10 St. Paul founders with the solutions we need
Following the killing of George Floyd in May 2020, many organizations, brands, and leaders are focusing on eliminating the systemic racism that results in violence and economic inequitites against Black and Brown people.
As we rebuild and heal, our local communities have the solutions we need.
Hire, invest in, and buy from these St. Paul founders who will keep building solutions for a better world, long past summer 2020.
If you want Black girls to grow up celebrated and sure of themselves…
Introduce them to Rocky Robinson, who encourages Black girls to be their very best! Buy Rocky Robinson products here.
"Rocky was created to encourage black girls to be their very best, using social & digital content to engage and educate, and branded personal care products like lotion, shower gel, lip balm and hand sanitizer to build self esteem and love. Rocky was created because representation matters!" -Audra Robinson, Rocky Robinson founder and CEO
If you need a partner to support community-centered real estate rebuilding and development…
Hire NEOO Partners Inc., a creative real estate and community engagement consulting firm for public and private sector leaders.
"As many of you know, Denetrick and I live in North Minneapolis and Rondo, respectively...We've had to form block watches, group texts, and armed protection to bring any sense of security to our community. The question that must be asked of you and particularly my real estate colleagues. What are we prepared to do so that white supremacy and racial injustice no longer exists?" -D’Angelos Svenkeson, NEOO Partners founder and CEO
If you're looking for a holistic, data-driven strategy to increase equity at your company…
26 Letters has solutions. They also produce Hack the Gap, Minnesota's all-women hack-a-thon that increases equity in technology.
"There've been a lot of pledges and statements from organizations this week. I hope those statements turn into action. And action continues until there are no murders. Don't let the urgency end. Keep rising Minnesota." -Caroline Karanja, 26 Letters founder and CEO
If you need culturally-responsive tools to help teachers serve all students…
Schoolz is a suite of culturally relevant content like animations, short stories, and mini-documentaries championed by Mondo Davison, Myc Daz, and Dario Otero.
“Dope creatives from the community power the platform. For example, that boy Sheppy is the brainchild of @dante.craft. Schoolz collaborates with him to create educational content for 1st & 2nd graders” - Myc Daz
Cast a vote on your favorite Sheppy segment as Schoolz develops more content to support educators.
If you need to plan a live(ish) event or conference for your community…
Youth Lens 360 can produce it. Youth Lens 360 is digital strategy, digital marketing, and digital management agency specializing in connecting with vibrant young audiences.
Check out undemo.com for more.
If you believe that artists and culture creators can lead us to a better world…
Financially support Monicat Data's Yellow Platform fundraiser on iFundWomen. They are raising $15K to build a workflow unifier for creative teams and independent creatives, putting "all of your data in one place."
"As community leaders, we're in a time of ACTION. This means pulling together collective knowledge and resources for forward mobility." -Jasmine RuKim, Monicat Data co-founder and CEO
If your workplace culture needs improving…
Hire Team Dynamics, who specializes in racial-justice-centered leadership development and organizational culture change work.
"Do not critique people who are in the middle of a revolution. Folks are fighting for their lives." -Alfonso Wenker and Trina Olson, co-founders of Team Dynamics on how workplaces handle and process the murder of George Floyd and all that comes after. Listen on the BEHAVE podcast.
If you’re looking for a safer way to buy and sell items without being scammed…
Buy and sell using Safe Resell, a safer cashless online marketplace.
"The idea of Safe Resell came to me when I became a victim of a robbery when I tried to sell my phone. I never filed a police report nor called the police because, growing up, we were taught to leave the police out of situations unless dire, primarily because a lot of interactions we, as people of color, have with police officers taking a turn for the worse, regardless of who the person in need was." -Timi Ogundipe, Safe Resell founder and CEO
Timi recently launched Shed Some Light, a podcast "where People of Color (POC) can share their experiences with racial profiling, brutality and targetting, by the hands of police officers so us, as POC, can shed some light on what we have to deal with.”
If you want to help a small business come back stronger than ever…
Support We Sparkle, a public benefit corporation that equips underestimated entrepreneurs (especially women of color) with the AI-powered tools they need to start, operate, and grow their ventures.
"Right now, we have been helping hundreds of IBPOC community healers, doulas, midwives, nurses, birthworkers, bodyworkers, therapists, artists, and educators in the Minnesota Healing Justice Network (MHJN) organize and connect their services to the people in our communities who need diapers, food, and culturally-sensitive trauma support. We Sparkle helped them quickly stand up a website and is building out more tools for them to coordinate their support efforts." -Michelle Maryns, We Sparkle founder and CEO
Read more about We Sparkle’s client MHJN in this MPR interview. If you are interested in supporting the work of the We Sparkle x MHJN partnership, email info@wesparkle.org about matching their Launch Minnesota Innovation Grant.
If you need strategies that will redesign and transform your services and systems for equity and justice...
Hire Imagine Deliver, strategy consultants for the new majority.
“A public statement is a good start, but it's only as good as what you do next. And while you may not feel it, your teams are watching, with understandable skepticism, and will be checking to see what solidarity really means to you. Keep showing up." -Kate Downing Khaled, Imagine Deliver founder and CEO