The National Hbcu Black Wall Street Career Fest

(Image Credit: Aviate Through Knowledge)

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — History was made at one historically Black college and/or university (HBCU) in Arkansas. What took place on the campus of Arkansas Baptist College (ABC) and expanded into the Hall of Industry at the Arkansas State Fairgrounds was not a job fair but a National HBCU Black Wall Street Career Fest. Let’s be clear, Arkansas Baptist College, established in 1884, was on the verge of being closed down and/or purchased in 2025. Now, after God’s favor, ABC is the first HBCU campus to ever host the National HBCU Black Wall Street Career Fest.

Aviate Through Knowledge, Inc., the 501(c)(3) tax-exempt education group, is the entity over the HBCU BWS CF.

This concept started at ABC years ago to bridge gaps between all of Arkansas's HBCUs (Arkansas Baptist College, UAPB, Philander Smith University & Shorter College). The culture of competition, not collaboration, has been a long-term generational recipe for individualism and isolation for decades amongst Arkansas HBCUs.

To reach each campus's fullest potential, the idea of the Arkansas HBCU Black Wall Street Career Fest was conceived to bring campuses, students, faculty, and communities closer together. As a result, all of Arkansas’ HBCUs are in concert with each other now, echoing the days of Black Wall Street. Today, it's the National HBCU Black Wall Street Career Fest, and all of Arkansas’ HBCUs come together and collaborate.

By the Numbers, With Data: Since 2022, the National HBCU Black Wall Street Career Fest has grown into a national movement—a dynamic sociocultural and community-driven apparatus bringing together vendors, scholars, entrepreneurs, creatives, and innovators from 15 states, including Pennsylvania, Nevada, Texas, Mississippi, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Georgia, South Carolina, Illinois, and Ohio.

While the event continues to expand nationally, the majority of attendees remain rooted in Arkansas—particularly Central Arkansas, reinforcing its strong local impact.

Across Day 1 and Day 2 combined, total attendance exceeded 312 participants according to ATK data.

Demographically:

• Over 62% of students from the Little Rock/Central Arkansas area come from low-income backgrounds and qualify for free or reduced lunch programs
• Students represented the largest share of attendees (41%), including:
  • 24% high school students
  • 28% college students
• Vendors, professionals, and community stakeholders made up the remaining participant base

According to Statista, over 63.5% of all attendees were students, young adults, or millennials between the ages of 19 and 42, underscoring the event’s strong reach among emerging workforce populations.

Acknowledgements:
We extend our sincere gratitude to Arkansas Baptist College Interim President William “Bill” Walker, Executive Vice President Phillips Rodgers, and COO Dr. Fitz Hill for their leadership in driving a successful and impactful turnout in downtown Little Rock.

A special acknowledgment is also extended to the entire athletic department, led by athletic director Mr. Marlow Rockwell, along with coaches Ashdone Bailey and Richard Wilson, whose continued commitment supports the academic and professional success of ABC student-athletes.

This is not transactional. This is transformational.

As scripture reminds us, "Where there is no vision, the people perish.” — Proverbs 29:18

This Career Fest is a vision in motion.

NOT A JOB FAIR — A CAREER FEST

Let’s draw the line clearly. A job fair plays light background music. A career fest has a DJ, energy, movement, and culture. A job fair hands out brochures.

A career fest delivers interactive workshop experiences—live panels, performances, drone demonstrations, AI labs, and interactive learning. A job fair might offer food trucks. A career fest offers catered culinary delights, ordered food with intention, networking spaces, and community-centered engagement. A job fair asks, “Who’s hiring?” A career fest asks, “Who are you becoming?” We had a dance. We had dramatic arts. We had live demonstrations. We had AI in action.

This is why we call it a Career Positioning Resource (CPR)—because it breathes life into futures.

HBCU + A.I.: THE FUTURE IS NOW

The National HBCU Black Wall Street Career Fest is built on a powerful intersection:

HBCU Legacy + Artificial Intelligence + Black Wall Street Economics

We are not waiting for the future—we are building it.

As it is written: “Write the vision, and make it plain.” — Habakkuk 2:2

Students were not just told about AI—they experienced it. Entrepreneurs were not just encouraged—they were equipped. Communities were not just invited—they were empowered. Only a fraction of HBCUs currently have advanced AI integration in their curriculum. This fest is closing that gap—in real time.

Partnerships: The 2026 HBCU Black Wall Street Career Fest was not without the partnership of the City of Little Rock’s Community Programs, led by Michael Sanders, Dr. Jackie Eaves, Tonisha Porter, Leslie Mendez, and Monica Montgomery. This national stage had an extra glow due to this. Additionally, Dr. Michelle Mackel, CEO of Plugstar Entertainment and Plugstar Publishing, enhanced the overall package of the 2026 theme ‘HBCU + AI.’

Dr. Mackel, with her clients such as J. Coby Dee, Grammy-Nominated R&B Artist #15 on R&B Charts, reality TV star, and Singer Sterling, Dr. Charlie Mac, and others, set the bar high for 2027.

