CHARLOTTE -- Black tech entrepreneurs now have a place to thrive, grow, and collaborate in the Queen City.
"Black tech entrepreneurs now feel like they have a place to come to,” said Dorsey, BLKTECH Initiative President and CEO. “This is a small speck of something that belongs to them."
Although they've hosted events around the city for a year now, BLKTECHCLT finally opened a brick and mortar headquarters this past week at Camp North End.
Now rooted, the community initiative plans to offer a once-monthly "learning lab" series. Financial development and planning is the theme of January's lab, which piqued the interest of George Acheampong.
Acheampong, an entrepreneur and financial planner with MakesCents2Me, sees BLKTECHCLT as a platform for people of color to blossom as techies. Also growing - the microloan program they established last year in partnership with Carolina Small Business Development Fund.
"The key word of 2018 is collaboration. If the vision can be done by yourself it’s too small. Build together, enjoy the community and support one another,” said Acheampong.
"[It’s] important to have this sort of visibility around people of color and technology and making sure they're connected with resources, mentorship opportunities they need and deserve,” said Camp North End Community Manager Varian Shrum.
"It's inspiring,” said publicist Freda Hendley. “That kick in the butt, makes you get to work."
BLKTECHCLT encourages interested individuals to consider membership, too. That offers both one-on-one counseling sessions, creative consultations, and free access to the learning lab sessions.