BlackBizBall Awards Ceremony BlackBiz Development Group LLC

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Come one, come all to the BlackBizBall! The BlackBiz Development Group LLC (BBDG) Marie Firmin CEO & President will honor 28 local Black-owned businesses and leaders at the second annual BlackBizBall Awards Ceremony to be held Thursday, May 12, 2022 from 3:30-8:30 pm at the Beauport Hotel on the waterfront at 55 Commercial St. in Gloucester, MA. Each awardee (to be announced) will be chosen as an exemplary local business or leader representing one of the seven universal principles of Kwanzaa, an African American cultural-historical celebration: Unity, Self-Determination, Collective Work and Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity/Innovation and Faith and Hope.

The ball was created in full during the worst of COVID to uplift local Black businesses. The unique business networking event is also a response to the September 2020 Citigroup report, CLOSING THE RACIAL INEQUALITY GAPS: The Economic Cost of Black Inequality in the US. Its main conclusion was that “not addressing racial gaps between blacks and whites has cost the US economy up to $16 trillion over the past 20 years.” As part of the celebration, the ball will introduce distinguished speakers, businesses and leaders to leaders to the Cape Ann community. “After the murder of George Floyd, many White-owned businesses vowed to work toward equity by doing more business with Black-owned businesses. The BlackBizBall is one step into our future where racial and economic justice becomes the responsibility of us all”, says Firmin, Founder and CEO of BlackBiz Development Group LLC (BBDG), Black Biz Dev Inc. non-profit EAP Academy for pre and post incarcerated youth and BlackBizBall Event Planning business.    

The Beauport Hotel and Gloucester’s Racial Justice Team (GRJT) stand committed to ensuring the ball’s success. Ray Johnston, Managing Director of the Beauport Hospitality Group says “we look forward to the ball and future integrated projects with BBDG” The GRJT supports the BlackBizBall as an effective step toward fulfilling our mission of creating a welcoming city where people of all races can thrive," says Michea McCaffrey and Nancy Goodman, Co-chairs.

Marie Firmin, CEO and President has worked with inner city community based businesses for over 20 years as an educator, entrepreneur, business owner, curriculum author, consultant and speaker. Her company owns a digital directory with over 11,000 businesses (www.ebony100.com) where awardees can be found, an entrepreneurship curriculum infused with cultural perspectives with an online training course www.ebony100.net. Marie has also designed the Black Women Biz Opportunity Zone Fund project she will launch a 2022 to incubate and accelerate Black-owned businesses in low-income communities.

Marie says, “We are coming together to celebrate our diversity, to bring value to each other, to exchange resources and to have fun together as we journey for racial and economic justice for all. We would love for you to join us!”

For tickets, tables, donations go to www.BlackBizBall.com

Sponsorship Package requests are available at BlackBizBall@gmail.com or 617-803-0937

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