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(female announcer) 
  This is a production

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of WKNO-Memphis.

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Production funding for 
  "Behind the Headlines" is

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made possible in part by..

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The push for more business for 
minority owned firms tonight on

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"Behind the Headlines."

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[theme music]

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I'm Eric Barnes, publisher 
of The Memphis Daily News.

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Thanks for joining us.

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We're joined tonight by Mauricio 
Calvo from Latino Memphis.

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Thanks for being here.

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Glad to be here.

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Darrell Cobbins, C-E-O 
of Universal Commercial.

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Thanks for being here.

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Thank you.

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And Ron Redwing 
from 100 Black Men.

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Thanks for being here.

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I'm going to start, I 
think, with you Darrell.

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This push came up why?

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It's been certainly a topic 
of conversation for decades.

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Different strategies, 
different approaches.

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Some success or changes in terms 
of how minority owned businesses

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get government and 
quasi-governmental contracting

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and so on.

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But this new push 
came about why?

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Well, I think, uh, early this 
summer you saw in the news both

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in print and in the media, 
um, stories whether it's in

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government.

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Also, I think Wendy Thomas wrote 
a piece about the disparity that

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existed whether it's 
in government contracts,

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also in the private 
sector, as it related to the,

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uh, disparity that existed.

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There's a disparity study 
that was done in 1994 that

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highlighted the galring holes 
that existed whether where it

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related to minority and women 
owned businesses and the 1% that

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they got, um, as it 
related to prime contracts.

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And I think when that 
was brought to light,

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the big question 
mark was that was 1994.

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And it's 2014.

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And that was 20 years ago.

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And we still sit here 20 
years later with that hole still

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existing.

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What is the percentage now?

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Well, um, the most recent census 
data was in 2007 that showed

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that eight-tenths 
of 1% is the number.

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The number of?

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Grosse receipts that minority 
and women owned businesses.

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And is that Memphis or Shelby 
County or the United States?

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Well, that's the Memphis M-S-A.

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And, uh, and that's, um, 
and that was pre 2008.

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So, I think we can probably 
assume that that number may be

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even worse since 2007.

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Because of the 
recession or because..

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Exactly.

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And so, I think that number 
may be being updated soon since

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2007.

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And so, the impetus for this 
recent push was that we need to

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examine as a community, um, 
that issue as a priority.

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When you look at our 
poverty situation,

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when you look at the fact that 
Latinos and African-Americans

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make up almost 70% of the 
population in this community but

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Latino poverty in Memphis and 
Shelby County is 72% higher than

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the national average 
for Latinos in America.

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African-American poverty in 
Memphis and Shelby County is

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almost 32% higher than 
African-American poverty in the

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United States.

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We have to examine that.

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And not that minority and women 
owned business can solve that.

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But there's a solution there.

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Yeah.

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That we need to take a look at.

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And what would..

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Let me bring Ron in here 
and I'll get to Mauricio.

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In your ideal world, the 
approach would entail what?

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A new appraoch to 
bidding projects out,

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new requirements for 
percentage participation?

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I mean what are the details 
of how this changes from your

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point-of-view?

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Eric, I think there are 
a lot of opportunities,

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as Darrell said, to 
examine best practices,

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what works.

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For example, in the 1994 
study, there were a number of

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reccomendations that were 
outlined as to what could happen

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or what should happen to at 
least address the issue of the

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disparity that exists.

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For exmaple, they talked 
about looking at mentor protege

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programs, looking at 
de-bundling your large bids,

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more training and workshop 
opportunities for small,

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women owned businesses.

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But those are just some thinigs 
that could be addressed or

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looked at to address the issue.

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And then beyond that when you 
talk about engaging the private

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sector, looking at opportunities 
that they engage more and become

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more creative and inviting in 
opportunities at the private

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sector.

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Because we recognize these 
numbers can't be reached through

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government alone.

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It has to be a partnership 
with the private sector.

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So to that in, we've scheduled 
and met with a number of the

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private business advocacy groups 
such as Memphis Tomorrow through

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their many programs and 
involvement as it relates to

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this issue.

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We're meeting with the Chamber 
of Commerce and a number of

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other organizations to look at 
ways to address that very issue

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and best practices 
throughout the country.

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We're not talking about 
reinventing the wheel.

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The one thing we know for sure, 
there has to be a change for

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Memphis to become the city of 
choice and to make the kinds of

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differences that 
we're talking about.

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Mauricio, we talk 
about 1994 to now.

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The Hispanic and 
Latino population has grown

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dramatically in 
that period of time.

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So, your take, your perspective 
on this and the importace of

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this and the mechanisms, the way 
in which chane could happen that

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would satisfy you.

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Sure.

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And I agree with Darrell.

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I mean I think we have been 
talking about it for 20 years.

