PROTECT YOUR BUSINESS WITH OUR SMALL BUSINESS RESILIENCY PROGRAM!

$74.2 million in grants were given out to over 20000 small businesses for COVID Relief. Grant readiness is the difference between a paycheck and having to make hard decisions about cutting staff and/or paying your commercial space, as a business owner.

And we are going to teach you how to be a star grant recipient. We have partnered with LISC to provide you with key information teaching you how to be prepared for the next COVID, Hurricane Irma, Sandy or major natural disaster — at 0 Cost to you!

The world is changing and your business needs to change with it to survive.

Climate disasters—combined with the lingering economic stress of the pandemic—present immediate challenges to the survival of small businesses and the outlook for long-term recovery and growth.

With the generous support of Wells Fargo Foundation, LISC has developed a Small Business Resiliency Network of disaster planning coaches to ensure that businesses are prepared for disasters and have adaptation strategies in place.

Our organization will provide one-on-one training in disaster preparedness, recovery and resiliency to those businesses interested in learning how their business can better prepare and respond more efficiently and quickly after a disaster to reopen operations. 

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP!

Open SPACE: An =SPACE Experience

We have expanded our sharespace and want to celebrate with our fellow entrepreneurs. We now have over 19,000 square feet of workspace, art, culture, and vibes!

So, come and see our facility. Take a breather, grab a drink, and make some great connections with fellow entrepreneurs.

If you are looking to meet more like-minded people, this is the place for you. If you are thinking about starting your own business, this is the space for you. If you just want to surround yourself with successful people, this community is for you.

RSVP BELOW:

Join Us For Small Business Week

Join us for Newark Small Business Week! =SPACE and Invest Newark have partnered to present Small Business Week; a series dedicated to bringing equitable resources to our booming city of Newark, leading them to success and continued growth.

 

This is a 5 day experience for new and seasoned entrepreneurs, full of workshops, courses, and other events to help you build your business. Small Business Week is the ultimate experience for entrepreneurs of all types and stages.

 

We will be hosting expos, panel discussions, networking nights, financial literacy classes and more!

 

 CLICK HERE TO RSVP TODAY

 

Movie Night at the Riverfront Park: Moonlight – Hosted By Citi Medina

JOIN US FOR A MOVIE IN THE PARK – Thursday, July 29, 8pm

We are excited to present Moonlight, a powerful, coming-of-age story during Newark Pride Month, in collaboration with the Newark Museum of Art. Our founder, Citi Medina, will be opening the night with an introduction to the movie and welcoming attendees to this experience.

This event is FREE and no registration is required.

Event starts at 8pm, movie starts at 8:30pm.

RIVERSIDE FRONT PARK: 730 Raymond Boulevard, Newark, NJ (Riverside)

Moonlight (2016)

Directed by Barry Jenkins. (111 min). Rated R.

A young African American man grapples with his identity and sexuality while experiencing the everyday struggles of childhood, adolescence, and burgeoning adulthood.

The film will be screened in English with Spanish subtitles.

For Directions:

Juneteenth Celebration Guide

RECOGNITION • RESTORATION • JUSTICE

Juneteenth, celebrates African American freedom and achievement, while encouraging continuous self-development and respect for all cultures. As it takes on a more national, symbolic and even global perspective, the events of 1865 in Texas are not forgotten, for all of the roots tie back to this fertile soil from which a national day of pride is growing.

The future of this holiday looks bright as President Biden signed a bill officially recognizing it as a federal holiday. Respect and appreciation for all of our differences grow out of exposure and working together.

Click the links below and learn how you can get involved and support Juneteenth celebrations.

Creates new bonds of friendship and understanding amongst your community.

This indeed brightens our future – and that is the Spirit of Juneteenth.

JUNETEETH EVENTS

COMMUNITY DAY WITH THE NEWARK MUSEUM
A JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION WITH THE CITY OF NEWARK

JUNETEETH RECIPES

STRAWBERRY SODA 
SOUTHERN FRIED CABBAGE & BACON
RED VELVET POUND CAKE

SUPPORT AND DONATE

THE INNOCENCE PROJECT
THE MARSHA P. INSTITUTE
THE BLACK AIDS INSTITUTE
MY BROTHER’S KEEPER ALLIANCE
FACING HISTORY AND OURSELVES
THE SENTENCING PROJECT
THURGOOD MARSHALL COLLEGE FUND

Happy Juneteenth!

The =SPACE TEAM
To learn more about =SPACE, visit our home page

Developing Your Leadership Equation: Maximize Your Efficiency As A CEO

Do you have an idea of your organization’s vision; however, you are unclear about your next steps? Do you have the tools to take your project to the next level, but you keep hitting a roadblock? Like most people, you have belief systems that guide how you navigate the world. Those beliefs extend from your personal life, influence your workplace, and often govern how you approach your goals. In this workshop, Takeyah Young will guide you through five practical steps to help you map your values and outline how they can help you reach your goals.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Takeyah Young is an industrious thinker, engaging speaker, personal and professional leadership consultant, and STEM advocate who operates at the intersection of innovation, transformational leadership, and entrepreneurship as pathways for legacy building.


