Black Wall Street

Ever since I was a little girl, I've dreamed of owning a business, but not the stereotypical black hair salon or restaurant. Even though that’s all I see. It feels like I mainly see black people succeeding in a few careers-- as athletes, singers, or hair stylists. There’s nothing wrong with these jobs. It’s just that teens like me want to have options. And without a wider range of role models, those pathways are harder to imagine. But recently, I discovered that lots of successful black entrepreneurs are out there. I was browsing Instagram when I found an account called Official Black Wall Street. It showed me profiles of black designers, winery owners, dentists and lots more. It seems like a small thing but I’ve never seen a black dentist. Never! But when one popped up in my Instagram feed I started to think, hey, maybe I could do that! Really, I have no clue what I want to do. But every time I see someone who looks like me doing something new, I start daydreaming about the possibilities that are out there.