[CLOSED CAPTIONING HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY CARDI'S FURNITURE AND MATTRESSES] >> SOMEONE DONATED.

SOMEONE LEFT A LEGACY.

GENERATIONS HAVE HELPED SHAPE RHODE ISLAND INTO THIS PLACE WE CALL HOME.

YOU CAN THANK THEM BY LEAVING HER OWN LEGACY.

WE CAN HELP.

♪ >> WELCOME TO ANOTHER EDITION OF "IN ANOTHER OPINION," A PUBLIC INFORMATION PROGRAM WHERE OUR DISCUSSION FOCUSES ON THE COMMUNITIES OF COLOR IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND.

I AM HERE HOST PETER WELLS.

MY GUEST TODAY IS LISA RAYMOND.

LISA IS THE COFOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF THE RHODE IAND BLACK BUSINESS ASSOCIATION AND A FORMER BANKER AND JUST AN OVERALL COMMUNITY ADVOCATE WORKING FOR THE BLACK COMMUNITY.

LISA, THANKS FOR BEING ON.

LISA: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

DELIGHTED TO BE HERE.

EXCITED ABOUT R CONVERSATION.

PETER: THE LAST TIME YOU WERE ON, WE HAD YOU AND ANOTHER GUEST TALKING ABOUT DEVELOPING BUSINESSES, SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND WHAT THE IMPACT IS ON MINORITY PEOPLE TO DEVELOP THOSE BUSINESSES.

TODAY, I WOULD LIKE TO TALK A BIT ABOUT THAT BUT ALSO ABOUT YOU AND THE RHODE ISLAND BLACK BUSINESS ASSOCIATION.

YOU ARE NOT A RHODE ISLAND NATIVE, SO WHERE ARE YOU FROM ORIGINALLY?

LISA: THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION.

I AM ACTUALLY ALL THE WAY FROM KINGSTON, JAMAICA.

GOT TO THE STATE MANY YEARS AGO, PROBABLY OVER 35 YEARS, 34 YEARS AGO.

I HAVE CALLED RHODE ISLAND HOME SINCE.

PETER: AND YOU HAVE BEEN HERE FOR HOW MANY YEARS NOW?

LISA: I THINK IT IS ALMOST 35 YEARS.

ALMOST 35 YEARS IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND.

PETER: WOW.

THAT'S A WILD.

BUT IT HAS BEEN GOOD FOR YOU BECAUSE YOUR FAMILY HAS DONE WELL.

YOU ARE AS I SAID A COMMUNITY LEADER, YOUR SISTER IS A COMMUNITY LEADER, A LEGISLATOR.

YOUR DAUGHTER WILL FOLLOW IN YOUR FOOTSTEPS PROBABLY.

LISA: YEAH.

SHE IS DOING AND COME TO BE WELL AND I AM SO PROUD OF HER.

JUST STARTING ON HER CAREER, TWO YEARS IN.

CATHOLIC SCHOOL INITIALLY STARTED, FINISHED HER MASTERS DEGREE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND, AND NOW IN THE CORPORATE SPACE.

I AM REALLY EXCITED ABOUT HER FUTURE.

I THINK YOUNG PEOPLE LIKE HER AND OTHERS CALLING RHODE ISLAND HOME WILL DO A LOT MORE TO ENSURE THEY DO NOT LEAVE THE STATE.

UNFORTUNATELY, MY DAUGHTER IS WORKING IN CAMBRIDGE REMOTELY RIGHT NOW BUT WE ARE WORKING TO IMPACT JOB CREATION IN REALLY GOOD PAYING JOBS HERE TO REMAIN IN THE STATE.

PETER: LISTEN.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES GOOD LEADERS HAVE BEEN GOOD PARENTS.

AND I THINK THAT KIND OF CONNECTS YOU WITH THE REST OF THIS CONVERSATION.

WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH RIBBA THESE DAYS?

WHERE IS RIBBA?

HAS IT GROWN IN THE NUMBER OF MEMBERSHIP?

CAN YOU GIVE ME A CAPSULIZED VERSION OF THAT STUFF?

LISA: YEAH.

THIS YEAR IS A REALLY EXCITING YEAR FOR US AT RIBBA.

ACTUALLY, WE WILL BE SENT OUR 10TH YEAR.

CAN YOU IMAGINE -- WE WILL BE CELEBRATING OUR 10TH YEAR.

CAN YOU IMAGINE?

