The ‘Unapologetic’ Founders of Black Women’s Wall Street Take Charge

The founders of Black Women's Wall Street in Texas focus on uplifting fellow entrepreneurs of their diverse background.

The leaders of Black Women’s Wall Street are taking charge as they push forth on their current initiative.

Speaking to CBS News Texas, Black Women’s Wall Street founder JaCoi Pugh spoke of the vision she had for the organization, starting at the kitchen table. With her business partner, LaToya Gooden, she is impacting and uplifting the lives of Black women entrepreneurs in North Texas.

“Black Women’s Wall Street is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, it was started at my kitchen table with myself and Latoya,” explained the president and founder.

Gooden added to their origin story, “We were sitting there, going back and forth. We are business owners, what in the world could happen? Is there any organization out there that would help people like us?”

Pugh and Gooden, who serves as vice president, launched the nonprofit in 2018 to connect and inspire Black women in entrepreneurship. Moreover, their vision is in the same essence of the original Black Wall Street. Located in the Greenwood neighborhood of Tusla, it became a hub where Black businesses thrived in the early 20th century. However, racial hatred led to a destruction of its many successful Black-owned businesses.

Inspired by the plight of these entrepreneurs, Black Women’s Wall Street seeks to rebuild the community fostered in Tusla. Their mission is to strengthen and train Black women to create sustainable and thriving companies. For Pugh and Gooden, their target demographic is Black women of all backgrounds with ambition to become a CEO. Whether one is a single mother or just starting out, this community serves to promote its members’ professional ambitions.

“We’re unapologetic with the target audience that we’re serving,” expressed Pugh.

Furthermore, Black Women’s Wall Street helps women from idea to inception, providing consultations and networking events to ensure that all parts of this community have the tools to form their business.

Following this, the group recently extended the submissions deadline for their Business Plan Competition to April 7. The competition will gift $5,000, alongside other resources, toward a Black women business owner. Applicants must submit a business plan and a 30-second video, with a winner to be announced via Facebook live on April 12.

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