< PreviousBUSINESS NEWS 8 | TALK MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2019 by Jessica Guynn In the early days of Zume Pizza, visitors to Julia Collins’ robotic food prep compa- ny in Silicon Valley would greet her at the door and say, “Can you grab me a water? I’m here to meet with the founder.” When pitching her business to investment part- ners at venture capital firms, Collins was nearly always the only woman and always the only black person in the room. Then, late last year, a hairline crack surfaced in the invisible yet seemingly impen- etrable barrier that limits black women’s access to the tech world. A $375 million investment gave Zume Pizza a valuation of $2.25 billion. It wasn’t just the company she co-founded that reached unicorn status. Collins did, too, as the first black wom- an whose tech company is valued at $1 billion or more by investors. Now that she’s working on a new startup in regenerative agriculture, investors are calling her. Generating tens of billions in revenue, black women are the nation’s fastest-growing demographic of entrepre- neurs. For decades at the nexus of money and power in Silicon Valley, they’ve been underestimated and over- looked. Research shows that black women are among the least likely to get checks cut by venture capitalists. So few raise venture money that the percentage is, statistically speaking, nearly zero. The majority of entrepreneurs who land venture capital funding are white men, much like the financiers who hand it out. Venture capitalists tend to place their bets on people who’ve already succeeded or who remind them of the people who have. Black women are fighting that pattern: Good ol’ boys network, meet black girl magic. There’s Morgan DeBaun, who was just 24 when she created Blavity, a popular digital media hub for black millennials. By the age of 15, Stephanie Lampkin was a web developer and, with degrees from Stanford University in California and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, she leads Blendoor, a startup that uses technology to There are a few universal facts of life: We all die. We all poop. And we’re all getting screwed by fees, pretty much all the time. According to a survey released in May by Consumer Reports, 85 percent of Americans have encountered a hidden fee over the past two years — and two-thirds say they’re getting hit with more surprise charges than they did five years ago. When I started telling people a few months ago that I was writing about fees, everyone had a story to share, and I watched as their voices rose a few octaves, their arms flailed, and their faces contorted. “When you feel powerless and are forced to do something, you get outraged,” says Alice Moon, an assistant professor of operations, information and decisions at Wharton. But there are other emotions associated with fees, too, like helplessness, guilt, and a sense of injustice. If you’ve felt any of those feelings when con- fronted with a fee — i.e., if you’re alive — take a deep breath, because your blood pressure is only going to go up from here. When you really start to examine your bills, your receipts, and what you’re agreeing to when you click “buy now” — you realize it’s not just in-your-face banking and baggage fees. We’re actually assaulted with a million tiny tariffs — all day long. I tracked the fees I paid over the course of a few months just to see how bad the situation really is. I combed through paid bills, email receipts, paper receipts, and bank and credit-card statements. I found fees on my AT&T cell-phone bill and my Xfinity bill; an annual $100 activity fee for my daughter’s daycare in Queen Village; a surcharge on tickets for a show at the Arden; a bonkers Uber surging fee from a day when it was raining; the fee for being on my husband’s health insurance because I have the option of being on my own; and some Hidden fees are everywhere. Photo by Claudia Gavin by Screwed Fees Getting by Ashley Primis There’s something perversely satisfying about learning that someone who screwed you over is, in turn, getting screwed. That was my first thought when I read recently that bankers — never ones to shy away from soaking people with all manner of fees — were incensed that the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq had been steadily inching up the fees they charge banks for access to data. Bank execs claimed they were paying 10 times more in 2018 than they had in 2010 for the same vital info. The ex- changes, bank execs complained to the Wall Street Journal, “don’t disclose profit margin for these kinds of services” and “have monopoly pricing power.” I had to wonder: Did any of the bankers who gave quotes to the Journal stop to ponder the irony? Lack of transparency? Egregious gouging? I laughed and told myself it wasn’t going to be such a bad day after all. continued on page 28 Black Female Entrepreneurs Changing Silicon Valley ARE Julia Collins / photo by Code Pickens Jessie Woolley-Wilson / photo by Jessie Woolley-Wilson Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins / photo by Sasha Craig WWW.TALKMAGAZINEONLINE.COM | 21 With Phila-delphia being the sixth-larg-est city in the country, this sit-uation isn’t just a problem — it’s an embarrassing crisis. How does a major American city where there are more Black people than any other racial community have such a dismal number? To have Black businesses represent only 2.5 percent of the total in a di-verse city with a Commerce De-partment that’s led by a Black man, a Black diversity and inclusion director, and a chamber of commerce dedicated to serving such businesses is an institutional failing of epic proportions. “Th ere’s not a shortage of minority CEOs who don’t want to grow,” said Della Clark, president of Th e Enterprise Center, to the Philadelphia Tribune about the report. “Th at is not the issue in this city. Th e issue is the resources to grow.” If Black Philadelphians have a hard time obtaining the “resources to grow” in a city where they are the racial majority, then let’s stop avoiding the elephant in the room and call it for what it is — structural racism. If white Philadelphians are overrepresented in terms of municipal employ- ment, healthcare, education, wealth generation, property ownership, and various other facets of citizenship, then it’s time to start investigating exactly why. It’s not that Black people are “overqualified” or not seeking these opportunities — it’s because once the system is set up against us, the disparities keep mounting. A recent national survey of more than 2,600 Black-owned businesses conducted by small business financing firm Guidant Financial revealed many things we already knew to be true surrounding racial disparities. According to the survey, 80 percent of Black entrepreneurs said that a lack of capital was the most challenging aspect of running their business, with most of them feeling less confident in the political state of small businesses than the national average. It’s time to call a thing a thing: Financial and governmental institutions that gate-keep the access to the capital needed for Black entrepreneurs to thrive are discriminating against them in ways that are actively suppressing their growth. Th ere’s no way to explain the appalling disparity at this point that discounts the impact of systemic racism. Unless the city implements an emergency direct action plan to combat barriers to access of capital for Black businesses, the generational wealth gap plaguing the largest racial demographic in the city will never close. One potential plank of such a plan: a proposal first made in 2015 by mayoral candidate Anthony Williams for the creation of a municipal bank that would make it easier for local small businesses and