Head of RI Black Business Association Calls Out Lack of COVID-19 Relief From Raimondo Administration

Head of RI Black Business Association Calls Out Lack of COVID-19 Relief From Raimondo Administration

The head of the Rhode Island Black Business Association is alleging that Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo's administration is leaving out minority businesses in COVID-19 relief.

On Saturday morning, RIBBA's Lisa Ranglin said that the organization has "not received an equitable distribution of support and financial investment from Gov. Gina Raimondo and Commerce RI."

"Yet [RIBBA] continues to help Black and Brown businesses that are forgotten by this administration. RIBBA has been serving the Black and Brown business community for close to 10 years," said Ranglin. 

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"The minority-owned businesses are being left behind in this pandemic," she added. "Recent analysis indicates that 50% of micro-businesses will not survive COVID-19. RIBBA is working to support micro-businesses but the organization needs greater financial investment from Gov. Gina Raimondo and Commerce RI."

"It appears the Governor and her network have identified their priorities, follow the money," said Ranglin -- naming Cambridge Innovation Center, Mass Challenge Rhode Island, Skills for Rhode Island's Future, and Venture Café Providence as having received support from the state. 

Ranglin is not the only minority leader to criticize the state's lack of responsiveness during the coronavirus crisis. In April, Joseph Molina-Flynn, head of the Rhode Island Latino PAC Tweeted "Why did Rhode Island start paying attention to the Latino community once staggering statistics came out?"

Minority Businesses in Focus

Last August, RI Commerce touted in celebrating the 100th loan of the state’s Small Business Assistance Program that 52% of the loans at that point had gone to women and minority-owned businesses.

Ranglin has been critical of the Raimondo Administration in the past.

"Millions of dollars have gone to large corporations, we demand more for Small Businesses and Black Businesses must be included as a priority in the strategy for growth/Job Creation. Black Businesses create jobs too!" said Ranglin back in 2017.