that strip away the very nuances that make a brand or an individual stand out.

The same risk applies to our personal and professional development. When we prioritize fitting in, we build walls that prevent genuine breakthroughs from reaching us. We filter ourselves to sound right instead of sounding real. We miss out on authentic partnerships because we are too busy trying to look "professional" rather than looking human.

Worse yet, when you ignore your original instincts long enough, your intuition gets quieter. You stop trusting your internal compass and lean entirely on what is safe. To break this cycle and successfully execute a pivot, you have to run your own diagnostic. 

The Blueprint to Reclaim Your Voice 

To transition from living by default to designing by intention, you must step outside traditional templates and trust the unique path laid out for you.

Shift from a Scarcity Mindset to one of Abundance

Paralysis often sets in when we fear making mistakes, causing us to default to safety, imitation, and comparison. Reclaiming your voice begins with shifting your internal environment. Trust that there is an abundance of opportunity meant specifically for you, and that your unique journey, setbacks, and all have equipped you with a distinct perspective that no one else can replicate.

Focus on Small, Dependable Wins Over Massive Timelines

When you are rebuilding or pivoting, trying to map out a rigid five-year plan can be overwhelming and often forces you to look to others for how they achieved their long-term success. Instead, focus on an immediate 30-day window. Establish small, daily milestones that rebuild your confidence. Remember, motivation is an unreliable guest, but consistency and discipline create a home where your true voice can grow.

Actively Guard and Diversify Your Daily Inputs

If your mind is constantly flooded with the same industry noise, standard templates, and curated social feeds, your output will inevitably mirror them. To find your original voice, change what you consume and who you spend time with. Look for inspiration outside your immediate professional bubble, in nature, history, faith, or community, and create a quiet space where your own thoughts have room to breathe.

View Your Originality as an Act of Generosity

When you share an original idea, a lived perspective, or an honest solution, you add something to the world that did not previously exist. This is as true for a leader to reimagine a corporate structure as it is for an individual anchoring their career choices in deep personal conviction. Step away from performing for temporary approval and focus on contributing real value. Your voice is a gift intended to serve others.

Final Words:

We do not need more people perfectly optimizing what already exists. We need leaders, creators, and individuals who are willing to trust their voice, honor their unique journey, and confidently step forward. Do not wait for a sudden wave of perfect confidence to strike before you speak up or pivot. Confidence follows action, and clarity follows faith. Look closely at your current trajectory and choose to build by design rather than running a template by default. Commit to the shifts, protect your space, and bring forward exactly what God created only you to do. 

The Bubbly Black Girl and the Ever-Moving Goalpost of Executive Presence

 

April 12, 2026

I recently attended a global business conference where the topic of executive presence came up. As leaders develop, this idea tends to follow closely behind.

In simple terms, executive presence is often described as the “it factor” in how someone is perceived in the workplace. It is the alchemy of how you speak, how you carry yourself, and how you present. It is often positioned as the differentiator that helps a leader stand out, even before their results are fully understood or measured.

But as the conversation unfolded, I found myself questioning whether this concept is truly neutral. What happens when you don’t fit the unspoken standards? What happens when perception is shaped before you even have the opportunity to speak?

For many, especially Black women who lead with joy, energy, and a naturally “bubbly” disposition, executive presence is not a ladder. It is a moving target. We find ourselves in constant negotiation, adjusting tone, energy, and expression to meet expectations that shift the moment we get close. This reveals a deeper truth: the criteria for leadership were never designed with all of us in mind.

The Western Ideology of "Presence"

The idea of executive presence didn’t just appear out of thin air. It is rooted in old-school, Western ways of doing business that were never designed to be inclusive. For decades, the image of an “executive” was extremely narrow. Historically, it was synonymous with a specific demographic: the cisgender, white male. Because of that, many of the traits we still associate with professionalism today, being stoic, having a deep voice, and maintaining emotional distance, were modeled after one type of group of men.

