Des Moines entrepreneurs look at the impact of Juneteenth on Black-owned businesses

THIS WEEK, IOWA CELEBRATING ITS LARGEST JUNETEENTH FESTIVAL TODAY. IT TOOK PLACE IN DES MOINES ONALG LOCUST STREET. THAT’S WHERE KCCI’S KAYLA JAMES IS WITH A LOOK AT HOW PEOPLE ARE TO RING THE DAY. HI, KAYLA. HEY CHRIS, IT’S JUST NOW WRAPPING UP. BUT SOME PEOPLE ARE STILL HERE AND THEY EVEN OUT HERE SINCE 11:00 THIS MORNING EATING FROM LOCAL VENDORS DANCING TO MUSIC AND THAT’S HOW THEY’RE CHOOSING TO CELEBRATE. BUT SOME OTHER PEOPLE WE OF TODAY LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS TOOK THE DAY TO OBSERVE HOW FAR BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES HAVE COME. FOLLOWING THE ABOLISHMENT OF SLAVERY INT THEO 1900S MANY AFRICAN-AMERICANS WHO CAME TO IOWA FOUND EMPLOYMENT IN SERVICE AND TRANSPORTATION JOBS, BUT AS THE STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE SHO TWSHE SHIFT OCCURRED TO THE 20T CHENTURY AND MORE RECENTLYIT WH AFRICAN AMERICANS GOING FROM EMPLOYEES TO EMPLOYERS. SO WAS A JOURNEY IS ANNOY WAS NOT NANCY. MAZZRAI IS A SERIAL ENTREPRENEUR. SHE STARTED A MAGAZIN AEND NOW RUNS PIE FIVE ONE, FIVE AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM FOR KIDS INTRODUCING THE TMO STEM AND TECH MOST RECENTLY THOUGH MARAZZI RAN ENTPRREENEUR SUMMIT FOR GIRLS. WE HAVE ONE GIRL ACTUALLY WHO IS FINDING A PATENT AND WE HAVE TWO GIRLS WHO HAVE ALREADY LAUNCHED THEIR SIBUNESSES ONLINE. MARAZZI’S HOPE IS LIKE A FIRE AND TEENS TO ASPIRE TO BECOME BUSINESSWN OERS AND CONTINUE. SHE SAW I DNES MOINES WHEN SHE MOVED 20 YEARS AGO. I REMEMBER WHEN WE ONLY HAD ONE AFRICAN BUSINESS NOW I YFOU GO ON MLK HICKMAN SIXTH EUCLID EVERYTHING WE HAVE W IOULD SAY OVER 30 AFRICAN BUSINESSES JUST IN DES MOINES METRO. LCWEOME TO GORSU OCHNE OF THOSE BUSINESSES BEING FAMILOWY-NED GERSHA ETHIOPIAN GRILL 20 YEARS AGO. MY DAD OPENED A BUSINESS. IT WAS NOT AS AS EASY AS IT IS NOW BUT COAL OR SOLID SALAH SAYS TIMES. CHANGED THEIR SUPPORT FMRO A COMMUNITY THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SEENEA YRS AGO. IT’S MORE LIKE AN AMERICANS FEEDBACK LIKE AND I WASHOCK SED THATHE T NEW ABOUT ETHIOPIAN FOOD DESPITE OPENING DURING THE PANDEMIC SALAH AND HIS FILAMY HAVE SEEN NOTHING BUT SUCCESS SUCCESS BOTH THEY AND NANCY MARAZZI LOOK BACK ON THIS JUNETEENTH. IT’S A MOMENT OF LEARNING AND IT’S A MOMENT OF RESPECTING. THOSE HAVE CREATED A PATH. AND MARATHI SAYS NOWHERE TO MOVE FORWARD NOWHE T RESPECT FOR THOSE WHO PAVED T WHEAY BEFORE IT’S UP TO THE GENERATION NOW TO CONTINUE DOING SOOR F YOUNG REGENERATIONS TO EXPLAIN EXPAND BLACK OEDWN BUSINESSES HERE IN IOWA LIVEN I DES MOI

