How are small businesses doing now, a year into the pandemic, and what do they need going forward? Who can and should help? Small businesses are a critical driver of the nation’s economy, and when COVID-19 hit, they struggled to stay open, pay employees, buy materials, and draw customers. Their challenges have rippled throughout the national economy.
We invite you to register for and share with your networks, colleagues, and peers an upcoming event—A Year of Crisis, and Now What? Where Our Main Streets Go from Here—a live panel discussion on April 8 at 2:00 pm CT. The panelists are minority small-business owners and community lenders from varied corners of the country, representing urban boroughs and rural counties, and include
- Suzanne Anarde, CEO, Rural Community Assistance Corporation
- Elmy Bermejo, owner, Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant
- John Chin, executive director, Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation
- Gary R. Woods, former chairman, Oklahoma City Black Chamber of Commerce
- Alfreda Norman, senior vice president, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas
- Matuschka Lindo Briggs, director, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (moderator)
During this Connecting Communities event, our panelists, some of whom we featured in a External Linkstory series last year that explored the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, will share their experiences and insights one year into the pandemic. What’s at stake when small businesses in underserved areas and their lenders struggle? External LinkJoin us to learn more and contribute to this vital conversation.