Space Coast Black Chamber of Commerce joins advocacy efforts during Black Chamber Day at the Capitol
By: SCBCC News Media
The Space Coast Black Chamber of Commerce in a historic move, took a group of innovative thought leaders and small business owners to Tallahassee to advocate for BIPOC owned business on Florida’s Space Coast. Black Chamber Day at the Capitol served as an opportunity to engage elected officials, attend important committee meetings, and interact with key State of Florida staff in order to discuss the ongoing needs of the BIPOC business community. The group was led by the Chamber’s Founder, President & CEO, Victoria Jones and one of the recent Leadership Brevard 4 Under 40 award recipients.
Jones founded the Space Coast Black Chamber of Commerce in June 2020, and the Chamber has created a fast growing ecosystem for businesses and organizations on the Space Coast to have a platform that advocates for the creation and growth of competitive, profitable, and sustainable entities. The mission of the Space Coast Black Chamber of Commerce, Inc. (SCBC) is to serve as the principal advocate and preeminent leader in fostering economic success for businesses and organizations on the Space Coast through collaboration. Last year, the Chamber hosted its inaugural Launching Black Excellence Awards Gala – naming the awards after iconic civil rights figures who impacted Brevard. The Chamber has announced it will host its next gala on August 25, 2023 to include the installation of the 2023-2024 Board of Directors.
The Florida Association of Black Chambers of Commerce (FABCC) hosted the second annual Black Chamber Day at the Capitol with a kickoff welcome reception hosted on March 27, 2023 sponsored by Florida Prepaid College, FP&L, Visit Tallahassee, Enterprise Florida and the Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) served as the guest speaker for the advocacy event luncheon on March 28, 2023. The Florida Association of Black Chambers currently has 17 black chambers across the state of Florida under its umbrella. The association’s mission is to improve entrepreneurial opportunities and economic conditions for their member chambers, affiliates, and the communities that they serve through advocacy, chamber development, and building partnerships to expand networks and resources.
Jones also announced plans for the SCBCC to work with the US Chamber after joining the organization – to host a symposium regarding trade in Africa through the US Chamber’s International Affairs Africa Program. According to the US Chamber, “Since 2009, the U.S.-Africa Business Center (USAfBC) has been the preeminent voice advocating for increased trade between the U.S. and Africa, with a focus on leading the U.S. business community into deeper engagement with Africa’s regional economic communities, the established African private sector, and small and medium enterprises from Africa and the U.S. Its relationships with key members of Congress, the administration, and foreign governments open doors for strategic dialogues that advance private sector involvement in Africa. With a new African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) uniting 54 nations into the world’s largest trade bloc, a burgeoning population set to double by 2050, and the AfCFTA set to grow Africa’s GDP by $450 billion, the commercial imperative to engage with Africa has never been clearer. The continent’s potential for U.S. business remains largely underestimated and misunderstood, but the time for the U.S. to tap into the world’s next big growth market is now–accelerating growth in Africa and at home.”
The Space Coast Black Chamber of Commerce covers all 72 miles of Brevard County and provides networking opportunities along with resources to help small businesses and organizations on the Space Coast. The Chambers Board of Directors is chaired by local attorney Alton Edmond, Esq of Edmond Law and co-chaired by retired United States Airforce Chief Master Sergeant, Dr. Gloria Weatherspoon of Live, Laugh, Lead Consulting.
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