One of the most important ways to have a large impact in life is by focusing on communities that are ignored and overlooked. These communities are often the ones most in need of help, tools, and services but for a variety of reasons the largest players in most industries chose not to work on serving them. We’ve been so touched by the thousands of members of our community who are working on serving the underserved from tackling food deserts to building empowering solutions for the neurodiverse. Each week, you’ll find us highlighting folks serving underserved communities.

Laura Diaz-Alberto

As a woman that loves fashion, I was used to being able to use it as a form of self expression and creativity. It wasn’t until I got pregnant for the first time that I realized that designers weren’t designing for pregnant women. It’s interesting because they were designing for women, and women get pregnant, but the two weren’t being connected to one another. According to Pew Research Center data from 2018, 86% of women in the US are mothers by the time they are in their 40’s and, except for the very limited selections available at maternity stores, most fashion brands were not addressing their customers for that particular stage of their lives. Read more>>

Nikki Madden

I am the Founder & CEO at Lali’s Foundation For Families In A Crisis. We are a 501c3 nonprofit organization, in Phoenix AZ, designed to assist families in a crisis through wrap-around services, extended resources, and an alternative path to sustainability. We provide advocate support and resource support to those displaced and despondent. We want to restore hope to all those we encounter. Read more>>

Christopher Locke

My background as a first-generation Jamaican-American helped shape my point of view of how vital it is to create communities for diverse groups of people to be successful. My parents came to the United States without much education but arrived in Hartford, CT which has one of the largest populations of Jamaicans per capita outside of the US. The existence of a culture they knew and understood was important to their comfort and success in building an evolving life. Read more>>

Daniel Bernardi

El Dorado Films is dedicated to documentary storytelling. Our aim is to harness the talents of a diverse array of filmmakers, ranging from cinematographers and editors to animators and sound designers. We do this to empower storytellers who are committed to conveying impactful narratives that challenge the way audiences perceive their world. Read more>>

Kiara Burns

Ageism has become a part of a growing conversation in spaces like Hollywood, dance, the work force, technology etc. In addition to having countless private clients who are 55+, I teach seated barre sculpt and strength and mobility classes at Wallis Annenberg GenSpace in Koreatown, Los Angeles. GenSpace is a destination for enriching the lives of older adults through movement, art, horticultural classes, and technology in a bright and open environment. Read more>>

Barbara Wright

Established in 2016 under the visionary leadership of Dr. Barbara Wright, Certified Dream Builder, Inc. (CDB) has risen as a transformational force in the realm of grant writing and fund development. Dr. Wright’s profound expertise, complemented by CDB’s comprehensive services, has not only empowered numerous nonprofit organizations and social enterprises but has also played a pivotal role in uplifting the underserved communities they diligently serve. Let’s delve into a story that vividly illustrates how Dr. Barbara Wright and CDB have made an indelible impact: Read more>>

Gregory Maurice

I was born and raised in Haiti before moving to NY at the age of 13. I started my career working in digital media for ICR INC, a top 10 Investor Relations firm. He served as the Director of Marketing at eOne within the Black vertical for 5 years and launched their Black division. I continued the same path leading CSS Entertainment, Black Vertical, as the Senior Directory of Acquisitions, acquiring for Crackle, Redbox and Screen Media. Throughout my career, I have acquired over 350 titles that have generated over $100M and have been licensed to HBO, BET, Hulu, Showtime, Starz, Allblk and Amazon. Read more>>

Brian Stevenson

The Band Instrument Industry is a wide-array of income levels. Many people play instruments as a hobby and spend thousands of dollars on the newest and latest instruments and accessories, or they seek out vintage and antique horns and bring them to us to restore. On the other end of the spectrum is the student in a low-income school district that is lucky to have access to an instrument that is at the border of functional. We opened our business to serve school programs. My wife, Deanna, and I were both working as band instructors and saw first-hand how the quality of the instrument and the level of it’s maintenance could affect a students ability to excel. Read more>>

Natalie Paulus

Madd provides services to anyone who has been affected by impaired driving; either directly or indirectly. Our goal is to provide support and assistance to those who are facing some of the most traumatic times of their lives. We provide free services to all communities throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. Victims/survivors are an underserved population in and of themselves. We provide general support, assistance through the criminal justice process, support groups, Crime Victim Compensation assistance, local referrals to counselors and social service programs, and much more. We have bi-lingual advocates as well to assist those whose first language is not English. We advocate for those who may not be able to advocate for themselves. Read more>>

Lexus Copeland

Yes, my business serves the underserved community. I feel my community is underserved in many ways. The biggest way my community is underserved is access to resources and opportunities and has been for 20+ years. Resources and opportunities that comes freely and easily to others. Whether it be proper tax filing, business exposure or something as simple as experiencing a hockey game. Most, importantly I have recently decided to continue my mom’s journey of philanthropy and started hosting community events/pop up shops where we not only showcase and highlight black underrated small businesses in our community while also giving back to the local community. My events not only allows the community to shop with us, but we also provide free resources like tax or business consulting and giveaways to experiences people may not be able to afford on a daily basis. Read more>>

Ashley Buchanan

I work to empower and uplift the plus size community! In light of the fact the majority of the world 79% are obese or overweight! The mass marketing is solely to slim or smaller body individuals. Tv only shows one narrative when speaking on the plus size community either we are the comical relief. Very rarely are we the main characters with real storylines. We are demeaned unhealthy and not taken seriously! My business is to speak on our behalf to make plus a normality as in our day to day living! I as a model promotes self love and encouragement to both women and men. In my podcast we speak to the minorities and as a production and television network we work on putting the faces of plus size people in the forefront. Read more>>

Luciano Ruscitto

Absolutely. The Cleveland Crunch is deeply invested in initiatives that directly impact underserved communities, driven by the belief that soccer can be a catalyst for positive change. Among these initiatives is organizing free drop-in soccer clinics located in communities where limited resources and financial barriers might restrict access to sports. These clinics provide the individuals within these communities an opportunity to participate in soccer, learn valuable skills, and experience the joy of teamwork and achievement, Our dedication to inclusivity is further evident in our adapted soccer camps for individuals on the autism spectrum. These camps allow participants to engage in soccer activities while in a structured and supportive environment that focuses on building confidence, fostering social interaction, and creating a sense of value and belonging. Read more>>

Melissa Rodriguez

Seeds of Love, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, exists to serve the underserved by providing encouragement and support to displaced, homeless, and low-income families within Northeast Florida. Understanding that unexpected situations, such as illness, divorce, a natural disaster, job loss, and economic uncertainties can affect anyone’s financial situation at any moment, we provide essential items to those who have fallen on difficult times needing a hand up while they work toward becoming self-sufficient again. Read more>>

Cortice Miles II

I am one of the officers with Light of The World. I think this business serves a very huge underserved community. Mental Health is an issue that everyone has to face on a daily basis. It is such a very wide umbrella that most people my not know or think about. Light of the World strives to spread awareness while providing resources to help those who need it. I think mental health is very much overlooked and it need to be a more prominent topic in discussions. Mental health affects all of us and that’s why I think Light of the World is a great business. Read more>>