Organizers said Tuesday night's celebration celebrated freedom, equality and opportunity.
PHOENIX — Tuesday night was a celebration of Black-owned businesses and their success in the Valley.
The Arizona Black Chamber hosted dozens of area entrepreneurs for its Juneteenth Vision Forward celebration.
The event was a tribute to Juneteenth, which marks the end of slavery in the United States, but also a message about how Black-owned businesses can move forward and become even more successful in the future.
The celebration commemorated freedom, equality and opportunity.
“We're celebrating this monumental occasion,” said Celeste Talley, owner of Simply Celeste Catering in Phoenix, “and it's something we've always dreamed of.”
Tully started his business in 2016 and has worked to establish his business, which now also serves professional sports teams in the Valley region.
“I eventually moved on to doing private chef events and celebrity chef for teams like the Phoenix Suns and Arizona Cardinals,” Talley said.
While Talley has endured hardships like other businesses during the pandemic, she has also found her own challenges.
“It's been a struggle just being a Black business owner and not having access to certain information,” Talley said.
Talley said she had difficulty securing loans to start her business, but Black Chamber officials say it's a common problem they're hoping to solve.
That’s why the organization helped create the Impact 2025 program.
The program is designed to help Black and minority-owned business owners secure opportunities for growth, including obtaining bank financing and networking with other business owners.
Chamber president and CEO Dr. Velma Trehan said programs like this are necessary to be successful.
“We all know that poverty is a state of mind, and if entrepreneurs are given access to information, capital and resources, we will see a lot more economic mobility in Arizona,” Trehan said.
Talley said he wouldn't be where he is today without the program.
“Without this program, I would never have found out about this opportunity,” Talley said.
The chamber also announced a new internship program for black youth, hoping that through internships, kids will become interested in becoming entrepreneurs.
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