DIALOG is delighted to sponsor the San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR) forum, “Breaking Barriers, Building Wealth: Policies for Supporting BIPOC-Owned Businesses,” taking place at the SPUR Urban Center in San Francisco on Wednesday, August 23, 2023, from 9 to 10 a.m. PT.

Small businesses are critical components of the social and economic vibrancy of neighbourhoods in the Bay Area. According to research from the Institute of Governmental Studies at UC Berkeley, an estimated 29 per cent of all businesses in the nine counties are Black-, Indigenous-, and People of Colour-owned (BIPOC). Entrepreneurship is one proven pathway of economic success for BIPOC communities, but these businesses have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic and subsequent economic slowdown.

As the San Francisco Bay Area seeks to boost its economy, it is important to understand the policies put in place that help BIPOC-owned businesses thrive. The August 23 discussion will address how local agencies and organizations are helping to sustain the growth of BIPOC-owned small businesses through federal funding, city-wide initiatives, and the provision of resources and opportunities to entrepreneurs in the region.

Speakers:

• Tiffany Carter, Chef + Owner, Boug Cali; Commissioner, SF Small Business Commission; Co-Founder, SF Black Wallstreet
• Michelle Huang, Associate, PolicyLink
• Diana Ponce De Leon, Director of Community and Economic Development, Office of Economic & Workforce Development, City of San Francisco

Moderated by SPUR’s San Francisco Director Sujata Srivastava.

This event is reserved for SPUR business members and invited guests only. 

About SPUR Association

SPUR — the San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association — is a member-supported non-profit public policy organization based in San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland. Recognized as a leading civic planning organization, SPUR brings people together from across the political spectrum to develop holistic solutions to the big urban problems cities face.

If you want to get involved in conversations that address the future of the Bay Area, join the SPUR Community.