While all segments of our economy were impacted by the COVID 19 pandemic, small businesses, especially those owned by people of color, were disproportionately impacted. While national data exists, there is no detailed Bay Area data which analyzes the vulnerability and impacts of COVID 19 on businesses owned by people of color. To address this dearth of data and to develop policy recommendations which build longer-term resiliency, Asset Funders Network commissioned the University of California Berkeley’s Urban Displacement Project to produce a map highlighting the vulnerability of BIPOC-led small businesses in the 9-county Bay Area. The map is accompanied by policy solutions which address long-standing economic inequities rooted in harmful policies and practices. These solutions will help businesses not only survive but also thrive and ultimately build a more equitable economy for all.
Please join us on January 27th as we:
· Release first of-their-kind interactive maps highlighting the vulnerability of BIPOC-led business owners in the nine-county Bay Area;
· Discuss policy solutions which address structural and historic barriers and support the longer-term economic viability of BIPOC-owned businesses; and
· Share strategic investments funders can make in solutions that help businesses recover and systems be reimagined, addressing the root causes of inequities and helping BIPOC-owned businesses thrive.
Speakers:
Lena Robinson (moderator), First Republic Bank
Karen Chapple, University of California, Berkeley
Carolina Martinez, CAMEO
Laura Schmahmann, University of California, Berkeley
Dianna Tremblay, ICA