It’s no longer a choice but an obligation to take the current economic state of our community into consideration. We need to be aware of the influence of our purchasing power and support the policies that influence the expansion of the local economy.
As president of the California Black Chamber, I have the privilege of advocating for small businesses throughout the state. However, music is my passion and has been my life’s work.
With over 44 years of legal experience under his belt, including 16 years as a prosecutor, five years as a law professor at Southwestern University School of Law, running his private practice since the late 90s and much more, Christopher Darden believes his legal experience combined with his life experience gives him a unique perspective and makes him the best candidate in the running for Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge.
On Nov. 29, Black American founder Arielle Ilunga officially opened the new Carla’s Fresh Market in Los Angeles’ Highland Park. The first of its kind neighborhood grocery store, it redefines the neighborhood grocery store, providing access to high-quality, fresh produce and thoughtfully made food products prepared by BIPOC growers and small businesses to areas often overlooked and underserved.
It’s no longer a choice but an obligation to take the current economic state of our community into consideration. We need to be aware of the influence of our purchasing power and support the policies that influence the expansion of the local economy. We should not rely on the government or corporate entities to bring about change in our communities.
Founders First CDC (Founders First), a 501(c)3 non-profit that empowers expansion and job creation in diverse founder-led, revenue-generating businesses, announced its 2023 Kitty Fund. The $25,000 fund provides eligible small businesses throughout the United States an opportunity to receive a $1,000 microgrant.
JPMorgan Chase is helping to drive sustainable changes through its five-year $30 billion racial equity commitment. With a business-led approach, this commitment aims to help address key drivers of the racial wealth divide in Black, Latino and Hispanic communities by investing in them directly.
The Entrepreneur Educational Center, Inc. (EECI) announced, “Mission accomplished,” after wrapping up its final business plan development seminar in a series at Roosevelt Park in Los Angeles.
New resources are available for small businesses in the Vernon-Central and surrounding South L.A. community, as the Southeast Los Angeles BusinessSource Center celebrated its grand opening on May 31.
Many small businesses, particularly those founded by Black and Brown people, are often unaware of the expansive resources, including grants, loans, angel investors and venture capitalists, available within the community that are ripe for the picking.
Careers in the “blue” or ocean economy will become more accessible for South Los Angeles residents, thanks to collaboration between the Entrepreneur Educational Center Inc. (EECI) and AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles.
Although many officials have called for a ‘return to normal’, millions of small businesses and communities need something new instead. In Black America especially, the ‘old normal’ never delivered equitable access to wealth-building opportunities as those that well-served served much of White America. Instead, a lengthy history of public policies designed to create and sustain a burgeoning middle class systemically excluded Blacks and other people of color.
The program is part of the Los Angeles County Initiative for Inclusive Small Business to address the historical barriers that have limited access to entrepreneurial opportunities for business owners of color
Andre Perry, a Brookings Institution fellow, told the Times that some of the surge in Black business registrations could be a signal of personal economic trouble. “This is more about survival than it is about wealth creation. There’s lots of people who have lost their jobs and lost their businesses. People are starting to realize that side hustles are businesses,” Perry said.
California lawmakers have approved Assembly Bill (AB) 80 legislation spearheaded by Assemblymember Autumn Burke (D-Inglewood). The legislation will give a $6.2 billion tax cut to small businesses across the state that received loans under the federal government’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).