Martin Ezemma, Business Development Specialist

/in /by

martin-ezemma
Business Development Specialist-Access to Markets-Africa Focus
Minority Business Development Agency-U.S. Department of Commerce
Martin provides business consulting services for minority businesses on Doing Business In Africa.He serves as a member of the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business In Africa. Martin represents MBDA to coordinate the Africa Diaspora business community engagement through the office of Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee (TPCC)-International Trade Administration (ITA).
Before joining MBDA, Martin was a small business owner and worked in the financial services sector. He holds a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from the George Washington University School of Business.

Export.Gov

/in /by

export-gov
We are pleased to announce that the local Export.gov team in Harlem will be supporting the African Union Expo 2015 and deliver sessions related to exports, trade and logistics.
Export.gov Helps American Companies Succeed Globally

Export.gov brings together resources from across the U.S. Government to assist American businesses in planning their international sales strategies and succeed in today’s global marketplace.

From market research and trade leads from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Commercial Service to export finance information from Export-Import Bank and the Small Business Administration to agricultural export assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Export.gov helps American exporters navigate the international sales process and avoid pitfalls such as non-payment and intellectual property misappropriation.

Export.gov was created to provide better customer service for businesses interacting with the Federal Government. TheU.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration manages Export.gov as a collaborative effort with the19 Federal Agencies that offer export assistance programs and services

http://www.export.gov/about/index.asp

U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Women's Ownership

/in /by

SBA 1 2016_banner
 
We are pleased to announce that the African Union Expo 2015 has been formally chosen to host one of the Innovate HER business Challenge events. the Challenge constant we take place after the formal sessions for the Expo have concluded from approximately 5:30pm – 7:00pm on 11/17/2015
About the InnovateHER Business challenge 
Building on the success of the SBA’s inaugural 2015 InnovateHER Business Challenge, which we piloted in early 2015, Administrator Contreras-Sweet and the Office of Women’s Business Ownership are pleased to announce the launch of the SBA’s InnovateHER 2016: Innovating for Women Business Challenge and Summit.  The InnovateHER Challenge is a national prize competition aimed at unearthing products and services that impact and empower the lives of women and families through local business competitions that culminate in a live pitch Final Round. During the InnovateHER Finals, up to 10 Finalists will compete for the Top Three cash prizes totaling $70,000 provided by Microsoft.  This year, the national InnovateHER Finals will be held on March 16 & 17, 2016 in the Washington, D.C. metro area as part of a larger Women’s Summit.
 
About SBA Office of Women’s Ownership 

Mission Statement

The Office of Women’s Business Ownership’s mission is to enable and empower women entrepreneurs through advocacy, outreach, education and support. Through the management and technical assistance provided by the WBCs, entrepreneurs, especially women who are economically or socially disadvantaged, are offered comprehensive training and counseling on a vast array of topics in many languages to help them start and grow their own businesses.
https://www.sba.gov/offices/headquarters/wbo

U.S. Small Business Administration, Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs)

/in /by

SBA 1 asbdcsba 2 cuny_logotype_blue
We are please to announce the support of the U.S. Small Business Administration, Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) for the African Union Expo 2015. the SBA SDBCs they are as follows:

  • Columbia University Business School, Harlem 
  • CUNY, York College 
  • CUNY, City Tech
  • CUNY, Lehman College

U.S. Small Business Administration, Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) will be delivering the sessions related to export finance, and export  strategy, Business planning, Marketing and e-commerce.
About the SDBCs
The Columbia-Harlem Small Business Development Center (CHSBDC) has been part of the community of Upper Manhattan since 2009. Funded partially by theUnited States Small Business Administration, the CHSBDC is one of 900 centers across the country that offer free business advice and training provided by qualified small business professionals to existing and future entrepreneurs.
Unlike other small business assistance programs, we offer intensive one-on-one counseling to our clients, allowing us to truly build a strong relationship with them. We have thus cultivated a network of experts, mentors and program alumni in all industries, some of which are willing to assist new clients in need. Our connection to Columbia Business School also gives our clients access to world-renowned faculty members, business students, and alumni business leaders.
Located in Columbia Business School, the center is committed to supporting the economic sustainability of New Yorkers—one business at a time.
http://www8.gsb.columbia.edu/sbdc/about
__
Brooklyn Small Business Development Center
We think New York is great for small business — and so do our clients.
Since our start in 1986, the expert advisors of the Brooklyn SBDC have worked directly with 14,114 businesses, helping them to invest $83,219,174 in the area’s economy, and create or save 3,862 jobs.

