BLACK WALL STREET WOODLAWN — 2026 HONOREE PROFILE (BALTIMORE – May 30, 2026) – When Michael Preston first offered me a job at Baltimore’s $100 million federally funded Empowerment Zone, it was my first opportunity to take my journalism and media career to the next level. From 1994 until Mike’s phone call in 1999, I served as co-editor and ultimately editor of the Sandtown-Winchester ViewPoint Newspaper. By the time I arrived on that scene, LaRian Finney was already making things happen in Baltimore. A proud graduate of Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, Finney embodied the excellence Poly has long been known for. No…

(BALTIMORE – May 29, 2026) – I heard a preacher say once that you know you have the Holy Spirit when you help empower others. Last night, thanks to Jody Davis, I had the distinct opportunity to thank a woman who opened doors not only for herself, but for many of us. Indeed, she has the Holy Spirit. We all know the story of how she slept in her radio station in the early days. Konan of Radio One has shared many stories with me about what a remarkable person she is. Admittedly, when the time came for me to choose…

BLACK WALL STREET WOODLAWN  |  HONOREE PROFILE A quiet force born of Pennsylvania Avenue, the founder of JD Ward’s Catering has fed corporate suites, celebrity tables, airport terminals, and the community he loves — all without losing himself in the process. Tickets: blackwallstreetwoodlawn.eventbrite.com (BALTIMORE – May 29, 2026) — Around 1992, Doni Glover made it official. He stopped renting and started owning — a home in Sandtown, right in the heart of West Baltimore. A block and a half from the Avenue Market, formerly Lafayette Market, where his mother used to go for fresh fish when he was coming up.…

JOE MANNS BLACK WALL STREET AWARDS | WOODLAWN | 15TH ANNIVERSARY (WOODLAWN – May 28, 2026) – Some people talk about hustle. Jason McAlpin lives it. Born in Brooklyn to hardworking Trinidadian immigrants who came to this country with nothing but determination and a work ethic that wouldn’t quit, Jason learned early what it means to show up — fully, consistently, and with excellence. That foundation has carried him through more than 20 years behind the bar, from neighborhood pubs to upscale fine dining rooms to high-end catering experiences that demand nothing less than perfection. On Thursday, June 4, 2026,…

JOE MANNS BLACK WALL STREET AWARDS | WOODLAWN | 15TH ANNIVERSARY Founder of the Natural Hair Care Expo continues to champion Black beauty, self-love, and cultural empowerment (WOODLAWN – May 28, 2026) – There are certain queens who, when they move, all you can do is stop and pay homage because you know it’s a queen. Malaika-Tamu Cooper been doin’ it gracefully for years. My ex-wife and daughter used to go to her shop in the Junction. Like another popular Black Wall Street WOODLAWN honoree, Randy Dennis, Malaika has too made a lasting impression on Baltimore and beyond with her…

JOE MANNS BLACK WALL STREET AWARDS | WOODLAWN | 15TH ANNIVERSARY A West Baltimore brother’s journey from addiction to recovery, from struggle to strength (WOODLAWN – May 27, 2026) – Having honored more than 3,000 individuals in nine cities over the past 15 years through the Joe Manns Black Wall Street Awards, I am constantly reminded to remember those individuals who have helped me personally along the road of life. While we often celebrate entrepreneurs and business leaders, I also believe it is important to recognize those pure souls we encounter in life who have remained authentically themselves — people…

Black Wall Street WASHINGTON, DC Joe Manns Black Wall Street Awards — 15th Anniversary Homecoming Washington, D.C. | Tuesday, June 16, 2026 | 6:00 PM RSVP: blackwallstreetdc.eventbrite.com Ron Busby, Sr.: The National Voice of Black Business Black Wall Street WASHINGTON, DC Honoree | President & CEO, U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. WASHINGTON, D.C. — Some people you meet and quickly forget. And then there are those rare individuals who leave a mark every single time you cross paths. Ron Busby, Sr., is that kind of man. I first met Ron through a mutual friend, the late Mr. Michael Graham — a…

BLACK WALL STREET JODY DAVIS — HONOREE FEATURE Pamela Reaves: Author, Coach, Icon — She Just Keeps Going “She doesn’t look a day over 50. I don’t know how she does it. Pamela Reaves has weathered the toughest storms, yet keeps on pushing through. We are so very proud to recognize a person who has consistently spoken life over BMORENews and the Joe Manns Black Wall Street Awards.” — Doni Glover, Founder, Joe Manns Black Wall Street Awards (BALTIMORE – May 25, 2026) — Some people talk about being iconic. Pamela Reaves just lives it. A native Baltimorean who now…

BLACK WALL STREET AWARDS | WOODLAWN | JUNE 4, 2026 For 40+ years, Randy Dennis showed up — no ego, no drama, just music, community, and joy. On June 4, Baltimore gets to say thank you. (BALTIMORE – May 25, 2026) — There is a particular kind of Baltimore person that this city produces every now and then. Not the loudest in the room. Not the one angling for the spotlight or chasing the headline. Just somebody who moves through the community with a quiet, unshakeable consistency — somebody who was there before you knew to look for them, and…

(WOODLAWN – May 25, 2026) – When your name literally means “beauty and peace,” perhaps it was always destiny. For Maeion Bryant, Founder and Lead Artist of Maeion Beauty Collective, those two words aren’t just a personal identity — they’re a business philosophy, a mentorship mission, and a way of life that has touched thousands of lives across three decades. Bryant is one of the honorees at this year’s Joe Manns Black Wall Street Awards — WOODLAWN, and few people in Baltimore’s creative and business community are more deserving of that recognition. Her career began on the West Coast, navigating the…