Helping Immigrant- and Minority-Owned Small Businesses in Queens’ Hardest-Hit Neighborhoods Recover from the Pandemic

08-12-2020 10:00 AM - 08-12-2020 11:45 AM

Speakers include:

  • Congresswoman Grace Meng, United States House of Representatives
  • Councilmember Francisco Moya, New York City Council
  • Quenia Abreu, President & CEO, New York Women’s Chamber of Commerce
  • Nancy Carin, Executive Director, Business Outreach Center Network
  • Joyce Moy, Executive Director, CUNY’s Asian American/Asian Research Institute
  • Alejandro Osorio, Owner, Arepa Lady
  • Marie Pedraza, Vice President, Sr. Regional Community Development Manager, HSBC
  • Lily Urzúa, Founder, Urzúa Dance Academy

The diverse neighborhoods of central Queens—including Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, and Corona—have been hit especially hard by the coronavirus pandemic, facing high rates of infection and sweeping job losses. This has intensified the blow to the immigrant- and minority-owned small businesses that anchor these communities, driving many to the brink of insolvency as revenues plummet and customers stay home. And while government relief programs have helped some Queens businesses to weather the storm, many immigrant- and minority-owned businesses have struggled to access these programs, posing additional barriers to economic recovery.

This solutions-focused discussion will explore the ongoing challenges affecting small businesses in these hard-hit communities and put forward specific ideas to support a lasting recovery. The last in a three-part virtual forum series, the live-streamed discussion will examine what city and state policymakers, community and business leaders, and business owners and consumers can do to bolster the businesses that form the backbone of Queens’ local economy.

Registration is required. Please RSVP via this link.

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Streaming live online