by Roger Crain

Created on: April 20, 2008   Last Updated: April 21, 2008

Maurice Cook is a successful entrepreneur; yet the challenges he faces as a business owner stems from being a black man and not because of his sexual orientation. For this article, these challenges will be fully explained in the foregoing narrative and thus, prove my theory that race is a major factor in a black man's path toward success, whether he is gay or straight.

In an interview that I conducted with the forty-something black gay male, Cook said "the greater challenge is maintaining a successful business in a racist world." By that he meant making his business a viable option for his prospective clientele. He does this quite amicably by appealing to a market other than his traditional client-based one. Thus, his cross-over appeal.

"When one is in business," He said emphatically, "You must market yourself to your investors that will net you the greatest return on your investments." Consequently, his work has been marketed to a new breed of client: young suburban and urban professionals who's forging a new identity through the hip-hop generation.

Yet this growing popularity for his art has presented another challenge as well: "As an ascetic artist, I wonder do they(generation X)understand the artistic value of my work?" His work can be describe as otherworldly asceticism, wanting to have spiritual relevance as contrasted by this materialistic frenzy of our modern-day society. This is evident in his frenetic quest to find meaning and significance in the medium which has shaped his life since his humble beginnings growing up in the inner-city of Detroit, Michigan.

Again, there is a gleam of artistic satisfaction in his eyes when he talks about his first etchings sitting in drawing class using human as well as still-life objects as models. It was those early etchings that formed the basis of his work. So he would cast his lot with the best otherworldly ascetic(starving)artists of his generation, or so he thought.

Then there is the challenge of forging an artist's identity in spite of being tag with these stereotypes: "As an artist and designer, it is assumed that I'm gay so my sexual orientation isn't a surprise." And "We tend to segregate ourselves, especially those from the younger generation." Nevertheless, he continued to struggle to achieve popularity as an artist/designer; he found that his work suffered in direct proportion to those stereotypes.

Next, there is the challenge of persuading venture capitalists that you are not a credit risk. To prove his credit worthiness, Cook had all of those vital financial statements at his disposal during his initial consultation interview; yet, his ire was raised considerably when a white colleague confided in him that his paperwork was approved two days after his consultation interview closed and walked away with the funding that he needed.

Finally, in spite of these obvious reverses and drawbacks, Maurice Cook still has high hopes as an emerging entrepreneur; and moreover, about his place as an artist in Atlanta's artistic community. "I see myself fitting right into the mix as an entrepreneur. That's what change is about, isn't it? Accepting new challenges where ever they may be."

Learn more about this author, Roger Crain.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.