homeowners to access capital. Businesses produce jobs, property expansion, social capital, equity, political clout, and wealth. If business owners are more likely to hire employees of their own racial identity, then our woeful business diversity numbers suggest an even bleaker future for economic opportunity and access for Black Philadelphians. Sharif Abdur-Rahim, one of two founding brothers of West Philadelphia’s African Cultural Arts Forum, stands in a second-floor workshop used to store African art and to produce the oils, incense and personal-care products they sell by Ernest Owens k-Owned Business20 | TALK MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2019 f government doesn’t implement an emergency direct action plan to combat barriers to access to capital for lack businesses, the generational wealth gap plaguing the largest racial demographic in the city will never close. nly 2.5 ercent of hilly usinesses re lack- wned. he ity ust ct. In recent years, there’s been a lot of discussion about how Black millennials might be able to close the generational wealth gap in our community. “Become a homeowner,” speakers at several business seminars have told me. “Start investing in tech,” a friend from college texted me at homecoming. “Stash some money aside in a separate bank account in such a way that you won’t be able to immediately withdraw from it,” my mother always tells me during the holidays. While these pieces of advice are plausible, there is something about the state of Philadelphia’s racial economic disparities that’s always made me won- der how exactly they’re going to help the quarter of our population trapped in deep poverty. My natural first thought when trying to identify additional solutions is to look to our business community: Surely with some immediate focus and determina- tion, in a city whose population is 66 percent of color, homegrown entrepreneurs can come up with scores of ways to create jobs in our hardest-hit neighbor- hoods. And then the Pew Charita-ble Trusts released its annual “State of the City” report, which shocked me with the fact that only 2.5 percent of businesses in Philly are Black-owned, despite Black people making up 43 percent of the city’s population. Meanwhile, white people — just 34 percent of the population in Philadelphia — own a whopping 76 percent of businesses in the city. And here’s an even more sobering statistic: While Asian Philadelphians make up only 7 percent of the city’s population, their percentage of business owner-ship is about the same as that of their Black counter-parts. It’s true that our number is similar to that of New York City, where only 3 percent of businesses are Black-owned — but New York is so large that that number represents 9.7 percent of Black-owned busi- nesses in the country. Compare us, then, with other cities with a majority of color demographic: In Atlanta, 31 percent of business are Black-owned. Businesses in Detroit and Memphis are 77 percent and 56.2 percent Black-owned, respectively. Even in Baltimore, a city that of late seems to lurch from crisis to crisis, 34 percent of businesses are Black-owned. Amalgam Comics & Coff eehouse Philadelphia Blac BUSINESS NEWS WWW.TALKMAGAZINEONLINE.COM | 9 Power Bites Trained chef and former juice bar owner, Sharif Rasheed came up with Power Bites by accident. When his son, Malcolm, was teething around a year and a half ago, he was looking for a healthy, soft granola bar that his son could enjoy. When he created a recipe and produced the first batch, his son devoured them immediately. That’s when he knew he was on to something. The Power Bites are made with organic non-GMO ingredients, including fair-trade dark chocolate, dates, maple syrup, cacao, oats, almonds, sea salt and almond butter. They are gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, vegan and tasty. “I like mixing nutrition and flavor,” says Rasheed. “I’m not going to sacrifice deliciousness because the ingredients are vegan and healthy.” Although Rasheed hasn’t changed the Power Bites recipe since he created it, he is looking to expand the line of products. He’s developing nut-fee bites and is looking for ways to reduce the cost so that they are affordable and can be brought into public schools. When thinking about packaging his bites, he did a lot of research, wanting to create a package that catches people’s eyes immediately. “I used to go to Whole Foods a lot and take a bunch of pic- tures of packaged goods and imagine how my product would look next to those,” says Rasheed. His package not only stands out, but it is resealable and can easily be tossed in a purse, backpack or gym bag. To get the word out about his prod- uct, he’s been hitting local coffee shops in Pittsburgh with samples and has been emailing shops in other states. Power Bites can be found at Reed & Co. in Lawrenceville, Ascend: Pittsburgh in South Side, Ramp ‘N’ Rise in Sewickley, Zeke’s in East Liberty, HLane Dry Goods in Swissvale, East End Food Coop in Homewood and online at eatpowerbites.com. Maggie Lena Walker, the first female bank president of any race to charter a bank, famously said, “To avoid the traps and snares of life, black women must band together, put their mites to- gether, put their hands and their brains together, and make work and business for themselves.” Great advice from Ms. Walker from more than a century ago, yet there has been very little progress since then. Key stats from the Philadelphia Commission on Women 2017 report on the State of Women and Girls of Philadelphia: • Women make up more than half of the population of Philadelphia but own less than 40 percent of businesses. • African Americans own approximately 25 percent of businesses while making up nearly 50 percent of the total population. • African American-owned businesses with city contracts declined from 45 percent in 2010 to 38 percent in 2016. • Businesses owned by African American women comprises only 17 percent of businesses receiving city contracts. That last statistic is particularly appalling in a minority-majority city like Philadelphia, where it seems that black women-owned businesses are not given a chance to compete for economic opportunities. When you review some of the traditional barrier that exist for African American wom- en-entrepreneurs you’ll start to understand why inequity in black women-owned businesses still exists. 1. RACE AND GENDER BIAS Many black women business owners are judged by false stereotypes, including assumptions that the success of women-owned businesses is because of their husbands, implying that women-run businesses are not smart enough or qualified enough to have their own accomplish- ments. 2. NETWORKING CHALLENGES There’s a reason why it’s called the “old boys club.” Women aren’t traditionally a part of informal social circles that create opportunities for professional advancement. Most networking events have very few women of color, which is an impediment to making the right connections and creating access to beneficial networks. Networks are an opportunity for mentorships, which are invaluable during the startup phase of small businesses. 