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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Michigan Black Chamber of Commerce: We want 'fairness and equity ...
Detroit Free Press10 days ago
As Detroit seeks to revitalize and redevelop, the Michigan Black Chamber of Commerce — and other groups representing minority businesses owners — plans |
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Sat Sep 28, 2013 4:40 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Michigan Black Chamber of Commerce: We want 'fairness and equity' in Detroit projects
2:02 PM, September 18, 2013 |
By Frank Witsil
Detroit Free Press Business Writer
Urban Economic Conference
What: The event will highlight how black- and minority-owned enterprises can generate more business and bid for work. The chamber expects to release an urban economic and retention plan for black-owned businesses.
When: Nov. 7
Where: Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center
Cost: $74.99 for members; $99.99 for nonmembers
To register:
www.michiganblackchamber.com/conference/
or call 313-309-3316
As Detroit seeks to revitalize and redevelop, the Michigan Black Chamber of Commerce — and other groups representing minority businesses owners — plans to make a case for more inclusion in these projects.
“Or goal is to make sure there is fairness and equity,” said Ken Harris, president and CEO of the chamber. “We must make it a priority that we are included, and the processes are inclusive. It makes sense to have minority and African-American firms at the table.”
He added: “We find it deplorable if they are not.”
Harris said he and as many as 10 other business and civic leaders will discuss the issue at 2-3 p.m. today at the chamber headquarters, 1274 Library St., Detroit.
They will detail, he said, how some black business owners are being “systematically locked out” of development projects, and what needs to happen to correct this.
The chamber also is organizing the second annual Urban Economic Conference on
Nov. 7
to bring minority business owners together in Detroit and help them gain a bigger slice of urban redevelopment efforts.
The chamber expects to present a plan for Detroit at the conference.
Harris said the black chamber and other groups are pressing this issue now because minority-owned businesses need more champions. In the past few years, as businesses struggled to regain their financial footing, diversity concerns became a lower priority, he said.
The chamber’s announcement will come one day after Techonomy Detroit, a conference at Wayne State University that looked at the role of technology in job creation and urban revitalization.
Harris emphasized that there are 32,000 black-owned businesses in Detroit — and a majority of the city’s residents are black.
Supporting minority-owned businesses in Detroit means creating jobs, he said.
“There is a trickle-down effect,” he said.
Since it was created two years ago, the chamber has started local groups across the state.
“There is a myth that black-owned and minority-owned businesses don’t have the capacity and scale to compete,” Harris said. “Not only do we want to dispel this myth, but these folks should be able to compete just like everyone else.”
Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 or fwitsil@freepress.com |
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Sat Sep 28, 2013 4:45 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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| This should happen in Flint. With all of the money spent on Smith Village, more should have been spent on local businesses. After all that was the stated goal of the Stimulus Plan. |
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Sat Sep 28, 2013 4:48 am |
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