Takeyah is a consultant with EsteemLogic, an advisory and IT consulting firm that implements sustainable scalable technology, process reengineering, and management solutions. An engineer by training, educator in practice, and entrepreneur at heart, Takeyah Young provides solutions through personal transformation, professional development, and small business development. A speaker and leadership trainer, she works with universities, colleges, corporations and nonprofit organizations to support women through the stages of their STEM experiences and coaches groups to help them achieve personal and organizational change. Through her community wealth-building endeavor, Prosperity MIX™, Takeyah trains and develops leaders to provide financial education to their communities.


A graduate of Lincoln University (of PA) and University of Maryland, Takeyah was recognized as a changemaker by the White House Summit on the United States of Women. She was also included in Innov8tiv’s Top 100 Women Visionary Leaders to Watch; and selected by Lincoln University as one of their “Top 40 Under 40” Alumni.

VC CHATS: Inside The Minds of Investors – Virtual Pitching 101

Due to recent events, startups & investors have had to change the way they connected with one another. With that change came a large amount of misconceptions and fears presented within the startup ecosystem.

We have collaborated with Grit Daily to provide you with insight from two powerful venture capitalists about:

  • How things have changed for investors in the era of COVID
  • How founders should reconsider their business offerings
  • How they should make their biz plans & forecasts more realistic
  • The art of nailing a “pitch-by-zoom”
  • and so many other hot button topics

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Loralyn Mears, Writer – Grit daily, Moderator
Loralyn Mears is a freelance columnist at Grit Daily covering coaching, tech startups, women-in-tech, events, and investors along with wine-food pairings. She spent over a decade playing with mosquito DNA, got her PhD, decided she would rather market science than be at the bench and has never looked back. Along the way, she’s wined and dined her way around the globe. She’s authored two books, including the 2018 Gold Medal Indie Book award-winning, One Sip At a Time: a Memoir. Check out her Women-in-Tech LIKE A BOSS podcast which features fascinating guests with snappy insights. Today she runs “Toasted Marshmellow” and helps companies with their go-to-market strategy whenever she’s not cooking for her teenage step kids who are *always* hungry.
Gina Tedesco, Managing member – Amala Ventures, Guest speaker
Currently, Ms. Tedesco is managing member of Amala Ventures, a venture firm investing in early stage companies with diverse teams and innovative and disruptive technology in the USA and Brazil. Ms. Tedesco is a member of Golden Seeds and member and board member of Jumpstart NJ Angel Network.
Mario Casabona, Founder and Managing Director – Casabona Ventures, – Guest speaker
Mario is an entrepreneur and active angel investor. In 2006, he founded the micro-VC firm Casabona Ventures, investing in over 25 early stage companies. Investments are currently focused on seed stage companies and the Internet of Things (IoT) .

Communicating to Funders: Data + Stories in Virtual Times

Due to recent events, not-for-profits everywhere have had to make slight to radical shifts in programming. To ensure safety among their staff and communities served, those with immediate resources made the call to transition toward virtual programming.

For some it came with few adjustments, for others it was a forced necessity that they were not prepared for. Through the lens of nonprofit leaders, funders, and a digital learning and evaluation expert,

We will explore:

How to center the populations served and front line staff in all decision-making processes (micro)

Use data to drive meaningful collection of new stories or narratives (within virtual environments). (meso)

Best ways one can manage new expectations with funders to work collaboratively. (macro)

