Aerial view of a thriving Black community neighborhood with hand-painted storefronts
A Black Business Gathering · June 14th, 2026

#Rooted
Together

The Gathering Is June 14th.

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How It Began

Every great forest starts
with a single seed.

Roots was born in a group chat between three Black business owners who kept sending each other the same question: "Do you know anyone who does...?" The answer was always yes — but the connection never existed in one place. So we built it.

The natural hair stylist who just signed her first commercial lease shouldn't have to find her accountant through three degrees of separation. The veteran contractor tired of being passed over for bids deserves a room where his work speaks first. The tech founder on her third pop-up needs a permanent address in the ecosystem.

On June 14th, we stop asking if the network exists. We become it — in one room, in one city, with one purpose: to grow from the same soil, together.

450+

Businesses registered

28

Neighborhoods represented

6

Industry tracks

Live · Registrations Open
847

community members have claimed their seat

0Goal: 1,200
Save Your Seat at the Table

Free to attend · June 14th · Doors open 9am

The Network In Motion

Every pin is a person.
Every business, a neighbor.

Confirmed attending businesses, pinned to the neighborhoods they call home. Hover any marker to meet the owner behind the door.

Aerial neighborhood map view showing urban community streets and blocks
Natural hair stylist working in a bright studio with plants
Natural Hair

Crown & Curl Studio

Amara Johnson · Bronzeville

Contractor reviewing blueprints at a construction site
Contractor

Okafor Construction

Emeka Okafor · South Shore

Chef plating beautiful food in a warmly lit kitchen
Food & Beverage

Verdant Kitchen

Simone Adeyemi · Kenwood

Tech founder presenting at a community pop-up event
Technology

Loop Tech Collective

Zara Williams · Woodlawn

Florist arranging colorful flowers in a sunlit shop window
Retail

Bloom & Stem Florals

Kezia Mensah · Hyde Park

Barber giving a precise fade to a customer in a classic barbershop
Wellness

Fade & Finesse Barbershop

Marcus Thompson · Chatham

Creative director reviewing design work at a bright studio desk
Creative

Sankofa Creative Agency

Nia Asante · Bronzeville

Financial advisor consulting with a client in a modern office
Finance

Heritage Wealth Advisory

Darius Freeman · Oakland

8 businesses confirmed ↑
Food & BeverageNatural HairTechnologyRetailConstructionCreative ArtsWellnessFinanceEducationReal EstateFashionConsultingFood & BeverageNatural HairTechnologyRetailConstructionCreative ArtsWellnessFinanceEducationReal EstateFashionConsulting
The Grove · Voices Shaping the Gathering

These roots run deep.
Come hear them speak.

Dr. Imani Osei, keynote speaker, confident Black woman in professional attire

Dr. Imani Osei

Osei Capital Group

Marcus Webb, contractor and panelist, Black man in work attire smiling

Marcus Webb

Webb & Associates

Asha Nkrumah, tech founder and workshop leader, Black woman with natural hair

Asha Nkrumah

Nkrumah Digital

Kofi Asare, finance panelist, Black man in glasses with a thoughtful expression

Kofi Asare

Groundwork Fund

Jade Mensah, wellness entrepreneur, Black woman with bright smile in natural setting

Jade Mensah

Root & Rise Wellness

Save Your Seat at the Table

More speakers to be announced · Check back weekly

June 14th · A Day in Three Acts

The day unfolds
like seasons.

Vibrant outdoor market with colorful stalls and community members browsing
Morning
9:00 AM — 12:00 PM

The Market

The day opens like a neighborhood coming alive at dawn. Pop-up stalls, product sampling, and the kind of introductions that feel like running into an old friend.

  • 50+ Business Pop-Ups
  • Networking Breakfast
  • Product & Service Showcase
  • First-time Vendor Spotlight
Community panel discussion with engaged audience in a warm venue
Afternoon
12:30 PM — 5:00 PM

The Panels

Mid-day conversations that move like roots — underground, invisible to the eye, but connecting everything. Real talk from builders who didn't wait for permission.

  • Access to Capital Panel
  • Digital Storefronts Workshop
  • Building Without Permission
  • Wellness as Wealth Fireside
Joyful community celebration with warm golden lighting and people dancing
Evening
6:00 PM — 10:00 PM

The Celebration

As the light shifts to gold, the gathering becomes what it always was meant to be — a feast, a dance, a homecoming. We don't leave as strangers.

  • Community Dinner
  • Live Music & Performance
  • Roots Awards Ceremony
  • Open Floor & Dancing

"The gathering grows whether you plant or not.
But it grows taller when you do."

Save Your Seat at the Table
June 14th · Doors Open 9AM

Pull up a chair.
The table is set.

This isn't a conference. It's a homecoming. Register and become part of the network before you walk through the door.

🌱

Free to attend

No ticket price, no hidden fees. Community-funded.

🤝

Network before you arrive

Your profile goes live in the directory the moment you register.

📍

Location revealed to registered guests

We protect the space. Details sent 48 hours prior.

Community member smiling
Business owner portrait
Tech founder headshot
Community leader portrait
+843

847 neighbors already registered

Free to attend · No spam · You're joining a community, not a mailing list.