Pharrell Talks Bridging The Gap Between Black Businesses And Resources: “Galvanizing Is Key”

Pharrell Williams’ Black Ambition Demo Day returned for its fourth year on Friday (Nov. 15) in NYC, with a stunning display of innovation and empowerment for Black and Brown businesses. The event celebrated 30 trailblazing Black and Hispanic entrepreneurs—awarding over $2,700,000 in funding to catapult their businesses to new heights. The night’s grand prize—an impressive $1,000,000—was awarded to Dr. Monica Williams and Dana Roberts, co-founders of RedDrop. Their groundbreaking menstrual kits for tweens aim to educate, empower, and support young girls during a pivotal and scary phase of their lives. “We’re beyond thrilled to be the grand prize winners of this year’s Black Ambition Prize Competition!” Dr. Williams exclaimed. “This funding is life-changing and will open doors that were previously closed. The mentorship and network provided by Black Ambition are priceless—we’re not just getting a seat at the table; we’re building our own.” Following the announcement of winners, Pharrell spoke with VIBE where he gave indelible gems on how to bridge the gap between aspiring young minority business owners and resources available to them. “I think that young Black and Brown ideas and businesses lack the mentorship,” he began. “So really, handy scaffolding that one would need when launching a...