Featured photo: Kamala Harris and Mayor Sheldon Neeley wearing masks at the Flint Farmer’s Market during Harris’ recent walk through downtown Flint
On Sept. 22, Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris made a visit through downtown Flint, touring downtown and stopping by three Black-owned small businesses in the area.
Among those visited were Earl Jones and Tim Tyler, who opened Magnificlips, a local downtown barber shop opened in March of 2020. Due to the pandemic, their business was shut down one week after opening. Since the onset of the pandemic, they’ve found success through engaging with other local businesses in downtown Flint to get their name out and encourage other business owners to recommend Magnificlips to their customers.
Egypt Otis, owner of Comma Bookstore and Social Hub, was also among those paid a visit by Harris. Otis’ space focuses on promoting Black authors and business owners. Egypt has been a community organizer in Flint, working for organizations like Planned Parenthood and The Community Foundation of Greater Flint. She opened Comma Bookstore to create a space that reflects and empowers the Flint community at large.
“I am happy to be part of a historical moment where our potential vice president could be the first African American woman to hold that title, and to share that moment with my daughter was even more special,” Otis said. “It just goes to show you how important representation is, which is something we value at Comma.”
In addition, during the tour, Harris talked to Jason Trice, who owns Bedrock Apparel, a boutique whose brand has become well-known in the community. To Trice, Bedrock is a brand that represents the people of Flint’s resilience, roots and strong foundation as a community.
The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted Black-owned businesses. Reports from the University of Michigan show that while 785 restaurants in Michigan received PPP loans of at least $150,000, only one was Black owned. For many Black entrepreneurs and business owners, pivoting towards e-commerce operations and accessing capital and relief loans were made more difficult due to systemic barriers that have barred Black people from economic opportunity.
Deanna Nolan, Flint-native and former WNBA basketball player, joined the walking tour to share her experience growing up in Flint and speak to how Black-owned small businesses make up the backbone of communities in Flint. Senator Debbie Stabenow also joined the walk. They ended walking tour with a visit to the Flint Farmers Market. There, Michigan residents, including Flint’s mayor, told the Flint Courier News why it was so important they showed their support during the walking tour.
Arthur Woodson of Flint informed us he had just had a one-on-one meeting with Harris to speak about the water issues. Woodson ran for 34th District State Representative.
“So many people have promised us so many different things, and when they get in office they do something totally different,” Woodson said.
He asked Harris what was different about her and asked her what she will do once she gets in office. He said he was satisfied with Harris’ responses.
“She’s already working on a bill for water affordability for low income (individuals),” Woodson said. “Then, they have a $2 trillion plan for environmental justice that she’s going to send me. Just seeing all that… is a way of letting me know that they plan on doing something when they get into office.”
Woodson said he tells other residents about the importance of voting when he passes out water, and he assists with voter registration drives.
Carrie J. Clark, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Inc. Great Lakes Regional director, said she was endorsing Harris as an individual though the sorority as a whole does not endorse any individual candidate as it is a non-partisan organization. Clark traveled from Rochester Hills, Michigan to see Harris.
“Policies are being implemented without the fairness to and consideration of those that are in need,” Clark said. “I am hoping that this ticket will be able to come back within the communities and to be able to support a lot of the things like health care, educational reform (and other) things that are really happening in the communities that are suffering. There are a lot of things going on in the world that I am hoping they will have more empathy to address as well.”
Clark said she hopes Biden and Harris will take the necessary stance to address the COVID-19 pandemic head on. She also said the fact Harris is a woman speaks volumes to little girls that they can achieve anything they want-especially little girls of color.
“The second thing that impresses me most is she has earned her way. She was not given her position based on her connections. She was given the position because she has earned it-based on her profession, based on the position she served in in California, based on her educational background. A lot of people say she was picked because she was Black. But, I say no; she was picked because she is qualified”
Mayor Sheldon Neeley had an opportunity to tell Harris about the condition of the Flint community.
“I’m optimistic and I’m hopeful that Biden and Harris will continue to the things they have committed to do and promised to do,” Neeley said. “The American public will hold them accountable for their actions or their inactions. So, I’m just optimistic and very hopeful that we do see a new president of the United States and that he does make our America more inclusive.”
