#SmartBrownVoices - Learning from Diversity

This week Mike Street and L. Martin Pratt (FKA ILuvBlackWomen) chat about the current state of Blacks in Tech.

L. Martin Johnson Pratt is noted for being one of America’s top technology thought leaders. Martin founded the ILUVBLACKWOMEN Brand in 2008 which has grown into an online social media movement. Martin is the co-host and founder of the 1st and only African American technology talk show on FM radio in NYC. The Technocolor Radio Show on WHCR-90.3 FM has been on the air since 2003. Martin has been the Social Media Strategist for several notable media outlets such as: Politic365.com and Rollingout Magazine owned by Steed Media Group.

This week Mike Street chats with the super AWESOME Kathryn Finney of Digital Undivided. Listen as Mike and Kathryn talk about the rise of Digital Undivided, women in tech, and so much more.

Follow Kathryn Finney on Social Media:

* Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/Kathryn Finney

* Twitter  – https://www.twitter.com/KathrynFinney

About Kathryn Finney

Kathryn Finney is the founder and Managing Director of digitalundivided (DID), a social enterprise that develops programs that increase the active participation of urban communities, especially women, in the digital space. DID’s programs and events have reached over 9 million people.

She’s served as Editor-At-Large at BlogHer, INC from 2012-2014. She was also one of the first lifestyle bloggers and the CEO of TBF Group, LLC, parent company of the highly influential The Budget Fashionista Brand, which reaches a global audience of more than 13 million+ unique visitors a year. Kathryn and The Budget Fashionista has been featured in more than 1000 media outlets, including the TODAY show (12 times), Good Morning America, the New York Times, The success of the TBF has led to several cross platform partnerships, including the book: How to be a Budget Fashionista (Random House), which is currently in its 9th printing, and partnerships with major brands such as Microsoft, Proctor & Gamble, TJ Maxx/Marshalls, Sears, Nordstrom, and Paypal.

An honors graduate of Yale University where she received numerous awards including the Courtland Van Creed Award for Academics and Community Service and Rutgers University, where she was a member of the USA Today All Academic Team and received her Class Award.

Kathryn is a frequent keynote speaker at conferences such as #FOCUS100, Black Enterprise Small Business, BlogHer, Future15 keynote at South by Southwest (SXSW), New YorkWomen in Communications, Women’s Funding Network, Columbia School of Business, and numerous colleges and universities.

She serves as an advisor to several leading tech companies, including LineApple and Makers Crew.

This week Mike Street sits down with Chike Ukaegbu of StartUp52 and Re:LIFE Inc. Listen as they discuss the current state of Startups, starting a nonprofit, and more.

About Chike Ukaegbu

Chike Ukaegbu is an Educator, Entrepreneur, Humanitarian and Engineer who is passionate about curbing youth disconnection, poverty, educational disadvantage and opportunity divide in underrepresented communities.

He is an ex-fellow of the prestigious Colin Powell Leadership Fellowship on leadership and public policy, was named a 2014 NYC Rising Star by Pave for his contributions to youth development and recently, a 2015 Ashoka Emerging Innovator Finalist. He gave his first TEDx talk on entrepreneurship in Hawaii last year and continues to advocate for economic empowerment of minorities through various outlets.

Chike co-founded Re:LIFE Inc, a 501c3 nonprofit with the mission to empower youth through entrepreneurship and education, and recently founded Startup52, an innovation suite focused on grooming and accelerating founders and startups from untapped communities in tech and startup entrepreneurship.

He studied Biomedical engineering at The City College of New York where he currently teaches Math and entrepreneurship, among other endeavors.

Welcome to “Shorty”, special shorter edition of #SmartBrownVoices. This week we chat with Melba Wilson from Melba’s Restaurant in Harlem. And we also chat with the award winning Chef JJ who has been making big waves at the Cecil in Harlem. Take a listen and happy Friday!

Learn more about Harlem Eatup below:

Harlem EatUp! Festival Celebrates the Spirit of Harlem with Two Days of Free Events

(Monday April 20 – Harlem, New York) – Come one, come all to Harlem EatUp! Festival, which will feature two days of free events on May 16-17 that celebrate the food, culture, and spirit of historic Harlem. These events, which are open to the public at no charge, are perfect for gourmands, aesthetes, families, city explorers and Harlem enthusiasts.

You can walk The Avenue at The Stroll to see and taste the very best that Harlem has to offer, watch culinary demos from nationally and locally renowned chefs, and experience an Afternoon in Harlem of tastings and music.

Saturday May 16th 2015 – “The Stroll: A Grand Tasting Experience”

Experience Harlem’s soulful vibe and delicious fare as you walk The Stroll in Morningside Park. A variety of local artisans and purveyors will be selling specialty foods on The Avenue while celebrity chefs and personalities inspire with exciting culinary demonstrations.