MARCH 2021 THE ORGANIZATION WILL TURN 10 YEARS OLD.

FAST FORWARD WE SHOWED UP ON THE SCREEN.

WE DID NOT HAVE THAT MANY PEOPLE TALKING PUBLICLY AROUND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, MINORITY BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT.

AND WHAT RIBBA HAS DONE IS REALLY TRANSFORM AND I WOULD SAY EMPOWER PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT IT IS OK TO ADVOCATE FOR MICRO-BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, UNDERSERVED BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT.

FOR TOO LONG, PEOPLE WERE JUST AFRAID OF DOING THAT.

WHEN WE SHOWED UP AND WE GOT TO THE STATEHOUSE LEGISLATED WITH LEGISLATORS AND TALKED ABOUT THE ISSUE AS IT RELATES TO BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, AS IT RELATES TO JOB CREATION AS CAPITAL, WHAT WAS DIFFERENT AS THEY SAW PEOPLE THEY HAD NOT SEEN HISTORICALLY.

10 YEARS LATER, WE CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR MICRO-BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, PARTICULARLY IN THE BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITY.

RIBBA, WE FOCUSED ON DEVELOPING BUSINESSES WITHIN URBAN COMMUNITIES.

WE DO THAT BECAUSE SMALL BUSINESSES WITHIN THESE COMMUNITIES ARE THE BACKBONE OF THESE COMMUNITIES AND THE ECONOMY WE ALSO KNOW THEY CREATE MORE JOBS NATIONWIDE, AND WE STRONGLY BELIEVE THOSE BUSINESSES CAN DO THE SAME JOB CREATION RIGHT HERE IN RHODE ISLAND AS WELL.

PETER: WELL, IT IS TRUE.

THE MAJORITY OF EMPLOYERS IN THIS COUNTRY QUITE FRANKLY ARE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS.

THEY MAY NOT BE MICRO-BUSINESSES, BUT THEY ARE SMALL BUSINESSES.

THAT IS THE BACKBONE OF THIS COUNTRY.

ALWAYS HAS BEEN, THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT.

RIGHT NOW, IT HAS TO REALLY FLOURISH.

WHAT IMPACT HAS THE VIRUS HAD ON BLACK BUSINESSES IN RHODE ISLAND?

LISA: IT IS IMPACT.

THEY ARE NOT SEEING RELIEF FROM THE TREASURY OR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

LIKE IN RHODE ISLAND, I SAW THE GOVERNOR RECENTLY ANNOUNCED $51 MILLION WENT OUT TO SMALL BUSINESS AS IT RELATES FROM A COVID-19 PERSPECTIVE TO GET COMPANIES REOPENED, TO GET COMPANIES TO BE ABLE TO RETAIN JOBS AND STAY AFLOAT.

WHEN WE HAVE SEEN FROM A BLACK BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE -- WHAT WE HAVE SEEN FROM A BLACK BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE IS THAT MISSED OUR COMMUNITY.

VERY FEW BUSINESSES ACTUALLY GAINED ACCESS TO THAT FUND.

WE REACHED OUT TO THE GOVERNOR AND HER TEAM TO RELEASE THE DATA SPECIFICALLY AROUND THE AWARDS THAT WERE GOING OUT TO BLACK AND BROWN BUSINESSES.

TO DATE, WE HAVE NOT SEEN THAT DATA.

THEY TALK ABOUT THEY HAVE MET THEIR 51% GOAL AS IT RELATES TO GETTING THIS 51 MILLION DOLLARS OUT ON THE STREET TO SMALL BUSINESS IS.

THAT IS WONDERFUL.

WHAT WE KNOW, WE HAVE SEEN BLACK BUSINESSES DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED.

MANY OF THE MEMBERS CLOSED THEIR DOORS FOREVER.

THEY ARE UNABLE TO REOPEN AS A RESULT OF THIS IMPACT OF COVID-19.

WHEN YOU THINK OF THAT IMPACT, WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IS REAL FAMILIES, REAL PEOPLE BEING IMPACTED BY THE LOSS OF JOBS, OPINION, THE GOVERNOR AND HER TEAM TALKING ABOUT THEY MET THEIR GOAL FROM A $51 MILLION OUT ON THE STREET TO SMALL BUSINESS AND THEY ARE FAILING TO RELEASE THE DATA SPECIFICALLY AS IT RELATES TO MINORITY AND ETHNIC, NOT FROM AN EQUITY PERSPECTIVE, LOOKING AT RACE.

