Majora Carter (@MajoraCarter) is an American urban revitalization strategist and broadcast producer/host from the South Bronx in New York whose career has spanned environment, economy, social mobility, and real estate development. Majora’s work has won major awards including a MacArthur ‘genius’ Grant, a Peabody Award, the Rudy Bruner Award Silver Medal, nine honorary doctorates, and is...

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In this episode, Steve Distante talks with Majora Carter, founder of The Boogie Down Grind, a special coffee shop that serves way more than just coffee.

Majora Carter is a visionary civic activist and entrepreneur from the South Bronx. She’s won recognition far and wide, including a MacArthur 'genius' Grant, a Peabody Award, and a Ted Talk with over 2.6 million views. In this episode, we talk about how to truly empower local communities to be self sufficient — and why the government and non-profits often get economic development wrong.

KB & Jay are joined by real estate developer and owner of the Boogie Down Grind Cafe, Majora Carter!  Majora discusses her upbringing in the Boogie Down Bronx, Hip Hop's influence on the Bronx community, and her passion for community development. Join us on this journey as we discuss gentrification, real estate development, cultivating Bronx talent, and the start of Boogie Down Grind Cafe.  This episode will make you think, and possibly challenge some of your beliefs! 

Imagine converting a vacant lot used as an illegal dumping ground into the first riverside park in the area in 60 years. Majora Carter joins me to discuss how she made it happen, how buying stocks in a local polluter led to real change, why she called out Al Gore, and how to stay motivated during long-term projects.

Today in the guest chair we have Majora Carter. Majora is a real estate developer, urban revitalization strategy consultant, MacArthur Fellow, and Peabody Award-winning broadcaster. She is also the Co-Owner of the Boogie Down Grind Cafe in the South Bronx.

Majora has made it her life’s mission to find sustainable solutions for America’s most storied low-status communities.

She is responsible for the creation and successful implementation of numerous economic development, green-infrastructure projects, policies, and job training & placement systems. She combines her corporate consulting practice focused on reducing Brain Drain in American low-status communities, and her firsthand experience pioneering sustainable economic development in the South Bronx.  

She has served on the boards of the US Green Building Council and the Andrew Goodman Foundation, and she is quoted in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Museum of African-American History and Culture in DC: "Nobody should have to move out of their neighborhood to live in a better one.”

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Links mentioned in this episode

• Boogie Down Grind Cafe
• Side Hustle Pro Newsletter

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The Boogie Down Grind Cafe- @boogiedowngrind

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"I did not run off, for I thought that wicked, but I walked off, believing that to be all right," said Sojourner Truth about her escape from slavery. How does this relate to city planning? Majora Carter, an “urban revitalization strategy consultant,” eloquently explains at the Van Alen Institute, with music from Jole Blonde.