ASPIRE is Relentless in its Solidarity with the Black Lives Matter Movement

 Our community is very important to us. We are saddened by the continuous criminal acts people in power have created for minorities, specifically in the Black community. This is not the time to watch silently. It is no longer an option to pretend to be color blind and act as though we all have the same rights and access to resources. What core problems are consistently faced in many Black communities? A shaky economic structure, a lack of equity and inclusion, and nearly insurmountable barriers to entry for entrepreneurship opportunities. We commit to being relentless in leading the charge to bring more harmony to our community. Every human being deserves to have equal safety, access to education and capital, and other resources necessary for advancement.

In June 2019, ASPIRE facilitated a roundtable titled, “Act On: Entrepreneurship as a Catalyst for Equity and Inclusion.” The session brought together over 40 of Charlotte, North Carolina’s finest leaders. It was only the beginning of the work we are committed to doing to move from discussion to collective impact on the issues of inclusion, equity, and entrepreneurship. We are grateful for the insightful contributions to this dialog, which was designed to facilitate conversations on race, segregation, and their impacts on upward mobility in Charlotte. One year later, hate crimes continue and are being performed right in our faces. In response, we will continue this dialog and ensure everyone has a seat at the table at our ASPIRE Conversations – panel discussions, live-streamed on our Facebook page, designed to address the systemic causes of the issues we are facing, with actionable tasks we can all participate in to make a direct and immediate difference. We must take a larger stance on the rights that we have not only as human beings, but as Black women and men who work hard and deserve to enjoy life and achieve success. The time for radical change is now. It’s time for us all to be relentless.

ASPIRE is the only nonprofit of its kind in Charlotte, NC, actively focused on sending Black entrepreneurs through comprehensive business training and providing resources to assist them on their entrepreneurial journey. During this time, as Black Lives Matter is in a much-needed spotlight, ASPIRE is working to heal our local community, bring awareness to and support change at the city, county, and state levels. We stand in solidarity with and for the Black Lives Matter movement – emphasizing the elevation, support and advocacy of Black-owned businesses.

How can you stand with us? Be relentless in your commitment to helping Black entrepreneurs. First, join the conversation! In order for real change to take place, we need to get to the heart of broken systems that allow social inequities to continue. Second, we strongly encourage you to support black-owned businesses in Charlotte as often as you can by purchasing their products and services. A listing of local Black-owned businesses can be found on the ASPIRE website, and businesses will be promoted on our social media pages. Third, sponsor a Black business owner’s participation in the ASPIRE entrepreneurial training program so they can develop independence, build their business acumen, and obtain the resources they need for entrepreneurial long term success. For more information and to make your commitment for immediate change, visit our website, https://aspirecommunitycapital.org. ‘We need your support because our Black Businesses Matter!!!