The B Suite Builds Community for Black Professionals in Minnesota
The B Suite is creating community for Black professionals in Minnesota by combining networking, mentorship and social connection to address isolation and retention challenges.
When Jhaelynn Elam first moved to Minnesota in 2021, she arrived with ambition. What she did not predict was how isolating the experience would feel.
Elam, who came from Grand Rapids, Michigan, and grew up in Dayton, Ohio, was used to being surrounded by Black community. A graduate of Tuskegee University, a historically Black university, she mainly experienced environments where cultural familiarity was the norm rather than the exception. In the Twin Cities, that familiarity was missing.
She noticed Black professionals across corporate and social settings but rarely found a consistent, intentional community. The experience, she said, is common among Black professionals who relocate for career opportunities. That gap eventually became The B Suite, a professional and social hub designed for Black professionals in Minnesota. Just three years after officially launching the organization, Elam has been named a 2026 40 Under 40 honoree by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, recognition she describes as both affirming and humbling.
“I’ve really only been here not even five years yet,” Elam said. “To be acknowledged for what we’ve built in that time feels good, because it’s not easy.”
The idea for The B Suite came from Elam’s participation in the Josie R. Johnson Leadership Academy, part of the African American Leadership Forum, in 2022. Fellows were assigned to develop leadership projects that addressed real community needs. Elam quickly knew which issue to tackle. Through focus groups and conversations with other Black professionals, many of whom were recruited to Minnesota’s Fortune 500 companies, she repeatedly heard that their time in the Twin Cities was temporary, with a set timeline for leaving. A lack of community consistently surfaced as one of the main reasons professionals of color left Minnesota. Elam decided to build something that could make staying feel valuable.
The B Suite officially launched in 2023, purposely at the intersection of professional development and social well-being. Elam wanted to create a space where someone could attend a panel discussion, connect with an executive mentor, and build relationships, all without the burden of code-switching or feeling like the only one in the room.
“It’s about having somewhere to replenish,” Elam said. “Somewhere that feels familiar.”
The B Suite has hosted more than 50 events since its launch. Programming includes its “9 to Thrive” professional development series, mentorship-centered conversations such as “A Seat at Her Table,” and informal networking gatherings known as “The Link Up.” The events center Black professionals, particularly Black women, and provide direct access to senior leaders who might feel out of reach to newcomers.
“Sometimes it’s just who you know and being in the right room,” Elam said. “We’re trying to close that gap.”
While career advancement remains essential to the organization’s mission, Elam measures success beyond titles and promotions. She frequently hears from attendees who have formed close friendships through The B Suite, sometimes unaware that she even founded the organization. For Elam, those stories represent the deeper meaning of the work.
“That’s success,” she said. “People finding their people.”
Shakirah Edwards, The B Suite’s lead event host, first encountered Elam at an event in August 2024. A Burnsville native who previously lived in Los Angeles, Edwards said coming into the space felt welcoming, but most importantly, familiar. She later joined the team and now works closely with Elam. Edwards describes her leadership style as collaborative and transparent, adding that she feels she is building alongside Elam rather than working beneath her.
That approach extends across Elam’s eight-person team, all Black women, most of them originally connected with The B Suite as attendees or collaborators. Elam emphasizes flexibility and psychological safety, aiming to create an environment where team members feel supported and comfortable taking risks.
Building The B Suite has not been without its obstacles. Securing funding remains one of the organization’s most persistent challenges, compounded by broader pushback surrounding race-centered initiatives. Elam said continuously advocating for the importance of the work can be exhausting but remains clear about the organization’s purpose and who it serves. On difficult days, she returns to the stories of newcomers who say The B Suite was the first place they felt connected in Minnesota, or professionals who credit the space with amplifying their networks and confidence.
That clarity has shaped her definition of leadership. For Elam, it’s less about the titles and more about taking action.
“If we don’t do it, it won’t get done,” she said.
Being named to the Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 list marks a milestone, but Elam views it as motivation rather than a finish line. She sees her work becoming part of a broader narrative of collective progress, and her long-time vision is for The B Suite to reflect the Black professional experience in Minnesota, something newcomers can find before deciding to relocate.
“I hope Black professionals aren’t intimidated by moving here,” she said. “I want them to know there’s a space for them.”
Reflecting on her journey, Elam said she would offer her younger self a clear reminder: keep dreaming, stay curious, and be bold enough to bet on yourself. A true mindset that moved isolation to community, and community to recognition.
For more information on the B Suite, visit www.b-suite.co/.
Alaysia Lane is a multimedia freelance journalist and commerce writer based in Minneapolis.