3. LACK OF ACCESS TO CAPITAL Women entrepreneurs as a whole are offered smaller loans across every product from the same groups. Female entrepreneurs pursuing venture capital face the same disadvantages. For African American women, the chances of obtaining loans are exceedingly low. The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) reports that black-owned small businesses are more like- ly to be denied credit than non-black-owned small-businesses. They are also more likely to pay higher interest rates, which results in fewer black women entrepreneurs applying for loans. There also is a revenue gap between African American women-owned businesses and all women-owned businesses. Black women often start businesses by pursu- ing their passion. It is the drive that keeps them going when encountering the many barriers and obstacles they will face. One of the things we as black women business-owners need to do is to direct that passion into partnerships with other black-owned businesses. Through these partnerships, we can create our own networks and mentorships, and begin to address some of the inequities in our businesses. Power Bites creator Sharif Rasheed originall made them for his son, Malcolm (l-r) Dr. Emma Chappell, Rhonda Hill Wilson and Joann Bell by Sarah Sudar Summer travel is in full effect and the next time you think about grabbing a bag of chips at a gas station — think again. Local producers are offering up healthier alternatives. Here are a few to consider the next time you set out on an adventure or just need to satisfy a craving. PITTSBURGH POWER BITES Inequity of Black Women-Owned Businesses Still Exists / OpinionLATINO NEWS 10 | TALK MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2019 Penn’s Landing celebrated Hispanic culture again this year. Over 20 groups scheduled to perform at Penn’s Landing 38th annual Hispanic Fies- ta. Adonis Benegas, executive director of Concilio explains it’s a celebration of Latino culture in Philadelphia: “Th e Hispanic population of Philadelphia is very diverse, especially over the last 10-15 years. In the past it was predominantly Peurto Rican, so many diff erent Latino cultures have come to the city and embraced it. Columbians, Dominicans, Central Americans, South Americans, it’s just a great melting pot of Latinos in this city and you can see it throughout the city with all the new restaurants opening up and all the Salsa nights taking place everywhere.” Mekala from Detroit says she came to visit a friend in Philadelphia this weekend and they both came out to the festival. “I’ve seen a lot of vendor tables, giveaways, just a fun environment; they’re putting on a nice concert,” she said. Fausto Ramos attended from Trenton, New Jersey. “Every culture represents their dance and their style of dress and all that. Stuff like that, I like that,” he said. Th e festival was free to enter, and food is pay as you go. Rick Olmos, most recently the director of special projects for a Philadelphia nonprofit dedicated to improving the quality of life of its community, has been named chief operating officer and vice president of program operations of the Daniel Torres Hispanic Center in Reading. Th e center is the largest Latino nonprofit organization in the greater Reading region. In a press release announcing the new addition, the organization touted the more than 25 years Olmos has worked in the public relations and marketing fields — most recently serving as director of external aff airs and special projects for Asociacion Puertorriquenos en Marcha in Philadelphia. “Olmos is an accomplished and seasoned senior executive with experience across a range of industries including external aff airs, development and special event services,” CEO Michael Toledo said in the release. “His skills will complement the existing executive team’s expertise.” Toledo said Olmos will help execute the center’s growth strategy and will be responsible for delivering its strategic initiatives. In addition to his work in the nonprofit arena, Olmos has worked in the film industry as an actor in front of the camera and as a casting director behind the camera. He worked on films such as “Selena,” “Th e Postman,” “Pearl Har- bor” and “Dig” and the television series “Friday Night Lights.” by Hadas Kuznits Penn’s Landing Hispanic Fiesta New Chief Rick Olmas “It’s called temporary because it will only operate for the four years it takes to complete the plant expansion,” he said. “By the end the plant will go from treating about 100 million gallons a day to 250 million gallons—and our system will handle that,” said Douglas. Douglas didn’t just get the contract for the project, he’s the prime con- tractor on the job. “I am very happy and thankful to be the prime contractor on this project,” he told the New Pittsburgh Courier in a Jan. 28 interview. “Several others, including some large companies, bid on this, but we won. I think our experience with these kinds of mechanical systems, and our process-engineering work, allowed us to anticipate and account for challenges in the system.” Recently, Cosmos received US, Canadian and South African patents for the development of an “Advanced Catalytic Oxidation” which is capable of removing diva- lent metals, high concentrations of mixed metals and oxidized oils and organics in wastewater. According to Douglas, this technology is ca- pable of removing more than 90% of these metals and oils from Mar- cellus shale and wastewater streams at a cost of less than $0.05/gallon for produce waters. Other projects Cosmos han- dles is Commercial, institutional, residential design of streets, curb & gutters, sidewalks stormwater management; permitting, envi- ronmental and safety compliance management, Industrial Hygiene assessments (inclusive of asbestos, lead, and mold testing), as well as Phase I/II/III environmental and archaeological assessments. Addi- tionally, Cosmos had a leading role in the development and design of the 28-acre site of the former Civic Arena and provides OSHA safety training and certification. Over the years, Cosmos has and continues to provide services to a number of clients including: US ARMY CORP of Engineers, whom Douglas says gave him his first contract and without whom there would be no Cosmos Inc. Th e Department of Energy, City of Pittsburgh URA, Pittsburgh Sports and Exhibition Authority (SEA), Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA), Allegh- eny County Sanitary Authority (ALCOSAN) and private compa- nies like Waste Management and Equitable Gas. Th ere have been plenty of programs across the country trying to get black children into the Science technology engineering and math fields for decades to show black young men and women that it is possible to not just get an engineering degree but to be a great engineer, own your own business and get rich doing it. Douglas is one such example. WWW.TALKMAGAZINEONLINE.COM | 1918 | TALK MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2019 Under his leadership, Cosmos Technologies, Inc. became SBA (a) (Small Business Administration) certified in 2002 and achieved the “Small Business of the Year Award”, sponsored by the Minority Business Opportu- nity Committee (MBOC) in 2008. 