Black- Owned Business Expo educates local entrepreneurs
"Make it Make Cents"
MARYLAND – Entrepreneurs gathered for a Black Business Expo at the Wicomico Civic Center. It was an opportunity to educate local businesses that historically have been at a disadvantage due to systemic racism. According to the NAACP, nearly 3 centuries of slavery and discriminatory policies have created a huge financial gap between African Americans and others in this country. They go on to say that typically white families make 10 times that of the average Black family and that economic equity is crucial.
Financial scholar and author of Talking Dollars and Making Sense: A Wealth-building Guide for African- Americans Brooke M. Stephens suggests in her book that the life span of a dollar is only 6 hours within the Black community. This is in comparison to the Asian Community where the dollar lasts around 28 days or the Jewish community where the dollar circulates 19 days.
“We never stop learning… The day you stop learning, is the day you spend your money on foolish endeavors.” That was just a snippet of Dr. Angela Lee’s advice for entrepreneurs at the Black Business Expo- “Make it Make Cents’. She has her own magazine My Mind Beautiful, where she features Black- owned businesses.
Angela Morton, who organized the event, is the founder of Faith Over Fear Economic Development. She said National Black Business Month was the perfect time to discuss financial literacy. “We offered a few workshops… just to let the business owners know what resources are available to them, and some ways that they can market their business and create sustainability.”
Shana Ellis of Dreams to Reality Creations says these events are important to her growth as a business owner. “Education, I feel like the key to any business is not thinking you know it all. There are so many resources that are available that none of us know about which is why I really love Ms. Angela and Faith over Fear because she exposes us to things she didn’t even know existed… If you’re not continuing to grow, you’re not learning.”
Shana, who designed backdrops for the event, says the knowledge she’s gained has kept her afloat for the past 6 years. As advocates for Black-owned Businesses, they both wanted the public to know, not all rumors are true. “We are good Business owners, you know, we’re very creative as a people, as a whole,” says Morton. Ellis says, “There are Black Business that are qualified and profession and know how to interact and will listen to their customers… It’s imperative for us to be able to circulate the Black Dollar, and to continue to support Black Businesses.”
The expo ended at the Queen City Elks Lodge and organizers say that next year will be bigger and better. If you wish to support local entrepreneurs in your community, Faith over Fear Economic Empowerment says you can go to their website to find Black-Owned businesses in your area.
