A new black business hub has been launched in the Liverpool City Region as part of a £214,000 fund for racial equality projects.
Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram said the money will go towards three projects to help tackle racial inequality in the region - and contribute towards identifying and tackling the barriers that negatively impact on the economic position of BAME communities.
The three projects include the Nia Black Business Hub Pilot - a £93,573 fund for the Kuumba Imani Millennium Centre to develop a project creating the city region’s first business incubation and support hub specifically for black-led businesses.
The other two initiatives are £65,000 for a 'positive action and employment support programme', and £55,000 funding for the International Slavery Museum to include virtual classroom resources and a pop-up exhibition.
Sign up to our #IAMBOB newsletter
We're celebrating the success of the 海角视频's black-owned businesses - and we want to tell you all about them in our #IAMBOB newsletter!
Once a month, we share news, features and comment from companies led by black business leaders - from start-ups and SMEs to blue-chip corporations and household names.
You can sign up here
Mayor Rotheram said: "Events over the past year have bought into sharp focus the deep-seated and structural inequalities that exist in our society and, as mayor, I have committed our city region to taking meaningful action to address this.
"In October, we launched our Race Equality Programme and pledged to listen honestly to the issues facing the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities in our city region and work together to drive change.
"This funding marks and an important first step and I'm delighted we've been able to help projects that support BAME businesses, address inequalities and under-representation in our economy, and face up to the legacy of slavery in our city region.”
Most Read
The £65,000 positive action and employment support programme will see £65,000 for the design of an LCR-wide positive action infrastructure and employment support programme, to deliver significant benefits both to individuals and to business and economic performance across Liverpool City Region.
The funds for the International Slavery Museum will include enhanced virtual classroom resources – making the existing transatlantic slavery programme more accessible and providing a new legacies programme. It will also include a pop-up exhibition exploring ways of using the Martin Luther King Jnr Building in connection with the International Slavery Museum.
Michelle Charters, CEO, from Kuumba Imani Millennium Centre, said: “We are delighted with this financial support and commitment from Metro Mayor, Steve Rotheram and the Combined Authority.
"It will allow us to work in collaboration with the Women’s Organisation and build on the work of L8 A Better Place in order to pilot and develop the Nia Black Business Hub, which will offer support to people of African, Caribbean, Asian and Arab descent in order to develop new ideas, initiatives and businesses in the LCR region.”
Claire Benjamin, head of learning and participation at National Museums Liverpool, said: “Our Legacies virtual classroom will explore the importance of Black representation and cultural identity prior to transatlantic slavery, as well as current day issues and campaigns.
"Support from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority will help us to create digital resources for schools, a bursary programme, and professional development opportunities for teachers and educators in how to meaningfully engage children and young people with these important themes and subjects.”