Corporate commitments changed. Ours did not.
In the last few years, many companies made big promises about equity. They hired diversity leaders, launched Black business initiatives, and spoke boldly about closing gaps. As political pressure and economic uncertainty grew, those budgets were often the first to go. Roles disappeared. Programs quietly wound down. A lot of organizations didn’t even try to keep up the appearance; once the dust settled after George Floyd, they simply moved on.

Black Business Enterprises has lived the impact of that shift. The phone doesn’t ring the way it did in 2020, but the needs in our community have only grown. At the same time, membership fees and dues across our BBE community have dropped significantly. The very base that built this place — our members, our partners, our neighbors — has been stretched thin.

We cannot wait for corporations to rediscover their commitments.

We also can’t pretend that grants and short-term initiatives will ever be enough to sustain the kind of work BBE does every day. What has always made the difference here is us — the people who understand that Black business is not a line item or a trend. It is how families eat. It is how we hire each other. It is how we build something to pass on.

This campaign is our call back to that truth.

If you’ve ever come to BBE for help forming your business, fixing your credit, finding a resource, hosting a meeting, or just needing a place where you didn’t have to explain who you are — you are part of this story. We are asking you to join us in reimagining what Black Business Enterprises can be in this next chapter.

Your contribution — whether it looks like renewing or upgrading your membership, or making a one-time gift — helps us:

Keep our doors open, with lights on, Wi-Fi working, and a safe, professional place for Black entrepreneurs to gather and work
Offer business formation, credit support, and technical assistance to founders who are starting, pivoting, or rebuilding after job loss
Maintain homeownership and financial readiness programming so that Black families can move from surviving to owning
Provide accessible meeting and coworking space for entrepreneurs who no longer have access to an office or a supportive workplace
Build the internal capacity BBE needs to stay stable, responsive, and rooted in community — not in shifting corporate priorities

We are not asking you to replace anyone’s broken promises. We are inviting you to be part of a real, local, long-term answer.

We are reimagining Black Business Enterprises so it can stand for decades to come. We want to do that with you, not without you.

the not so fine print:

Black business is our focus, but we do not discriminate. Black is the blueprint for our work and our lens, and we welcome and support BBE members of all backgrounds, including people of every race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, pregnancy status, marital or family status, immigration status, and veteran status.

Join Us in Reimagining What’s Possible for Black Business