[Editor’s Note: Sen. Price (D-Culver City) will review his year in Sacramento over the next three days.]
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At Black Caucus conference, from left: Sen. Price, Assemblymember Holly Mitchell (D-Culver City), Bernard J. Tyson, President/Chief Operating Officer, Kaiser Permamente, and Assemblymembers Isadore Hall (D-Compton) and Mike Davis (D-Inglewood).
In keeping with my commitment to develop international trade opportunities with sub-Saharan Africa, I co-hosted the African Diaspora Marketplace Road Show, an informational forum that will help educate interested parties about a business plan competition and financial support available for businesses seeking to develop innovative enterprises on the African continent. The forum was held on Dec. 6 in the Wallis Annenberg Building in Exposition Park.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in partnership with the Western Union Co., is sponsoring the second African Diaspora Marketplace, which offers support to U.S.-based African diaspora entrepreneurs with ideas for start-up and established businesses in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2010, the Marketplace awarded more than a dozen matching grants of $100,000 to winning business entries in seven countries.
The second round of the Marketplace will focus grants toward high-priority, high-impact sectors in Africa, including agribusiness, renewable energy and information and communication technology, according to the USAID.
I developed an interest in international trade, particularly enhancing trade and commerce with Africa, when I traveled throughout the sub-Saharan continent, and subsequently working with the SBA. It was there that I embraced the idea that American businesses could help themselves, while helping to spur growth and opportunity and freedom in the rest of the world. Many regions of Africa are rising to the challenges of the 21st Century and in the process of helping to transform African into a global hub for progress and prosperity.
The Black Caucus
As Chairman of the California Legislative Black Caucus, I was happy to work with our Co-Chair, Assembly Member, Mike Davis and the other six members to host a Policy Conference to address the disparities that exist for African Americans in the areas of employment, health, education and the criminal justice system to develop a Black Caucus legislative package for next year. Panels of experts addressed these issues during the two-day conference that was held at LAX Westin Hotel. Among the keynote speakers were U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters, U.S. Rep. Karen Bass and former Rep. Gwen Moore. Business leaders participating in the conference included Bernard J. Tyson, President & COO, Kaiser Permanente and Ken McNeely, President, AT&T.
Members of the Black Caucus participated in a lively and informative Town Hall and numerous members of the business community were feted including.
The members of the Legislative Black Caucus must focus on the areas where our community is hurting and create policy that will empower our community and alleviate the suffering.
(To be continued)
