When Displacement Becomes History: Why Entrepreneurship Is No Longer Optional

February is Black History Month—a time when we honor resilience, brilliance, and progress. But it’s also a time to acknowledge patterns that continue to repeat themselves, even when the names and policies change.

In 2025, amid the rollback of DEI initiatives and widespread federal restructuring, over 1.17 million jobs were lost. Of those, approximately 300,000 were Black, high-achieving women laid off during the first and second quarters alone. These are record numbers. And in 5–20 years, this moment will quietly be referenced as “history.”

But right now, it’s lived reality.

What remains in the air is not just unemployment—it’s displacement, financial strain, identity disruption, and grief. I felt the ripple effects personally. The demographic and region I live in were directly impacted, which in turn affected my own customer base and revenue. When systems shift, entire ecosystems feel it.

Long before this moment, it had already been placed on my heart to teach and guide people through entrepreneurship. Over the years, I’ve done this in many ways—supporting individuals as they stepped into business ownership, often before they believed they were ready.

For me, entrepreneurship opened doors I once only imagined. It gave me the flexibility to move in and out of corporate spaces, extracting lessons, systems, and strategies—and applying them directly to businesses I owned and operated. That lived experience has shown me something clearly: High-achieving women who are exhausted by corporate ceilings often already possess the skills required to succeed in business. They know how to execute. They know how to problem-solve. They understand accountability, deadlines, and performance. What they often lack is not capability—but permission, structure, and support.

I firmly believe that with the right mindset and the right framework, anyone who genuinely desires the entrepreneurial path can build it. If you’ve spent years feeling undervalued, overlooked, or stalled—despite knowing you have more to offer—this message is for you.

If you’re tired of submitting applications only to be declined, delayed, or dismissed, I offer this perspective instead: Create your own opportunity.

As I write this, the song “If I Ruled the World” by Nas and Lauryn Hill plays in my mind. Because if I could shift the world—even slightly—we would all have the space to fully use our gifts. We would intentionally support one another’s businesses. We would circulate dollars within our communities. We would adopt a better-together mindset.

I won’t ignore the conversations around Black businesses falling short. What’s often missing from that dialogue is context. Many entrepreneurs operate at a disadvantage—limited access to capital, small or nonexistent teams, and time constraints that force them to do everything alone. These conditions impact outcomes, not ability.

The solution isn’t judgment—it’s infrastructure, collaboration, and shared resources.

My vision is to bring people together. To help us lean into one another. To raise awareness around the lack of access so we are no longer overlooked. And to build bridges—not only within our communities, but across them—through partnerships, opportunity, and mutual respect. Let’s be honest: we all need one another.

It’s time to build a more cohesive operating system—one that allows individuals to thrive without having to prove their worth over and over again.

My commitment & mission is simple and clear:

I will walk beside you as you build opportunity in the lane of entrepreneurship.

Not above you. Not ahead of you. Beside you.