MBN USA
March 02, 2023
MBDA, NABB partner to help Black business development
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WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency
(MBDA), and the National Alliance for Black Business (NABB) signed a historic
MOU during the NABB’s first annual National Black Business Policy Conference in
Washington, D.C. The NABB was co-founded by the National Business League (NBL)
and the National Black Chamber of Commerce (NBCC), which represent a combined
153 years of service to Black businesses and are now collectively working to
organize a unified national black economic agenda.
“This historic agreement between MBDA and the NABB will strengthen
our collective mission to create a strong, equitable economy for all minority
businesses and entrepreneurs,” said Donald R. Cravins, Jr., Under Secretary of
the Minority Business Development Agency. “Both MBDA and the NABB have uplifted
Black businesses in the decades since they were formed. But together under this
agreement, we can break down more barriers, open new opportunities, and create
greater access for even more minority entrepreneurs and founders to thrive.”
More than 100 distinguished Black business leaders, organizations,
and corporate executives assembled with the Department of Commerce Under
Secretary Donald Cravins Jr., Esq. Among them were NABB Co-founders Kenneth L.
Harris, Ph.D. (NBL) and Charles H. DeBow, III (NBCC); Hon. Johnny Ford, Founder
and President of the World Conference of Mayors; Helena Hutton, Senior Director
of Strategic Purchasing, Supplier Diversity and Environmental Sustainability,
Cummins Inc., and member of the Billion Dollar Roundtable; Jane Reindorf-Attoh,
CEO, JT International; and conference keynote speaker Terri L. Batch, Director
of the U.S. Global Diversity Export Initiative, part of the U.S. Department of
Commerce International Trade Administration.
“The alliance between the NABB and the U.S. Department of Commerce
is a powerful collaboration to build Black economic equity through enterprise
ownership and development,” said Charles H. DeBow, III, President and CEO of
the NBCC and Co-founder of the NABB.
The MOU establishes a framework for the MBDA and the NABB to
collaborate on efforts to increase the growth and global scaling of more than
3.2 million Black American businesses, with an estimated $141.1 billion in
annual receipts, 1.3 million employees, and about $42.2 billion in annual
payroll (2022 U.S. Census). As part of this alliance, MBDA and the NABB will
share information and raise public awareness of each other’s programs and
initiatives.
In 1969, the late Berkeley G. Burrell, the 10th national president
of the NBL, played an instrumental role in the founding and creation of the
Office of Minority Business Enterprise (OMBE), known today as the MBDA. Mr.
Burrell was Vice President of the Advisory Council for Minority Enterprise and
under his leadership, the NBL and OMBE initiated decades of Black business
participation in the public and private sectors.
“The MBDA was born out of the civil rights movement, as an
intentional solution to curb the economic conditions experienced in the Black
community that caused Black resistance, rebellion, and retribution in the
streets,” said Kenneth L. Harris, Ph.D., President and CEO of the NBL and
Co-founder of NABB. “By continuing the legacy of Booker T. Washington, today we
forge partnerships with aligned priorities to broker economic opportunities for
Black businesses that are essential in the global marketplace.”
About the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)
The MBDA, as part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, is the only
federal agency created specifically to foster the establishment, growth, and
global competitiveness of minority-owned businesses in America. The agency is
committed to wealth creation in minority communities. Visit www.mbda.gov.
About the National Alliance for Black Business (NABB)
The NABB represents a historic partnership between the NBL, the
NBCC, and a consortium of Black-led national organizations dedicated to a
unified global Black business agenda. Visit www.nationalallianceforblackbusiness.com
About the National Business League (NBL)
The NBL, founded by the legendary Booker T. Washington, is the
nation’s first and oldest trade association for Black business and celebrates
123 years of service to Black business and the African diaspora. Visit www.nationalbusinessleague.org
About the National Black Chamber of Commerce (NBCC)
The NBCC is the largest
federation of Black Chambers of Commerce in the world and celebrates 30 years
of service to Black businesses throughout the United States and
internationally. Visit www.nationalbcc.org
Tags:
U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency MBDA National Alliance for Black Business NABB MOU National Black Business Policy Conference Donald R. Cravins Under Secretary Kenneth L. Harris Charles H. DeBow growth and global scaling Black American businesses unified national black economic agenda minority entrepreneurs Black-Owned Businesses Alliance
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