MY BLACK COLORADO
military V O L U M E 3 // I S S U E 3 PAINTING BY THOMAS LOCKHART
87
E S T. 87
PPORTING SU
S ES
CAL BUSIN LO
19 E S T.
19
K
EA
SP
E PIK
DC
SB
AVC S C olorado Springs, C O americanveteranscleaningservice .c om
Featured nominee, Sponsored By pikes peak SBDC Highest Rank: E-8, U.S. Army Robi n Bell veteran | 20 years in the u.s. Air force & army
A Matter of Service Despite military experience and more, Robin Bell felt institutional racism was depriving him of one job after another. So he created his own business, began employing other veterans and working to break down barriers to success for the disadvantaged. By Matthew Schniper, SBDC Story Teller
Robin Bell has worked since he was eight years old, and proved himself every step of the way. As a kid he mowed lawns, shoveled snow and delivered newspapers, learning the basics of reliability, punctuality and hard work: “You owe 110 percent of what you’re getting paid,” he believes, partly in acknowledgment of “that one step further” people of color have to go to succeed in the world. “Just like women in the workplace, whatever I do, I need to do twice as well... I’m being judged at another level.” As a teenager, he was denied a job at a car wash twice, resorting on a third approach to negotiating: “I said let me work two weeks, and if you don’t like me in any way, don’t pay me and tell me to leave and there’ll be no discussion.” Six months later he was a manager there. Bell spent six years in the Air Force out of high school, learning missile mechanics, and another 14 later in the Army, nine of those as a Ranger, serving domestically and abroad. “My curiosity is to take things apart and put them back together, that drives my understanding of things,” he says. He’s also musically inclined, playing bass, percussion and keyboards, and he used to play in and manage touring bands. During his time in the military he also taught at and later directed IntelliTec College. He has instructed project, business and supply chain management, statistics and logistics. But even with all that experience, plus more than ample qualifications, he says he couldn’t get hired in his late 50’s, enduring multiple interview rounds, only to be defeated at the finish line for reasons he believed led back to his being black, and older. “The system has been working against me,” he says, citing the message of the Black Lives Matter movement and institutional racism. After one particularly disappointing experience he says he was “done beating my head against a tree — I shouldn’t have to beg someone for a job.” So, instead, he decided to create his own, and launched American Veterans Cleaning Service (AVCS) in 2015. He already possessed the business savvy and mechanical skills to work with all types of machinery. The company now employs six people, three of them veterans and two others related to those who served in the military. More Information at PikesPeakSBDC.org
Bell, now 65, targeted vets and their families with his hiring to create mentoring and entrepreneurial opportunities for veterans and to serve other veterans as customers wherever possible. In working with disadvantaged communities, he acknowledges that often “you can’t succeed without help.” He knows this, because in order to start AVCS, he reached out for a lot of assistance from the Pikes Peak Small Business Development Center (SBDC), as well as the Colorado Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) and SCORE Colorado Springs. Bell had worked with SCORE years prior when he’d wanted to launch a climbing business, starting from scratch when it came to learning how to write a business plan. PTAC later helped him understand the methods for landing government contracts. While the SBDC proved a valuable link, connecting him both to classes and the mentorship he required. “They teach you what you need to know — it can be a better process than going to school,” he says. The systemic racism had once again worked against him in earlier attempts to secure loans. In an SBDC class, he gleaned the importance of creating a strong relationship with a banker, and the instructor said “you come see me, we’ll make sure you’re square.” And they did. “The SBDC is well aligned to connect you with the right people that will help your business,” he reiterates, noting the lines of credit he finally accessed threw open the doors for AVCS to thrive. The company specializes in post-construction work, and commercial contracts compose about 97 percent of Bell’s business. He’s aiming to expand his residential clients, in part to employ more vets. Grateful for the education he received from our region’s training agencies, Bell has made it a point to give back. Since AVCS’ launch, the SBDC has used him as a resource to mentor others. “It would be such a plus for minorities if they would utilize these free resources,” he says.“It would change their lives, just connecting with a mentor. They just need accessibility and opportunity, and they will succeed.”