These are not universal rules for effective leadership. They are inherited cultural habits that have been passed down and normalized over time. Yet they continue to shape expectations. Quietly reinforcing the idea that to be taken seriously, you must be controlled, reserved, and somewhat distant. That authority looks like restraint. That leadership requires a certain level of detachment.

For the American Black woman, this creates a performance-based version of leadership. If you are too accessible, you lack mystery. If you are too direct, you are labeled aggressive or unapproachable. If you are expressive, you are seen as lacking control. And when you embrace your natural vibrancy, you are often dismissed as junior or not yet ready. This is the double bind, and it forces Black women into a constant balancing act, where authenticity is weighed against acceptability. 

In this, executive presence is not just a leadership concept. It has functioned as a gatekeeping mechanism that maintains a narrow and familiar image of power at the top of the organizational chart.

The Weight of Black Excellence

To understand the moving goalpost, we must acknowledge the history of Black Excellence. This is the silent cultural mandate that Black professionals must be twice as good to get half as far. This isn't just a catchy phrase; it is a survival strategy born out of a need to bypass systemic bias through undeniable, over-indexed performance.

In the context of executive presence, "Black Excellence" often means we are over-prepared, over-credentialed, and over-polished. We don't just show up; we show up with the data, the backup data, and a flawless presentation. However, the moving goalpost phenomenon occurs when, despite this excellence, the critique shifts from output to vibe.

When a Black woman achieves the numbers but is told she “Doesn’t quite look the part" or needs to "soften her edges" or is told she is "too bubbly" to be taken seriously, it is a sign that the goalpost has been moved. The burden of Black Excellence requires us to maintain high-level output while simultaneously navigating the emotional labor of "code-switching" our personalities to fit a narrow definition of what a boss should look like. 

Bubbly Doesn’t Equal Soft

The core of the "Bubbly Black Girl" experience in leadership is the fight for authenticity. There is a pervasive and damaging myth in the corporate world that joy is a sign of weakness and that an optimistic, high-energy personality, the "bubbly" trait, is incompatible with the steel required for executive decision-making.

But bubbly doesn’t equal soft.

In fact, leading with warmth and high engagement is often a sign of servant leadership. It takes immense strength to maintain a positive, community-focused disposition while navigating the complexities of organizational systems. A "bubbly" leader can still fire an underperformer, manage a multi-million dollar budget, and pivot a company through a crisis. The energy they bring is a tool for alignment and innovation. 

When we equate a serious face with a serious mind, we miss the impact of leaders who use their personalities to build psychological safety and trust. For Black women leaders, being "bubbly" is often an act of resistance. It is a refusal to be dimmed by a system that expects her to be either invisible or intimidating. Authenticity in leadership means recognizing that "presence" should be measured by the ability to move a team forward, not by how well one mimics the coldness of traditional power structures.

Final Words:

As we reimagine leadership for a global, diverse world, the definition of executive presence must evolve. We must stop moving the goalposts for those who don’t fit the 1950s mold of a "company man." If your definition of leadership cannot accommodate a "Bubbly Black Girl" without questioning her competence, then your definition of leadership is broken, not her.

True executive presence should be redefined as alignment and impact. It should be about the efficiency with which a leader operates and the purpose they instill in their team. We need to move toward a leadership reimagined model where authenticity is not a liability, but a strategic advantage.

To my fellow "bubbly" leaders: do not dim your light to fit into a room that was built in the dark. Your joy is not a distraction; it is a catalyst. It’s time we stopped trying to hit the moving goalpost and start building our own field, one where presence is defined by the lives we change and the systems we build, rather than the stereotypes we shatter. 

No Mentor, No Sponsor, Just My Faith and God

   

March 27, 2026

In the professional world, we are often taught that success follows a curated path. Find the right mentor. Secure a powerful sponsor. Build relationships with people who can open doors you have not yet reached. For many, that guidance becomes a meaningful part of their journey.

But what happens when that is not your story?

