Teens Walk for Economic Empowerment

Teens from All About Business (AAB) kick-off the first ever Teenage Walk for Economic Empowerment, spearheaded by Community Advocate, Tony Herbert and Financial guru, Ryan Mack

On Saturday, June 30th community advocate and North Fork Bank Business Banking Representative, Tony Herbert kicked-off the first ever “Walk for Economic Empowerment” together with teenage professionals from All About Business (AAB) – a teenage financial literacy group, AAB head and CEO of Optimum Capital Management, Ryan Mack, Shalawn Langhorne, Executive Director of Community Counseling & Mediation and Darnell Canada, President of Re.B.U.I.L.D.

The “Walk for Economic Empowerment” was organized to show support for community-based businesses in Brooklyn and to help attract attention to the many shops that are underutilized due to lack of awareness of their existence. 

The group of young professionals assembled on the corner of So. Oxford and Fulton Streets in the Ft. Green section of Brooklyn and walked throughout the Fort Greene Fulton Street business strip, visiting various businesses and offering access to financial support and tangible ideas in an effort to drive traffic to businesses in their neighborhood.  Some of the shops visited during “The Walk” included 4W Circle of Art & Enterprise, Crewstown Realty and the esteemed MOSHOOD. 

Sponsored by Optimum Capital Management, the teenage businessmen got together, designed and created their own business literature, introducing their financial literacy seminars and inviting the neighborhood businesses to take advantage of their free All About Business financial literacy programs and offering their own services as interns.

Tony Herbert, a business banking representative for North Fork Bank and a strong community advocate, works with organizations like Optimum Capital Management and ReB.U.I.L.D. to help establish access to financial resources and opportunities.  Herbert’s mission is to assist small businesses within his community to grow, develop, and continue to establish themselves as viable economic contributors to the community, in addition to providing employment opportunities.

Ryan Mack, CEO of Optimum Capital Management boldly affirmed, “We are a determined and benevolent group who are acting on behalf of our community. We will continue to support small businesses in Brooklyn by offering them the financial resources and innovative marketing strategies they need to grow strong and prosper. These young men who participate in AAB (All About Business) want to do something positive to uplift their community and we will work together to achieve these goals.”

Stephen Sawney, second year member of All About Business and first year student of Morehouse College stated, “Ryan Mack has always taught us that we must take a strong stand to support our community.  I am from this community and want to do everything possible to support the businesses and people within it.  The better they do, the better our community does as a whole.  It is time that the talking stops and the action begins.”

Darnell Canada, CEO of ReB.U.I.L.D joined forces with “The Walk” on behalf of the hi percent of unemployed Black people living inside of NYCHA (New York City Housing Authority).  ReB.U.I.L.D. is a community-based organization that helps ex-offenders and other unemployed and underemployed individuals overcome barriers that prevent them from becoming gainfully employed.  ReB.U.I.L.D. also helps aspiring entrepreneurs establish and maintain businesses.

“It’s a Saturday morning; the weather is great; these kids could have been anywhere – out on the streets dealing drugs or getting into who knows what kind of trouble.  Instead, they’re out here on the streets doing some unselfish and incredibly positive things for their community,” commended Tony Herbert.

The next stop on the “Walk for Economic Empowerment” tour will be business establishments along Bedford Avenue, Tompkins Avenue, Marcus Garvey Blvd, Lewis Avenue and Malcolm X Blvd, in Bedford Stuyvesant.

These enthusiastic and inspiring young men who participate in All About Business are currently seeking internships in order to assist community businesses and to continue their own business development. Interested business owners and managers may contact Ryan Mack at (718) 623-3423 . 

About Tony Herbert
Tony Herbert founded the Professionals Network Organization (TPNO) in 1996 together with several business associates. The key function of TPNO is to provide young, upwardly mobile minorities with opportunities to obtain access to resources and information that will allow them to grow and to bring them closer to realizing the American dream by becoming part of an “Ownership Society”. The Professionals Network Organization members and supporters get together for monthly social mixers at various hot spots around New York City to network and build positive relationships. Currently, TPNO is 10,000 members strong and in the process of opening chapters nationwide.  To learn more about The Professionals Network Organization, logon to www.myspace.com/tpno .

About Ryan Mack
Ryan Mack, CEO of Optimum Capital Management, LLC graduated from the University of Michigan Business School with a concentration in Finance.  His career in finance began in Detroit as a stock trader and later he became a trader for the largest NASDAQ trading firm in the nation, Knight Securities.  Because of his life mission to build and develop a durable financial empire geared towards educating people within his community and beyond, Mr. Mack’s financial planning firm was recently profiled in Tavis Smiley’s new book, The Covenant in Action.  To learn more about Ryan Mack and his All About Business financial literacy program run by youth or to hire one of his professional teens to speak at your event, call (718) 623-3423 or visit www.myspace.com/ryancmack .

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