>> SOMEONE GAVE.

SOMEONE DONATED.

SOMEONE LEFT A LEGACY.

GENERATIONS OF SOMEONES HAVE HELPED SHAPE RHODE ISLAND INTO THIS PLACE WE CALL HOME.

HATTIE THANKED THEM?

BY LEAVING YOUR OWN LEGACY.

WE CAN HELP.

[CLOSED CAPTIONING HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY CARDI'S FURNITURE AND MATTRESSES] ♪ PETER: WELCOME TO ANOTHER EDITION OF "IN ANOTHER OPINION," A PUBLIC INFORMATION PROGRAM WHERE OUR DISCUSSIONS FOCUS ON COMMUNITIES OF COLOR IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND.

I AM YOUR HOST, PETER WELLS.

MY GUEST TODAY IS ARNELL MILLHOUSE, CEO OF CAREERDEVS , A MAJOR SUPPLIER OF COMPUTER PROGRAMMERS FOR RHODE ISLAND.

HE IS ALSO CEO OF BLACKLIVESBIZ, ONE OF THE LARGEST DIRECTORIES OF BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES.

THANKS FOR BEING ON THE SHOW.

ARNELL: PETER, IT IS AN ABSOLUTE HONOR.

THANK YOU.

PETER: THE HONOR IS MINE.

YOU ARE THE WHEN MAKING BREAKTHROUGHS IN COMMUNICATIONS AND SYSTEMS AND MY GOSH, IT IS THE FUTURE.

ARNELL, I HAVE TALKED WITH YOU AND KNOW WHERE YOUR HEAD IS, BUT I WOULD LIKE YOU TO TELL ME AND THE VIEWERS, WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO GET INVOLVED IN CAREERDEVSS AND BLACKLIVESBIZ.

BUT BEFORE THAT,.

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF.

ARNELL: I AM ARNELL MILLHOUSE, CAREERDEVS CEO OF -- CEO OF CAREERDEVS , AND BLACKLIVESBIZ.

I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN BOSTON, MOVED TO CAPE COD IN SEVENTH GRADE AND THEN HERE TO RHODE ISLAND MAJOR IN COMPUTER SCIENCE AND IS THIS MANAGEMENT.

EVER SINCE I HAVE COME TO RHODE ISLAND, I HAVE NEVER LAUGHED EVEN THOUGH I OFTEN WORKED OUTSIDE, I REALLY SEE RHODE ISLAND AS MY HOMEBASE.

I'VE BEEN MARRIED FOR 23 YEARS AND HAVE TWO WONDERFUL, AMAZING BOYS WHO ARE 18 AND 13 YEARS OLD.

RHODE ISLAND HAS BEEN VERY GOOD TO ME.

THAT IS MY BACKGROUND IN A NUTSHELL.

PETER: IT SURE HAS BEEN GOOD TO YOU BECAUSE I WOULD HAVE NEVER GUESSED YOU HAVE CHILDREN THAT AGE.

YOU LOOK VERY YOUNG.

ARNELL: THANK YOU.

I GOT MARRIED WHEN I WAS SEVEN.

PETER: [LAUGHTER] I HAVE TRIED TO USE THAT TOO.

SO TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CAREERDEVS.

ARNELL: CAREERDEVS IS A REALLY BREAKTHROUGH AND INTEGRATIVE -- ANNA GERT -- INNOVATIVE FORM OF POST SECONDARY EDUCATION.

IT IS A SCHOOL, BUT IT IS A STARTUP IN TERMS OF THE ENTREPRENEURIAL LANGUAGE.

GREAT STARTUPS OFTEN HAVE A 10 TIMES IMPROVEMENT OVER THE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE, OR INCUMBENTS IN THE INDUSTRY.

WE HAVE TAKEN A FOUR-YOUR COMPUTER SCIENCE EXPERIENCE THAT STUDENTS WOULD GET AT A TRADITIONAL, FOUR-YOUR COLLEGE AND DISTILLED IT INTO A ONE-YOUR PROCESS.

THE OTHER THING WE DO THAT IS AN IMPROVEMENT IS THAT WE GUARANTEE EVER GRADUATE A JOB.

