KC ‘community crusader’ Thalia Cherry joins Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes on EBONY Power 100 list
March 5, 2020 | Startland News Staff
Editor’s note: Thalia Cherry is a board member of STARTLAND, the ecosystem building organization that operates Startland News. This story was produced independently by Startland News’ nonprofit newsroom.
A Kansas City entrepreneur widely known for sports apparel lines honoring the history of the Chiefs and Monarchs is earning acclaim in her own right.
Thalia Cherry secured a top spot among “Community Crusaders” on EBONY magazine’s 2020 EBONY Power 100 List, which recognizes individuals who have had a positive impact on the African-American community.
Click here to see the entire EBONY Power 100, which also includes sports stars like Patrick Mahomes, TV personality Gayle King, pop singer Lizzo, rapper Lil Nas X and a host of business and cultural leaders.
Cherry, CEO and founder of Cherry, a KC-based sports gear company catered to women, was selected for the distinction because of her work in the education field, according to the magazine. Her work to design an entrepreneurial model that impacts high school students is an effort to change teens’ economic trajectory, ultimately increasing the percentage of entrepreneurs of colors in the Kansas City region, which is currently ranked second lowest in the country.
“We are thrilled to be able to recognize those who are making a difference for our people around the world,” said Willard Jackson, EBONY chairman and CEO. “Every name on the list is a leader and have had a positive impact on the African-American community. They shape perceptions, influence culture and galvanize communities. They are game-changers at a time when we need people to get in the game.”
Cherry and Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs MVP honoree, make history as the first two Kansas City personalities to be featured among the EBONY Power 100 — which evolved from the magazine’s “Most Influential Black Americans List,” first launched in 1971.
Click here to read more about one of Cherry’s latest collections, a nod to past Chiefs players.
This story is possible thanks to support from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, a private, nonpartisan foundation that works together with communities in education and entrepreneurship to create uncommon solutions and empower people to shape their futures and be successful.
For more information, visit www.kauffman.org and connect at www.twitter.com/kauffmanfdn and www.facebook.com/kauffmanfdn
Featured Business
2020 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Missouri businesses consider leaving Twitter amid instability of Elon Musk’s takeover
Editor’s note: This story was originally published by Missouri Business Alert, a member of the KC Media Collective, which also includes Startland News, KCUR 89.3, American Public Square, Kansas City PBS/Flatland, and The Kansas City Beacon. Click here to read the original story. COLUMBIA, Missouri — As concern about Twitter increases under new leadership and changing guidelines,…
Bungii hires former C2FO exec for CFO role; startup delivers on new consumer demands
Ratcheting through the stages of a growing startup is easier with an experienced professional under the hood, said Ben Jackson, drawing upon the comparison of scaling to “chewing glass while staring into the abyss.” “Companies fundamentally change as various revenue thresholds are surpassed,” said Jackson, co-founder of Bungii. “A seed stage company looks completely different…
Come on (down) Now! AltCap Your Biz awards $37K in prizes with a familiar face earning biggest win of the night
The founder’s story can be the most important part of a startup’s pitch, Dr. Shelley Cooper shared after clinching the $25,000 grand prize at Thursday’s AltCap Your Biz: Pitch Competition. “Everybody else had a lot more financials in their pitch, and I took all that stuff out. I focused on telling my story the way…
Panel: Teachers can’t just ‘fail fast’ with students, but plugging entrepreneurship into classrooms builds agility in both
As someone with a hand in both education and entrepreneurship, Tiffany Dixon recognizes that a gap between the two is limiting potential in Kansas City schools. “There is an ecosystem that teachers don’t realize exists around their classroom,” she explained during a “Youth: Our Future Entrepreneurs” panel discussion for Global Entrepreneurship Week – Kansas City.…