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I will add that perhaps 
the recent comments from the

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Commissioner Henri Brooks kind 
of sparked this conversation.

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So, that was a 
really awkward moment.

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I think the good thing out of 
that is that people are talking

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about this.

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Again, I'm not saying 
that she created this.

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But it did create 
a sense of, like,

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well, let's just regroup 
and talk about these issues.

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Are Latinos a true minority 
here?

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Or this disparity?

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I think it was an invitation to 
go back to the table and look at

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these things.

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I mean Latinos obviously want..

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They want a share of the pie.

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But we also have to see that 
many Latinos are not ready to be

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contractors.

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They're not licensed.

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So, I think we have to look at 
really at a broad prospective

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and say okay, we need to do 
training for folks that are

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starting a business.

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I think we should make a 
push whether it's black,

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white, Latino or 
other for local business,

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for small businesses.

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I mean I love to see this huge 
construction on 40 and other

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places with 
out-of-town companies doing it.

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You know, I think, 
because at the end of the day,

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even if it's a small minority 
owned business out of Georgia,

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how does that benefit us?

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I mean I know at the end of 
the day it employs people here.

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Let's just bring 
businesses from here first.

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Right.

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And you get, to 
Darrell maybe, you get..

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Mauricio brings up the point 
that critics or skeptics of

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these kind of 
efforts will say, well,

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there it's all well and good to 
say that you want to have more

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minority owned businesses 
leading these contracts.

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But those 
businesses aren't out there.

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And so, on some level, 
there's a chicken and egg thing.

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Right?

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If there aren't enough 
businesses qualified to do it,

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it's not that they're 
not inherently qualified.

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They just don't 
have the experience.

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Because maybe in the past, they 
were explicitly blocked out.

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That's maybe less so now.

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I mean there's progress.

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But there aren't as many 
minority owned businesses.

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There aren't, you know, for 
the population that's 50%

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African-American, there aren't 
50% African-American businesses.

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So, how do you balance that?

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How do you get that chicken and 
egg thing going in the direction

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you want?

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You first.

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That's why I said we 
have to examine it.

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I'm not sitting here 
saying, uh, let's start blaming.

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But I'm saying let's examine it.

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And it's sort of like the 
car is broken and the hood is,

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you know, there's smoke coming 
out of the hood and the stop

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engine light is on.

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You know, we need to pop the 
hood and get up under there and

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figure out what the issue is.

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Right.

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And so, if there's 
a lack of talent,

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so to speak, let's figure 
out where the needs are,

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what the opportunities are.

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And to Mauricio's 
point, if there is a,

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uh, lack of talent in 
specific areas where there are

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opportunities, let's provide 
the technical assistance.

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Let's provide the training.

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Let's provide the, um, 
training and the skills to,

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uh, to provide opportunities 
for folks that go in to those

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particular areas 
where there is business.

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And in part is..

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100 Black Men is in part an 
answer to some of the things

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you're talking about.

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Is that correct?

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Well..

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Because you should tell people 
what that is if they're not

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familiar with your organization.

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Sure.

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100 Black Men is a civic 
organization of professional men

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whose focus is mentoring, 
uh, primarily young boys.

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Lately our focus has 
been in education,

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primarily with 
our charter school,

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MAHS, Memphis Academy 
of Health Sciences.

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But I wanted to touch on 
that, Darrell's point.

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You know, in some instances, 
we talk about new business,

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training businesses.

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But in a lot of instances, 
it's about recognizing and

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acknowledging the 
businesses that are there.

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Businesses are in waiting and 
just looking for an opportunity.

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So, when we can match the 
need with the opportunity,

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then I think we can 
begin to move the needle.

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And particularly where business 
are of scale where they can work

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on large construction project or 
if it's through some contracting

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mechanism.

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It's the opportunity, I think, 
that we're missing in this whole

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conversation.

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And we got to get there.

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But don't..

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I mean it seems like..

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Maybe this is a very, 
uh, superficial response.

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You tell me if it is.

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Whenever a big 
project, a big ticket item,

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you know, a Bass 
Pro, a Crosstown,

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Graceland, you know, 
Whitehaven redevelopment area.

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There's always some kind 
of condition in thereof,

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you know, X percent.

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Or it seems like there's some 
kind of condition in there.

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X percent, 25% 
minority participation.

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Like when FedEx Forum was built.

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Do those requirements not work?

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And are they not real?

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Are they not enough?

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Sure.

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I think they're real.

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I think it's where we also have 
to be intentional about making

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sure that those who are ready, 
those who are prepared and

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qualified have the opportunities 
to really seek those,

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uh, those business, uh, 
procurement opportunities as

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they exist.

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You can question.

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When you start getting to 
percentages and numbers and that

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sort of thing, that's 
neither here nor there.

