The West North Avenue Development Authority (WNADA) has awarded over $6.5 million in its second round of grant funding to 19 recipients, including minority-, women-, veteran-, and returning citizen-led businesses, as part of its 15-year revitalization strategy for West Baltimore. With a total investment of $21.2 million over the past two years, WNADA continues to drive economic growth, support local businesses, and improve community services along the West North Avenue corridor.
Category: BUSINESS
Posted inBaltimore News
Downtown Partnership of Baltimore releases annual ‘State of Downtown’ report
By Megan SaylesAFRO Staff Writermsayles@afro.com The Downtown Partnership of Baltimore (DPOB) unveiled its 2024 State of Downtown report on March 20. The annual analysis provides updates on key indicators of the health of Baltimore’s Central Business District, including data on employment, tourism, employment, vacancies and public safety According to DPOB’s president, Shelonda Stokes, downtown is […]
Posted inTransportation
Major U.S. bridges at high risk of collisions with ships
Preliminary findings of an urgent assessment of the nation’s bridge vulnerability following the 2024 Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore have revealed that major bridges across the United States are highly likely to be hit by ships, with some bridges expecting a major ship collision once every 20 to 50 years.
Posted inSports
George Foreman, the fearsome heavyweight who became a beloved champion, dies at 76
George Foreman, the legendary two-time heavyweight boxing champion and successful businessman, has passed away at 76. Best known for his loss to Muhammad Ali in the iconic “Rumble in the Jungle” and his inspiring comeback at 45 to reclaim the title, Foreman left a lasting legacy both in and out of the ring.
Posted inBUSINESS
Stalled Progress for Women on Maryland’s Corporate Boards, Executive Alliance Reports
Baltimore, MD — Maryland’s progress toward gender equity in corporate boardrooms has slowed significantly, according to the newly released 2025 Executive Alliance Census Report on Women Board Directors in Maryland. The report highlights that women hold only 28% of board seats in publicly traded companies headquartered in the state — well behind the national S&P […]
Posted inAfro Briefs
Beyond Tulsa: Uncovering America’s forgotten Black Wall Streets and their legacies today
By Jazmin GoodwinData work By Elena Cox “Beautiful, bustling, and Black”—that was how author, attorney, and activist Hannibal B. Johnson described Tulsa, Oklahoma’s Greenwood District in his book “Black Wall Street: From Riot to Renaissance in Tulsa’s Historic Greenwood District.” In the early 1900s, the Greenwood District flourished with over 100 Black-owned businesses, from restaurants […]
Posted inBaltimore News
Three newsrooms, one purpose: The women defining Black Press in Baltimore
Three Black women, Dr. Frances “Toni” Draper, Paris Brown, and Lisa Snowden, are leading three Black news organizations in Baltimore, carrying on the legacy of the Black Press and striving to sustain accurate and essential information for Black communities in the face of attacks against African Americans.
Posted inBUSINESS
Stocks’ sell-off worsens as Wall Street wonders how much pain the 47th president will accept for the economy
By Stan ChoeAP Business Writer The U.S. stock market’s sell-off cut deeper on March 10 as Wall Street questioned how much pain President Donald Trump will let the economy endure through tariffs and other policies in order to get what he wants. The S&P 500 dropped 2.7 percent to drag it close to 9 percent […]
Posted inBUSINESS
Whole Foods workers organize and succeed
By Tashi McQueenAFRO Staff Writertmcqueen@afro.com Over a year and a half ago, workers of a Whole Foods Market in Philadelphia came together under the need for better work conditions, fair and equitable pay and healthcare for part-time workers. On Jan. 28, workers voted to become the first Whole Foods Market store to unionize. Black workers […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
The National Hip-Hop Museum opening up three medical dispensaries in D.C.
By Mekhi AbbottSpecial to the AFROmabbott@afro.com The National Hip-Hop Museum is tapping into the cannabis industry, opening three new dispensary locations in Washington, D.C., with an eye toward fundraising. The Orbit Shop, the Lifted Shop and the Lifted Lounge do not serve solely as cannabis venues. Each store has a unique customer experience, including unique […]
Posted inBUSINESS
Driving media’s bottom line: Rhonda Pringle’s journey in business development
Rhonda Pringle, former director of diverse business initiatives for the American City Business Journals, has built a career in media sales and advertising, and is now encouraging more Black women to explore the business side of the industry.
Posted inBaltimore News
Divine Nine and community leaders rally behind Baltimore bookstore owner after racist messages
Urban Reads bookstore owner Tia Hamilton is facing racial attacks due to her magazine exposing prison corruption and wrongful convictions, prompting calls for Maryland officials to intervene and support the store.