Sports exec Latesha Williams knew a lot about marketing basketball games, but creating and marketing card games was a whole different story. As an accomplished sports and entertainment professional who had worked with LeBron James, MTV, Nickelodeon and Rocawear, Williams lived and breathed the culture, so it was only natural for her to transition her interests into something that pays homage to it.
Williams is the mastermind behind the phenomenon known as Black Card Revoked—a card game that uses questions specific to Black culture to test players’ street smarts. Since being released in 2015, the game has become a staple at gatherings of Black families and friends. It was even picked up as a BET show, the first Black trivia game of its kind.
Years before Williams became known as the genius behind Black Card Revoked, she snagged a role at MTV’s Summer Associate Program while freelance writing on the side. A basketball enthusiast, she attended the NBA draft the year LeBron James was selected first pick to play for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Mesmerized by the story of the young star from Akron, she pitched an article to Black Enterprise magazine and continued freelance writing while reaching out to her network to see who knew someone in his camp.
Williams’s networking and hustle landed her a dream opportunity to work with James at his marketing company, LRMR. The job would require her to leave her native Brooklyn and move to Cleveland. Her courageous venture into the unknown set the stage for the rest of her professional career.
After gaining experience at LRMR, Williams knew becoming an entrepreneur was her next step. Drawing inspiration from the viral nature of Black Twitter, Williams and her friend decided to create a game centered on the shared Black experience. That’s when Black Card Revoked was born.
The card game is a part of Williams’s Cards for All People enterprise, which specializes in providing entertaining card games for diverse populations across the country. The cards are available at Walmart. Williams’s company not only gives back to the community but also employs us. She is a champion in business and a role model for the culture.