Premier Sponsor | Pg. 3
Thank You
To everyone who made this community initiative possible. It has taken many people to bring this together. We are excited to continue growing and expanding and being an enriching resource for our community and for those seeking to work with those in our community. Thank you for believing in us and what we are doing. Teamwork makes dreams work.
Brandon & Jini Bornes Founders of My Black Colorado
Premier Sponsors
Feature Sponsors
Who Are Military Veterans John Register Inspired Communications International johnregister.com (719) 357-6833 Shirley Martinez Pikes Peak Diversity Council ppdiversitycouncilinc.org (719) 233-1465
Pikes Peak Small Business Development Center pikespeaksbdc.org (719) 667-3803
Lisa & George Jenkins Kingdom Builders Family life Center kingdombuildersfamilylifecenter.org (719) 247-8190 Carlos Gonzalez, Jr. State Farm Insurance Agent guardianofthecommunity.com (719) 900-7431 Russell & Zakiya Moss Drip Queen Coffee dripqueencoffee.com James Flowers Legal Shield (719) 297-1576
Pikes Peak Community College ppcc.edu (719) 502-2000
Prince Porter Blue Picket Realty bluepicketrealty.com/prince (719) 963-4710 Dr. Kenya Lee Purelee Redefined pureleeredefined.com (719) 452-8541 Dr. Lauren Penn PinPoint Chiropractic drlaurenpenn.com (214) 799-0374
FirmaIT Solutions firmaitss.com (719) 377-6603
Leonard Anderson Leonard Anderson Photography leonardandersonphoto.com (720) 519-0877 Donna Nelson
Your Are Helping Us Grow Your sponsorships impact how we operate. We have been able to pay over 15 local black writers, editors and content creators over the last year to help us raise awareness about what is happening in our local black communities around Colorado.
Feature Sponsors
Who Support Our Military Community
Pillar Sponsors
Who Support Our Military Community Leona Abdullah-Ward In-BalanceIn-balancedance.com Dr. James Colvin & Gail Colvin 719-394-8877 Jeffery Bolling Jeffery B Jewelers jefferyb.com (303) 590-1919
Walter Davis Goldstar Hotlinks goldstarhotlinks.com (720) 361-2761
Louisville Rising louisvillerising.org
Sparqu Inc. Sparqu.com (303) 351-1172
Patricia Kessack Eastern Colorado Bank YourFriendlyBank.com (719) 258-7133
Claudine Malcolm World Of Wellness (719) 210-7070
Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region culturaloffice.org (719) 634-2204
Sabrina Cooks EXP Realty (719) 660-8313
Gequinn Mattox Yourz By Dezign Events ybdevents.com (720) 352-7687
Ellie Redcloud ERC Digital ellieredcloud.com (719) 888-5199
Tracey Fergerson First Commonwealth Mortgage NMLS #2096685 (719) 602-3077
Terra Smith Element Home life, LLC elementhomelife.com (719) 357-8761
Charles Leverette Triple Threat Boxing triplethreatgym.com (719) 659-4895
Kimberly C Conner Kim’s Credit Leverage kimscreditleverage.com (719) 377-2432
Sonny Hall Terrance McWilliams James Stewart
My Black Colorado Is A Subsidiary Of BornesPro Media | BornesPro.com
OVERCOMING STEREOTYPES
Brandon & Jini Bornes
Founders of My Black Colorado
Our Mission
To facilitate and cultivate a cohesive ecosystem of the local black community to inspire, innovate and connect local areas together.
Our V i s ion | A Lo ve That Ne ver Fa i l s We often worry that we don’t have enough resources in our community to go around. When we see someone in our community doing what we do but better, we get a little nervous or intimidated. Instead of using competition to spur on our creativity, teamwork, work ethic and innovation, we become soo overwhelmed with our own fears and insecurities that we gossip, sabotage, or hurt one another. This has happened to many exceptional people in our community.
Pg. 6 | Team Members
We need to do better and lead by example. Our love for each other needs to be greater than our fear of failure. If we had to simplify into one word what My Black Colorado is about, it would be LOVE! Because Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not selfseeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no
record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. When people come in contact with our brand, that’s what I want them to experience. It‘s not an easy aspiration to live up to, but we believe it‘s worth fighting for and it‘s what we need as a community.
