[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 27 (Thursday, February 9, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H784]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   CELEBRATING BLACK BUSINESS OWNERS

  (Ms. BROWN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. BROWN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today ahead of National 
Entrepreneurship Week and during Black History Month to acknowledge and 
celebrate the remarkable contributions of Black business owners.
  Entrepreneurship drives economic growth and creates jobs, yet too few 
Black businesses have the capital and connections to start and scale 
successful companies, contributing to the racial wealth gap through 
entrepreneurial inequity.
  Here are the facts. Of the 6 million employer businesses in the U.S., 
just 130,000 are Black owned, barely more than 2 percent.
  My district's entrepreneurs are helping drive our region and Nation's 
economy forward, and I will share their stories as we celebrate Black 
Americans' past and present achievements.
  That includes people like Kanisha Harwell, owner of Balance Cheer and 
Gymnastics in my hometown of Warrensville Heights. Kanisha started her 
gym after experiencing the lack of support for diversity in gymnastics, 
taking on multiple jobs to fund the creation of an inclusive 
environment for Black athletes.
  Minority entrepreneurs are a vital asset to our economy, and I urge 
my colleagues to work with me to build a more equitable economy for 
all.

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