Robert G. Miller Rev. Jesse Jackson calls himself a country preacher, but in the ranks of civil rights leaders and social activists, he's quite worldly. Inc. The key objective of the summit was to brainstorm ways of increasing more minority business with major corporations in the Gulf South. Corporate representatives and numerous members of the local business, religious and civic community were on hand to participate in discussion roundtables on tourism and hospitality, energy, telecommunications and access to capital, especially for church-based investments. They heard Rev. Jackson urge minority businesses to focus more on gaining access to capital and seeking partnerships with major corporations for investment opportunities in minority businesses. He stated what makes New Orleans great is not only its international entertainment reputation, but more importantly, its shipping, oil and gas, energy and hospitality-related industries which more minorities must infiltrate as business partners, not purely consumers.
Investment leads to growth and everyone wins.
Minority businesses don't have a talent deficit, but an opportunity deficit. We didn't know how good baseball could be until Black folks were allowed to play such as Jackie Robinson and Hank Aaron. A fellow Summit Steering Committee member of Hutchinson's shared his enthusiasm. If they expand their vendor bases to more effectively include us, it could result in lower prices ultimately for them. Reciprocity is the end result and bottom line.