Surdna Foundation Partners With U.S. Small Business Administration on Webinar Series to Support Women of Color Entrepreneurs

Rooted in shared values of racial equity, webinar series to support historically under-served entrepreneurs on journeys to start and grow their businesses

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Surdna Foundation’s Inclusive Economies Program and U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Office of Women’s Business Ownership announced today a three-part webinar series to support women of color entrepreneurs and business owners.

The webinar series, which kicks off on October 31, will expand access to resources and learning opportunities for women entrepreneurs on their journeys to start and grow their businesses. The webinars will spotlight lessons from seasoned thinkers and doers supporting entrepreneurs to navigate the start-up space as women of color. They will also offer information about the resources and technical assistance available to entrepreneurs through the SBA and other initiatives.

“We are honored to partner with the Small Business Administration on this webinar series highlighting the wisdom and lessons of Surdna’s visionary grantee partners,” said Patrice R. Green, Director of the Inclusive Economies Program at the Surdna Foundation. “We hope this series will help women of color entrepreneurs tap into resources to grow their businesses, learn together, and prevail against the headwinds of longstanding racial biases in our economy. Our goal is to help these entrepreneurs navigate the challenges of running a business so they can do what they do best: create new jobs, invigorate communities, and deliver outstanding products and services."

Monday’s session, taking place from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. EST, will spotlight resources for Latinx and Hispanic women business owners. Each subsequent webinar will highlight the experiences of and support available to different communities that have been historically under-served. The webinars are free, and all interested parties are encouraged to attend. The upcoming webinar schedule is as follows:

• October 31, 2022: Supporting Hispanic/Latinx Women’s Businesses featuring Surdna’s Patrice R. Green and SBA’s Donald Smith moderating a panel discussion between Lauren Maillian of digitalundivided, Marla Bilonick of the National Association of Latino Community Asset Builders, and Eduardo Gonzalez of the Office of Community & Economic Development at Fresno State, with special remarks from Mark Madrid of the SBA Office of Entrepreneurial Development.
  • Please register here to attend
• November 30, 2022: Women Investors and Capital Access
• December 15, 2022: Black Community Anchor Institutions

“Small business owners are pillars of our communities and key drivers of our economy. The SBA’s leadership and nationwide team live out our mission each day by working collectively to advocate for small businesses and empower the spirit of entrepreneurship within every community,” said Donald M. Smith, Acting Assistant Administrator for the Office of Women’s Business Ownership at the SBA. “The Office of Women’s Business Ownership is proud to partner with the Surdna Foundation on this critical initiative to expand and deliver necessary resources to foster the participation of women entrepreneurs in the economy, especially those who have been historically under-served or excluded.”

For more information on the webinar series and to register to attend, please visit our series page.

About The Surdna Foundation

The Surdna Foundation is a private, national family foundation that seeks to foster sustainable communities in the United States — communities guided by principles of social justice and distinguished by healthy environments, inclusive economies, and thriving cultures. Surdna’s Inclusive Economies Program encourages the creation of an equitable economy in which people of color can maximize their potential as leaders, creators, and innovators across sectors. Learn more: https://surdna.org/programs/inclusive-economies/.

About The U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.