BROOKLYN–The richest kingdom in history was the West African powerhouse of Songhoy whose ruler was worth $400 billion in current dollars.
The Amiru Songhoy, more than 30 generations later, comes to Central Brooklyn Economic Development Corp. to spark a three year drive to reach the economic “promised land” for 46 million African Americans. See blackbusinessmonth.com
Fueling the drive is the reach of Black Radio Hall of Famer Angela Yee and journalist author Stacey Tisdale who are co-hosting WayUp Wealth Wednesdays with John William Templeton, a history advisor to the Malian monarch, beginning July 31.
At 6 p.m., they announce the schedule for the 21st Journal of Black Innovation National Black Business Month and several goals:
placing 1 million interns with Black owned firms; sending 1 million applications to the State Small Business Credit Initiative and connecting the 70 million population cities in Africa and the Caribbean with complementary cities in the U.S.
Friday, the Charles Hamilton Houston Pre-Law Institute completed its 45th year of Black attorneys coaching in coming law students, an example of the role Black firms play.
Dr..Hassimi Maiga, the Amiru Songhoy, hails from Bamako, a millennium old city which is part of the changing face of urban life globally.
The future of the four million African American firms is in supporting their progress, says Templeton, a wanadu aroo to Maiga for the past 30 years.
The vast difference in scale between African firms serving national markets and U.S. firms calls for joint ventures and dramatically expanded international trade.
Export-Import Bank CEO Reta Jo Lewis has made increasing exports by Black firms a priority.
https://grow.exim.gov/blog/reta_jo_lewis_black_business_month_2023
Templeton, chair of Central Brooklyn Economic Development Corp. for the past five years, announces the Brownsville Advanced Manufacturing Center as a model for bringing industry to Black neighborhoods.
CBEDC has placed 100 youth so far this summer in its Brooklyn Youth Offshore Wind Program with the American Association of Blacks in Energy.
The former San Jose Business Journal editor founded the annual survey and editorial campaign in his daily online paper blackmoney.com in 2004 at the urging of civil engineer Frederick E. Jordan, his partner in the campaign against Ward Connelly in 1996.
Since 2014, the movement has implemented Our10Plan: the African American economic strategy with the National Black Caucus of State Legislators economic development committee led by Sen. James Sanders, D-Queens.