Find Out More at www.MyBlackColorado.com/team
Ou r T e a m O f Tal en t ed P r o f essi o n al s
Ralph McCoy
Rodney Gullatte, Jr.
Design Consultant
Social Media Consultant
Shirley Martinez Community Engagement Consultant
Talisa Caldwell Writer
Richelle Gittens Editor
Tina Pernell Writer
Ellie Redcloud Business Consultant
Cynthia Camble Publishing Consultant & Editor
Mental Wellness Consultant
Michael Williams Strategic Consultant
Keena Day Writer
Tashara Lweis Writer
Kimber Reese Writer
Camiio Patton Writer
Milton Whipple Writer
Kenya Fashaw Writer
Dr. Anthony Young
Find Out More at www.MyBlackColorado.com/team
Angelique Scott Writer Team Members | Pg. 7
A Free, C o m m un i t y S u p p orte d, D i re c tory A ll our c o n t e n t i s f re e t o vie w on our w e bsit e, but these special individual s support our organizati o n by pu r c h a si n g pa i d s u bsc ri p t i o n s a n d he lp make our organization f inancial ly sustainabl e
THANK YOU TO OUR PAID SUBSCRIBERS Aimee Richey Alana Gaither Alexis Miller Alexzandre Thompson Alicia Klausmeier Alicia M Cover Alicia Newton Allison Yazel Amy Redcloud Amy Sweet anastasia allen Andre Guy Angela Bakas Angela Baker Angela Stevens Angelique Scott Anna Sutter Anne Tapp Anthony Young Arley-Rose Torsone BabeNatural Becca Tarnowski Becky Mares Benjamin Anderson Benjamin Ralston Bernadette White Biaze Houston Billy Williams Blair-Caldwell, DPL Brandon Cromier Brian Elyo Bryant Perryman Byron Hall Camiio Patton Carla Kenyon Carlos Gonzalez Carola Rafferty Cassandra Berry Cassandra Reid Cecilia Mims Ceita Bobb-Semple Charadie Finkle Cheick Ouattara Cheriece Peterson Christianna Anderson Christina William
Christopher Stroup Chubby Curls, LLC Chuck Acker Cleveland King Colorado Beautillion Inc Corey Sturdivant Corrie Whitfield Courtney Lively Cristina Sajovich Cynthia Camble Cynthia E. Hurd Cynthia M Patterson Damaris McCowan Daphne Rice-Allen Darolyn Stewart Darrell Anderson Dawud Salaam Debra Sims-Fard Delecia Washington Derek Hunter Diva’s Laundry Service dominique conner Donna Nelson Dorothy Bee Durtana Walker Edward Glasser Elizabeth Androulidakis Elizabeth Jackson Elizabeth Lee/Young Ellie Redcloud Emerald Taylor Eulonda Lawrence Felicia Bornes-Agyekum Felicia Embry Felicia Hawkins Frank Jackson Frederica Murray-Crews Gabriel Padilha George Baines George Houston georgia bodley Gerard Endres Gwendolyn Henderson Harold H Rapp Jr Harriet Jarmon Harrison Hunter
273 +1,400 6,334 25,447 Pg. 8 | Director y
Hester Jackson-Roberts Holly Booker Hunter Anderson Idris Goodwin Jacqueline Brunson Scott Jacqueline Williams Jadonna Brewton Jaelithe Stephens Jakyra Johnson Jamal Bowen Dr. James Colvin Jr. James Flowers James Hinkle Janei Maynard Janelle Landon Janet Brugger Jasmine Hathaway Jeff Livingston Jeff Rueckert Jenelle Forbes Jennifer Gage Jenny L Owen Jerlene Dodd Jerone Penrose Jessica L. Ford Jice Johnson Jimmy Sellars Joan Maclachlan Joanna Welch Jocelyn Mccaskill John C Conoway John C Dodson John Conaway John Register Jonhda A Starling Joseph Bruley Joseph Wiliams Josephine smith Jovina Galbearth Juannean Julie Hicks Karolyn k Dicken Kay McCormack Keena Day Keesha Lewis Kelly DeBardelaben