If you or your business reside in New York, the SBDC can maneuver you around the obstacles to success.  Among other things, we help our clients:

  • understand the importance of a business plan
  • discover sources of funding
  • prepare for e-commerce
  • identify avenues for exporting goods & services
  • develop marketing plans
  • assess an invention’s viability
  • comply with licensing & regulations

And thanks to our partners in the public and private sectors, our services are free of charge.
http://www.nyssbdc.org/centers/centers.aspx?centid=28
__
Small Business Development Center, York College 
Since our start in 1988, The New York Small Business Development Center at York College has achieved over $125 Million in economic impact through loans they helped their clients obtain. The expert advisers have worked with 14,468 businesses, and have created or saved 3,979 jobs.
https://www.york.cuny.edu/conted/sbdc
_
 

U.S. Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)

/in /by

us Department of commence 1logo_mbda
 
We are pleased to Announce that the U.S. Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) is supporting the African Union Expo and Martin Ezemma, MBDA Business Development Specialist,  the Agency’s expert in the African Diaspora will be leading the Q&A discussions and his extended team will be delivering several of the sessions related to Exports/Imports, Trade and Investment.
The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), a job-creating agency, leads Federal efforts to promote the growth and global competitiveness of America’s minority business community. This summary includes a small portion of our overall accomplishments during the first three years of the Obama Administration.
 

Increasing Exports of Minority-Owned Firms

mbda_exportoppty
 
Today, the importance of minority-owned businesses as a key component of U.S. international trade has nev-er been greater. Minority-owned firms have the most favorable export attributes of any sector of the U.S. economy and represent the future of export growth. They are:

  • twice as likely to export their products and services;
  • six times more likely to transact business in a language other than English;
  • three times more likely to generate 100% of their revenues from exporting;
  • more likely to have international operations than non-minority owned firms; and
  • substantial contributors to exports in manufacturing, retail trade, technology, and educational services.

Redesigned MBDA Business Center Program

In 2011, MBDA successfully launched a redesigned MBDA Business Center program. The new nationally focused program combined the traditional Minority Business Enterprise Center (MBEC) and Minority Business Opportunity Center (MBOC) programs into one. Significant changes include an increase in funding and the elimination of geographic borders, allowing business centers to provide services to minority-owned businesses anywhere in the Nation. Additional changes include longer funding terms, reduced paperwork burdens, the addition of merger, acquisition, joint venture and strategic partnering support, and enhanced export services.

Flyers for Event for the General Public

/in /by

attached and below are the flyers for the event for the General Public
GO Africa Harlem Street Festival public 8-19-2015
GO Africa Harlem Street Festival public 8-19-2015

Event Flyers for 2016 event for merchants

/in /by

Below and attached are all the flyers for this event
GO Africa Harlem Street Festival outside merchants 8-19-2016GO Africa Harlem Street Festival outside merchants 8-19-2016

NYC thirtydaystreetfair application

/in /by

NYC street Festival permit application for merchants (30 day) just download and complete
NYC thirtydaystreetfair application

NYC Council Member, Inez Dickens District 9

/in /by

Inez Dickens
A lifelong resident of the 9th Council District that includes Central Harlem, Morningside Heights, parts of the Upper West Side and part of East Harlem, Inez Dickens is highly respected as a tireless fighter for basic civil and human rights, justice, equity, inclusion and diversity.   She is committed to improving the quality of life for everyone in her community and in the City of New York.  Moreover, for over 30 years beginning as a student activist at the side of her father and mentor, the late Harlem businessman and NYS Assemblyman, Lloyd E. Dickens, Council Member Inez E. Dickens has taken an active role in economic development, small business with a focus on minority and women owned business enterprise, and political landscape of New York’s celebrated village of Harlem.
Ms. Dickens was first elected to office in 1974 as a County Committeewoman, County Judicial Committeewoman and State Committeewoman and eventually rose in party ranks to become the highest-ranking African American woman in the New York State Democratic party serving as the First Vice Chair of the New York State Democratic Committee.  Ms. Dickens stepped down as First Vice Chair when she took the oath of office on January 1, 2006, after winning a hotly contested City Council race.  She became the Council Member for the 9th Council District serving the communities of Central Harlem, Morningside Heights, part of the Upper West Side and East Side.  As a newly elected Council Member, Ms. Dickens hit the ground running after Speaker Christine Quinn appointed her to the leadership position of Majority Whip and Chair of the Standing Committee on Standards and Ethics.  During her tenure in office, Inez  E. Dickens has brought millions of dollars in services and resources to her community, the 9th Council District and to economically distressed communities throughout the City of New York.  She has also fought to make our great city a welcoming port-of-call to all and to build futures of promise for her constituents and all New Yorkers.
Ms. Dickens is a product of the New York City public school system, where she was educated at P.S. 133 and Julia Richmond High School. She did undergraduate studies in real estate and land economics at New York University and later at Howard University.

