By Shakiri Murrain, Director of Innovation Solutions, Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs
Standing alongside over 170 leaders from across the African diaspora, visionaries from Ghana to Haiti, South Africa to the United States, we were united by a shared mission: to build equitable, sustainable partnerships within the diaspora and its global descendants. Representing the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (RICE), I delivered a keynote at the 2025 Alkebulan Africa Summit in Paris but more importantly, I listened. I learned. I witnessed a global movement grounded in purpose and driven by a collective resolve to shape a future where the diaspora’s potential is fully realized.
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That experience reminded me of what we strive for every day at RICE: to transform global insights into local impact. Innovation is not confined to tech campuses or boardrooms-it lives in our communities, in our culture, and in our courage. At RICE, we channel the wisdom of global collaboration into tangible support for Black entrepreneurs in Atlanta and beyond.
Our global reach continues to expand. This year, we embarked on a trade mission to Medellin, Colombia with the goal of establishing a framework for international trade, education, and collaboration. Through this initiative, we’re creating a marketplace for Black-owned businesses, educating RICE stakeholders on the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement, and laying the groundwork for a Black Chamber of Commerce that bridges hemispheres.
One way we do this is through the Product Development Pathways Program-a model of innovation rooted in access, equity and IP ownership. This initiative guides entrepreneurs from concept to prototype, offering hands-on support in design, product development, and bespoke packaging.
The work we do is both professional and personal. During that trade mission to Latin America, I met part of my family for the first time. I learned that my great-grandfather, William Murrain, died in a storm off the coast of Panama in the 1920s. Afterwards, his brother Samuel moved to Colombia and started a new life. Samuel’s son, Vicente Murrain, became a leader in the Afro-Colombian movement, helping secure land rights and racial recognition in the census through Ley 70. That legacy lives on through the Murrains still doing grassroots work in Colombia today.
This revelation came after a conversation with Ambassador Luis Gilberto Murillo, Colombia’s first Black ambassador to the U.S., now Minister of Foreign Affairs, who told me he “knew my family.” History proved him right. And in a full-circle moment, my father met Ambassador Murillo for the first time. We reversed history. This one is for our ancestors!
There are countless stories like that one and as we celebrate Black Business Month and release our annual RICE Report, I’m reminded that our work is not just about business-it’s about legacy. Mr. Herman J. Russell’s journey began in 1952, and yet his vision continues to guide us. I believe he would be proud because we are moving forward with purpose.
The future is not something we wait for. It’s something we build together. And the time to build is right now.
As seen in AcknowledgeMINT’s 2025 special edition with the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs.
