Congratulations to W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF) grantee Lede New Orleans and graduates of its Community Reporting Fellowship. Take a look at a quick video of the pinning celebration of Lede’s fourth cohort of journalists: Valeria Ali, Alec Devaprasad, Autumn Jemison, Justin Curtis Marcano and Nijah Narcisse. The fellowship positioned these emerging storytellers for new opportunities, such as a video editing internship and a position as a film production assistant.
We’re celebrating NOLA CARES: Creating Access, Resources and Equity for Success, which was selected by JPMorgan Chase to receive $5 million as part of its Advancing Cities Initiative. Early childhood education is a predominantly female-led field, and the support will help the collaborative – which includes many WKKF partners in New Orleans – increase access to capital for Black and Brown-led early childhood providers.
A forthcoming report by the Brookings Institution finds that Black businesses stand to realize a $5.9 billion increase in revenue and would create 19 million jobs if properly resourced. Black-owned businesses are still struggling to recover from the pandemic, and many have had to tap into personal finances to stay afloat. Watch a webinar on the State of Black Businesses hosted by Brookings and featuring WKKF grantee CapEq, which takes a deeper dive into the report and shares recommendations for equitable distribution of capital to support Black-owned businesses.
Eleven small businesses in Battle Creek, Mich., have received support from the Washington Heights Entrepreneurial Fund, through an investment by the Kellogg Foundation that is run by grantees Battle Creek Unlimited and New Level Sports Ministries. The $2 million program was launched in 2021 and focuses primarily on supporting low- to middle-income entrepreneurs of color who have historically not had equitable access to capital.
With 27,000 pediatricians serving 24 million young children, most doctors only have enough time to check on their young patients’ physical health. But social and emotional well-being in early childhood sets the stage for a person’s ability to thrive throughout their lifespan and parents need support in cultivating the right conditions. WKKF joins the Pediatrics Supporting Parents (PSP) funding collaborative as it launches pilot programs in which families and doctors work together to transform pediatric care, centering children of color.
WKKF grantee Higher Purpose Co. is working to create an economy in Mississippi’s Delta that is reflective of the community by supporting Black owned business and connecting them to capital. CBS News spotlighted their impact to bring services like a health center and smoothie bar to the area.
