Urban farmers, Jeremy Peaches of Fresh Life Organics & Ivy Lawrence-Walls of Ivy Leaf Farms, who also are the founders of Black Farmer Box, a grocery store in Sunnyside.

Georgia Provost is the president of Provost Studios, poses for a portrait on June 2, 2023 in Houston. Provost Studios has chronicled the Houston community since 1948.

Long-established businesses in Houston’s Fifth Ward are bracing for change as the 150-acre development, East River, attracts investment in the area.

Sharon Benjamin stands in her salon, Janine’s House of Finesse, on Sept. 1, 2023 in Houston.

African-themed jewelry is for sale during the Fort Bend County Festival of One on Aug. 26, 2023, at the Fort Bend County Epicenter event complex in Rosenberg.

Many Americans like to think our society and economy offer a level playing field for all, no matter your gender, religion or race. On the other hand, there is reality.

Conservative politicians across the country are pushing to end every program intended to counteract centuries of white supremacist policies. They have vilified and misrepresented diversity, equity and inclusion programs, alleging reverse racism. But the facts remain, and they are ugly.

The Alliance for Entrepreneurial Equity’s “The State of Black Business” uses data from the Federal Reserve, the Census Bureau and other publicly available sources to gauge progress and problems.

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“Black-owned businesses are seeing year-over-year........

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