Support Youth Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship Projects

About Me: Russell A. Hicks is a passionate business educator and global visionary. He currently teaches social entrepreneurship to adjudicated youth, ages 16-21, at The E3 Center in Philadelphia. On a project basis, he also plans workshops and programming for non-profit organizations, schools, and churches, and provides full-service consulting packages for small businesses and social entrepreneurs in the areas of business bookkeeping and finance, information technology, human resources, marketing and strategic planning through Ebony Suns Enterprises, LLC. His invested interest and future plans are in international business, real estate investment, and philanthropy for economic development projects in under-resources communities and developing countries. He has an online travel web site at www.ebonysuns.worldventures.biz for discounts and deals on travel and hospitality. His plan is to make a living LIVING, while GIVING. Russell Hicks is also founder and head designer of Ebony Suns Fashions. Ebony Suns Fashions is a sustainable apparel company that provides organic designer lines to retailers and wholesalers, and via e-commerce. Ebony Suns Fashions will become a medium for art and culture and a vehicle for social entrepreneurship via fashion and media. The company will also serve as an industry source for cultural lifestyle apparel by empowering other youth industry professionals through its international fashion house. Mr. Hicks has previously served as Program Director for the Project Great Potential program at The Enterprise Center in West Philadelphia. Project Great Potential is a social entrepreneurship program that helps young adult males of color; ages 18-25, from under-resourced communities build a foundation for career advancement and business ownership. The Enterprise Center is a non-profit business development center that provides access to capital, building capacity, business education and economic development opportunities to high-potential minority entrepreneurs. Since September 11, 2000, Mr. Hicks has impacted the lives of many youth & adult entrepreneurs and delivered value-add to stakeholders of The Enterprise Center through his commitment to social entrepreneurship in urban communities. Russell A. Hicks was born and raised in Chicago, IL. He attended St. James Catholic School and Whitney M. Young Magnet High School in Chicago. While growing up and going to school, he always has been involved in sports, dance, charity fundraisers, church youth groups, public speaking, and musical productions. As a youth, he developed a keen knowledge base and skill-sets in critical thinking, team building, history, politics, event planning, and dance choreography. He also gained an appreciation for fashion through his sewing class in high school, involvement with fashion shows throughout his college experience, and his mother’s guidance and taste in clothing. Mr. Hicks graduated from Howard University in Washington D.C. in May of 2000 with a B.B.A. in Business Administration with a 3.0 GPA in his major. His experience is vast and his credits include: · Having over fifteen years of performing arts and event coordination experience. He taught jazz, modern, tap, tumbling, hip hop and house dance to youth at Stairway To The Stars, located in the Chicago-land area, and assisted in the costuming and coordination of annual dance productions. · Completed training classes at the Garment Industry Development Corporation and the M Shop in New York and basic sewing and design at Whitney M Young High School. · Assisted in the production and promotion various fashion shows and theatre/dance performances while attending Whitney M Young High School and Howard University. · Served as Vice President of The Entrepreneurial Society, a student organization at the School of Business at Howard University for two years. Also he was Human Resources Director of The Chicago Peoples Union at Howard University. · Recognized as a “Future Leader of America” in a graduation video displayed at Howard University’s Milestone Ceremony at graduation in 2000. · Committee member for the city of Philadelphia’s Minority Enterprise Development (M.E.D.) Week held in October 2003 and 2004 at non-profit organizations across Philadelphia. · NFTE Certified Instructor with National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship in 2004. · Organizer for the 5th Minority Business Plan Competition in 2005 at The Enterprise Center in Philadelphia. · Urban League of Philadelphia Leadership Forum Graduate of 2007. · United Way Young Leaders Program Graduate for Board Training in 2007. · American Cities Foundation Award for “Men Making A Difference” in 2007. · Community College of Philadelphia’s New Choices New Options Community Leadership Award in May 2009. · Member of the Cambridge Who’s Who and the Philadelphia 12 Club professional networking groups · Member of the Mayor’s Commission on African and Caribbean Immigrant Affairs in Philadelphia and its Business and Trade Committee. · Board Member of the Young Friends Society of African Diaspora Institutions and Job Jump Starters for Teens. · Young Entrepreneurship & Small Business Ambassador for Levantamos in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil in November 2009. · Planning Committee for the Social Venture Institute Conference in 2009 & Co-Chair in 2010 with the Sustainable Business Network in Philadelphia.