IF YOU GRADUATE FROM CAREERDEVS AND DON'T GET A JOB WITHIN SIX MONTHS, YOU NEVER HAVE TO PAY TUITION FOR YOUR LIFE.

THE ONUS IS ON OUR SHOULDERS.

PETER: HOW DO YOU GET INTO CAREERDEVS?

ARNELL: IT IS FAIRLY SIMPLE, BUT A DIFFERENT APPROACH AND SOMEWHAT RADICAL COMPARED TO WHAT MOST PEOPLE WOULD THINK.

BECAUSE MOST COLLEGES ARE SCREENING PEOPLE OUT, THEY WANT TO TAKE THE BEST OF THE BEST.

OUR GOAL IS TO CREATE -- WE DON'T WANT TO SCREAM PEOPLE OUT, WE WANT TO SCREEN PEOPLE IN.

SO THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO RETHINK THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS.

HOW CAN WE TEACH SOMETHING AS RIGOROUS AS COMPUTATIONAL SCIENCE TO THE MASSES?

SO WE HAVE THIS 30-DAY INCUBATION PERIOD PEOPLE GO THROUGH WHEN THEY COME ON BOARD.

AND THEY GO THROUGH A SERIES OF STEPS TO HELP THEM BECOME ACCLIMATED TO THE PACE AND RIGOR AND CONCEPTS.

ONCE THEY APPLY AND GO THROUGH THE PROCESS AND GET THROUGH THE 30 DAYS, THEN THEY CAN GET THROUGH THE 12 MONTHS.

THEY SIMPLY HAVE TO APPLY ONLINE AT CAREERDEVS.COM.

PETER: WHAT MADE YOU THINK OF THIS AND START IT?

WHAT IS THE ROOT BEHIND CAREERDEVS?

ARNELL: IT IS INTERESTING, IT HAS A NATURAL, ORGANIC BIRTHING PROCESS, THAT WAS BORN OUT OF MY EXPERIENCE.

WHEN I WAS IN SEVENTH GRADE, I GOT INTO COMPUTERS ON THE CAPE.

IN BOSTON, I ALWAYS DREAMED I COULD HAVE ONE, BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE A COMPUTER, WE COULDN'T AFFORD THEM IN OUR CATHOLIC SCHOOL AND WE COULDN'T AFFORD THEM EITHER IN BOSTON.

BUT ON THE CAPE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, THERE WAS A COMPUTER IN EVERY CLASSROOM.

I WAS JUST DRAWN TO IT, GOT INTO IT AND THROUGH THE YEARS, I HAVE THOUGHT THAT THIS IS THE INDUSTRY TO BE IN.

FOR MY CAREER, I KNEW I WAS GOING TO BE INVOLVED IN COMPUTER SCIENCE AND NEW IT WAS GOING TO IMPACT MY LIFE MEASURABLY AND THAT IT W WOULD BE PALPABLE.

pI DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD HAPPEN UNTIL YEARS LATER, YEARS LATER.

HOWEVER, AS A FRESHMAN AT JOHNSON WELLS I BECAME A SENIOR LAB ASSISTANT AT THE END OF MY FRESHMAN YEAR AND RECEIVED A FULL ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIP FOR MY SOPHOMORE, JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEARS.

PETER: THAT IS GREAT.

ARNELL: AND I GOT A JOB WORKING AT IBM THROUGH MANPOWER IN MY SOPHOMORE YEAR.

I WAS 18 YEARS OLD AND ALREADY SAW THE DIFFERENCE.

UPON GRADUATING, A LOT OF MY FRIENDS CAME KNOCKING AND SAID, ARNELL: , WHAT ARE YOU DOING -- ARNELL, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

SO I BEGAN TEACHING MY FRIENDS ONE BY ONE.

THEY WERE JAMAICAN, CAMBODIAN, AFRICAN-AMERICAN, IRISH -- PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE THAT WERE UNDEREMPLOYED.

I BEGAN WORKING IN TRAINING THESE PEOPLE ONE BY ONE.

AND THEY ALL ENDED UP LANDING JOBS, GOING FROM MAKING ZERO DOLLARS A YEAR OR $50,000 A YEAR TO $70,000, $80,000 A YEAR, LIKE MYSELF.

