A woman gives a shot to another woman — *Maricopa Career Institute*

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.

Manikia Boyd, who founded the Maricopa Career Institute with her 16-year-old daughter who came up with the idea for a class project, learned about creating a business plan, bookkeeping, marketing and more.

Now her business is helping to alleviate a statewide healthcare worker shortage.

“The state of Arizona is very short on nursing assistants,” explains Boyd. “About 61% of nursing homes are about 90% short on nursing assistants. So we wanted to be a part of trying to get healthcare workers into the medical field.”

Every student has achieved the certification and gotten hired, some even before completing the course, she said.

A woman takes the blood pressure of another woman — *Maricopa Career Institute*

Classes are affordable and scheduling is flexible, she said. Classes run four to eight weeks and include nighttime and weekend options.

The total cost is about $2,000, which may be paid in installments and, in some cases, is covered by the state.

“They’re actually paying for people to attend programs like ours,” Boyd said.

The school also offers courses in CPR, Safe Sitter Babysitting and more.

Boyd is proud of her daughter’s entrepreneurial spirit.

“She had the courage and tenacity to do it, and I backed her on that,” Boyd said.

Two other We Rise graduates are focused on empowering young people to get into college.

Two students practice CPR on a dummy — *Maricopa Career Institute*

Sandra Jenkins, who runs McKnight Educational Consulting for College Admissions helps parents and students navigate the complex college admissions process and other college-going milestones.

Antoinette Mendez, of Mission 2 Transition, provides individual and group college and career planning designed to improve post-secondary education attainment for marginalized students.

Developing entrepreneurs from all walks of life is a priority for Local First.

We Rise is a six-month training program offered at no cost to Arizona’s Black entrepreneurs. Meeting bi-weekly online, participants receive instruction and mentorship from Black entrepreneurs with firsthand experience in starting or growing a small business in Arizona and a $1,000 funding match at the end of the program.

Smell'N Bomb - Sheon Paige

Smell'N Bomb believes in making time for alone time. Offering affordably-priced bath bombs, Smell’N Bomb’s products are hand-molded and decorated exclusively with vegan ingredients. Every bath bomb is phthalate, petroleum, and paraben-free, offering a luxurious spa-at-home treat for the eyes, nose, and skin.

Dsquared Homes For The Homeless - Juan Te Dailey

Dsquared Homes for the Homeless aims to create a support system for the Seriously Mentally Ill through community collaboration by providing hygiene bags, mental health professionals, and rental assistance programs to those in need. We seek to combat Arizona’s growing homeless problem.

McKnight Educational Consulting for College Admissions (MECCA) - Sandra Jenkins

McKnight Educational Consulting for College Admissions (MECCA) is a one-stop-shop for all college admissions needs. We are the "hub" that helps parents and students navigate the complex college admissions process and all the college-going milestones.

Regina Rose - Gabrielle Dixon

Regina Rose is an all-natural, holistic beauty and wellness skincare collection owned by a certified natural holistic beauty, natural holistic essential oils and master herbalist. Regina Rose’s main focus is to help and educate patrons on healthier ways of living.

Dedicated Therapy Services - Makkeda Rubin-Deloney

Dedicated Therapy Services helps mature adults eliminate physical limitations that keep them from fully participating in their lives. By teaching strategies that encourage each person to take an active role in their tailored program, participants engage in movement with less effort and more confidence.

Mission 2 Transition - Antoinette Mendez

Mission 2 Transition LLC provides individual and group college and career action planning uniquely designed to improve post-secondary education attainment for marginalized students in Arizona. The firm offers consultation services to families and small- and medium-sized nonprofit organizations serving junior high and high school students in underserved communities.

Let's Keep Growing - Katie Cole

Let's Keep Growing is an organic hair care brand that mainly focuses on growth. Our mission is to help our customers achieve results while regaining their confidence. We offer an experience like no other, encouraging growth in spirit, wealth and mental health.

CLF Studios - Clifton Graham

CLF Studios is an audio production company specializing in post production services that range from audio recording, audio production and education for aspiring audio engineers. From editing to refining, CLF Studios works with clients to prepare music for distribution to streaming platforms.

Business Credit Works - Darryl Johnson

At Business Credit Works, we specialize in helping companies build business credit separate from personal credit by establishing a good credit score and strong profiles with Dun & Bradstreet, Experian and Equifax. Our expert advising and finance team helps business owners build credit in months, not years.

Maricopa Career Institute - Manikia Boyd

Maricopa Career Institute is an adult learning center offering entry level medical training programs. The black-owned family business, started by a teenager, aims to tackle the shortage of CNAs in the medical field. The school also offers CPR, Safe Sitter Babysitting Certification and more.

Just Sass-e Custom Tees & More - Kelli Hawkins

Just Sass-e Custom Tees and More helps bring ideas and visions to life in the form of custom and personalized items. They customize apparel, acrylics, glass, wood and more, and specialize in out-of-the-box merchandise for small, women-owned businesses.

My Lord’s Designs -Margarita & Robert Valdes

My Lord’s Designs hopes to make Christ socially relevant in our communities. Our vision is to design products that help support a belief in Christ in the traditions, celebrations and conversations of everyday life — from stockings to decor and more.

My Beautiful Locs - Yalonda Kilgore

My Beautiful Locs promotes natural beauty for African American women by providing quality natural hair care of various Locs methods including Traditional, Micro and Sisterlocks®.

Zybrena Fine Art - Zybrena Porter

Zybrena Fine Arts offers inspired creations and events anchored by fine art solutions that visually engage the psyche and promote self-empowerment. From live painting events to commissioned creations, we focus on creating work that culturally represents our clients, shared values and personal aspirations.

Unorthodox - Melissa Mason

Unorthodox offers big and bold fashion accessories designed to get attention. Every handcrafted piece is unique and available only in limited quantities or one-of-a-kind runs. At Unorthodox, we take joy in creating fashionable staples our clients love as much as we do.

Fulanee - Soraya Sow

Fulanee is inspired by West African culture and centered around celebrating Black women. As an online store, we offer products that target the underserved needs of Black women, particularly related to headwear designs.

Sparkle N Shine Skincare - Iysha Wedderburn

Sparkle N Shine Skincare is a one-stop for corrective skincare, skin coaching, and full body waxing. Sparkle N Shine Skincare offers corrective medical-grade skincare with a gentle approach and effective results.

To learn more about We Rise or to apply, visit localfirstaz.com/we-rise.

We Rise graduates make education accessible