August 07, 2018

Duckworth, Kelly Host Small Business Development Workshop

 

[CHICAGO, IL] — U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (IL-02) hosted a small business development workshop today in conjunction with the South Suburban Small Business Association, Chicago Southland Chamber and the South Shore Chamber of Commerce to provide tips, tools and best practices for small business owners and entrepreneurs in Chicago’s South Side and south suburbs. At the workshop, which took place at Olive-Harvey College, Duckworth also discussed how enacting policies that support small businesses and minority-owned businesses can change the economic landscape for communities of color and help working families get ahead. A photo of the workshop is available here.

“If we want to create new economic opportunities for our communities, we need to make it easier for small businesses to get off the ground and create jobs in their communities,” Duckworth said. “I’m proud to join Representative Kelly in helping provide tools and information at today’s workshop. Small businesses are the real backbone of our economy and I will continue working to ensure every American has the opportunity to start and grow a business and achieve their American Dream.”

“Today, we were able to provide entrepreneurs in the Second District and around Chicagoland with real, tangible resources to grow their business, expand into new markets and help create good-paying local jobs,” said Congresswoman Robin Kelly. “Small businesses are the foundation of our economy. By connecting local small business owners with resources and information, we are empowering them to live their American Dream and help their neighbors and employees achieve their own American Dream.”

After meeting with the South Shore Chamber of Commerce last year, Duckworth committed to hosting a workshop to benefit small businesses in underserved communities and provide information about what federal resources are available to them. Today’s workshop featured panelists from the Small Business Administration, the Minority Business Development Agency, the Women’s Business Development Center and the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership to help Illinois businesses get the resources they need to succeed.

As a member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Duckworth is working in the Senate to expand economic opportunity, cut unnecessary red tape and revitalize economies in communities around the state that have been ignored by many for too long. Her first piece of legislation in the Senate, a bipartisan bill supporting Illinois jobs and protecting infrastructure projects from needless bureaucratic delays, passed in only 63 days. In 2017, she introduced legislation to make it easier for small businesses to borrow capital from community banks and has filed amendments to help entrepreneurs grow their small businesses by providing them with consulting, training, loans and export assistance. Duckworth has also introduced legislation to reauthorize a federal agency that helps coordinate federal resources and grow women-owned businesses.

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