Meet Bonita Harrison, CEO and lead developer of ​Sunshine Management from Chicago’s South ​Side. With a B.S. in Mathematics from the ​University of Illinois at Chicago and a full-ride ​for her M.S., Bonita has led her team to revitalize ​over 100 properties, creating 300 jobs for ​diverse groups like people of color, returning ​citizens, and women entrepreneurs. This effort ​boosted wealth in the Black community by $25 ​million and increased annual tax revenue by ​$250,000.

She spearheaded the “Buy Back the Block” ​initiative in West Woodlawn, a project that ​preserved Black culture and gained media ​attention. In 2018, Bonita became the first Black ​woman to win Developer of the Year from The ​Cook County Land Bank. She’s been featured in ​the Chicago Sun-Times, Essence Magazine, ​Crain’s, and on major networks like NBC, ABC, ​and CBS.

Bonita’s passion for bridging the equity gap ​extends to her family, empowering her sister, ​brother, and daughter to become developers. She ​has also helped professionals from various fields ​transition into real estate development. ​Collaboration remains key to her success in ​revitalizing communities and empowering others.