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But where we have companies 
to Mauricio's point that are

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qualified, that are ready, we 
should be doing everything we

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can to allow those companies or 
businesses the opportunities to

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participate.

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Let me put this question on you.

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You know, again, people who 
listen to this maybe and say,

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well, you know, once you..

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If you mandate that X percentage 
or is going to be a minority

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participation.

251
00:12:11,698 --> 00:12:13,700
That gives them an 
unfair advantage.

252
00:12:13,700 --> 00:12:15,468
This is what people might say.

253
00:12:15,468 --> 00:12:17,470
Because they're 
guaranteed that work.

254
00:12:17,470 --> 00:12:20,940
They're going to get that work, 
that subcontract or contract,

255
00:12:20,940 --> 00:12:24,611
regardless of being the lowest 
bidder of the highest qualified

256
00:12:24,611 --> 00:12:25,612
person.

257
00:12:25,612 --> 00:12:28,615
Say with tax or public 
projects where it's tax money.

258
00:12:28,615 --> 00:12:30,717
That costs everyone, 
could be the argument.

259
00:12:30,717 --> 00:12:33,820
So, again, is 
that how you see it?

260
00:12:33,820 --> 00:12:36,856
That this is guaranteed work 
regardless of quality or cost?

261
00:12:36,856 --> 00:12:38,424
No, absolutely not.

262
00:12:38,424 --> 00:12:41,294
So, I think there's no 
silver bullet for this.

263
00:12:41,294 --> 00:12:42,962
It is a very complex issue.

264
00:12:42,962 --> 00:12:45,765
It is something that I think 
we have to look after the tax

265
00:12:45,765 --> 00:12:48,401
payers and bring quality for us.

266
00:12:48,401 --> 00:12:53,272
And then we just, like you said, 
we have to be intentional about

267
00:12:53,272 --> 00:12:56,843
looking quality and price 
winning the local market.

268
00:12:56,843 --> 00:13:00,713
I go back to push for local 
businesses to have an important

269
00:13:00,713 --> 00:13:01,714
share.

270
00:13:01,714 --> 00:13:05,251
Because to your point, if 
they are 70% of people in the

271
00:13:05,251 --> 00:13:06,252
population..

272
00:13:06,252 --> 00:13:09,122
If the minority population in 
Shelby County and maybe even

273
00:13:09,122 --> 00:13:11,224
more when you put 
women, African-Americans,

274
00:13:11,224 --> 00:13:13,259
Latinos and 
everybody else is 70,

275
00:13:13,259 --> 00:13:14,260
80%..

276
00:13:14,260 --> 00:13:16,929
Well, if you make a 
push for local businesses,

277
00:13:16,929 --> 00:13:20,500
you're automatically sharing 
some of that wealth with,

278
00:13:20,500 --> 00:13:24,871
you know, with the people here 
that are minority or otherwise.

279
00:13:24,871 --> 00:13:26,239
So, but absolutely not.

280
00:13:26,239 --> 00:13:31,744
I don't think you should give a 
minority preference because your

281
00:13:31,744 --> 00:13:32,745
racial profile.

282
00:13:32,745 --> 00:13:36,382
But I think there are 
enough quality talent here.

283
00:13:36,382 --> 00:13:38,384
We just have to create 
those opportunities,

284
00:13:38,384 --> 00:13:39,385
be more intentional.

285
00:13:39,385 --> 00:13:40,386
And I think you can.

286
00:13:40,386 --> 00:13:44,123
I think you can achieve most of 
all if we're smart and we work

287
00:13:44,123 --> 00:13:45,425
really intentional about this.

288
00:13:45,425 --> 00:13:47,460
And, you know, to 
that point, you know,

289
00:13:47,460 --> 00:13:49,062
let's put this in contest.

290
00:13:49,062 --> 00:13:52,198
You know, we're talking about 
opportunities for the majority

291
00:13:52,198 --> 00:13:54,200
of this community at 
the end of the day.

292
00:13:54,200 --> 00:13:57,003
You know, let's be candid here.

293
00:13:57,003 --> 00:14:02,375
You know, we've seen here in 
recent weeks or months the

294
00:14:02,375 --> 00:14:04,377
situations in 
Ferguson, you know,

295
00:14:04,377 --> 00:14:07,880
all the explosions that are 
going on as it relates to

296
00:14:07,880 --> 00:14:08,881
violence.

297
00:14:08,881 --> 00:14:14,053
I now sit on a committee that 
the Mayor has called together to

298
00:14:14,053 --> 00:14:15,722
focus on youth violence.

299
00:14:15,722 --> 00:14:20,693
But that gets down to the core 
of what we're talking about.

300
00:14:20,693 --> 00:14:23,996
This is just not 
business for business sake.

301
00:14:23,996 --> 00:14:27,734
But we're talking about 
issues of drugs and violence,

302
00:14:27,734 --> 00:14:28,968
particularly youth violence.

