2023 Michael Michael H. Boyce Award Winners
Creatina Phillips | Je'Amani | Camden, NJ
Creatina is the founder of Je'Amani, a sustainable plus-size fashion brand in Camden County, NJ. She seeks to inspire women to unapologetically be themselves and to celebrate the diversity, confidence, and fashion revolution in the plus-size community. Starting in the Rowan University Accelerate South Jersey (ASJ) program in 2022, Creatina received a UPBI micro-grant, boosting her sales by over 15%. She actively supports the ASJ Program, serving as a mentor and advisor to other women to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams.
Georgio Sabino III | GoVia | Cleveland, OH
Georgio is the visionary behind GoVia, a community/police safety app in Cleveland, Ohio, revolutionizing police encounters with sentiment analysis and connections to supportive resources. In the entrepreneurial world, Georgio stands out for his exceptional empathy, fostering a positive and inspiring environment for creativity and productivity. Beyond his own success, Georgio's transformative impact extends to coaching and mentoring fellow entrepreneurs, sharing his wealth of experience to uplift the entire entrepreneurial community.
Pamala Flugence | Let’s Create | Lafayette, LA
Pamala Flugence is the owner of Let's Create, LLC in Carencro, Louisiana. Let's Create offers monogramming and personalization services. She sells personalized items such as shirts, stuffed animals, tumblers, and baby items. Pamala completed the Accelerate Northside program in the fall of 2021. She opened Let's Create on February 12, 2022. After 17 years working a job for a large corporation, Pamala decided to step into her business full-time, and she continues to grow and become successful as she reaches her second anniversary. Pamala is also a veteran who served our country in the Army. She continues to serve her local community. Through her business, she's hosted many community events in Carencro, Louisiana. She has hosted numerous pop-up shops for Young Entrepreneurs, allowing them to learn about entrepreneurship and sell their products to the public. For these events, she takes time out of her busy schedule to plan everything. She does it with a smile because she how great of an impact she's having in the lives of others. She is very involved in events around Carencro and has stitched herself into the fabric of the community. Pamala is committed to her family, friends, and the community as a whole. We are very grateful that she was a part of the Accelerate Northside program and that we can play a small part in her success. We believe she's very deserving of the Boyce Award.
Anomalous Campbell | Anomaly Catering | Milwaukee, WI
A mother first, a chef second, Chef Campbell, is determined to teach children basic life skills through Gastronomy Arts while navigating through the food apartheid in our communities, says Campbell, who was raised in Milwaukee. Her company, ‘Anomaly Catering, ' strives to offer a culinary journey that meets higher standards. Her bold and flavor-filled cooking of traditional home-style meals “takes your taste buds on an adventure with every bite.” In 2018 Mrs. Campbell set out to open up her own catering company ‘Anomaly Catering’. Anomaly Catering is not in business alone; in 2021, Chef Campbell, her husband Blake Campbell, and her family created a program called "Gastronomy Arts Studio '', which features a set of local entrepreneurs in the industry helping community children discover the world of culinary through hands-on cooking lessons and basic life skills. Their program is inclusive however, they pride themselves on giving back to the youth that come from communities and neighborhoods that she grew up in across Milwaukee. With the help of several nonprofits, Chef Campbell has helped facilitate classes where residents can learn the value of cooking and shopping for tasty, healthy, affordable foods to build a healthier community. “We've helped residents learn the importance of meal prepping, reading food labels, and how to shop for budget-friendly healthy foods at local grocery stores.” Anomalous wants her community to know how grateful and appreciative she is to have had such a strong, supportive village. Entrepreneurship hasn't been easy, but she has been rooted for and supported; it makes a world of difference.
Jeena Gurung Vomhof | Namaste Brows and Boutique | Minneapolis, MN
Jeena Gurung Vomhof’s business honors her Nepali heritage by sourcing woman made products from her home country of Nepal. Courage Jeena fearlessly started her business in 2019 as a mother of two while adhering to her mission to make every life better. She continues to be very active in the community and has joined several small business-focused organizations. She demonstrates her commitment to her local community as a city commissioner and a member of the Women Professional Network to empower those around her. Jeena shares her own faithfulness, “ The world, as this encounter reaffirmed, is indeed a beautiful place. It is a world that beckons us to be kind, open-hearted, and non-judgmental. It reminds us to set aside assumptions and preconceived notions, embracing the opportunity to extend a helping hand. In those moments when we selflessly assist others, our lives take on a profound sense of value and purpose. I am truly blessed to have Namaste Brows & Boutique as a space to serve others—a place that not only empowers us to do more but also to be more.” Overcoming Jeena moved to the United States in 2011, with a slight grasp of English. Through her faith and ambition, she has started and grown her business. While overcoming English as a second language, Jeena was able to pursue two bachelor's degrees, one in Healthcare Leadership and the other in Organizational Leadership. Leadership Jeena not only demonstrates her leadership skills as a city commissioner but also within the classroom. She actively shares her experiences and helps support the other students in developing and growing their businesses. Namaste Brows and Boutique is a minority woman-owned Threading Store in Roseville, MN. I became the owner of this beautiful business in October 2021 and officially opened my doors for business on January 17, 2022. This business offers threading/eyebrow services and boutique products sourced from local vendors in my home country of Nepal. It is a business I started from the ground up and developed the concept for my store. The main inspiration for my business comes from my desire to serve others and encourage them to live their lives to the fullest. My mission is to empower as many Nepali women as possible by helping grow this type of business in Nepal to help them live their best lives as well.
