Laughter and chatter filled the room in the Minneapolis Events Center on Monday as the Black Business Kickoff Event began with vendors lining the room and people networking.
At the event, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, Council Members Elliott Payne (Ward 1) and Andrea Jenkins (Ward 2), alongside other organizations, spoke about the importance of Black Business Week.
This event marked the beginning of Black Business Week in Minneapolis, leading up to National Black Business Month in August. This year’s events included resource fairs, networking events, panel discussions and Black business tours, according to the city’s website.
Black Business Week started on Monday and ends on Sunday. It started in 2019 as part of Frey’s inclusive economic development agenda, said Zoe Thiel, manager of the city’s Small Business Team.
Shortly after the meeting, Frey mingled with the guests and praised how much Black Business Week has grown over the past four years.
“Black-owned businesses are helping ignite the fire of our economy and they have earned our support,” Frey said. “From finance to art, from manufacturing to food, Black businesses are creating something special, and every week we celebrate their work.”
A panel discussion finished off the night providing insight on “Access to Capital,” this year’s theme. Panelists ranged from representatives in the banking, economic development, philanthropy and cannabis industry.
Theil said the week’s events are a collaboration of community organizations, elected leaders and the community planning and economic development team.
The West Broadway Business and Area Coalition is hosting events including a street mall on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Capri Theater.
Shemeka Bogan, the program manager for the coalition, said the idea behind Black Business Week is to celebrate Black industry.
“I look at (Black Business Week) as a very necessary tool for people to really just stop and pause for a minute and be intentional about where they’re spending their dollars,” Bogan said.
K Signature Barbershop Dinkytown Founder Mohammed Kuta Aliyu said when he first moved to Dinkytown in 2020, he was the only Black-owned business. He said it filled a needed service.
Aliyu said the barbershop is a place for people to come together, talk and share their different cultures.
“We try to create even balance between people, culture, tribe, religion,” Aliyu said. “We talk about it all and just make everybody feel comfortable.”
Thiel said Black businesses are a vital part of creating a strong economy for everyone.
“We don’t want to leave any untapped potential on the table,” Thiel said. “We need everybody.”