Urban League of Springfield Partners with Babson College to Advance Black, Women-Owned Businesses

Whether it’s counseling Black college students struggling with their mental health, providing a safe home for people with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, producing organic skin care products or creating elaborate balloon displays, the Springfield women participating in Babson College’s Black Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership program are looking to grow their businesses and succeed on a grand scale.

“I think the program has offered us the opportunity to come together as Black women in business and has given us the tools and resources to become a force in our own communities and work our way through this city,” said Cynthia Clemons, owner of Safe Harbor, a residential and adult day care program with locations in Springfield and Agawam.

Clemons joined three other women recently at the Urban League of Springfield (Springfield, MA) to discuss their experience in the 12-week program offered online by the private college in Wellesley. The Urban League paid the tuition for each of the women — with help from a $500,000 MassMutual donation — as part of its mission to grow women- and Black-owned businesses in the city.

Henry M. Thomas III, President and CEO of the Urban League of Springfield, said the women were selected for the program for their perseverance and commitment to their businesses and to the city of Springfield.

“Every single one of those women not only know what they want, they also know what they need, and that’s why they were suited for this program,” Thomas said.

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