DeVonne Hart | Planit Ponics | Los Angeles, CA
DeVonne Hart is a creative, diligent, intelligent young man with deep roots in California. He embraces his community and leadership role by driving his venture with education and equity at the forefront of his vision. Born and raised in the California Bay Area, DeVonne Hart is a young entrepreneur addressing food inequity through urban agriculture education and technology. DeVonne Hart incorporated Planit Ponics, his hydroponics startup, in 2022 after winning his first pitch competition hosted by Ankh Impact Ventures at his university, CSU Dominguez Hills. Soon after, DeVonne Hart completed the Street Code Academy accelerator program in East Palo Alto, where he placed third in the program's pitch competition. DeVonne carried this winning momentum into the nation's largest collegiate pitch competition, TCU's Value & Ventures, winning an innovation award and receiving an honorable mention for his work with Planit Ponics. The following month, DeVonne & Planit Ponics won first place in the Social Enterprise track at the CSU Sunstone Pitch competition. DeVonne has taken these earnings to acquire a longstanding and cash-flowing retail hydroponics store in Santa Rosa, CA, where he is implementing the educational aspects of Planit Ponics into the store. Now, DeVonne is continuing to scale Planit Ponics' operations.
Maurice Williams | ALWAYS Ready | San Diego, CA
Maurice Williams is a San Diego native and retired Navy Chief Petty Officer with 20 years of service. During his time in the Navy, he served on several installations and deployable combatants, where he was responsible for electronic technologies in support of strategic missions and policies. In 2013, Maurice retired from the Navy and decided to shift his career path toward community service. He uses his time and talents to assist the underserved community.
In 2016, Maurice and the late Terence L. Lee co-founded ALWAYS Ready (AR), a non-profit organization aimed at equipping disadvantaged men with the tools and support they need. The organization focuses on those who are justice-involved, homeless, refugees, disabled veterans, and families who receive cash aid via CalWORKs through Workforce Development for individuals throughout San Diego County. AR provides these individuals with peer support, personal development, training, and professional attire. By doing so, they empower them to lead productive lives both professionally and personally. Maurice earned both a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and a Business of Science in Human Services (BS), specializing in Families and Children, from the University of Phoenix (San Diego).
Laquisha Jackson | Soulful Kitchen and Hope for the Hungry | South Bend, IN
Laquisha Jackson, a wife and mother of eight, is the founder of Soulful Kitchen LLC, a catering company in the Michiana area. With 19 years of experience in the hospitality industry, including roles as a server and manager, Laquisha graduated from Ivy Tech Community College in May 2019 with an associate degree in Hospitality Administration. She is a ServSafe Instructor and registered Proctor, and she enjoys leading hospitality efforts at her church. Laquisha's passion for helping families facing food insecurity led her to establish Hope for the Hungry in 2020, a non-profit organization focused on feeding the hungry and providing education. Through her work, Laquisha aims to bring hope, compassion, and impact to those in need.
G N Yashodhara | Ace Futura Nature Tech Solutions | Ahmedabad, India
Yashodhar, 40 years old from Urban Bangalore, carried dreams as big as the open skies, dreams that had accompanied her since childhood. Yashodhar is no ordinary woman; she was a bright student. Life, however, took an unexpected turn when Yashodhar found herself at the doorstep of marriage at the tender age of 18. Yashodhar took a bold step forward. She initiated her brand, 'Ace Futura Nature Tech Solutions,' offering natural handmade soaps and cosmetics to the market. What distinguished her products was not only their quality but also their affordability, making them accessible to a diverse range of consumers. Amidst the uncertainties, a beacon of hope appeared in the form of WeAct, a supportive organization extending a helping hand to Yashodhar. WeAct played a pivotal role by providing crucial support in packaging, marketing, and financial assistance, catalyzing the realization of Yashodhar's entrepreneurial dreams. Today, Yashodhar has expanded her product line to include over 50 natural beauty products, a testament to her creativity and business acumen. Standing tall and proud, she commands a commendable monthly income ranging from 50,000 to 70,000 rupees through her thriving business. Yashodhar's professional journey serves as an inspiring example of the power of perseverance and belief. It underscores the notion that with unwavering determination, one can surmount even the most formidable obstacles and achieve remarkable success. Her story is a beacon of hope for aspiring entrepreneurs, illustrating that resilience, coupled with the right support, can pave the way to a fulfilling and prosperous professional journey.
Adong Sarah Hope | St. Bakita Fashion | Kalongo, Uganda
Adong Sarah Hope founded a fashion and design shop in October 2022, shortly after graduating from our Entrepreneurship program at St. Bakhita. It is dedicated to quality creations and is passionate about bringing stylish and trending fashions to every one of its customers. It prides in the local sourcing of the best quality fabrics and clothing materials. Her fashions are unique and modern, inspired by various fashion shows and stores around the globe that she researches over the internet. Sarah has navigated a lot of challenges in her entrepreneurial journey, from breaking the cultural bias of women engaging in business, limited access to and control over resources, and limited experience in the fashion and design business, to mention but a few. In each situation, Sarah has found a way to turn adversity into opportunity.
Maribel Díaz | La Curvita 137 | San Juan, Puerto Rico
Maribel launched a small kiosk specializing in frozen desserts named "limbers" on a street corner. She has since successfully secured new distribution agreements for the year 2024, expanding the presence of her products into supermarkets.