Aurora is moving further ahead with programs to create more opportunity for businesses owned by minorities and women.
The business equity plans for the coming year are many, according to those in charge of implementing them.
“We want to let our business owners know where the resources are,” said Michelle Clark, director of equity and inclusion for the city of Aurora. “It’s going to be a busy year for us. We want a very strong small business community.”
Clark, along with Jessica Price, Aurora’s minority women business enterprise purchasing coordinator, gave a report to the City Council recently outlining some of the work their office is doing.
It includes outreach to the business community, as well as programming to help minority- and women-owned businesses flourish.
The office stems from a 2021 disparity study the city did to find disparity and under-utilization of purchasing by the city to minority- and women-owned businesses. The study showed it was as high as 99.47% in the area of construction.
“So we wanted to act on this,” Price said.
The office reaches out to businesses with programs to show how to do business with the city of Aurora, a buying plan showcase, a reverse vendor fair and how to help businesses get certified in the state of Illinois Business Enterprise Program.
A workshop for the latter was held at City Hall recently by state officials.
Clark cited national statistics showing the wealth gap between white and Black families, as well as Hispanic and white families. She said officials want to “close that wealth gap.”
“We do this work because it is an economic imperative,” Clark said.
The city office is trying to expand the vendor pool and provide education for small businesses. Clark said this coming year, the city will be programming for business once a month.
Ald. Ted Mesiacos, 3rd Ward, asked if the city office has met with the building trades. Clark said they have, and will continue to do more in the future dedicated to attracting young people to the trades.
“They met with local unions on how to get more minorities involved in the trades,” said Mayor Richard Irvin. “We want to make sure we have equity.”
slord@tribpub.com