2011 was an illustrious year for Douglas and Cosmos as the company began turning heads and gaining a household name around town in con- struction circles and began a dazzling almost annual run of award winning. Th at year, Douglas was awarded the Entrepreneur Award by the National Black MBA Association Inc, Pittsburgh Chapter, Th e Impact Award from Bridgeway Capital for its dedication to small business growth, and creating jobs, and was recognized by the Allegh- eny County Council as one of the New Pittsburgh Courier’s 50 Men of Excellence for con- tributions in the community. In 2013, he was given the Pittsburgh Circle of Cour- age Award by BCC Ministries for the work Cosmos Technol- ogies has accomplished and being a person of Faith. In 2015, Douglas was honored with the Annual Black History Achievement Award for Out- standing Environmental Ser- vice and Achievement by Dr. Melessie Clark and the Pastor’s Wives of the Second Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, COGIC. In 2017, Cosmos Technologies Inc. was honored by the American Society of Highway Engineers (ASHE) with the Outstanding Highway Engineering Award for the infrastructure design work for the Sports and Exhibition Authority. A decade after receiving his first business award, on January 19th, 2018 Mayor William Peduto, City of Pittsburgh declared “Cosmos Technologies Day” to acknowledge Douglas for two decades of community engagement, mentoring opportunities, volunteer eff orts, second chance career path opportunities as well as his innovation of the company’s green infrastructure designs. According to Douglas, his core belief is that “Th e real value of any business is to make a positive impact on the rest of society and to generate employment.” His newest, and most consequential endeavor to southwest Pennsylvania is col- laborating with the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority (ALCOSAN) on their $3.6 billion expansion program. Th e expansion, which will involve multiple communities in and around Pittsburgh and will take the next two decades to complete, is a necessary one to comply with federal clean water mandates. In order to do that, Cosmos was contracted to design a new filtration system to triple the plant’s treatment capacity for the greater flow that work will generate. Th e system Douglas and his team are designing is a temporary hypochlorite filter and is the final filter in the series of pipes, holding and settling tanks, and chemical treatments and filters the plant subject’s waste- water to before it is discharged. Cosmos is a small business engineering consulting firm started by Fredrick Douglas Cosmos Technologies, Inc. (Cos- mos) in 1998. It started as just a dream at his kitchen table with no employees and no contracts. What he did have was a new proprietary system for treating fracking wastewater with five patents in the U.S., Canada, Austria, and Chile. Now he has 19 full-time employees in offices located in Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Akron, and Cleveland. Taking Giant Leaps in Engineering S.W. PA by Austin Premier Cosmos Technologies Inc. Douglas has led the company with a focus on providing Civil, Environmental and Water Treatment services to the private and public sectors including the Marcellus Shale. Douglas received his Bachelors of Science in Biology from the University of the Virgin Islands and attained a Master’s degree in chemical engineering from Lehigh Uni- versity. He put the skills learned there to good use. Douglas has led the company with a focus on providing Civil, Environmental and Water Treatment services to the private and public sectors including the Marcellus Shale. LATINO NEWS Th e Packaging & Processing Women’s Leadership Network (PPWLN) will host a breakfast networking event featuring Ellen Ochoa, the first Hispanic woman in space and second female director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, at PACK EXPO Las Vegas and Healthcare Packaging EXPO (Sept. 23-25; Las Vegas Convention Center). Ochoa will share her experiences as a his- tory-making astronaut, including thoughts on driving change and building diverse, eff ective teams during her keynote address, “Exploring New Territory,” Sept. 24 at 7:30 a.m. Sponsored by show owner and producer PMMI, Th e Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, the event is part of PPWLN’s eff ort to spotlight women’s contributions to STEM fields and sup- port women in packaging and processing industries. “Ellen Ochoa’s historic career with NASA is full of experi- ences that will interest and enlighten everyone – women and men – at PACK EXPO,” says Tracy Stout, vice president, marketing and communications, PMMI. “She is a trailblazer like no other, and her passion for getting more women and minorities into STEM fields will inspire all who attend this special event.” An active astronaut since 1991, Ochoa became the first Hispanic woman to go to space on April 8, 1993, when she served on a nine-day mission aboard the shuttle Discovery. In total, she has flown in space four times, logging nearly 1,000 hours, leading onboard scientific activities, and serving as flight engineer during the launch, rendezvous and entry phases of the mission. Ochoa is the recipient of many honors, including NASA’s highest awards, the Distin- guished Service Medal and the Presidential Distinguished Rank of the Senior Executive Service. In 2013, Ochoa was named the 11th Director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, becoming the first Hispanic and the second female director to hold this prestigious position; she retired in 2018. In the corporate world, Ochoa has provided executive guidance to a variety of organizations. “A key factor to women’s advancement in male-dominated industries is creating eff ective networks and learning how to leverage them,” says Stout. “Th is event is an opportunity for women to hear from an innovative, accomplished leader as well as connect with their peers.” continued on page 28 GET OUT AND LIVE A LOT TM Exciting slots and table games, amazing restaurants, incredible bars and live music every week. The night out you’ve been craving is right here, so come live it up! Must be 21 years of age or older to be on Rivers Casino property. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER. 777 CASINO DRIVE, PITTSBURGH PA 15212 RIVERSCASINO.COM RIVERS_66774_PITT_July_BrandingAd_TalkMag_4-75x6.indd 17/11/19 9:30 AM in space FIRST HISPANIC WOMAN An active astronaut since 1991, Ochoa became the first Hispanic woman to go to space on April 8, 1993 WWW.TALKMAGAZINEONLINE.COM | 11HEALTH NEWS 12 | TALK MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2019WWW.TALKMAGAZINEONLINE.COM | 17 There are approximately 90 Urban League affiliates operating in 36 mar- kets throughout the country and the District of Columbia. Servicing at least 2 million people, it is stated that the Urban League movement empowers communities across America by provid- ing direct services and programming. Its motto is known as “Empower- ing Communities. Changing Lives.” The Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh founded in 1918 is one of the organization’s oldest affiliates. Under the leadership of its President and CEO Esther L. Bush for the past 25 years it has often been ranked as one of the organization’s highest performing affiliates. Most recently during the group’s last three successive performance reviews. With over 100 years of changing lives throughout the region, the mission of the Urban league of Greater Pittsburgh using a five-point approach is to enable African Americans to secure economic self-reli- ance, parity and power, and civil rights. Considered one of the largest comprehensive social service/civil rights organizations in southwestern Pennsylvania its strategy and vision statement based on the points implementing its mission are: education and youth empowerment, economic empowerment, health and quality of life empowerment, civic engagement empowerment and civil rights and racial justice empower- ment. Its philosophy is that through active engagement of community partners, the organization serves as a premier advocate for economic opportunity and justice that leads to significant improvement in the quality of the lives it serves. Grateful to be a part of the legacy of the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh, Vice President of Programs and Services, Regina Scott real- izes she is there at a pivotal time. Joining in the middle of its centennial year, her aim is to provide and bring the best value to the organiza- tion that she can. While observing the successes and processes of the organization, she is excited to be able to play a role in molding it for the future. Mentioning that the establishment of a One Pittsburgh 20/20 plan expected to change the face of how the Urban League conducts business in years to come