The Business of Educating Black Parents, Teachers and Kids

September 8, 2026 - 04:25

Bolanle Ambonisye started U&I-RISE, a company built around helping Black parents, teachers, and children navigate the school system together. The business offers parenting workshops, published books, and professional development for schools, all with a focus on the specific needs of Black families.

The idea came from her own time in the classroom. Ambonisye noticed something again and again: parents would hand over their power to her, the teacher, without realizing they had a say in their child's education. They deferred to her authority, assuming she knew best simply because she held the title. But she saw that this dynamic hurt the partnership between home and school.

So she built U&I-RISE to change that. The work is not just about giving parents tools, though that is part of it. It is about shifting the mindset so that parents see themselves as equal partners, not outsiders. For teachers, the training focuses on how to bring families in, not just send notes home. For kids, the message is that their identity is an asset, not a barrier.

The business side of this is real. Schools pay for the training, parents buy the books, and the programs are designed to be sustainable. Ambonisye is proving that serving the Black community is not charity work. It is a viable market with a clear need, and she is meeting it on her own terms.