Leslie Moore, the founder of Core Collaborative, brings over 17 years of experience in nonprofit work to her current venture. Prior to forming Core Collaborative, Leslie worked with Boston Uncornered, a nonprofit organization that helps youth recenter their lives and obtain a college degree, family-sustaining wage, and entrepreneurship. Leslie’s time at Boston Uncornered was instrumental in her mission to make an impact in her community. Leslie was also an active member of Central Square Church in Cambridge, which played a crucial role in her values for social justice. When she relocated to Rhode Island is 2014, the church supported her philanthropic work in Rhode Island and provided her with start-up resources for her office setup in Rhode Island. Leslie operates her business like a nonprofit, reinvesting all her profits back into the properties and her overall mission. She is in the process of converting Core Collaboratives into a non-profit.

When Leslie moved to Rhode Island, she began working on a circuit of properties designed to give marginalized individuals a chance to participate in the city core. After a discussion with leaders in the local Black Lives Matter movement, she considered the different yet specific challenges Black people face with marginalization. As such, her vision for Pawtucket was to create a cultural hub that celebrates African American culture, much like other cultural hubs such as Chinatowns and Little Italys.

Currently Leslie Moore owns a total of 12 commercial properties. Some of these properties are mainly focused on community development and supporting entrepreneurship and cultural diversity. Many of these properties provide smaller, affordable and attractive spaces for start-ups and entrepreneurs with limited capital. Currently THE BLACK BLOCK buildings have over 100 Black owned businesses operating within the premises at an occupancy rate of over 97%. The properties provide a range of services, such as affordable office spaces for start-ups, small business incubators, event spaces, theaters, mentoring programs, and housing. THE BLACK BLOCK is the focal point on a loop called The Halo (thehalo.org), which will have The Guest House, which will offer the community an event space for community gatherings, as well as the River House and The Church House. The Church House will offer 17 units of workforce and affordable housing catered towards individuals in the trade industry while the plans for the River House is still in the works. Core Collaboratives also plan to acquire 3 more sites to make the complete transit loop into The Black Block.

To learn more about Core Collaboratives, click here: The Halo (HOME | Core Collaboratives (thehalori.org)

To hear more about Leslie’s inspirational vision for Rhode Island, watch her TedTalk here: https://youtu.be/Kva4nLCt-sc?si=rHah2RTPFcFvmDI1