CAREERDEVS WAS SIMPLY, WHEN I REALIZED I SHOULDN'T DO THIS ANYMORE ONE BY ONE BECAUSEIT WOULD TAKE TOO LONG TO TRAIN THAT MANY PEOPLE ONE BY ONE, I DECIDED MAYBE IT IS A GOOD THING TO CREATE A COMPANY AROUND THIS AND BE ABLE TO SCALE UP THE BUSINESS.

PETER: HOW DIFFICULT WAS IT FOR YOU TO GET THE STARTUP GOING?

IT TOOK MONEY, RIGHT?

DID YOU HAVE TO BUY COMPUTERS, OR PEOPLE CAME WITH THEM?

ARNELL: MOST PEOPLE CAME WITH THEM.

WE HAVE HELPED A LOT OF PEOPLE GET COMPUTERS IF THEY NEEDED THEM AND WERE ASKING US.

ONE OTHER THING I WAS REALLY FORTUNATE TO DO, AND 2011, I WAS AT M.I.T.

AND I LEARNED ABOUT BITCOIN.

I WAS ABLE TO PURCHASE BITCOIN BACK THEN.

IT WAS AROUND $91 PER COIN AT THAT TIME.

SO I SELF-FUNDED A LOT OF IT INITIALLY TO GET IT GOING.

THE FINANCIAL ASPECT WASN'T REALLY THE CHALLENGE.

THE GREATEST CHALLENGE WAS REALLY GETTING PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND AND BELIEVE THAT THEY COULD DO THIS WORK.

THAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE.

BECAUSE I FIGURED IT OUT OVER THE 15 YEARS OF WORKING PEOPLE THAT WEREN'T TRADITIONAL, POST-SECONDARY LEARNERS, SO THAT WAS THE HARD PART, FIGURING IT OUT.

AT FIRST, TRY TO APPROACH AT THE SAME WAY YOU WOULD APPROACH IT FROM ANY ACADEMIC SITUATION.

AND IT WASN'T WORKING FOR THEM.

SO I HAD TO FIGURE OUT, HOW DO I TRANSLATE THIS INTO A LANGUAGE THAT ANYONE FROM ANY BACKGROUND, HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUTS, HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES WITH NO COLLEGE EXPERIENCE, COULD GRASP AND MASTER?

THAT WAS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART.

AND NOW, IT IS KIND OF TRUE THAT WHEN YOU FIND PURPOSE IN LIFE, YOU LOOK BACK AND MAYBE THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN TOUGH DAYS, BUT IT HAS BEEN ALL PASSION.

SO OUR VISION IS TO REALLY FIX THE WORLD'S EDUCATION PROBLEM,.

.

WE WANT TO MAKE 21ST-CENTURY SKILLED EDUCATION AVAILABLE AND ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE ON THE GLOBE.

PETER: IT SHOULD BE, JUST AS HEALTH AND OTHER PRIORITIES, IT SHOULD BE.

HOW DID THE FOLKS FIND YOU, WEBSITE, BASED ON WORD-OF-MOUTH?

DID YOU WORK WITH A MARKETING COMPANY?

ARNELL: THAT IS INTERESTING AS WELL, IT WAS COMPLETEY ORGANIC.

AT ONE POINT, I HAD A K-12 STARTUP TEACHING STEM EDUCATION IN PROVIDENCE SCHOOLS.

WE WERE IN NINE SCHOOLS AND WORKING WITH A SCHOOL ALLIANCE, AND THAT WAS A PHENOMENAL EXPERIENCE DOING THAT WORK.

THEN, BROWN UNIVERSITY WROTE AN ARTICLE ABOUT US IN "THE BROWN DAILY HERALD," AND THEN THE MAYOR CALLED ME INTO A MEETING AND I RECOMMENDED TO HIM THAT WE CREATE SOMETHING CALLED CODE NIGHT WITH THE MAYOR.

HE SAID WHAT IS THAT, AND I SAID WE ARE GOING TO INVITE THE CITIZENS OF PROVIDENCE TO COME OUT AND LEARN TO CODE, AND YOU ARE GOING TO BE ONE OF THE PERSON LEARNING TO CODE -- YOU ARE GOING TO BE ONE OF THE PEOPLE LEARNING TO CODE SIDE THEM.

