Business

Black Business Spotlight: Nokomis Dental Center

MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN-RECORDER — After working at a dental practice for nine months, Dr. Grace Warren of Nokomis Dental Center not only knew she wanted to own her dentistry business but also own the building that housed it.

Published

7 years ago

February 8, 2019

Oakland Post

By Jonika Stowes

After working at a dental practice for nine months, Dr. Grace Warren of Nokomis Dental Center not only knew she wanted to own her dentistry business but also own the building that housed it.

She opened her first location in 1984 — a storefront on Lake Street, between a video store and a bowling alley. Six years later, she bought her own building on Cedar Avenue in South Minneapolis.

“It’s investing in myself,” she told her former landlord. “As a small business owner, you have to provide for your retirement. Most dentists are going to be practicing for a minimum of 30 years,” says Dr. Warren.

The Minneapolis native says she only knows of herself and one other African American woman in private practice right now in the state. Warren credits her late high school guidance counselor, Fletcher Cooley, with focusing her mindset towards even going to college. Her parents never attended college, her mother had a high school education, and her father didn’t make it past eighth grade.

Warren said Cooley, as a Black man, challenged her and every Black child to go to college or trade school. When she first went to college, she didn’t know what she wanted to do, but she knew she loved science. After attending the University of Pennsylvania, she returned to Minnesota with a biology degree in hand and had a decision to make: chiropractic care or dentistry.

After a summer internship at dentist Dr. Larban Otieno-Ayim’s North Minneapolis office, she went on to the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry and was ready to start her own business.

Again, she references the power of mentorship, this time via veterinarian Dr. Albert Edwards, who gave her a blank check and said, “You can use up to $10,000 — just let me know when you get ready to start.”

Warren ultimately used $2,000. “I was so happy when I could go and pay that man back his two thousand dollars,” said Warren.

Warren remembers MSR doing an article on her when she first opened her doors more than 35 years ago. Here, we chat with her about becoming a fixture in the community and leaving a legacy of mentorship and future dentists.

MSR: You’ve been in business for 35 years. What makes your dentistry services stand out?

Grace Warren: People realize they’ll get personalized care, getting to know them and taking time with them. One woman I went to high school with is a patient, and she brought her kids, and her kids brought their kids. I began counting, letting her know I have three generations, and she said, “No, Grace, actually you have four — my mother [deceased] was also your patient.”

They know they’re going to see the same faces, not see a different hygienist or doctor every time they walk in the door.

I stress a lot on education and wanting people to understand the connection between their oral health and their physical health — we want to look at you comprehensively. We take blood pressures because if you have hypertension that’s a sign you have cardiovascular disease, and that may affect your periodontal health or your gum health. We take the time to let people know that you care about them and really get to know them and their family.

We’ve seen people go through health crises. Sometimes I call to check up on patients even though they don’t have an appointment, because I know they’re going through cancer treatment. With a small private practice, you can do that, and I think people appreciate it.

MSR: What has been the most rewarding part of owning your business?

GW: Being self-employed, I can dictate how much time I want to spend with people, and it gives me the chance to really develop personal relationships without feeling like I’m on a time clock to rush to get through something and not really get to know folks. I really value that.

I’m very fortunate I don’t have any debt and our practice is busy enough where I’m good financially. Although I knew I would make a good income, that was never my motivation in dentistry.

It’s [also] a different dimension when Black kids come in and see someone who looks like them. Whether it’s subconscious or not, they start thinking, “Maybe, I can do that. There’s a Black dentist, a Black physician, a Black lawyer. Maybe I could do that when I grow up.”

MSR: What has been your biggest challenge?

GW: I worked for other people for nine months and knew I didn’t want to work for anyone else for nine more months. In the beginning, it was the finances. You come out of dental school with debt. I didn’t have a lot of debt, but I also didn’t have collateral

One bank told me to put my parents’ house up as collateral, and I wouldn’t do that. Then [it was] mentally getting prepared, setting up and then keeping up with technology. People expect a certain level of technology, and it’s expensive.

MSR: Three decades later, what does your vision look like for your business?