The Avenue

• Time: 12:00PM – 5:00 PM

• Location: Morningside Park (114th Street and Manhattan Avenue)

• Participating Restaurants: BLVD Bistro, Charles Country Pan Fried Chicken, Chocolat Restaurant & Lounge, Corner Social, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, Farafina Café & Lounge Harlem, Harlem Shake, Harlem Tavern, La Bodega 47 Social Club, Lady Lexis Sweets, Lido, LoLo’s Seafood Shack, Madiba Harlem, Make My Cake, Melba’s, Ponty Bistro, Red Rooster, Seasoned Vegan, Spoonbread, The Cecil/Minton’s, The Grange, Zoma

Culinary Demonstrations presented by Macy’s

• Schedule:

o 12PM-12:45PM: Chefs Ludo Lefebvre and George Duran

o 1PM-1:45PM: Chefs Marcus Samuelsson and Melba Wilson with special guest Marjorie Eliot of Jazz at Marjorie Eliot’s

o 2PM-2:45PM: Cooking Light & Friends featuring Chefs Anna Bullett and Marvin Woods

o 3PM-3:45PM: A Harlem Cook-Off featuring judges Marc Murphy, Alex Guarnaschelli, Jonelle Procope and Alexander Smalls

o 4PM-4:45PM: Cooking Demo with Chef Scott Conant and Mixologist Karl Franz Williams

http://harlemeatup.com/events/the-stroll-a-grand-tasting-experience/

Sunday May 17th 2015 – “A Sunday Afternoon in Harlem” presented by Aetna

Sundays in Harlem are made for family, friends, food, and fun! Enjoy food from local restaurant vendors (sold a la cart, $7 a plate average), tasting tents featuring a live gospel choir and Harlem musicians, local art on display, interactive activities for all ages, and more.

• Time: 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM

• Location: Morningside Park (114th Street and Manhattan Avenue)

• Participating Restaurants: BLVD Bistro, BTH, Charles Country Pan Fried Chicken, Flat Top Bistro, Harlem Shake, Harlem Tavern, Hot Bread Kitchen, Kitchenette Uptown, Make My Cake, Ponty Bistro, Seasoned Vegan, Streetbird Rotisserie

• Participating Artists: Ivan Forde, Vy Higginsen: Mama Foundation for the Arts, Pontus Höök, Lara Land of Land Yoga, Lanie McNulty, and DJ Stormin’ Norman

http://harlemeatup.com/events/sunday-afternoon-in-harlem/

About Harlem EatUp! Festival: Harlem EatUp! is a brand new festival in Harlem, New York, celebrating the food, culture and spirit of Harlem.

This week Mike Street chats with the co-Founder of Blogalicious Conference, Stacey Ferguson. Stacey talks about her experiences creating the conference, how to get sponsorships, and whats needed for conference success.

Follow Stacey on social media:

* Website – http://justicefergie.com/

* Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/JusticeFergieLifestyle

* Twitter – https://twitter.com/justicefergie

* Instagram – https://instagram.com/justicefergie/

* Blogalicious Conference – http://beblogalicious.com/

Meet Stacey:

Hi! I’m Stacey. Lifestyle + Business Design for Multi-passionates is my jam. With a little strategy magic, You can have your life and career cake and eat it too. Let’s Carpe the Diem together: Life IS the Party!

Break out the good china. Shimmy into that cocktail dress. Start up that bakery or that summer camp or that podcast. There’s no better day than today to celebrate or to pursue your dreams – life IS the party! Since 2010 I’ve been inspiring others to be intentional about designing their lives and celebrating the every day through this lifestyle blog, events and my consulting business. Not only have I had the extreme joy of pushing people in the direction that makes their eyes sparkle, but I’ve also had the pleasure of working on projects that have a purpose and make me feel good inside. It’s my cheery outlook on life, my genuine desire to help others live their passions, my deep-seated love for entrepreneurship, and my knack for turning the little things into big experiences that drive my personal and business missions. After shaking the corporate world in 2012 after a 10-year career practicing law, launching a parenting and work-life ‘balance’ blog in 2006, and co-founding a conference and leading a social movement that began in 2009, today I can say that I’ve finally honed in on my calling: to restore the joie de vivre in those I touch. Welcome to my little slice of happy.

It’s #420Day! Mike Street and Denitria Lewis discuss business opportunities in the soon to be billion dollar industry of Cannabis.

Reading Materials:

* The Unbearable Whiteness of the Marijuana Industry

* Snoop Dogg Invests in Uber for Weed App

* Wiz Khalifa and other celebrities to market own brands of legalized marijuana

* 7 celebrities looking to cash in on the cannabis industry’s ‘Green Rush’

Mr. Mike Street chats with James Oliver Jr., Founder and CEO of the world’s cutest twins/WeMontage.com. James has been through the fire, but has come out on top as an Dad/Entrepreneur. Learn how he took his business from just an idea, to a full product.

WeMontage.com on the Today Show w/ Mario Armstrong:

BIO

James Oliver is Co-Founder of the world’s cutest twins. CEO of WeMontage.com-turns your photos into removable wallpaper. Parent-entrepreneur advocate via trepLifeDad.com. SheKnows.com Experts Among Us contributor for entrepreneurship.

Social Media

* Twitter – @WeMontage

* Facebook – WeMontage