she views her role as getting the client base to gain and maintain trust in them as the changes take place. “Looking at how we pivot in the ever changing social, economic and political climate, I view my responsibility as assuring our clients that our foundation and bedrock is staying relevant and will service them in new and innovative ways while doing an increased job at meeting their needs in ways that are real, tangible and impactful. We want to assist our client’s and their families in feeling whole.” Economic self-reliance, considered one of the pillars of the Urban League movement, means a lot of aspects to Scott. “It involves being in places advocating for policy change, living wages or whatever is needed. It means establishing programing that provides trainings so people are making living wages not minimum wages so they can meet not only their needs but their family’s needs. It means connecting people to the appropriate and necessary resources and working with organizations within the community already providing needed services so that the voice of the people is being heard. All that and more is our role. It’s being able to be flexible to pivot whenever necessary in order to assure that the client’s needs are met while staying focused on our mission and that we are doing the things we are required while getting the desired result,” says Scott. The Urban League is on record for assisting more than 20,000 indi- viduals within a years’ time focusing in the localities of the Hill District, Northside, Homewood and Homestead, which encompasses the Mon Valley. The communities of East Hills, Northview Heights and the City of Duquesne are serviced through its three Family Support Centers. The centers are known for nurturing children, strengthening families and aiding in building the community. In the mist of developing the One Pittsburgh 20/20 Plan predicted to be released soon, Scott says their agenda will continue to lean toward providing innovative programs, services and policies, which will con- tribute to the strength of the greater Pittsburgh region.” Program areas include economic self-reliance, housing, youth leadership development, leadership and advocacy. When questioned about their employment programs she indicated that the Urban Senior Job Program and the Urban Apprenticeship Jobs Program are key components of economic self-reliance. The Senior Program geared toward residents 55 years and up assists job seekers as well as employers. It helps job seekers in honing their skills, maintaining work-readiness and finding appropriate opportunities. The Program ensures that employers can recruit reliable, experienced job seekers. Focused on apprenticeships in the trade areas of construction and manufacturing, The Urban Apprenticeship Jobs Program is designed for unemployed and underemployed adults. Other programs falling under economic self-reliance include Bank On, Build Your ‘A’ Game, Digital Connectors, Operation Home and Techno Teens. The programs are intended to equip their clients to be- come a fully contributing members of the community, able to develop to his or her potential and successfully compete for living-wage job opportunities. Well versed with the issues of the region Scott, a native of Greater Pittsburgh spent over 15 years at the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. She describes herself as possessing strong leadership abilities combined with an array of supervisory and management level experience related to public policy, program administration and opera- tions management. An avid volunteer in areas of community and social service, she believes in giving back and pouring into communities in a city which she loves. A product of a single mother and a single mom herself she says she knows what it is like to have limited support and not have adequate resources. “I have life lessons and know what some of the people are going through that feel there is nothing for them, because they don’t have an education, degrees or resources that they do not have to revert to illegal or bad things to make a way for themselves. I want to be the example to say to them that you don’t have to go that route. I want to make an impact.” She truly believes in the Urban League motto of empowering communities and changing Lives. Some information for this article was obtained from the Greater Pitts- burgh Urban League website and the 2017/18 Annual Report. by Diane I. Daniels WWW.TALKMAGAZINEONLINE.COM | 17 and the Urban League of Great Pittsburgh Refocus for Next Century Regina Scott The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is moving forward in increasing opportunities for minority business management. The Department of Gen- eral Services’ Bureau of Diversity, Inclusion and Small Business Opportu- nities (BDISBO) works to assist small and diverse businesses in competing for Commonwealth contracting opportunities. These minority businesses include Minority Business Enterprises, Women Business Enterprises, Dis- ability-Owned Business Enterprises, and LGBT Business Enterprises. The department ensures that not only are these businesses receiving assistance in being considered, but that new and innovative incentives are built around contracting towards these businesses as well. Newly appointed Deputy Secretary Kerry L. Kirkland serves as the senior public official to both represent and advise Governor Tom Wolf’s administration and Department of General Services on all matters related to the development of policies and programs to substantially increase the participation of Small Diverse Businesses (SDBs) and Small Businesses (SBs) within Commonwealth contracting. He formally served as Associate Deputy Administrator and Regional Administrator within the U.S. Small Business Administration. He also served as Vice President of the U.S. Black Chamber of Commerce and the Executive Director of the PA Democrat- ic Party. Deputy Secretary Kirkland is the co-founder of the American Contract Compliance Association, the largest membership-based contract compliance training organization in the world. He also founded the African American Political and Leadership Roundtable. He holds a Master’s De- gree in Human Services from Lincoln University, is a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. Inc, and is an Hon- orably Discharged United Stated Air Force Vietnam Veteran. Deputy Secretary Kirkland recently interviewed with Talk Magazine to discuss not only his hopes for the future of diverse small businesses in the Commonwealth, but to identify recent results from statewide disparity studies. Within his capacity as Deputy Secretary for Diversity, Inclusion and Small Business Opportunities, Secretary Kirkland is given the oppor- tunity to oversee the Disparity Study, a study which attempted to answer the question of whether or not small businesses face discrimination in the Commonwealth Marketplace. This study helped to examine marketplace conditions, review contract policies and program measures, refine existing program measures, and to ensure legal compliance. The Pennsylvania Disparity Study began in June 2017, concluding September 2018. It included a comprehensive analysis on several factors that might directly impact Diverse Small Business contracting. The study focused on the following: • Percentage of total relevant construction, professional services, goods and other services contract dollars that minority owned businesses received on prime and subcontracts between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2016 • The percentage of dollars that those businesses would expect to receive based on their availability to perform work on such prime contracts and subcontracts, which is referred to as availability • Any