MBDA Agency

The Minority Business Development Agency pays tribute to the rich ancestry and traditions of Native Americans as we approach the final days of Native American Heritage Month.  According to the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, “What started at the turn of the century as an effort to gain a day of recognition for the significant contributions the first Americans made to the establishment and growth of the U.S., has resulted in a whole month being designated for that purpose.”

President Obama created the White House Business Council to hear directly from business owners about what the Administration can do more of – or less of – to help create jobs; and to ensure that businesses are aware of the programs and resources that can help their companies grow. That’s exactly what occurred last week at the White House Business Council Forum on Business in Indian Country. The Forum brought Native American and Alaska Native business owners together with non-profit Indian Country support organizations to discuss ideas that can lead to job creation and economic expansion. We were proud to have the participation of Acting Secretary of Commerce, Dr. Rebecca Blank, who listened and responded candidly to a number of concerns, suggestions and feedback.

Overall, the day’s dialogue centered around three core challenges—preparing and retaining future leaders and entrepreneurs; raising capital for emerging businesses; and finding domestic and international markets for tribal commodities such as natural resources and agricultural products.

Each year, from September 15 to October 15, the United States observes Hispanic Heritage Month. During this time we celebrate the rich histories, contributions, and cultures of those Americans with ancestry traced back to Latin America and Spain. From the trailblazers of politics and justice such as Romualdo Pacheco and Sonia Sotomayor to advances in science and medicine made by Luis Walter Alvarez and Antonia Novello, we take this time to reflect on the history and future. A major economic contribution of the Hispanic American population is their entrepreneurial spirit and the success of Hispanic-owned businesses.

Minority-owned firms have historically been a significant part of our nation’s economy. They have been a model for growth and development throughout the decades, even in the most financially difficult times. Hispanic-owned firms in particular have served as a cornerstone for economic development and U.S. prosperity. According to 2007 figures from the U.S. Census Bureau (the most recent data available), these firms generated $351 billion in economic output towards the U.S. economy, along with creating 1.9 million jobs. Their prospects for job growth are ever-increasing, with trend analysis showing that Hispanic-owned firms outpace the growth of non-minority-owned firms, in gross receipts, employment, and number of firms between 2002 and 2007.

On day three of National Director David Hinson’s five-day U.S. interagency trip to Brazil, he met with a group of prominent Afro-Brazilian entrepreneurs from Bahia, which has one of the largest Afro-Brazilian populations in the country. Dialogue between Hinson and Afro-Brazilian business owners centered on the many challenges they face. In addition to their biggest obstacle—the ability to obtain the capital financing required for their businesses to grow—they discussed a number of industries that offer the most promise for them, citing automobiles, tourism, construction, cosmetics, and mining.

One member of this group was Ms. Ana Matos, who managed to build a successful cosmetics manufacturing plant in Salvador, one of the nine municipalities in the northern region. In spite of the many obstacles and challenges common to Afro-Brazilians, Ms. Matos’s company, GenteBonita, is worth $3 million.

David Hinson is National Director of the Minority Business Development Agency. He is currently in Brazil as a member of a Federal interagency delegation on the U.S.-Brazil Joint Action Plan to Eliminate Racial Inequality.