2024:

• Assisted underserved small businesses and nonprofits in the Twin Cities area through tailored technical assistance and capacity-building support.
•  
• Advocated for $9M in funding for community-based organizations, ensuring greater access to capital, technical assistance, and essential support services for underserved communities.
•  
• Provided personalized assistance to four businesses, including government registration support, capacity development, and digital marketing strategies.
•  
• Supported eight nonprofits under the Incubation and Acceleration Program for Nonprofits (IAPN), with notable successes including: LM Legacy Wellness, Mending Hearts Life Coaching, Destiny’s Light Foundation, Breaking Circles, S.I.S. Leadership Foundation.
• Hosted Underserved Business Month (UBM), including targeted initiatives and campaigns to highlight the challenges faced by underserved businesses and provide them with vital resources.
•  
• Successfully launched the UBM Kickoff Event on April 25th, engaging over 100 attendees and driving momentum for technical assistance initiatives.
•  
• Secured $75,000 in government funding for technical assistance and the Mentor-Protégé Program (MPP).
•  
• Launched the EDA Training Academy, offering courses for underserved businesses and nonprofits.
•  
• Hosted a World Mental Health Day Facebook Live Event focused on "Mental Health at Work," providing strategies for creating supportive work environments.
•  

Secured a partnership with Stearns Bank to launch a Financial Literacy Program aimed at equipping participants with essential financial skills like budgeting, debt management, and investing (launching 2025).

2023:

Transitioned from Minnesota African Coalition (MAC) to Equitable Development Action (EDA) in May, expanding the mission to foster equity and economic inclusion through capacity development.

Hosted a pre-launch kickoff event to unify supporters and stakeholders, setting the stage for collaborative efforts in equitable economic development.

Developed programs such as Economic Development and Services Program and BIPOC Startup Week Program to support economic growth and entrepreneurship in marginalized communities.

2019 - 2022:

Collaborated with over 30 organizations that led to the state appropriation of  $20 million for the Small and Micro Business Disaster Relief Fund, supporting minority-owned businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic

Advocated for legislative bills addressing disparities exacerbated by COVID-19 and George Floyd’s death in Minnesota.

Conducted Dakota County Engagement, providing COVID-19 education and support to over 1400 residents, streamlining community-based funding processes.

Engaged in community outreach for the Brooklyn Center Opportunity Site Pilot Project for 83 acres redevelopment by the City

Established the Minnesota African Coalition COVID-19 Taskforce (MACC-T) to mitigate pandemic impacts on communities of color, supporting small business stability through financial mobilization.

Launched the Brooklyn Center Opportunity Site Pilot Project to engage African communities in shaping urban development, reaching over 70,000 impressions on social media.

Advocated for legislative measures and funding to address disparities exacerbated by COVID-19 and racial injustices in Minnesota.

These achievements highlight EDA’s ongoing commitment to promoting equity, economic inclusion, and generational wealth-building across underserved communities in Minnesota.