AACC helps Native American Chamber

NO STRINGS ATTACHED .. . AFRICAN AMERICAN CHAMBER REACHES OUT TO FINANCIALLY EMPOWER NATIVE AMERICAN CHAMBER
In keeping with the slogan of ‘Inclusive, Not Exclusive’ the African American Chamber made a surprise announcement on Wednesday as Chamber President, Roy Jay delivered a keynote speech at the noon luncheon of the Native American Chamber. The theme was ‘It’s not just about Us .. It’s About All of us’.  At the end of the 45 minute speech in Northeast Portland Jay surprised everyone by asking Native American Chamber President, Herb Fricke to stand up and accept a check in the amount of $2500 from the African American Chamber as seed money to help with Native American small business counseling and mentoring in conjunction with the AACC’s Business Steps to Success Program.  ‘Normally we have a speaker that provides some business insight or other valuable information, but this is the first time that I can recall that a speaker actually came bearing  a check and not just a promise, says Frike.

‘The African American Chamber has always thought outside the box’ says Chamber president, Roy Jay.  In 1996, it was the African American Chamber that took the leadership role in winning a multi million dollar  public parking contract and included other ethnic minority chambers as equal partners in the management operation. Jay gives credit to a highly effective and efficient board and advisory board members that realize the importance of being inclusive. ‘We cannot and will not live or work in a vaccum’.

The African American Chamber was a recepient of a City of Portland small business grant and decided to share the wealth with other smaller ethnic chambers and business groups that meet the criteria of small business empowerment.

Chamber spokesman, Joe Nunn said that there will undoubtedly be other financial partnership awards in the future. ‘We hope that we are setting a new standard .. just because one group wins is no reason why we cannot help share the wealth and knowledge’.

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