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Independence Day: Year One Sharing Stories of Black Owned Business
One year ago today, Independence Day 2016, I launched #THECOLOROFINGENUITY. I remember how proud I was to post the first article. I was filled with nervous energy, excitement and a tad bit of fear from the moment I hit “publish” but somehow managed to do it anyway. After all, The Color of Ingenuity was going to be my solution to a problem. The problem? I’d spent the last year, feeling powerless as stories dominated airwaves of African American’s who suffered “death by police” and heartbroken when their murders didn’t result in charges or worse– ended in acquittals. You see, we’ve reached a trillion dollars in buying power and we weren’t…
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Modish Vine: The Style Blueprint
Frequently we hear about the absence of fathers and male figures in the lives of men which is often the catalyst for who they become. For Raleigh native, Chiwionne Mason, owner/visionary behind Modish Vine, it was the presence of strong male figures that set him on a road to becoming a man and ultimately an entrepreneur. Mason was fortunate to have two male influences, his great-grandfather “Pop Pop” and father, shape and mold him into manhood. In additions to their influence, Mason was also a member of the ROTC at his alma mater, Broughton High School. As such, upon graduation Mason embarked on a career in the United States Marine…
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The Color of Ingenuity Spotlights Lupita Nyong’o
Scrolling through social media today, I ran across a wonderful display of beauty wrapped in melanin, Ms. Lupita Nyong’o. While her beauty was captivating, it was her words from a few years ago that kept ringing in my head. Hollywood crowned her a star for her riveting portrayal of Patsey in Steve McQueen’s critically acclaimed “12 Years a Slave.” Subsequently, on Oscar Sunday 2014, the world applauded as Nyong’o received Hollywood’s highest honor with her win as Best Supporting Actress. Just over three years later and the world is still singing her praises. Nyong’o has been the talk of Hollywood for everything from her flawless skin and striking beauty to…
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Shenette Swann: Constantly Evolving
There are no boxes or labels vast enough to describe the constantly evolving talent that is Shenette Swann. A classically trained vocalist, percussionist, dancer, author and motivational speaker, Swanns’ gifts came naturally and were nurtured by parents who are both artists in their own right. Her mother a professional singer with a band as a teenager, her father a drummer and her aunt a professional opera singer; music was a living and breathing member of the household. Born in NC to a military family, Swann lived in multiple states throughout the U.S. Her exposure to various cultures was instrumental in shaping not only her world view but her musical palate.…
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Solitude Scents: Discovering the Gift of Solitude
LaToya Adkins moved to Durham NC in search of a change of scenery but stumbled upon her path to entrepreneurship. Born and raised in Milwaukee, WI following graduation from high school; while most of her friends were going off to college hours away from home, Adkins made the decision to attend UW Madison which was only about an hour and a half away. There, Adkins received her bachelors in Legal Studies and Spanish followed by her masters in Social Work. A couple of years into her career, she decided the time was now to move and experience life away from the comforts of home. In October 2015, Adkins packed…
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Happy New Year
Happy New Year Color Of Ingenuity!!! 2017 will be filled with new content, extraordinary stories and a sense of community for entrepreneurs and those that aspire to be! #TheColorOfIngenuity
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Chronicles Photography: Everybody Needs Picture
When you first meet the naturally beautiful Dawn Michelle Downey you’d probably expect her to be in front of a camera, instead she’s behind it. Born and bred in Brooklyn, Downey was given her first camera by her grandmother around the age of 7 and ever since that day she was always, “the girl with the camera” recalls Downey. As the owner/visionary behind Chronicles Photography, Downey uses her innate creativity to capture the moments that last a lifetime for her clients. Despite being the resident photographer among friends, it wasn’t until getting married and moving to North Carolina approximately 5 years ago as Downey recounts that “a close friend put…
