Twenty years ago, as an employee of the Charlotte Minority Business Development Center, I was responsible for planning the local Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week activities. I am still involved in MED Week activities, but now from the perspective of an advocate on the statewide level.
MED Week was initiated in 1983 by presidential proclamation to celebrate the accomplishments of minority entrepreneurs and businesses. National MED Week will be observed Aug. 26-28 in Washington, D.C.
While Governor Perdue declared August as Minority Enterprise Development Month in North Carolina, minority business resource agencies and advocates across the state have planned special activities that are scheduled through October. As we have done for the past decade, the HUB Office will support local MED Week activities currently planned in Fayetteville, Asheville, Raleigh and Durham by serving as facilitators or presenters in various workshops, seminars and awards functions.
MED Week activities are essential events for the minority business community. I know firsthand the hard work that goes into planning them, so I applaud the minority business resource agencies for the time and hard work that goes into planning MED Week activities. As the 2001 National MED Week Advocate of the Year Award recipient, I consider it a privilege to remain involved in this important undertaking. I am proud of the HUB Office’s historic support of this initiative and our continued role in promoting minority business development throughout the year.