Black Business Owners Seek Access to Michigan’s $50M Going PRO Talent Fund

The journey to financial stability and growth for Black business owners remains fraught with barriers. While the hustle is undeniable, the roadblocks are often insurmountable, and the resources promised seem to remain just out of reach. We’ve witnessed it time and again—entrepreneurs putting in the work, checking all the boxes, and meeting the criteria, only to see opportunities like grants or business loans bypass them. It’s a tale as old as time, and yet, here we stand in 2024, still wrestling with the same systemic hurdles that Black business owners have been contending with for generations. This is more than an individual’s struggle; it’s a community issue, one deeply rooted in history and still thriving in the present. While there are funding opportunities, particularly for those with the right connections and timing, too many Black entrepreneurs find themselves on the outside looking in, watching as doors open for others but never quite for them. One can’t help but wonder—why does the weight of these barriers continue to fall heavier on the Black community? The frustration grows as we see announcements of programs like the Going PRO Talent Fund. Recently, Michigan’s Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) opened applications for...