303
00:14:28,968 --> 00:14:33,806
What we're looking at is a 
systemic problem with young folk

304
00:14:33,806 --> 00:14:39,011
with no hope who are in despair 
and don't believe that things

305
00:14:39,011 --> 00:14:40,246
can be better for them.

306
00:14:40,246 --> 00:14:45,785
So, when we look at looking at 
providing business opportunities

307
00:14:45,785 --> 00:14:49,822
for local companies who might 
hire some of these young people

308
00:14:49,822 --> 00:14:53,926
right here in Memphis and Shelby 
County for businesses who may

309
00:14:53,926 --> 00:14:58,131
engage some of these young men 
and women who are on the streets

310
00:14:58,131 --> 00:15:01,734
with no jobs, no 
place to go, no hope.

311
00:15:01,734 --> 00:15:04,437
Then, you can begin to 
address those issues.

312
00:15:04,437 --> 00:15:07,540
And I don't think you can 
address those issues without

313
00:15:07,540 --> 00:15:11,878
addressing the issues of 
joblessness and hopelessness as

314
00:15:11,878 --> 00:15:12,945
it relates to this community.

315
00:15:12,945 --> 00:15:16,382
And particularly in a community 
like Memphis where our poverty

316
00:15:16,382 --> 00:15:21,854
rates are at an all-time high, 
where the violence is continuing

317
00:15:21,854 --> 00:15:26,492
to tick up and up and up as it 
relates to our young people.

318
00:15:26,492 --> 00:15:28,194
We got to address those issues.

319
00:15:28,194 --> 00:15:33,199
And this is by far one of 
those ways to begin to do that.

320
00:15:33,199 --> 00:15:35,201
Creating other 
paths of opportunity.

321
00:15:35,201 --> 00:15:39,872
By creating other opportunities 
for them beyond what has been

322
00:15:39,872 --> 00:15:41,174
provided to them.

323
00:15:41,174 --> 00:15:45,044
So, it's about hope and having 
opportunities and a place to go

324
00:15:45,044 --> 00:15:47,280
for many of these young people.

325
00:15:47,280 --> 00:15:49,282
And let me get you 
back in the conversation.

326
00:15:49,282 --> 00:15:51,317
But again, to that point, 
you run your own business.

327
00:15:51,317 --> 00:15:54,453
But you run your own 
business and your contracted.

328
00:15:54,453 --> 00:16:00,827
And you want to get the highest 
quality deal and not the best

329
00:16:00,827 --> 00:16:01,828
price.

330
00:16:01,828 --> 00:16:04,463
How do you and your 
business view this notion of,

331
00:16:04,463 --> 00:16:07,433
you know, am I going to 
give preference to an

332
00:16:07,433 --> 00:16:10,803
African-American owned 
company or subcontractor or a,

333
00:16:10,803 --> 00:16:13,372
you know, somebody to work 
for you when they're way more

334
00:16:13,372 --> 00:16:16,242
expensive and maybe not 
as experienced as this,

335
00:16:16,242 --> 00:16:19,378
um, white owned company?

336
00:16:19,378 --> 00:16:21,747
I mean how do you balance that 
as a business owner just in your

337
00:16:21,747 --> 00:16:22,748
world.

338
00:16:22,748 --> 00:16:24,851
I also sit on the board of 
Memphis Light Gas and Water,

339
00:16:24,851 --> 00:16:26,853
which I think is 
one of the best,

340
00:16:26,853 --> 00:16:31,023
um, companies in this city of 
public or private when it comes

341
00:16:31,023 --> 00:16:33,025
to achieving 
supplier diversities.

342
00:16:33,025 --> 00:16:35,027
So, there's a 
balance when you look at,

343
00:16:35,027 --> 00:16:38,731
you know, achieving 
the best price and also,

344
00:16:38,731 --> 00:16:45,004
getting the quality and 
experience when it comes to

345
00:16:45,004 --> 00:16:46,339
achieving supplier diversity.

346
00:16:46,339 --> 00:16:49,976
And so, there's a local 
bidding preference and also,

347
00:16:49,976 --> 00:16:55,548
um, a prioritization in terms 
of making sure that the dollars

348
00:16:55,548 --> 00:16:57,783
circulate in the local economy.

349
00:16:57,783 --> 00:17:01,654
And, uh, and they do 
it very successfully.

350
00:17:01,654 --> 00:17:05,224
Um, but to Ron's point, what I 
would want to emphasize also,

351
00:17:05,224 --> 00:17:08,194
you know, I sit in on a 
lot of economic development

352
00:17:08,194 --> 00:17:11,297
conversations and sit 
on a lot of initiatives.