I SAID, WE WILL DO IT FOR FREE AND HE SAID, LET'S AIM FOR 10-15 PEOPLE AT THE FIRST EVENT.

I SAID, I THINK IT IS GOING TO BE A LOT MORE.

53 PEOPLE CAME TO THE FIRST EVENT, AND WE PROMOTED IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA COME ONLINE THROUGH DIFFERENT MEAT UP GROUPS, AND THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE COMING OUT FOR THAT.

IT WAS REALLY POPULAR.

WE DID THAT EVERY MONTH, CODE NIGHT WITH THE MAYOR.

SEXES SEVEN MONTHS INCOME OF THE MAYOR SAID, ARNELL, I'M THINKING I'M GOING TO BECOME A PROGRAMMER.

I'M GOING TO LET YOU DO THIS ON YOUR OWN.

SO IT BECAME PROVIDENCE CODE DAY AND WE BUILT A HUGE FOLLOWING.

AND WE FOUND THERE WAS AN APPETITE AMONG PEOPLE WHO WERE CURIOUS TO SEE IF THEY HAD THE ABILITY TO DO THAT.

AT ONE POINT, OUR MAILING LIST WAS OVER 2000 PEOPLE.

AT THAT POINT, WE SAID WE SHOULD LAUNCH THIS AS A SCHOOL.

SO WE SENT A MAILING BLAST ALL OUR MEMBERS AND HAD A GOOD 60 PEOPLE SIGN UP TO JOIN IN OUR FIRST YEAR.

SO WE WERE OFF TO THE RACES SINCE THEN.

PETER: UNBELIEVABLE.

THAT IS FANTASTIC.

YOUR OTHER ENDEAVOR IN TERMS OF BLACKLIVESBIZ, I WANT TO TALK A BIT ABOUT THAT.

I KNOW IT IS A NATIONAL DIRECTORY, BUT EXPLAIN OR ABOUT WHAT IT IS, WHY IT IS, AND WHAT YOU ARE DOING WITH IT?

ARNELL: SIMILAR TO THE MISSION OF CAREERDEVS, WHERE WE ACCEPT END AND ROLL EVERYONE, WE WANTED -- AND AND ROLL EVERYONE, WE WANTED TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE BIPOD COMMUNITY, BECAUSE COMPUTER SCIENCE, ONLY THREE PERCENT-5% OF COMPUTER SCIENCE PROGRAMMERS ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR, LATINO, AFRICAN-AMERICAN, AND WE WANTED TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON THAT.

AND WE HAVE.

BLACKLIVESBIZ, LAST YEAR, WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT EVERYTHING HAPPENING WITH THE PROTESTS AROUND BLACK LIVES MATTER AND SOCIAL INJUSTICE, I DIDN'T THINK THE SOLUTION WAS MARCHING WITH OUR FEET.

I FIGURED PART OF THE SOLUTION WAS MARCHING WITH OUR FINGERS ON KEYBOARDS, WHICH WAS THE CAREERDEVS PART OF IT.

BUT I THOUGHT, WE HAVE TO HAVE AN IMPACT IN TERMS OF OUR ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES.

WE ARE NOT GOING TO HIT THAT I JUST PROTESTING TRADE SO I DID RESEARCH AND I FOUND THAT LESS THAN 1% OF BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES SHOW UP ON GOOGLE WHEN YOU DO A SEARCH FOR BAKERIES OR BIKE SHOPS OR DAY SPAS.

THE MAJORITY OF THE SEARCHES ARE FOR NON-BLACK, NON-BROWN BUSINESS OWNER.

SO BLACKLIVESBIZ WAS BORN OUT OF THE SPIRIT OF, LET'S GIVE A VOICE, A PRESENCE ECONOMICALLY.

SO IF PEOPLE WANT TO FIND BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES, HOW CAN WE DO THAT IN A WAY THAT IS REALLY ELEVATED, PROFESSIONAL AND WILL BE APPEALING TO A VERY WIDE AUDIENCE?

ED LEE STARTED IN JUST -- AND WE STARTED IN JUST PROVIDENCE WITH 230 BUSINESSES.

AND WE PARTNERED ON JUNETEENTH OF LAST YEAR WITH LOCAL INDIVIDUALS SUCH AS KOBE DENNIS, BRENTFORD DAVIS AND OTHERS WHO WERE WELL-KNOWN IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND IT GREW.

