BBOP Center Aims to Empower Marginalized Women in San Bernardino, Led by Kim Carter & TFCF

Kim Carter and the Time For Change Foundation (TFCF) made history by breaking ground on the Black and Brown Opportunities for Profit (BBOP) Centre in San Bernardino, California, in 2022. This was a significant step towards empowering women entrepreneurs and creating economic opportunities for marginalised communities. In addition to establishing a distinctive economic HUB inside the Inland Empire, this ground-breaking programme, led by CNN Hero and Affordable Housing Developer Kim Carter, intends to give disadvantaged women a place to start and grow investable enterprises.

The 10,350 square foot BBOP Centre, which will open its doors in March, has 14 offices, shared workplaces, a restaurant, a kids' play area, and creative fast-pitch areas. These spaces provide female business owners a chance to present their concepts to internal venture capitalists in order to raise money for their projects. Carter's dedication to building leadership and self-sufficiency among homeless women and children—a goal she has been committed to since creating the TFCF in 2002—is demonstrated by this programme.

Carter's leadership ethos has been formed by her path from personal hardships, such as jail and addiction, to becoming a light of hope and activism. Her autobiography, "Waking up to My Purpose," which was published the same year as the BBOP Center's groundbreaking, captures her feelings of pleasure, restoration, and rehabilitation. Carter's commitment to the cause is further strengthened by the fact that half of the book's sales revenues go straight to the TFCF.

In a recent interview, Carter stressed that the goal of the BBOP Centre is to develop leaders rather than merely followers. The Centre doesn't only concentrate on company growth; it also offers legal advice for contract review, making sure that female entrepreneurs obtain fair agreements and assistance in a market that frequently undervalues their ability.

Carter's early experiences as a youngster are what first sparked her desire for advocacy and empowerment. When her single mother and other women in her town spoke with the public school system to secure improved support for teachers, allowing parents to work while their children received an education, she saw firsthand the importance of advocacy.

Carter founded the BBOP Centre as a haven and launching pad for these women to create investable enterprises as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic's emphasis on the difficulties faced by disadvantaged women. Carter's transition from jail to becoming the President & CEO of the Centre for Housing Advancement and Motivational Projects (CHAMP) gave her the skills necessary to direct the Center's growth despite her lack of prior experience in such a role.

Carter's commitment to fostering innovation and leadership extends beyond physical locations. In order to keep current in the rapidly changing technical environment, she advises female entrepreneurs to adopt technologies like Salesforce and ChatGPT. She sees a future when technology will play a significant part in determining how enterprises are run.

The BBOP Centre is evidence of Kim Carter's unwavering dedication to empowering underprivileged women, assisting them in overcoming challenges, and paving the road for a better future. The paintings at the Centre that depict strong women of colour serve as a continual reminder that one's background does not define their chances of achievement. Regardless of one's past, "Your future can still be bright," as Carter states.