353
00:17:11,297 --> 00:17:15,234
And as it relates to 
our local school system,

354
00:17:15,234 --> 00:17:19,338
I think one of the things that 
we have to be cognoscente of is

355
00:17:19,338 --> 00:17:23,075
that when we are 
educating our young people,

356
00:17:23,075 --> 00:17:30,483
we are, uh, educating them 
not to be laborers and workers.

357
00:17:30,483 --> 00:17:33,553
We should be educating 
and empowering them to be

358
00:17:33,553 --> 00:17:35,187
entrepreneurs and innovators.

359
00:17:35,187 --> 00:17:36,188
Yeah.

360
00:17:36,188 --> 00:17:41,560
And to this end of minority 
business growth and development,

361
00:17:41,560 --> 00:17:45,298
the Memphis that we are looking 
to create should be one of

362
00:17:45,298 --> 00:17:47,800
innovation and entrepreneurism.

363
00:17:47,800 --> 00:17:51,103
And when we, uh, talk to 
our young people and when we

364
00:17:51,103 --> 00:17:54,273
envision the 
Memphis of tomorrow,

365
00:17:54,273 --> 00:17:57,076
where I went to high school, 
Memphis University School,

366
00:17:57,076 --> 00:17:59,111
they're not talking to 
them about being workers.

367
00:17:59,111 --> 00:18:01,414
They're talking to 
them about being leaders.

368
00:18:01,414 --> 00:18:04,850
And I think when we talk about 
minority business growth and

369
00:18:04,850 --> 00:18:08,587
development, what we need to 
be envisioning is these young

370
00:18:08,587 --> 00:18:09,722
people being leaders.

371
00:18:09,722 --> 00:18:10,723
Yeah, yeah.

372
00:18:10,723 --> 00:18:13,459
Um, you talked about 
economic development.

373
00:18:13,459 --> 00:18:15,561
Another area that I mentioned 
some of these big ticket

374
00:18:15,561 --> 00:18:18,631
projects and the percentages 
for minority contracts,

375
00:18:18,631 --> 00:18:20,032
there is a pilot program.

376
00:18:20,032 --> 00:18:22,635
The pilot program, a big 
spotlight on that right now.

377
00:18:22,635 --> 00:18:25,438
Um, that there 
are some kind of..

378
00:18:25,438 --> 00:18:28,107
It's a goal or requirement that.

379
00:18:28,107 --> 00:18:30,810
uh, that there be 
minority participation.

380
00:18:30,810 --> 00:18:36,015
We had Reid Dulberger from EDGE, 
the pilot umbrella organization,

381
00:18:36,015 --> 00:18:37,016
on recently.

382
00:18:37,016 --> 00:18:40,353
That's the kind of goal I think 
that people at the table are

383
00:18:40,353 --> 00:18:41,654
talking about is a good goal.

384
00:18:41,654 --> 00:18:43,656
And yet, you do 
hear people who say,

385
00:18:43,656 --> 00:18:45,057
well, that's an impediment.

386
00:18:45,057 --> 00:18:47,994
It's one more If 
you're going to do,

387
00:18:47,994 --> 00:18:50,563
uh, big projects in Memphis 
and attract companies and you're

388
00:18:50,563 --> 00:18:52,832
going to put a pilot program 
that's more complicated in and

389
00:18:52,832 --> 00:18:55,101
of itself than the incentives 
you can get in Fayette County

390
00:18:55,101 --> 00:18:56,335
and DeSoto County.

391
00:18:56,335 --> 00:18:59,305
And then, you put this minority 
participation requirement on top

392
00:18:59,305 --> 00:19:00,239
of that.

393
00:19:00,239 --> 00:19:02,241
Heck, we'll just 
move to DeSoto County.

394
00:19:02,241 --> 00:19:04,944
We'll just put our project 
in Fayette County and take

395
00:19:04,944 --> 00:19:06,946
advantage of all the 
great things in Memphis.

396
00:19:06,946 --> 00:19:08,647
How do you address that?

397
00:19:08,647 --> 00:19:13,853
I mean if Memphis loses a 
project outright because of too

398
00:19:13,853 --> 00:19:16,422
much bureaucracy and 
too many requirements,

399
00:19:16,422 --> 00:19:18,290
isn't that self-defeating also?

400
00:19:18,290 --> 00:19:19,291
Go ahead.

401
00:19:19,291 --> 00:19:20,493
I think it's about messaging.

402
00:19:20,493 --> 00:19:23,262
Instead of putting some 
impediment or some requirement,

403
00:19:23,262 --> 00:19:25,297
let's put back some incentive.

404
00:19:25,297 --> 00:19:28,100
You know, if you 
get this contract,

405
00:19:28,100 --> 00:19:30,503
you are a 
whatever owned company.

406
00:19:30,503 --> 00:19:32,505
You may be a corporation.

