Amanda Smith, president of Native American Business Association, spoke with Invest: about the Association’s focus on expanding outreach, promoting certification initiatives for Native-owned businesses and bridging the digital divide to improve connectivity in their communities.
How do you attract new businesses and residents to work with the Native American Business Association?
In Texas, one thing that stands out is how socioeconomic spend is measured, which is unique compared to other states. We have our eye on the legislation that is currently in front of the Texas Legislature related to affirmative action in Texas because it impacts so many opportunities for the community. We’ve been very vocal about it. All state agencies and municipalities measure their socioeconomic spend, and unfortunately, Native American spend is always the lowest. We see the opportunity to promote partnerships with Native businesses, not just because they’re Native but because they’re fantastic at what they do. This helps to bring more Native businesses into the picture, including some of the larger tribal businesses. With funding available for infrastructure, there are great opportunities for Native businesses here in Texas.
How is the Association helping to foster greater Native American representation in the business community?
We’re actively working on advocating for and building relationships with businesses. It’s not just about getting our voice heard, although that is important, but also about fostering partnerships. There are some great Native leaders in Washington DC that we are fortunate to have the ability to reach out to on behalf of our Native businesses. Arlando Teller, Assistant Secretary for Tribal Affairs at USDOT and Jackson Brossy, Assistant Administrator, Office of Native American Affairs with the SBA are just a couple. We aim to be the voice for our community because the small-business owners don’t always have the time to fight the fight. If they have another opportunity elsewhere, then naturally they will go there. So, it’s important that we step in and build bridges to allow for success in this state. By doing so, we’ve established strong relationships, serving on numerous boards throughout the metroplex in North Texas.
Where is the opportunity to improve diversity and inclusion efforts in the North Texas business community?
From the Native American standpoint there is an opportunity for improvement everywhere. Most people don’t realize that, although the relative numbers of Native American businesses are small, Texas actually has the largest number of certified Native businesses out of all states. The perception that there are few Native-owned businesses in Texas is surprising, given our proximity to Indian Country. Thus, from the Native perspective, there is room for improvement within diversity and inclusion initiatives everywhere.
What is on the advocacy agenda for the association?
We are driving toward expanded outreach, with a noteworthy emphasis on certification initiatives. There is a noticeable gap between certified and non-certified businesses, and a part of our advocacy is focused on educating individuals and entities involved in certification processes. This also includes promoting awareness about efficiently certifying Native and tribally owned businesses. Sometimes, there are challenges when our members are denied certification due to a lack of understanding from agencies. With this being a focal point of our agenda, we aim to develop other sub-categories, such as education, calls for action and specific areas of emphasis for certification.
How will North Texas operate differently moving forward given the region’s growth?
I believe we can maintain the current pace. However, I am concerned about what will happen after we’ve reached the peak and must confront the valley. Specifically, given the influx of individuals who have relocated here due to the funding, I worry about the job prospects for these individuals once the funding is no longer available. It is unclear if there will be another prominent industry that will produce comparable funding or whether there will be adequate job opportunities available in such an industry. There is also the question of whether those with skills in infrastructure and construction professions will be able to pivot successfully. If not, we need to figure out which pathway they will pursue.
What are some of the projects or initiatives that you are excited to push forward for the Association?
Over the past year, we’ve been focusing on bridging the digital divide, which has become increasingly important to our organization. Thanks to the administration’s efforts, a lot of our tribal communities have received funding for better connectivity. This is particularly significant because it has a huge impact on our communities. Some of them have had to relocate, especially in remote village areas in Alaska, and for those who have moved, being connected to their families is life changing. Telecommunication, remote work, telemedicine, learning — all these can be improved with better connectivity. And it’s not just relevant for those in remote areas. Even just north of us in Oklahoma, the first cellphone call was made from one of the Cherokee tribes just last month. This is how recent and pertinent this issue is. Thus, the digital divide is a huge issue and it’s one that we are passionate about addressing as we move forward.
