Legacy Reflections and a New Chapter for 540WMain

Dear Community,

Looking back on my journey of founding 540WMain, Inc., I am overcome with a profound sense of pride and gratitude. It’s extraordinary to reflect on the vast array of initiatives, programs, and content that have come to life through this platform. Even more remarkable is witnessing how my work has grown and evolved over these nine years—mirroring my own personal transformation. As a Black man navigating the relentless tides of systemic racism, these reflections have given me the space to fully embrace the depth of my contributions and the brilliance and ingenuity that drive them.

Contrary to popular belief, I never set out to make 540WMain a nonprofit organization. Over the years, I’ve shared various aspects of my entrepreneurial journey, but this is the essence of it. After moving back to Rochester in 2013, following a 2.5-year stint in Nashville, I was determined to see my hometown in a new light. My life had undergone significant changes, largely due to my diagnosis of fibromyalgia. Returning home put me closer to family and a much-needed support system as I reimagined my career and life as a newly disabled person. Entrepreneurship was right because it offered flexibility and control over when, how, and where I worked. But I had no clear vision of what that would look like. Before moving back to Rochester, I had already begun blogging, running two blogs: Living with Fibromyalgia and The Gluten-Free Chef Blog. Those platforms laid the foundation for what would come next as I leaned into my advocacy work around wellness, accessibility, and gluten-free living. I also worked as a substitute teacher and teaching assistant to make ends meet while figuring out how to merge my passions for community, education, and social justice into something meaningful.

In 2015, I stumbled upon a community space on West Main Street—a site with a storied past, once home to restaurants, clubs, and various community ventures. This discovery eventually led me to the opportunity to take over the space, a former restaurant and club nestled among a row of street-level storefronts with apartments on the second and third floors. I vividly remember sitting in the front room, gazing out at the cars speeding by, and asking myself, What on earth am I going to do with this place?  As I brainstormed ideas for this new venture, I repeatedly scribbled “540 West Main” on the backs of scrap paper. The address felt meaningful, and with a few creative adjustments, 540WMain, Inc. was born. Initially, I was adamant that 540WMain would be a purpose-driven business, not a nonprofit. The term “nonprofit” was unappealing to me back then. Why start something with “no profit” in the name? I’d studied business at RIT, struggled through accounting classes, and learned the basics of business and profit-making. Yet, despite my initial resistance, 540WMain eventually evolved into a nonprofit organization. This evolution was transformative—not just for the organization but for me as a social entrepreneur. 540WMain became a living laboratory, a reimagined template for what nonprofits could be. Building it from the ground up was grueling without external investment, grants, or inherited wealth. I was sustained by my genius, tenacity, faith, and unyielding passion for community. Over the years, 540WMain became synonymous with its antiracist mission, offering hundreds of in-person and online classes on topics like Black feminism, structural racism, and implicit bias. It’s been a hub for creativity, education, and connection—bringing together artists, makers, and visionaries. I’ve lost track of the number of workshops I’ve taught and the incredible people I’ve met along the way. And yet, change is inevitable.

These lyrics from 2024 Beyoncé’s song American Requiem (from her Cowboy Carter album) resonate deeply: “For things to stay the same, they have to change again.” In that spirit, I’m excited to announce that 2025 will mark a new chapter for 540WMain. After much reflection and planning alongside my incredible board of directors, we’ve developed a strategic plan to sunset 540WMain, Inc. as we know it. In its place, we will launch an online nonprofit social justice-informed homeschool network. This initiative will build on everything 540WMain has represented while focusing on digital educational resources, training, and peer support for homeschooling parents, families, and children. Since its founding in 2016, 540WMain has been a trailblazer in community engagement and antiracism education, starting with the launch of the Rochester Afterschool Program. This new homeschool network will carry forward that legacy by curating and organizing the wealth of intellectual property and educational resources we’ve developed over the past decade, creating accessible and inclusive learning opportunities for homeschooled children and their parents. I am profoundly grateful to everyone who has been part of this journey so far. This transition is not an ending—it’s an evolution. We’ll continue to create something extraordinary together, and I’m excited to share this new chapter with you. I would love to hear from you if you have ideas or resources to contribute as we build something fresh from our existing foundation. Please feel free to email me at calvin@540westmain.org.

In solidarity,
Calvin
CEO & Founder