WHAT IS THAT IMPACT?

DEALING WITH THAT ISSUE AT HAND.

I AM CHALLENGING THE GOVERNOR TO RELEASE THE DATA.

WE NEED TO SEE WHAT THE DATA CURRENTLY IS SO WE CAN DEVELOP SOLUTIONS TO MITIGATE THAT GOING FORWARD.

PETER: THAT'S TRUE.

I'M SURPRISED THEY HAVE BEEN NOT GETTING YOU THE DATA YOU HAVE ASKED FOR MORE EXPEDITIOUSLY.

IS THERE A SPECIAL FORMAT OR SOMETHING THAT YOU WERE LOOKING FOR THAT THEY DON'T HAVE?

DID THEY HAVE TO DEVELOP A SOFTWARE TO EXTRACT THE INFORMATION?

DID THEY GIVE YOU ANY REASON WHY?

LISA: I DON'T HAVE ANY CONCRETE EVIDENCE OF WHY THEY DID NOT RELEASE THAT DATA.

FROM AN ORGANIZATION PERSPECTIVE, WE CAN CONCLUDE FROM OUR OUTSIDE LOOKING IN IS THAT THE DATA DOES NOT LOOK LIKE WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO PUT OUT THERE IN THE PUBLIC SPACE.

WE KNOW FROM OUR MEMBERS AND WHAT WE ARE HEARING, MOST OF OUR MEMBERS WERE UNABLE TO QUALIFY.

THEY WERE DEEMED INELIGIBLE FOR THE PROGRAM BECAUSE OF VARIOUS REASONS.

A LOT OF THEM WERE UNABLE TO DEMONSTRATE THE LOSSES IN A GIVEN PERIOD.

FOR INSTANCE, YOU NEED TO EVIDENCE YOU LOST WITHIN A GIVEN PERIOD TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THESE FUNDS.

IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO DEMONSTRATE THAT, YOU ARE SHUT OUT OF ACCESS TO THESE FUNDS.

WE KNOW THESE ARE GRANTS, FEDERAL DOLLARS, FREE MONEY, NOT REQUIRED FOR US TO ESTIMATE ANYTHING.

AS AN ORGANIZATION, STRUGGLING TO SAY, WHY IS THIS MONEY NOT GETTING OUT TO THE STREET IN THE HANDS OF BLACK BUSINESSES AS WELL?

YES, FUNDS HAVE GONE OUT TO SMALL BUSINESSES ACROSS THE STATE, WHICH IS AWESOME.

WE APPLAUD THAT EFFORT.

HOWEVER, BLACK BUSINESSES TODAY THAT WE ARE HEAVING FROM, THEY ARE STRUGGLING TO STAY AFLOAT.

MANY OF THEM HAVE CLOSED THEIR DOORS.

THEY HAVE NO PLANS TO REOPEN BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE WITH THE LACK OF RESOURCES AND LACK OF SUPPORT COMING TO THEM DIRECTLY.

PETER: LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT THE APPLICATION PROCESS AND THE APPROVAL PROCESS.

NOW, I DO KNOW THAT IN SOME INSTANCES, I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS THE SAME MONEY THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT NOW, BUT IN SOME INSTANCES THERE IS A REQUIREMENT TO BE ABLE TO, AS YOU SAY, PROVE YOUR LOSS.

THAT USUALLY HAS TO BE DONE THROUGH ACCOUNTING RECORDS.

LISA: RIGHT.

PETER: IF SOMEONE WERE RUNNING A SMALL BUSINESS AND WERE USING, FOR INSTANCE, QUICKBOOKS, BEING ABLE TO PRODUCE THE INFORMATION NECESSARY TO RESPOND TO THAT QUESTION.

CORRECT?

LISA: ABSOLUTELY.

YES.

SO AGAIN, YOU EXPECT A COMPANY TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT DATA READILY, RIGHT?

ONE WOULD ASSUME ALL THESE BUSINESSES HAVE THEIR FINANCIAL UP TO DATE AND IT IS AVAILABLE SYSTEMATICALLY SUCH AS A TOOL CALLED QUICKBOOKS, WHERE YOU CAN RENT IT, -RUN A REPORT- CAN RUN IT, -- WHERE YOU CAN RUN IT, RUN A REPORT EASILY.

PETER: YES.

