Minority

May 18 event to provide matchmaking opportunities for vendors and minority- and women-owned businesses

By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture

New customers are critical to any business, and a May 18 matchmaking event will offer opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses to connect with public and private sector vendors.

A MATCH IN THE MAKING — Melanie Berman, director of Arkansas APEX Accelerator for the Division of Agriculture, said the upcoming May 18 Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Matchmaking event will provide important tools and networking opportunities for small businesses. (Division of Agriculture photo.)

The Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Matchmaking Event will take place from 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. at the Ron Robinson Theater and the Rock It! Lab, both located in the CALS Library Square in downtown Little Rock. Check-in begins at 7:30 a.m. Registration is free, and participants must register online at info.arkansasedc.com/matchmaking2023 by May 12.

The event is hosted by the Arkansas APEX Accelerator — formerly known as Arkansas PTAC — in partnership with the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and the Arkansas District Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration. The schedule will include 15-minute matchmaking appointments, where business owners can discuss possible contracts for their goods and services with buying representatives. These representatives are matched with business owners based on information provided during registration.

The keynote speaker is Edward “Ted” James, who was appointed by President Joe Biden to serve as the U.S. Small Business Administration’s regional administrator for Region 6 South Central Region. James oversees the administration of Small Business Administration products and services in ten district offices in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.

Arkansas APEX Accelerator is also offering a webinar on May 11 from 10:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. with tips for navigating the matchmaking event. Topics will include the role of certifications, vendor registration sites, market research sources and marketing tools specific to the government marketplace. There is no cost to register at bit.ly/pre-matchmaking-workshop.

Opportunities for underserved small businesses

Melanie Berman, Arkansas APEX Accelerator program director for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said the event provides critical tools for small and minority-owned businesses.

“Underserved small businesses have faced barriers in accessing capital, credit and other tools necessary for growth,” Berman said. “They are often located in inner cities and rural areas and often include women, people of color, veterans, tribal groups and others. Participating in the annual Minority and Women-Owned Business Matchmaking event will connect business owners with government buyers, small business support organizations such as Arkansas APEX accelerator, and other area businesses.”

Berman will also moderate the Success Stories from Minority- and Women-Owned Businesses panel at the event, where attendees will hear from successful business owners about how they navigate the world of government procurement. She said APEX Accelerator counselors can help business owners prepare to make the most of the matchmaking event.

“Businesses of all levels may attend the event, which may give them a competitive advantage with the government buyer,” Berman said. “However, businesses must manage expectations and properly prepare for their one-on-one meetings. APEX Accelerator counselors are here to help businesses prepare for the matchmaking event.”

APEX Accelerator is part of the Cooperative Extension Service’s Community, Professional and Economic Development Unit. The extension service is part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uark.edu. Follow on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.

New Non-Profit Group Completes Artwork Project in De Queen

NEWS RELEASE

Minority Affairs Council Contact: 720-477-9659

May 5th, 2021 DQUnity@Gmail.com

MAC mural.jpg

New Non-Profit Group Completes Artwork Project in De Queen

DE QUEEN, AR— A new inclusive local organization has brought a “Welcome to De Queen” mural to Sevier County as their first community project this month.

The Minority Affairs Council of Southwest Arkansas (MAC) launched the effort after a series of vandalisms emerged around the town late last year. To bring the project to life, the group rallied area partners, hired an artist and collaborated with the community to develop a vision for the design.

The multi-panel work of art was created by Texarkana-based artist Darlene Taylor and features a splash of colors and characters, along with greetings in Spanish, Choctaw, Marshallese and various languages. On May 1st, a dedication and prayer gathering was held by MAC and open to the community. The painting site is located at the “Storage-N-Lock” building owned by De Queen Schools Librarian Betty Stone on the Eastern edge of town.

In addition to covering up graffiti and bringing a new work of art the city, MAC also wanted to complete the mural project as an example of how residents can take action to create change in their community.

After holding open forums in the fall of 2020 and early 2021 to generate interest, MAC formed with the purpose of bringing area residents from different backgrounds, ethnicities, religions, genders and socioeconomic status together with a common goal: Unity.

The group has committed to organizing events and projects that will uplift the underserved and unite the Sevier County Community as a whole.

Local partners who helped organize and support the “Welcome to De Queen” mural project include artist funding by SmartPhone EMT De Queen, paint provided by James and Suzanne Babb purchased from Bailey Discount Building Supply, videography by Chris Chandler, fuel sponsorship from MAC members and beverages for the artist sponsored by Jitterbug Java in De Queen.

The group would like to say “Thank you” to all supporters and invite the public out to the next meeting, Friday May 7th at 6:30 pm at The De Queen Sportsplex. (Alternate location to be determined in the event of inclement weather.)

All meetings are open to the public and available on Facebook live. Ideas for the next group project are welcome and can be submitted to @DQunity@gmail.com or the “Minority Affairs Council” Facebook page online.