Joseph Jackson, director of the new Black Business Strategies program at the LA SBDC, was quoted in the Long Beach Business Journal discussing the program’s goals.

Joseph Jackson, the program’s director, said Black Business Strategies gives owners technical assistance and helps them access capital to continue to fund their businesses throughout the pandemic.

“The program helps business owners develop the strategic focus and practical skills required to manage their businesses in a way that results in the excellent products and high-caliber services needed to satisfy market needs,” Jackson said in a statement.

The article also discussed some of the data that inspired the program:

A study from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York identified shows that the effects of the pandemic have underscored the connection between health and economic disparities found in communities of color. Infections are higher in areas with more Black and Latino residents, and businesses run by Black or Latino owners in those neighborhoods are also facing greater strains.

– LBCC business network teaches Black-owned businesses how to survive pandemic pitfalls | Long Beach Business Journal | January 28, 2021

Featured Photo: Brea Ervin (back) working on a client’s hair for her business The Braid Bar. Ervin was part of the inaugural launch of the Black Business Strategies program last year.