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Minority business highlight: 3BFit Body, Beauty and Brain LLC

Jade Jackson
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Minority business highlight: 3BFit Body, Beauty and Brain LLC

3Bfit Body, Beauty and Brains Meditation and Yoga takes a mind and body approach to conscious discipline and self-regulation. It provides safe spaces where individuals are able to express and promote positive self-awareness.  
 
It was founded by Tiffianie King, a certified meditation and yoga instructor, in 2020. She created the three-tier prevention-focused program that provides evidence-based mindfulness tools.  

When applied, mindfulness can enhance the quality of everyday living, help relieve anxiety and stress and increase grades in school, and lower behavioral issues.   

She offers adult and youth meditation and yoga classes, family yoga classes, meditative talk sessions and toddler courses on mindfulness.  

She also offers Baby N Me yoga classes and a Bike N Bookcamp for free. 

 King first began meditation in 1997 to relieve her own addictions, anxiety and depression and has since gained 15 years of experience working with youth and families.  

She has taken her love for meditation and yoga into classrooms and communities to share the positive experiences these practices can foster.  

If you have a minority-owned and operated business you would like to be featured in the Indiana Minority Business Magazine Directory, visit Indiana Minority Business Directory.

Hogsett names Cornerstone Construction minority business Vendor of the Month

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Hogsett names Cornerstone Construction minority business Vendor of the Month

Cornerstone Construction was recognized as the Certified Vendor of the Month for June 2023.

Founded by Current CEO and President Nick Lunn in 2013, Cornerstone Construction Group, LLC is a Prime and General Construction Management Company and certified minority-owned business enterprise that got its start in a garage. It has since grown into a multimillion-dollar business with plans to continue expanding and growing in the community.

“June’s Vendor of the Month is a community-minded construction firm whose work includes projects large and small located across our region,” Mayor Joe Hogsett said in a statement. “And as a certified XBE with the City, they are part of a diverse and growing business landscape in Indianapolis.”

Hogsett and David Fredericks, director of the Office of Minority and Women Business Development, presented the certification to the Black-owned LLC on June 5, honoring its commitment and dedication to serving and bettering the community in efforts such as donating to Riley Children’s Hospital, Indianapolis Toys for Tots and Habitat for Humanity.

“When I look back into the past on my younger self, what I saw was this day. Nonetheless, as I look into the future, I see endless possibilities and opportunities reminding me that the best is still yet to come,” Lunn said in a statement. “Keep persevering, keep creating great relationships, keep my clients, my communities, and my staff members as my top priority, and that’s what true success looks like because, as the company motto says, ‘Together we win.'”

Cornerstone has previously been recognized for its community outreach efforts by the Indianapolis Business Journal, the Small Business Administration and Mid-States as well as through receiving the top 500 for Inc. 5000 Award in 2020 and 2021.

Minority Business Highlight: Black Leaf Vegan Cafe

CHLOE McGOWAN
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Minority Business Highlight: Black Leaf Vegan Cafe

Black Leaf Vegan Cafe provides a haven for authentic vegan and vegetarian comfort food.

Owned and operated by Derrick and Taria Slack and their three daughters, the family-owned Black Leaf Vegan got its start in 2021 during the pandemic following the closures of the family’s favorite vegan restaurants. Black Leaf Vegan started as a food truck — the first fully vegan food truck in the state of Indiana — participating in pop-up events, fairs and festivals.

The restaurant’s overall mission revolves around the idea of providing “life-sustaining, plant-based products that heal the mind, body and soul” and promoting healthy lifestyles within all communities, according to their website.

Black Leaf Vegan Cafe was able to open its storefront in the Canal District in the fall of 2022, where they continue to serve up an extensive menu of vegan soul food and burgers as well as plant-based breakfast sandwiches, loaded nachos and mac and cheese. They also offer a variety of fruit smoothies, vegan espresso, lemonades and teas.

Their signature green and black food truck can be spotted all over Indy, from special events and festivals to the Indiana State Fair — of which they were the first vegan food truck to attend.

