BELL Executive Board From Left to Right
Front Row: Tadean Page, Seberina Myles, Dawn Johnson, Deeandra Brown, Mek McCorey
Second Row: William Stockdale, Elaine Wilmore Kimberly Mood
Back Row: Chris Carter, Cameryn Mitchell, John Gregory III
Not Pictured: Chequelle Brown, Terrell Turner, Dr. Marty Conner
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Thursday, February 16, 2023
Contacts:
Dawn Johnson, Chair info@bellofrockhill.org
Kimberly Mood, Chair BELL-Prize BDI@bellofrockhill.org
The Black Economic Leadership League (B.E.L.L.) of Rock Hill is excited to announce the celebration of their 5-Year Anniversary and share their upcoming programs, recent leadership changes, and the strategy for future engagement and growth. Like so many other non-profit organizations, the shutdown that came with the pandemic challenged B.E.L.L. to stay connected and engaged. However, it created an opportunity to restructure, reorganize, and prepare for the next iteration of B.E.L.L. The organization has more clearly defined its three areas of service:
Business Development and Innovation (BD&I),
Workforce Development & Education (WFD&Education),
and Leadership Development and Training (LD&Training).
The Business Development and Innovation pillar aims to serve as a resource to Black business owners by assisting them in creating, growing, and scaling their businesses. Through programming and tools, we guide Black business owners towards implementation and growth while helping them overcome unique challenges and address the cultural nuances that are typically associated with Black-owned businesses. Programming for 2023 includes hosting the Kauffman FastTrac curriculum, a proven educational program for entrepreneurs from the nationally recognized Kauffman Foundation and licensed exclusively to B.E.L.L. in this area. Other programming includes the B.E.L.L. Business Insider, and later this year the launch of BELL-Prize III. BELL-Prize III will launch under the leadership of Kimberley Mood, an inaugural Bell-Prize winner and recipient of $33,000 during the first BELL-Prize competition. Kimberly is the owner of Carolina Therapy Solutions 4 Kids, LLC. She is stepping up to bring her experience and enthusiasm to other aspiring entrepreneurs. Kim says, “it is an honor to be asked to step into this role and help other black business owners see their dreams come true. BELL-Prize I was a game changer for my business. I am beyond excited about the opportunity to be able to give back.”
The Workforce Development & Education pillar of B.E.L.L. aims to connect the dots and foster collaboration between education, workforce development, and business development initiatives by serving students at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Their work is to bridge the gaps that prevent the underemployed from securing better-paying job opportunities through programming and initiatives that support the whole family. Specific programs include Rock Hill@Work, It Takes a Village and the High School Career Expo. The High School Career Expo being held for the second year is scheduled for March 29th at Emmett Scott Recreation Center.
The third pillar, Leadership Development and Training, supports our community leaders by providing them with resources and knowledge to become more effective in their work., making our community aware of open positions on city boards and commissions, as well as helping the BELL board to continuously develop. Programs include the Women’s History Month Mentoring event, Young, Black, & Giving which highlights opportunities for philanthropic engagement, and the Inclusive Tech Expo, a technology conference that exposes underserved people and communities to opportunities in the technology sector.
B.E.L.L. is also launching a new membership model and seeking participation from individuals looking for ways to get involved. Tadean Page, Co-Chair of B.E.L.L. and responsible for community engagement, stresses the importance of service and giving back. He says, “there are many ways to participate in service. Giving of your time, talents, and financial resources are all ways to make a difference in the communities we live, work, and play.”
To learn more about us, please go to our newly designed website at https://www.bellofrockhill.org/
About the Black Economic Leadership League (B.E.L.L.) of Rock Hill
In March 2018, a group of black business owners and engaged community leaders came together to form what would become the Black Economic Leadership League of Rock Hill. B.E.L.L.’s mission is to be a resource and an advocate for the Black Community and the City of Rock Hill. Our vision is to grow diverse and equitable practices to promote the value of inclusive, innovative, progressive policies in economic growth and development by fostering entrepreneurship, creating jobs, equitable distribution of city resources, and leadership opportunities to help the city of Rock Hill achieve its goal. The success of our initial BELL-Prize competition, and other initiatives have paved the way for establishing B.E.L.L. as having a pivotal role to play in helping the City create opportunities for business development and entrepreneurship, workforce development, and leadership development. B.E.L.L. has played a major role in the work of the Clinton ConNEXTion Action plan as the city continues to support ways for a more inclusive “All-America City and a Rock Hill for All.”
To learn more about the Black Economic Leadership League of Rock Hill visit www.bellofrockhill.com, or
contact us at info@bellofrockhill.org