LISA: WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SMALLER MICRO-COMPANIES THAT MAY BE RELYING ON SOMEBODY ELSE TO MANAGE THEIR BOOKS.

THEY MAY BE DOING IT OFF-LINE ON PAPER, THEY MAY NOT BE DOING IT SYSTEMATICALLY.

HOWEVER, IT IS NOT LIKE THEY DON'T HAVE THIS INFORMATION.

IT PROBABLY TAKES THEM A WILD TO GET THAT INFORMATION READILY AVAILABLE TO MAKE IT AVAILABLE AS PART OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS.

WHAT I CAN SHARE WITH YOU, PETER, IS THAT WHAT WE ARE SEEING FROM A BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE, COMPANIES NEED TO BE SCALED.

THEY NEED TO BE INVESTED IN.

WE NEED ROBUST INVESTMENT WITHIN THE BROWN AND BLACK COMMUNITIES SO WE CAN DEVELOP.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE RHODE ISLAND BLACK BUSINESS ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN HERE 10 YEARS ADVOCATING FOR GREATER INVESTMENT.

AS YOU KNOW, SINCE THE DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT LOOKING AT THESE ISSUES FROM AN EQUITABLE PERSPECTIVE.

WE STARTED AS AN INTEREST GROUP IN 2010.

NOW WE ARE IN 2021 AND WE ARE STILL TALKING ABOUT THESE ISSUES THAT IMPACT BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES, RIGHT?

WE KNOW THAT WE NEED LEADERS THAT ARE REALLY GOING TO, ONE, LISTEN, ASSESS THE CURRENT STATE , REALLY BE OPEN TO THE CURRENT STATE AROUND ACCOUNTABILITY, TRANSPARENCY, REVEAL THE DATA YOU ARE SEEING, AND ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY AS IT RELATES TO SOLUTIONS TO DRIVE THE SOLUTION FORWARD.

THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL PROPOSALS SENT TO CONGRESS RHODE ISLAND.

WE HAVE GOTTEN VERY LITTLE FUNDING TO DATE AROUND THE SCALABILITY OF ORGANIZATION AND BUSINESSES IN RHODE ISLAND, PARTICULARLY IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY.

WE SAW FROM THE DATA WITH COVID BLACK COMMUNITIES ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY COVID-19 AS IT RELATES TO HEALTH DISPARITIES.

WE KNOW THAT.

WE ALSO KNOW WE ARE SEEING THE EXPOSURE WITHIN THE URBAN COMMUNITIES, WITHIN THE BLACK COMMUNITY AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE LACK OF INVESTMENT.

WE ALSO KNOW WE HAVE A LACK OF ISSUES AROUND BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES JUST NOT BEING SEEN.

THEY ARE SEEN AS A LIABILITY FOR TOO LONG AND HAVE BEEN LEFT BEHIND.

HENCE WE ARE SEEING THIS DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON THESE COMMUNITIES.

RIGHT?

WE'VE GOT TO BE INTENTIONAL IN THIS WORK WE ARE DOING TO LIFT COMMUNITIES OUT OF POVERTY, TO SUSTAINABILITY BY DEVELOPING GOOD PAYING JOBS, TO HAVE A STRONGER ECONOMY FOR THE STATE AND ALL OF US.

PETER: I KNOW THAT YOU DO RUN -- RIBBA OFTEN SPONSORS TRAINING PROGRAMS.

I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, DO YOU HAVE THE ABILITY?

I KNOW YOU HAVE THE ABILITY.

DO YOU HAVE THE RESOURCES TO MORE ACTIVELY TEACH SMALL BUSINESS PEOPLE HOW TO USE THINGS LIKE QUICKBOOKS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE THEMSELVES AS THE OWNERS SO THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO SOME OF THESE THINGS?

HOPEFULLY WE DON'T HAVE ANOTHER VIRUS, BUT IN THE FUTURE IF THERE IS A NEED TO DEFEND THEIR APPLICATION BASED ON THE PERFORMANCE OF THE OPERATION.

WE REALLY NEED TO GET PEOPLE BETTER PREPARED TO BE BUSINESSPEOPLE AS WELL.

LISA: ABSOLUTELY.

YOU ARE SPOT ON ABOUT THAT.

AND CERTAINLY RIBBA HAS THE PROGRAMS IN PLACE.

I CAN TELL YOU THAT AS PART OF OUR PROGRAM TODAY, A MICRO LENDING PROGRAM.