RELEATED: Food truck promotes community health, generational wealth

In addition to participating in fairs and festivals, Black Leaf Vegan offers event catering that features an array of dishes prepared by their team of skilled chefs. The cafe also hosts regular events, such as Third Sunday jazz and wine tastings with Sip & Share Wines.

Black Leaf Vegan Cafe is located in the Canal District, at 335 W. 9th St. More information about the cafe’s hours of operation, menu items and upcoming events can be found at blackleafvegan.com. For questions, contact 317-560-4222 or blackleafvegan@gmail.com

If you have a minority-owned and operated business you would like to be featured in the Indiana Minority Business Magazine Directory, visit Indiana Minority Business Directory.

Contact staff writer Chloe McGowan at 317-762-7848. Follow her on Twitter @chloe_mcgowanxx.

Minority Business Highlight: Bar-B-Q Heaven

Noral Parham
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Minority Business Highlight: Bar-B-Q Heaven

Bar-B-Q Heaven is a minority-owned, family-owned barbecue restaurant that has served the Indianapolis community for over 70 years.

The story of Bar-B-Q Heaven has humble beginnings. In 1950, owner Ronald Jones began selling barbecue platters to passersby near his childhood residence at the age of eleven. A couple of years later, he convinced his family to open up a restaurant.

The rest was history.

Located in a building constructed in the 1920s, Jones and his staff provide an inviting environment. The interior is adorned with timeless photos and memorabilia, giving it a warm and cozy ambiance. This barbecue eatery is a flavored, er favored spot for locals and out-of-towners alike.

The hometown eatery is known for its slow-smoked, ‘fall off the bone’ tender meats; the ribs are a staple of the restaurant.

The restaurant also serves brisket, chicken, and pork. Additionally, they offer a variety of side dishes. The potato salad, macaroni and cheese, and collard greens are beloved by many.

The eatery also dishes up a multitude of desserts such as slices of cakes and pies.

Since opening in 1952, the eatery has expanded across the city of Indianapolis. Their second location is located near the city’s east side.

Bar-B-Q Heaven is located at 2515 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St., Indianapolis, IN 46208. You can reach the rib masters at Bar-B-Q Heaven at (317) 926-1667.

Do you have a minority-owned business? Register it with our directory HERE.

5th Annual InnoPower Minority Business Week

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5th Annual InnoPower Minority Business Week

By EMIL EKIYOR | Founder & CEO INNOPOWER INDY

Now in its 5th year, InnoPower Minority Business Week’s (IMBW) main priority is to increase the competitiveness of Black and Brown students, business owners, and professionals by uniting local and national business owners, entrepreneurs, and social entrepreneurs, leaders in the non-profit and private sectors, donors, and impact investors to network, share experiences/ideas, and make connections to address development challenges in Black communities in Indiana. 

We are at a critical moment where communal mindfulness and momentum from corporate Indiana are coming together to create a more resilient and inclusive economy by supporting diverse small businesses and professionals across trades and geographies. Inclusive economies are better economies. By providing opportunities for entire communities to participate, inclusive economies lead to more extensive and sustained economic growth. By nature, they are also more diverse, which makes them more resilient, able to weather and rebound from economic disruptions like the one we’re experiencing today.

Accelerating economic productivity in our Black communities starts with the people most affected. We must create opportunities in these communities and get people excited about pursuing opportunities while ensuring everyone has access.

InnoPower believes speaking on the Black experience with a different tone and optics is more important than ever. The IMBW creates a platform to celebrate Black Excellence with The Indiana Black Rising Stars Central Indiana Black Excellence in Education and Innovators on the Rise Awards. These awards showcase Black Excellence from individual triumph, overcoming all obstacles, the history of innovation,

Conference Awards and Events

1. Our Black Rising Stars Awards will celebrate the top two Black students in the Class of 2023 from high schools in Central Indiana (over 60 students). They will be recognized at the awards event and featured on WishTV and the Indianapolis Recorder front page — Talent Attraction Starts Now. Like every year, we know our top football, basketball, and baseball student-athletes in Central Indiana; we will begin to identify our top Black graduating seniors and track how many of them return to Indy after graduating college and help them build their social capital with local corporations.