IT WENT FROM THOSE 200 BUSINESSES IN PROVIDENCE TO OVER 170,000 BUSINESSES NATIONWIDE, HELPING PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO FIND, WHERE CAN I GO TO SUPPORT AND FREQUENT A BLACK-OWNED BUSINESS?

AND IT IS HAVING AN IMPACT.

I HEAR PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT IT IN TOWN WHEN I AM OUT SHOPPING OR AT ANOTHER BUSINESS.

THOUGH IT -- SO IT HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL AND WE ARE JUST GETTING STARTED.

THE NEXT PHASE IS E-COMMERCE, SIMPLE, EASY E-COMMERCE TO BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT HAVING A WEBSITE OR WORRY ABOUT ALL THE PACK AND THINGS MOST PEOPLE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT WITH A WEBSITE.

PETER: SO YOU WILL BE A HOST, IS THAT IT?

ARNELL: YEAH.

WE ARE HOSTING RIGHT NOW.

RIGHT NOW, IT IS MOSTLY INFORMATIONAL.

YOU CAN GO AND GET A LINK TO THE BUSINESS NAME, IF THEY HAVE A WEBSITE OR SOCIAL MEDIA, THE TELEPHONE NUMBER, YOU CAN FIND OUT INFORMATION ABOUT THEM.

BUT WE ARE GOING TO EXPAND THAT.

RIGHT NOW, WE ARE HOSTING THEM AS AN INFORMATIONAL WEBSITE AND SOON, THEY ARE GOING TO EVOLVE INTO THE E-COMMERCE ASPECTS OF WHAT THEIR BUSINESSES NEED TO BE ABLE TO DO.

AND WE HAVE INNOVATIVE WAYS OF DOING IT, MAKING IT EASY FOR A BUSINESS OWNER TO TAKE THEIR PRODUCTS AND UPLOAD THEM TO BLACKLIVESBIZ ON THEIR PERSONAL PAGE AND BE ABLE TO ENGAGE IN COMMERCE WITH CUSTOMERS.

PETER: THAT IS FANTASTIC.

WHAT WOULD THE COST BE FOR BUSINESSES, DO YOU ANTICIPATE?

BLACKLIVESBIZ I -- ARNELL: I AM PAYING FOR EVERYTHING.

COST IS ZERO DOLLARS.

I HAVEN'T CHARGED ANY BUSINESSES ANYTHING.

170,000 BUSINESSES ARE ON THERE.

NONE OF THEM HAVE HAD TO PAY A DIME.

IF ANYONE WANTS TO SPONSOR AND HELP SUPPORT ME, I WELCOME THAT, BUT THIS IS MY WAY OF GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.

PETER: I WON'T ASK YOUR TRADE SECRETS ABOUT HOW YOU ARE DOING THIS, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE THINGS YOU ARE DOING THAT THE AVERAGE PERSON HASN'T TALKED ABOUT DOING OR PROBABLY CAN'T, FOR WHATEVER REASON.

BUT IT SEEMS TO ME, IT IS OBVIOUSLY A MARKETING TOOL, BUT IT IS A FREE MARKETING TOOL.

THAT IN ITSELF IS SOMETHING, BECAUSE FOR START UPS, THE BIGGEST THING IS GETTING YOUR PRODUCT OUT, AND THAT IS WHAT NORMALLY COSTS THE MOST IN THE BEGINNING.

ARNELL: ABSOLUTELY.

THERE IS A SAYING THAT, WHEN YOU HAVE MORE THAN YOU NEED IN LIFE, DON'T BUILD DOLLAR THINGS, BUILD A BIGGER TABLE.

AND BLACKLIVESBIZ FOR ME AS AN EXTENSION OF THE DINNER TABLE, INVITING FRIENDS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY TO SIT DOWN AND PARTICIPATE.

BECAUSE IT IS REALLY DIFFICULT WHEN YOU THINK OF -- LAST YEAR, ONE OF THE THINGS I FOUND OUT WHEN I WAS DOING RESEARCH DURING PPP MONEY THAT WAS BEING GIVEN OUT, 96.5% OF BLACK OWNED I THIS IS DID NOT RECEIVE PPP.

