On September 22, 2025, we came together at the University of Mount Saint Vincent (UMSV) for a night that captured everything the Community Enterprise Accelerator (CEA) stands for—connection, collaboration, and community power in action.
The Bronx Brilliance Cohort 2 Celebration brought together our fellows, partners, and supporters to honor the accomplishments of our second cohort and introduce the 16 finalists for Cohort 3. From the moment Ayanna Williams opened the evening by calling for “that Boogie Down Bronx energy,” the room was alive with pride and purpose.
A Partnership Rooted in Purpose
Our host, Dr. Susan R. Burns, President of UMSV, reminded everyone that the university’s connection to entrepreneurship runs deep:
“More than 175 years ago, the Sisters of Charity were entrepreneurs before entrepreneurship was a thing in education. Who we are and what we do together has great significance.”
We’re grateful to Dr. Burns and Lawrence Fauntleroy, UMSV’s Vice President for Strategy and the evening’s emcee, for hosting us and helping to bring our ecosystem together. Lawrence captured the essence of Bronx resilience, reminding the audience:
“The Bronx has always been a place that figures it out. We create solutions because we have to—and that’s the brilliance we’re celebrating tonight.”
Our partnership with UMSV demonstrates how institutions and community initiatives can align around shared values of learning, leadership, and local impact.
Celebrating Our Fellows
The heart of the evening was devoted to our five Cohort 2 fellows—each of whom shared reflections on their growth, lessons learned, and hopes for the future.
Ibrahima Badji – Good Vibes
“Being part of this fellowship gave me the tools and relationships to strengthen our model and reach more Bronx students.”
Anthony Epps – Eppsolutely Clean
“Through this program, I learned how to manage operations, not just hustle through them.”
Yasiris Ortiz – Spin & Learn
“I came in with a mission; I’m leaving with a plan and a community that believes in it.”
Kevin Shabazz – Greene Developers
“CEA connected me to advisors and bankers who are now part of our project’s foundation.”
Howard G. Lindsay – Pat’s Exotic Beverages
“The mentorship and community opened doors I couldn’t have reached alone.”
Cohort 1 alumnae Millie Carbajal (M&M Daycare) and Olga Perez (MVP Lifeguards and MVP Swimmers) joined the stage to introduce the new fellows, reflecting on their own journeys and the power of building continuity between cohorts. Hearing from these entrepreneurs—each leading businesses rooted in purpose and community—was a powerful reminder of how shared support fuels growth.
Partners in the Ecosystem
The evening also celebrated the partners who make the Community Enterprise Accelerator possible. Level Up Ventures—co-founded by Carlton Charles and the funder behind the CEA—has been central to shaping this program from the start. Though Carlton was unable to attend, Shashi Srikantan, Level Up’s Managing Partner, spoke on his behalf, reaffirming the organization’s commitment to supporting Bronx entrepreneurs and building an equitable path to ownership and opportunity. Level Up Ventures is a subsidiary of Hearst that invests in diverse founders and community-based enterprises driving inclusive economic growth.
NYPACE Executive Director Ibrahima Souare joined us to reflect on the growing partnership between our two organizations and the shared goal of providing Bronx entrepreneurs with the kind of advisory and mentorship support typically reserved for larger firms.
M&T Bank Assistant Vice President Byron Logan also spoke, reaffirming the bank’s ongoing commitment to Bronx businesses through hands-on guidance, financial education, and community investment—including a new branch opening at Third Avenue and 149th Street.
We also recognized Comp Sci High for their continued work connecting Bronx students to entrepreneurship, demonstrating the importance of engaging young people in building the local economy.
Together, these partners embody what CEA stands for—bridging institutions, business leaders, and communities to create lasting systems of opportunity across the Bronx.
Recognizing Our Steering Committee
We also took a moment to recognize the members of our CEA Steering Committee, whose early leadership and insight were instrumental in shaping the foundation of the Community Enterprise Accelerator. As CEA begins to operationalize as its own nonprofit organization, this group has officially passed the baton, leaving behind a strong framework and a shared vision for what comes next.
Kyana Beckles, William Diaz Jr., Charles D. Brown, Dr. Scorpio Rodgers, and Rhonda James were each acknowledged for their dedication and guidance. Their collective expertise—spanning business development, higher education, workforce strategy, and community leadership—helped ensure that CEA grew with integrity, relevance, and deep roots in the Bronx entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Looking Ahead
As Tim Gamory, CEA’s Co-Founder and Director, reminded us, our approach is rooted in interdependence, not isolation:
“The myth of ‘pull yourself up by your bootstraps’ is just that—a myth. Our success is connected. That’s what we’ve been practicing and operating within this fellowship.”
The evening closed with the introduction of our 16 Cohort 3 finalists, a remarkable group of entrepreneurs leading the next wave of innovation in the Bronx. They’ll move through interviews this fall before we officially welcome the next cohort at our Bronx Brilliance event in December.
Community Enterprise Accelerator Cohort 3 Finalists
- Terese Brown – Terese Sydonna, LLC
- Shaunese Crawford – Boogie Down Cinema Inc.
- Ashonda Culcleasure – Fix It With Piggy
- Melissa Groneveldt – Yummy Tummy4Life
- Kelvin Joseph – Kool Kel Marketing
- Darlene Lebron – The Blogger House Curvy Closet
- Luz Mack – Luz Maria Mack
- Michelle Minaya – Baby Blossoms Corp
- Gregory Shotti Morgan Jr – LR2
- Trevor Njoku – Kurve Lab
- Samuel Pacheco – Ai-Rides NYC PEV Sales and Service Center
- Amber Peters – On Track With Mizz P.
- DeVon Prioleau – PDG
- Anthony Ramirez II – From The Bronx
- Dior St. Hillaire – GreenFeen OrganiX
- Desmond West – pinStripe IT
Photo Album
Relive the energy and see the faces of Bronx Brilliance:
Photos by Catelyn Anne
The Cohort 2 Celebration reaffirmed that when the Bronx comes together—entrepreneurs, educators, partners, and community—the result is brilliance. We can’t wait to welcome Cohort 3 this December.
The Community Enterprise Accelerator (CEA) supports under-recognized entrepreneurs in the Bronx with the resources, connections, and capital needed to grow their businesses and strengthen their communities. Through a nine-month fellowship, $15,000 in grant funding, and tailored mentorship, the CEA helps entrepreneurs take their ventures to the next level while building a stronger, more inclusive local economy.