Nika White Joins SC Minority Affairs’ Minority Business Advisory Committee

GREENVILLE, SC – December 17, 2012 – GreenvilleChamber Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion Nika White has beeninvited to serve on the SC Commission for Minority Affairs’ MinorityBusiness Development Program Advisory Committee.

The mission of theMinority Business Development Program Advisory Committee is to helpguide and direct policies relevant to the Commission’s Minority BusinessDevelopment Program which supports the development of strong andeffective minority businesses in South Carolina. The committee willassist in the development of the minority business programs designed toaddress needs of the citizens of South Carolina interested in startingor expanding a business enterprise.

White, who will startserving on the committee starting December 7 of this year, notes, “I’mvery excited to have received an invitation from South CarolinaCommission for Minority Affairs to join the Minority BusinessDevelopment Program Advisory Committee. I anticipate being a part ofdeveloping a strategy critical to addressing the needs of the minoritypopulations not only in the greater Greenville area, but all over thestate.”

According to SouthCarolina Commission for Minority Affairs’ Small and Minority BusinessCoordinator Rogie Nelson, “South Carolina minorities living belowpoverty are pervasive and well above the national levels: Blacks(30.1%), Hispanics (33.8%), and Native Americans (33.9%).  All of theselevels are more than twice that of whites (12.8%) in South Carolina. Webelieve that the Commission’s Minority Business Development Program willcreate new initiatives that will address innovative pathways out ofpoverty in our State.”

About the SC Commission for Minority Affairs
TheSouth Carolina Commission for Minority Affairs (CMA) was created in1993 by the South Carolina General Assembly.  Its primary mission is tostudy the causes and effects of socioeconomic poverty and deprivation,and its impact on the minority population in the state of SouthCarolina. Since 2003, the Commission has worked to develop partnershipsin the public and private sectors to address the concerns facing smalland minority businesses. In 2006, the General Assembly approved fundingto conduct research and policy analysis, and to comprehensively addressall relevant issues regarding poverty and deprivation.

A core mission of theSouth Carolina Commission for Minority Affairs (CMA) is to serve as aliaison with community leaders, businesses, and elected officials tobuild the infrastructure needed to foster economic prosperity among theminority population. One of the focus areas at the Commission is thedevelopment and expansion of minority owned businesses as a means tofoster economic prosperity among ethnic minorities in the State. 

TheCommission believes that if we were to effectuate a significant impactin the communities that we are commissioned to serve, we need to embraceand develop a robust Minority Business Development Program that willserve the citizens of South Carolina, particularly those populationshardest hit by the economic depression in the State, where poverty anddeprivation are pervasive.

Additionally, the Commission was created to:

• Research the causes and effects of minority socioeconomic deprivation in the State;
• Providethe minority community, consisting of African Americans, NativeAmerican Indians, Hispanics/Latinos, Asians and others with a singlepoint of contact for statistical data and technical assistance in theareas of research and planning for a greater economic future;
• Workwith officials on the state, county and local levels of government indisseminating statistical data and determining its impact on theirconstituencies;
• Provide for publication of a statewide statistical abstract on minority affairs;
• Providestatistical analyses for members of the General Assembly on the statusof minority communities as the State experiences economic growth andchanges;
• Establish advisory committees representative of minority groups as deemed appropriate to advise  the Commission;
• Act as liaison with the business community to provide programs and opportunities for minorities;
• Seekfederal and other funding on behalf of the State of South Carolina forthe express purpose of implementing various programs and services forAfrican Americans, Native American Indians, Hispanics/Latinos, Asians,and other minority groups; and
• Promulgateregulations as may be necessary to carry out the State Recognitionprocess of Native American Indian entities in the State of SouthCarolina.

Learn more at http://www.state.sc.us/cma/index.html.

About CAPACITY, the Greenville Chamber’s Diversity and Inclusion Initiative
CAPACITYis the Greenville Chamber’s initiative designed to foster economicdevelopment through diversity and inclusion. Building capacity refers tostrengthening the skills, competencies and abilities of people andcommunities. Growth can only be sustained by its structure. The CAPACITYinitiative facilitates building structure within the community toincrease capacity, enhance economic development and create leadershipopportunities for diverse business owners and professionals.

Learn more at http://www.greenvillechamber.org/diversity-inclusion.php.

About the Greenville Chamber
TheGreenville Chamber is the largest business organization in the Upstate.The Chamber’s mission is to build one of the premier businesscommunities in the world by leading through collaboration, buildingcommunity prosperity, being the voice of business, and enhancing qualityof life. For more information about the Greenville Chamber, call 864-242-1050, or visit www.greenvillechamber.org.