The first annual MBE (Minority Business Enterprise) Advocacy Day in Prince George’s County, Maryland, will take place on March 28 in downtown Largo at the Wayne K. Curry Administration Building from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will be hosted by County Council member Mel Franklin (D-At Large).
The MBE community in Prince George’s and its allies seek to advocate for the issues and interests of minority and women-owned businesses, Franklin said. Participants will have the opportunity to dialogue with council members and staffers, the Office of the County Executive, county procurement officers, state officials and others.
The event is free but registration is required. Fifty registered slots are reserved for minority or women-owned business owners in the county.For more information, register at https://tinyurl.com/mbe-day-largo-2023.
Click here to read the rest of the story written by James Wright over at The Washington Informer
Here are detailed instructions for participants:
Morning Arrival: 8:30AM-9AM
-For those attending the 10AM County Council public session, please arrive by 9AM at the Wayne K. Curry Administration Bldg., 1301 McCormick Drive, First Floor, Largo, MD 20774. Due to the possibly lengthy security line, I recommend arriving by 8:30AM. Please go through security and proceed into the first floor County Council hearing to the right of the security officer desk, down the hall, enter and have a seat.
10AM-11:45AM County Council Public Session, First Floor Council Hearing Room
-From 10AM to 11:45AM, you are inviting to attend the first portion of the County Council’s March 28, 2023 public session. I will recognize and welcome you all to MBE Advocacy Day in brief public remarks.
Council Meeting Speakers: Those of you who chose in your registration form to address the County Council meeting have separately received instructions about how to sign up to speak. You will be recognized at the beginning of the Council meeting to give remarks.
12PM-2PM MBE Advocacy Day Lunch Reception
-One of the main attractions of MBE Advocacy Day is the lunch reception happening from 12PM-2PM. This lunch reception will take place in the First Floor Technology Lounge near the Council Hearing room. My staff will guide those of you who are attending the 10AM Council session over to the Technology Lounge at approximately 11:45AM. For those of you not attending the 10AM Council session and coming directly to the lunch reception, I encourage you to arrive at the Curry bldg. at no later than 11:30AM so that you can make it through security in time for the start of the lunch reception. Security can direct you to the location of the Technology Lounge. The MBE Advocacy Day lunch will feature several key speakers of interest, followed by a 30-45minute Q&A. The speakers will include:
-Kevin Anderson, Maryland Commerce Secretary;
-Delegate Nick Charles (District 25), Prince George’s House Delegation, Chair;
-Jonathan Butler, Director of Central Services, Prince George’s County;
-Wes Owens, Prince George’s County Public Schools, Minority Business Enterprise Coordinator;
-Malcolm Jackson, Supplier Diversity Program Manager, and Lawrence Taylor, Corporate Procurement Specialist, Maryland National Capital Park & Planning Commission (MNCPPC);
-Nena Charity, Procurement Manager, Prince George’s Community College (PGCC);
-Courtney Edmonds, Office of Supplier Diversity & Inclusion, Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC);
-Tobias Thornwell, Senior Strategic Sourcing Manager, MGM National Harbor; and
-Dawn Medley, President & CEO, FSC First
2PM-4PM Meetings with County Council Members
For those of you who chose the option in your registration form to meet with the County Council Member in whose district your business is located, you have already received separate e-mail instructions if your Council Member has agreed to such a meeting. Please reply to that e-mail if you haven’t already done so, to confirm your meeting. If you are meeting with your Council Member, please take the main lobby elevators to the 2nd floor of the Curry bldg. and check in with the reception desk and advise them which Council Member that you are there to meet. The Council Member’s staff will come out and guide you to the meeting.
Note: For those of you not participating in this portion of MBE Advocacy Day, your day will end at 2PM. Thank you for joining us!
MBE Advocacy Day Priorities – Survey Results
These are the results of the survey of the MBE Advocacy Day participants about your top priority:
Expanding Local Minority Business Opportunities in Procurement with Local Non-County Agencies, Institutions, and Municipalities: 28.5%
Increasing Access to Financial Capital for the Local MBE Community: 27.8%
Advancing our Local Minority Businesses from subcontractors to general contractors: 19.5%
Improving Compliance, Accountability, and Enforcement of Local and State Minority Business Procurement Laws: 11.3%
Equity in Development: Increasing Ownership Opportunities for Local Minority Developers in Private Sector Projects: 7.5%
