“Maryland’s Black business community is more determined than ever!”

(BALTIMORE – August 23, 2022) – Do you want to open up a business at the airport? Do you want to know about incentives to open a business in downtown Baltimore?

Well, Darker Than Blue Grille was the place to be last night as BmoreNews.com hosted a National Black Business Month business networking event. It brought out business leaders from as far away as Southern Maryland – all touting business opportunities to build and grow together.

BWI’s Ricky Smith presents Joe Manns Black Wall St. Award to EDAC’s Omar Muhammad

Edsel M. Brown Jr., Esq., Chairman of the Southern Maryland Minority Chamber of Commerce, made the long hump to get to the event. Lisa Ellis and Joe Gaskins, the Co-Chairman of the Maryland Business-Clergy Partnership, made the hike from Prince George’s County. Ricky Smith, the chief of BWI-THURGOOD MARSHALL Airport, also attended.

“It was great to see so many deserving leaders recognized,” said Brown. He added, “We all bring a lot to the table but tend to splinter our focus. Together we are a force with impact and clout… I want to salute Doni Glover and his commitment to Black Wall Street.”

Locally, everybody from Shelonda Stokes, the President of Downtown Partnership, to Meshelle Howard, the Director at Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), to Chad Williams, the Executive Director of the newly-formed West North Avenue Development Authority, was present.

Omar Muhammad and Edsel M. Brown Jr., Esq.

“This is our way of recognizing the struggle and the determination behind our Black-owned businesses,” said Doni Glover, Publisher of BmoreNews.com. “We want the nation and the world to understand that Maryland’s Black business community is more determined than ever!”

The event also featured the coveted Joe Manns Black Wall Street Awards. There were 17 honorees, including our possible next First Lady of the State of Maryland, Dawn Flythe Moore, and Omar Muhammad, Director of the Entrepreneurial Development and Assistance Center at Morgan State University.