2. Our design sessions can also be customized for one of your local talent or entrepreneur development initiatives. We will bring in community members, students, local organizations, and other stakeholders for a three our design sprint around the identified challenge.

3. Our African American Excellence in Education awards celebrate African American educators from around Central Indiana for their performance in the classroom. Their principals and school districts nominate the educators.

4. The Black Innovators Awards celebrate Black professionals, business owners, or community members that have taken an innovative approach to wealth creation or solving problems in our community

5. The weekends with professional networking sessions with the NFL Alumni and other professional groups in Indianapolis.

Visit www.IMBW.org to register for the 2023 InnoPower Minority Business Week.

Indiana Civil Rights Commission Hosts National Conference

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Indiana Civil Rights Commission Hosts National Conference

The Indiana Civil Rights Commission (ICRC) will host the 2023 Indiana Civil Rights Commission Annual Conference beginning June 19 through June 21 at the Crowne Plaza Downtown Union Station in Indianapolis, IN.

This conference comes at a crossroads of three historic milestones, the 60th anniversary of the Indiana Civil Rights Commission, 55 years of the Federal Fair Housing Act, and celebration of the Juneteenth Holiday.

ICRC has chosen “Humanity” as the theme for this conference. This theme was inspired by the quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “Make a career of humanity. Commit yourself to the noble struggle for equal rights. You will make a better person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in.” ICRC hopes attendees will be inspired by what they learn and put service to others at the foundation of their work.

Gregory L. Wilson, Sr., ICRC Executive Director said, “This conference will be a unique experience for all attendees. We have brought together a diverse group of speakers who will examine the history of civil rights, the moment we are currently in, and how we can collectively move forward toward a future where everyone has equal access and opportunity. We hope this transformational event will maintain civil rights momentum for another 60 years.”

The conference will feature a variety of sessions and workshops across four educational tracks covering topics such as Enforcement Training, Law and Policy, Civil and Human Rights, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

The conference will also include several notable speakers. The Honorable Tanya Walton Pratt, Chief Judge for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana will be delivering welcome remarks at the opening reception on Monday evening.

Dr. Russell Ledet, MD/PhD and Triple Board Resident at the Indiana University School of Medicine, will deliver the Tuesday Luncheon Keynote Address. Dr. Ledet will discuss the importance of collaboration and action during his keynote speech titled “I’m Bout That Action.”

Dr. Jakobi Williams, the Chair of the Department of African American and African Diaspora Studies at Indiana University, will deliver the Wednesday Luncheon Keynote Address. Dr. Williams will deliver his keynote address titled, “Make a Career of Humanity” and discuss various aspects of the civil rights movement and the influences it has today.

At the Civil Rights Awards Dinner on Wednesday evening, Governor Eric J. Holcomb will be present to deliver remarks. Demetria McCain, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will deliver the Keynote Address.

ICRC, in partnership with the Indiana Governor’s Council for People with Disabilities, will host the conference in-person and virtually through an interactive hybrid experience. The conference is made possible thanks to the support of Trailblazer Sponsor, Ivy Tech Community College, and other generous sponsors. Registration is required for the 2023 Indiana Civil Rights Commission Annual Conference. To register for the event or to learn more, visit www.in.gov/icrc/conference2023

Magazine founder inspires readers who want more

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Magazine founder inspires readers who want more

By CASEY CAWTHON

Founder and creator, Arianna Cruz focuses on curating a community for MORE. With a focus on Making Opportunities Reachable for Everyone, she’s created this magazine for the people that want more for themselves, the people they love, and more for the world we live in. Each magazine issue is curated with a mission to inspire, educate, and call people to action.

Part of Making Opportunities Reachable for Everyone is creating low-barrier-to-entry opportunities for those in our community making an impact. In every issue, MORE offers free ad space for nonprofits with values aligning with the issue’s content.

A call to action can look different for any one of their readers, so they work to provide them with opportunities to get involved, should they feel moved in that way. 

