About US
Lifestyle Eco Artrepreneur Education Forum
The Green LEEF mission is to uplift people, planet and peace with profit and dignity for all. Advancing the creative economy through business, arts and cultural awareness is to ignite vision, liberate purpose, promote creative expression and help others to maximize excellence through conscious collaboration of culture and commerce.
Green LEEF Artrepreneurs
The Green LEEF’s Artrepreneur business incubator series is for creative makers and artists. The GL Artrepreneur project aims to narrow the margins of social inequities by advancing the engagement and participation of historically and individuals who are economically disenfranchised. The GL Artrepreneur incubator helps mitigate trends of rapid gentrification by offering business training programs micro enterprises to create business development, growth and sustainability opportunities that will help towards achieving social and economic equity and to participate in the emergence of a gentrifying economy.
Meet our team and supporters: Advisory, Speakers and Presenters
Sonja Brooks, The GREEN LEEF & GL Artrepreneur Founder | Bio
Matt Burns, Attorney – Business and Taxes
Matt Burns specializes in the legalities of starting and running a business. He sets up the appropriate incorporations for business taxation and asset protection sensible for specific types of businesses operations and exit planning.
Spencer Hamilton – Business and Marketing Specialist
Spencer Hamilton helps creative start businesses and enter niche markets. He marries creative risk taking, market and consumer insights to lower risks and reach buyers. His career began in the Peace Corps working in an agriculture research and development group. He is passionate about new venture creation. He brings significant experience in product development, strategy and new venture finance. Spencer holds a BA and MBA degrees from the University of Southern California and Johns Hopkins University, respectively
Melvin Townshend – Business Finance
Melvin has several years of professional business banking. He has provided training in general finances including business and personal. Melvin is passionate about giving back to community and believes that the best impact is to roll up your sleeves and serve in the trenches. He has served on several boards and continues to advise on business finance.
Phil Porter – Co-owner Interplay.org
Patricia Sweetow – Owner Spun Smoke gallery
Colleen Brown, WE FIRST Women’s Empowerment -UK | Bio
Thank you to our partners and supporters
Green LEEF is a partnership with Koreatown Northgate (KONO) Community Business District, a registered 501c3 organization and Oakland First Fridays. We thank all of our community partners who provide support to the mission of uplifting the community.
Koreatown Northgate Community Business District
City of Oakland Cultural Arts Funding Program
Flax Art & Design
Oakland First Friday
Proud Festival Nation
Investors/Volunteers
We are interested in growing our partnership network with communities and companies local and global that match our commitment and who will support our efforts of delivering education and information to uplift women, youth, artists and entrepreneurs everywhere.
Send inquiries to: info@thegreenleef.com United States
