"Attention to social justice for Black Americans grew in the wake of the murder of George Floyd. While some people took to the streets and joined protests, others focused on supporting Black-owned businesses. In Maine, this spirit fueled the formation of Black Owned Maine, which promotes Black business owners and their products and services. We talk with some of these entrepreneurs—and what it means to support their work. This show is part of our yearlong series on the changing face of Maine."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Rose Barboza
Email: rose@blackownedmaine.com
Phone: (207) 849-0008

Join Black Owned Maine for a Night of Celebration, Education, and Networking!

Portland, Maine – Black Owned Maine (BOM) invites you to a vibrant evening of Black-focused celebration, education, and networking, dedicated to fostering the growth and success of the Black entrepreneurial community.

Event Details:

• Date: Friday, August 18
• Time: 5:30 to 8 PM
• Location: 75 Park St, Lewiston, ME, 04101

Join Generational Noor, Black Owned Maine, and the Black entrepreneurial community to network and discuss foundational elements for a strong business. This event will welcome our youth into the mix and allow for connections to be established between the younger generation and the older, more established generations. Programming will be suitable for high school seniors up but younger teenagers as well as younger kids and their parents are always welcome.

Our most recent event attracted nearly 80 Black entrepreneurs, and the resounding feedback was: "Please make these events monthly!" We welcome you to Lewiston to continue this journey.

What to expect

• Fellow Black entrepreneurs to network and build with
• Free headshots by Firdaws Hakizimana
• Interviews to discuss the entrepreneurial landscape in Maine
• Halal food + variety of drinks
• Post-event raffle for three $100 gift cards to local Black businesses
• Vibes by DJ Jerma
• Black excellence!

We cannot build a Black entrepreneurial ecosystem if we do not partner and keep our money in the Black community! Join us to make this vision a reality.

This event is ONLY for Black entrepreneurs currently in the BOM network and those who are eligible to join now or in the future. If you are unsure if this event is for you, please reach out to us at the contact info below.

RSVP: Eventbrite

About Generational Noor

Generational Noor is dedicated to addressing the opioid epidemic and fostering open discussions around substance use disorder (SUD) within Maine’s BIPOC and immigrant communities.. Generational Noor provides culturally competent support, fosters dialogue, and offers resources tailored to these communities' needs, aiming to save lives and break down barriers to seeking help.

About Black Owned Maine

Black Owned Maine (BOM) is a dynamic Black-led and Black-serving nonprofit organization based in Portland, Maine. Founded in June 2020, BOM operates at the intersection of race and socioeconomics, driven by a commitment to business education and advocacy. BOM provides Black businesses with the critical support they need to thrive and grow, fostering an ecosystem that empowers Black entrepreneurs with the tools and resources necessary for success. Our mission is to sustain and innovate an ecosystem of Black entrepreneurs in Maine. Our vision is a world where Black entrepreneurs have the same access to business resources as their non-Black counterparts.

Questions? Reach out to Rose Barboza at rose@blackownedmaine.com, via text or whatsapp at (207) 849-0008 or via Linkedin or Amran Osman at amran.osman@generationalnoor.com, via text or call (207) 405-7225

Join us to make this vision a reality and build a stronger Black entrepreneurial ecosystem in Maine!

##

Attention to social justice for Black Americans grew in the wake of the murder of George Floyd. While some people took to the streets and joined protests, others focused on supporting Black-owned businesses. In Maine, this spirit fueled the formation of Black Owned Maine, which promotes Black business owners and their products and services. We talk with some of these entrepreneurs—and what it means to support their work. This show is part of our yearlong series on the changing face of Maine.

MAINE, Maine — When the world erupted in protest around the murder of George Floyd, Rose Barboza knew she wanted to do something. As a single mom with COVID concerns, she was reluctant to take to the streets and join in the protests. So, she created a nonprofit called Black Owned Maine with the idea of raising awareness about Black-owned businesses so that people can support these businesses throughout the state. She recognized that there was no public list or directory of these businesses. 

This marks the fourth time that the nonprofit has given out financial relief to families and people who need it during the pandemic.

PORTLAND, Maine — Maine has a shortage of stylists who know how to work on and style hair for Black women, men, and children. Rafiki Shop in Portland aims to change that.

The staff hopes to boost the number of stylists able to work with Black hair and bring more Black-owned businesses to our state.

So on a snowy Saturday night in Portland, dozens of people came to a Black hair show...

BRUNSWICK, Maine - In the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement in the summer of 2020, head women's track and field coach L.J. Que along with students Claire Traum '21, Gillian King '22, and Jada Scotland '23 approached Jerry Edwards '04 and Rose Barboza of Black Owned Maine...

Rose Barboza was at home with her four-year-old child in late May of this year when she saw news coverage of the death of George Floyd, and watched the video of the 46-year-old Black man being handcuffed and pinned to the ground as Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck long after Floyd was dead…

When Rose Barboza lost her job last spring, she never imagined she would soon gain two new business ventures and more than 14,000 Instagram followers as a result.

Barboza, 30, is the founder and co-director of Black Owned Maine, a passion project she started as a way to bring attention and support to businesses owned by Black people statewide...

Rose Barboza’s brainchild went live back in June. Furloughed from her tourism job due to the coronavirus pandemic and grieving the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers, the Saco resident spent three days using her rudimentary coding skills to build a simple website called Black Owned Maine, a directory of bookstores, mechanics, food trucks, dentists’ offices, and other businesses owned by Black Mainers. “There are all these big directories that list Black-owned businesses, and Maine is never on them,” she says. “I was like, I wish Maine was on that list. And then I realized I can actually do that myself.”...