in the community.
By Aisha Adams –
Each of these enterprising leaders provides an essential service for the community, while also creating a successful business model.
Legacies don’t start as legacies. They start with burning midnight oil, working after hours on your dream, and sometimes getting started when you don’t know exactly how it’s going to end.
The first Black-owned-and-operated newspaper in the United States was Freedom’s Journal, published on March 16, 1827, the same year that slavery was abolished in New York State. The freedom on these pages was the heartbeat of the people as they walked into a new era. And the only ones who could tell their story was these newly freed, formerly enslaved Africans in America. They were not trying to create a legacy. They were just being true to their heart, their reality, and their experiences.
Asheville has its own type of Freedom Journal: The Urban News, published by Johnnie Grant.
When Johnnie Grant started The Urban News, times were different. There were not as many opportunities for entrepreneurs of color—especially women. But that did not stop her. She launched the newspaper despite the challenges.
The city of Asheville’s 2018 Economic Disparity Study reported that less than 0.5% of all contracts went to Black-owned businesses. The reason was that there were not enough businesses; and the ones that existed did not have capacity to do the work.
However, we think differently. We know the businesses are here, but they have been boxed out through systems that make it harder for Black-owned businesses to engage. So those who make progress should be celebrated.
That’s why we are celebrating the Legacy Awards. Black Wall Street AVL is hosting this event to honor Asheville’s local leaders on Saturday, February 17, 2024 at 5 p.m., at 8 River Arts Place.
Dr. Oralene Simmons
Dr. Oralene…
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