NY State Senator Adriano Espaillat

/in /by

Adriano Espaillat Headshot
State Senator Adriano Espaillat’s career in public service has been marked by historic accomplishments and an unwavering commitment to integrity, justice, and equal representation for all.
Following a successful tenure in the New York State Assembly, Espaillat was elected to the Senate in November 2010, where he represents the 31st district. This uniquely diverse and dynamic district stretches from Manhattan’s Upper West Side through Washington Heights and includes Riverdale, Marble Hill, and Hamilton Heights.
A trailblazing community activist, Senator Espaillat made history in 1996 when he became the first Dominican-American elected to a state legislature. Espaillat quickly distinguished himself as a reformer and progressive fighter who stood up for working families and small businesses.
Espaillat worked tirelessly to champion causes that directly helped communities across New York. Along the way he executed some remarkable legislative and policy accomplishments including the following highlights:

  • Successful advocacy on behalf of over 2.5 million NYC tenants during the campaign to extend and strengthen rent regulations.
  • Passage of law cracking down on the sale of dangerous alcoholic beverages to minors.
  • Extension of the J-51 Housing Program, which protected tenant from unfair rent hikes.
  • Passage of legislation supporting over 40,000 livery drivers by extending protections from violent crimes and inclusion of the drivers in the Workers’ Compensation benefits program.
  • Legislation allowing 35,000 daycare providers to organize and collectively bargain, helping empower some of New York’s hardest working men and women and strengthening our middle-class.

Senator Espaillat was chosen by his colleagues to chair the Senate Puerto Rican/Latino Caucus. He is the top ranking Democrat on the Senate Housing Committee and also serves on the Environmental Conservation, Economic Development, Codes, Insurance, and Judiciary committees. Additionally, Governor Andrew Cuomo has selected Senator Espaillat as a member of his Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprise team where Senator Espaillat chairs the subcommittee on monitoring and compliance.
Prior to catapulting into the state capitol, Espaillat served his community on a grass-roots level.
From 1994 to 1996, Espaillat served as the Director of Project Right Start, a national initiative funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to combat substance abuse by educating the parents of pre-school children. This pilot program was implemented in six cities throughout the country and in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
From 1992 to 1994, Espaillat served as Director of the Washington Heights Victims Services Community Office. The organization offered bilingual support groups for battered women, and provided relief, compensation, counseling and therapeutic services to families of victims of homicides and other crimes. In 1991, Espaillat was chosen as a member of Governor Mario Cuomo’s Dominican American Advisory Board, where he served for two years.
From 1986 to 1991, Espaillat actively served on Community Planning Board 12 as a member of the Executive Board. Espaillat became a strong voice in the community by organizing tenants and advocating for their rights. He successfully petitioned for greater police services in the community. His tireless efforts resulted in increased foot patrol, block watches, the creation of the new 33rd Police Precinct and other successful crime prevention measures in Northern Manhattan. During the mid 1980’s, Espaillat was elected President of the 34th Precinct Community Council. Throughout the 80’s, he worked closely with the community and law enforcement agencies to help eradicate drugs and crime from Washington Heights and Inwood.
In 1980, Espaillat joined the NYC Criminal Justice Agency, a non-profit agency contracted by the city of New York to provide pre-trial services to the New York Criminal Court system, where he worked as the Manhattan Court Services Coordinator
for eight years. During the 1990’s, Espaillat helped resolve hundreds of conflicts among his constituents by volunteering his services as a state certified conflict resolution mediator for the Washington Heights Inwood Conflict Resolutions and Mediation Center.
Espaillat graduated from Bishop Dubois High School in 1974. In 1978, he earned his B.S. degree in Political Science from Queens College, and later completed postgraduate courses in Public Administration at New York University and the Rutgers University Leadership for Urban Executives Institute.