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Amanda Ebokosia, MA – Founder, CEO at The Gem Project, Inc., Moderator
Honored by The White House and named by Forbes as a Millennial on a Mission, Amanda A. Ebokosia is Founder & CEO of The Gem Project, Inc., a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that works to improve high school and college student engagement and on-time graduation through service-learning initiatives, which take on a social justice approach. Since inception, The Gem Project has directly impacted the lives of 2000 youth and young adults.
Elizabeth Bishop, PhD – Director of Curriculum and Outcomes Evaluation at Global Kids; Assistant Director of Strategy, CUNY SPS Youth Studies – Moderator
Dr. Elizabeth Bishop is an educator, researcher, and youth advocate. She serves as Assistant Director of Strategy for the CUNY SPS Youth Studies program where she teaches on the faculty and also serves as Director of Curriculum and Outcomes Evaluation at Global Kids. Previously, Bishop taught on the faculty at Ithaca College, served as Deputy Director at the Center for Institutional and Social Change at Columbia Law School and as Assistant Director of the Peace Corps Fellows Program at Teachers College, Columbia University. Originally from Newtown, Connecticut, Bishop began her career as a classroom teacher in the Bronx and has served in leadership positions across NYC public schools and youth development organizations.
Amanda Espaillat, Gem Project High School Fellow – Panelist
Amanda Espaillat is a current sophomore high school student, residing in Newark, New Jersey. Espaillat has been a Gem Project fellow for the past year working on several student-led initiatives, which include revising and drafting a policy brief on improving relationships between students and teachers, voter engagement.
Monica Hall, MPA – Program Associate, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation – Panelist
Monica Hall serves as Program Associate at Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). Her work supports RWJF’s focus on developing networks of leaders from every sector who share a vision of what shapes health, and who join together to effect change. She views her work as “supporting tomorrow’s leaders and helping to extend their influence and impact in building a Culture of Health.”
Hawwa Muhammad, MPA – Founder & CEO, Pink Trumpet – Panelist
Hawwa is a social entrepreneur with a passion for helping others bridge creative ideas with sustainable strategies to achieve positive social impact. She is Founder of Pink Trumpet, a business related to helping nonprofits and businesses effectively design, communicate, and amplify their social impact strategies.
Jennifer Negron, MPA – Program Officer, The Pinkerton Foundation – Panelist
Jenny has a unique perspective on the value of Pinkerton grants. In 1998, three days after graduating from New York’s high school for pregnant and parenting teens and six weeks after the birth of her son Joel, she went to work as an “Explainer” in the Science Career Ladder program at the New York Hall of Science–a longtime Pinkerton grantee. While there, she completed her B.A. at Queens College and went on to earn a Master’s in Public Administration at Baruch College. She eventually rose to lead the 100 high school and college Explainers who guide thousands of visitors through the Hall of Science each year.
Shadae McDaniel, MSW – City Leader, All Stars Project – Newark, NJ – Panelist
Shadae McDaniel is City Leader of the All Stars Project (ASP) of Newark. She oversees all of New Jersey All Stars’ free performance-based, after-school youth development programs, including the All Stars Talent Show Network, the Development School for Youth and the All Star’s award-winning Operation Conversation: Cops & Kids. McDaniel directs the ASP’s non-profit partnerships and community-building activities in New Jersey and is also a member of ASP’s national senior leadership team, which is currently working on an extensive reorganization to advance it programs to thrive on a virtual stage.

Natasha Dyer, MPA, SHRM-CP – Deputy Director, Newark Trust for Education – Panelist
Natasha Dyer is Deputy Director of Newark Trust for Education. Prior to joining the Trust, Natasha served as Office Manager for the Vice President and Assistant Vice President of Arts Education at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. There she developed a deeper understanding and attraction to the educational landscape of her hometown—Newark, NJ. With a commitment to the development of her city, Natasha has devoted significant time to civic engagement and immersion in the arts community of Newark.

#TuneInThursdays with ENK MUZIK

=SPACE & Newark Downtown District have collaborated to provide a phenomenal experience for our community members. #tuneinthursdays was created to not only spotlight our amazingly talented local artists but to also bring a moment of cheer, glee, and great tunes to everyone who participates.

ABOUT THE PERFORMER

ENK Muzik, Erica Nicole Kearney, is an artist, a soulful singer, songwriter, and an impactful teacher. She started singing at the age of 3 years old in her childhood church, Lily of the Valley Baptist Church. After singing for some years with her church choir, she gained the confidence to start singing background and sometimes lead for her brother’s group. Erica is has been working on her solo career as a singer, songwriter, and musician. She has auditioned for The Voice and was blessed to be able to make it to the final pre-audition level.

Erica started her teaching career in 2011 at One Step Ahead Performing Art School as a performing arts teacher. She encouraged and developed the children’s creative musical talents from preschool to Kindergarten. As Erica began to develop as a music teacher, she decided to join the YMCA Newark & Vicinity to be a Music Specialist. There she would impact the lives of many children and youth in the Newark and Jersey City community.

Erica loves impacting and changing the lives of others with her voice, songs, and words. She has a passion for empowering and encouraging our youth and also helping them to find their own voice in their own creative way. She hopes that she will be able to make a difference and be a positive influence on all of the lives she touches through her music.

#TuneInThursdays with Janetza Miranda

=SPACE & Newark Downtown District have collaborated to provide a phenomenal experience for our community members. #tuneinthursdays was created to not only spotlight our amazingly talented local artists but to also bring a moment of cheer, glee, and great tunes to everyone who participates.

ABOUT THE PERFORMER

Hailing from Newark, NJ Janétza Miranda’s work is inspired by her Puerto Rican roots, her voice projecting a vibrant range of colours inspired by the sounds of Jazz, Blues, Boleros, Plena y Bomba, & Flamenco.

Janétza fuses the music that inspires her; her favourite songs of today and the past. You can find her performing on her classical Spanish guitar, mixing covers and originals.

She has appeared on NBC’s “The Voice”, performed in the Americando Expo in Milan, Italy & continues to tour around the world.