GW: To continue to mentor the next generation. As you begin to exit stage right as they say [retirement], you’re more conscious of hoping someone steps in your shoes… I know one woman who wants to open her own practice, [so] let’s strategize a plan…

I came out of dental school owing $60,000 worth of debt and today, they owe more than that in one year. It’s closer to $400,000 now… Maybe you can’t do a solo dental practice right now, but [you can] partner with another dentist…and pool your efforts, resources, time and money…

Not all [dentists] want to go into private practice. Some of them are quite content working for someone else, and that’s fine.

MSR: What advice would you give to an aspiring entrepreneur?

GW: Always invest in yourself and build a strong work ethic. It is not nine to five and you have to accept that it’s not going to be. Hopefully, if you’re married, you have a spouse who is supportive of that.

Also, you have to always give back, whether it’s giving back to your community or mentoring the next generation. I do a lot of what they call “goodwill dentistry” for people who just can’t afford it, like senior citizens. That’s part of giving back… You need to inspire, serve as a role model.

One of my mentees is a pediatric dentist who’s now out in D.C. From the time she was seven years old, she knew she wanted to be a dentist, never wavered — and that’s really odd. So when they would have “Take Your Daughter to Work” day, she would shadow me. She went down to Georgia for undergraduate school, came back to Minnesota, and I wrote her a recommendation for dental school. She got into Howard University, did a residency in pediatric dentistry, and is now Dr. Alicia Reynolds in Washington, D.C.

You can’t buy that feeling of knowing you served to inspire maybe one person to just really pursue their dreams because they came in as a little Black girl and saw a Back female dentist and thought, “I can become a dentist.” That’s priceless.

Nokomis Dental is offering new MSR patients without insurance a free first-time exam and 10 percent off an x-ray and cleaning through March 31.

This article originally appeared in the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

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Activism

The Ladies of Delta Sigma Theta Hold Day of Advocacy at the Capitol in Sacramento

A member of the “Divine Nine,” Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., was founded on Jan. 13, 1913, at Howard University in Washington, D.C. The organization was established by 22 women who sought to shift the group’s focus from social activities to public service, academic excellence, and social activism.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Sen. Laura Richardson (D-San Pedro) presents a Senate resolution to the Delta Theta Sigma Sorority Farwest Region at the State Capitol on May 4. Photo courtesy of the Senate Rules Committee.

By Antonio Ray Harvey, California Black Media

On May 4, members of the Farwest Region of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., convened at the California State Capitol for the organization’s 23rd annual Delta Days in Sacramento.

The two-day advocacy event brings together chapters from across California to engage directly in the legislative process, connect with lawmakers, and advocate for policies impacting Black communities.

Members of the sorority were honored on the Senate floor by Sen. Laura Richardson (D-San Pedro), who is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta.

Richardson welcomed the Farwest Region during the presentation of a Senate resolution recognizing outgoing Regional Director Kimberly Usher for her leadership and service.

“In addition to the Far West Region, we are led by a fearless leader, regional director Kimberly Usher. She has now served her full term of what’s allowed,” Richardson said. “We are going to be having our regional conference, but we wanted to give it to her here, officially recognizing her service.”

The resolution was co-authored by Richardson and fellow members of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) and Delta Sigma Theta, Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson (D-San Diego) and Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom (D-Stockton).

Usher has served in the leadership role since 2022.

“We are founded on sisterhood that is deeply rooted in scholarship, service, and social action,” said Weber Pierson, a member of the Gamma Alpha chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

“Today, we continue a legacy of empowering communities and upholding the high cultural, intellectual, and moral standards established by our founders over a century ago,” she added.

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Bay Area

How Is AI Affecting California? The State Wants You to Share Your Story

The program marks the first time the state has opened the platform to all Californians. State officials said the effort is designed to give residents a direct role in discussions about how AI should be regulated and used as the technology rapidly expands across industries.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

iStock

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced May 7 that California is expanding its Engaged California digital democracy initiative statewide, inviting residents to help shape future state policies on artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on jobs and the economy.

“We’ve got to be clear-eyed about this moment: AI is moving fast, bringing enormous opportunity, but also real risks,” Newsom said in a statement. “Californians deserve a seat at the table as we shape what’s to come.”

The initiative will roll out in two phases. Beginning immediately, Californians can sign up online to share how AI is affecting their work and communities and provide ideas for possible government action. Later this summer, a smaller group reflecting the state’s workforce demographics will participate in live discussions focused on developing policy recommendations.

