Wizards to Celebrate Black-Owned Businesses for Third Consecutive Year

The Wizards will recognize seven local Black-owned businesses this season.

Candi Waller | Oct 17, 2022

Wizards to Celebrate Black-Owned Businesses for Third Consecutive Year /

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Washington Wizards

The Washington Wizards announced that for the third consecutive year, the organization will support a campaign that highlights the importance of Black-owned businesses in the Washington metropolitan area. This campaign has been hugely successful and shows the partnership the organization continues to have throughout the Washington Metropolitan community.

The Wizards will recognize seven local Black-owned businesses this season. From October 2022 to April 2023, the seven businesses will be featured on the team’s Black-Owned DMV page, the Wizards’ social channels, in-game activations and through Wizards marketing assets.

The 2022-23 Black-Owned DMV program will tip-off by celebrating Harambee Books & Artwork, an independent Black-owned bookstore in Old Town Alexandria, VA. Harambee, a Swahili word meaning “working together,” was founded in 2017 by Bernard Reaves and specializes in classical, rare and out of print books primarily written by individuals of African descent. Harambee Books & Artworks aims to achieve literacy education and to empower and educate people by providing quality resources and services through community-based events and programs.

(Photo Credit: Capital City Mambo Sauce)

In the month of November, the program will highlight Capital City Mambo Sauce. Capital City is a family-owned business established in 2011 by Arsha Jones and her late husband Charles. The specialty foods manufacturer is based in Prince George’s County, MD and their sweet and savory Mambo sauce can be found at various retailers in the DMV area.

The seven businesses selected for the Black-Owned DMV program were required to be within a 75-mile radius of Capital One Arena. Stay tuned to see the remaining five businesses the team will spotlight this season.

Published Oct 17, 2022

CANDI WALLER

Candi Waller also known as "CWall" is the Founder and CEO of CWall® Sports & Entertainment, President of the CWall Foundation, Inc, the Managing Publisher of the Fan Nation Inside the Wizards site, and President of Bowie Television. A native of Gorgeous Prince George's County, Maryland, Candi has been an authentic lover of all sports since her childhood. She was such a sports fan at an early age that she notes one of her favorite childhood shows as the legendary "George Michael Sports Machine". Candi holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Hampton University, Master of Arts in Human Resource Development from The George Washington University and a certificate in Sports Industry Essentials from Columbia University. Prior to and during her work in the sports industry, Candi has established her identity as a results-driven, relationship building advocate and professional with extensive years of experience leading and implementing successful strategic change, communications, and stakeholder engagement programs across geographically dispersed organizations. She’s worked across Big Four and Government Trusted Advisor consulting firms such as IBM, Deloitte, and the MITRE Corporation. She is an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, Women in Sports & Events (WISE), the National Press Club (NPC), the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), the Prince George’s County Chamber of Commerce and is an ambassador for the National Museum of African American History and Culture. In terms of what she likes to do for fun, that’s just it…anything that is considered fun, she’s all for it! She’s very close to her parents, brother, and sister, and has a host of nieces, nephews, and godchildren.