Across the country, people observed Juneteenth in their own ways. Some took to having celebrations, others looked to continue the push for social justice, and then there were some people who stopped to take a look at what the new federal holiday means to them as business owners. "It's a moment of learning and it's a moment of respecting those who have created a path," said Nancy Mwirotsi, a serial entrepreneur in Des Moines known for founding PI 515, an afterschool program for kids introducing them to STEM and tech.Saturday found Mwirotsi looking back on not just her accomplishments, but the accomplishments she's seen throughout Des Moines when it comes to Black entrepreneurs. Most recently, Mwirotsi ran an entrepreneur summit for girls and is already seeing fast results. "We have one girl actually who is filing a patent and we have two girls who have already launched their businesses online," Mwirotsi said. Mwirotsi moved to Iowa's capital 20 years ago and still has vivid memories of what it looked like then. It's part of why she works so hard to encourage younger generations to aspire to become entrepreneurs. "I remember when we only had one African business," recalled Mwirotsi. "Now if you go on MLK, Hickman -- I would say we have over 30 African businesses in just the Des Moines metro." Gursha Ethiopian Grill off of University Avenue in the Drake neighborhood is one such business. Owner Salah Salah is the co-owner of the family-owned business that opened this July. "Twenty years ago my dad opened a business," recalled Salah. "It was not as easy as it is now."Looking at it now as a business owner himself, however, Salah says it's clear times have changed. Gursha Ethiopian Grill is receiving support from a community that may not have been seen years ago."It was more Americans," said Salah, thinking back to how well-received news was of the grill opening. "I was shocked they knew about Ethiopia." Salah was shocked but is also very appreciative of the still constant support he's seen over the last six months since opening. Despite opening during the pandemic, Salah and his family have seen nothing but success. It's the type of success but he and Nancy Mwirotsi looked back on and shared with KCCI this Juneteenth. "Yes, we've gone through the struggle," Mwirotsi said. "But guess what? There's always a light at the end of the tunnel. How do we get there? We have to get there together."

DES MOINES, Iowa —

"It's a moment of learning and it's a moment of respecting those who have created a path," said Nancy Mwirotsi, a serial entrepreneur in Des Moines known for founding PI 515, an afterschool program for kids introducing them to STEM and tech.

Saturday found Mwirotsi looking back on not just her accomplishments, but the accomplishments she's seen throughout Des Moines when it comes to Black entrepreneurs. Most recently, Mwirotsi ran an entrepreneur summit for girls and is already seeing fast results.

"We have one girl actually who is filing a patent and we have two girls who have already launched their businesses online," Mwirotsi said.

Mwirotsi moved to Iowa's capital 20 years ago and still has vivid memories of what it looked like then. It's part of why she works so hard to encourage younger generations to aspire to become entrepreneurs.

"I remember when we only had one African business," recalled Mwirotsi. "Now if you go on MLK, Hickman -- I would say we have over 30 African businesses in just the Des Moines metro."

Gursha Ethiopian Grill off of University Avenue in the Drake neighborhood is one such business.

Owner Salah Salah is the co-owner of the family-owned business that opened this July.

"Twenty years ago my dad opened a business," recalled Salah. "It was not as easy as it is now."

Looking at it now as a business owner himself, however, Salah says it's clear times have changed. Gursha Ethiopian Grill is receiving support from a community that may not have been seen years ago.

"It was more Americans," said Salah, thinking back to how well-received news was of the grill opening. "I was shocked they knew about Ethiopia."

Salah was shocked but is also very appreciative of the still constant support he's seen over the last six months since opening.

Despite opening during the pandemic, Salah and his family have seen nothing but success. It's the type of success but he and Nancy Mwirotsi looked back on and shared with KCCI this Juneteenth.

"Yes, we've gone through the struggle," Mwirotsi said. "But guess what? There's always a light at the end of the tunnel. How do we get there? We have to get there together."

Des Moines entrepreneurs look at the impact of Juneteenth on Black-owned businesses

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