Building a bigger table for valuing Black organizations and businesses – The Virginian-Pilot
These recent initiatives reinforce the value of Black organizations, especially to the communities they serve.
Research shows that 25% of Black graduates with STEM degrees come from HBCUs. Moreover, HBCU graduates earn 56% more in their lifetime than they could expect to earn without degrees.
Local support for Black organizations and businesses is vital and begins by building bigger tables to meet with Black business leaders to listen to their concerns.
Last month more than two dozen business owners attended a community roundtable discussion with Jessica Anderson and Ti’Juana Gholson, candidates for Virginia delegate (71st District) and James City County Board of Supervisors, respectively. A wide range of challenges and solutions was discussed, including securing advocacy grants for nonprofits, developing a coalition of Black businesses and attracting a younger workforce to combat Greater Williamsburg’s aging population.
Gholson said that economic growth throughout the region is contingent upon an available and skilled labor force. “We are not going to attract any companies or corporations if we don’t have a workforce,” she said. “People are not going to come here and set up shop if we don’t have people to provide skilled work.”
One solution involved building coalitions with local high schools, Virginia Peninsula Community College and local businesses to bring workforce opportunities, such as training and certification programs, to prepare WJCC students. Anderson suggested this would help young people get jobs in Greater Williamsburg and keep them here. “Hampton and Newport News businesses have already built these coalitions with New Horizon,” she said.
Historically there have been barriers to Black entrepreneurship. According to research by Citigroup Bank, racism’s price tag over a 20-year period was a whopping $16 trillion! A breakdown of the costs revealed that more than 75% — $13 trillion — was attributed to the loss of revenue for Black-owned businesses due to discriminatory lending practices.
Nevertheless, two local Black-owned businesses that I featured in this column in 2022 are demonstrating that supporting Black businesses is good business.
Three years ago I reported about the grand opening of Cookie Chris, a homemade cookie shop in Williamsburg led by then-17-year-old entrepreneur Chris Knight, and Andre Julius-Custom Suits & Accessories, a men’s apparel store on New Town Avenue owned by Andre McLaughlin.
Cookie Chris has expanded to the Richmond area and now has three locations. Knight is now a junior at Morehouse College in Atlanta, one of the HBCUs that will receive funds from the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation.
McLaughlin also expanded. There is a fashionable Richmond retail showroom and a name change, to Andre Julius-Custom Suits & Dresses. Moreover, his custom suits and dresses have found a national audience with professional athletes, commentators and celebrities.
If you are looking for Black organizations to support with time, money or other resources, you don’t have to look far. There are more than 40 Black-owned businesses in Greater Williamsburg including pharmacies, restaurants, notary services and caterers. Black-led nonprofit organizations include those such as Let Freedom Ring Foundation, Village Initiative for Equity in Education, United Way of Virginia Peninsula, Faith Walkers and When the Trumpet Sounds. Furthermore, there are five HBCUs in Virginia: Norfolk State University, Hampton University, Virginia State University, Virginia Union University and Virginia University of Lynchburg.
When we come together to build a more diverse and equitable community, we all win!
Laura D. Hill is the executive director of the Virginia Racial Healing Institute, which manages Coming to the Table-Historic Triangle. Learn more about her work at varacialhealinginstitute.org.