407
00:19:32,505 --> 00:19:36,409
If you turn around and give 
more participation to local

408
00:19:36,409 --> 00:19:38,544
businesses, to minority 
and women owned businesses,

409
00:19:38,544 --> 00:19:39,578
you'll get this incentive.

410
00:19:39,578 --> 00:19:41,781
So, it's not saying 
that's a penalty.

411
00:19:41,781 --> 00:19:44,717
But yeah, rather some 
incentive and some extra.

412
00:19:44,717 --> 00:19:48,187
Because at the end of the 
day, everybody will win.

413
00:19:48,187 --> 00:19:50,189
And to your point, you 
have to start early.

414
00:19:50,189 --> 00:19:52,191
We have to start with 
the charter schools.

415
00:19:52,191 --> 00:19:54,193
But anyway, going back 
to that specific point,

416
00:19:54,193 --> 00:19:56,195
that's an incentive and 
people will be like well,

417
00:19:56,195 --> 00:19:57,396
I want to business in Memphis.

418
00:19:57,396 --> 00:19:59,398
And I want to do business 
with local business owners.

419
00:19:59,398 --> 00:20:00,499
Your take?

420
00:20:00,499 --> 00:20:04,804
To the point also, 
Eric, keep in mind that,

421
00:20:04,804 --> 00:20:08,708
you know, of course, we have to 
find that balance as it relates

422
00:20:08,708 --> 00:20:10,776
to the pilot 
program and, you know,

423
00:20:10,776 --> 00:20:15,448
how those funds are divvied up 
and how we utilize that program.

424
00:20:15,448 --> 00:20:20,152
But we can't get away from 
the fact that if it weren't for

425
00:20:20,152 --> 00:20:24,190
those, these companies wouldn't 
be coming to Memphis or Shelby

426
00:20:24,190 --> 00:20:25,191
County.

427
00:20:25,191 --> 00:20:26,358
We wouldn't have the jobs.

428
00:20:26,358 --> 00:20:28,360
We wouldn't have 
those opportunities.

429
00:20:28,360 --> 00:20:30,830
So, those 
programs are important.

430
00:20:30,830 --> 00:20:34,033
And when you look at 
what's happening with the pilot

431
00:20:34,033 --> 00:20:36,035
program, for example, I'll 
cite the Electrolux program.

432
00:20:36,035 --> 00:20:38,070
I think they had, uh, upwards 
of 30% of local and minority

433
00:20:38,070 --> 00:20:39,071
participation.

434
00:20:39,071 --> 00:20:42,575
As a matter of fact, 
when you add local,

435
00:20:42,575 --> 00:20:45,277
I think it was even higher.

436
00:20:45,277 --> 00:20:50,249
So, there are some glowing 
examples of how this can work

437
00:20:50,249 --> 00:20:52,518
and where it will dwell.

438
00:20:52,518 --> 00:20:57,490
And, of course, they're 
hiring out of the M-S-A over at

439
00:20:57,490 --> 00:20:59,291
Electrolux upwards of 75%.

440
00:20:59,291 --> 00:21:02,528
And the people 
are from this area.

441
00:21:02,528 --> 00:21:06,532
So, those are opportunities that 
really benefit the community.

442
00:21:06,532 --> 00:21:08,067
You got to find that balance.

443
00:21:08,067 --> 00:21:11,971
You don't want the pilots to 
be an impediment to what's

444
00:21:11,971 --> 00:21:12,972
happening.

445
00:21:12,972 --> 00:21:17,610
But you do want them to work 
because we cannot afford to lose

446
00:21:17,610 --> 00:21:20,446
companies to our 
neighboring cities.

447
00:21:20,446 --> 00:21:22,515
So, the balance 
is the key there.

448
00:21:22,515 --> 00:21:25,151
We've talked a 
lot about the, um,

449
00:21:25,151 --> 00:21:27,153
government sector 
maybe and the quasi-pilot.

450
00:21:27,153 --> 00:21:29,155
Electrolux clearly a 
private organization.

451
00:21:29,155 --> 00:21:31,157
But there was a lot of 
public money involved.

452
00:21:31,157 --> 00:21:33,159
But for you all, just 
dealing without the pilots.

453
00:21:33,159 --> 00:21:35,161
With any of these 
totally free of government,

454
00:21:35,161 --> 00:21:36,162
what is..

455
00:21:36,162 --> 00:21:39,064
What do you think the best 
practice is or the best parts

456
00:21:39,064 --> 00:21:45,004
you like to see businesses 
have in terms of working with,

457
00:21:45,004 --> 00:21:48,407
um, contracting with, 
um, minority businesses?

458
00:21:48,407 --> 00:21:50,409
So, I don't want 
to name companies.

459
00:21:50,409 --> 00:21:52,545
But, you know, get totally 
out of the public sector.

460
00:21:52,545 --> 00:21:54,547
Because there's no 
enforcement mechanism there.

