The PROBLEM! Sharecropper Economics!

 Dr. Claud Anderson, the president of The Harvest Institute, a non-profit, tax-exempt and nationally recognized Black think tank that works to help Black America become a self-sufficient and competitive group of people. Dr. Anderson is also recognized as one of America’s most influential intellectuals and authors and has popularized Black history.

In his teachings he emphasizes the importance of Black Business Development, using a cultural approach to make his point.  He states the following statistics from 2009 data: 

Stated that in 2009, the MEDIUM HOUSEHOLD INCOME BY CULTURES was:

Asian income averaged $55,000

White income averaged $53,000

Hispanic income averaged $33,00

Black income averaged $19,400

Encouraged African American to start businesses.  Business ownership equates to wealth building!

In 2009:

Asians:  1 out of 10 own a business

White:  1 out of 34 own a business

Hispanic:  1 out of 54 own a business

Black:  1 out of 104 own a business

http://harvestinstitute.org/biography-of-dr-anderson 

*Support the Economic Development programs of the National Black Chamber of Commerce, state and local chambers in the majority and minority community that stress improvement of economic opportunities in the African American and minority business cores.

*Support the efforts of the National Black Chamber of Commerce Initiative to increase trade and business opportunities with Africa, Latin America, and Caribbean countries, to create trade partnerships region for minority businesses.

*Support the continued development of a Micro-Enterprise system that will benefit businesses with less than five employees.

*Seek improvement in the funding of the public and private Historically Black Universities and Colleges, Community Colleges, and the Vocational Education System.

*Create a volunteer small business mentor/protégé program that will assist minority and women-owned businesses by teaming them with mainstream business managers.

*Support the efforts of the National Black Chamber in their expansion into cultural heritage tourism markets and their program to assist to minority-owned microenterprises and tourism-related businesses.

*Seek and recruit businesses that have a successful history of operating in the urban core of major cities and solicit their expansion into targeted areas to create jobs and opportunities for local residents.

*Seek economic equality in the distribution of tax proceeds for economic and community development.

*Seek parity in all government procurement programs.

*Continue the effort to eliminate the Technology Divide that plagues the African American business community.

*Support the development of a Farmers Support Network — to grow, process and distribute organic foods.

 *Support the development of cultural arts clustering and assistance in the creation of cultural heritage tourism destinations in historic Black communities as a vehicle to educate cultural travelers and expand Florida's tourism base.

*Support and expand throughout the state the Affordable/Essential Housing Programs.

*Support the development of community-based, on-the-job trade programs to train disadvantaged youth in the traditional trades.

*Provide all possible support to local health industry organizations to recruit minorities for employment in the health field and to conduct health education and screening programs.​

WE ARE PURPOSE DRIVEN:  WE PRACTICE

"Culture is one of the most important levers to pull in order to rehabilitate and relaunch an economy; It also provides direction.”  Aminata Traorẻ

Purpose Driven: Business, Diversity, and Inclusion in the Commerce, Culture, Community, Education, Influence, Knowledge & Faith. 

Florida has the most diverse Pan African population in the United States.  People of African Descent from African, Europe, the Caribbean, South, and Central America, have made Florida their home.  African Americans from every state have migrated to Florida, bringing the unique blend of their culture, customs and traditions; and integrated them into the Cultural Gumbo Pot of FLORIDA.

Why use" Cultural Heritage Tourism" as a Community and Economic Development Tool?

Click ‘Video Link’ below for THE ANSWER:
Pensacola Cultural Heritage Tourism Vision by UWF VP Matt Altier

The Florida Black Chamber of Commerce, Inc. and its affiliates and partners have united to promote “OUR” Great State and have enlisted other organizations to join our network to foster the development of a Pan African American Cultural Economics Infrastructure to promote Florida and the businesses and communities associated with the African Culture to the Global Market Place, to include partnering with cities across the Southern Region of the United States for the benefit of all members of the culture that have suffered from neglect, evidenced by disparity across all areas of  economic, statistical and analytical  measurements.

Our Pan African American Cultural Heritage Initiative:

We are dedicated to the - Sharing “Our Cultural Knowledge and “Experiences” in the areas of Commerce, Culture, Community, Education, Influence, Knowledge, and Faith; via established business, educational, social and tourism networks.  The ultimate goal being to “Rebuild and Connect” the global people of PAN AFRICA, via the technology platforms of the internet and to use proven Cultural Economics and Heritage Tourism programs to develop Forgotten Communities, foster prosperity through business growth and job creation; and to facilitate cultural exchanges and services with other members of the African Diaspora, in partnership with the Pan African Cultural Heritage Alliance.                                   

The Question:
Does Culture Produce Wealth Or Does Wealth Produce Culture?

The Answer: ‘Culture creates Wealth’! Every immigrant who came to America brought their culture, heritage, and traditions; and integrated them into their communities, and developed the assets to create generational wealth for their people and themselves. The English, Spanish, French, Dutch, Irish, Italian, Chinese and others brought their cultures, traditions, and heritage to America, and today each is an integral pa...rt of the culture, we classify as “American”. Our American Culture is made up of various cultures and is constantly evolving, which makes us attractive to the rest of the world. A melting pot, ‘No’ - America is a GUMBO!!!!

The African American Culture is no different. Slaves and immigrants from Africa and the Caribbean brought to America their cultures, traditions, and heritage. Openly and in secret, they continued to practice them, and many have survived for over four hundred years. Our music, art, dance, foods, traditions, trades, skills and creative intelligence are integrated into the mainstream culture and society. Unfortunately, seldom is any thought or recognition is given to their origin or their economic value. Each cultural asset was placed into society without the originators recognizing that these assets can and would be clustered in Black communities to duplicate the wealth that was created in the mainstream culture.

The Florida Black Chamber and our affiliates are implementing The Pan African American Cultural Heritage Initiative’ to celebrate and reclaim the Pan African identity, and to develop clusters of cultural businesses in historic Forgotten Communities and Villages, to create wealth and opportunities. Motown, Stax, BET, and other companies that produced jobs, opportunities and wealth, serving cultural needs, are evidence of this concept.

The Florida Black Chamber will assist in the development of cultural economic entities that will bring to producers of cultural products and services, increased opportunities by marketing them to the Black Diaspora across the globe, via an e-commerce platform and network. The goal again is: to educate, connect national and global communities, create jobs, and opportunities, and focus on the creation of Cultural Wealth and the Reduction of Institutional Poverty.