State of Black Business Investing in Black Arizonans is
pursuing inclusive strategies that
Arizona communities are
critical to the future of Arizona’s
address the challenges facing
missing opportunities to become
economy. The Grand Canyon
entrepreneurs of color.
more resilient, invigorate economic development and tap
State cannot reach its full growth and development potential
Few successful business
the power and innovation of
without understanding and acting
ventures start without a strong
entrepreneurialism. Investing in
upon the merits of inclusive
foundation. Entrepreneurs or
Black business through community-
prosperity. Such a forward focus
business owners are required
driven policies and practices that
would leverage emerging trends
to understand the market and
remove barriers to full participation
and address well-documented
effectively leverage both social
in the larger economy, including
economic disparities rooted in
and economic capital. Black/
access to capital and systemic
multigenerational policies and
African Americans face unique
inequity, is sound, comprehensive
practices. Today, Black/African
barriers to entrepreneurship. To
economic and community
Americans have the highest
help grow entrepreneurship and
development strategy.
percentage growth rate in the
investment in Black businesses,
state, but entrepreneurship
we must better understand the
This State of Black Business report
and investments in Black-
social and economic experiences
begins to fill in the knowledge
owned businesses have failed
and perspectives of Black
gap about Arizona’s diverse
to keep pace with demographic
entrepreneurs and create data-
economy. It is an African American
growth trends. Gathering data
driven solutions.
perspective that is shared in the interest of creating inclusive
and strengthening businesscommunity connections are
By knowing little about the
prosperity as a matter of good
critical steps in identifying and
growing state of Black business,
business for Arizona.
State of Black Business
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