How The Murder Of A Black Teenager Sparked A Call For Entrepreneurship

If you live in DC, then you may have seen a recent news report about the killing of Christopher Adams in front of Brightwood Park Church in Ward 4. It’s been three years since Christopher Adams was shot to death during what investigators say was a robbery gone bad and his killer still hasn’t been brought to justice.

Gerald L. Elston, Sr., Pastor at Brightwood Park Church and DC Community Carrot Board member, emailed me wanting to provide another aspect of the back story surrounding this case and other killings in that intersection. The community response to this senseless tragedy might surprise you. Below is his email:

The Christopher Adams killing along with a number of previous killings at the corner of 8th and Jefferson motivated our Brightwood Park community to come together in several Community Crime meetings held at Brightwood Park United Methodist Church in 2016. The church, ANC Commissioners David Sheon and Nancy Roth and special neighbors Leon Andrews and Nicole Porter were helpful in galvanizing the community in those meetings and assisting in 2016 with a Criminal Records Expungement Workshop, resume writing assistance for young people, a Prayer Vigil for victims of gun violence, a Peace in the Streets Walk from Brightwood Park Church Emery Recreation Center with Tawana Adams and other mothers of sons and daughters killed by gun violence.

One response that grew out of those 2016 community meetings was the establishment of DC Community Carrot, a nonprofit organization at 508 Kennedy Street, NW that teach Opportunity Youth, ages 18–24, how to start their own businesses. In 2017, we successfully taught a Cohort of 14 and 13 of our new entrepreneurs obtained their business licenses in the District of Columbia. Former ANC Commissioner David Sheon, Leon Andrews, Nicole Porter, and I and other neighbors worked with this effort.

The population that Community Carrot serves are between the ages of 18 and 24 and are neither in school nor working. According to the DC Department of Employment Services (DOES), in 2016, nearly one in four (23%) of Ward 4’s 16 to 24 year olds were unemployed. For 18 to 24 year olds, 18% don’t have a high school degree.

Opportunity Youth across the District share many of the same entrepreneurial instincts and qualities that are considered to be valuable entrepreneurial attributes. Unfortunately, far too many of these young adults that we hope to serve have not had an opportunity to direct these valuable attributes in ways that have allowed them to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams in a more positive and sustainable manner.

Furthermore, according to the Kauffman Institute, minorities between the ages of 18 and 24 are more interested in owning their own businesses than their white counterparts and more likely to want to give back to their community through their businesses. However, in a time where the world is seeing the most job growth in the technology sector, minorities are less likely to have internet access, mentors or know a business owner to whom they can turn to with questions.

Through our (humble ventures) partnership with Community Carrot, it is our belief that the negative outcomes for Opportunity Youth can be impeded through access to entrepreneurship training, technology, social service and mentorship within a structured environment. We’re currently running a seven-week workshop series with Community Carrot if you know someone interested in entrepreneurship training in the DC area. Also, you can view the local news and investigative coverage of Christopher Adams murder by clicking here.

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