2021 best year ever for African-Americans economically: US Black Chambers opening speaker
BMWorldwide–WASHINGTON–The opening speaker for the US Black Chambers national conference July 14 will point to today’s 5.8 percent unemployment rate as a sign that the best year economically for African-Americans is continuing to resonate.
John William Templeton
John William Templeton addresses the State of Black Economy at 10 a.m. July 14 at the Marriott Marquis as part of the opening program with US Black Chambers President Ron Busby Sr.
Result of planning and politics
Templeton and Busby were part of a group of national leaders which began meeting monthly in 2014 to develop Black Wealth 2020. Outcomes include greater participation by Black politicians for statewide races, a 20 fold increase in PPP loans to Black businesses from 2020 to 2021, the Minority Business Development Act of 2021; reparations task force in California and billions for HBCUs and Black-owned banks
Trouble areas
Templeton will point to the following areas for improvement:
--Less than 0.7 percent of research and development spending goes to Black businesses and historically Black colleges and universities
--16 percent unemployment among African-American youth
--looming end of affirmative action and supplier diversity from Supreme Court
--only 3 percent of construction workers are African-American
