At MORTAR, we have the honor of witnessing Black excellence every day. We see it in the talent, dedication, and drive of our alumni and staff and witness it in the support of our community. Juneteenth is equal parts celebration and remembrance; honoring the heroes of the past and celebrating Black bravery, resilience, accomplishment, and joy.
In continued celebration of our nine-year anniversary and in the weeks counting down to Juneteenth, we asked our alumni how they celebrate the holiday, who from history inspires them, and how it feels to be a part of MORTAR’s story in our ninth year.
Your name?
Anthony Brown
Business:
Inflate Ur Fun
What year did you graduate from MORTAR?
2021, cohort 27 (Destined For Greatness)
What stands out most to you regarding the story of MORTAR over the past 9 years?
What stands out to me with MORTAR over the past 9 years is how dangerous we are because so many walks of life, businesses, and ideas have come through this platform and the networking that can be done is crazy!
Did your family have any traditions for celebrating Juneteenth? How do you celebrate now?
We did not have any traditions. Now we just make sure we remember how important this day is and to keep it going.
In celebration of Juneteenth, who is one someone that has inspired you on your entrepreneurial journey? How have they inspired you?
**Donny Harper pictured left
One person that has inspired me on my entrepreneurial journey is Donny Harper (GO(O)D Company Apparel). He’s inspired me with the energy he puts out.The good vibes that he puts out (literally as well lol. His transparency that he shows. It’s always a good conversation with him.
He’s very humble and he not only motivates me but also the people around him to keep going and to get your baby(your business)out to the world and make sure they see you.
As an entrepreneur, what does freedom mean to you?
To me; freedom means space and opportunity to be able to guide your idea to where you want it to be.
