MILWAUKEE, WI. — State Treasurer Sarah Godlewski joined Representative LaKeshia Myers and Senator Lena Taylor to visit Black-Owned Businesses in Milwaukee on Aug 22nd, to celebrate Black Business Month and to hear from local Black entrepreneurs. 

The first stop was at the Granville Business Improvement District’s new multipurpose retail space. Serving as an entrepreneurial hub, this site will provide an array of resources and retail space to support local business owners. As a result, entrepreneurs are turning their ideas into thriving businesses.

Next, the officials visited several businesses within the Granville network, including Adom African Market, Mchete’s African Treasures, the Igbo Community Center, and Falling Into Loving Arms Daycare. The owners spoke about the challenges they’ve faced in receiving financing to help their businesses grow.

“I am grateful to the wonderful business owners we met for sharing their stories with us, and I’m so happy that Representative Myers and Senator Taylor joined for these tours,” said Treasurer Godlewski. “During Black Business Month, it’s important to remember that businesses like the ones we visited yesterday are not only essential to their communities, but create jobs to support our state’s economy. We must continue to find ways to support Black-Owned businesses year-round.”

“This was a great opportunity for these Black-Owned businesses to connect with the state," said Senator Taylor.  “What Treasurer Godlewski did yesterday is not done nearly enough. She listened and was engaged, learning of both the challenges and opportunities that these businesses face. As a state, we should do everything in our power to support locally and Black-Owned businesses. Representative Myers and I understand that, while this month gives us a chance to elevate this crucial issue, we are committed to the success of these businesses all year long.”

Representative Myers said, “Black businesses have been essential to rebounding our economy. They also help circulate dollars within our neighborhoods by providing goods and services to the community. As big box retailers have downsized their footprint across the country, small minority-owned businesses have filled the gap. Black Business Month is a celebration of these entrepreneurs.”

The US Census estimates that there are around 134,567 Black-Owned businesses in the United States that create over 1.3 million jobs and over $40 billion in annual payroll. 12.3% of small businesses in Milwaukee are Black-Owned, and these businesses provide hundreds of thousands of jobs that are crucial to local families, communities, and economies. During Black Business Month and beyond, support local Black-Owned small businesses in your community! Not sure where to start? View the resources below for some ideas:

- MKE Black Business Directory: https://mkeblack.org/business-directory/ 

- ConnectBlack: https://connectblack.madison365.com/ 

- Madison Black Chamber of Commerce Directory: https://www.madisonblackchamber.com/directory/ 

- Black-owned businesses to explore while traveling: https://bit.ly/3pv0dNW