Preliminary Agenda - Economic Recovery of Women- and Minority-Owned Businesses (August 18, 2021)

Summary

Preliminary agenda for a joint informational hearing of the Assembly Committee on Jobs, Economic Development, and the Economy and the Assembly Select Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, titled Economic Recovery of Women- and Minority-Owned Businesses, set for Wednesday, August 18, 2021, 2:00 pm, in the Assembly Chamber of the California State Capitol. It says the hearing examines the needs of women- and minority-owned small businesses during the latter stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Remarks on reopening challenges are listed for Nancy Swift and Pat Fong Kushida, a case study for Carmen Herrera-Mansir of El Pájaro Community Development Corporation, and a panel including Monica Ochoa and Andy Madeira. Written comments are encouraged through September 15, 2021.

Summary drafted by a model from the document's text below and checked by script against that text before publication. It is a navigation aid, not a reading of what the document proves. Where AI is used

Full text

 Assembly Committee on Jobs, Economic Development, and the Economy
  Assembly Select Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
                Economic Recovery of Women- and Minority-Owned Businesses
         Wednesday, August 18, 2021, at 2:00 pm in the Assembly Chamber of the California State Capitol

                                                   Preliminary AGENDA

The Assembly Committee on Jobs, Economic Development, and the Economy, and the Assembly Select Committee
on Small Business and Entrepreneurship are convening a joint informational hearing examining the needs of
women- and minority-owned small businesses during the latter stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is the
second in a series of hearings being held by the Select Committee, with future hearing topics focusing on workforce
development, access to capital, and regulatory hurdles. Information and recommendations received during the
hearing will serve as a foundation for oversight and evaluation of state programs and legislative proposals in the
coming Session.

I.   Welcome, Introductions, and Opening Statements
     Chairs and Members of the committees will give opening statements and frame the key issues to be examined
     during the hearing.

II. Challenges in Reopening California
     After 15 months of restricted commerce, California’s women- and minority-owned businesses face a range of
     challenges in reopening and being successful in the post-COVID-19 economy. Remarks will be provided by:
        Eugene Cornelius, Jr., Senior Director, Center for Regional Economics and California Center, Milken
         Institute [https://milkeninstitute.org/]
        Nancy Swift, Executive Director, Jefferson Economic Development Institute and Chair of California
         Women’s Business Center Network [http://e-jedi.org/]
        Pat Fong Kushida, President & CEO, California Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce
         [https://www.calasiancc.org]

III. Case Study: Transforming Communities by Supporting Women and Minority Entrepreneurs
     As part of its mission, in 1997, El Pájaro Community Development Corporation created a retail business
     incubator in downtown Watsonville to assist low- to moderate-income, Spanish-speaking entrepreneurs with
     starting and operating successful businesses. Named Plaza Vigil, this 16-space retail incubator has already
     supported the opening and scaling of dozens of local businesses. Through the incubator, small businesses can
     access training, business consulting, and administrative and marketing support. The recent addition of a
     separate Commercial Kitchen Incubator Program is currently supporting 33 food purveyors to start or expand
     their food businesses. In 2020, the El Pájaro Community Development Corporation was designated a Women
     Business Center by the US Small Business Administration.
        Carmen Herrera-Mansir, Executive Director, El Pájaro Community Development Corporation and host to
         the Regional Women’s Business Center serving Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz Counties
         [https://www.elpajarocdc.org/about-us/]

IV. Deeper Dive into California Inclusive Economic Recovery
     Panelists have been asked to provide specific examples and recommendations on steps that can be taken to
     support women- and minority-owned businesses to be full participants in the California comeback. The
     panelists include:
        Monica Ochoa, owner of 1Day Cleaning, an early-stage microbusiness that overcame business
         development challenges with the help of state, federal, and/or local programs and services.
         [www.1DayCleaningServices.com]
        Nicole McDonald, owner of S.T.E.A.M. Academy, a mature small business that has survived 16 months of
         COVID-19 restrictions and now requires capital, technical assistance, and additional staffing to reach the
         next stage in their business development. [https://steameducate.com/]
       Andy Madeira, Chief Executive Officer, East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation, a community
        development corporation that developed the COVID Commercial Tenant Resiliency Program for its
        commercial portfolio consisting of over 100 small business and non-profit tenants, the majority of which
        are minority and/or women owned business enterprises. [https://ebaldc.org/about-us/our-leadership/]

V. Public Comment
    Anyone interested in addressing the committees may speak for up to 3 minutes during the public comment
    period. Written comments are encouraged and may be submitted to ajed@asm.ca.gov through September 15,
    2021.

VI. Closing Remarks
    Assembly Members will make closing remarks and offer recommendations for further actions.




                            State Capitol - P.O. Box 942849 - Sacramento, CA 95814


File and source

File

2021-08-18_6august-18-agenda-public.pdf

Size

134,230 bytes

SHA-256

34300e2295ec9876bf313ab350e225bcb6332c3f45786a43c50ed5d05c017cb5

Our copy

2021-08-18_6august-18-agenda-public.pdf

Original

No public link identified.