With support from the New Economy Initiative, Inkster Chamber of Commerce, and GABA, the program addressed local wealth-building, small business growth, and future trade opportunities with Africa.
Inkster, Michigan — The Leanna Hicks Public Library served as a dynamic backdrop for the recent Get Your Money Right program—a cross-sector gathering designed to equip local residents with tools for wealth-building while deepening conversations about global trade and economic participation. The program was co-hosted by the New Economy Initiative, Inkster Chamber of Commerce, and the Global African Business Association (GABA), and brought together respected leaders across community development, business, and global strategy.
Key speakers included O. Rerhi Onomake, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of GABA; Dr. Latina Roggero, a nationally recognized voice in Black maternal health and healing justice; Kim Berly, President of the Inkster Chamber of Commerce; and Rhonna-Rose Akama-Makia, President of The GABA Foundation and COO of Mothering Justice.
The program addressed topics ranging from local economic resilience to international trade pathways, reflecting a systems-level approach to wealth-building in historically under-resourced communities.
“Our goal is not just to teach financial literacy, but to link local opportunity with global infrastructure,” said Akindele Akinyemi, Co-Founder of the Global African Business Association. “We are actively working to position Inkster as a trade-ready city. From lithium to agricultural goods, Michigan can serve as a national hub for diaspora-led import strategies.”
As part of its current work in the state, GABA is developing trade and investment plans with multiple African nations, focused on agricultural and non-agricultural commodities. The association views programs like Get Your Money Right as critical moments to bridge everyday financial conversations with long-term economic systems thinking.
“The future of economic mobility in cities like Inkster starts with access, language, and trusted leadership,” said O. Rerhi Onomake, Co-Founder the Global African Business Association. “We are here to co-create a new kind of economy—one that sees Black residents not just as consumers, but as global contributors and strategic investors in their own communities.”
The event also featured an overview of upcoming business resources in Inkster, as well as discussions around community banking, asset protection, and the role of women in driving local economic ecosystems.
Attendees left with more than financial tips—they left with connections, clarity, and a shared commitment to a more inclusive economy rooted in culture, strategy, and scale.
GABA thanks its partners, especially the Leanna Hicks Library, New Economy Initiative, and Inkster Chamber of Commerce, for championing programs that prepare Michigan’s African and Caribbean communities to thrive—locally and globally.