NATIONAL VENDOR & PARTICIPANT LIST (ATTENDANCE)

The 5th Annual National HBCU Black Wall Street Career Fest featured nearly 100 vendors, organizations, and leaders, including, but not limited to, the following:

Aviate Through Knowledge, LLC—Kalon Martez Williams MADD Lemonade and Mental Health—by Madison and Makayla Simmons, both advocates raising awareness and inspiring change Daryl Webb, Sr. and Daryl Webb, Jr., Kimco Family Restaurants; Chy’Na Nellon (PhDc)—AI Leader, Director & U of A Professor

S'cie Ward—Drama Arts AI Entertainment, Black Wall Street & modeling

Angela Gant — AI-Certified Leader & Coach, Refine Vision, CEO

Dr. Michelle Mackel— CEO of Plugstar Entertainment & Publishing, Author, Celebrity Publicist & Speaker

Dr. Charlie Mac—Global Music Publishing, Diverse Musical Catalogues

Christopher "CL" McCoy — Grammy Nominated 2X Billboard Producer & Educator

Nia Renee — Top 40 American Idol Alumna, musical artist

Patchez Black Noire — Entertainment, Herb Farmer, AI Leader, and author

Warren Booker (Metro) — Why Warren Entertainment

Jayden & Isaiah Mackel — Plugstar Entertainment’s Children’s authors and Speaker Advocating for Child Trafficing Awareness and Prevention

Tim Campbell — Scholar, UAPB Graduate & Community Leader

Latrice McElroy—Volunteer, banking executive, and community leader

Anna Williams — Author & Health Advocate

Marcus Hill — Real Estate Appraiser/Author, Speaker

West Wind Performing Arts — Dancers
Steffanie Rivers—TCB Drones Academy
TAIQUITHA “Tai” ROBINS, PhD (c)—TriAxis Collective

Premier High School—Education
Arkansas Baptist College (HBCU)
University of Arkansas Pine Bluff (UAPB)—HBCU

Shorter College—HBCU
Philander Smith College—HBCU
AmeriCorps VISTA Housing Alliance—Mikayla Miller / Wanda Collins

Little Rock Black Nurses Association—Nurses

Bishop Dr. Stephen W. Christian—Bountiful Blessings World Fellowship.

Misti Martisse — Digital Glam Agency
Pampering Places — Beauty
Ashton Hall — Ashton Hall Collection: Fashion Designer & Author

Ursula Redmond — Business
Carolyn McCall — The Carolyn Experience

Kathy Webb — Business
Dr. Tamara Glover — Ms. USA Global International & UAPB Professor

Terence L. Bolden — Bolden Enterprises
Regina Cullins-Lilly — A Unique Leverage Enterprise, LLC

Earnestine Trotter — Agency
Life After Struggle Podcast, Media — Sanford Shuman and Timothy ‘Malik’ Green

Jonathan Barket — CTEH (AI Robot Dog “SPOT”)

WrightWay Holdings LLC — Consulting
Stone Bank — Sponsor, Branch Leader, Vianca Armstrong-Jordan

Groove Phi Groove Social Fellowship, Inc. — Sponsor

Leonard Glover — UAPB Counseling & Entrepreneur

Tiffany Taggart — Cornerstone Christian Preparatory School

Maxwell Brown — Urban League of Arkansas

Joseph Campbell — Business
Natasha Dockery Galvin — Easy Protection

Kierra Williams, The SPOT Jgiann Paige—Skincare

Autumn Hill—Irresistible Naturals Skincare

Cindy Monterroza—U.S. Coast Guard Recruiting Amiyah Harness—Amiyah Naturals, LLC. Derwin Davis—Union Pacific Dr. Marshawn Wilbourn—Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and many more leaders, vendors, and innovators representing the evolving HBCU Black Wall Street ecosystem.

Entrepreneur, investor, philanthropist, and author of ‘WHO'S ON FRIES? Daryl L. Webb, Sr., owner of Kimco Family Restaurants, LLC, spoke to the audience about his life and his professional career, which began in 1976 at McDonald's. Mr. Webb and his son, Daryl Webb Jr., were vendors and sold books, but more importantly, invested in human capital.

A NATIONAL EXPERIENCE ROOTED IN PURPOSE

This is not just an event. It is a movement.
A movement where:

• Students discover multiple career pathways
• Entrepreneurs connect across state lines
• HBCUs reclaim their leadership in innovation
• Communities witness economic empowerment in action
• This is the age of collaboration, not competition.

As scripture declares:
“Faith without works is dead.” — James 2:17

This career fest is the work.

WHY HBCUs MUST BE PART OF THIS

Like Arkansas Baptist College, almost any HBCU can host this type of experience, but it must be rooted in transformation, not transaction, which is the heartbeat of this national movement. Not many collegiate campuses in America are currently hosting the following:

• A national HBCU Black Wall Street ecosystem
• AI literacy labs and demonstrations
• Cultural performances + workforce development
• Multi-state vendor participation
• A free, public, inclusive career festival
• Notable public figures as workshop facilitators

The byproduct of this plan is recruitment, retention, and relevance.

THE INVITATION

To every HBCU across this nation:
This is your call.
To every student seeking direction:
This is your space.
To every entrepreneur building a legacy:
This is your platform.
To every community seeking equity:
This is your movement.
Because this is not just about jobs.
It’s about careers. It’s about ownership. It’s about legacy. And most importantly, it’s about positioning the next generation to win. The National HBCU Black Wall Street Career Fest is not coming. It is already here.

The National HBCU Black Wall Street Career Fest committee members include team leaders and co-founder Monica Davis, S’cie Ward, Terance L. Bolden, Kamorean Matthews, Leonard Glover & Dr. Tamara Glover, Chy’Na Nellon (PhDc), Dr. John Proctor, and Taiquitha Robins (PhDc).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Edmond W. Davis is an American social historian, international speaker, and Amazon #1 bestselling author. He is a global authority on the Tuskegee Airmen and serves as the founder and executive director of the National HBCU Black Wall Street Career Fest. A native of Philadelphia, PA, and current resident of Little Rock, AR, Davis is committed to cultural empowerment and educational equity through storytelling and civic engagement. Davis is a grand marshal at the 38th Annual African American History Month Celebration Parade.