With funding from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Prince Foundation, and the Bailey Family Fund of the Community Foundation of Central Georgia, and in partnership with the Macon-Middle Georgia Black Pages, NewTown Macon just completed the second round of the Downtown Diversity Initiative. Today, NewTown Macon and the Macon-Middle Georgia Black Pages announced the winners of the 2021 Downtown Diversity Initiative at Bearfoot Tavern.

“This year’s class was nothing short of phenomenal,” said Alex Habersham, publisher of the Macon-Middle Georgia Black Pages. “The cohort gained valuable knowledge that measurably enhanced their capability and probability of being successful entrepreneurs.”

The Downtown Diversity Initiative is a 10-week business training and recruitment program designed to attract more African American business owners and customers to the urban core. The 2021 cohort participated in virtual learning modules and in-person group work to develop an informed and complete business canvas and set of financial projections. The program curriculum focused on helping entrepreneurs develop their value proposition, target customer, customer success delivery, financial reports, and sustainable business funding and wealth-building strategies.  

“This is such a valuable collaboration for our community,” said Bethany Rogers, Executive Director of NewTown Loans. “By partnering with Macon-Middle Georgia Black Pages and our supporters, NewTown has been able to extend our reach and train more local Black entrepreneurs on how to establish and operate a successful business and grow household wealth. As we expand our network of Downtown Diversity Initiative graduates, I sincerely believe this program will be an important tool in building a more diverse small business community and, ultimately, reducing the racial wealth gap in Macon-Bibb.”

Currently, 18% of downtown businesses are owned by African Americans, a statistic that does not reflect the demographics of Macon-Bibb County, which has a 54% African American population. The Macon Action Plan 2.0 cites this disparity and includes strategies to build a more inclusive Macon, such as growing the number of Black-owned businesses in downtown. Knight Foundation’s lead investment in the Downtown Diversity Initiative directly supports this strategy by equipping entrepreneurs of color with training and resources to open storefronts in downtown Macon.

“We believe that in order to have a successful and engaged Macon, residents must be at the center of economic development,” said Lynn Murphey, Knight’s Macon program director. “We’re thrilled to support NewTown Macon’s Downtown Diversity Initiative, an essential project that ensures our downtown is the hub for local entrepreneurship.”

Twenty entrepreneurs successfully pitched their concepts before a panel of judges and graduated as part of the 2021 cohort. The five graduates with the highest scores were awarded $5,000 to help startup or expand their current businesses. Winners include:

Felicia Kim, Latricia Gittens, and Chris Gittens, The Wonder Twinz, LLC: a fitness instruction company that inspires mental and physical awareness;

Erika Morgan and Trent Morgan, Macon Homes & Construction, LLC: a construction company that offers a wide range of services from painting and pressure washing to finished carpentry and floor installation;

Patrice Bass, Just Juicy, LLC: a juicing company that creates cold pressed juices, herbal teas, and herbal supplements;

Tiffany Minter, InstaMajic Photobooth, LLC: an event company that specializes in providing a 360-degree photobooth experience;

Sherrod Motely and Swati Motely, Motely's Community Store, LLC: a local community store that sells Georgia grown produce and hot meals.