461
00:21:54,547 --> 00:21:56,549
Obviously there are 
anti-discrimination laws with

462
00:21:56,549 --> 00:21:57,550
employment and so on.

463
00:21:57,550 --> 00:22:01,320
But how do you break 
through and work with a,

464
00:22:01,320 --> 00:22:03,322
I mean, white owned 
business as, you know,

465
00:22:03,322 --> 00:22:05,691
someone who owns your 
minority owned business?

466
00:22:05,691 --> 00:22:06,692
How do you break through there?

467
00:22:06,692 --> 00:22:08,460
How does that happen?

468
00:22:08,460 --> 00:22:12,565
Well, I think the thing 
we said is number one,

469
00:22:12,565 --> 00:22:15,334
we know we have great 
corporations here in Memphis and

470
00:22:15,334 --> 00:22:16,335
Shelby County.

471
00:22:16,335 --> 00:22:17,336
Great leadership.

472
00:22:17,336 --> 00:22:22,308
It's been intentional in having 
the will and understanding and

473
00:22:22,308 --> 00:22:28,047
big picture of including women 
and minority in small businesses

474
00:22:28,047 --> 00:22:29,949
in their procurement process.

475
00:22:29,949 --> 00:22:33,719
Because it's good for the 
community at the end of the day.

476
00:22:33,719 --> 00:22:36,989
And I think some of the 
best practices are outlined.

477
00:22:36,989 --> 00:22:39,425
And those are certainly the 
kinds of conversations we're

478
00:22:39,425 --> 00:22:42,494
having with advocacy 
groups like the Chamber,

479
00:22:42,494 --> 00:22:45,464
like Memphis Tomorrow, who 
are saying we want to have,

480
00:22:45,464 --> 00:22:47,132
we want to engage.

481
00:22:47,132 --> 00:22:51,070
We're charging the city and 
county both their governments

482
00:22:51,070 --> 00:22:55,874
and others who are involved in 
this business to identify what

483
00:22:55,874 --> 00:22:57,276
those best practices are.

484
00:22:57,276 --> 00:23:01,413
For example, I mentioned the 
mentor protege program where

485
00:23:01,413 --> 00:23:05,985
small businesses pair up with 
larger businesses and they work

486
00:23:05,985 --> 00:23:08,721
with them on 
training, development,

487
00:23:08,721 --> 00:23:13,792
their best practices, purchasing 
powers and any other initiatives

488
00:23:13,792 --> 00:23:15,127
that make sense for them.

489
00:23:15,127 --> 00:23:19,398
But through their experience and 
bringing these small companies

490
00:23:19,398 --> 00:23:23,402
on, those are we know 
winning combinations through

491
00:23:23,402 --> 00:23:25,671
experiences, 
through existing, uh,

492
00:23:25,671 --> 00:23:27,239
partnerships.

493
00:23:27,239 --> 00:23:29,008
Go ahead.

494
00:23:29,008 --> 00:23:31,810
Joint ventures have proven 
to be extremely successful.

495
00:23:31,810 --> 00:23:35,514
My firm actually is joint 
ventured with C-B Richard Ellis

496
00:23:35,514 --> 00:23:38,717
and we've been working with the 
city of Memphis and evaluating

497
00:23:38,717 --> 00:23:41,887
the suitability of a state 
office building Downtown for the

498
00:23:41,887 --> 00:23:44,923
city of Memphis to determine 
it's suitability whether the

499
00:23:44,923 --> 00:23:46,058
city should take that on.

500
00:23:46,058 --> 00:23:48,060
And that's worked 
extremely well.

501
00:23:48,060 --> 00:23:50,562
And so, those 
types of partnerships,

502
00:23:50,562 --> 00:23:53,866
um, you know, provide 
opportunities that might not

503
00:23:53,866 --> 00:23:57,403
actually be available to 
minority businesses to actually

504
00:23:57,403 --> 00:23:59,004
take on opportunities.

505
00:23:59,004 --> 00:24:00,940
There's this fundamental 
irony that we're talking about

506
00:24:00,940 --> 00:24:01,941
minority businesses.

507
00:24:01,941 --> 00:24:03,042
I'm the minority at this table.

508
00:24:03,042 --> 00:24:05,878
You know, and within the 
city of Memphis at least.

509
00:24:05,878 --> 00:24:07,880
You know, there's 
an obvious gap.

510
00:24:07,880 --> 00:24:10,282
We didn't have women owned 
representatives on the show and

511
00:24:10,282 --> 00:24:11,684
so, I apologize for that.

512
00:24:11,684 --> 00:24:14,286
But, um, is part of it just 
getting people to acknowledge

513
00:24:14,286 --> 00:24:19,558
and not resist that notion that 
Memphis is a city that's a very

514
00:24:19,558 --> 00:24:20,559
diverse city.

