By Sam Keevil
In less than a year after its creation, The Muncie-Delaware County Black Chamber of Commerce has more than 60 members and is growing fast.
“It’s all about community,” said Jason Walker, president of the chamber and owner of First Choice Electric. “We are trying to better our community and promote financial wealth within our community.”
The chamber officially launched in July of 2020, in the midst of COVID-19, but officials say they’ve already seen a difference in the representation of Black-owned businesses in Muncie. The goal of the chamber is to be a professional development resource for Black and minority-owned businesses in Delaware County.
The chamber regularly provides a wide range of professional workshops for business owners to attend. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the chamber has hosted its workshops over Zoom. When permitted to meet face-to-face, the chamber will meet at Ivy Tech Community College in downtown Muncie, Walker said.
“The workshops are for anybody in the community. Anybody who wants to join our chamber can participate in these workshops,” said Walker.
The chamber has been a useful resource for minority owned businesses in Muncie, like Mama Bond’s Soul Food Kitchen, which opened in November of 2020.
“We were all able to go there and represent her, and help her do a ribbon cutting,” said George Foley, the public relations representative of the chamber and owner of Tailored Technology. Foley says despite the struggles with the pandemic, there weren’t many businesses that reached out for assistance.
The chamber has plans for events this summer including a National Parks Day celebration on May 14, a Juneteenth celebration and recognizing Black Music Month in June.
To learn more about the chamber and to get in contact, visit its website at https://www.mdcblackchamber.org/
Sources: First Choice Electric, Mama Bonds Soul Food Kitchen, Tailored Technology, Muncie-Delaware County Black Chamber of Commerce
Featured Image: Provided by the Muncie-Delaware County Black Chamber of Commerce