WE HAVE THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IN ADDITION.

THAT PROVIDES EXACTLY WHAT YOU JUST DESCRIBED.

WHAT WE DO AS AN ORGANIZATION, WE IDENTIFY BUSINESSES THAT COME TO OUR ORGANIZATION.

WE ASSESS THEIR NEEDS.

CURRENTLY, WE KNOW A BIG GAP WE HAVE SEEN FROM SOME OF OUR BUSINESSES ONLY REQUIRE THE DATA REQUIRED AS PART OF THE RESTORE RHODE ISLAND GRANT PROCESS.

WE ARE HELPING THEM DIRECTLY WITH ASSIGNING AND CONSULTING AND WORKING DIRECTLY WITH THE BUSINESS OWNER TO DETERMINE WHAT ARE THE THINGS THEY NEED, SUCH AS QUICKBOOKS, QUICKBOOKS ONLINE, AS WELL AS MARKETING MATERIALS, AND SCALED THEM UP.

BUT KEEP IN MIND, THE ISSUE IS WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

AS AN ORGANIZATION, WE WOULD LOVE TO CREATE A BACKEND SUPPORT FOR THESE MICRO AND SMALL BUSINESSES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.

RIBBA, RHODE ISLAND BLACK BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, WE LACK THE FUNDING.

IF WE ARE ABLE TO SECURE THE FUNDING, AND IF WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SECURE THE FUNDS WE HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR, ADVOCATING FOR OVER 10 YEARS, I CAN TELL YOU OUR BUSINESSES THAT WE SERVE TODAY WOULD HAVE BEEN IN A BETTER POSITION AND BE EQUIPPED TO GO AFTER THE FUNDING.

I CAN TELL YOU THAT WITHOUT A GUESS IN MINE.

CERTAINTY THAT IF WE WERE GIVEN THE FUNDING THAT WE HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, WE WOULD HAVE HAD MORE SUCCESSFUL APPLICATION.

THE PEOPLE WOULD BE QUALIFIED RATHER THAN GETTING THIS NOTE THAT SAYS, SORRY, YOU ARE NOT QUALIFIED BECAUSE YOU ARE MISSING DOCUMENTATION.

SO AGAIN, YES, WE HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF DOING THAT.

HOWEVER, WE NEED MORE INVESTMENT TO BUILD CAPACITY AS PART OF THE RHODE ISLAND BLACK BUSINESS ASSOCIATION.

OUR BUSINESSES TRUST US.

THEY COME TO US.

BUT WE AS AN ORGANIZATION -- AGAIN, IT IS RACISM, RIGHT?

WE LACK THE SUPPORT WE ALREADY BECAUSE WE ARE A BLACK THAT ORGANIZATION AND BECAUSE WE ARE SUPPORTING THE BLACK COMMUNITY.

THAT IS A FACT.

AND WE MUST IN RHODE ISLAND GET TO THE ROOT CAUSE OF THESE ISSUES.

IT IS RACISM, RIGHT?

THAT IS THE REASON WHY WE ARE NOT GETTING THE LEVEL OF SUPPORT THAT WE NEED AND WE ARE UNABLE TO PROVIDE SERVICES, ROBUST SERVICES TO OUR CLIENTS.

PETER: YOU KNOW, IT IS INTERESTING.

BECAUSE COMMERCE REALLY, THEY SHOULD BE LOOKING AT A STANDPOINT THAT IF THEY WERE IMPROVING THE OVERALL LOT OF SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE STATE, BLACK OR WHITE OR WHATEVER, BROWN, THEN THAT WOULD GENERATE MORE REVENUE FOR THE STATE.

IT WOULD GENERATE MORE JOBS FOR THE STATE.

THEREFORE, EVERYBODY WINS.

IT WOULD BE A WIN, WIN, WIN.

IT ESCAPES ME AS TO WHY COMMERCE, AND I SHOULD SAY THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND GOVERNMENT , IS NOT MORE AGGRESSIVE IN TRYING TO WORK WITH RIBBA OR OR THE SOUTH -- OR THE SOUTHEAST ASIAN DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION OR A GROUP LIKE THE ONE RAY WATSON OPERATES.

THERE ARE SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE STATE TO ASSIST REGARDING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT BENEFITING THE WHOLE STATE IN TERMS OF REVENUES AND JOBS.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT.

BUT I WILL TELL YOU THIS.

