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FULTON, Md. (WJZ) — August is National Black Business Month, a clip to observe Black-owned businesses and Black entrepreneurs.
According to authorities data, Maryland is the astir supportive authorities for Black-owned businesses. It’s location to Black-owned establishments similar restaurants, gyms and boutiques. And some, similar Gerrard Sheppard’s Sunset Raw Juice Bar successful Fulton.
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“We are the archetypal foodstuff barroom successful Howard County, truthful it feels bully to marque our people here,” Sheppard said. “Health doesn’t person a sex oregon a color, wellness is for everyone. So present we are to amusement you that you tin heal from the wrong out. ”
Sheppard, a erstwhile Towson University shot subordinate who played connected the Baltimore Ravens signifier squad earlier stints successful the Canadian Football League and Alliance of American Football, said helium wants to pb the mode for aboriginal entrepreneurs.
He said helium wants “to besides amusement kids that look similar us, that lucifer america to cognize there’s anticipation and you tin actually, if you pursuit your dreams, if you enactment hard enough, you tin execute precisely what you privation to achieve.”
The Maryland Office of Tourism is encouraging radical to instrumentality the clip to observe the interaction of Black-owned businesses, who could usage the assistance coming retired of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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“A batch of them are family-owned, mom-and-pop shops,” said Ana Hall-DeFoor, a tourism bureau spokeswoman. “They’re a portion of our section system — they enactment jobs and assistance enactment families successful your area.”
Raina Smallwood was forced to adjacent her erstwhile store during the pandemic but, with the enactment of the community, opened up Adorn Vintage Furniture successful Baltimore City.
“I deliberation a batch of Black-owned businesses for a agelong clip didn’t get the backing and designation that they astir apt should have, truthful it’s large that we instrumentality this clip to present astir of these businesses”
The anticipation is that by promoting these establishments, Marylanders tin make connections with caller stores and enactment section businesses for the agelong term.
“Because you cognize that goes backmost into the community,” Smallwood said. “You spell to 1 achromatic concern and the dollar circulates, and that’s truly really important.”
Amy Kawata
English (US) ·