Majora Carter

Majora Carter is a real estate developer, urban revitalization strategy consultant, MacArthur Fellow, and Peabody Award-winning broadcaster. She has been instrumental in creating numerous economic development, technology inclusion, and green-infrastructure projects, policies, and job training and placement systems. She also serves as a lecturer at Princeton University's Keller Center.

Carter's quote, "Nobody should have to move out of their neighborhood to live in a better one" - which is also the subtitle of her 2022 book, "Reclaiming Your Community" - is featured on the walls of the Smithsonian Museum of African-American History and Culture in DC. This encapsulates her focus on using corporate talent-retention consulting practices to mitigate brain drain in American low-status communities. Her extensive work spans across the South Bronx and various cities in North America and abroad, pioneering sustainable economic development and transforming communities into thriving local economies.

In 2017, Carter launched the Boogie Down Grind, a Hip Hop themed specialty coffee and craft beer spot in the Hunts Point section of the South Bronx, marking the first commercial "3rd Space" in the area since the mid-1980s. This venue has not only served the community but also provided investment opportunities for local families through SEC-approved online platforms. Her innovative approaches have earned her 8 honorary PhDs and numerous accolades, including the 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs by Goldman Sachs, the Silicon Alley 100 by Business Insider, and the Liberty Medal for Lifetime Achievement by News Corp.

Carter continues to serve on the board of directors for STREB and Solar One. She has also been a board member of the US Green Building Council, Ceres, The Wilderness Society, and the Andrew Goodman Foundation. A Bronx native, Carter is a Bronx High School of Science alumna, earned her BA from Wesleyan University, and holds an MFA from New York University. After founding Sustainable South Bronx in 2001 and Green For All in 2007, she established her private consulting firm in 2008, which was recognized as Best for the World by B-Corp in 2014.

Her entrepreneurial spirit was also evident when she launched StartUp Box, a pioneering tech social enterprise that provided entry-level tech jobs in the South Bronx from 2014 to 2018, linking tech industry giants like Etsy, Gust, FreshDirect, Google, and Cisco with diverse communities. Carter's multifaceted career demonstrates her commitment to fostering economic and environmental development, making her a notable figure in urban revitalization efforts.