I WILL MAKE IT A POINT TO TALK WHEN I HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY WITH THE GOVERNOR AS TO WHAT HER POSITION MIGHT BE ON A DECISION.

LISA: YEAH.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

WE NEED MORE PEOPLE TO ADVOCATE FOR THESE CAUSES.

WE KNOW THAT.

YOU ARE SPOT ON AROUND A WIN-WIN ACROSS-THE-BOARD.

IF WE HAVE THE LEVEL OF INVESTMENT WITHIN THESE COMMUNITIES, WITHIN THESE BUSINESSES, THEY TOO CREATE JOBS.

PETER: ABSOLUTELY.

LISA: THEY DO PUT PEOPLE TO WORK.

WHEN PEOPLE ARE WORKING, WHAT WE SEE, IT AS A LIFTING OF FAMILIES, THE IMPACT ON EDUCATION.

THE CHILDREN START DOING BETTER.

WE HAVE A REDUCTION IN CRIME.

PEOPLE ARE WORKING.

PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO MAKE ENDS MEET.

IT IS A WIN-WIN ACROSS-THE-BOARD.

PETER: ABSOLUTELY.

LISA: WHY ARE THEY NOT TAPPING INTO THIS UNTAPPED COMMUNTY?

WE HAVE AN ORGANIZATION OUT HERE.

WE HAVE THE PEOPLE, MEMBERS, BUSINESS OWNERS COMING TO US, AND YOU ARE IGNORING US.

LIKE COME ON, GUYS.

YOU HAVE TO DO BETTER.

RIGHT?

WE SAW WHAT COVID DEMONSTRATED TO US.

PETER: DO YOU THINK THAT IT IS AN INTENTIONAL OR -- THAT IT IS INTENTIONAL OR INSTITUTIONAL?

LISA: YEAH.

IT COULD BE BOTH.

IT COULD BE BOTH.

YOU LOOK AT IT AND RACISM COMES IN MANY FORMS.

IT COULD BE UNCONSCIOUS BIASES.

PEOPLE ARE ONLY THINKING ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT THEY KNOW, THINKING ABOUT THEIR COMMUNITY.

THEY ARE NOT THINKING ABOUT OTHER PEOPLES WELL.

WE HAVE SEEN RECENTLY WHAT THE DATA FROM COVID-19 HAS SHOWN US, RIGHT?

WE HAVE SEEN THAT THE DISPARITY ACROSS-THE-BOARD -- AGAIN, YOU HAVE RACISM THAT SAYS BLACK PEOPLE HISTORICALLY, 400 PLUS YEARS, ARE NOT NECESSARILY TREATED EQUALLY AND FAIRLY.

WE KNOW THAT.

WE HAVE SEEN THE DATA.

THE BLACK COMMUNITY HAVE BEEN LEFT BEHIND.

WHAT WE NEED GOING FORWARD IS INTENTIONAL WORK AROUND THE ENGAGEMENT OF ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE RHODE ISLAND BLACK BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, LEADERS WITHIN THE BLACK COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE SOLUTION TO FIX THEIR OWN PROBLEM.

YOU HAVE TO GET MORE BLACK PEOPLE AS PART OF THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS SO THEY THAT HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN THEIR COMMUNITY WILL BE ABLE TO ADVOCATE AND REALLY WORK ROBUSTLY TO GET THEIR COMMUNITY THRIVING.

RIGHT?

WE HAVE TO MOVE PEOPLE FROM POVERTY TO SUSTAINABILITY.

IT IS A WIN-WIN FOR ALL OF US.

PETER: I WOULD ADVOCATE THAT WOULD PROBABLY NOT ONLY MEAN BLACK ENTREPRENEURS AS BUSINESS PEOPLE TO GET MORE INVOLVED, BUT I THINK WE NEED MORE ASIAN OR LATINO.

LISA: ABSOLUTELY.

PETER: AND MORE NATIVE REPRESENTATION ACROSS THE BOARD WITHIN GOVERNMENT.

RHODE ISLAND IS A VERY DIVERSE STATE.

IT HAS NOT SHOWN UP TO NOW AND THE DIVERSITY WITHIN ITS LEADERSHIP.

WHEN I THINK LEADERSHIP, I MEAN IT'S POLITICAL LEADERSHIP.

UP TO NOW.

THERE HAS BEEN SOME MODEST INCREASES.