difference between participation of minority owned businesses in relevant contracts and the availability of those businesses to perform that work, identified as disparities • Legal considerations, if any, surrounding implementations of the SDB program of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania • Marketplace conditions for disadvantaged businesses • Contracting practices and assistance programs that the Commonwealth currently has in place • Potential program measures that the Department of General Services could consider implementing as part of its implementation of the Com- monwealth’s Small Diverse Business Program Secretary Kirkland identified two major recommendations of the Dispar- ity Study. Among the many recommendations, he identified a strong need for establishing a statewide SDB aspirational goal of 26.3%, a Veteran Small Business goal of 4.6% and the need to reinvigorate the DGS Small Business Reserve Program. Currently, DGS is adjusting policies and programs to fully implement the goal percentage aspirations as well as establishing a policy which would require 15% of each agency prime contracting be spent directly with small businesses. The full report, with recommendations can be found on the Department of General Services website. low, Secretary Kirkland identified new reforms already being implemented to address this disparity. With the new SDB goal set at 26.3%, new program- ming is being discussed which would incentivize contracting efforts towards minority businesses. Currently, any prospective appli- cants aiming at securing contracts that are being bid out are scored based on certain aspects of the contract, including costs, technical components, small diverse participation, etc. If a contractor utilizes a small diverse business, they are awarded ‘points.’ These points go towards the overall scoring on an application. In some cases, these points can present a more compelling application as it boosts the score of the application, an identified incen- tive when multiple companies could bid on any one contract. While this shows an active attempt to increase small diverse business participation, the Disparity Report still identified a need for more programming, incentives, and reform which would boost small diverse business participation. Secre- tary Kirkland projected a full implementation of The DGS post disparity study policies and program reforms by 2020, with significant results being achieved by 2022. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has already shown tremendous growth in reform. As small business development and entrepreneurship increases, it becomes critical to identify ways to maintain and include minority owned small businesses in the equation. Secretary Kirkland’s account of the progress being made based on the Disparity Report identifies a leadership team that has not only understood the needs of a growing com- munity of diverse minority business owners, but one that has advocated for those businesses through incentives, policy reform, and implementation of goals which, if effective, could drastically increase contracting collaborations with small diverse, minority owned businesses. Deputy Secretary Kerry Kirkland PA Secretary Curt Topper by Fiordaliza White A New Blueprint for Inclusion: in Small Business Contracting Diversity HEALTH NEWS WWW.TALKMAGAZINEONLINE.COM | 13 Rhonda M. Johnson, M.D., M.P.H. Senior Medical Director, Medical Management and Quality Highmark Inc. A combination of the following factors is causing these inequities: • Behavior risks / lifestyle – tobacco smoking, physical inactivity, obesity, alcohol use, consumption of diets high in fat and processed foods. • Environmental – living where there is increased exposure to chemicals and pollution. • Social and economic – poverty, less education, lack of access to high quality health care, higher rates of uninsured. • Cultural / religious beliefs – sometimes we don’t like to talk about cancer or we have religious beliefs that may delay entry into medical care. The good news is that many advances have occurred in cancer care, and many cancers can be treated. The key is screening, early detection and treat- ment. There are other preventive measures you can also take to lower your risks of developing cancer or detecting it early: • Eliminate cigarette smoking and tobacco use – tobacco is linked to cancers of the lung, esophagus, oral cavity, stomach, kidneys and bladder (to name a few). • Increase physical activity. • Diet – eat less sugary and fried foods high and eat more fresh fruit and vegetables. • Limit alcohol intake. • Environmental risk factors – learn what these are and ways to decrease exposure. • Avoid infections – such as Human Papillomavirus (HPV) - which is linked to cervical, anal and oral cavity cancers. • Know your family history and how that puts you at risk. It’s also important to talk to your doctor about screenings and tests that are right for you based on your age, gender and risk factors. Here are few you can ask about on your next visit: • PAP test and Mammogram (Women) • Prostate examination (Men) • Physical examination (Men and Women) • Colorectal cancer screening tests (Men and Women) Take steps today that promote your overall well-being and talk to your friends and family about prevention – it could help save a life! For more information please visit the follow websites: http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/ https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer www.cancer.org http://www.athighmark.com/healthEquity/ PLEASE NOTE: This article does not provide medical advice. It is intended for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult your physician before participating in activities described by this article. Can Do to Close the Gap WHAT ARE CANCER DISPARITIES? Simply speaking, the term “cancer health disparities” refers to a higher burden of new cases of cancer, cancer deaths and complications in African Americans compared to other populations in the United States of America. Did you know that the top three cancers in black men are prostate cancer, lung cancer and colorectal (colon and rectum) cancer? For black women, the top three cancers are breast cancer, lung cancer and colorectal cancer. In addition, African Americans have the highest death rate and shortest survival of any racial and ethnic group in the US for most cancers. Black women are more likely than all other women to die from breast cancer. And their tumors are more likely to spread more quickly. African American Cancer Health Disparities What You The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is moving forward in increasing opportunities for minority business management. The Department of Gen- eral Services’ Bureau of Diversity, Inclusion and Small Business Opportu- nities (BDISBO) works to assist small and diverse businesses in competing for Commonwealth contracting opportunities. These minority businesses include Minority Business Enterprises, Women Business Enterprises, Dis- ability-Owned Business Enterprises, and LGBT Business Enterprises. The department ensures that not only are these businesses receiving assistance in being considered, but that new and innovative incentives are built around contracting towards these businesses as well. Newly appointed Deputy Secretary Kerry L. Kirkland serves as the senior public official to both represent and advise Governor Tom Wolf’s administration and Department of General Services on all matters related to the development of policies and programs to substantially increase the participation of Small Diverse Businesses (SDBs) and Small Businesses (SBs) within Commonwealth contracting. He formally served as Associate Deputy