Syracuse Inner City Rotary Club Hosts Black History Month Entrepreneurial Extravaganza
by Schneider Joachim ’26 (School of Information Studies)
On February 26, 2026 the LaunchPad joined the Syracuse Inner City Rotary Club which hosted its Black History Month Entrepreneurial Extravaganza, an event dedicated to celebrating innovation, community leadership, and the growing impact of Black entrepreneurs. The program brought together LaunchPad student entrepreneurs, Rotarians, elected officials, business leaders, community members, and families to support emerging founders who are shaping the future of their industries.
The event centered on a Shark Tank themed presentation format, where selected entrepreneurs were invited to present and pitch their businesses in short, focused sessions.
Among the featured entrepreneurs were SU LaunchPad student entrepreneurs:
- Schneider Joachim ’26 (School of Information Studies), founder of Gladys Tasty Meals, a Haitian catering business rooted in cultural authenticity and community connection.
- Edouard Agbor G‘26 (Whitman School of Management) and Souleymane Bah ’26 (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs), co-founders of GritGateway, an AI infrastructure to connect African students to global universities and scholarship opportunities and improve recruitment efforts and international student admissions at global university.
- Naheem Cadiz III ’28 (Whitman School of Management), founder of Coveted, an e-commerce platform designed to increase visibility for and connect emerging brands and creatives with audiences that help shape cultural trends.
- Brielle Jennings (College of Professional Studies), founder of BandZ, a streetwear brand that bridges fashion, culture and community by offering premium quality streetwear at affordable prices while working with community partners to educate youth on becoming entrepreneurs in the fashion industry.
In addition to formal presentations, LaunchPad entrepreneurs were provided with table space to showcase their products and services before the sit down program began. This format allowed attendees to engage directly with founders, learn more about their businesses, and explore ways to support their growth.
“The LaunchPad is grateful for the Syracuse Inner City Rotary Club’s support and commitment to uplifting our entrepreneurs at The Black History Month Extravaganza,” said LaunchPad Director, Traci Geisler. “We hope this becomes an annual collaboration between the university and the Rotary Club.”