Brooklyn Public Library Launches Second Annual PowerUP! Kreyol Business Plan Competition

Contest Will Award Startup Funding to Entrepreneurs from Haitian Community

Brooklyn, NY – Aspiring Haitian- or Kreyol-speaking entrepreneurs will compete in Brooklyn Public Library’s second annual PowerUP! Kreyol Business Plan Competition, registration for which is now open, the Library announced today. Inspired by the contest that helped launch Bogota Latin Bistro, Owl & Thistle General Store, Greenlight Bookstore and other Brooklyn favorites, the PowerUP! Kreyol competition awarded a total of $10,000 in startup funding to three innovative concepts in its inaugural year, including Vicki Sylvain’s Shoe-B, a stylish clutch that transforms into a shoe bag.

In addition to cash prizes, the competition, developed in partnership with the NYC Department of Small Business Services, hosts free classes for participants on subjects like marketing, business finance and the utilization of library resources. Contestants also participate in free consultations with business counselors throughout the course of the competition.

“Brooklyn’s libraries are a premiere destination—literally, in many cases, the first stop—for entrepreneurs and aspiring business owners from all over the world,” said Linda E. Johnson, president and CEO of Brooklyn Public Library. “No other public or private institution provides such a diverse range of free, multilingual resources to residents of the borough, including Brooklyn’s large and growing Haitian and Kreyol-speaking community.”

The Library partnered with the New York City Department of Small Business Services (SBS) and Citi Community Development to create the PowerUP! Kreyol contest, modeled on BPL’s annual PowerUP! competition, which has helped Brooklyn entrepreneurs launch businesses since 2003. The Library participates in the Immigrant Business Initiative, a citywide effort that was launched in 2014 by SBS, with support from Citi Community Development, to provide entrepreneurs from diverse communities with on-the-ground solutions and free, multilingual business services from community-based partners.

Nearly half of NYC’s small businesses are immigrant-owned, and through the Immigrant Business Initiative, SBS is working with local organizations to better serve diverse communities. Through community partnerships and translated resources, the City has more than doubled the number of business courses available in eight different languages, and to date has provided more than 1,000 services to immigrant entrepreneurs.

“The PowerUP! Kreyol contest exemplifies SBS’ commitment to empowering immigrant entrepreneurs with the opportunities and resources they need to start, operate, and grow successful businesses,” said Gregg Bishop, Commissioner of the NYC Department of Small Business Services. “Thank you to our partners at the Brooklyn Public Library and Citi Community Development for introducing this exciting new Immigrant Business Initiative service to Brooklyn’s Haitian- and Kreyol-speaking community. Growing up in Grenada with my grandmother who supported our household as a woman entrepreneur, I understand first-hand that business ownership can empower a family for generation. I encourage Brooklynites to take advantage of this exciting opportunity and turn their entrepreneurial dream into a reality!”

"Foreign-born New Yorkers open businesses at roughly twice the rate of their native-born counterparts," said Eileen Auld, New York Tri State Market Director, Citi Community Development. "Citi is proud to work with the City of New York and the Brooklyn Public Library to empower immigrant entrepreneurs and unlock the full economic potential of their businesses."

New York City has the second-highest Haitian population in the United States, and Brooklyn is home to thriving émigré communities in Flatbush, East Flatbush, Springfield Gardens and other neighborhoods. More than half of the contestants in the inaugural competition hailed from Canarsie or Flatbush. Over 55% were women, and while nearly 80% of last year’s participants held a college degree, seven in ten resided in households earning below the median family income for New York City.

In 2010, Vicki Sylvain of Flatbush launched the Survival Kit Drive for the Women of Haiti project, mobilizing more than 2,500 volunteers to collect over 26,500 survival kits for women and children who were victims of that year’s devastating earthquake. With the success of The Shoe-B, she hopes to move a portion of the production to Haiti and the company will establish a manufacturing presence on the island, creating jobs for residents.

“Competing in the PowerUP! Kreyol contest made my business plan stronger and primed the Shoe-B for a successful launch,” said Ms. Sylvain. “I would strongly encourage entrepreneurs to enter the contest and take full advantage of the Library’s many helpful, free resources.”

Step one for aspiring contestants is to attend a mandatory information session, the next of which is scheduled for February 4 at the Flatbush at 10 Linden Blvd. The full schedule of sessions is available online. All business plans will be submitted by July 25, after which they will be reviewed by a panel of judges who will invite a small group of finalists to pitch their plans. The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in September.

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About Brooklyn Public Library:

Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) is an independent library system for the 2.5 million residents of Brooklyn. It is the fifth largest library system in the United States with 60 neighborhood libraries located throughout the borough. BPL offers free programs and services for all ages and stages of life, including a large selection of books in more than 30 languages, author talks, literacy programs and public computers. BPL’s eResources, such as eBooks and eVideos, catalog information and free homework help, are available to customers of all ages 24 hours a day at our website: www.bklynlibrary.org.

About the NYC Department of Small Business Services:

The Department of Small Business Services helps unlock economic potential and create economic security for all New Yorkers by connecting New Yorkers to good jobs, creating stronger businesses, and building a fairer economy in neighborhoods across the five boroughs. For more information on all of SBS' services, go to www.nyc.gov/sbs, or call 311.

About Citi 
Citi, the leading global bank, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions. Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management. 

Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com | Twitter: @Citi | YouTube: www.youtube.com/citi | Blog: http://blog.citigroup.com | Facebook: www.facebook.com/citi | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/citi