A group of blacks entrepreneurs transforms Tulsa, Oklahoma, the site of the Tulsa Race Massacre into a technology hub for digital creators and developers.
Tulsa-based digital founders have a fresh and diverse tech talent pool, a great support system, and a cost of living that’s a fraction of what it costs, according to ABC News. to live from New York to the Bay Area. in California.
Those involved in the effort weren’t alive when the original Black Wall Street was burned down, but they have a sense of duty to rebuild it.
“The Tulsa Race Massacre is not a footnote in a history book for us. We live with it every day and thinking about what Greenwood was and what it could have been Massacre survivor and World War II veteran Hughes Van Ellis told lawmakers last year.
Here are some of the tech entrepreneurs changing the narrative on Black Wall Street.
Chandler Malone, CEO, Bootup
Malone, who has lived in Tulsa since 2019, started Bootup late last year. The website and app help companies fill gaps in their talent pool with non-traditionally trained talent. Malone told ABC he’s placed more than 320 people in their first tech jobs since Bootup started.
“The racial wealth gap hasn’t improved,” Malone said. “And there’s really no industry where someone can build a business and have a multi-billion dollar business in just a few years outside of technology.”
Edna Martinson, co-founder, Boddle
It’s no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the education of millions of black children across the country. Martinson is trying to get black students back on track with Boddle, an educational gaming platform that fills educational gaps in elementary classrooms.
Martinson moved to Tulsa in August 2020 saying she was inspired by the people she met while visiting the city and was fascinated not only by Tulsa’s history but also by the rebuilding In progress.
Chantelle Lott, CEO, Bounceless
Lott has lived in Tulsa for two decades and her company has created patented sportswear and sports bras for women with large breasts, which she says are often overlooked by the sportswear community.
The activewear founder added that rebuilding the Greenwood community in Tulsa has been a passion of hers since moving to the city. She also thinks black representation in tech is crucial for young black boys and girls.
Chris Davis, Founder and CEO, Fansub
Davis played football at Duke University for four years before co-founding FanSub, a platform for fans to interact with creators, artists and athletes with fans through live streams, marketing campaigns and other high-tech avenues.
The former footballer and his partner Cameron Williams and Michael Lombardi were looking for a network to help them grow their business when they discovered the Tulsa Accelerator startup program.
Other successful startups in the Tulsa area include the CEO of Bodify Carlanda McKinney; Founder of Fresh Fabrics Ambroise Dwarf and the founders of Cadenzo Mark The lack, Troy Black-smith, Andres Gonzalez.