Happy Belated MLK Day and MWBE Thursday to our Aero-Ba-Soul, Inc. family, friends, clients and community partners!

We hope that everyone had a great Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend! 

Martin Luther King Jr. was a social activist and Baptist minister who played a key role in the American civil rights movement from the mid-1950s until his assassination in 1968. King sought equality and human rights for African Americans, the economically disadvantaged and all victims of injustice through peaceful protest.

Click here for a brief video that captures this great humanitarian! Martin Luther King Jr: Risked Life for Civil Rights Movement | Biography https://youtu.be/waxW-R_fFSQ

Click here for a bio of his extraordinary and numerous accomplishments in his journey for justice for all! Martin Luther King Jr. - Wikipedia

January 15^th is also the birthday of Kendall Xavier Cousins, Aero-Ba-Soul, Inc.’s CEO Kecia Palmer-Cousins and COO Kevin Cousins’s oldest son. We wish him a very special birthday. May he continue to be blessed as he lives his dreams and goals! We love you with all of our heart and soul!

Dr. King’s vision was one of inclusion, of nonviolence, of respecting the rights of each and every one of us and championing the fact that we are all Americans.  King’ s dream envisioned a day where people are not judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

The Aero-Ba-Soul, Inc. team kept it moving this past weekend as usual balancing work, life and play! 

Aero-Ba-Soul, Inc.’s CEO Kecia Palmer-Cousins’ and fellow new members of chapters of the Westchester Black Women’s Political Caucus (WBWPC) were welcomed with open arms “virtually” on Thursday evening at a new members webinar.  Special thanks to WBWPC Countywide President Subomi Macaulay, WBWPC Membership Chair Angela Farrish and Greater Peekskill Chapter President Keturah Hadley and all of the members of WBWPC for their love and support to Kecia as she “re-joined” the fold. Kecia is a proud new member of The Greater Peekskill Area Chapter of WBWPC.

On Sunday, January 15^th, 2023, MLK’s real birthday, The Black Dems of Westchester Annual Reception was held at The Greentree Country Club in New Rochelle, NY. The chapters of the WBWPC came out in numbers to support and congratulate all of the honorees, especially Mayor Vivian McKenzie, a proud member of The Greater Peekskill Area Chapter of the WBWPC. Many of Vivian’s family and friends from Peekskill and her Sorors from Alpha Kappa AlphaSorority, Incorporated were present to congratulate her as she received the prestigious Mae Morgan Robinson Award!

WBWPC dedicated members NYS Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Mt. Vernon Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard along with Westchester County Executive George Latimer and government elected

officials were in the house! 

NYS Attorney General Leticia James was showered with congratulations on her recent swearing from the WBWPC sistahs!

On Thursday evening, Kecia also flew down to Mt. Pleasant, SC to visit her father, Leroy Palmer, for his birthday which was on January 13th. Her brother Leroy Palmer, Jr. flew down from NY as well to celebrate their father. Their dozens of cousins held a crab and oyster fest on Saturday to celebrate this special weekend! Family, food, fun! 

He truly appreciated their company especially since this is his 2^nd birthday since the passing of his beloved wife and Kecia’s, Vaughn, Leroy, Jr and Curtis’ mother, Obie Mae Palmer. She was also a beautiful and loving grandmother, great grandmother, sister, mother-in-law, sister-in-law, aunt, cousin, friend, entrepreneur, co-worker, church member to many. We loved her, but God loved her best! She is resting in peace and power.

In 2023, the Aero-Ba-Soul, Inc. team will continue to:

• assist MWBE’s navigate government and corporate procurement via business coaching and technical assistance.
• provide personal and professional development training to employees of non-profits, government, corporate and educational institutions.

Make this year the year that you live your dreams! Take time to relax, rejuvenate , connect with your loved ones and “yourself”.  

Attend one or all of the networking events to let everyone know about your business, products and services! 

When one eats, we all eat! The Aero-Ba-Soul, Inc. Team

MWBE WEDNESDAY RESOURCES

Below are some networks and resources that Minority Women Owned Business Enterprises and small business owners can connect with to help them get through these challenging times. We’ve got your back!

Book your appointment today with the Aero-Ba-Soul, Inc. Team to get your business back on track in 2022! We provide business coaching, workforce development training and help MWBE’s get certified as they navigate the government and corporate procurement process! MWBE’s, Government Agencies and Non-Profits are our favorite clients! 



Training & Consulting | NYC/Westchester County/Tri-State | Aerobasoul

Many minority and women business enterprise entrepreneurs use their local, County and State Agencies to stay current and tap into potential resources and procurement opportunities for their businesses and their communities. Getting MWBE Certified and procuring government contracts can help MWBEs build their businesses! Grants and loans are also parts of MWBEs portfolios to

grow their businesses.                      

You won't want to miss these networking events!

NYS Senate Majority Andrea Stewart-Cousins’ Open House

You are cordially invited to attend NYS Senate Majority Andrea Stewart-Cousins’ Open House, in celebration of the new year and the new Senate District 35, which includes Mount Pleasant, Greenburgh, and part of Yonkers. The Open House will be held at the Senator's District Office,on January 19 from 5 pm - 7 pm, located at 28 Wells Avenue, Building 3, 5th Floor, Yonkers, NY 10701.

Please RSVP by using this form.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Annie Willis, or call (914) 423-4031.

