A new bill before the Prince George’s County Council, introduced by Council member Krystal Oriadha (D- District 7), would create a start-up fund for Black-owned businesses. The legislation is meant to both help businesses get off the ground and expand.
This bill wouldn’t require any new county spending; it would mandate that funding for existing business entities is more inclusive of local, Black-owned businesses.
“We have the Economic Development Corporation, it already exists. We have dedicated funds that are all about building local businesses, helping them to expand and investing in startups, but what we don’t have is a concentrated effort that says we’re going to support Black business owners,” said Oriadha. “And so that’s what this legislation does. It says 25% of that fund needs to be dedicated to businesses that are 51% or more Black-owned.”
Oriadha said that while examining her inner Beltway district, she saw a lack of business owners who looked like her. She has also launched a Digital Green Book, highlighting Black-owned businesses and other cultural staples within the County. This bill was recently introduced, and will be voted on in coming weeks.
An Annapolis bill proposed by Delegate Tiffany Alston (D-District 24) would allow lobbying and government relations work done by minority-owned businesses to count towards the state’s minority business enterprise (MBE) requirements under certain circumstances.
