On Common Ground: Black Businesses Through Pandemic and Protest

Wed, June 24, 6-7:30pm Pacific time

On Common Ground: Black Businesses Through Pandemic and Protest

How are Oakland's Black-owned small businesses navigating these social and economic strains? How are they holding community together?

About this Event
Many Black-owned small businesses face a precarious moment in the wake of pandemic and civil unrest. Not only has coronavirus disproportionately impacted Black Americans; it also stands to exacerbate existing economic disparities and widen the wealth gap as Black business owners face challenges accessing loans and other crisis resources. Meanwhile, with data from Mapping Police Violence showing that Black people are three times more to be killed by law enforcement than white people, an ongoing epidemic of police violence has reached an inflection point, leading to massive demonstrations across the country. How are Oakland's Black-owned small businesses navigating these social and economic strains? How are they holding community together?

Community leaders and business owners join KQED's Pendarvis Harshaw (Rightnowish) for a conversation about the compounding public health crises of COVID-19 and police violence, how local governments are addressing these issues, and what black businesses are doing to reopen during unsettling times while serving their communities.

Guests:
- Eva Paterson, Equal Justice Society
- Cathy D. Adams, Oakland African American Chamber of Commence
- Loren Taylor, Oakland City Council, District 6
- Tucky Blunt, Blunts and Moore
- Nenna Joiner, Feel More Adult
- James Queen, New Vision Fitness

Free