When Profit Builds Community: African American Businesses as Engines of Economic and Political Development

By: Rasheed Mitchell '13

Advising Faculty: MaryAnne Borrelli

African American businesses have the potential to flourish; their numbers and sales increased by 60 percent in the five years before the 2008 economic downturn. These are the businesses that employ local workers, buy local goods, and support the local economy. They are also businesses that often have limited access to economic, cultural, and political capital. By developing a detailed business plan, which assesses government programs for small business, my independent study examines the ways in which a small African American firm can generate a consistent profit, build capital, and contribute to the greater community.

Related Fields: Diversity, Government, International Relations