SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – The South Dakota Black Chamber of Commerce is coming up on its one year anniversary of helping minority-owned businesses succeed.
Windy City Bites has been a part of Sioux Falls for over four years now — starting as a food truck in 2020 to now having a brick-and-mortar location along North Indiana Avenue.
Now, they are looking ahead to even more growth with the help of the South Dakota Black Chamber of Commerce.
“It’s a good networking opportunity and then they do seminars, webinars, some of those things that help you navigate through some things that you might not know how to do as far as business is involved,” DeShawn Lewis, owner of Windy City Bites, said.
Lenn Patterson George, President of the South Dakota Black Chamber of Commerce, says she wanted to be a part of the Commerce in order to fill a gap in the community and lift up minority-owned businesses.
“When you look at some of the systemic challenges that minority businesses face with market discrimination, access to capital, having network opportunities — those are some of the things that we are affectively and fervently targeting,” Patterson George said. “Creating a place where minority businesses can receive education and tools to help them whether that’s in financial literacy or business etiquette.”
She says they’ve had a busy first year but they are looking forward to an even more exciting 2025.
“We have some new initiatives, some new programs that we’re going to be spearheading,” Patterson George said. “Again, looking at two new target areas with Brookings and Rapid City and then already being very established here in Sioux Falls. So, 2025 is looking like a very bright year for us.”
“The future is great. We’re going to help a lot more businesses, minority businesses and we ask the support of the community,” Immanuel Bassey, VP of Finance & Economic Development with the SDBCC, said. “We’re not just a Chamber for Black people. We’re a Chamber for minorities but also for people who are interested in the communal relationship of growth.”
The South Dakota Black Chamber of Commerce supports more than 50 minority-owned businesses. They also host many workshops and trainings.
