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On Wednesday, Eagle Mountain Casino was host to the Central Valley Native Economic Summit where a keynote speaker, four panels of experts and more than 30 resource booths were available to anyone who’s interested in starting and maintaining a business.
The summit acted as a platform for individuals to develop and create professional connections and relationships while being informed on how to launch their own business. The summit was the first event of its kind to be hosted in the Central Valley.
Just before 10 a.m., the event was blessed by the Tule River Indian Tribe with a flag ceremony and opening prayer. Among the many booths lining the casino’s conference center walls were the City of Porterville, the California Office of Small Businesses, Tule River Economic Development Corporation, Fresno State, and Southern California Edison.
At a quarter after 10 a.m., the summit’s keynote speaker, Director of the California Office of the Small Business Advocate, Tara Lynn Gray addressed the audience about the importance of small business and the trials faced by indigenous people and people of color looking to start a business. Gray discussed topics such as struggles of obtaining land for a business, funding and investments, and embracing opportunities.
“Accessing a plot of land on which to run a business on the Navajo Nation requires four times as many procedures and takes six times as long as obtaining a lease for property in a non-tribal territory,” said Gray. “Remember I said this was going to be uncomfortable, but these are weaknesses and we must acknowledge them…
“That’s why we are here today, and the opportunities are closer than you think and we are looking at them right now, right here, on the Tule River Tribal lands. We are looking at them in the agenda today, organized by someone who has dedicated the last 11 years to building a better entrepreneurial ecosystem for tribal people right here in the Central Valley.”
As Gray spoke on some of the funding opportunities available, she highlighted a federal grant given for technical assistance with starting and operating new businesses in underserved communities and noted a recent accomplishment made within her office in regards to technical assistance.
“The US Treasury approved my office’s application for 25.3 million in technical assistance dollars to help do the exact same thing, help underserved small businesses get access to capital,” said Gray.
Gray also highlighted an upcoming project for the tribe, a carbon negative forest biomass to biofuel facility in Porterville.
“The facility is promised to help reduce the risk of wildfires and to decarbonize transportation and this announcement comes in advance with a $500,000 grant for the California Department of Conservation,” said Gray.
Following Gray’s speech, the first of four panels took the stage to inform and take questions from the audience on different aspects of starting and operating a small business. One panel discussed how to start and grow a business, stressing that a business plan is key.
The second panel featured four panelists, including a city representative, to discuss how to access capital to launch a small business. Alida Verduzco Silva, Economic Development Associate, highlighted the business assistance financial programs offered through the City of Porterville.
The final panels discussed the importance and advantages of social media, marketing, certification and sharing resources.
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