For those of us who are first, first to graduate from college, first to enter certain spaces, first to build something from nothing, there is a different kind of weight we carry. It is not just ambition. It is responsibility, uncertainty, and at times, isolation. The absence of a clear roadmap can feel overwhelming, and if we are honest, it can feel like we are already behind.

I know that feeling.

My journey has never been linear. It has been shaped by pivots, unexpected turns, and moments that required me to keep moving without clarity. There were seasons where I searched for mentors and waited for sponsors, quietly believing that their absence meant something about my worth or my trajectory.

Over time, I realized that the belief was not true.

Mentorship and sponsorship are valuable. They can accelerate growth, provide wisdom, and create access. But they are not the only path to success, and they are not the measure of your potential. My path was not empty. It was simply different. It required me to develop direction more deeply, rooted in faith, discipline, and a willingness to build without a model in front of me.

The Reality of Not Having Mentorship or Sponsorship

Let’s be clear: mentorship and sponsorship matter. They provide perspective, advocacy, and support that can be incredibly impactful, especially for emerging leaders. No one is meant to navigate everything alone.

At the same time, we have to be careful not to over-assign power to these relationships.

Somewhere along the way, many of us were taught, directly or indirectly, that without the “right” person backing us, our progress would be limited. That belief can quietly turn mentorship into a requirement instead of a resource. It can make us question our path when those relationships are not immediately present. But the absence of mentorship or sponsorship is not a verdict on your future.

There are leaders who inherit blueprints, and there are leaders who build them. Both paths are valid, but they require different levels of internal development. When you do not have consistent guidance, you are pushed to think critically, to observe deeply, and to make decisions without constant reassurance. That process can feel uncomfortable, but it also builds capacity. It develops discernment. It strengthens your ability to lead without dependency. It teaches you how to create structure where none exists.

For some of us, the assignment is not just to succeed within existing systems, but to refine them, rebuild them, or create new ones altogether. And that kind of leadership often requires a season where external guidance is limited so internal clarity can grow.

The Hidden Blessing in Isolation

There was a time when I felt like I was building on an island. I would look around and see others with access to guidance, insight, and opportunities that seemed out of reach for me. It was easy to internalize that difference and assume I was missing something essential.

But over time, my perspective shifted. What I once interpreted as isolation, I began to understand as preparation.

Resilience became more than a concept. It became a daily practice. It looked like continuing to show up when results were unclear. It looked like choosing solutions over frustration. It looked like allowing failure to refine me instead of defining me.

Every setback carried information. Every delay created space for deeper alignment. And every moment where I had to figure things out on my own strengthened my ability to lead with clarity and conviction.

Faith played a central role in that process.

When external direction was limited, I had to rely on something greater than what I could see. That reliance grounded me. It gave me stability when circumstances were uncertain and reminded me that my path did not have to mirror anyone else’s to be valid.

I stopped measuring my progress by who was connected to me and started measuring it by who I was becoming. 

New Path to Leadership

Something shifts in you when you learn to move without constant validation. When you do not have a sponsor in the room, you learn how to advocate for yourself with clarity and confidence. When you do not have a mentor guiding every step, you develop the discipline to think, assess, and decide with intention. That does not make mentorship less valuable. It simply means your leadership is not dependent on it.

Over time, a few principles became clear for me:

1. Integrity becomes your introduction. When no one is speaking on your behalf, your work carries your reputation. Consistency and excellence begin to open doors that relationships alone cannot sustain.
2. Your frameworks become your foundation. Without a predefined blueprint, you must build your own systems. That process creates originality, depth, and solutions that are rooted in real experience.
3. Conviction becomes your anchor. Connections can fluctuate. Opportunities can shift. But when your vision is grounded in something deeper, it remains steady regardless of external changes.

This kind of leadership is not built quickly. It is developed over time, through lived experience, reflection, and a commitment to keep going even when the path is unclear.

Final Words:

Everything won't always go as planned, but keeping the big picture in mind, even amid challenges, moved me forward in life.

If you find yourself in a season where the mentors are silent and the sponsors are absent, do not mistake the silence for a lack of progress.

