FUBU founder and “Shark Tank” star Daymond John will host Black Entrepreneurs Day on Nov. 22 at Atlanta’s historic Fox Theater.
The event includes The Grant Program, a partnership with the NAACP, PowerShift Grant Program and JPMorgan Chase. Applications remain open through Nov. 1. John and his partners have previously awarded more than $1M to over 40 Black-owned businesses.
The death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody in 2020 inspired John to create the Black Entrepreneurs Day live experience.
“In 2020, we […] were frustrated and angry, and taking to the streets for the right thing. I […] thought that the people out there need[ed] to see people like me and other notable people who [were] just as frustrated,” John said in an interview with rolling out. “So I did exactly what entrepreneurs did. I called and I did what was in my power. I called up a bunch of friends, Shaquille O’Neal, Bob Johnson, LL Cool J, Gabrielle Union, and we talked on Zoom out of my basement.”
This response echoed John‘s actions in 1992. While some destroyed property during the Los Angeles unrest following the Rodney King verdict, John founded FUBU, the clothing brand that would become globally renowned.
“George Floyd also reminded me of a very similar time when I created a brand called FUBU in 1992 because of memory of Rodney King, and not only the memory of that absolutely horrific event, but the memory of the people out in the streets who were burning businesses and destroying, you know, property because they felt they had no other no other [outlet],” John said. “And I was one of those individuals in 1992 that I decided that I’m not going to burn down or destroy the environment that I lived in, but to get to have a seat at the table, I need to create my own product or brand or business and empower myself, to empower my community.”
After hosting Black Entrepreneurs Day at New York’s Apollo Theater for several years, the Brooklyn native chose Atlanta for this year’s event. Featured guests include Charlamagne tha God, 2 Chainz, Flavor Flav, Kelly Rowland and Earn Your Leisure founders Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings.
“[Atlanta] is the Black [mecca]. […] Atlanta has the most Black businesses right now. It was the next logical choice,” John said. “There’s a lot of great cities in this amazing country of ours, but Atlanta has history. It’s rich with history. It’s rich with music and entrepreneurship. So it was just a natural progression. And it’s a robust environment of people who want to help others.”
Proprietors and aspiring businesspeople can log onto https://blackentrepreneursday.com/, and follow along on Black Entrepreneurs Day and Daymond John on Instagram.
