Minority-owned businesses hit hard by COVID-19

90% of black and women-owned businesses are not receiving stimulus money

HOW TO FIND US MINORITY ANDWOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES ARETAKING SOME OF THE HARDESTECONOMIC HITS DURING THECOVID-19 PANDEMIC.EXPERTS SAY NEARLY 90 PERCENT OFTHESE BUSINESSES HAVE YET TORECEIVE FEDERAL RELIEF FUNDING.FOX 4’S MIANA MASSEY, TALKING TOA LOCAL GYM OWNER ABOUT HERSTRUGGLE TO MAKE ENDS MEET."Im a child of immigrants, wedidn’t have a stepping stole tosuccess, we kind of had to learnby trail and error" CherlineLouissaintCHERLINE LOUISSANT, OWNER OFINCREASE THE PEACH HEALTH ANDFITNESS STUDIO IN FORTMYERSSAYS COULDN’T HAVEIMAGINED THE FINANCIAL HARDSHIPHER BUSINESS WOULD GO THROUGHWHEN SHE OPENED JUST 6 MONTHSAGO"when something goes wrong itsalways the minorities andminority businesses that arehurt the most" JOHNNY STREETS//ACCORDING TO A REPORT FROM THECENTER FOR RESPONSIBLELENDINGBUSINESSES OF COLORACCOUNT FOR 30 PERCENT OF ALL USBUSINESSES, CONTRIBUTING TONEARLY 7.2 MILLION JOBSYET THEY ARE LEAST LIKLEY TORECEIVE FEDERAL FUNDINGLOUISSANT HAS APPLIED FORFEDERAL FUNDING THROUGH THESMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION,BUT HAS YET TO RECEIVE ANYASSISTANCE"i most recently got an emailsaying it was in que" CherlinLouissaintHAS SHE WAITS, THE BILLSCONTINUE TO PILE OVER"still have to pay the rentstill have to keep theelectricity on, have to keep itmoving so the place doesn’t rustover" Cherline LouissaintOVER 90% OF SMALL BUSINESS INMAJORITY BLACK OR HISPANICCOMMUNITIES HAVE CASH RESERVESFEWER THAN 14 DAYSVINCENT KEEYS, PRESIDENT OF THECOLLIER COUNTY’S NAACP.SAYSMANY OF THESE BUSINESSES CANTAFFORD TO WAIT ANY LONGER"we are in a crisis like this,and every one is asked to stayhome, that business is literallyon the brink of failure" VincentKeeys, Collier NAACP Chair<<BUTTED