At-Large Councilmember Mel Franklin Brings MBE Advocacy Day To Largo
Inaugural Event Makes Equity And Generational Wealth A Reality For The County’s Black And Brown Business Community
Prince George’s County Councilmember At-Large Mel Franklin hosted the 2023 “Minority Business (MBE) Advocacy Day” in Downtown Largo, MD on March 28, created to focus on minority and women-owned businesses in Prince George’s County, providing opportunities for their engagement and networking with public officials, procurement officers, state officials, and one another, concerning critical priorities and policies for building equity and generational wealth within Prince George’s County’s Black and Brown business communities.
Roughly 60 business owners were in attendance.
Councilmember Franklin says the County’s minority business community needs financial support, stronger enforcement, and organized advocacy to become a successful and thriving economic engine in Prince George’s County.
“Our minority business community is the lifeblood of Prince George’s County’s economy. We are home to literally thousands of minority firms, who create jobs, grow our business tax base, and contribute to funding critical public services. When they thrive, we thrive. But the progress of our minority business community must be intentional for policy makers, through increased access to capital, stronger enforcement of local minority business laws, and opening doors to new economic opportunities in our county. Minority Business Advocacy Day in Downtown Largo will give minority and women-owned businesses the opportunity to network, advocate for their interests, and gain useful information to help sustain their businesses now and into the future.”
The event featured lunch and several key speakers of interest, making this year’s priorities set as:
Increasing access to financial capital for the local minority business community;
Expanding local minority business opportunities in procurement with local non-county agencies, institutions, and municipalities;
Advancing our local minority businesses from subcontractors to general contractors;
Improving compliance, accountability, and enforcement of local and state minority business procurement laws; and
Increasing ownership opportunities for local minority developers in private sector projects
