As the inaugural six-week Cutting Edge Barber Mentorship Program at Personal Touch Barbershop in Renton, Washington recently reached its final week, what began as a community-voted proposal has blossomed into a pipeline for local youth to reclaim economic self-reliance.

With summer right around the corner, an extraordinary, transformative energy fills the air inside Personal Touch Barbershop in Renton, Washington. For the past six weeks, a groundbreaking experiment in grassroots democracy and youth empowerment has been quietly unfolding inside these walls. It is the final week of the inaugural "Cutting Edge" Barber Mentorship Program, an initiative funded directly by King County’s Participatory Budgeting (PB) program that elegantly bridges trade education, economic self-reliance, and community mental health support.

Proving the belief that food can nourish both people and purpose, That Brown Girl Cooks! (TBGC!)—the visionary hospitality group founded by Chef Kristi Brown—has been honored as a 2026 Corporate Citizenship Award recipient and named a Diversity Champion by the Puget Sound Business Journal.

If you’ve ever walked past the corner of Dave Niehaus Way and Royal Brougham in the SODO District of Seattle, you’ve felt the energy radiating from Steelheads Alley. It’s a space designed in the spirit of Black exceptionalism.

Focused on building friendship and fitness through the sport of double dutch, the organization Double Dutch Divas is a luminary of joy, creating spaces for kids and families to heal and move together. Not only is it a youth enrichment initiative, but also a force for community, confidence, and connection.

Black excellence and good vibes swarmed the Black Media Matters Studio last month when Couture Cocktails and Hunter in the Cup hosted a special Cocktails and Charcuterie Night. The event served as an intimate celebration of Black History Month, successfully combining high-end mixology and culinary art.

Boon Boona Coffee recently achieved another major milestone with the grand opening of its newest location at the Waterfront Park Overlook in Downtown Seattle. The event marked an expansion of Boon Boona’s footprint across the region, which already includes locations in Renton, Capitol Hill, University District, and Redmond. 

What happens when classic culinary training meets the rich, soulful flavors of the Black diaspora? You get Pizza by Ruffin, Washington State’s first Black-owned pizzeria and a bonafide phenomenon in Seattle’s South Lake Union. 

The new Boon Boona Coffee location at the Waterfront Park Overlook celebrated its Grand Opening last week with an enthusiastic crowd of community members and leaders. The successful launch marked a significant expansion for the local coffee staple, with locations in Renton, Capitol Hill, University District, Redmond, and now Downtown Seattle’s new Waterfront Park.

Converge co-founders Erik Kalligraphy and The Big O recently attended the 2026 Black-Owned Business Excellence (BOBE) Symposium at the Seattle Public Library main branch. Aimed at addressing the significant challenges facing Black-owned businesses and honoring Black business owners and allies in the region, the Symposium introduced a new agenda centered on long-term business viability. 

Fresh off their five-year anniversary, Communion Restaurant & Bar in Seattle’s Central District recently welcomed Almost The Weekend! co-host Curtis Delgardo II, aka Cuddy, to try Chef Damon Bomar’s house-made Bloody Mary. When Bomar made an appearance on Almost The Weekend! last year, Delgardo famously expressed his distaste for Bloody Marys, but he accepted the challenge to push his palate to new heights. 

Back2Besa host Besa Gordon recently visited Métier Brewing in the Central District for National Beer Can Appreciation Day on January 24th to chop it up with multi-disciplinary artist Damon Brown, a.k.a. Creative Lou, and Métier Brewing Company owner Rodney Hines. Brown, the visionary behind many of Métier’s iconic cans, is all about representing the stories of Blackness and the soul of Seattle’s Central District.

Communion Restaurant recently marked its milestone fifth anniversary with a glorious celebration focused on gratitude and community. The event was deliberately focused on staff appreciation, a theme near to co-owner Chef Kristi Brown’s heart. The evening was a glamorous affair, styled with a Harlem Renaissance theme, enhanced by a quartet from the Garfield Jazz Band.

Alright, coffee fam—let’s put you on to something special. What better way to commemorate the cold than to shout out some of Besa Gordon’s favorite PNW coffee spots that are not just serving up incredible brews, but also pouring back into the community? From Tacoma to Seattle, these are some of the Black-owned businesses and innovative cafes that are changing the game.

At a time when Black-owned businesses are grappling with unprecedented economic hurdles, capital constraints, and a silent epidemic of burnout, the Black-Owned Business Excellence (BOBE) Symposium is returning for its seventh year with a decisive new agenda. The message is clear: success without sustainability is not success at all.

For over three decades, community legend Earl Lancaster of Earl’s Cuts and Styles has been a perpetual presence in the Central District, existing as a sanctuary for the culture and a cornerstone of the community. Converge Media has been spending the past few months with Earl for an upcoming Community Legends documentary, photography, and podcast series.

J Styles Barber Shop, located at 3847 Rainer Avenue in South Seattle, Washington, is celebrating 25 years of business. Owner and barber Jameel Shabazz, who has been cutting hair for closer to 30 years, has been leaving the South Seattle community looking fresh and fabulous for decades, largely attributed to what he brings beyond a haircut. 

The second annual On the Block Holiday Special creative marketplace recently brought together a community of local artists, vendors, and creatives for a weekend of celebration and fundraising in Seattle. Held at the Quality Flea Center, the event was a coming-together and a vital effort to raise funds for the organization’s year-round programming.

This week on Back2Besa, we’re leaning into the spirit of the season by revisiting some of our favorite Support Black Business stories from the year — stories rooted in purpose, creativity, and community.

The holiday season is here, and you know what that means—it’s time to celebrate culture, community, and the businesses that truly light up the Emerald City! For Besa Gordon, the holiday season isn't just about finding the perfect gift; it's about shopping with intention and investing directly in the excellence of Seattle’s Black community.