BECAUSE WHOEVER ARCHITECTED PPP DESIGNED IT SO THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE MORE THAN ONE EMPLOYEE.

AND 95.6 PERCENT OF BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES ARE SOLD PROPRIETORSHIPS IN THIS COUNTRY, SO THEY MISSED THAT OPPORTUNITY.

AND I HAD TO LOOK AT, HOW CAN WE PROVIDE SOME FORM OF A PPP BOOST OF OUR OWN?

AND THAT MARKETING EXPOSURE YOU MENTIONED IS A PART OF THAT.

AND BUSINESSES WERE ALREADY STRUGGLING AND SUFFERING, SO THERE WAS NO WESTERN IN MY MIND THAT WE CANNOT CHARGE BUSINESS OWNERS -- NO QUESTION IN MY MIND THAT WE CANNOT CHARGE THESE BUSINESS OWNERS, WE HAVE TO HELP THEM WHERE THEY ARE.

SO I AM BLESSED TO HAVE THE BENEFIT OF BEING IN THIS INDUSTRY AND REAPING THE REWARDS OF IT, SO I SHOULDN'T I GIVE BACK?

I HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE AND KNOW-HOW TO DO IT.

AND THE OTHER THING IS, MY BUSINESS PARTNER AND STUDENTS AT CAREERDEVS BUILT THE BLACKLIVESBIZ WEBSITE.

PETER: VERY GOOD.

YOU REFERRED TO WE SEVERAL TIMES, SO I WAS GOING TO ASK, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE INVOLVED IN YOUR PROGRAMS, FROM THE MANAGEMENT, GOVERNANCE, SO TO SPEAK?

ARNELL: WE ARE LEAN AND MEAN.

MY BUSINESS PARTNER CLIFTON WAS ONE OF MY FIRST STUDENTS IN 2015.

HE CAME ON BOARD FOR US AS AN EMPLOYEE.

THEN, HE HELPED ME AS A CO-FOUNDER TO LAUNCH CAREERDEVS.

SO IT IS CLIFTON, MYSELF, AND WE HAVE THREE OTHER INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE IN FULL-TIME ROLLS, AND WE ARE EXPANDING.

THAT NUMBER IS PROBABLY GOING TO GO FROM THREE THIS YEAR TO SOMEWHERE CLOSE TO 25 PEOPLE.

SO WE ARE GOING TO BE PUTTING PEOPLE TO WORK HERE IN RHODE ISLAND, AND WE ARE REALLY EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE WE JUST GOT INTO A PARTNERSHIP THANKS TO FORMER GOVERNOR RAIMONDO AND THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE FOR THE U.S., CONGRATULATIONS TO HER, BUT WE ENTERED INTO A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BACK TO WORK PROGRAM SHE STARTED LAST YEAR IN BLACK LIVES MATTER RHODE ISLAND.

WE ARE SETTING OUT TO TEACH, TRAIN AND EMPLOY 150 RHODE ISLANDERS OVER THE NEXT 12 MONTHS, AND WE HOPE AT LEAST 100 OF THOSE PEOPLE WE TRAIN WILL LAND JOBS IN THE INDUSTRY.

THAT IS GOING TO BE PHENOMENAL, SO WE ARE REALLY CAPPING UP, NOT SLOWING DOWN.

AND A LOT OF STUDENTS GOING THROUGH THE CAREERDEVS WERE DOING AN INTERNSHIP, WORKING AT BLACKLIVESBIZ.

SO IT IS THIS GREAT ECOSYSTEM THAT IS FEEDING ITSELF.

PETER: DO YOU KNOW NINA PANDY?

ARNELL: I HAVE HEARD THE NAME, BUT WE HAVE NEVER MET.

PETER: WE HAD HER OWN NOT TOO LONG AGO.

I WILL GET YOU THE SHOW, SO YOU CAN SEE HER.

THESE SHOWS ARE ALSO ON YOUTUBE, SO PREVIOUS SHOWS ARE OUT THERE.

BUT SHE IS RUNNING AN OPERATION THAT CAME OUT OF THE STATE WHEN WORKING WITH GOVERNOR RAIMONDO, TRAINING PEOPLE THROUGH CORPORATE INTERNSHIPS.

