When: Wednesday, December 9, 2020, 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. EST
Online only: https://www.brookings.edu/events/economic-recovery-in-american-cities-building-black-businesses-and-wealth-2/
What: America’s Black-owned businesses are confronting two national crises. First is the COVID-19 pandemic, which has brought an acute and sudden shock to small businesses, with 75% of small business owners reporting being negatively impacted by COVID-19. Second are the long-term, structural racial disparities in business ownership, which continue to undercut the nation’s business dynamism and Black Americans’ prosperity and wealth. Without addressing the long-standing injustices that constrain Black business ownership and growth, economic recovery from COVID-19 will be less equal and less dynamic.
As part of the COVID-19 Metro Recovery Watch, the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program will host the culminating event in a series highlighting principles and strategies for advancing inclusive economic recovery. The event will focus on Black-owned business support as a path to a robust and equitable recovery. Brookings Fellow Andre M. Perry will preview new analysis on Black business ownership and development goals. A panel of leaders will then outline strategies to spur creation and growth of Black-owned businesses at the local level, and how corporate America and the federal government can support their bottom-up efforts.
Viewers can submit questions by emailing events@brookings.edu or tweeting to @BrookingsMetro using the hashtag #MetroRecovery.