In 2019, the Pan African Festival of Oregon in collaboration with Micro Enterprise Services of Oregon, the Business Outreach Program and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc,  welcomed aspiring and current business owners along with their supporters from across the state to join us for the first ever Black Business Summit in Oregon.

The Black Business Summit celebrated black business owners and brought together leading business experts to inspire and educate business leaders with new tools, strategies, and best practices to bring back to their companies and communities.

Pan African small businesses are being left out of the economic boom in Oregon. In August 2018, the Portland Business Journal reported that the number of black-owned businesses receiving Small Business Administration (SBA) loans by Oregon banks plummeted in the years following the economic recession, dropping from at least 50 loans per year a decade ago, to single digits in 2010. Recent figures show that only three black-owned businesses in Oregon received SBA loans in 2017. Realizing public goals of inclusive economic development requires an approach targeted towards historically disinvested and disenfranchised groups.

The Summit highlighted business leaders that we have met along the way through the Annual Pan African Festival, who shared their inspiring stories of success and perseverance. The Summit programming built rich moments for dynamic networking opportunities as well as breakout sessions on topics as diverse as taxes, cyber security, branding, marketing, and business growth strategies.

This year we are bringing back the Black Business Summit after a deadly and disruptive pandemic, businesses need a lot of assistance as we navigate the aftermath of the pandemic. I hope you are able to lend a hand or provide support. 

We are committed to supporting Black Business Development through critical gathering and creating a clear path to resources for minority business owners.

Save the Date-6th Annual Black Business Summit-July 6, 2024 at 7:30AM at PSU