HIGH POINT, N.C. — Cities across the Triad have shined a spotlight on black-owned and minority-owned businesses in recent years.
Leaders in High Point want to keep working to find ways to support these entrepreneurs.
WFMY News 2's Nixon Norman learned how the business plans to keep growing their footprint.
Triad minority business owners came together Monday night to share the struggles and successes they face.
Leaders said events like these help folks not only learn from each other but serve as a call to action — making sure equal opportunities are given to all.
Minority business owners from all over the Triad gathered in High Point to share the highs and lows of being local business owners.
City of High Point's Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises Coordinator, Cynthia Barnes said this event allows business owners to continue paving the way for generations ahead.
“They also spend their money here and their children go to school here. It's about the educational advances that they can have as business owners. The fact that they just happened to be minorities, that is just an extra bonus,” Barnes said.
Last week, the city of High Point started a conversation around reparations — not monetary reparations, but reparations in the form of municipal support. High Point's Managing Director, Jeron Hollis said one of the 19 focuses is supporting black-owned businesses.
“Historically, everyone hasn't had the same opportunity to pass on generational wealth,” Hollis said. “That's really what it's about generational wealth and time."
"It's about giving them those opportunities that they can make and build wealth and in turn, they spend that money back in the communities that they live in," Barnes said.
One Greensboro business owner, Kelvin Currie of All Systems Restored HVAC and Electrical, said continuing to work together can help create more changes.
“I've worked with many of my colleagues that are here on projects to help them get things, and it's just the more we come together the better it is, and we can actually make Greensboro the city. Give us a little more opportunities and things,” Currie said.
“If the minority and women in businesses are successful, the community is successful as well,” Barnes said.
If you're a minority or woman business owner. There's still a chance to sign up for Tuesday's luncheon HERE.