Additionally, MORE creates content that builds itself to be a platform for uplifting and sharing voices and stories. Through the Founder to Founder series, MORE’s own founder, Arianna, interviews female founders in different sectors to learn about their work and their why. In the last year, all of MORE’s content has become more accessible by being shared on their new podcast, Let’s Talk MORE on Monday – with the mission of Making Opportunities Reachable for Everyone leading them as they create more pathways to accessible content.

With Indy Chamber’s help, Arianna has been able to receive coaching through BOI that helped her get the business on the right foot. When she first started, she met with other business owners through Indy Chamber’s Powernet and learned how others had utilized the entrepreneurial services offered through an Indy Chamber membership. Not only are the resources great in quantity, but the community found with other businesses in the Indianapolis area is also invaluable.

Not only has Indy Chamber served to connect MORE with the greater Indianapolis area, but they’re actively saving space for her at the table. Last year, Arianna was invited as a speaker/panelist for the Women in Business Retreat. Being a member of Indy Chamber has led to more than just dues and has become an asset for MORE.

The Indy Chamber team champions small businesses in the city and is similar to MORE as they are on a mission to share the good that’s coming from the entrepreneurs in Indianapolis.

Casey Cawthon is the Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Indy Chamber.

Minority business highlight: Rel Eve co.

Jade Jackson
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Minority business highlight: Rel Eve co.

Rel Eve Co. (pronounced “re-leeve”) wants to set a new standard for how Millennial and Gen-Z women shop for menstrual care by selling period products that are all-natural and non-toxic.  

The products are sourced from top U.S. companies and small businesses. The focus is on highlighting businesses owned by Black and/or women entrepreneurs.  

The Millennial-founded company is making it easier to find clean, sustainable period care in America.  

RELATED: Minority Business Highlight: Tea’s Me Cafe

“When you go to a drug store or a local Target to pick up a box of pads, there aren’t a lot of options to choose from. They usually have the same five to ten brands but even then, those are not organic or non-toxic,” said Jasmine Bennett, the founder. 

Stats and data

According to the U.S. Environmental Protective Agency, long-term exposure to high levels of toxic contaminants called dioxins can cause cancers, reproductive and developmental issues and other health problems.  

Dioxins can form when bleach is used on pulp and paper products that go into pads and tampons. Most people are not exposed to high enough levels to cause health problems.  

However, these traces can accumulate. The average woman uses approximately 11,000 tampons in her lifetime. So, there is an increased chance that the chemical may actually be absorbed into their bodies according to Tampon Tribe. 

The World Health Organization said dioxins are highly toxic. They can cause reproductive and developmental problems, damage the immune system, interfere with hormones and also cause cancer.  

After switching to a more holistic lifestyle to heal her body from debilitating cramps, Jasmine Bennett found period products that lowered her premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms. They gave her the relief she wanted.  

Bennett soon discovered there was not a central location where she could order all of her products.  

“I used to be on a hormonal roller coaster every month until I changed products. There’s Amazon and Target, but there’s only a certain number of products you can get even online. Every month I was tired of trying to search and I said there has to be a better way,” said Bennett. 

That’s on period

A lot of the products that she used were from Honey Pot Co., Mixhers and Top Organic.  

“But, like certain off brand products and products on Etsy that I was using, aren’t on Amazon. There’s this one company that sells pads infused with CBD,” said Bennett.  

She looked online for any store that offered all of the non-toxic products that she used, but she couldn’t find it. So she decided to create it. 

She won a $20,000 pitch competition with Elevate Ventures, a venture development organization based in Indianapolis that focuses on supporting entrepreneur growth for the state. 

“I was really taken aback by the fact that the number of non-toxic products available in the U.S. weren’t available in local communities. Especially, urban communities,” said Bennett. 

She launched her business in March 2022.  

She offers pads, tampons, pain patches, holistic pain management, cramp relief oils, yoni soaps, washes, menstrual cups, supplements for balancing hormones, PMS bath bombs, period underwear and menstrual relief shower steamers that help relieve period anxiety.  

Bennett is a Christian and named her business Rel Eve Co. because of Eve in the Bible.  

“After she ate from the tree, she had to have horrible pain that comes with menstruating before childbirth. So, I said there has to be a better way to relieve the pain and I said ‘Oh! Rel Eve’ when you think of relief and I thought it was cool,” said Bennett. 