GOVERNOR RAIMONDO HAS MADE SOME GOOD APPOINTMENTS IN TERMS OF CABINET MEMBERS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

THAT IS AN IMPROVEMENT SINCE I HAVE BEEN HERE SINCE 1995.

BUT IT NEEDS TO BE MORE AND IT NEEDS TO BE MORE INCLUSIVE OF OTHER COMMUNITIES.

OBVIOUSLY, WE ARE ADVOCATING FOR BLACK COMMUNITIES, BROWN COMMUNITIES, BUT ALSO ADVOCATING FOR ASIANS AND NATIVE AMERICANS, WHO SOMETIMES GET CONFUSED AS BEING PART OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY.

LISA: YEAH.

IT IS ACROSS THE BOARD.

I THINK YOU ARE RIGHT.

WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE BEAUTIFUL STATE WE HAVE.

IT IS VERY RICH IN ITS DIVERSITY.

IT HAS PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE.

WE HAVE TO EMBRACE THAT DIVERSITY.

PETER: YEP.

LISA: IT IS A WIN-WIN.

ALL OF US WORKING COLLECTIVELY TOGETHER.

EACH COMMUNITY BRINGS SOMETHING UNIQUE TO THE TABLE.

PETER: SURE.

LISA: THAT NEEDS TO BE CELEBRATED.

THAT NEEDS TO BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION.

COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE, FROM EVERY RACE, CREED, WHATEVER NEEDS TO BE AT THE TABLE.

BECAUSE WE NEED TO GET -- WE REALLY NEED TO IGNITE THE CONVERSATION WHERE WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE ADVOCATING.

WE HAVE TO GET THE RESOURCES WE NEED TO NOT JUST ADVOCATE, BUT TO TAKE REAL ACTION TO GET THINGS DONE.

WE DO A GREAT JOB OF TALKING.

WE ALSO DO A GREAT JOB IN RHODE ISLAND OF DOING STUDIES.

WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS MOVE TO IMPLEMENTATION.

FUNDING HAS GONE INTO STUDIES.

FOR ME, I AM DONE WITH THE STUDIES.

WE KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEMS ARE.

WE NEED TO MOVE INTO ACTION TO GET THINGS DONE.

AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE ARE DOING THINGS WE CAN MEASURE.

IF YOU ARE DOING STUFF AND CAN'T MEASURE IT, YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO REALLY MONITOR YOUR PROGRESS.

WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS DO WHAT WE CALL DEVELOP REALLY SMART GOALS SO WE CAN MEASURE THINGS HAPPENING TIME DOWN, REALISTIC.

AND WE CAN SEE HOW THINGS ARE CHANGING PEOPLE'S LIFE.

JOB CREATION, SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, ACCESS TO CAPITAL, ACCESS TO GREATER SUPPLY POOL, WORKERS, INCREASING GOOD PAYING JOBS, DIVERSIFICATION IN THE WORKFORCE, TALENT, LEADERS NEED TO BE DIVERSIFIED.

AGAIN, THERE IS SO MUCH WORK TO DO, BUT WE HAVE PEOPLE RIGHT HERE IN THE STATE.

IF WE ARE WILLING, THERE IS PEOPLE FROM ALL COMMUNITIES READY TO LEAD.

AND THE FOLKS IN POWER RIGHT NOW NEED TO PAY ATTENTION.

THEY NEED TO TAP OUR COMMUNITIES AND GET US PART OF THE SOLUTION CONVERSATIONS.

PETER: ALSO, TOO, THE COMMUNITY NEEDS TO BE A BIT MORE INVOLVED IN TERMS OF NOT JUST THE BUSINESS PEOPLE, NOT JUST A LEADERSHIP, BUT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY NEEDS TO BE INVOLVED AND ASKING AND DEMANDING FOR SOME OF THESE CHANGES AND SOME OF THESE IMPLEMENTATIONS, THESE ACTION ITEMS THAT YOU ARE REFERRING TO.

TO HAVE MAYBE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 20 AND 50 OR 100 SMALL BUSINESSES COLLABORATE WOULD BE FAR BETTER -- COLLABORATE.

IT WOULD BE FAR BETTER TO HAVE A COUPLE THOUSAND LIKE THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT GOING TO THE STATEHOUSE AND ASKING THE GOVERNOR AND THE REST OF THE STATE EMPLOYEES WHO MANAGE AGENCIES TO BE ACCOUNTABLE IN A SITUATION TO DO A BETTER JOB.

BUT THAT HAS TO BE DONE COLLECTIVELY.