• Trust the Process: Your systems are being refined.

• Trust the Vision: Your "flat-fee" for success has already been paid through your persistence.

• Trust the Source: A mentor can give you advice, but The Most High God gives you the calling.

You aren't lacking the tools for the journey. You are simply being built in a way that ensures when you reach the top, everyone will know exactly who provided the strength to get there. 

314 Day – St. Louis, MO’s unofficial Official City Holiday

  

March 14, 2026

314 Day – St. Louis, MO’s unofficial Official City Holiday 

I’ll be honest, I have a love-hate relationship with my home city, St. Louis. We’ve seen the heights of global notoriety in figures like Nelly, the poetic soul of Maya Angelou, the athletic dominance of Jayson Tatum, and the comedic genius of Cedric the Entertainer. However, the soil here is also heavy with the memory of soldiers lost too soon, people like Mike Brown, the activist Edward Crawford, and the many unnamed brothers and sisters who didn't get to see their potential realized.

It is a city where only the strongest survive, but that strength isn’t just individual; it’s communal. What often goes unsaid is how much "community" actually means here. Beyond the headlines, diverse leaders are taking the grounds of innovation to heights beyond imagination. From "low-key" creators building digital empires in their basements to visionaries with massive followings, St. Louis is a hub of unrecognized brilliance waiting for its flowers.

The People’s Holiday

314 Day, or March 14th, is one of the biggest celebrated "unofficial official holidays" in the city. 314 is the original St. Louis area code, no hate to the new 557 that was released in 2022. It wasn't handed down by a marketing board or a city council; it originated from the folks in the mud, on the ground. The day celebrates the resilience, style, and joy of the St. Louis people, where the North, South, West, and County find a common frequency.

From Imo’s Pizza and the local "chinamen" spots to the park hangouts at Forest Park or O’Fallon Park, to the honorable question, “What high school did you go to?” 314 Day is the day we celebrate it all. It is a day of shared pride for a city that has been thriving on unique features that most people around the nation wouldn’t ever guess. We have a certain way of talking, a certain way of dressing, and a certain way of showing up for each other that you can't find anywhere else. It’s more than just a zip code; it’s about a shared DNA of perseverance.

City of Untapped Innovation

St. Louis is often framed through the lens of its challenges, but because this city can be tough, it forces you to be a visionary. People here don't wait for a seat at the table; they build their own in their garages and on their front porches.

This is where the "strongest survive" mindset turns into real business. We see people turning side hustles into community institutions every day. Whether it's a new clothing line, a community garden, or a tech startup, the grit of the city is what fuels the economy. We are a city of founders who know how to make a dollar out of fifteen cents. 

Community Matters

St. Louis is a place where history is lived every day. When we talk about community, we aren't just talking about the people currently standing next to us. There is a specific kind of energy in St. Louis that goes beyond titles or status symbols. It’s about empowering the person next to you. It’s about the luxury of knowing your neighbor and the power of collective work. This city demands authenticity. You can't fake it here. Honesty is what makes our community cohesiveness so strong and why we are so protective of our culture.

In this space, "power" is redefined. It’s not about who has the loudest voice, but who has the most impact. As we look at the evolution of 314 Day, we see it moving from a party to a platform. It is becoming a day when we don't just show out, but sow in, investing back into the neighborhoods that raised us to ensure the "soldiers" of the future have the resources they need to win. 

Final Words:

Ultimately, St. Louis is a city that demands you be certain of who you are. If you can make it here, you truly can make it anywhere, because the 314 prepares you for every climate. As we celebrate March 14th, we acknowledge the scars and the stars alike.

Being from St. Louis is a badge of honor that we carry everywhere we go. We recognize the struggles and the losses, but we choose to focus on the momentum we are building. 314 Day is a true reflection of our evolution; it’s more than just a number or a date on the calendar. It is a reminder that we are the architects of our own future. As we move forward, we keep that same energy of uplifting and empowering one another. We celebrate the soldiers we lost by becoming the leaders the city needs. We are St. Louis-made, and that means we are built to last.

