Doubling Down Post-Pandemic

The New Orleans Regional Black Chamber of Commerce amps up efforts to support local Black businesses

BY PERRY SHOLES

• Ladies With Drive — an enjoyable, welcoming experience for women interested in learning how to play golf or picking it back up to develop skills to network and conduct business on the green and in the clubhouse

• Annual Policy Luncheon — a highly anticipated event serving as an intersection of influential decision-makers, including elected officials, business leaders, community influencers and grassroots change-makers across sectors and industries discussing the GNO region’s economic and small business landscape

• 10th Annual Crescent City Golf Classic — a day of networking and golf at beautiful Joseph M. Bartholomew Municipal Golf Course

Still celebrating the successful presentation of its third annual Women in Business Conference at the end of Women’s History Month, the New Orleans Regional Black Chamber of Commerce is continuing to anchor its mission to support, promote and educate our members for sustainable growth and expansion, as well as focus on advocacy to influence and sustain the economic viability of Black businesses throughout our service footprint.

Recently expanding that footprint to include Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes — in addition to Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard, Plaquemines, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Washington, St. John the Baptist, St. James and St. Charles — NORBCC will further address the inequity of access and opportunity for Black businesses in all these communities.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there were 140,918 U.S. Black- or African American-owned businesses — across all sectors of the economy — in 2020 with annual sales of $141.1 billion. Those businesses employed 1.3 million people. Additionally, Merchant Maverick, a comparison website that reviews small business software and services, ranked Louisiana the sixth-best state for Black entrepreneurs. Our organization is on track to continue to serve hundreds of businesses that contribute to these numbers as we double down post-pandemic to provide even more resources and access to opportunities for our stakeholders.

Through deliberate programming and intentionally curated partnerships, our organization is poised to be the catalyst to encourage business interactions and organic relationship development among member businesses and the larger community by offering conferences and luncheons, educational meetings and seminars, industry specific networking opportunities, and affiliate partner events.

Throughout the remainder of the year, NORBCC will host the following signature events:

• Annual Meeting — a year-end business and community event celebrating the year’s accomplishments along with a brief presentation on priorities for the upcoming year In 2023 and beyond, we continue to work to engage our roots and history so we can deepen our understanding of past challenges, build more strength to amplify our future voice, and develop confidence from the wisdom of past leaders. We must be a united community dedicated to excellence and success of Black businesses within our footprint.

Our esteemed board of directors is composed of 60% CEOs of minority-owned firms and 40% corporate partner affiliates. Our membership is composed of organizations that perform professional services, as well as those that provide materials and goods.

With the guidance and expertise of our staff, along with the board of directors, we will ensure that our legacy is defined by the origination, sustainability and expansion of our local business organizations because our journey remains more than just a moment, it’s a movement.

For more informatio, call (504) 948-0991 or visit norbchamber.org. T