WE FOUND A WAY TO DO IT WITH BLACK LIVES MATTER.

WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO DO IT WITH BLACK BUSINESSES MATTER.

LISA: YEAH.

YOU ARE SPOT ON ABOUT THAT.

IT IS GOING TO TAKE A VILLAGE.

WE'VE GOT TO ENGAGE THE BROADER COMMUNITY.

THE PRIORITIES FOR US AT RIBBA, RHODE ISLAND BLACK BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, IN 2021 IS GREATER OUTREACH IN OUR COMMUNITY AROUND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.

WE HAVE TO ENGAGE THE BROADER COMMUNITY.

WHEN WE STARTED WAY BACK WHEN IN 2010 AS AN INTEREST GROUP, WE WERE ABLE TO MOBILIZE 75 TO 100 PEOPLE IN A ROOM TO TALK ABOUT THE ISSUES WE HAD.

WE HAVE SINCE EXPANDED THAT.

BUT WE'VE GOT TO GET MORE PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT THE ISSUES AS IT RELATES TO IMPACT OF JOB CREATION WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES, THE IMPACT OF BLACK AND BROWN BUSINESSES IN GENERAL IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND.

BUT YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

WE'VE GOT TO MOBILIZE THE COMMUNITY AROUND THESE ISSUES.

AS I NOTED, ONE OF OUR TOP PRIORITIES IS THE ENGAGEMENT MODEL.

MOBILIZE THE MEMBER BASE BUT ALSO THE WIDER COMMUNITY AROUND ADVOCACY.

WE WILL BE KICKING UP SOME TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES VIRTUALLY OF COURSE AROUND HOW PEOPLE CAN BE ENGAGED, HOW THEY CAN ADVOCATE.

YOU MAY HAVE SEEN RECENTLY WE HAD A TOWN HALL WITH THE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION THAT WENT OVER VERY WELL.

WE WILL BE CONTINUING THESE CONVERSATIONS ACROSS THE STATE VIRTUALLY OF COURSE, ENGAGING DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES AND DIFFERENT LEADERS.

PETER: I GOT TO CUT YOU OFF.

WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME.

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING BACK ONTO THE SHOW.

AND TO YOU, THE VIEWERS, FOR TUNING INTO ANOTHER EDITION OF "IN ANOTHER OPINION."

SPECIAL THANKS TO PBS FOR MAKING THIS PROGRAM POSSIBLE.

I AM YOUR HOST PETER WELLS.

GIVE US YOUR OPINION ON FACEBOOK OR TWITTER.

AND HAVE A GREAT DAY.

LISA: THANK YOU SO MUCH.

[CAPTIONING PERFORMED BY THE NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CAPTION CONTENT AND ACCURACY.

VISIT NCICAP.ORG] ♪ >> SOMEONE GAVE.

SOMEONE DONATED.

SOMEONE LEFT A LEGACY.

GENERATIONS OF SOMEONES HELPED SHE RHODE ISLAND INTO THIS AMAZING PLACE WE CALL HOME.

HOW DO YOU THINK THEM?

BY LEAVING YOUR OWN LEGACY.

WE CAN HELP.

IT'S NOT CALLED A NONVIOLENT DIRECT ACTION, IT'S CALLED A STRIKE.

THAT IS WHAT I LEARNED.

I DON'T BELIEVE CAPITALISM IS THE RIGHT WORD.

MY FAMILY HAS DONE PRETTY WELL.

MY FATHER AND MY UNCLE WERE NICE MINISTERS AND SO FORTH.

THAT DOES NOT MEAN THERE SHOULD NOT BE A SOCIAL AREA OF WEALTH DISTRIBUTION SO YOU DON'T HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE HUNGRY WHO HAVEN'T GOT CLEAN WATER OR CAN'T AFFORD TO SEND THEIR KIDS TO COLLEGE.

I DON'T BELIEVE IN THAT KIND OF DEMOCRACY, BECAUSE THAT IS NOT DEMOCRACY, THAT IS CAPITALISM.

I HAVE NO INVESTMENT IN CAPITALISM PER SE, BECAUSE MY GREAT-GRANDFATHER WAS A SLAVE.

HE LEFT SLAVERY UNDER CAPITALISM TO JOIN THE UNION ARMY TO FIGHT FOR HIS FREEDOM.

THAT IS WHERE I GET MY POINT OF REFERENCE FROM.