Administrator and Regional Administrator within the U.S. Small Business Administration. He also served as Vice President of the U.S. Black Chamber of Commerce and the Executive Director of the PA Democrat- ic Party. Deputy Secretary Kirkland is the co-founder of the American Contract Compliance Association, the largest membership-based contract compliance training organization in the world. He also founded the African American Political and Leadership Roundtable. He holds a Master’s De- gree in Human Services from Lincoln University, is a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. Inc, and is an Hon- orably Discharged United Stated Air Force Vietnam Veteran. Deputy Secretary Kirkland recently interviewed with Talk Magazine to discuss not only his hopes for the future of diverse small businesses in the Commonwealth, but to identify recent results from statewide disparity studies. Within his capacity as Deputy Secretary for Diversity, Inclusion and Small Business Opportunities, Secretary Kirkland is given the oppor- tunity to oversee the Disparity Study, a study which attempted to answer the question of whether or not small businesses face discrimination in the Commonwealth Marketplace. This study helped to examine marketplace conditions, review contract policies and program measures, refine existing program measures, and to ensure legal compliance. The Pennsylvania Disparity Study began in June 2017, concluding September 2018. It included a comprehensive analysis on several factors that might directly impact Diverse Small Business contracting. The study focused on the following: • Percentage of total relevant construction, professional services, goods and other services contract dollars that minority owned businesses received on prime and subcontracts between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2016 • The percentage of dollars that those businesses would expect to receive based on their availability to perform work on such prime contracts and subcontracts, which is referred to as availability • Any difference between participation of minority owned businesses in relevant contracts and the availability of those businesses to perform that work, identified as disparities • Legal considerations, if any, surrounding implementations of the SDB program of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania • Marketplace conditions for disadvantaged businesses • Contracting practices and assistance programs that the Commonwealth currently has in place • Potential program measures that the Department of General Services could consider implementing as part of its implementation of the Com- monwealth’s Small Diverse Business Program Secretary Kirkland identified two major recommendations of the Dispar- ity Study. Among the many recommendations, he identified a strong need for establishing a statewide SDB aspirational goal of 26.3%, a Veteran Small Business goal of 4.6% and the need to reinvigorate the DGS Small Business Reserve Program. Currently, DGS is adjusting policies and programs to fully implement the goal percentage aspirations as well as establishing a policy which would require 15% of each agency prime contracting be spent directly with small businesses. The full report, with recommendations can be found on the Department of General Services website. low, Secretary Kirkland identified new reforms already being implemented to address this disparity. With the new SDB goal set at 26.3%, new program- ming is being discussed which would incentivize contracting efforts towards minority businesses. Currently, any prospective appli- cants aiming at securing contracts that are being bid out are scored based on certain aspects of the contract, including costs, technical components, small diverse participation, etc. If a contractor utilizes a small diverse business, they are awarded ‘points.’ These points go towards the overall scoring on an application. In some cases, these points can present a more compelling application as it boosts the score of the application, an identified incen- tive when multiple companies could bid on any one contract. While this shows an active attempt to increase small diverse business participation, the Disparity Report still identified a need for more programming, incentives, and reform which would boost small diverse business participation. Secre- tary Kirkland projected a full implementation of The DGS post disparity study policies and program reforms by 2020, with significant results being achieved by 2022. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has already shown tremendous growth in reform. As small business development and entrepreneurship increases, it becomes critical to identify ways to maintain and include minority owned small businesses in the equation. Secretary Kirkland’s account of the progress being made based on the Disparity Report identifies a leadership team that has not only understood the needs of a growing com- munity of diverse minority business owners, but one that has advocated for those businesses through incentives, policy reform, and implementation of goals which, if effective, could drastically increase contracting collaborations with small diverse, minority owned businesses. Deputy Secretary Kerry Kirkland PA Secretary Curt Topper by Fiordaliza White A New Blueprint for Inclusion: in Small Business Contracting Diversity HEALTH NEWS WWW.TALKMAGAZINEONLINE.COM | 13 Rhonda M. Johnson, M.D., M.P.H. Senior Medical Director, Medical Management and Quality Highmark Inc. A combination of the following factors is causing these inequities: • Behavior risks / lifestyle – tobacco smoking, physical inactivity, obesity, alcohol use, consumption of diets high in fat and processed foods. • Environmental – living where there is increased exposure to chemicals and pollution. • Social and economic – poverty, less education, lack of access to high quality health care, higher rates of uninsured. • Cultural / religious beliefs – sometimes we don’t like to talk about cancer or we have religious beliefs that may delay entry into medical care. The good news is that many advances have occurred in cancer care, and many cancers can be treated. The key is screening, early detection and treat- ment. There are other preventive measures you can also take to lower your risks of developing cancer or detecting it early: • Eliminate cigarette smoking and tobacco use – tobacco is linked to cancers of the lung, esophagus, oral cavity, stomach, kidneys and bladder (to name a few). • Increase physical activity. • Diet – eat less sugary and fried foods high and eat more fresh fruit and vegetables. • Limit alcohol intake. • Environmental risk factors – learn what these are and ways to decrease exposure. • Avoid infections – such as Human Papillomavirus (HPV) - which is linked to cervical, anal and oral cavity cancers. • Know your family history and how that puts you at risk. It’s also important to talk to your doctor about screenings and tests that are right for you based on your age, gender and risk factors. Here are few you can ask about on your next visit: • PAP test and Mammogram (Women) • Prostate examination (Men) • Physical examination (Men and Women) • Colorectal cancer screening tests (Men and Women) Take steps today that promote your overall well-being and talk to your friends and family about prevention – it could help save a life! For more information please visit the follow websites: http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/ https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer www.cancer.org http://www.athighmark.com/healthEquity/ PLEASE NOTE: This article does not provide medical advice. It is intended for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult