In our diverse San Diego region, there’s a wealth of untapped potential full of entrepreneurial spirit, waiting to be unleashed. From family-owned businesses to tech startups, our community is brimming with talent and creativity.
However, many community members have systemic barriers blocking them from embarking on the business journey of their dreams. The 2023 San Diego Foundation Economic Equity Report revealed that Black San Diegans unequivocally face the brunt of economic, health and housing inequity.
The inequities are evident in the data. More than half of Black San Diegans spend more than 30 percent of their household income on housing alone. Black San Diegans are twice as likely to have health insurance, and live in poverty at more than twice the rate of White San Diegans.
This data is fuel for the San Diego Black Chamber of Commerce Urban Business Resource Center, with programs designed to address the generational wealth gap in underserved communities.
Creating Access for All
The Urban Business Resource Center is a group of programs made specifically to help local Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) business owners access valuable education, resources and mentorships to grow their businesses – especially for Black and brown San Diegans, who have long been impacted by systemic inequities.
“We don’t just see a gap in material resources, you might see less access to capital, and less access to business development education,” said Liddy Walker, Program Manager at the Urban Business Resource Center. “It’s really important that we’re able to reach people who are ambitious, want to go into work for themselves and make an impact on their community.”
The Urban Business Resource Center provides entrepreneurs and business owners a host of different programs and resources – including a Women’s Entrepreneurship Summit, a business accelerator program, digital literacy help and more.
A Testament to Success
Amy Minnick had spent decades in a science researcher role before stepping away in February 2020 to start her own fitness studio, Firesnake Fitness.
“I basically dove headfirst into chaos and uncertainty,” Minnick said.
She found juggling and understanding business finances to be the most difficult part of her new venture. The Urban Business Resource Center not only helped her grasp it, but she credits the Business Accelerator Program lessons and grants as the reason she was able to launch another business location.
“It’s really amazing to be surrounded by other business owners who share the same challenges and the same wins,” Minnick said.
Similarly, San Diego Fashion Week Owner and Director, Gwen Bates, took over the role just before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, unaware of what was to come months later. She found the mentorship support and workshops among the most valuable lessons and resources she gained – especially in the fashion industry, where she says Black leadership is not as common.
“The connections we gained were invaluable. It’s opened up a lot of doors,” she said. “By having the backing of the chamber and having this program roll out, it actually has more of a dominance in this space and that’s really important.”
The grants Bates received from the Urban Business Resource Center allowed her to shift gears and operate San Diego Fashion Week virtually, when others opted to shut down creatively.
Champions of Black Business
As part of the Black Community Investment Fund, San Diego Foundation awarded grants to the Urban Business Resource Center to strengthen and diversify the local economy.
“San Diego Foundation is one of our earlier champions for the Urban Business Resource Center,” said Walker, the center’s Program Manager. She’s found joy in watching the growth among the Black business community.
“It’s really personally satisfying to see them succeed,” she said. “That’s my favorite thing.”
Incredibly thankful for the Urban Business Resource Center, Bates is consistently spreading the word to other Black business owners and entrepreneurs, like herself.
“It’s incredibly needed,” Bates said. “There are so many people stuck who don’t know what resources are available to them. This [the Urban Business Resource Center] is incredibly useful because you actually see results from it.”
