A Detroit-based group that conducts an annual bicycle “Ride for Equity” in business lending and finance stopped in town on Monday, the same as in 2022.
The difference is that they are volunteering to return again this year, instead of waiting until the 2024 ride, to advise Saginaw advocates on how to begin an effort similar to theirs, which is titled Black Leaders Detroit.
BLD leaders are cycling 300-plus miles upstate to make their presence known for a yearly Detroit Chamber of Commerce planning conference at Mackinac Island’s Grand Hotel over the Memorial Day weekend. Their stop at the downtown Saginaw Marketplace was hosted by CMURC (Central Michigan University Research Corp.) and C.A.P. (Community Alliance for the People).
As times change, bias in minority business lending has emerged as a focal point, similar to the civil rights era with home-mortgage “redlining” and then real estate blockbusting.
A 90-minute BLD open forum began a few minutes late because the cyclists were wrapping up Monday’s 48-mile northbound leg, putting them within 200 miles of the bridge with four days to go.
One of them, Saginaw-born Ken Elkins, from Arthur Hill High’s Class of ’93, is the chief operating officer. He proposed that the connection with his hometown go beyond once-a-year. He described the Black Leaders Detroit approach as threefold:
(1) Combat specific cases of discrimination through such strategies as publicity and protests, even to the ultimate point of boycotts.
(2) At the same time, promote teamwork with the power structure when achievable.
(3) All along, educate. Aim to learn more about support programs — government, corporate, foundations — that have started through the efforts of civil rights activists going back to the movement era. Gather this knowledge, and spread the word.
State Rep. Amos O’Neal was on board with all those points, including the boycott option. He suggested that with “a bonafide plan for housing or for a grocery store,” for two examples among many, churches could team up to deposit their Sunday collections with lenders who best cooperate with the goal of encouraging black-owned businesses.
Dwan Dandridge, BLD chief executive, outlined some of the challenges. Detroit received an $826 million ARPA allocation, but when he pursued funding for black-owned businesses, he says Mayor Michael Duggan told him federal rules discourage “race-specific” grants. Then the question becomes whether or not to support “underserved” as the term instead of “black-owned,” or would this be sugar-coating the issue?
“There are pots of money,” Dandridge said, “but we have to figure out how to get access to them.”
In addition to ideas for helping African American enterprises become established, participants explored strategies to help them gain customers. This included a need for more economics and civics in our social culture, to emphasize an ethic of supporting community-based business ventures.
As for bringing a grocery enterprise to the East Side, the Saginaw City Council has designated $2 million from its $52 million ARPA grant for this purpose, and members received a “food desert” report Monday night. The discussion did not involve ethnicity, but the top-rated option is the Food Club model that Saginaw Daily has reported.
To view Monday’s council review, click here.
