Jamye Wooten, founder of CLLCTIVLY, started his organization to address the gaps in funding for Black-led social change organizations in the Greater Baltimore area. The Baltimore Black Business Quest reinforces this mission by drawing greater support for Black businesses, organizations and landmarks in the city. (Courtesy photo)

By Megan Sayles
AFRO Business Writer
Report for America Corps Member
msayles@afro.com

Ahead of its third annual local day of giving to Greater Baltimore Black-led businesses, CLLCTIVLY on Aug. 4 will host its inaugural Baltimore Black Business Quest, a three-day event for patrons to support Black businesses, organizations and landmarks. 

“Many of our businesses have suffered due to COVID-19 so we wanted to get people out and about to support Black businesses and then again to draw support around CLLCTIVGIVE on Aug. 6,” said Jamye Wooten, founder of CLLCTIVLY. 

CLLCTIVLY launched in 2019 as a resource for entities that are looking to find, fund and partner with Black-led social change organizations in the Greater Baltimore area. According to Wooten, there was a lack of capital available to these organizations because people were unaware of their existence. As a result, CLLCTIVLY has become a digital directory where individuals can search over 140 Black-led organizations based on their area of focus and neighborhood. 

The Baltimore Black Business Quest will be organized as a scavenger hunt where participants will use the Scavify app to receive clues leading them to various organizations, businesses and landmarks around the city. Once there, the hunters will take photos of themselves at the location or with a receipt from the location. About 30 businesses, including Land of Kush, KSM Candle Co. and the Reginald F. Lewis Museum, will be featured in the quest. 

Some of the organizations will also have the participants take part in quizzes. The National Great Blacks in Wax Museum will administer a quiz titled “Who Am I,” for participants to learn more about Black history. 

“I think it’s a great time not only for people to support Black businesses but also to know the history and culture that exists in Baltimore,” said Wooten. “It’s our way of celebrating those that have come before us as well.” 

For each task completed in the quest, participants will be granted points, and CLLCTIVLY will award the first through third place finishers with a $1000, $500 and $350 cash prize respectively. There will also be a random drawing for a participant to win a $100 gift card. 

A few hours after the Baltimore Black Business Quest has culminated, 24 hours of CLLCTIVGIVE will commence to raise funding and awareness for Black-led social change organizations, and CLLCTIVLY will award $50,000 in prizes to these establishments. 

“I just think we really need to support our Black businesses and our social change organizations,” said Wooten. “Often, they are on the ground, and they have been historically underfunded and under-resourced. We want to make sure they have what they need to survive and thrive.”

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