Sincerely,

Annie Willis

Director of Special Projects

NYS Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, 35th SD

NYS Senate Majority Leader

NEW YORK STATE ASSOCIATION OF BLACK, PUERTO RICAN, HISPANIC & ASIAN LEGISLATORS, INC. 52^nd ANNUAL LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE 2023

IN ALBANY, FEBRUARY 17^th – 19^th, 2023

Meet Black entrepreneurs who are running billion-dollar businesses

August 1, 2016100%

By Carolyn M. Brown, blackenterprise.com

The first time Black Enterprise compiled its annual report of the nation’s largest black-owned business in 1973, the “BE Top 100” list, the combined sales for the 100 companies totaled $473 million. According to BE Research of the 2016 annual rankings—representing seven different lists—industrial/services companies grossed $24 billion in combined revenues in 2015, employed 65,443 workers, and are located in 29 states and the District of Columbia.

The Billion-Dollar Club

The first black-owned company to achieve the distinction of generating more than $1 billion in annual sales was TLC Beatrice International Holdings Inc., a food manufacturer and distributor of leading brands including Butterball turkeys and Good Humor ice cream. It also was the first in the history of the BE 100s to crack the $2 billion glass ceiling.

Today there are five BE 100s companies (Industrial/Services and Auto Dealers) that belong to the billion-dollar club: Worldwide Technology, Act-1 Group, Bridgewater Interiors, Modular Assembly Innovations, and RML Automotive.

Worldwide Technology

In June 2001, St Louis, Missouri, IT firm World Wide Technology was named BE Company of the Year. Within three years, CEO David L. Steward would grab the No. 1 spot on the 2004 BE INDUSTRIAL/SERVICE 100 at $1.2 billion. WWT’s revenues grew 533%, from 1993 to 2013, to $6.4 billion, reports BE Research. The company expanded through partnerships developed with tech giants such as Cisco Systems, HP and EMC, and meeting the infrastructure needs of companies like Boeing and Dell. On the 2016 BE 100s list, WWT still holds the No. 1 position at $7.5 billion in revenues (up from $6.8 billion) and a staff of 4,000.

RML Automotive

BET founder and billionaire Robert L. Johnson is a groundbreaking entrepreneur who over the decades has owned companies in every BE 100s category except for advertising. He currently has three on the 2016 rankings — private equity firms, RLJ Equity Partners L.L.C. and RLJ Credit Management L.L.C., and the Louisville, Texas-based mega dealership RML Automotive (No. 1 on the BE AUTO DEALERS list with $1.4 billion in gross revenue). Johnson first appeared on BE’s auto dealers’ roster in 2009 and surpassed the billion-dollar revenue threshold on the 2012 list.

Act-1 Group

Janice Bryant Howroyd is the first to woman to operate a company that generates more than $1 billion dollars in revenues. The Act-1 Group, the Torrance, California-based global staffing firm, was named the BE INDUSTRIAL/SERVICE 100 Company of the Year in 2012, meeting the demands of corporate giants like Merck and AT&T and increasing its international presence to grow to $2 billion, according to BE Research. Today, ACT 1 holds at No. 2 on the 2016 ranking at $2.4 billion in revenues, servicing 17,000 clients and employs 2,600 people in 240 satellite offices in the U.S. and in eight countries. Bryant Howroyd received this year’s A.G. Gaston Lifetime Achievement Award, Black Enterprise’s highest entrepreneurial recognition. With the success of Act-1, 63-year-old Bryant Howroyd has been deemed one the country’s wealthiest self-made women.

Bridgewater Interiors

Developed in 1998 through a joint venture with mammoth car components manufacturer Johnson Controls Inc., Detroit-based Bridgewater Interiors grew to a $1 billion-plus auto supplier by assembling thousands of seats for models such as the Cadillac DTS, Buick Lucerne, and Ford Focus. Bridgewater Interiors holds the No. 3 spot among the 2016 BE INDUSTRIAL/SERVICE 100 companies, grossing $2.1 billion in 2015. It was founded by the late entrepreneur and business leader Ronald Hall, Sr., who built his business to become one of the BE 100s top revenue leaders and employers in black business, with 2,000 workers as of 2015.

Modular Assembly Innovations

Dublin, Ohio-based auto parts manufacturer Modular Assembly Innovations, run by CEO Billy R. Vickers, has risen to become the nation’s fourth-largest black-owned industrial/services company, grossing $1.2 billion in 2015. Vickers successfully grew the conglomerate—operated by a group of companies—to provide manufacturing and supply chain management services for Honda and other big automakers.

Have a safe and great week! Stay connected with us so you stay connected! Follow us on our social media! Live your dreams in 2023! We thank each and everyone of you for your continued support and business!

Aero-Ba-Soul, Inc! We help MWBEs focus on the health and wellness of their business! Let us help you make your dreams, business and professional and goals come true in 2023! 

We are here for you! Just give us a call at 914-737-7237 or schedule a consultation with us at www.aerobasoul.com. You’ll be glad that you did!

Stay safe and continue to reach for excellence! Try to put your best foot forward every day. Most of all, be kind to yourself and others! Special shout out to our parents, family and friends for your continued love and support to us! Let’s continue to be bridges for success for each other and our businesses! See you on Philanthropy Thursday! We will share highlights from other events that we attended MLK weekend!

Sincerely,

Kecia and Kevin