Panels on Entrepreneurship Planned for Ponyride Juneteenth Event

Ludacris, jessica Care moore, and DJ Rue are participating in this virtual celebration

June 18, 2020

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ponyride - juneteenth — DJ Rue photograph courtesy of Antonice Strickland

Ponyride, a nonprofit that serves as an incubation space for Detroit artists and entrepreneurs, has ��partnered with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan and clothing store Détroit is the New Black to host its first virtual Makers Market on June 19. The event will celebrate Juneteenth, a holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the U.S.

The virtual event includes a panel discussion called Surviving & Thriving: Navigating Entrepreneurship as a Black Woman, as well as a panel on Overcoming Racial Biases as a Black Male Entrepreneur. Rapper and tech entrepreneur Ludacris, Gwen Jimmere, owner of natural hair company Naturalicious; Chinonye Akunne founder and CEO of vegan beauty company Ilera Apothecary, and Roslyn Karamoko, owner of Détroit is the New Black are among the featured guests.

Live music will be heavily involved throughout the virtual Makers Market with performances from two local DJ’s — DJ Rue and DJ Todd — poet jessica Care moore, violinist Pretty Stringz, and drum performers with Heritage Works. Virtual vendors will also be featured during the event, and 100 percent of the proceeds will benefit Ponyride entrepreneurs.

The event will stream on the Ponyride website. You can catch the first part of the virtual market from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the evening portion from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. by registering .

Shawn H. Wilson, president and CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan, says he hopes to see Juneteenth celebrations continue every year. “Juneteenth is about celebrating the emancipation of Black people, but it’s also about celebrating the future for Black people which, in my opinion, will come by financial freedom through entrepreneurship and signaling the key to that is full equality with economic equality.”

The celebration continues Saturday with a block party at Détroit is the New Black. The event — which will feature a business crawl, performances, vendors, live painters, and a film showing — starts at 1 p.m. Learn more about the block party and other Juneteenth happenings, here.

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