State officials said the goal is to identify areas of agreement among Californians and provide policymakers with public feedback as the state develops future AI regulations and workforce strategies.

Engaged California is modeled after digital democracy programs used in Taiwan and is intended to encourage structured public discussion rather than social media-style debate. Officials described the effort as a form of “deliberative democracy” aimed at helping residents engage directly in state decision-making.

“The more Californians are engaged in the democratic process, the better able we’ll be to confront the challenges we face together,” said Nick Maduros, California Secretary of Government Operations, in a statement.

The statewide launch builds on two earlier pilot programs. One pilot gathered public input following the Los Angeles firestorms to help guide recovery efforts, while another collected ideas from state employees about improving government operations.

California has positioned itself as a national leader in AI policy and development. Since 2023, the Newsom administration has introduced initiatives focused on responsible AI use in government, cybersecurity protections, workforce training and regulations targeting risks such as deepfakes and AI-generated robocalls.

The state has also partnered with companies in Silicon Valley — including NVIDIA, Google, Adobe, IBM and Microsoft — to expand AI education and workforce training programs across California schools and universities.

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Advice

Book Review: Books for College-Bound Students

The kind of workday your Grandpa had is probably over, and you can’t count on toiling at the same place for 40 years for a pension and a gold watch. You already know that, and these books will help you decide your next step. You’ll learn what kind of worker you are, what’s stopping you from finding a job or occupation you’ll love, how to determine the purpose you envision for your future, and how to get where you need to be.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Book covers. Photo courtesy of Terri Schlichenmeyer.

By Terri Schlichenmeyer

Authors: Various, Copyright: c.2026, Publishers: Various, SRP: $21.00 – $29.00, Page Counts: Various

The videos and news reports were inspiring.

In them, a hesitant prospective college student became a happy, new college-bound student with the click of a key. They were accepted into the college of their dreams – so how can you get the same feeling next spring, when you’re the one with the highest of hopes?

You can start by reading these great books and sharing them with your family…

You probably already know that getting into the college of your choice is not something you do last-minute. In “The People’s Guide to College Applications: A Week-by-Week Approach to Writing, Connecting, and Getting in” (Prometheus Books, $ 21.95), Jill Constantino takes you through each step, but not in a frantic way. There’s no pressure here, just easy-to-grasp, makes-sense methods to apply for the college you want. There are reminders here, things you can’t forget and things you can, hints on asking for referrals and writing essays, and plenty of reminders to take a deep breath. Bonus: it’s also a book for parents, who may feel just as much pressure as their child does.

Okay, but let’s say that you’re an adult, a parent who’s sweating those college applications, classes, and the FAFSA for yourself, ugh! Then you’ll want to read “Student Parent: The Fight for Families, the Cost of Poverty, and the Power of College” by Nicole Lynn Lewis (Beacon Press, $26.97). an urgent call meant for nontraditional students who are also Black, Latinx, gay, Moms, or Dads.

Inside this book, you’ll find stats and stories that may already sound familiar, tales of not enough money, not enough support, not enough arms or sleep or resources. If you’re looking for a book of advice, this isn’t it, though. It’s more of a resource that you’ll want to take to your guidance counselor or any local politician.

Alright, but what if you’ve decided that college can wait? Is that okay? Look for “The Mission Generation: Reclaim Your Purpose, Rewrite Success, Rebuild Our Future” by Arun Gupta and Thomas J. Fewer (Wiley, $29.00) because – guess what? – you have many options for your future.

The kind of workday your Grandpa had is probably over, and you can’t count on toiling at the same place for 40 years for a pension and a gold watch. You already know that, and this book will help you decide your next step. You’ll learn what kind of worker you are, what’s stopping you from finding a job or occupation you’ll love, how to determine the purpose you envision for your future, and how to get where you need to be. This book isn’t just for high schoolers, but for anyone ages 16 and beyond who’s feeling restless, ready for change, or who’s thinking about some kind of purposeful retirement.

And if these aren’t the college-based or not-college-bound books you need, then be sure to ask your favorite bookseller or librarian for help on ideas, how-to’s, test prep books, or study guides. They’ll have books for you, and maybe a little inspiration, too.