Atlanta is undoubtedly the capital of the South and the moral capital of the world and with great reason!
It’s one of the citadels of the Civil Rights Movement, a bastion of Black progress and wealth, and with the presence of the Atlanta University Center (AUC), is the epicenter for educating and feeding Black minds and spirits at some of the nation’s top schools, specifically designed for educating young African Americans.
Today, one of those outstanding and elite institutions, a world-renown Historically Black College and University (HBCU), Clark Atlanta University (CAU), announced their partnership with Operation HOPE’s 1 Million Black Businesses (1MBB) initiative, powered by HOPE and Shopify, thus solidifying Atlanta as one of our stalwart cities for the initiative.
Clark Atlanta University has agreed to produce 1,000 entrepreneurs from its student body over the next ten years as part of their partnership commitment. The institution, which has graduated some of the best minds in social work, entertainment, and business and has housed great thinkers and innovators like W.E.B. DuBois, represent the very best of what our institutions have to offer. Their partnership stands as a testament to the university’s commitment to educating and preparing the future of Black America and the world to be more than consumers and workers and answer the call to leadership, ownership, and innovation in their own ways.
I would like to commend Dr. George T. French, the president of Clark Atlanta, and his incredible team for shepherding the partnership through to completion. I would also ike to celebrate their historic achievement as the first HBCU to sign on with 1MBB. While they are the first, they most certainly won’t be the last.
1 Million Black Businesses is more than just an attempt at creating opportunity in the Black community. It’s about changing mindsets and taking hold of the American Dream in its entirety. I realize that not everyone is meant to be an entrepreneur or small business owner. Still, every person in every neighborhood across America should be able to quickly locate a Black business in their area and should know a Black business owner that they know personally. Every student graduating from an HBCU should know at least ten classmates who will build their own business and create jobs and opportunity in the communities in which they live.
1MBB is shifting the paradigm making Black business the norm, not the exception.
Minutes ago, we wrapped up the kickoff event announcing our new partnership. There, we explained what 1MBB is about, why it’s essential, and the impact that this program will have on Clark Atlanta’s current and future students over the next decade. We believe that as a result of their participation, thousands upon thousands of people across the nation will benefit for generations to come.
Check out the partnership announcement event below, read the formal press releases here, and visit hope1mbb.org to get involved and make a commitment and/or sign up for partnership opportunities today.