KALAMAZOO – The 2023 Black Entrepreneur Training Academy (BETA) Graduation Ceremony, held Feb. 8, celebrated the end of training for 14 new graduates of the Black Entrepreneur Training Program, a joint effort by Black Wall Street Kalamazoo and Sisters in Business. This effort was funded in part through the City of Kalamazoo ARPA dollars, and administered by United Way of South Central Michigan.
Cohort members of this program were granted four months of training in business subjects that included finance, leadership, marketing, and more.
“It’s important to fund programs like BETA to boost economic development community-wide,” Nicole Parker of Sisters in Business said. “The (ARPA) funding allowed us to expand our second cohort to support new, sustainable Black-owned businesses throughout the Kalamazoo region.”
Demarra West, of Change Agent Consulting, said she was thrilled to be a part of the teaching staff.
“It’s so important to have culturally relevant mentorship and education for new entrepreneurs,” she said. “I felt privileged to be an instructor for the BETA program!”
The ceremony concluded with an award presentation for “Best Pitch,” coming from members of the program, which was presented to Ogden Wright of Xaymaca.