Ad hoc asked to propose legislative ideas to bolster minority business capacity

Edmond Ford Jr., chair of the Shelby County Racial Equity Ad Hoc Committee, said County Commission Chair Micah Whaley asked the group to provide legislative suggestions to strengthen local minority business development. He asked members to submit one-page proposals by the following Monday for possible inclusion in the county’s January legislative package.

Ernest Strickland of the Black Chamber of Memphis said suggestions should align with organizations’ ongoing work and focus on eliminating barriers that prevent small minority-owned firms from scaling. "This gives us an opportunity to just kind of speak to the things that we see as barriers to building wealth in the black community and ways in which we can help minority companies," Strickland said. Members discussed avoiding items that would carry a heavy fiscal note that could block consideration.