Philanthropy Today
Philanthropy Today
Black Entrepreneurs of the Flint Hills on the GMCF Community Hour Show Episode - 230
Sheila Ellis-Glasper of Black Entrepreneurs of the Flint Hills shares how her organization has distributed over $114,000 in grants to business owners of color and launched a groundbreaking loan fund with a 4% interest rate. She unveils plans for the Yuma Street Cultural Center, the first Kansas initiative combining African-American heritage, entrepreneurship support, and cultural preservation while revealing fascinating historical connections, including Dr. King's impromptu Yuma Street speech.
• Black Entrepreneurs of the Flint Hills has graduated over 20 entrepreneurs through a 12-week Kauffman Foundation business training program
• The Elevate and Empower Loan Fund offers entrepreneurs up to $15,000 at just 4% interest
• Yuma Street contains rich but often overlooked history, including visits from Jackie Robinson, Joe Louis, and Lena Horne
• The Woods family (including Tiger Woods' father, Earl Woods) was among Manhattan's first African-American settlers
• The inaugural Yuma Street Cultural Festival takes place August 31st from 1-9 pm with free admission, food, dancing, and historic tours
• The $2.3 million Yuma Street Cultural Center project is planned to open by 2027 in the historic Shepherd's Chapel building
• The Center will feature event space, entrepreneurial resources, a commercial kitchen, and a rotating restaurant incubator
Learn more or contribute to these initiatives at blackflinthills.com and yumastreet.org.
Philanthropy Today is brought to you by the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation. In this episode we feature a recently broadcast segment of the GMCF Community Hour as heard on NewsRadio KMAN. We are back. This is the GMCF Community Hour on NewsRadio KMAN.
Speaker 2:Essentially I'm a Kansas State University grad. That's what brought me to Manhattan and got into marketing and started a branding and consulting agency and then found some resource gaps that we needed for entrepreneurs here in our area, in particularly entrepreneurs of color, and so essentially we became part of the solution in starting the organization Black Entrepreneurs of the Flint Hills and our work essentially is all focused on equitable economic mobility and then partnering up with Dave Baker and Sonia Baker on the Yuma Street Cultural Center and now Entrepreneurial Hub. So we're really excited to bring those two visions together and what it's going to mean for this community.
Speaker 1:Excited to bring those two visions together and what it's going to mean for this community. That's a fascinating dynamic. You know from what I remember when I was here in the 80s and what Yuma Street looked like down in that area and where it is today. You know, in the statues that you have there in front of the Douglas Center. I just love those. Oh, yes, and you know it's really nice work that Tim Chapman did.
Speaker 2:Chapman did and and uh, actually, my godfather's father and, uh, mother, um, my godfather, lazon Gray's junior in Topeka, that he and my father met at Washburn university when they were studying there. So Lazon Gray senior is actually my, I guess, grand godfather. Well, lots of it's. It's a small world, it is.
Speaker 1:It is, but it just adds a lot to the dynamic and I think that there's a lot of people that don't understand what tremendous history uh that we have down there, the douglas center, and that uh yuma area. And you know, and you talked about dave and sonja and dave is uh talked endlessly about. You know the work that uh has been done, a lot of history. He's done a lot of preservation for that and told a lot of preservation for that. Yes, he has and told a lot of stories about that. And you know they're just two wonderfully great people.
Speaker 2:For sure, certainly.
Speaker 1:I mean they're just adorable together too, yes.
Speaker 2:You know, yes, we're blessed to have them in our community, for sure.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So what kind of an impact do you feel like you've made so far?
Speaker 2:Yes, for sure. Well, specifically with the organization Black Entrepreneurs of the Flint Hills, or the acronym BEFH, we have been able to distribute over $114,000 in grant funds to locally owned business owners of color in our region, and those dollars have gone directly to help them expand or start their businesses, and so those dollars then go back and impact our community. We've been able to graduate over 20 entrepreneurs through our 12-week business training class through the Kauffman Foundation, and so those businesses are able to graduate with a business plan, financial projections and then also partnering up with the chamber, as well as Innovate24, gmcf and the city, we were able to and also Network Kansas statewide. We were able to launch the Elevate and Empower Loan Fund, so now any entrepreneur in our area can access up to $15,000 at a 4% interest rate, which is almost unheard of to start their business and to grow their business, and so there has been a tremendous impact and it really shows when you are looking at where the disparities are the worst.
