Blog Posts Related to the African American Community

  • Secretary Chu and Representative Clyburn attend the Small Business Summit in South Carolina

    Posted by Nicole Young on August 24, 2011 at 10:09 AM EDT

    On Tuesday, August 22, 2011, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu visited South Carolina to participate in a series of events with Congressman James Clyburn highlighting the role of small business in a clean energy economy. 
     
    Tuesday morning, Secretary Chu joined Congressman Clyburn; Marie Johns, Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration; Jon Carson, Director of Office of Public Engagement at the White House; and Marc Morial, President of the  National Urban League for a summit with small business owners at Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College in Orangeburg, SC. 

    In the afternoon, Secretary Chu attended a ribbon cutting ceremony for a wind turbine and an event with the SC Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Alliance at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC with Congressman Clyburn.

    Read more about Secretary Chu's visit at the University of South Carolina website.

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  • Finding Resilience in Detroit

    Posted by Torya Blanchard on August 23, 2011 at 10:21 AM EDT

    Ed. Note: Champions of Change is a weekly initiative to highlight Americans who are making an impact in their communities and helping our country rise to meet the many challenges of the 21st century.

    On August 18th, 2011, I was honored to be a recipient of Champion of Change, “Winning the Future” award and to be invited White House to discuss the role of small businesses in changing America’s future.  

    My journey to becoming a small business owner came more from a passion to do what I loved than from any previous business experience or education. In April 2008, I had what I called my “Fight Club moment.” I quit my comfortable job as a French teacher, much to everyone’s disbelief, I cashed out my 401K that I had accumulated from 5 years of teaching and set out to open Good Girls Go To Paris Crepes, a 48 sq foot “crepe stand” in downtown Detroit. Three years later, the crepe stand is now a 2,000 sq foot crepe restaurant, serving 50 varieties of crepes in Midtown Detroit, with a 2,000 sq ft sister Good Girls restaurant in Grosse Pointe Park, MI set to open the first week of September! In September, I’m opening a breakfast/lunch restaurant in Hamtramck, MI called Ootie’s, a vintage clothing store next to the Good Girls locations in Grosse Pointe Park and my most ambitious project, “Rodin” a 3,000 sq foot bar/lounge next to the Good Girls location in Midtown set to open in October.

    I’m sure some of you are asking, “how did a former French teacher open up and expand up a series of restaurants at the beginning of a recession that is continuing to this day?” My answer is simple and it lies in the fact that I am from the most resilient place on the planet, Detroit. Only in Detroit.

    The past three years have not been particularly kind to Detroit. The recession hit Michigan in the worst way possible. We almost lost our auto industry, our housing market was decimated, a scary apocalyptic media coverage, mass exodus of young professionals from the state.  So what’s next for us? Do we resign ourselves the doom and gloom or do we pick ourselves up and keep going?

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    Learn more about Economy, Startup America, Urban Policy, Women

  • Jobs, Healthcare, and Education Resources for the African American Community

    Posted by Michael Blake on August 12, 2011 at 7:29 PM EDT

    President Obama is deeply committed to securing the future prosperity of the African American community, whether through investing in underserved communities or closing education achievement gaps. In accordance with the Administration's vision, winning the future for African Americans means addressing the community's specific needs with the right resources. To bring economic relief and equal opportunity, the following list contains resources and websites we'd like to highlight--resources that promote job creation, increase access to higher education, and help out in healthcare coverage.

    Spurring Jobs and Small Businesses: In these difficult economic times, reducing unemployment and a balanced approach to deficit reduction is at the top of our list. A key role to turning the economy around is investing in small businesses in underserved, low-income areas:

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    Learn more about Economy, Innovations, Startup America, Education, Health Care, Urban Policy, Working Families

  • Public-Private Partnerships Advance Economic Transformation

    Posted by John Fernandez on August 10, 2011 at 4:19 PM EDT

    Detroit Regional Chamber

    John Fernandez, U.S Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development and Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration, meets with Sandy Baruah, President and CEO of the Detroit Regional Chamber.

    Ed Note: Cross-posted from the Commerce blog.

    Last week, I had the pleasure of visiting Detroit, Mich., to see firsthand how close collaboration between the public and private sectors is working to transform the region’s economy and create the businesses and jobs of the future.  I was pleased to be joined by Sandy Baruah, President and CEO of the Detroit Regional Chamber and also my predecessor at the U.S. Department of Commerce during the Bush administration. 

    The trip was a great opportunity to witness how the economic landscape in America’s "Motor City" is being transformed, particularly around the emerging and robust information technology and robotics cluster, which is thriving due to the city’s skilled talent pool, affordable retail opportunities and urban attractions such as the Fox Theater and Detroit Opera House.

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  • President Obama to Deliver Remarks at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Dedication

    Posted by Nicole Young on August 4, 2011 at 2:03 PM EDT

    On Sunday, August 28, 2011, the 48th anniversary of the historic "I Have a Dream" speech, President Obama will deliver remarks at the Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial dedication on the National Mall.  The memorial, which will be located between the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials, will commemorate the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his contributions to world peace through non-violent social change.

    For more information, please visit www.DedicatetheDream.org

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  • Myths and Facts About the Debt-Ceiling Compromise

    Posted by Jon Carson on August 4, 2011 at 10:47 AM EDT

    Debt Deal Graphic

    The budget compromise removes the cloud of uncertainty over the economy, and takes important steps toward reducing our deficit. In that sense, it’s a win for all Americans. (A picture is worth a thousand words, so click here to see an infographic on exactly how this agreement will work going forward.)

    Here at the Office of Public Engagement, we’ve been working overtime to help explain all the details of this deal – and why we think it’s a win for our shared agenda. We also know that in the rush to figure out exactly what the deal is all about, there has been a lot of inaccurate information and analysis. 

    Below, I’ve tried to address, head-on, some the most common misconceptions we’ve been hearing about the deal. 

    Myth: President Obama caved.

    Fact: President Obama laid out key priorities that had to be part of any deal. Those priorities are reflected in this compromise. First, we avoided default which would have plunged the economy into a deep recession, imperiling the well-being of millions of Americans. Second, the initial down payment on deficit reductions does not cut low-income and safety-net programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. Third, we set up a path forward that will put pressure on Congress to adopt a balanced approach. And finally, we raised the debt ceiling until 2013, ensuring that House Republicans could not use the threat of default in just a few months to force severe cuts in Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

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    Learn more about Debt Debate, Economy