The Black Journey Continues: North Carolina

08/01/2026

07/29/2026

From Isley Cotton, MSW, MDiv, Youth Su***de Prevention Coordinator- North Carolina Division of Public Health, Injury and Violence Prevention Branch | [email protected]

🎤✨ FREESTYLE FRIDAY: BLACK IS THE BLUEPRINT ✨🎤

A Virtual Celebration of Healing, Culture & Creative Expression

Honoring Minority Mental Health Awareness Month

When the community gathers, healing happens.

Join us for an evening of storytelling, spoken word, hip-hop, poetry, slams, cyphers, music, and creative expression as we celebrate the power of Black traditional healing practices and cultural wisdom.

Through our stories, rhythms, voices, and shared experiences, we reclaim spaces for joy, reflection, resilience, and collective healing.

🖤 This is more than an open mic.
It is a sacred space to:

Share your story
Speak your truth
Celebrate Black identity and culture
Connect through music, poetry, and art
Honor ancestral wisdom and traditional healing practices
Build community and collective well-being
🎙️ Featured Experiences

• Open Mic & Storytelling
• Poetry Slam & Spoken Word
• Hip-Hop Cypher & Freestyle Sessions
• Creative Expression & Healing Arts
• Reflections on Mental Health, Identity & Resilience
• Community Connection & Celebration

📅 Date: Friday, July 31, 2026
⏰ Time: 7:00 pm to 9:00 PM EST
💻 Location: Zoom –

Freestyle Friday: Black is the Blueprint is a virtual creative and cultural experience that celebrates the power of Black culture as a source of healing, resilience, and connection. Held in recognition of Minority Mental Health Month, this interactive gathering invites Black youth, young adults, fam...

06/20/2026

05/25/2026

Continues…

05/12/2026

💬 What people are saying about the Black Business Networking Tour:
"This event was AMAZING! I met business partners, learned so much from the panels, and the energy was incredible. Best networking event I've been to!" - Local Business Owner
"I came for the networking and stayed for the community. This is what we need more of!" - Entrepreneur
Are you ready to experience this for yourself?
🎉 FRIDAY, MAY 15TH - MONTGOMERY COUNTY STOP
📍 Innovative Action Center, Troy, NC
🕕 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
💼 Bring your business cards!
REGISTER: mocobusinesstour2026.eventbrite.com
Only 3 days away! See you there! 🙌

04/04/2026

Racism is not profitable—it’s expensive. A 2020 Citigroup study found that systemic racism and economic exclusion have cost the U.S. economy at least $16 trillion over the past two decades, with some estimates pushing that number to $51 trillion in lost output since 1990. The losses span every sector: $13 trillion in missed business revenue due to lack of capital access, $2.7 trillion in lost wages, $218 billion in housing discrimination, and over $113 billion in lost income from unequal education opportunities. Closing these gaps isn’t just moral—it’s economic, with projections showing a potential $5 trillion boost to GDP in just five years. The reality is simple: inequality doesn’t just hurt communities—it shrinks the entire economy.