St. Louis is no longer a "flyover" city; it is a foundation. Whether you are a first-generation entrepreneur or a seasoned executive, the city teaches you that momentum is reclaimed through clarity and community. On 314 Day, we don't just celebrate where we are from; we celebrate the fact that we are still here, still building, and still rising.

Women's History Month - My Response to Being a Phenomenal Woman

  

February 20, 2026

Women's History Month - My Response to Being a Phenomenal Woman

Since the 1980s, March has been recognized as Women’s History Month. On the Western calendar, it sits just a few months shy of Mother’s Day. While not every woman identifies as a mother, the divine feminine energy has always nurtured life and maintained the sustainable cycles of our world.

The journey hasn't been easy; there have been grueling political fights for women’s rights in education, healthcare, economics, and nearly every other sector of society. As these struggles endure, we must use this month to do more than just reflect on historical figures. We must also look inward at our roles as leaders today and consider the impact we are making on those around us.

Phenomenal Woman

I was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, the birthplace of Ms. Maya Angelou, the legendary poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist. My connection to her legacy is even more personal: my son and my mother attended the very same school she did, though it has since been converted into a middle school.

Ms. Angelou survived and thrived by giving voice to the childhood experiences she once could not fully process. In one of her most popular poems, Phenomenal Woman (1978), she celebrates female confidence, self-love, and authenticity, suggesting that true beauty lies not in conventional standards but in embracing one’s inner strength and individuality.

I relate to Maya because I too, did not have a traditional road to success. I had to learn not just about myself, and build my confidence, I had to learn how to navigate the world, and that included understanding what self-love and leading with power really meant. I wrote a response to Ms. Angelou in poem.

How to Manage Life and Work in 3 Simple Steps (Without Losing Your Mind)

 

February 20, 2026

How to Manage Life and Work in 3 Simple Steps (Without Losing Your Mind)

Most people who hear about work-life balance think it’s a myth. We are told to work hard to achieve our dreams, and then told to practice self-care to avoid burning out. The problem is that these two pieces of advice are often at war with each other, but I believe it’s achievable. I believe in personal and professional prosperity through abundance, and that you do not have to sacrifice your mental health to achieve it. However, it doesn’t happen by accident. It happens through integrity and a solid standardized operating procedure for your life.

Most people lose their minds, not because of a lack of effort, but instead because of a lack of direction. They need a road map. When you don’t have a system, every small problem feels like a crisis. You lose sight of the big picture because you’re drowning in the small picture of emails, chores, and mounting stress. We have to stop relying on fleeting shots of motivation. Motivation is a feeling that systems are dependable.

I created a three-step system to help you reclaim your time and your sanity. The time is now to be honest with yourself about your limits and update your belief that a better way of living is possible. These aren’t just tips. I’m building a community where personal and professional development merge so you can get things done without losing your soul in the process.

Empower Impact Conference

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 27, 2024

Empower Impact Conference to Unite Over 100 Professionals for Transformative Growth

St. Louis, MO — Upper Coaching is excited to announce the Empower Impact Conference, a groundbreaking event that will take place on September 13, 2024, at the historic Union Station in St. Louis, Missouri. Designed to merge personal and professional development, the conference aims to inspire over 100 attendees with powerful insights, practical tools, and strategies for success.

The Empower Impact Conference is set to redefine the traditional conference experience by focusing on the holistic development of its participants. Attendees will hear from industry leaders and expert speakers, participate in interactive discussions, and enjoy dynamic panel sessions that emphasize both personal and professional growth. In addition, the event will feature ample networking opportunities, entertainment, a showcase of innovative vendor booths, and a delicious lunch buffet.

“We are thrilled to host the Empower Impact Conference and bring together a diverse group of professionals who are passionate about growth and development,” said Raven Pugh, Executive Director of Upper Coaching. “This conference is more than just a learning experience; it's about empowering individuals to think better, feel better, and do better in all areas of their lives. We believe that by fostering this kind of environment, we can contribute to a more inclusive and economically vibrant St. Louis region.”