your physician before participating in activities described by this article. Can Do to Close the Gap WHAT ARE CANCER DISPARITIES? Simply speaking, the term “cancer health disparities” refers to a higher burden of new cases of cancer, cancer deaths and complications in African Americans compared to other populations in the United States of America. Did you know that the top three cancers in black men are prostate cancer, lung cancer and colorectal (colon and rectum) cancer? For black women, the top three cancers are breast cancer, lung cancer and colorectal cancer. In addition, African Americans have the highest death rate and shortest survival of any racial and ethnic group in the US for most cancers. Black women are more likely than all other women to die from breast cancer. And their tumors are more likely to spread more quickly. African American Cancer Health Disparities What YouHEALTH NEWS 12 | TALK MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2019WWW.TALKMAGAZINEONLINE.COM | 17 There are approximately 90 Urban League affiliates operating in 36 mar- kets throughout the country and the District of Columbia. Servicing at least 2 million people, it is stated that the Urban League movement empowers communities across America by provid- ing direct services and programming. Its motto is known as “Empower- ing Communities. Changing Lives.” The Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh founded in 1918 is one of the organization’s oldest affiliates. Under the leadership of its President and CEO Esther L. Bush for the past 25 years it has often been ranked as one of the organization’s highest performing affiliates. Most recently during the group’s last three successive performance reviews. With over 100 years of changing lives throughout the region, the mission of the Urban league of Greater Pittsburgh using a five-point approach is to enable African Americans to secure economic self-reli- ance, parity and power, and civil rights. Considered one of the largest comprehensive social service/civil rights organizations in southwestern Pennsylvania its strategy and vision statement based on the points implementing its mission are: education and youth empowerment, economic empowerment, health and quality of life empowerment, civic engagement empowerment and civil rights and racial justice empower- ment. Its philosophy is that through active engagement of community partners, the organization serves as a premier advocate for economic opportunity and justice that leads to significant improvement in the quality of the lives it serves. Grateful to be a part of the legacy of the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh, Vice President of Programs and Services, Regina Scott real- izes she is there at a pivotal time. Joining in the middle of its centennial year, her aim is to provide and bring the best value to the organiza- tion that she can. While observing the successes and processes of the organization, she is excited to be able to play a role in molding it for the future. Mentioning that the establishment of a One Pittsburgh 20/20 plan expected to change the face of how the Urban League conducts business in years to come she views her role as getting the client base to gain and maintain trust in them as the changes take place. “Looking at how we pivot in the ever changing social, economic and political climate, I view my responsibility as assuring our clients that our foundation and bedrock is staying relevant and will service them in new and innovative ways while doing an increased job at meeting their needs in ways that are real, tangible and impactful. We want to assist our client’s and their families in feeling whole.” Economic self-reliance, considered one of the pillars of the Urban League movement, means a lot of aspects to Scott. “It involves being in places advocating for policy change, living wages or whatever is needed. It means establishing programing that provides trainings so people are making living wages not minimum wages so they can meet not only their needs but their family’s needs. It means connecting people to the appropriate and necessary resources and working with organizations within the community already providing needed services so that the voice of the people is being heard. All that and more is our role. It’s being able to be flexible to pivot whenever necessary in order to assure that the client’s needs are met while staying focused on our mission and that we are doing the things we are required while getting the desired result,” says Scott. The Urban League is on record for assisting more than 20,000 indi- viduals within a years’ time focusing in the localities of the Hill District, Northside, Homewood and Homestead, which encompasses the Mon Valley. The communities of East Hills, Northview Heights and the City of Duquesne are serviced through its three Family Support Centers. The centers are known for nurturing children, strengthening families and aiding in building the community. In the mist of developing the One Pittsburgh 20/20 Plan predicted to be released soon, Scott says their agenda will continue to lean toward providing innovative programs, services and policies, which will con- tribute to the strength of the greater Pittsburgh region.” Program areas include economic self-reliance, housing, youth leadership development, leadership and advocacy. When questioned about their employment programs she indicated that the Urban Senior Job Program and the Urban Apprenticeship Jobs Program are key components of economic self-reliance. The Senior Program geared toward residents 55 years and up assists job seekers as well as employers. It helps job seekers in honing their skills, maintaining work-readiness and finding appropriate opportunities. The Program ensures that employers can recruit reliable, experienced job seekers. Focused on apprenticeships in the trade areas of construction and manufacturing, The Urban Apprenticeship Jobs Program is designed for unemployed and underemployed adults. Other programs falling under economic self-reliance include Bank On, Build Your ‘A’ Game, Digital Connectors, Operation Home and Techno Teens. The programs are intended to equip their clients to be- come a fully contributing members of the community, able to develop to his or her potential and successfully compete for living-wage job opportunities. Well versed with the issues of the region Scott, a native of Greater Pittsburgh spent over 15 years at the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. She describes herself as possessing strong leadership abilities combined with an array of supervisory and management level experience related to public policy, program administration and opera- tions management. An avid volunteer in areas of community and social service, she believes in giving back and pouring into communities in a city which she loves. A product of a single mother and a single mom herself she says she knows what it is like to have limited support and not have adequate resources. “I have life lessons and know what some of the people are going through that feel there is nothing for them, because they don’t have an education, degrees or resources that they do not have to revert to illegal or bad things to make a way for themselves. I want to be the example to say to them that you don’t have to go that route. I want to make an impact.” She truly believes in the Urban League motto of empowering communities and changing Lives. Some information for this article was obtained from the Greater Pitts- burgh Urban League website and the 2017/18 Annual Report. by Diane I. Daniels WWW.TALKMAGAZINEONLINE.COM | 17 and the Urban League of Great Pittsburgh Refocus for Next Century Regina ScottNext >