515
00:24:20,559 --> 00:24:22,628
And if you're going to say 
you're not going to work with

516
00:24:22,628 --> 00:24:26,498
minority owned businesses, 
you're excluding 50 to 75% of

517
00:24:26,498 --> 00:24:28,701
the companies or 50 
to 75% of the people.

518
00:24:28,701 --> 00:24:29,702
I mean is it that simple.

519
00:24:29,702 --> 00:24:31,704
Yeah, I think that's 
the changing culture.

520
00:24:31,704 --> 00:24:33,706
And that's a change in culture 
that everybody at this table,

521
00:24:33,706 --> 00:24:36,208
uh, you know, we're a part of 
this new Memphis right now where

522
00:24:36,208 --> 00:24:37,576
we are conscious about this.

523
00:24:37,576 --> 00:24:40,646
Like, you know, we know if I 
call Darrell for a business real

524
00:24:40,646 --> 00:24:42,648
estate deal, I'm not going 
to call him just because he's

525
00:24:42,648 --> 00:24:43,649
black.

526
00:24:43,649 --> 00:24:45,651
I'm just going to call him 
because I think he's a great guy

527
00:24:45,651 --> 00:24:46,652
and he does good business.

528
00:24:46,652 --> 00:24:48,654
But so, yeah, you need to watch.

529
00:24:48,654 --> 00:24:50,856
But I think you just need to 
have this culture where we can

530
00:24:50,856 --> 00:24:53,058
all work together 
at the same time,

531
00:24:53,058 --> 00:24:55,694
have the supply of more 
businesses that are ready to do,

532
00:24:55,694 --> 00:24:56,862
more leaders.

533
00:24:56,862 --> 00:25:00,332
It's hard to enforce all of 
these things all day long.

534
00:25:00,332 --> 00:25:03,235
At one point, we'll just 
have to think differently.

535
00:25:03,235 --> 00:25:06,672
And I think a lot of people are 
thinking differently nowadays.

536
00:25:06,672 --> 00:25:08,674
And all of us are 
just like, hey,

537
00:25:08,674 --> 00:25:09,875
let's just do business.

538
00:25:09,875 --> 00:25:10,876
Right, right.

539
00:25:10,876 --> 00:25:12,578
Just a minute left here.

540
00:25:12,578 --> 00:25:15,848
Ekundayo Bandele 
runs Hattiloo Theatre.

541
00:25:15,848 --> 00:25:18,717
After he was on the show, he 
talked about how actually the

542
00:25:18,717 --> 00:25:21,987
strength of Hattiloo in Overton 
Square is that they brought a

543
00:25:21,987 --> 00:25:23,989
whole new audience 
to Overton Square.

544
00:25:23,989 --> 00:25:26,225
And I wonder if that's 
also part of the pitch that..

545
00:25:26,225 --> 00:25:28,727
I don't know who I 
want to throw this to.

546
00:25:28,727 --> 00:25:29,995
But that notion of this.

547
00:25:29,995 --> 00:25:31,997
Don't do this just 
because it's, uh,

548
00:25:31,997 --> 00:25:33,999
you feel like you 
should or whatever.

549
00:25:33,999 --> 00:25:36,602
But do it because it's access 
to a whole nother network of

550
00:25:36,602 --> 00:25:38,670
businesses or people, of 
customers and clients.

551
00:25:38,670 --> 00:25:39,805
There's no question about it.

552
00:25:39,805 --> 00:25:41,840
You're bringing new 
talent to the table.

553
00:25:41,840 --> 00:25:45,377
You're growing businesses and 
people who are going to live

554
00:25:45,377 --> 00:25:48,280
here who are consumers.

555
00:25:48,280 --> 00:25:52,117
I mean it just makes sense for 
Memphis and Shelby County to do

556
00:25:52,117 --> 00:25:53,118
it.

557
00:25:53,118 --> 00:25:56,422
And, uh, at the end of the day, 
it's about this community being

558
00:25:56,422 --> 00:25:58,424
the best 
community that we can be.

559
00:25:58,424 --> 00:26:02,795
But everybody needs to benefit 
and share in that American dream

560
00:26:02,795 --> 00:26:04,863
and in that 
American pie with that.

561
00:26:04,863 --> 00:26:05,864
Alright.

562
00:26:05,864 --> 00:26:07,866
Well, we're going 
to leave it there.

563
00:26:07,866 --> 00:26:09,868
Ron Redwood, thank 
you for being here.

564
00:26:09,868 --> 00:26:11,870
Mauricio Calvo, Darrell 
Cobbins, thank you all.

565
00:26:11,870 --> 00:26:12,871
Thank you for joining us.

566
00:26:12,871 --> 00:26:13,872
Join us again next week.

567
00:26:13,872 --> 00:26:15,908
Goodnight.

568
00:26:15,908 --> 00:26:19,908
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