Listen to this articleAn event to help minority-owned enterprises target growth is set for Oct. 9 at the Town of Hempstead Pavilion in Hempstead from 6-9 p.m.
The event, known as Minority Enterprise Development Week, or MED Week, focuses on gaining increased commitment from the federal and state government to award contracts, for those companies with well-organized operations.
MED Week is in partnership with the Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce (LIAACC). The initiative got its start back in 1983 under President Ronald Reagan, who declared Oct. 2-8 Minority Development Week. Ultimately the goal on Long Island is to expand the program throughout October by 2026.
MED Week “will continue to fuel the growth of small business in New York State well into the future,” LIACC President Phil Andrews said in a news release about the upcoming program. Andrews also brought MED Week to New York three years ago. The event coincides with the anniversary of the chamber, which was launched in October of 2010 by John Scott, its founding chairman.
“The Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce, Inc.’s insight and knowledge of resources in New York State gives the chamber a unique advantage of helping its small business owners who are members of the chamber, and its wider network grow to scale,” Andrews said.
“Ultimately, the chamber measures its success in terms of how many businesses increase their revenue, employ more people, and increase the net worth of their enterprises,” he added.
“MED Week is about raising awareness among minority business owners, and it gives minority-owned firms access to information and resources to grow their businesses domestically and internationally through networking events, workshops and forums. There are many minority-owned businesses out there but often we are not aware of them. MED Week allows everyone to come together and share those resources,” Rose Ward, LIAACC vice president owner of NFocus Management Group, said in the news release.
The program will focus on leveraging networks through information on growing a customer base and new markets, accessing capital through grants and contracting opportunities.
Registration is required. For more information, click here.