She wants to scale her business to be accessible across the country with physical locations in urban areas especially.  

Her next steps are to open up a warehouse in Indiana or Illinois. She is planning on hosting pop up shops throughout the Midwest.  

“I feel like women need a store they can shop at that celebrates and honors what our bodies can do,” said Bennett. “Menstruation is a beautiful cycle and our periods should be a time that we treat our bodies with the utmost care.” 

Do you have a minority-owned business? Register it with our directory HERE.

Minority Business Highlight: Tea’s Me Cafe

CHLOE McGOWAN
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Minority Business Highlight: Tea’s Me Cafe

Owned by four-time Olympic Gold Medalist Tamika Catchings, Tea’s Me Cafe first opened its doors to Indy tea lovers 16 years ago under the ownership of Wayne Ashford. However, in 2017, Catchings — also a Hall of Famer and founder of Catch the Stars Foundation — bought the place and turned it into the tea cafe Hoosiers know and love today.

Serving up organic loose-leaf tea, fresh tea blends and cafe-style pastries, Tea’s Me’s offerings of Black, Green, Oolong, White and Herbal tea and tea blends are sourced from all over the world — winning the shop the honor of Best of Indianapolis for Best Teahouse in 2020. Teas can be purchased and brewed fresh in the shop or ordered off of the website at teasmeindy.com alongside additional teaware and merchandise. 

RELATED: New Tea’s Me Cafe location opens in April

Tea’s Me Cafe not only offers food and drinks, but also a “third space” for community members to gather for programming and events such as Morning Mindful Movement + Meditation, Virtual Talks Over Tea, Tea’s The Artist Youth Open Mic, Tea Time: Book Club and more.

As part of a partnership with Tarkington Park, Tea’s Me Cafe opened a second location in the heart of Butler Tarkington in April 2021, located at 3967 N. Illinois St. through the Catch the Stars Foundation. Catchings later opened a third location at Ivy Tech University in the Bowens Commons, 2535 N. Capitol Ave.

The cafe space is also available to rent out for parties and offers a monthly newsletter for community members to stay up to date on events and activities, the tea of the month and more. 

More information about each Tea’s Me Cafe location, menu items and upcoming events can be found at teasmeindy.com. Get in contact with Tea’s Me Cafe by calling 317-920-1016.

If you have a minority-owned and operated business you would like to be featured in the Indiana Minority Business Magazine Directory, visit Indiana Minority Business Directory.

Contact staff writer Chloe McGowan at 317-762-7848. Follow her on Twitter @chloe_mcgowanxx.

Minority Business Highlight: Perk Up Café

Noral Parham
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Minority Business Highlight: Perk Up Café

Perk Up Café is a hidden gem near The Monon in Broad Ripple. It has been caffeinating Hoosiers and visitors since 2004. The cafe is owned by Jeanette Footman and Alice Matsuo, two phenomenal women with a unique philosophy on coffee.

Footman is of Black and German descent, and Alice is Japanese with many roots in São Paulo, Brazil. Their diverse backgrounds and understandings shape Perk Up Cafe’s one-of-a-kind atmosphere and menu.

Matsuo trained in Germany as an artisan baker. During this time, she creates all of the bread recipes for Perk Up Café. Typically, Footman is responsible for the delicious pastries. The café also roasts its coffee in-house. 

Perk Up Café is the only coffeehouse in Indianapolis that uses a manual, three-lever espresso machine. They also have a patio with an amazing view of the neighborhood.

Th Café is a great place to enjoy an elegant cup of Joe and a tart. The café has a friendly and alluring environment, and the staff is friendly and well-acquainted with the product. Whether you’re a local or a visitor, Perk Up Café is a great place to experience the best of Indy’s coffee scene.

“We want to (provide) quality products,” Matsuo says. “It has to come with quality service.”

Perk Up Café is located in the heart of Broad Ripple at 6536 Cornell Ave. They are open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. every day except Saturday (they are open until 3 p.m.) Be sure to stop buy!

Do you want your business highlighted in the Indiana Minority Business Magazine? Click here to sign up!

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