By Charlie Pike
From our March 2025 issue
Rose Barboza’s lightbulb moment came during the summer of 2020. Furloughed from her travel-industry job due to the pandemic and devastated by the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, she was on a hike with her brother when she had the idea to start an online directory of Black-owned businesses. Forty-eight hours later, Black Owned Maine was born. Now, the website boasts more than 450 entities, including law firms, fitness studios, restaurants, and more, and Barboza’s vision has expanded to include a more hands-on approach. With a staff of five, Black Owned Maine raises money for charitable organizations and grants for local companies, offers free business-consulting services, and hosts networking events.
As the nonprofit’s CEO, Barboza says she rarely gets a day off. “You sleep, and then you wake up to 10 missed calls,” she says. When she needs a breather, she often heads to Portland’s Eastern Promenade park, overlooking Casco Bay, where the sea and sky inspire her to think big. Over the next five years, Barboza wants to grow her staff, start a counseling program for nonprofits, and open an office that doubles as a gathering and event space. “People can come, relax, sit on the couch and chill, and not worry about the stress outside,” Barboza says. Sounds like a new favorite place.
