By Harry C. Alford & Kay DeBow

The NBCC is dedicated to economically empowering and sustaining African American communities through entrepreneurship and capitalistic activity within the United States and the Black Diaspora. NBCC provides resources to support the development of startups and established minority & women owned businesses.

The NBCC was incorporated in Washington, DC in March 1993. The NBCC is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, nonsectarian organization dedicated to the economic empowerment of African American communities. 120 affiliated chapters are locally based throughout the nation as well as international affiliated chapters based in Bahamas, Brazil, Colombia, Ghana, Kenya, France, Botswana, Cameroon and Jamaica and businesses as well as individuals who may have chosen to be direct members with the national office.

The NBCC is a 501(c)3 corporation that is on the leading edge of educating and training Black communities on the need to participate vigorously in this great capitalistic society known as America.

The National Black Chamber of Commerce’s (NBCC) 27th Annual Conference is being held in Atlanta, Georgia July 24-27, 2019. Our theme is Economic Empowerment Through Entrepreneurial Pursuits.

Our Atlanta affiliate, Georgia Greater Black Chamber of Commerce, will connect us with a portion of the Black businesses throughout Georgia. Among states, Georgia had the largest total number with 256,848 black-owned businesses and accounted for 9.9 percent of the nation’s black-owned businesses, according to Black Demographics. Black businesses comprise 26% of Georgia businesses which is the second largest percentage in the nation. In 2018 Georgia ranked number one in the U.S. for small business climate and number two for most startups by women.

Black Demographics also states Black owned businesses in the United States increased by 34.5% between 2007 and 2012 totaling 2.6 million Black firms. About 4 in 10 black-owned businesses (1.1 Million) in 2012 operated in the health care, social assistance; and other services such as repair, maintenance, personal and laundry services sectors.

Black businesses account for over $138 billion in revenue each year according to the US Bureau of Census.

Governor Brian P. Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp attest, “With low taxes, a business-friendly government, beautiful natural resources, Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, and the Port of Savannah, we feed the world with Georgia Grown products, lead the nation in aerospace, cyber innovation, and FinTech, and we proudly embrace our “Hollywood of the South” designation.

We are expecting entrepreneurs, business professionals, corporate and government representatives to attend this amazing conference. Our Diaspora panels attract attendees from France, Ghana, Colombia, Nigeria, and Kenya.

The panel topics are varied and include some of the most urgent topics of today including Telemedicine, Cyber Security and Privacy. Capital Access, Energy, Telecom, Tech, Inclusion & Diversity, Diaspora Trade, Ports & Trade are also of paramount interest to today’s entrepreneur. We also will spend a day exploring the business of film, music, and fashion with Master Class instruction.

If your community does not have a Black Chamber of Commerce, then someone in your community needs to step forward. If you are interested in starting your own chamber, join us and learn from business leaders the do’s and don’ts and best practices of chamber building.

Our four-day conference offers an opening reception, 2 days of entrepreneurial resources through paneled discussions, and high-level networking with successful entrepreneurs and business leaders complemented by intimate breakout sessions. On the last day of the conference, we venture into the community for breakfast and recap.

Participants will engage in informative dialogues with national and international leaders. Last year’s speakers included Senator Tim Scott, NNPA’s Dr. Benjamin Chavis & Chairman Dorothy Leavell and Pastor Jamal Bryant to name a few. This year’s conference hotel is the Atlanta Airport Marriott Gateway (http://bit.ly/2UnsdSk) from July 24th – 27th, 2019. (Rooms are $159 for a king and $169 for a double. Reservations may also be made by calling 800-228-9290.) We are holding a small group of rooms at this discounted price.

We are certain this year’s NBCC conference will be of interest to you. Please contact kdebow@nationalbcc.org if you would like to support our conference; sponsorships start at $500 and up. We look forward to networking with you, register for this event at http://bit.ly/2PS7aoP.

Mr. Alford is the Co-Founder, President/CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce ®. Ms. DeBow is the Co-Founder, Executive Vice President of the Chamber. Website: www.nationalbcc.org