Speaker 2:That really uplifts the entire community so we can make a bigger economic impact.
Speaker 1:Yeah, what are you seeing? Some trends in the entrepreneurial spirit of individuals, because you know, you have, you know, such a fascinating background of individuals and quite a selection of individuals that all have different dreams and aspirations.
Speaker 2:I would say the entrepreneurial landscape in our area has certainly grown. When you look at just the ease of being able to access tech part of our Commerce Uplift 12-week business training we just went over to the K-State Sunderland Innovation Lab and just to be able to see the tech that's available. If you want to start a podcast, if you want to create digital content, you don't have to spend thousands of dollars on equipment. You can access it in the community. I really think that just being able to start a business is easier than it has been before. There aren't as many barriers and, with organizations that are putting the needs of entrepreneurs first in our community specifically, it's becoming easier to access those resources and statewide resources as well for those businesses, and so I think now's the best time to be able to start a business and get access to the resources you need to actually be successful.
Speaker 1:You have some examples of some individuals that are out there on their own doing their thing.
Speaker 2:Yes, for sure. An example that I love to share is Therapy and Hungry.
Speaker 2:Chickpea. I absolutely love them. I knew Tiffany even beforehand at the farmer's market when my son, trey, who has this lemonade business, trey Squeeze Lemonade, we met there at the farmer's market. But as far as Therapy and Hungry Chickpea, they are an example of two businesses in the community that was able to take advantage of that Elevate and Empower fund. They're able to expand into a kitchen on the second floor to expand the therapy operations.
Speaker 2:Hungry Chickpea, who is one of our members in BFH. They've been able to access technical assistance grants to grow their business. And Mario, who's a chef, has been a chef at many restaurants in this area. Has contributed, I believe, a lot to kind of training up-and-coming chefs and now to have the opportunity to realize his dream of having his own space and his own restaurant. His wife is a nutritionist at K-State and so it's being able to invest in those folks and not only improves the quality of life around us to be able to have, you know, their services in the community but it helps them to realize their dreams and just be happier. You know their services in the community but it helps them to realize their dreams and just be happier you know, as people to be able to pursue those.
Speaker 1:What methods are you utilizing to reach out to entrepreneurs, sure To to learn more about the work that you do and how you can help them.
Speaker 2:Sure, and so our website is just blackflinthillscom, and so anybody can access the website. We have our grind and growth program that is open to the community. We have two workshops a month, and those workshops are all around mindset, money and marketing all three things that entrepreneurs need, but then also people in the community as well, and so you could look us up on social media and you can find that information there. You can find our directory there, so you could find the businesses that we've worked with, and you can also get involved in the different activities and events we have. Actually, next month, we have the Yuma Street Cultural Festival happening on August 31st in the historic Yuma Street District, and we're really excited to invite the entire community out for that.
Speaker 1:You know, and you may have figured this out by now, but Almost every question that I've asked you does not relate to what's going on with that, and that was the primary purpose of you coming in here today was to talk about the Yuma Street Cultural Festival, and let's step back a little bit and let's talk a little bit about that history, because it's so poignant.
Speaker 2:Sure, sure and so really, as you mentioned the Yuma Street Historic District, we really have a lot of deep roots in the Manhattan area. You can, I always love to use some of the heavy history hitters. I would say like Dr King gave his last university speech at K-State, then he came on to Yuma Street because he asked where are my people, and he gave an impromptu speech on Yuma Street.
Speaker 1:I had never heard that.
