Synia Jordan, Cosmetologist, CEO, & Realtor at Samaria J’s Salon

“My ROOTS run deep, nurtured by faith, hope, strength and the blood of my ancestors. There’s nothing like knowing who you are, who you are and what you are here to do.”

Synia Jordan took a contaminated and boarded-up building in Grand Rapids and turned it into Samaria J’s Salon.  The 2023 West Michigan Sustainable Business of the Year honoree is a hub for community and collective work that has been able to bring leaders together, propagate new ideas for the community, and advocate for environmental and racial justice. She hosts or supports the Grand Rapids African American Community Task Force, Sistas in Development, Community Collaboration on Climate Change, and the Southwest Business Association, which has collaborated with other stakeholders to address heavy-truck traffic in the Roosevelt Park neighborhood.