SERIES OVERVIEW
Statistics show that people of color are at greater risk for health complications of COVID-19 because of underlying systemic and social factors. There's a similar disparity when it comes to family and business finances, plainly visible wherever people are seeking help.
DISCUSSIONS
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The pandemic has disproportionately impacted Black and Latino communities. We sit down with Charlotte’s Black and Latino business leaders and analysts to understand what is behind these racial disparities and what solutions might lead us toward a more equitable economy. Time and Date: 9 a.m. Nov. 17, 2020
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Shutdowns during the coronavirus pandemic devastated the economy and hit Black and Latino communities especially hard. Business owners and workers made their living in industries that saw customers vanish such as health care, hospitality and transportation. Time and Date: 12 p.m. Nov. 20
LATEST ARTICLES
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Businesses can begin applying for another round of Paycheck Protection Program loans this week. Only a small fraction of Black-owned businesses have received loans as part of the CARES act.
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Sending remittances is a common practice for most migrants in the United States. These payments are sent to their home countries to cover the costs of living for the family members left behind. But the coronavirus pandemic has put an economic strain on those who send this money — at a time when it is needed the most.
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Health centers that provide low-cost care to predominantly Black and Latino communities have seen costs rise as they respond to COVID-19. These health centers tend to operate on tight budgets, and they found themselves this year spending more than they planned to protect their workers — all while seeing a sharp drop in patients in the first months of the pandemic.
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Cashiers at gas stations and convenience stores aren’t typically who we think of when we hear the term “essential worker,” but they interact with the public daily, making sure we can gas up our cars or pick up some food – particularly in areas without grocery stores. How they stay safe on the job isn’t easy.
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A group of textile workers launched a mask-making business after quitting their factory jobs reupholstering furniture when they realized other workers were choosing not to wear masks at work.
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In Charlotte, Cathay Dawkins, cofounder of Black Businesses of Charlotte, says Black Restaurant Week actually held for two weeks last month, helped to bring in customers to restaurants that were not doing a lot of business. He says revenue for them increased by 25% during the event. But still, Dawkins says many Black restaurants are struggling, with some expected to close in coming months.
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The coronavirus pandemic dealt a blow to the arts - performers waited months for venues to reopen and some are still waiting. And visual artists lost job opportunities as budgets tightened. But the city has come together with partners to help the creative community out.
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Some business transactions that would have been done in person have been moved online during the coronavirus pandemic. A Charlotte organization has noticed that this transition has been harder for Latino small business owners who have been depending on paper documents and face-to-face meetings.
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Charlotte officials say more than 2,800 small businesses and restaurants have received more than $37 million in aid through the city's federally-funded COVID-19 grant programs. Many grantees were minority-owned businesses.
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The Eastway Crossing plaza in east Charlotte is home to 33 businesses - a mix of at least 15 locally owned stores and 12 chain stores. Some of the Black-owned businesses are struggling while some are thriving both now and when the pandemic first grew.
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When Latino families across North Carolina had to cancel large social gatherings this year, that included canceling quinceañeras. These elaborate coming-of-age celebrations have created a profitable industry. But the coronavirus pandemic forced both young girls and the industry to adjust their plans.
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The coronavirus pandemic has dealt a blow to Black and Latino business owners across the country. One study found roughly 40% of Latino-owned businesses and workers and 57% of Black-owned businesses and workers were in industries with the largest number of job losses back in April when the economy took a nosedive.