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
This KC kombucha brewer brought back North America’s most mysterious tropical fruit; the time to taste it is ripe now
When the forest starts to smell like bananas, it means the pawpaws are ready for harvesting, Amy Goldman shared. “I’d never heard of pawpaws until last year when one of our farmer friends brought us a bunch of them. We tried them in our kombucha, and it sold out so fast. It was incredible. But…
A service you never knew you needed: Buying chickens from a vending machine at the Mayor’s Christmas Tree
As children gave life to the ice terrace above Friday, volunteers and shoppers were giving light to local and global charities at a newly placed installation of vending machines — stocked with donation opportunities, not snacks — at Crown Center. The hottest “selling” item so far in Kansas City: a trio of chickens for $18. Three Giving…
New nonprofit surprises first-ever $20K ‘changemaker’ grant winner; he already knows how he’ll invest it
Pastor Adrian Roberson was initially too stunned to speak Thursday when he was awarded a $20,000 grant for KC United — a youth sports initiative he co-founded in 2009 with his wife Vicky. But the duo already have plans for the money: spreading blessings. “I want to say, ‘Glory to God,’” Adrian Roberson shared moments after…
They built a coffee table magazine to showcase Black creatives; Why this week’s issue will be By Design’s last
The sixth and final issue of By Design magazine is a culmination of the work of three Black men who saw a lack of community and representation in Kansas City’s art ecosystem — and decided to create their own, shared Muenfua Lewis and Justin Ikerionwu. “By Design has always been about going deeper and breaking…