Kelsey M Tungseth Kendra Manning Kennedy Pugh Khadija Haynes Kieth Kennison Kimberly Anderson Kimberly Conner Kimbrel Curry Kingdom Countertops & Cabinetry LLC Ladonna Welch Lance Wheeland Latisha HArdy laurac@restoredlife.org leland jordan Leona Abdullah Ward Leonard Anderson Leroy Phillips Lihani Photography Linda J Rogers Lisa Olsson Lisa Smith Lolita Wilson Louis Hiken Louise Cutler Luis Velez Makisha Boothe Mama Carolyn Crafts Mani Trees Margaret Coval Maria Wilcox Marie A Heaton Marquia Young Mary K Rockwell Matthew Burkett Melinda J Mingo MelindaJoy Mingo Melissa Grubb Micheal Brooks Michele Legetye Michelle Thomas Michelle Wills-Hill Michelle Y Taylor Miss Millie’s Kitchen Monique Flemings Nathaniel Granger
Nealene Orinick New Life Designs Nicole Perkins Nigel Grant Nika Nicely Nilaja Montgomery Pamela Miller Park Hill, DPL Patrice Ravenscroft Paul Strahsburg Pauline Robinson Branch, Denver Public Libraries Philip Booze Pikes Peak Library District Rachell Stovall Ramona Lowe Rebecca B Theobald Rebecca Loevy Regina English Regina Wiggett Richelle Gittens Robert Fennell Robert Sandlin Rodney Gullate JR. Rodney Tarver Roger Fletcher Roosevelt Price Rosalyn D Bagby Rosmarie Allen Royal l Curry Rutford Rutford Sam Gary Branch, Denver Public Libraries Sara Bornes Sara Lane Sarah J Logan Scott Anderson Scott Schlieper senga fittz Shang Jones Sharai Johnson Sharon R Tunson Shawntina Lane Shawtina Lane Sheena Sanders Shirlee Dobbs
Shirley A Stewart Shirley Martinez Shirley Wyatt Shunna Flowers smith leser Sophi Gilliland Stanley Gbandawa Stephany Spaulding Stephen C Shepard Susan DiNapoli Sylvia Lamb Taj Dajuan Stokes Tashara Lewis Tay Anderson Tekarah Harding Telpriore Tucker Teresa Barnes terrance thomas Terri Richardson Thomas English Tianna Staples Tiffany Jones Tineal Simon Tony Penoyer Tonya White Tori Sharpe Tracey Porter Treasell Henderson-Thomas Tressa Eaton Vachon Brackett Vanessa Julian-Shonoiki Vickey Jonson Virginia Village, DPL Wallace Hall Walter Huff Welvin Washington Will Phillips William Dowdle William Hilburn Willie Breazell Yasmeen Nkrumah-Elie Yevgeniya Tsyganok yves sturdevant Zakiya S Moss
PAID MAGAZINE SUBSCRIBERS ONLINE DIRECTORY LISTINGS EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS WEBSITE VIEWS (FROM JANUARY 2021 TO MID-APRIL 2021 More Information at MyBlackColorado.com
