INCLUDES TWO UNIQUE VIDEOS | Learn more about the Division Midway Alliance Minority Capacity-Building Program, and how it’s helping outer East Portland people get into business …
In the Mill Park neighborhood, the Division Midway Alliance parking lot is the site for their Celebrating Entrepreneurs Event.
Story and photos by David F. Ashton
With perfect weather for an outdoor reception, the parking lot of the Division Midway Alliance (DMA) Neighborhood Prosperity Initiative along SE Division Street was filled with canopies on June 28.
The festivity: DMA’s Celebrating Entrepreneurs Event.
Telling about the program and the celebration is DMA Program Coordinator Mora Lorena Mora.
“Today, we’re celebrating participants in our ‘Minority Business Capacity-Building Program’ at this fair,” began DMA Program Coordinator Lorena Mora.
“We have seven participants; and this celebration is like their graduation,” Mora told East Portland News. “And, they each have an opportunity here this afternoon to showcase the products or services that they sell.”
Showing the food they’re sampling at the event are Dorka Tefera and Noah Solomon of Edomie’s Ethiopian Cuisine.
Some of the businesspeople were also caterers, and provided food samples at the fair. Van Nein offered samples of Stir-Fried Noodles with Vegetables, and Savory Pastry filled with vegetarian meat and mushrooms. Emame’s Ethiopian Cuisine served Beef Stew with Red Lentil Sauce and Collard Greens. And Nepali Delight caterers were offering Samosas.
Other entrepreneurs showed their products, and talked about the services they provide.
Meet the entrepreneurs at this fair in our brief video tour:
“This celebration today is important to help them connect with different organizations and community members,” Mora explained.
“This helps other business-related organizations learn about them, so they can provide support” she pointed out.
Community members and business owners network with new entrepreneurs at the fair.
“And, it’s a time for them to network, engage with them, and make the most important connections that will benefit them, and their businesses as well,” Mora added.
In this video, produced by the DMA, their entrepreneurs, in this program, share their stories:
About this DMA program
“We had meetings with them monthly to provide technical assistance, and talk about what support or more help the needed; many times it was help with marketing,” Mora said. “I help them create a marketing like flyers, and business cards.
“And also, I was providing them with information about different events going on, so they could go out and ‘table’ at these [venues] to promote their businesses.”
Learn more about the Division Midway Alliance by visiting their website: CLICK HERE.
© 2024 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News™
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