After nearly two decades as an EEG technologist, Agnes Adams understood Arizona’s healthcare workforce gaps from the inside. Essential roles were understaffed, and for many women — particularly women of color — the pathway into healthcare careers was limited.

In 2021, Adams and her business partner, Miss Gigi, launched the Yond Institute of Learning, a West Valley–based training program focused on Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), a critical entry point into nursing and other healthcare professions. Designed around the realities of working families, Yond offers small cohorts, flexible class schedules and personalized support to help students move from opportunity to stability.

When Nuru ZeKariyahh blends a smoothie or acai bowl at his Tempe shop, Add-On Smoothies, he’s serving more than fresh fruit. He’s blending nearly two decades of learning, a passion for holistic health and a life story that began in an unexpected place: a federal prison horticulture program.

We’re excited to share the latest news from our wave-making We Rise alums! From innovative projects to personal milestones, these enterprising business owners are moving, shaking and making their mark on Arizona’s thriving business landscape.

Juneteenth is a time to honor emancipation — and to ask ourselves what freedom looks like today. For many Black Arizonans, it means reclaiming power through business ownership, building generational wealth and shaping the future of our local economy.

At Local First, we’ve always believed that the success of locally owned businesses creates a strong and thriving Arizona economy. But one of the biggest challenges for local entrepreneurs has long been access to capital — especially in Arizona, where community banking resources are limited. That’s why we’ve made it our mission to break down financial barriers and build new pathways for funding that empower business owners to grow, hire and create a lasting impact on Arizona’s communities.

Dr. Janet Tate-Brown, DNP, a board-certified nurse practitioner with years of experience in a hospital’s emergency department, excelled at patient care. However, when it came to business ownership, she felt like she needed a bit more guidance. That’s when she discovered We Rise, a no-fee business accelerator offered by Local First Arizona for the state’s community of Black business owners. The program turned out to be exactly what she needed.

Thunderbirds Charities has awarded Local First Arizona $90,000 to support Spanish-speaking and Black entrepreneurs’ success. 

The donation will go toward Local First’s business education programs Fuerza Local, Nivel Ejecutivo and We Rise.

Thunderbirds Charities has invested about $620,000 in the Local First programs since 2017.

Cooking barbecue makes William Mack happy. But it’s more than that for the owner of Mack-A-Docious BBQ in Lake Havasu.

“It’s me doing my best to give you a taste of my family, my home and knowing who we are. That’s what it is to me.”

Tucson-based Berry Cultured celebrates cultural diversity with a line of toys, paper products and party kits that allow kids to experience cultural norms and values in a fun way.

“What’s different about our products is we add a cultural twist to it,” says founder Heidi Calderon. “When I grew up, the people who made up my world were not in the toy aisle. I wanted to change that narrative.”

A 2022 survey by payroll provider Gusto found that only 6% of Black new business owners receive the business loans they seek. Jessica Baker, who owns Vibe Spot and Pink Sky Productions, learned first-hand how to boost her chances.

Eighteen entrepreneurs graduated from Local First Arizona’s We Rise Business Accelerator in January.

From art and fashion to health care and greeting cards to fitness and pet sitting, this cohort of graduates offered an array of goods and services for Arizona residents to enjoy.

Can opening your own business help America close the racial wealth gap and make the economy more fair? Research shows Black people own less than 3% of businesses despite making up 14% of the population.

Local First Arizona’s We Rise program is helping Black business owners launch, grow and thrive. Two We Rise mentors weigh in about supporting the Black entrepreneur community.

Do you know which Arizona city has the largest Black community per capita in the state? The answer may surprise you. But business leader Demetry Simonton says it’s leading the way in Black entrepreneurship.

Five women food entrepreneurs will dazzle the tastebuds of a lucky few at Dining For Dreams on Sept. 28.

The intimate evening of camaraderie and conversation features a three-course dinner catered by graduates of Local First Arizona’s business accelerator programs. Get your tickets now!

Seeing a “Small Wonders” map, the pocket-size guides to independent businesses and tourist attractions around the state by Local First Arizona, was the genesis for Scottsdale marketing agency Ideas Collide lending its support.
Local First, like the agency, was “small and mighty and impactful,” said co-founder Matt Clyde. ”We love seeing small businesses thrive.”

Less than a year and a half after Charlotte Bowens experienced a health scare, she was crossing the finish line of a 50-mile race, setting things in motion for Conscious Gear, a brand of outdoor wear she founded to accommodate larger bodies.

“There’s plenty of us at the back of the pack who are fat, and we buy this gear that a lot of the time doesn’t fit us,” Bowens said. “I felt called to just maybe try.”

Making higher education accessible to all Arizonans is the goal of three business owners who recently graduated from We Rise, Local First Arizona’s Black-owned business accelerator.

Despite the growth of the Black community in Arizona, Black-owned businesses only account for 1% of all businesses in Phoenix, making them difficult to find and support. As Juneteenth approaches, here are a variety of Black-owned businesses you can support from Phoenix to Tucson to Safford and beyond.

Tucson yoga teacher Jameela Hill gained confidence to expand her business through Local First Arizona’s We Rise program.

“I've had the confidence to go after opportunities that I would've never considered before,” Hill says.

The no-cost, 6-month accelerator empowers Black Arizona entrepreneurs and nonprofit leaders to grow and prosper, with mentors to guide their progress.

Tucson business owners are encouraged to visit an info session April 13 and apply.

“Thanks to our partnership with the Maricopa Career Institute, starting today, D Squared Homes for the Homeless has space in Phoenix for volunteers to come to help us create sleeping mats for the homeless community,” says the CEO of D Squared Homes for the Homeless, Juan Te Dailey.

After meeting through Local First Arizona’s We Rise Accelerator, two local businesses, The Maricopa Career Institute and D Squared Homes For The Homeless, decided to pool their resources and have entered into a partnership with a common goal of continuing to uplift underserved populations.