This Monday, Education Chancellor David Banks opened a meeting of public school principals and employees from the five boroughs with organizations, entrepreneurs and service providers from minority communities and small businesses launched by women and people of color.
“Our women- and minority-launched businesses are parent-owned businesses of our students,” explained Karine Apollon, general manager for diversity, Department of Education.
It is about ensuring an economic opportunity to lift up the entire community, added the first general director for diversity of the Department of Education.
“One of my administration’s top priorities is to ensure that more of our budget goes to MWBE vendors and contractors.
“That’s why I was proud to join @NYCMayor this morning to kick off the @NYCSchools Small Business Expo, a collaborative effort to improve MWBE providers,” Chancellor Banks wrote in a social media post.
One of the top priorities of my administration is making sure that more of our budget goes to MWBE vendors and contractors.
It’s why I was proud to join @NYCMayor this morning to kick off the @NYCSchools Small Business Expo—a collaborative effort to uplift MWBE vendors. pic.twitter.com/MpcFfsi6Yv
— Chancellor David C. Banks (@DOEChancellor) July 17, 2023
The agency in charge of public education has increased spending allocated to these organizations and businesses, entities called MWBEs.
“It is very important that the Department of Education has made this commitment to businesses run by minorities or women,” said the president of Catalyst Education and former director of education for the renowned firm Scholastic. Of the million students in the city’s public schools, 70% or more are students of color.
“This event is going to create many business opportunities in our community, where we can serve our families and our students,” said Celina Gutierrez, a public school principal.
The flagship LaGuardia Arts High School on the Upper West Side brought together more than 100 vendors from minority- and women-owned business enterprises, connecting them with Department of Education officials.
“We believe that our commitment, our duty and obligation is not only to share the multiculturalism of New York, but also to make our culture present in schools,” said Silvia Mata, president and co-founder, Arte LatAM.
“This gives us the opportunity to continue to provide and continue to basically share food with our people,” said Arnold Rodríguez, employee, Salsa Catering & Special Events.
The tone of the meeting was set by the joy and sounds of the community.
“This deserves a celebration. We have a lot of work to do but today we have to celebrate the successes we have achieved up to this point,” added Principal Gutiérrez.
The Education department told us that it is working on similar inclusion initiatives that will be launched starting next year.
2023-07-18 12:48:00
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