The below is a small excerpt from a press release penned by Scott O'Neil, CEO of Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment.

Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?’” - Martin Luther King Jr.  

On today, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I reflect upon a favorite quote from Dr. King - “Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?’”  This past year, more so than any other point in my 20-year career in this industry, I have reflected upon the concept of legacy. This past year, all that was concrete was shattered, all that was guaranteed became cloudy. When the world becomes uncertain - we lean on our certainties. But our families were divided across states and nations, our places of worship were shuttered; our offices thriving with energy and innovation were ghost towns, many closed forever. There were no easy layups or ‘gimmes’ in 2020. I questioned what WAS permanent, what WOULD live beyond and through a draught? The answer - is our commitment to others, our legacy to drive meaningful change, our ability to make palpable, lasting impact on the world. 

Did you know 41 percent of Black-owned businesses shut down at the start of the pandemic? 

Did you know that Black businesses average less than a third of annual sales compared to white-owned businesses? 

These statistics have no place in our society. 

Our intentions to uncover worthy Black business owners are ambitious and authentic. I urge you to share the links below with your colleagues, friends and family. I encourage you to post the opportunity socially, to text it to your friends and their network. Drop a note on the Facebook page of a Black-owned business that you patronize or with whom you partner. 

New Jersey Devils Buy Black Program Application: NewJerseyDevils.com/buyblack

Philadelphia 76ers Buy Black Program Application: Sixers.com/BuyBlack

For generations, the fans and community in the regions of Philadelphia and New Jersey have cheered and shared in the successes of our teams on the court and ice - - and now is our opportunity to cheer on your successes, champion your victories. All I want in the Box Score is assists. (But I assure you, we have more than “dimes” to give…) 

Buy Black - HBSE

Black businesses and entrepreneurs have been some of the greatest contributors to the innovative, economic and cultural vibrancy of America. However, dating back to the beginning of our country, discriminatory policies and social practices have forced Black businesses to compete on an uneven playing field, which has contributed to the disparities we see today.

hbse.com

Additionally, the ParentPreneur Foundation is excited to announce applications are open for $1,000 grants for ten Black ParentPreneurs. Applications will close this Friday at 11:59 pm EDT.

"We paid for mental therapy for thirty people, gave away $20,000 in grants, gave scholarships to Seth Godin's marketing seminar, approved $60,000 in AWS server credits for our members, and so much more." said the CEO James Oliver.

In order to be eligible for a grant, you need to join our online community.

And to apply for one of the ten $1,000 grants, apply here -->

I hope one of these programs or other will help to level the playing field for all those hard working black entrepreneurs.