Speaker 2:Yes, I did not know that. Yes, a lot of people don't know, and so there were actually no photos, but it is all recounted in the 140 Years of Soul book that I highly recommend if you want to learn more about the very rich African-American culture and history in Manhattan. Also, earl Woods, tiger Woods' father. A lot of folks know that story but they may not know that the Woods family was actually one of the very first African-American families that came to Manhattan looking for to start their life after slavery, and they were part of the exodusters that came first nine families and so there is so much history there as well. In addition to the USO for colored soldiers that brought a lot of folks like Jackie Robinson, joe Lewis, even Lena Horne.
Speaker 1:Lena Horne.
Speaker 2:Lena Horne came and performed at the Douglas Center. Yes, uso.
Speaker 1:And I'm learning a lot from you today. We need to hang out more.
Speaker 2:Well, mr Baker and Mrs Baker would probably be proud, because that's where I learned a- lot of this history from.
Speaker 1:Well, they're good teachers. Yes, they're good teachers, great community players, and you know that. So I knew about Joe Lewis and Jackie Robinson that have hung out there. You know that. So I I knew about Joe Lewis and Jackie Robinson that have hung out there. You know, and and I knew about Earl Woods, but boy, you've introduced me to a lot of new things here. So you've got this cultural festival coming up on the 31st. How are you?
Speaker 2:doing this morning. Yeah, labor day weekend, that's a Sunday.
Speaker 1:I'm doing pretty good.
Speaker 2:Yeah, on labor day weekend, that's a Sunday. So we have a K-State home game that Saturday on the 30th and then, yeah, stick around for the festival. It'd be from 1 to 9 pm on that Yuma Street, 900 block of Yuma Street, so that whole Douglas Center complex. We have over a thousand people on the Facebook event. We're so excited.
Speaker 2:And it's just going to be a great time for the community to come together to learn about the rich history of Yuma Street. We'll be giving some of the historic tours as well, as there will be lots of food. Dancing We'll have some soul line dancing classes, even bachata. We'll have a two-step class and then we'll have the Divine Nine Greek stroll off with our historically black fraternities and sororities around town are you doing boots on the ground? Yes, we're gonna do boots on the ground as well you're surprised that I would know that.
Speaker 2:No, I'm not, hey, that shows it's spreading it is, it is it is you know. I don't know how to do it, but oh well, you should come to the festival so you can learn dave, you know what I'm going to tell you this.
Speaker 1:I don't have any obligations that day, okay, at least not as of yet. So, uh, I'm going to have to. We're gonna have to talk about that. In fact, I have a? Uh, one of my dear friends. Uh, she's a longtime radio personality. We met in Salina. She was 15 and then she started working at the radio station I was at and I trained her and she's gone on to win a number of state awards in broadcasting. She's in Kansas City now and her family was part of the Exodusters that settled in oh goodness what community. It's in Morris County, okay, I can't remember the name of the community, but she's been here for a number of the Juneteenth things.
Speaker 2:Okay, that's wonderful.
Speaker 1:So I'm going to put a bug in Danielle's ear and say, hey, you've got to come down here for this Cause that I think she we'd have a great time together. She's just a blast. You need to know her.
Speaker 2:Okay, I would love that connection.
Speaker 1:Yeah, okay, so so it's one to nine on the 31st. Yes, what else do I need? Is there an admission charge?
Speaker 2:No, it's open and free to the community. We just want to bring some awareness to the Yuma street Cultural Center project. We are slated to start phase one on the renovations of the building this fall and we just got approved for community service tax credits through the Department of Commerce and we've had a lot of great support from the community, from GMCF, through our Grow Green Match Day campaign and we're just pushing forward with that renovation. As you mentioned earlier, a lot of that history folks just don't know how much rich history there is on Yuma and this will really be a space dedicated to honoring that legacy, where people can actually come into a space and be able to experience that history, but then also for the community of people that are here being able to offer those opportunities for folks to learn about entrepreneurship, to learn about financial literacy.
