Day 4 of Black History Month

In a three-part, star-studded panel discussion series in collaboration with Femme It Forward, Lil Kim, Salt-N-Pepa, and Coi Leray join others to recognize Hip-50th Hop’s anniversary and celebrate Black Women’s entrepreneurship.

Today, Mastercard said that as part of the brand’s GRAMMY Week programming, it would organize She Runs This: Celebrating Entrepreneurship in Business and Hip-Hop, a three-day event in collaboration with Femme It Forward. The brand will have a greater impact on fostering the success of Black women entrepreneurs through a comprehensive campaign that includes an immersive “Small Business City” in Meta Horizon Worlds, a TikTok challenge, the launch of a Fearless Fund grant competition, and a national advertising campaign.

Recent Mastercard research indicates that 80% of American women who are company owners, solopreneurs, small business owners, and content creators report facing financial difficulties. Mastercard is celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop by assisting Black women entrepreneurs by providing them with the financial resources, education, and tools necessary to realize their dreams. This is done in recognition of the common obstacles that entrepreneurs face as well as the increased difficulty of succeeding in the face of racism and bias. In spite of fighting ingrained injustices, Black women who own small businesses continue to believe in the power of tenacity, going above and beyond to realize their goals and empower their communities.

“We are proud to support these fearless Black women artists and business owners in their pursuit of redefining what’s possible, and we’re excited to watch them take their stage, follow their passions and thrive.,” said Rustom Dastoor, EVP of Marketing and Communications, Mastercard North America.

Mastercard is launching a number of Priceless engagements and shoppable activations to support Black women small business owners (SBOs), empower their communities, and encourage customers to shop and support their businesses in honor of the GRAMMY Awards and the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop, including: She Runs This, Small Business City, Small Business Marketplaces and Fearless Strivers Grant Contest.

The Mastercard music footprint is expanding, and this service is only one aspect of it. Earlier this month, Mastercard unveiled the Mastercard Artist Accelerator Program, a Web3 collaborative that brings together artists, makers, and fans to interact in ways never before in favor of assisting all creators in realizing their full potential. Through the use of Web3 and blockchain technologies, the development program will provide up-and-coming artists from underrepresented areas with the resources, know-how, and access they need to carve out successful careers in the digital economy. Visitors to mastercard.com/smallbiz may find out about the financial resources, advantages, and education that support the growth and Start Something Priceless of small enterprises. Visit Solidarity in Action to discover more about Mastercard’s $500 million commitment in Black communities to reduce the wealth and opportunity divide in the US.

Entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, small company owners, and content producers with more than 2,000 followers on Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, or Twitter or 500 followers on YouTube are considered “creators” according to Mastercard study. The Harris Poll surveyed 4,000 respondents across North America for the specialized study, which was performed in June 2022. – Steve Sijenyi

LIT604.com Is celebrating Black history month by publishing Positive news on Black people across Canada and United States throughout the month of February. Lit604 Founder Steve-Safari Sijenyi is producing and releasing a YouTube video everyday at 7pm PT that showcases Black people who embodied the spirit of Black Excellence, Black Led Enterprises, Black-run organizations, Black allies and Pro-Black Organizations and Leaders from the public and private sector.