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Entrepreneur Aims To Open Only Black-Owned Bookstore In Orlando

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A n entrepreneur is aiming to create a hub for Black literature in Orlando, Florida. Trenessa L. Williams has plans on expanding her online bookstore Kizzy’s Books & More into a brick-and-mortar store which would make it the only Black-owned bookstore in Orlando, Black News reported. Entrepreneur Trenessa Williams currently sells African American books online… But once she launches her brick and mortar storefront, it will be the only Black-owned book store in Orlando, Florida! #blackpreneur #blackgirlsrock #blackgirlmagic https://t.co/qYEjAG7ciE — Black News (@BlackNews) January 4, 2019 Williams initially started the online store as an avenue to promote literacy in the Black community, the news outlet writes. She wanted to create a space that sold literature where African Americans could see themselves reflected in the material that they read. Kizzy’s Books & More also sells different products that capture the essence of Black culture. The store’s moniker was inspired by the character Kizzy from Alex Haley’s Roots . Williams wants the brick-and-mortar store to be built in the historically Black neighborhood of Parramore. The neighborhood—which was hugely impacted by racism that stemmed from the Jim Crow era—is currently being revitalized. Williams believes that it’s essential to have a store like Kizzy’s Books & More in the neighborhood because there is a lack of accessibility to Black literature. She has launched an Indiegogo campaign to raise funds to bring her vision to fruition. Throughout the country, there has been an effort to create bookstores centered on Black literature and save ones that have been staples in African American communities for decades. In 2017, a Black couple opened MahoganyBooks in Anacostia. It was the first bookstore to open in 20 years in the Black Southeast Washington, D.C. neighborhood. During the same year, there was a major push to save Hakim’s Bookstore in Philadelphia. The store is the oldest Black-owned bookstore in America. SEE ALSO: Couple Brings Black Literature To Historic D.C. Neighborhood Through New Bookstore Nation’s First Black-Owned Bookstore On A Mission To Bounce Back [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3841941″ overlay=”true”]

Entrepreneur Aims To Open Only Black-Owned Bookstore In Orlando

‘Grown-ish’ Teams Up With Scholly App To Pay Off Student Loan Debt

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T he Freeform series grown-ish follows the chronicles of students adjusting to life in college and now the show is making the effort to help real-life students. According to Black Enterprise , the show has teamed up with the app Scholly to help students pay off their student loans. @FreeformTV ’s @grownish and scholarship app @MyScholly have partnered up on a program that will pay off up to $125,000 in student loan debt. https://t.co/iZnX9j24kM — Black Enterprise (@blackenterprise) January 3, 2019 The app—which was launched in 2013—was designed to help students find scholarships, the news outlet writes. It was featured on Shark Tank and backed by investors Daymond John and Lori Greiner and subsequently garnered national attention. Cognizant of the burden that student loan debt can have on students, the company has decided to join forces with grown-ish and pay off $125,000 in student loan debt. “Scholly, up until now has focused on helping students avoid student loan debt but, we want to help those who have already amassed a certain amount of student loan debt break free of it,” Scholly founder Chris Gray said in a statement, according to Black Enterprise. “This is just the beginning. Our plan is to do a lot more of these sorts of grants in the near future.” Since its inception, Scholly has helped students across the nation secure $100 million in scholarship money. The winners of the student loan contest will be revealed at the 2019 Freeform Summit. Many companies and institutions have been stepping up to help individuals pay off their student loan debt. Last month Jasmin Ford —a single Black mother from Chicago—had $150,000 of her student loan debt paid off by Fifth Third Bank. After witnessing the impact that the generous act had on Ford, the bank decided to launch a contest similar to grown-ish and Scholly’s. SEE ALSO: Bank Pays Off Student Loan Debt For Chicago Single Mom DeVos Plan Is A Setback To Black Student Loan Borrowers [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3841941″ overlay=”true”]

‘Grown-ish’ Teams Up With Scholly App To Pay Off Student Loan Debt