The ARK Entrepreneurial was founded by Sundraria "Sunny" Davis out of a conviction that an entrepreneurial education should not depend on which Chicago neighborhood a child grows up in.
In 2019, while developing and operating programs within the Family Life Center, Sunny began creating entrepreneurship-based programming designed to expose young people to business ownership, financial literacy, leadership development, and career readiness. What began as a vision to serve youth through innovative programming quickly evolved into a comprehensive entrepreneurial development organization.
Through years of dedication, relationship building, program design, fundraising, and community engagement, The ARK grew from an idea into a thriving organization serving youth and families throughout the Chicago area. Under Sunny's leadership, The ARK secured partnerships with businesses, foundations, financial institutions, schools, and community organizations while developing programs that provide hands-on learning experiences in entrepreneurship, workforce development, financial literacy, technology, leadership, and career exploration.
Recognizing that entrepreneurship is more than starting a business, The ARK was designed to help young people discover their talents, develop marketable skills, and learn how to create opportunities for themselves and their communities. Programs expose youth to website development, graphic arts, photography, music production, app development, business planning, marketing, financial management, public speaking, and leadership.
Today The ARK works on one idea: a young person who has run a business, met a customer and been paid for the work knows something about themselves that no lesson can teach them. By combining entrepreneurial education with workforce development, mentoring, coaching, and real-world experiences, The ARK empowers youth to become creators, innovators, problem-solvers, and leaders.
