The newly formed Summit County Black Chamber of Commerce wants to empower the region’s Black community through business.
In Ohio’s Summit County, Black business owners came together to form the Black Chamber of Commerce for Summit County after they realized that the county didn’t have a Chamber of Commerce set up for Black businesses.
According to Signal Akron, the Black Chamber of Commerce was created to help bridge the racial wealth gap and to create more opportunities for Black entrepreneurs. Robert DeJournett, the Black Chamber of Commerce’s founding President and CEO, told the outlet that Black businesses in the business community think that the chamber is a good idea.
“Everyone thinks it’s a great idea and much needed, some of our businesses are not in the loop; they’re off the radar,” DeJournett told Signal Akron.
Black Chamber of Commerce Vice President and COO, Misty Beasley told News 5 Cleveland, “Often Black business owners are working in their business, so it’s hard to work on your business or you don’t have the information or the knowledge or the resources to work on your business, and so being able to have an organization that can help you do that and help you set yourself up for success, that’s big.”
“Left unaddressed, this lack of inclusion will severely hinder innovation and startup activity, and result in a workforce incapable of participating in the knowledge-based economy,” found the report.
As Beasley told Signal Akron, “We want to be a voice to speak out for Black-owned businesses.” Beasley was formerly employed by the Akron Urban League. “We’re wanting to create something where we’re helping ourselves.”
According to a press release issued by the Black Chamber of Commerce for Summit County, “The mission of the Black Chamber of Commerce – Summit County (BCCSC) is to develop, empower, promote, and support Black-owned businesses and to be a collective voice and advocate on behalf of the interest of the Black business community and the community at large. The nonprofit aims to bridge the racial wealth gap by driving entrepreneurship and creating opportunities for inclusive commerce. It will focus on key areas such as advocacy, education, collaborations, and resource accessibility, enabling Black entrepreneurs to thrive and contribute to the region’s prosperity.”
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Source: Black Enterprise
