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The calendar says February, but we’re after something that lasts longer than a month. We open with a candid look at what it really takes for Black-owned businesses to endure: not just pride and patronage, but grants, lines of credit, and practical support that turns survival into scale. From Atlanta’s rich landscape of legacy to memories of North Florida’s sparse storefronts, we map the hard choices families face—do you keep the shop with your grandfather’s name or accept the buyout that finally clears the books?

Education sits at the heart of legacy. We talk about failing African American Studies not from disinterest, but from years of being under-taught—and how that shock becomes a call to self-education. Beyond the usual February roll call, we reach for deeper roots: Marcus Garvey, Nile histories, and the local archives hiding in high school hallways. Atlanta’s Booker T. Washington High School gets its flowers for a century of impact, alongside trailblazers like Patrice M. Perkins-Hooker, the first African American to lead the State Bar of Georgia, and a grandmother who broke ground as a pioneering welder. These aren’t footnotes; they’re a roadmap.

We also wrestle with the double-edged sword of corporate acknowledgment. A shout-out is better than silence, but we ask for receipts—year-round investment, supplier diversity with teeth, and funded platforms for creators and communities. Legacy becomes a relay when first-generation entrepreneurs and graduates share playbooks, open doors, and protect spaces from displacement. For us, love of culture meets the logistics of staying: bookkeeping, legal shields, co-ops, and patient capital.

If you’re building something for your family or your block, this conversation brings energy and practical clarity. Come for the stories, stay for the strategy, and leave with a list of next steps that don’t end on March 1. If this resonated, subscribe, share with someone building their own first, and leave a review to help more listeners find the show.

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