Music superstar Jeezy has been pouring into a program close to his heart, providing guidance to young people with entrepreneurial products and services ranging from bespoke fashion to healthy juice boxes to entertainment companies with a twist. Surrounded by coaches, companies and supportive families, the finalists of the Young CEOs program recently celebrated at an event co-hosted by Urban League of Greater Atlanta and Atlanta Housing at Atlanta’s Roosevelt Hall.
The Urban League of Greater Atlanta’s Young CEOs program is a 12-week initiative designed to equip young adults with the knowledge and skills to launch and grow their own businesses. The program provides coaching, consulting and interactive learning experiences to foster entrepreneurial success.
Terri M. Lee, Atlanta Housing president and CEO, welcomed the group with words of wisdom as her organization co-presented the Young CEO Program with the Urban League of Greater Atlanta. The location, Roosevelt Hall, is part of the supportive services offered as part of Ashley Scholars Landing, the signature mixed-income housing complex located in Atlanta’s historic westside. Students and their families and friends networked with businesspeople and program sponsors on the facility’s rooftop before presenting individual PowerPoint presentations and speeches about each of their companies and the fundraising and friend raising required to make their dreams a reality.
Jeezy shared what the experience has meant to him. “Being part of this Young CEO Program with the Urban League of Greater Atlanta has been incredibly meaningful to me,” he said. “To work with young entrepreneurs ages 7-24 right here in Roosevelt Hall…reminds me why this work matters so much. These kids aren’t just students; they’re future leaders and CEOs with real vision and drive.”
One of the “Young CEO” beneficiaries of his work is Daisha Davis, CEO of Warrior of Love Apparel. “The Young CEOs program help me develop not only a business plan, but also the confidence to share my business with the world,” said Davis. “Thus Warrior of Love Apparel was born a brand that bridges the gap between mental health and fashion. The Young CEO program educated me on many aspects of developing a business, from a solid plan to taxes and personal finances, to marketing. Additionally, at the end of the cohort, I got a chance to win a grant to start my business!”
Another Young CEO winner is Bria Baker, who said, “My favorite part of participating in the Young CEOs program was gaining a new mentor to learn from, making friends with other young business owners, and learning how to network. I also have developed a love for public speaking, and I am looking forward to more opportunities to grow.”
Bria’s mother Bryesha Baker shared context as a supportive family member: ”Participating in the Young CEOs Program has been completely life changing for our business and homeschooling experience. Having immediate access to business mentors took our business from being an idea to an entity. Having the opportunity to extensively learn about business etiquette, funding, competition, and networking has laid the foundation for a reputable and successful business.”
Added Jeezy, “My role is to share what I’ve learned from my journey and help guide them as they build their own paths to success. There’s something powerful about doing this work in an affordable housing community where families are already accessing supportive services. It shows these young people that no matter where you start, your dreams are valid and achievable. Atlanta raised me, and programs like this allow me to give back to the city and communities that shaped who I am today.”
The celebration location was meaningful too: Roosevelt Hall. Atlanta was the national pioneer of affordable housing, and its University Homes public housing project was a longtime beacon of the nascent movement in the then-largely African American population of the city’s historic Westside adjacent to the city’s prominent HBCUs before the complex fell to despair and had to be demolished. In fact, University Homes was completed in 1937 and stood for more than 70 years before it was torn down in 2009. Fast forward to 2025, as a new mixed-income community development has emerged on the exact same city block with a reimagined footprint and outlook. It’s called “Scholars Landing,” now characterized by intergenerational living, learning labs, an amphitheater with “screen on the green” movie exhibitions, a community garden, social and educational program calendars, family fitness programs, rooftop gatherings and a community center refashioned from one of University Homes’ original structures, Roosevelt Hall, where community rooms showcase artifacts reminding those today of their neighborhood’s housing history.
Senior Program Manager, Urban League of Greater Atlanta Rashidah Jones, MSW, CPCC, PSM-I, shared perspective on the event. “As their coach, mentor, and Senior Program Manager here at ULGA, I took special care in designing a program that would truly set these young people up to win. I wanted to create something that not only prepared them for business ownership but also gave them the tools, confidence, and community to thrive long after the program ended. Watching them take what they’ve learned and turn it into real opportunities for themselves has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career.”
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