A Reborn Legacy: Innovation at Griggs College

A Legacy Reborn: Building Dreams on Hallowed Grounds

Let me share with you the extraordinary story of a “hidden" trailblazing Black woman named Emma William Griggs. Emma Griggs was a life-long educator born in the late 1800s who defied societal norms and blazed a trail of opportunity for young African Americans in the city of Memphis. During her lifetime Emma founded numerous schools for African Americans and was an astute educator and student herself. In 1916, she founded Griggs Business and Practical Arts College . The college operated from 1949-1972 (at 492 Vance Avenue in Memphis, TN) and became an educational sanctuary that nurtured aspirations, ignited passions, and graduated over 1000 ambitious young students who came seeking skills in secretarial science, accounting, and business administration.

Emma and the many students who attended the college were revolutionaries. Numerous Griggs students were veterans and activists who participated in sit-in demonstrations and protests against racial injustice throughout the city of Memphis. Like many African Americans throughout this era, they were also deeply invested in the opportunities which an education provided. They saw education as the roadmap to upward mobility and as a pathway to a better life for themselves and future generations. Prominent Griggs alumni include many renowned African American leaders such as TN State Representative Kathryn Bowers and Mary Ann Johnson, the first Black woman to lead the music administration department at 20th Century Fox.

Last December, I walked through these same corridors at what remains of this historic institution on Vance Avenue. Here, between the walls of the former classrooms, I heard the echoes of the dreams and aspirations of the thousands of young Black students who were nurtured and mentored on these hallowed grounds. In that moment I was reminded of the transformative power of education and opportunity. It was this same transformative power which led me to create my revolutionary technology organization, Black Girls CODE in 2011. Much like Emma and her students, I began my founder journey fueled by a passion to connect education with access in the field of technology and to create pathways for Black boys and girls who could one day become the innovators and future leaders in this new economy.

As a native Memphian, my return home is not just a detour on my professional journey, it is both a homecoming and a calling. A chance to help ignite change and give back to the place that raised me and to the people who made me. It is here, at 492 Vance Avenue, that a profound connection between history, hope, and innovation emerged, carrying the weight of our ancestors' dreams and the promise of a brighter future. This location carries a powerful history—a history of Black wealth, progress, and resilience. It's a place where dreams were nurtured and barriers were broken down. By revitalizing this sacred space and bringing new hopes and dreams into these rooms, we aim to resurrect its spirit of innovation and empower the next generation of trailblazers.

That's why I'm returning to my roots, bringing together my expertise and passion, to help establish the Black Innovation Lab at the historic site of Griggs College on Vance Avenue. Through the creation of the Black Innovation Lab, we reclaim the revolutionary visions of our ancestors, reimagining a path to racial equity in our beloved city. 

"The South Got Something to Say" ~Andre' 3000

“Venture capital has increasingly become the lifeblood of American entrepreneurship. And yet, of the record $161 billion in venture capital invested in the U.S. in 2020, single-digit percentages went to Black, Latinx or female entrepreneurs. Silicon Valley also keeps its pocketbooks close to home: More than half of the venture dollars invested in the U.S. last year went to California alone.”

— Marlize van Romburgh, Crunchbase News editor in chief

Among the many cities in the region which are ripe for a disruption of the startup ecosystem, Memphis stands out as a particularly strong market for talented entrepreneurs and innovative startup companies. Memphis has a long history of entrepreneurship and innovation, with a diverse range of industries that includes logistics, healthcare, biotech, and music. The city has leveraged this cultural heritage to build a vibrant creative economy, with a growing number of startups focused on music, film, and other creative industries. This strong cultural connection is one of the foundational pillars for the Black Innovation Lab and a key driver for the selection of Memphis as the center of our movement.

The city has a strategic location along the Mississippi Delta, situated at the intersection of major interstates and home to the world's busiest cargo airport, making it a natural hub for transportation and logistics companies. The Southern United States overall presents a compelling opportunity for the development of thriving hyper-local tech ecosystems which can capitalize on an undervalued market and an overlooked talent pool.

Where Heritage Meets Innovation

The Black Innovation Lab emerges from this fertile ground (now a historical landmark ), ready to disrupt the status quo in which the majority of capital dollars are invested on the coasts and very seldom in places like Memphis—the heartland of the South, where the majority of African Americans in the US reside. Our mission is clear: to unleash the immense potential lying dormant within our city's marginalized communities. We believe that innovation knows no boundaries, that transformative ideas can be born in the unlikeliest of places. With our laser focus on supporting founders from diverse backgrounds, we bridge the gap between untapped brilliance and the resources needed to flourish.

Through the Black Innovation Lab, we will provide mentorship, investment, and a supportive ecosystem for socially and economically disadvantaged founders. Our focus will be on tech and tech-enabled companies that tackle critical issues such as AI, climate change, sustainability, health tech, and more. We believe that by nurturing these innovative ideas, we will create pathways to equity and generational wealth. Here, we will empower marginalized founders, offering them more than just resources and opportunities. We will provide a refuge—a nurturing ecosystem where dreams can bloom, collaborations can be forged, and visions can take flight.

The Black Innovation Lab model goes beyond traditional support for founders. We are committed to empowering entrepreneurs through a comprehensive approach that encompasses the following:

With a focus on hyper-local impact, we strive to cultivate a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem right here in our community and equip aspiring innovators with the knowledge, resources, and connections needed to turn their ideas into reality.

In this new model we also acknowledge that the well-being of an entire community is interconnected, and that the success of a privileged few; cannot be achieved at the expense of the broader whole. We are committed to lift as we climb and work towards the equitable distribution of the resources and the opportunities we create. Our mission transcends the individual; it is a commitment to lift an entire community, to forge a new era of collective prosperity. Through partnerships, the Black Innovation Lab will create a community fund that will give back and invest in the neighborhood in which it lives.

WHAT WE NEED

The Black Innovation Lab team is seeking to raise seed capital of $100,000 to help us launch this important and necessary initiative over the next six months. Your donation and support will be directed towards our efforts in the following ways:

OUR PROJECT LAUNCH TIMELINE

More ways to support the movement!

Spread the word about our campaign! Tag us at the following hashtags and use this sample post to share with your friends and family!

#LegacyReborn

#RevivetheLegacy

#DreamsonHallowedGrounds

#TheHomecoming

Connect with the Black Innovation Lab Team!

Sheldon

Victoria

Jacqueline

Kimberly

Website: Black Innovation Lab 

Join us in this transformative legacy, where we reclaim our roots, uplift the marginalized, and empower the next generation of innovators. By supporting the Black Innovation Lab at Griggs College, you become an architect of change, an advocate for the silenced, and a guardian of hope. 

In Community~

Kimberly and The Black Innovation Lab Team