Biden cabinet member kicks off Black Business Month in Little Rock

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Thursday morning, Isabel Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration, traveled to Little Rock to kick off Black Business Month.

Black Business Month covers the entire month of August and is set aside to show appreciation and support for Black-owned businesses.

Guzman spent part of the day hearing from business owners about how federal money is helping their own entrepreneurship and in turn helping their communities.

She also met Arlo Washington, who was featured in the Oscar-nominated documentary, “The Barber of Little Rock”.

“Arlo Washington with his barbershop and barber school and now people trust, his loan operation. this really defines the American dream. But as well gives us hope that others will follow in his great footsteps to be able to power communities,” Guzman said.

Guzman also visited four local small businesses ranging from food to personal care and also talked with owners about increasing access to capital for Black-owned businesses and the state of Black entrepreneurship in Arkansas.

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