Meet Wen-kuni Ceant | CEO and Co-Founder of Politicking

We had the good fortune of connecting with Wen-kuni Ceant and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Wen-kuni, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
The thought process behind starting my own business was the realization that there was a hole in the market. In 2016, with the election of President Trump, my co-founder and I came to the realize that while most voting constituents were familiar with the information at the top of their ballot–they had little to no information about the issues on the bottom of their ballot. Unfortunately, the people towards the bottom of the ballot consisted of folks like mayors, superintendents and city councilmen/women…these were the people mitigating the policies that mattered most locally. Upon this realization we decided to start Politicking, a sociopolitical mobile application that focused on giving black and brown people a voice and the political know-how to participate in every election. It is important for minorities to actualize their political capital and Politicking is one of the many ways to start.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am still in my walk in learning about business. As a leader, your work is never done and it is imperative that you continue to grow and learn daily because if your walk stagnates, it can stagnate the entire team. In business nothing is ever easy and the road to success is riddled with challenges. I have learned to view these challenges as speed bumps rather than stop signs, they are often a sign for me to slow down or pivot but continue to move my feet. One of our biggest challenges has been fundraising–as is the story with most black women founders, we tend to have the most challenging time finding support for our businesses. Oftentimes family and friends may be able to assist us with a round of applause instead of a round of funding. This forces ingenuity and innovation within the spaces in which we operate. For Politicking, we have done different crowdfunding initiatives to raise money to continue to bolster the success of the platform. It is imperative that people understand that despite these challenges Politicking continues to grow. This year every seat in Congress is up for election. 34/100 seats in Senate are up for election, not to mention the countless gubernatorial and local elections that will also take place in 2022. We must actualize our political capital at the polls this year. This is the year for people to download Politicking.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Whew, welcome to Miami/Broward! Even though I was born in Miami, I was raised in Broward so I consider myself to be privileged to know the best of both worlds when it comes to these beautiful counties. We would start in Broward County…I tend to tell people to fly into Fort Lauderdale so they don’t get hit with the horrific Miami traffic even though both airports are equidistant from my house. The first stop would have to be my favorite Haitian food restaurant, Chez Nous. Their griot is unparalleled and its the best way to start any trip. If they like to gamble, I would take to the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino–although I’m not a gambler myself I love going to Hollywood to see the infamous guitar shaped hotel or to catch a comedy show or concert. To party, we have to hit Miami. We would head right down to Swan, LIV or Story to check out some of my favorite Djs Don Hot and OsoCity. The best thing about Swan is you can get the best Caesar salad of your life and then dance the night away. After crashing at the Fountainbleu for the night we have to have dinner at Papi Steak. Although my dad prefers Smith & Wollensky, I prefer Papi Steak for a more sexy and intimate vibe and a perfect start to a night out with friends. To me they are Miami’s newest best steak house. They blew Prime 112 out of the water even though that is one of my longtime favorite spots and undoubtedly the best place to go to in Miami to see a celebrity. You can’t leave Miami without attending a heat game…usually I start the night at the Heat game and end up at Prime after. A new place I want to check out is Bar One Miami. Shout out Peter Thomas, hopefully I will get to try it soon.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are so many books that have guided me along my path to success and continued to keep me centered in the quest for black political liberation. One of those many books is “Caste” by Isabel Wilkerson. Not only is Wilkerson prolific but the Howard alumna provides a historical context of the storied history of the great migration in her first book “The Warmth of Other Suns.” Both of her works tell the story of Black people in America and the struggles they have faced within the complex American identity of African Americans. She discuses the successes and pitfalls of Americans from every part of the country–including the complexities of political and economic liberation and their inextricably ties to slavery and Jim Crow. These books have given me a bitter understanding of the struggles associated with not only voting but the many issues associated with being Black in America–both then and now.

Website: https://politickingapp.com/

Instagram: @Winnietheish or @Politicking

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wen-kuni-ceant-7b4491141/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/winnietheish

Facebook: Wen-kuni Ceant or Politicking

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClTKA9nPufcn4jA-PELzlTw

Other: https://thegrio.com/author/wen-kuni-ceant/