February Is Black History Month

February is Black History Month, and we’re spending some time highlighting the stories from our Black portfolio founders and leaders we’re thrilled to support (keep an eye out here and here). 

We encourage you to devote time this month to celebrate Black history – to learn about the pivotal Black leaders of our past and to invest in the ones we need to build a brighter future. This could mean buying from a Black owned business or supporting a Black woman running for governor in Virginia.

Join us in celebrating Black excellence this month (and always).

Making Democracy Better with Civic Eagle

Listen to this episode of the tech.mn podcast (Minnesota’s technology news show with an emphasis on startups and entrepreneurship) with the leadership team at Civic Eagle – Damola Ogundipe, Shawntera Hardy & Yemi Adewunmi.

Civic Eagle started because it is currently too challenging to gain clear understanding on legislation and proposed laws. Civic Eagle believes that by making information on policies more accessible and transparent, we can start to make changes to the way that communities advocate for themselves. We share this belief with the Civic Eagle team: technology should help people to be heard. 

Today, Enview by Civi Eagle is the #1 tool for remote government affairs work. Schedule your trial today!

Zero Grocery Celebrates Black History Month

Join our friends over at Zero Grocery as they commemorate Black History Month “the way we do best: uniquely, unitedly and unapologetically Zero.” 

Highlights include: Takeover Tuesdays with Zero team members, Food Fridays - featuring some favorite BHM recipes (like Jollof Rice), Black-owned businesses spotlights (like Philly Jawns & Co) and more.

Images from the amazing and beautiful @zerogrocery_ Instagram – follow along and participate in the celebration! 

The Commonwealth of Virginia has never had a Black woman governor. This year, that will change. Meet Jennifer Carroll Foy.

Jenn is a mother of twin three-year-olds. She is a former magistrate judge and public defender. She is one of the first African-American women to graduate from Virginia Military Institute. She is dynamite.

Last week, Jenn released her plan for Post-COVID economic recovery:

The Democratic candidate for governor said she will employ a “ground-up approach,” that will provide relief to Virginians who lost work during the pandemic and small businesses that have struggled to survive

Speaking with small business owners and other community leaders Tuesday night, Carroll Foy said her campaign has crafted the plan with an emphasis on equity.

“We have an opportunity now to build our economy back in a way where everyone gets to participate, where people can really work family-sustaining jobs,” Carroll Foy said...KEEP READING.

Support her, if you can, and learn more about Jenn’s historic campaign for governor of Commonwealth of Virginia. 

Backstage Capital Achieves Fastest $1M Equity Raise on Republic

Arlan Hamilton was one of our very first investments here at Incite. Ever since we’ve known her, Arlan has challenged the status quo. She has shattered ceilings, broken barriers and defied limitations – and she has done it while bringing other people to the table with her and while creating a space where everyone can get involved.

Less than 10% of all venture capital deals go to women, people of color and LGTBQ+ founders. Arlan and the team at Backstage Capital sees this as the biggest opportunity for investment. Last week, Arlan opened a new fund that anyone — including unaccredited investors — could be a part of. Within hours, the fund had reached capacity at just over $1M. 

This milestone represents how Arlan so effectively and passionately invites and engages people to do good with her. We’re proud, we’re inspired and we can’t wait to see what she does next.

Read more about Arlan’s new fund here!

Making It Count with Andrea Hailey (Vote.org)

This year may have presented some extraordinary obstacles, but CEO Andrea Hailey and her Vote.org team managed to hit some major milestones in 2020, including:

• 34 million+ voters registered, verified their registration, requested a mail-in ballot or found their polling location.
• 1,000+ companies recruited to provide employees with paid time off to vote — from small businesses with a few employees to corporations like Apple and Shake Shack — impacting 1 million voters across the country.
• 490M get-out-the-vote contacts through food trucks, billboards, radio ads and more, across all 50 states.
• 40,500 voters supported with food trucks and election protection information while they waited in long lines to vote early.

Read more about what brought Andrea to VDO and her story through the 2020 election.

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