Harrison Blair, President & CEO, Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce
In an interview with Invest:, Harrison Blair, president and CEO of the Black Chamber of Commerce, talked about the organization’s significant achievements over the past year, including the opening of Vista Bank, the first bank in South Dallas in over 30 years, and distributing over $171,000 in grants to small businesses and nonprofits since 2020.
What have been some key achievements or milestones for the chamber over the lastyear?
We wanted to start with a vision for the business district that would extend from MLK to OakCliff. The first major asset to move into that district was Vista Bank. They were apprehensive atfirst and initially tried to buy our property at MLK and Malcolm X, but that is too important an address to give up. Instead, they moved into a former social security building, and in May of thisyear, we cut the ribbon and opened the first bank in South Dallas in over 30 years. They arealso near our community center and other partners.
Another important milestone is that we are now a grant-making institution and have worked withpartners like the Office Depot Corporation and various charitable organizations to provide those grants. Since 2020, we have exceeded $171,000 in grants to small businesses and nonprofits. This shift has transitioned our administration from scholarships directly to students to business grants, which we are very excited about.
How do you perceive the economic landscape, especially for Black-owned businesses?
Many businesses want to be part of the North Texas economy because it is the heart of the Texas Miracle, but there are still numerous barriers for businesses from our communities. For example, many businesses are still hesitant to approach banks due to past financial barriers. However, I do think businesses in this region fare better because of the business environment, low taxes, and the absence of a local income tax. I am seeing many businesses moving to the area. When I started the chamber, we had fewer than 50 new paying members, but now we have over 900 members from many different backgrounds, including members from New York, Kenya, Ghana, and beyond.
How does the chamber help businesses access capital and close the financial gap?
When it comes to financial institutions, we engage in a lot of truth-telling, which often starts with our largest banks. A statistic that really characterizes the situation for Black people in the Southern United States is that 60% of people in the South are unbanked. When you look at a check-cashing place and wonder who is keeping that place open, it’s the unbanked individuals and those who are new to the country and lack the requirements to open a bank account. We push institutions to find ways to help these individuals access services, and we have also started our own loan fund.
Our portfolio of grants has grown since 2020, and when I began discussing the funds Vista Bank was providing us for grants, they indicated that they wanted to see capital reproduce itself within the community. They asked us to consider creating a micro-loan fund. The chamber is striving to become the funder of choice and aims to be a micro-lender to better assist small businesses.
What role do you see the chamber playing in preparing for the arrival of the FIFA World Cup?
We spend a lot of time speaking to different officials and preparing companies to work with them, while actively promoting these opportunities. Each World Cup match is like a Super Bowl in itself, so there is a significant amount of opportunity. We are working with various agencies to engage and help people get involved, as this will be a tremendous boost to the area.
We are assisting businesses with their paperwork, helping them enter municipal spaces like Bonfire, and breaking down city terms and language to help them navigate procurement processes and city contracts through workshops and consultations. This includes various seminars and meetings at our office, as well as walk-ins from people seeking information. I believe this year we are on track to reach our 2,000th business.
How is the chamber advocating for DEI?
We are not really using the phrase DEI because it has become a buzzword that many people criticize. Instead, we focus on strengthening underserved communities that are under-resourced. We advocate for these communities by engaging with major corporations, like JPMorgan Chase, which often receive low marks for their support of the underserved. We emphasize that if you are going to invest in a community, start with the people who live there, as they know the most about its needs.
We also showcase many of our members who receive grants and who we know will effectively utilize the capital. An example is Amber Jackson with Glitz Optical. We provided her with a $5,000 grant, which she used to create customized frames with unique lenses — I even have a pair myself. She used the grant to purchase a lab so she could cut the lenses herself, saving her weeks of time. She has since received another grant to open an additional location and is truly helping us as much as we are helping her.
How are you engaging with the government and other organizations to create a favorable business environment?
Some of our most significant advocacy work at the local level focuses on ensuring that city managers and council members prioritize local businesses, especially in city operations post-COVID. We meet regularly with the city manager, the mayor, and our city council members, whether we agree on specific topics or not. We also advocate across various departments, including procurement, parks and recreation, and economic development. We stay informed about what is happening, so even if local media are not covering these meetings, we have representatives present when the city council discusses important matters.
What are your priorities for the next two to three years?
The first major priority is to grow our membership from 900 to 3,000 by Nov. 15, 2026, which will mark our 100th anniversary. The second major goal is the further development of this business district, which is really where the chamber starts. When I look at the southern sector and consider all the assets we need, it is clear that we are dealing with more than a food desert; we are facing food apartheid, as the government and leaders decide where resources will go. We recently lost a major grocer and now have only one left. However, we will not stop at food — we want to expand into innovation, entertainment, and leisure, and we are committed to getting that development underway.
I would say our third and most important goal is to continue investing in companies and businesses through programming. One of the major initiatives we plan to roll out is called the Center for High Growth Enterprises, where we will support businesses for eight weeks by leveraging our best relationships and consultants.
