Durham-born entrepreneur Omi Bell built a network for women founders of color

Shelly Omílàdé Bell, known as Omi Bell, was born in Durham before building a career that connected technology, teaching, arts organizing and entrepreneurship.

Bell earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. She began her professional life as a K–12 teacher, then moved into business and community-based creative work.

One of her ventures was MsPrint USA, a custom clothing and merchandise printing company run by women. The business served clients including Amazon and Google. Bell also hosted poetry performances and led Seven City Art Society, an arts organization rooted in community activity.

Seven City Art Society later developed into Made By a Black Woman, a marketplace featuring clothing, accessories and home décor made and selected by women of color. The project reflected Bell’s interest in creating platforms for those makers and entrepreneurs to reach broader audiences.

In 2016, Bell established Black Girl Vision. What began as a meetup group of 30 women was later rebranded as Black Girl Ventures. Through the organization, Bell sought to connect women founders of color with peers, investors, advisers and mentors. The effort also involved building support and securing resources from corporations and local government.

Bell identified limited visibility and a lack of opportunities for Black women founders as central reasons for creating the venture. Her work placed emphasis not only on individual businesses, but also on the networks surrounding them: people who can offer guidance, investment, introductions and practical assistance.

For Durham, Bell’s background offers a local point of connection to a broader story about entrepreneurship and representation. Her path began in the city, continued through education and teaching, and expanded into ventures spanning printing, performance, arts organizing, retail and startup support. Black Girl Ventures became the clearest expression of that work, bringing together the business and community-building strands of her career.

Bell’s profile also illustrates how an entrepreneur can develop several related projects rather than follow a single-industry path. Her experience in computer science, education, creative production and marketplace development informed a model centered on helping other founders gain visibility and access to resources.

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Further links listed by the Wikipedia page (not independently checked): - https://www.entrepreneur.com/slideshow/339393 - https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/meet-the-24-rising-brand-stars-bringing-a-new-wave-of-energy-to-washington-d-c/ - https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollysprayregen/2018/10/26/shelly-bell-founder-of-black-girl-ventures-helps-women-of-color-gain-access-to-capital/ - https://afro.com/shelly-bell-one-stop-entrepreneurial-force-nature-based-se-d-c/ - https://afrotech.com/for-shelly-bell-funding-black-and-brown-women-entrepreneurs-is-personal - https://newsone.com/3834104/shelly-bell-black-girl-ventures/ Image rights Photograph description: Community Garden Wharton Park Creator: Colin Kinnear. License: CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0). Original image page: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ACommunity_Garden_Wharton_Park_-_geograph.org.uk_-_7085978.jpg. The image was resized for display; no other changes were made.