Sometimes you meet someone and realize they didn't just create a business. They created room. Room for people to create. Room for people to connect. Room for people to discover something new about themselves. And, just as importantly, room for other people to bring what they have to the table. That's what came to mind when I met Cynthia, the woman behind Sprinkles N Stuff in Lomita, California. When Cynthia first started making chocolate, she was simply looking for a way to m

Sometimes you start something without realizing just how much it can become. You have an idea. You take the first step. You figure things out as you go. And somewhere along the way, you look up and realize you're building something you never imagined when you started. That's what came to mind when I met Kameelah Abdurrahim, the woman behind KuteNTheKitchen. When Kameelah first started cooking out of her home, she didn't have a grand vision of everything it could become. She t

When art becomes more than something you create, it becomes a way to bring people together. I didn't meet Kandyce Jackson for the first time at the Black Girl Art Show. I've actually been watching pieces of her story unfold for years. Kandyce is the artist and creative mind behind KandyAppleTree, but to me, she's also a reminder of what can happen when you keep showing up for something that once existed only as an idea. She once created the logo for my women's group, and now

Some people build businesses. Others build experiences. And every once in a while, you meet someone who is doing both while creating something that brings people together. That was Daisy. Through Daisy’s Black LA Food Tour, I got to witness something that stayed with me long after the food was gone: resilience in motion, a charismatic spirit that never seemed to dim, and a genuine heart for people, community, Los Angeles, and good food. Before we even pulled away, there was p

Some people create a restaurant. Others create a place where people feel like they belong. Danielle and Fellippe have created the latter. If you've ever walked through the barn doors of Ubuntu and up those steps, you can feel it almost immediately. There's something different here. The fresh flowers on the tables. The blankets available when the evening gets cool. The complimentary Brazilian cheese bread. The little fans placed throughout the space to keep the flies away. Som