TABLE OF CONTENTS | MILITARY PG 2 | SPONSOR | PIKES PEAK SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER PG 4 | OUR SPONSORS PG 6 | OUR TEAM PG 8 | OUR SUBSCRIBERS PG 9 | TABLE OF CONTENTS PG 10 | SPONSORS - PIKES PEAK DIVERSITY COUNCIL PG 12 | SPONSORS, NOMINEES - DR. JAMES & GAIL COLVIN PG 14 | SPONSORS & NOMINEES - JAMES & SHUNNA FLOWERS PG 16 | SPONSOR & NOMINEE - PRINCE PORTER (BLUE PICKET REALTY) PG 18 | NOMINEE - SHARAI JOHNSON (WE ASSIST) // SPONSORED BY DONNA NELSON PG 20 | SPONSOR & NOMINEE - LEONARD ANDERSON (LEONARD ANDERSON PHOTOGRAPHY) PG 22 | SPONSOR & NOMINEE - SHIRLEY MARTINEZ (PIKES PEAK DIVERSITY COUNCIL) PG 24 | SPONSOR & NOMINEE - JOHN REGISTER (INSPIRED COMMUNICATIONS INTERNATIONAL) PG 26 | SPONSOR & NOMINEE - DR KENYA LEE (PURELEE REDEFINED) PG 28 | SPONSOR & NOMINEE - CARLOS GONZALEZ (STATE FARM) PG 30 | SPONSOR & NOMINEE - RUSSELL MOSS (DRIP QUEEN COFFEE) PG 32 | SPONSOR & NOMINEE - DR. LAUREN PENN (PINPOINT CHIROPRACTIC & WELLNESS) PG 34 | NOMINEE - GEORGE JENKINS // SPONSOR - LISA JENKINS (KINGDOM BUILDER’S FAMILY LIFE CENTER) PG 36 | SPONSOR - CLAUDINE MALCOLM (WORLD OF WELLNESS) PG 38 | SPONSOR - ELLIE REDCLOUD (ERC DIGITAL) PG 40 | SPONSOR - TERRA SMITH (ELEMENT HOME LIFE) PG 42 | SPONSOR - KIMBERLY D. CONNER (KIM’S CREDIT LEVERAGE) PG 44 | SPONSOR - SABRINA COOKS (EXP REALTY) PG 46 | SPONSOR - WALTER DAVIS (GOLD STAR HOTLINKS) PG 48 | SPONSOR - SPARQU INC. PG 50 | “THE WAIT” - THOMAS BLACKSHEAR PG 52 | NOMINEE - LT. GEN. RICHARD M. CLARK (SUPERINTENDENT OF THE U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY) PG 54 | NOMINEE - COLONEL OTIS C. JONES (VICE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY) PG 56 | NOMINEE - RAYMOND V. MCMILLAN PG 58 | NOMINEE - LOWELL BELL PG 60 | NOMINEE - JAMES RANDALL PG 62 | NOMINEES - JAMES STEWART (SPONSOR) & MERCEDES MOORE PG 64 | NOMINEES - TERRANCE MCWILLIAMS (SPONSOR) & COLONEL KELVIN DUMAS PG 66 | NOMINEES - JULIE HICKS & DONNA NELSON (SPONSOR) PG 68 | NOMINEES - BENJAMIN ANDERSON & LEONA ABDULLAH-WARD (SPONSOR) PG 70 | NOMINEES - RODNEY GULLATTE (SPONSOR) JR & KIMBER REESE PG 72 | NOMINEES - ROBRANDON LEE & JENNIFER YANCEY PG 74 | NOMINEES - CARRIE L BARNHILL & EDGAR WILSON PG 76 | NOMINEES - ALFRED SMITH, ALTON CLARK, ANDREW BELL & BARBARA MYRICK PG 78 | NOMINEES - BRUCE SIMON, CLINTON CHEESEBORO, DAVID BERRY, DEORAH MOULTRIE PG 80 | NOMINEES - DRE GUY, CAPTAIN FRANK JACKSON, JAKYRA JOHNSON & ALICIA COOPER PG 82 | NOMINEES - LEANNE WHEELER, DR. LOUIS FLETCHER,MARQUES BELLAIRE & NIJA HOLMES PG 84 | NOMINEES - PAUL HASTY, PAULA POLK, RALPH MCCOY & WILLIE H. BREAZELL PG 86 | NOMINEES - SEFRA POWELL BURRELL, SHAWN MCWILLIAMS, DR. REGINA LEWIS & TARIKH BROWN PG 88 | NOMINEES - TREYVON AVERHART, WILBERT EMBRY, WILFORD TONEY & LA SHUN MOSLEY PG 90 | SPONSOR - PIKES PEAK COMMUNITY COLLEGE & NOMINEE - TRACY ASHER PG 92 | SPONSOR - FIRMA IT SOLUTIONS
More Information at MyBlackColorado.com
Director y | Pg. 9
WE SUPPORT OUR MILITARY WOMEN A MESSAGE FROM THE PIKES PEAK DIVERSITY COUNCIL
ppdiversitycouncilinc.org (719) 233-1465
Pg. 10 | Director y
More Information at MyBlackColorado.com
More Information at MyBlackColorado.com
Director y | Pg. 11