About Us

Dedicated to helping people live, love, and grow in dignity and with passion.

Lake Enterprise (LE) began in the 1990's when Deborah Lake collaborated with Terri Pease to develop Brush Arbor Consultants. Brush Arbor Consultants provided training and workshops that taught people about the effects of trauma, racism, and gender inequality in communities. Not long after, Brush Arbor Consultants grew into Brush Arbor Press as part of an effort to provide publishing assistance to new authors.

Alongside Brush Arbor, Sankofa Way Spiritual Services, founded in 2004, was the non-profit organization through which Reverend Deborah Lake gave spiritual guidance primarily to people living with HIV/AIDS. Sankofa Way grew to become one of Chicago's organizations that visibly addressed the challenges Black LGBT people faced due to homophobia, racism, and misogyny in their communities.

The work was very difficult, and I definitely made enemies because I would not be silenced. I also learned valuable lessons that I still use today in my work, Rev. Lake.

Dissolved by the board in 2009 due to an ongoing lack of funding, Sankofa Way was the foundation for Rev. Lake's current ministry, Turning It Around Today.

Now, Lake Enterprise has grown beyond the vision of one person and into a family owned umbrella business that includes trainings, workshops, publications, publishing services, and organizational consultation. While the grunt work for LE was done by Deborah, the philosophy and ethical standards originated with her parents, Vanderbilt Lake and Helene Lake.

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