Baton Rouge, Louisiana
is a city that historically has been ranked as having “one of the highest crime rates in America compared to all communities of all sizes.” According to the U.S. Census Bureau, “out of every 100,000 Black adults, only 380 become business owners.” Dreka Gates is one of those business owners. She was born and raised in Baton Rouge and always knew she would be successful.
Gates is a determined and ambitious strategist. She didn’t cave when things didn’t work as planned or when her support system faded. Instead, Gates turned her disappointment into passion and used that passion as fuel. She became a boss: owner of multiple businesses,