The event’s theme centers around the idea that personal branding is key to understanding and achieving success across various life stages. By equipping attendees with actionable skills and strategies, the Empower Impact Conference aims to empower participants to overcome challenges and reach their full potential, both personally and professionally.

As part of its commitment to community growth, Upper Coaching is also inviting local businesses, organizations, and institutions to participate as sponsors. Sponsorship provides a unique opportunity to connect with a targeted audience of motivated professionals and to support the ongoing economic and social development of the St. Louis region.

Tickets for the Empower Impact Conference are now available through Eventbrite and the official conference website at conference.uppercoaching.org. Early registration is encouraged, as space is limited.

For more information about the Empower Impact Conference, including sponsorship opportunities and a detailed agenda, please visit conference.uppercoaching.org or contact Raven Pugh at 314-312-2793 or raven.pugh@uppercoaching.org.

About Upper Coaching
Upper Coaching is a St. Louis-based consulting agency specializing in coaching, training, and business administrative and project management services. With a mission to empower individuals and businesses to achieve their goals, Upper Coaching employs a holistic approach to personal and professional development, ensuring sustainable growth and success.

Media Contact:
Raven Pugh
Executive Director, Upper Coaching
Phone: 314-312-2793
Email: raven.pugh@uppercoaching.org

The Black American Heritage Flag

Black American Heritage Flag image from Wikipedia

Black History Month:

The Black American Heritage Flag

Written by Raven Pugh, MA
February 13, 2023

When we think of America, we think of a land with countless cultures, nationalities, religions, and ideologies. To many, the country represents change, freedom, and newfound hope; and it has become the home to countless people while continuing to keep the door open to immigrants, despite the push for new policies.

But for black Americans, also identified through other historical phrases such as African Americans; their relationship with the country has been filled with tears, joy, pain, and pride. Black Americans, whether one believes had already inherited the land before the arrival of the British, or that they were all forced to this land through the transatlantic slave trade, have been forced to make a life with centuries of racism and prejudices on their back. 

The Civil Rights Movement was one of many liberation movements that empowered black Americans to stand proud of not just who they were but of their country as well. During this time, two black men noticed that although other nationalities had flags to fly to show their cultural pride in the melting pot of America, there was no flag to represent black Americans. So in 1967, those two men, Melvin Charles and Gleason T. Jackson decided to design the Black American Heritage Flag (Hanlon, 2023). 

The Black American Heritage Flag was created to “celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of black Americans. Its 3 main colors, red, black and gold each represent something specific to the struggle and elevation of black people in America. Red is to symbolize the blood shed by black Americans. Black is used to symbolize pride and the gold color/symbol is used to represent intellect, prosperity and peace (Hanlon, 2023). 

Pan-American Flag image from Wikipedia

The Black American Heritage Flag is not the only flag that was designed to represent black pride, other flags include the Pan-American flag designed by Marcus Garvey; and the Juneteenth flag designed by Ben Haith (Mention, 2022).

Juneteenth Flag image from Wikipedia

 

So today, as we move from the idea that black history deserves a month of recognition, into an inclusive view that black history is American history, let’s celebrate the staple of the Black American Heritage Flag. 

References:

- Hanlon, R. (2023, February 1). Everything To Know About the Black American Heritage Flag. Parade: Entertainment, Recipes, Health, Life, Holidays; Parade. https://parade.com/living/black-american-heritage-flag 

- Mention, B. (2022, August 16). A Timeline Of Black American Flags Throughout History. Essence; Essence. https://www.essence.com/news/black-american-flags-history/

Images:

- Black American Heritage Flag - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_American_Heritage_Flag 

- Pan-American Flag by Marcus Garvey - Wikipedia 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan-African_flag 

- Juneteenth Flag - CNN 

https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/17/us/juneteenth-flag-meaning-explainer-cec/index.html