Mayor Foushee proclaims Carrboro Minority Enterprise Development Week

GOVERNMENT

By Tyria Bourda
Correspondent

By celebrating the accomplishments and achievements of minority-owned businesses, Carrboro Mayor Barbara Foushee proclaimed October 20th-26th as Minority Enterprise Development Week. With over 55 such businesses in Carrboro employing more than 1,200 individuals, Mayor Foushee emphasized that this proclamation serves as a vital recognition of these enterprises and a commitment to ensuring their sustainability and growth.

 The inaugural MED Week was launched by the United States Minority Business Development Agency in 1983, with Carrboro first acknowledging it in 2020. To realize the objectives of the celebration week, Carrboro’s Economic Development Department has actively supported minority-owned businesses through various initiatives, including the BAG Business Accelerator Program, the New Business Resource Center, the BIPOC Business Pop-up Program, and the Boost Carrboro Business Training initiative.

Through these initiatives to support minority businesses in Carrboro, local minority entrepreneurs have shown exceptional resilience and creativity in building successful enterprises. This achievement comes in the face of a historical backdrop of institutional and systemic racism that has restricted their access to capital, property, markets, advertising, and other essential aspects of economic participation. Their skills, innovative concepts, commitment, and determination have empowered them to navigate and surmount these obstacles.

Foushee stated that proclaiming MED week signifies a celebration of the immense talent and originality of minority-owned business entrepreneurs. Moreover, the proclamation recognizes certain businesses and encourages intentional support for them so that they can survive and thrive.

TLR had the opportunity to speak with Mayor Foushee regarding the significance of MED Week and her future plans.

TLR: Carrboro boasts 55 minority-owned enterprises, employing over 1,200 individuals. What are your thoughts on this? Are you hopeful for further growth shortly?

Mayor Foushee: Having fifty-five minority-owned businesses in Carrboro is something to celebrate. I am always hopeful for more growth of these businesses in the future; they are sources of inspiration and hope, especially as it relates to building generational wealth and uplifting their families and communities.

TLR: Although MED week concludes on the 26th, how will Carrboro continue to honor the successes and contributions of minority-owned businesses throughout the rest of the year and beyond?

Mayor Foushee: Carrboro’s economic development department continues to work to promote minority-owned businesses in a variety of ways, including a business accelerator program, developing a New Business Resource Center and creating BIPOC Business Pop-Ups, to name a few. Carrboro will continue to explore and create ways to support minority-owned Businesses.

TLR: As an African-American woman, what significance does this minority development week hold for you? In what ways do you believe businesses owned by people of color are
contributing to a more equitable economic landscape?

Mayor Foushee: I am always thankful when we highlight our local business community, which includes our minority businesses. As an African-American woman, it gives me a strong sense of pride to proclaim this week and recognize the many contributions that our minority businesses make to our community. We must keep investing in them for everyone’s brighter future.

Marking the conclusion of MED Week, the North Carolina Statewide MED Week Celebration & Expo will take place on October 31 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Attendance is free.

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Tyria McCray-Bourda is a story-driven journalist whose work also appears in The Carolinian newspaper in Raleigh. With a bachelor’s in journalism & mass communication from North Carolina A&T State University, she has the distinction of having interviewed President Joe Biden when he was a candidate on the campaign trail and Vice President Kamala Harris.
This reporter can be reached at Info@TheLocalReporter.press

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