Speaker 2:We're going to have programs and expand our programs around mental wellness, and so it will be a space that's honoring that legacy of the past. But then, you know, looking toward the future and building the future, so we want to bring people onto the street so they can see and feel the energy, and this is the inaugural festival. So our goal is, for each Labor Day weekend we would have this on in the same area, bringing that awareness to the point where, in the next year or two, the cultural center will actually be open and we will continue, you know, bringing folks onto Yuma street.
Speaker 1:When you say cultural center, is that a physical space? That and is that in the Douglas center?
Speaker 2:It is going to be at um the corner of um ninth and Yuma right, there Is it the church that? Yes, it's the old shepherd's chapel. That was the Mason's Lodge before then. It has a big blue wood over the. Yes, that is the building that will be the future home of the Yuma Street Cultural Center and Entrepreneur Hub.
Speaker 1:What's the time frame?
Speaker 2:on that we are as long as everything continues, because we are in the midst of a capital campaign. So just a friendly plug you can learn more on YumaStreetorg and find ways to contribute to the project. Gmcf does have a fund set up for Yuma Street Cultural Center. It is a $2.3 million project and it's broken up into four phases, and so the biggest phase is phase two and we're in that thick of that piece of four phases, and so the biggest phase is phase two and we're in that thick of that piece of the funding. And so, as far as timeline, we're looking at by 2027 that the building will be open and fully operational.
Speaker 1:Wow. So this is kind of a first. It is a first In the state of Kansas. It is a first.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and so the Yuma Street Cultural Center is actually going to be the first of its kind in Kansas, so it will be the only initiative that weaves together African-American heritage, entrepreneurial support and cultural preservation all under one roof.
Speaker 2:And so, as far as what the building is going to have, the type of activities, there will be a venue, space that people can rent and utilize for events. We'll have our own programs and events that we typically do through Black Entrepreneurs of the Flint Hills that would be open to the community and just be able to expand those entrepreneurial resources as well, as we'll have a commercial kitchen space that can be rented out, as well as a rotating restaurant incubator where people will be able to come and explore those different cultural foods. It'll make it easier for entrepreneurs food entrepreneurs to be able to launch their business with little overhead and be able to really test and launch their food concepts without, you know, getting into a huge amount of debt in the beginning. And they'll get that training they need, access they need to the kitchen as well, as the community will benefit from having those different flavors.
Speaker 1:Mm, hmm, okay. Well, you said YumaStreetorg gives you more information about the YSCC and also your festival that you have on August 31st, and for more information about the Black Entrepreneurs of the Flint Hills organization, blackflinthillscom.
Speaker 2:Yes, sir, it's always great to have you in. I learned so much from you today.
Speaker 1:Thank you for doing that.
Speaker 2:Thank you, Dave. It's always great chatting with you.
Speaker 1:And I earlier on K-Man, you know, during Beyond Reason, with or with.
Speaker 2:Within Reason. Within Reason. Thank you yes.
Speaker 1:You're close.
Speaker 2:With Mike.
Speaker 1:Marshall Stewart was on talking about some of the history of Kansas State University and how, you know, k-state was a real leader in terms of accepting blacks.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, and you know, and you know you talked about Earl Woods, dave Baker, first black coach, black coach Minnie Howell. She's a Yuma Street legend as well. Minnie Howell, she was the first black female graduate of K-State. I believe, if I'm not mistaken, 1901. And she was the Douglas Center director. She went around the United States teaching as well and she left her mark. Her brother, charles Howell, did a lot of the stone work that you'll see around town. He did the cemetery, sunset cemetery, um those gates with the beautiful limestone. He also did quite a bit of work on k state's campus as well and and yuma street legends as well we all have a lot to learn, don't we?
Speaker 1:we? Oh yes, sheila, thanks for joining us.
Speaker 2:Thank you.
Speaker 1:Dave Sheila. Ellis Gasper of the Black Entrepreneurs of the Flint Hills joining us here talking about the Yuma Street Cultural Festival August 31st. Amy Payton's going to be joining us next. Packages for Warriors. They do some cool things too. This is the GMCF Community Hour here on NewsRadioMAN, brought to you by the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation. You can always find out more about the works of the foundation at mcfksorg.