AND SHE HAS DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB WITH HUNDREDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE, AND OLDER PEOPLE, SENIORS OR ADULTS WHO WERE LOOKING FOR WORK.

AND THE CONCEPT THAT CAREERDEVS HAS WOULD WORK ETREMELY WELL WITH THE ENTREPRENEURIAL BLACK LIVES REGISTRY.

BUT NINA, ANDY AND HER GROUP MAY HAVE A PIPELINE OF ADDITIONAL PEOPLE THAT WOULD PROBABLY BENEFIT.

IT WOULD HELP BOTH OF YOU, ACTUALLY.

ARNELL: I LOVE TO COLLABORATE AND CROSS POLLINATE.

PETER: I WILL MENTION IT.

I WILL SEND YOU HER CONTACT INFORMATION.

I BELIEVE THE NAME IS WORKFORCE FOR RHODE ISLAND'S FUTURE.

ARNELL: I HAVE HEARD OF IT, IS IT SKILLS FOR RHODE ISLAND'S FUTURE?

PETER: YES.

ARNELL: THEY ARE DOING AN AMAZING JOB, PHENOMENAL WORK TAKING PLACE.

I WOULD LOVE TO BE CONNECTED WITH HER.

PETER: I WILL MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS.

I AM ON THE ADVISORY BOARD WITH THE GROUP AND I WILL MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS.

BECAUSE THE TWO OF YOU ARE DOING THINGS THAT CITIES, STATES AND MUNICIPALITIES SHOULD BE DOING.

ARNELL: ABSOLUTELY.

ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT HAS HAPPENED RECENTLY, PETER, PROBABLY SINCE THE TIME WE BEGAN CORRESPONDING, I HAVE COME ON BOARD AS AN ADVISOR FOR A NEW FOUNDATION IN RHODE ISLAND.

IT IS CALLED THE PEPITO OPPORTUNITY CONNECTION.

IT IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS DOING PHENOMENAL WORK.

BARBARA PEPITO, THROUGH YOUR GENEROSITY AND THE GENEROSITY OF HER LATE HUSBAND RALPH HAVE SET ASIDE A LARGE SUM OF MONEY TO INVEST IN THE BOPOC -- BIPOC COMMUNITY AND IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS, WE HAVE BEEN MEETING WITH EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS OF VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS IN PUTTING TOGETHER PLANS TO FUND THEM, TO MEET THEM AND LOOK AT THEIR PLANS AND HELP THEM OUT WHERE THEY ARE.

SO IT HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL EXPERIENCE, BETWEEN CAREERDEVS, BLACKLIVESBIZ, POC AND THE WORK I HAVE DONE THROUGH THE NELSON CENTER AT BRYANT UNIVERSITY.

I REALLY BELIEVE IMPACTFUL CHANGE IS ON THE HORIZON.

PETER: NO DOUBT, THROUGH THE EFFORTS YOU AND OTHERS LIKE YOU ARE DOING.

AND THAT WAS A GREAT SEGUE BECAUSE MY QUESTION NEXT WAS GOING TO BE, WHAT IS NEXT?

THE E-COMMERCE IS GOING TO BE BIG AND NOW THIS NEW PARTNERSHIP YOU ARE WORKING ON WITH THE PEPITO FOUNDATION, IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT MIGHT BE A BIG ONE.

ARNELL: WE ARE FLYING UNDER THE RADAR ON PURPOSE BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO DO A LOT OF PRESS AND MARKETING.

THAT IS NOTHING GOAL.

AND WE DON'T WANT TO BE SELF-CONGRATULATORY.

WE ARE SIMPLY GOING INTO THE COMMUNITY.

WE DON'T HAVE A WEBSITE UP YET, WE JUST HAVE BOOTS ON THE GROUND.

BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES, ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE AN IMPACT WANT TO BE SEEN, KNOWN AND HEARD.

AND THERE IS A NEED TO SIMPLY COME IN AND FIND THE PEOPLE.

AND WE MET WITH LEADERS THAT RUN ORGANIZATIONS IN OUR COMMUNITIES, BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES, THAT ARE STRUGGLING, HAVING DIFFICULT TIMES.

WE HAVE BEEN ON ZOOM CALLS WHERE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN IN TEARS.

