Maryland Congress members hold hearing at Bowie State University to advocate for Black entrepreneurs 

By Ashlee Banks
Special to the AFRO

U.S. Sens. Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and U.S. Rep. Glenn Ivey, all Maryland lawmakers, this week held a field hearing at Bowie State University  titled “Promoting Opportunity: The Need for Targeted Federal Business Programs to Address Ongoing Racial Discrimination.”

The trio held a hearing on May 6 to highlight the role that the government has played in combating racial inequality for small business owners and the impact racial discrimination has had on small business owners’ ability to operate their companies.  

“Racial discrimination has plagued our country since its inception,” Sen. Cardin said in a statement. “Unfortunately, we have not been able to truly reckon with our past in a way that completely breaks down the historical barriers of racial discrimination.”

Cardin added, “Those struggles continue today and directly impact minority business owners’ ability to operate and grow.”

Sen. Van Hollen said in a statement: “Minority business owners have long faced discriminatory barriers to accessing capital, securing contracts, and navigating regulatory roadblocks. Despite these persistent challenges, these entrepreneurs continue to support jobs and grow our economy.”

This hearing comes as conservative activists continue to legally challenge programs like the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) Business Development program and the Minority Business Development Agency which were created to provide resources for minority business owners.

Ivey said that given the attacks on “the very program established to put these companies on an equal footing…we must work to assure these entrepreneurs have a seat at the government procurement table.” 

Ronnette Meyers, president and CEO of JLAN Solutions, said during the hearing that the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) Business Development program “has been a crucial lifeline, providing access to opportunities otherwise out of reach and it has also been a constant reminder of the disparities that still exist in the business world.” 

Tonya Lawson, president and CEO of Lawson Consulting, said at the hearing that she “has faced historical challenges and continues to encounter barriers in accessing opportunities that are fundamental to economic growth and prosperity.”

Lawson added that if certain federally funded programs were dismantled it would threaten “crucial avenues of support for socially and economically disadvantaged entrepreneurs.” 

“Small, disadvantaged businesses still need a boost in their efforts to gain a foothold in the federal contracting space,” Ivey said.

He added that this week’s hearing “is another step in the right direction, and I commend the senators leadership in these efforts.”

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