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Star Tribune Names Four Inaugural Recipients of “Star Tribune Connect” Grants to Support Underrepresented Business Owners
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Star Tribune Names Four Inaugural Recipients of “Star Tribune Connect” Grants to Support Underrepresented Business Owners
Beyond Family Chiropractic, Black Tech Talent, Coconut Whisk, and Sahan Journal share $200,000 in Star Tribune Advertising Credits
MINNEAPOLIS – Feb. 2, 2021 – Star Tribune Media Co., Minnesota’s largest media company, today announced the four inaugural recipients of Star Tribune Connect, its innovative program to empower and accelerate the growth of underrepresented and racial-minority-owned businesses through advertising assistance and marketing collaboration.
Each winning company—Beyond Family Chiropractic, Black Tech Talent, Coconut Whisk, and Sahan Journal—will receive $50,000 in credits to apply toward advertising and marketing services that leverage Star Tribune media properties. The companies were selected from more than 80 applicants by the Star Tribune’s Selection & Oversight Committee, a group of employee volunteers. To qualify, winners must be licensed businesses registered in the state of Minnesota that have at least 51% ownership, operation, and control by people who are African American, Asian or Pacific Islander, American Indian or Alaskan native, persons of Latino descent, persons with a disability, or women. The 2021 winners are:
• Beyond Family Chiropractic. This Bloomington-based practice aims to help people achieve better health through a natural approach that focuses on restoring hope, healing, and health through neurologically based chiropractic care.
• Black Tech Talent. Through a pipeline of job opportunities, education, and community and culturally specific content, Black Tech Talent seeks to increase the representation of Black technologists in corporate careers and entrepreneurship. The company earned the tech.mn 2020 Inclusive Evolution award and has partnered with such leading corporations as Target, HealthPartners, and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT to bring jobs to the Black community.
• Coconut Whisk. This mission-driven vegan and gluten-free baking mix company helps busy families create healthy indulgences. Proudly POC and women-owned, Coconut Whisk believes in giving back to organizations that address hunger and food insecurity.
• Sahan Journal. This startup nonprofit digital news organization provides journalism for, by, and about Minnesota’s immigrants and refugee communities, with a focus on Hmong, Somali, and Latino populations. Founded by Somali-born American journalist Mukhtar Ibrahim, the website employs a managing editor and four reporters.
“We’re proud to make these grants to help these most-deserving organizations, all of whom strive to uplift and positively impact our community,” said Paul Kasbohm, senior vice president and chief revenue officer. “By providing greater access to the many promotional resources of our organization, the Star Tribune Connect program aims to help minority and underrepresented businesses strengthen their operations and make a difference.”
About Star Tribune Media Company
Star Tribune Media Company LLC is a locally owned, award-winning media company serving Minnesota and the upper Midwest. With the third-largest Sunday and sixth-largest daily circulation metro print newspaper in the U.S., the most-visited local website, a range of home-delivered advertising solutions, and a growing portfolio of events, Star Tribune reaches more consumers than any other Minnesota media brand. For more information, visit www.startribunecompany.com
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Media contact:
Steve Yaeger
612-673-4256
