ESHIP Communities Bonus Episode Part II

Welcome to this ESHIP Communities bonus episode of Forging Forward, the official podcast for Forward Cities. Funded by the Kauffman Foundation, ESHIP Communities exists to explore pathways to build inclusive, sustainable entrepreneur-centric economies; providing people with connections, tools, and support they need to be successful.

Forward Cities has four ESHIP Communities across the country including - ESHIP Rio Grande in New Mexico; ESHIP Long Beach in- CA, ESHIP Kansas City in KS and MO; and ESHIP Baltimore in MD. We’ll continue to listen in on conversations centered around specific areas of focus for each community in this second portion of this two-part series.

In today’s episode, we’ll continue our journey by heading to ESHIP Baltimore to discuss the narrative of Black business and the distorted perspectives that can sometimes follow. Listen in as Shervonne Cherry, Director of Community and Partnerships for downtown Baltimore co-working space Spark Baltimore and Terence Dixon (also known as Chef T) of Terra Cafe and Tera Loft Consulting, dig deep into the culture and support for Black business in the Baltimore area. In addition to their daily roles, both Shervonne and Terence are members of the ESHIP Baltimore Stewardship Council. Special recognition goes to Cohado, Inc as contributing editor and recording management.

As we round up our tour of the four cities, we recognize that there’s much work to be done but we’re proud of how much progress our communities are making. ESHIP Kansas City is a great example of a community coming together during tough times. ESHIP KC council member(and Executive Director of Central Avenue Betterment Association), Edgar Galicia sits down with Founder & Owner of Thunderlight Work Boots, Virginia Mercado. The two discuss Mercado’s entrepreneurial journey and how she’s overcome obstacles presented by the COVID pandemic.

Thank you for coming back for this second episode of our two-part ESHIP edition of the Forging Forward podcast. If you haven’t had a chance, be sure to check out our Holiday Giving Guide highlighting local businesses in each ESHIP Community; the guide can be found at forwardcities dot org  under ‘Ecosystems.’ As we wrap up 2020, be mindful of the impact you’re making on your local community and what you can do to contribute to building an inclusive, sustainable entrepreneur-centric economy. Until then, keep forging forward.