AND BEING ABLE TO HELP THEM AND SAY, WE ARE GOING TO GIVE YOU OPERATIONAL CAPACITY, THE MONEY TO BE ABLE TO PAY YOURSELF SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS ON IF YOU ARE GOING TO BUY YOUR CHILDREN SOMETHING OR SHOULD YOU BUY SOMETHING FOR THE ORGANIZATION, WE ARE GOING TO HELP YOU THRIVE AND GROW AND SCALE YOUR IMPACT.

AND ALREADY, THAT IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT WORKS I HAVE DONE IN MY LIFE.

AND WE HAVE ONLY BEEN IN OPERATION FOR A FEW MONTHS.

PETER: IT DEFINITELY IS LIFE'S WORK AND IT IS NEEDED WORK.

WHY DO I KNOW THE NAME PEPITO: ARNELL: -- PEPITO?

ARNELL: RALPH PEPITO WAS THE FOUNDER OF NORTH TECH, A MASSIVELY SUCCESSFUL COMPANY.

HE HAD OTHER COMPANIES AS WELL.

RALPH, THERE WAS CONTROVERSY, SO I HAD TO MAKE A LONG AND HARD DECISION ABOUT WHETHER I WAS GOING TO JOIN THE FOUNDATION BECAUSE RALPH, IT 2007 HE WAS IN A BOARD MEETING AND SAID SOMETHING INAPPROPRIATE.

AND HE USED THE N WORD AND THE BOARD MEETING.

NOW, PRIOR TO THAT I HAD MET RALPH, SO I HAD A TOUGH TIME RECONCILING WHEN I HEARD THAT, WHEN IT WAS IN THE NEWS, BASED UPON THE PERSON I HAD MET.

I CAN'T SAY THAT I KNEW RALPH, BUT I MET HIM.

HE WAS WAITING TO INTRODUCE HIMSELF TO ME AND INQUIRED ABOUT WHAT I WAS DOING.

AND IN RHODE ISLAND, YOU GET A FEELING IF PEOPLE AREN'T INTERESTED IN WHO YOU ARE OR YOU FEEL THIS PERSON MAY HAVE RACIAL BIASES OR, WHILE THIS PERSON SEEMS LIKE A SALT OF THE EARTH INDIVIDUAL, THAT IS THE FEELING I HAD FROM MEETING RALPH.

PETER: I'M CURIOUS, BECAUSE I KNEW THERE WAS CONTROVERSY AT ONE POINT.

IT IS LIKE ANYTHING ELSE, IT EVOLVES, AND I DON'T WANT TO DISPARAGE MR. PEPITO, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THE LISTENERS KNEW AS WELL.

BECAUSE THIS IS A CHANGE AND IT IS HELPING TO LEAVE A LEGACY FOR HIM.

WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME, I AM GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE YOU COME BACK ON ANOTHER SHOW.

AND PICK UP WHERE WE LEFT OFF.

30 MINUTES GOES BY FAST, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE ENJOYING THE CONVERSATION WHICH I AM HAVING TODAY.

ARNELL: THANK YOU, PETER.

THIS HAS BEEN, LIKE I SAID, AN ABSOLUTE HONOR.

THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING IN THE COMMUNITY, CREATING A VOICE AND A PLATFORM WHERE THE NARRATIVE CAN BE TOLD BY THOSE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO CHANGE THE FUTURE.

PETER: ABSOLUTELY.

I WANT TO THANK TODAY'S GUEST, ARNELL MILLHOUSE, AND YOU, THE VIEWERS, FOR TUNING INTO ANOTHER SEGMENT OF "IN ANTOTHER OPINION."

SPECIAL THANKS TO PBS FOR MAKING THE SHOW POSSIBLE.

I AM YOUR HOST, PETER WELLS.

GIVE US YOUR OPINION ON FACEBOOK, AND HAVE A GREAT DAY.

[CAPTIONING PERFORMED BY THE NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CAPTION CONTENT AND ACCURACY.

VISIT NCICAP.ORG] ♪ ♪ ♪ >> SOMEONE GAVE.

SOMEONE DONATED.

SOMEONE LEFT A LEGACY.

GENERATIONS OF GENEROUS SOMEONES HAVE HELPED SHAPE RHODE ISLAND